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<br><br>The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>Issue No. 274<br>Thursday September 20, 2007<br>Subscribers: 9467<br>SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE TO GADGET WATCH:
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J@PAN INC MAGAZINE'S****<br> LEGAL SPECIAL (SEPT/OCT 2007)<br>Intellectual Property-Jury System-Arbitration-ALB Awards<br>PLUS Failed Businesses in Japan & Women in the Workplace<br><br>================================================================
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<br>Name: Fujitsu Palm Vein Recognition PC Login Kit<br> Category: PC security<br> Price: Open Price<br>Release date in Japan: Already available<br> <br>The Gist: Vein Pattern Recognition, also known as 'Vascular
<br>Pattern Recognition', is a comparatively new form of biometrics <br>that has gained a lot of momentum in recent years. We introduced<br>the concept back in Gadget Watch #218, but here's a brief <br>refresher: vein pattern recognition involves using light to
<br>penetrate a person's skin and detect the unique pattern of <br>veins. While fingerprint recognition will probably always have <br>its place in crime labs and government databases across the <br>world, vein pattern recognition has demonstrated itself to be
<br>secure and reliable for a number of applications. It has <br>certainly proven itself secure enough for banking, as a number <br>of Japanese banks are already in the process of deploying such <br>technology in their ATM machines throughout the country.
<br><br>While we've seen plenty of fingerprint recognition devices and <br>even a few vein recognition devices, the 'Palm Vein Recognition <br>PC Login Kit' from Fujitsu is allegedly the world's first mouse
<br>to contain palm vein recognition. The mouse itself will read a <br>user's vein pattern when they place their hand on the mouse, <br>and in tandem with software installed on the PC, either allow <br>or deny their usage of the system. It's a nice approach; it
<br>eliminates the need to remember/input passwords, fiddle with <br>fingerprint scanners, or perhaps even the need to issue IC <br>cards to employees (who sometimes lose them anyway).<br><br>The software included with the mouse is designed to be
<br>standalone, so it need not be connected to any kind of server. <br>It allows Windows login, file encryption/sharing, and <br>ID/password input to be controlled via vein recognition. The <br>mouse itself features a scroll wheel and three buttons. It
<br>connects via USB and will be available in white, black, and <br>grey varieties.<br><br>Unfortunately, Fujitsu currently only makes the mouse available <br>to its corporate customers, but perhaps they'll come around.
<br><br>More info: <a href="http://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/2007/09/11.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/2007/09/11.html</a><br>================================================================
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<br>Name: Sony Rolly<br> Category: Audio Robot<br> Price: Open Price; estimated around 39,800 yen<br>Release date in Japan: September 29, 2007<br> <br>The Gist: Sony has announced a new device called the 'Rolly',
<br>which sits somewhere between the genres of portable audio <br>player, portable speaker, and robot. If you're looking for a <br>specific device to draw a parallel, SegaToys' iDog (Gadget <br>Watch #177) is probably the closest you'll find.
<br><br>Slated for release later this month in Japan, the Rolly <br>resembles an egg. In terms of size, it's 104mm long and has a <br>diameter of 65mm, making it slightly larger than the egg of a <br>flamingo.<br><br>
As you've probably gathered from the name, the 'Rolly' is <br>capable of rolling around on its own. On its own, it can also <br>deploy two arms -- the 'end caps' of the egg -- and use these <br>arms to sort of dance in response to the music. That music can
<br>come from either inside the Rolly itself, as it has 1GB of <br>internal memory and can handle ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus, MP3, and <br>AAC files, or from another source, as it also features Bluetooth<br>2.0 with A2DP/AVRCP profiles.
<br><br>While you use USB to transfer songs to the Rolly, you also use <br>USB to transfer dances to the Rolly. Included is 'Motion Editor <br>Ver.1.0', software specifically created to allow users to <br>manually edit every movement performed by the Rolly in response
<br>to music. Sony is also preparing a new service called 'Rolly <br>Motion Park' to allow users to share their customized dances.<br><br>For better or worse, things go off the deep end when you realize<br>that the Rolly really only has a single button: play. To perform
<br>other operations like increasing/decreasing the volume, you'll <br>need to grab it. The wheels are designed detect movement, so to <br>turn the volume down for example, you grip it and turn it <br>counter-clockwise. To put the unit in shuffle mode, you pick it
<br>up and shake it. To fast-forward or rewind through songs or <br>groups of songs, you hold the unit vertically and turn the top <br>wheel a certain amount. Sony has certainly come up with a <br>creative playback control scheme for the Rolly, but it's up to
<br>the users to decide if this is better than simply pushing <br>buttons to accomplish those actions. <br><br>The Rolly has two speakers that face away from one another, and <br>actually point towards the surface on which the Rolly is placed.
<br>The idea is that because the Rolly only lightly contacts that <br>surface at two points -- both of the wheels -- the surface can <br>be used as a reverberation panel. This essentially means the <br>surface surrounding the Rolly becomes a speaker, rather than
<br>the Rolly trying to be a speaker on its own. <br><br>Sony is planning a few accessories to go with the release of the<br>Rolly, such as additional batteries, a recharging cradle, and a <br>carrying case.<br><br>More info:
<a href="http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/rolly/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/rolly/</a><br>================================================================
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<br>Name: Yamaha NX-B02<br> Category: Home Audio/Video<br> Price: Open Price; estimated around 24,800 yen<br>Release date in Japan: Late October 2007<br> <br>The Gist: Yamaha has introduced a new model of their Bluetooth-
<br>compatible speaker, the NX-B02. It features Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, <br>and supports the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for <br>connection to devices such as music players, PCs, and mobile <br>phones.<br><br>The speaker has an output of 6W x 2ch, including a frequency
<br>response from 90Hz to 20kHz. The 'Twin SR-Bass' feature also <br>allows both left and right channels to make the best of use <br>of 'internal cabinet energy', converting it into low frequency <br>sounds. The speaker contains two
4.5cm full-range drivers and <br>measures 84 x 84 x 170mm (W x D x H). It can be powered via an <br>AC adapter or four AA batteries, which will last for 4 hours <br>of playback time. If you don't own a Bluetooth audio device,
<br>no worries because the unit also features a standard 3.5mm <br>audio jack.<br><br>More info: <a href="http://www.yamaha.co.jp/news/2007/07091301.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
http://www.yamaha.co.jp/news/2007/07091301.html</a><br>================================================================
<br>================================================================<br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>Start a Company in Japan<br><br>Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 6th of October, 2007
<br><br>If you have been considering setting up your own company,<br>find out what it takes to make it successful.<br>Terrie Lloyd, founder of over 13 start-up companies in Japan,<br>will be giving an English-language seminar and Q and A on
<br>starting up a company in Japan.<br>This is an ideal opportunity to find out what is involved,<br>and to ask specific questions that are not normally answered<br>in business books.<br>All materials are in English and are Japan-focused.
<br><br>For more details: <a href="http://japaninc.com/terrie_lloyd/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://japaninc.com/terrie_lloyd/</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------
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<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>STAFF<br>Written by: Liam McNulty<br>READ PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS<br>Gadget Watch online archive:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/gadget_watch" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
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