GW-307 -- The hottest gizmos and gadgets from Japan

Fri Jul 25 12:32:53 JST 2008

This week's Gadget Watch mirrors the past few days of the
Japanese gadget scene: no big announcements calling for long
write-ups, but plenty of interesting short items - a super-thin
TV phone, a super-high-res pocket camera, yet another strange
mouse, and more.
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Japan Inc Magazine Presents:
G A D G E T W A T C H

READ GADGETWATCH ONLINE AT:
www.japaninc.com
The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan
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Issue No. 307 Friday July 25, 2008
Subscribers: 9467
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1) NTT DOCOMO has released the new 'P706iu' (that's 'mu'), which
the company claims is the slimmest mobile with One-seg TV on the
market. The Panasonic-made 'Extreme Slim' phone is just 9.8 mm
thick and builds in 'Osaifu Keitai' e-wallet, FOMA High-Speed, a
3-inch QVGA screen, and a 2-megapixel camera. Around JPY40,000.
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/product/foma/706i/p706imu/ (Japanese)

2) DOCOMO adds another to the growing ranks of mobile phones
doubling as fitness buddies: the 'Raku Raku Phone V' (that's V
as in 'Five'). You can hold a fingertip over the camera to
measure your pulse, and count your steps with the pedometer
powered by a three-axis accelerometer. Aimed at beginners and
seniors, the clamshell 3G phone also features an easy-read
screen, 'Super Hakkiri Voice 2' sound enhancement to enhance
listening, and easy one-hand opening. About JPY40,000, from
August.
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/product/easy_phone/foma_rakuraku5/
index.html (Japanese)

3) Matsushita is claiming a 'world's first' for its new LUMIX
DMC-FX150: the highest pixel count - 14.7 million - in a
'kondeji' ('compact digtal') camera. That's a pixel count
unmatched even by a lot of digital SLR cameras. Specs include
28mm lens, 3.6x optical zoom, and 2.7-inch display. Choose from
Blade Silver, Mirage Gold, or Esprit Black - colors designed to
appeal to the male demographic, says the company. About
JPY47,000, from August 22.
http://panasonic.jp/dc/fx150/ (Japanese)

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4) Tokyo-based toy maker Cube Co. Ltd. has new Star Wars-themed
4-port USB hubs. Choose from an R2-D2 replica or a bust of Darth
Vader. Each turns its head, flahes lights, and makes noises:
R2-D2's trademark beeps (which Cube transliterates as 'pico pico
pico') and Darth's notorious heavy breathing ('co-ho-' is how
Cube writes out that one, and it works for me). Each is 15 cm
tall and goes for JPY7140.
http://www.cube-works.co.jp/works/index_sub.html?/works/starwars
/index.html (Japanese)

5) Sweaty palms a problem while working on the computer? If the
cause isn't the web sites you're viewing, maybe it's just the
summer heat. Cool your mouse hand with Thanko's 'USB Cooler
Mouse'. The 5-button desktop mouse incorporates a two-speed
internal fan and ventilation holes to pamper your hand with a
refreshing breeze. JPY1980.
http://thanko.jp/coolermouse/ (Japanese)

6) Kingston Technology has announced the 'DataTraveler Terra
Cotta', a 4-GB USB thumb drive with an image of the famed terra
cotta warrior statues of China embossed into its gold-colored
zinc shell, along with a dragon silhouette in the cap.
'SecureTraveler' encryption software helps keep contents safe.
Although Kingston is a US company, the artful gadget will be
sold in limited quantities in Asia only. Release date and price
not yet announced.
http://www.kingston.com/japan/flash/dtterra.asp (Japanese)

7) Ishikawa Prefecture-based I-O DATA has a new tuner to bring
terrestrial digital TV to your laptop or other PC, the
GV-MVP/HZ. (Name origin: Graphic Video Magic TV Products / model
HZ.) Connected and powered by USB, the compact tuner and its
bundled software can record Hi-Vision TV to your internal or
external hard disk, or to DVD. It's compliant with the new
'Dubbing 10' system allowing up to 10 copies of digital TV
broadcasts, and has one more trick up its sleeve: if your PC's
power is up to the task, you can plug in as many as eight
GV-MVP/HZ tuners to record multiple channels simultaneously.
JPY15,700.
http://www.iodata.jp/prod/multimedia/tv/2008/gv-mvphz/ (English)

8) Robo Japan 2008 promises to be one of the more interesting
gadget trade shows you can visit this year. Industrial robots
will be in abundance, but the show organizers are placing
emphasis on robot assistants for health care and the home. Meet
the latest 'bots at Pacifico Yokohama on October 11-13. (Don't
miss the 14th ROBO-ONE event on the first two days, featuring
gladiatorial matches between two-legged walking robots.)
http://www.robo-japan.jp/index_e.html (English)
http://www.robo-one.com/ (Japanese)

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STAFF
Written by: Timm Tuttle
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--------NEW GADGET BLOG: TEKRONOMICON.COM------------------

In collaboration with Gadget Watch, Gadget blog Tekronomicon
offers a detailed look at select gadgets - shiny and strange,
from gizmo ground zero in Tokyo.
See the gadgets introduced in Gadget Watch,
with photos and more at: www.tekronomicon.com

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J at pan Inc - Managing Editor/Entrepreneur

J at pan Inc magazine, the publication for foreign entrepreneurs
and businesspeople in Japan is seeking a Managing Editor with
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To apply, please send your resume, covering letter and
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