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<p>The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan<br>
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Issue No. 278 Friday October 19, 2007<br>
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Name: Panasonic RP-WF5500<br>
Category: Home Audio/Video<br>
Price: Open Price; estimated around 20,000 yen<br>
Release date in Japan: November 20, 2007</p>
<p>The Gist: It's always handy to have a set of headphones you can<br>
use with your TV. Maybe your baseball game goes into extra<br>
innings as your kids are trying to sleep, maybe you want to<br>
blast Billy's Boot Camp every morning, or maybe you just don't<br>
want to bother your neighbors. For many Japanese households, a<br>
pair of wireless headphones is standard equipment in their home<br>
theater setups.</p>
<p>Matsushita's latest is the 'RP-WF5500' headphones, which use the<br>
2.4GHz band to deliver wireless audio. They're part of the<br>
Panasonic brand, and will be available in white and black<br>
versions. What's nice here is the transmitter supports decoding<br>
Dolby Digital, DTS, and AAC audio signals, all in their full<br>
5.1ch surround sound glory. There's no telling how well that<br>
5.1ch signal sounds when it's piped through the stereo (2ch)<br>
headphones, but it's probably safe to say it will sound far<br>
better than a regular old stereo signal. To assure this,<br>
Matsushita has thrown in a Bass Boost function and two optical<br>
digital audio inputs. Of course, an analog audio input is also<br>
available for those of you who haven't joined the digital party<br>
just yet. </p>
<p>The transmitter itself acts as a recharging stand for these<br>
headphones, and recharging takes about 3 hours for 6 hours of<br>
usage time. The headphones can be as far as 30 meters from the<br>
transmitter. There's also an auto power on/off feature that<br>
turns the headphones on or off as you wear or remove them. </p>
<p>More info: <a href="http://www.panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/" title="http://www.panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/">http://www.panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/</a><br>
data.dir/jn071015-1/jn071015-1.html<br>
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Name: Sony nav-u NV-U2<br>
Category: Car Navigation<br>
Price: Open Price; estimated around 60,000 yen<br>
Release date in Japan: November 21, 2007</p>
<p>The Gist: Sony has introduced the next generation of their car<br>
navigation unit, the 'nav-u' NV-U2.</p>
<p>This model improves upon the NV-U1 by offering MPEG-4 video and<br>
MP3 audio support, sporting a new gyro sensor for determining<br>
the car's position, and being less than half the thickness. </p>
<p>The NV-U2 uses 'Gesture Commands' for input, as the 4.8inch,<br>
480x272 dot screen is a touch panel. These Gesture Commands<br>
involve drawing certain patterns on the screen with your finger,<br>
which should prove easier than simply pushing buttons like a<br>
traditional interface. While the NV-U1 only allowed these<br>
Gesture Commands to be used within the navigation functionality,<br>
the NV-U2 extends this capability into the audio and video<br>
playback features.</p>
<p>Getting into these audio/video playback features, we find the<br>
device is capable of handling MPEG-4 video (QVGA, 15fps) and<br>
MP3 audio (32 to 320kbps) stored within a Memory Stick Duo.<br>
While most of us are probably 'alright' with only MP3 audio<br>
support, we the limited resolution and frame rate support for<br>
the video feature does leave quite a bit to be desired. For<br>
audio output, there's a 2W monaural speak and headphone output<br>
jack. You may have guessed from the price tag, but as this is<br>
Sony's 'budget' system, you'll need to check your multimedia<br>
expectations at the door. Or perhaps you're interested in this<br>
unit only for its navigation?</p>
<p>While the previous nav-u model split the maps across 512MB of<br>
internal memory and a 1GB Memory Stick Duo, the NV-U2 loads all<br>
of the data onto its internal 2GB of memory. This data consists<br>
of some 10,000,000 place names and phone numbers, which<br>
according to Sony is 'on par with our XYZ series'. Sony is<br>
also taking queues from its PSP navigation software, offering<br>
support for 'Minna no Chizu Guide-ya San' downloadable maps<br>
and data from its 'PetaMap' mapping community site.</p>
<p>Notable in the navigation specs is the inclusion of the gyro<br>
sensor, which will supposedly be of use when entering tunnels<br>
or when going underneath tall structures.</p>
<p>The unit's battery should last for 3 hours. Otherwise, power<br>
is supplied by your car's cigarette lighter socket or an AC<br>
adapter. </p>
<p>More info: <a href="http://www.sony.jp/products/me/products/nv-u2/index" title="http://www.sony.jp/products/me/products/nv-u2/index">http://www.sony.jp/products/me/products/nv-u2/index</a>.<br>
html?j-short=nav-u<br>
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Name: Clarion DUB275MP<br>
Category: Car Audio/Video<br>
Price: 34,650 yen<br>
Release date in Japan: Late October 2007</p>
<p>The Gist: Previously available as a dealer option in some car<br>
models, the double-DIN DUB275MP is now ready for aftermarket<br>
sale, even in some new color variations.</p>
<p>'Modern Living' is the design concept of the 275MP, and there<br>
is indeed something quite modern about its appearance. While<br>
many head-units are decked out with metallic dials, organic<br>
EL displays, all sorts of slots, and flashing lights, the 275MP<br>
looks like it belongs in a laundry room. Clarion said, 'We<br>
created a design that makes you want to somehow touch and<br>
feel it'. Or maybe that's not specific at all. Either way, the<br>
275MP's design is unique. The large knob in the smack-dab in<br>
the middle not only adjusts the volume, but also displays the<br>
current mode. Also of interest is the 'Variable Illumination',<br>
which allows you to choose from some 728 different colors. One<br>
of those colors is sure to match the rest of your dashboard.</p>
<p>In terms of functionality, the 275MP offers a USB slot and CD<br>
slot. MP3 and WMA files that are stored on USB devices can be<br>
played from memory inserted in this USB slot. As many as 15,000<br>
songs are supported, so presuming the USB slot also provides<br>
power, you should be able to connect a hard drive. When not<br>
using the slot, it can be hidden underneath a small cover.<br>
This unit can also be connected to Clarion's 'BLT370' Bluetooth<br>
adapter.</p>
<p>More info: <a href="http://www.clarion.com/jp/ja/newsrelease/index_2007/" title="http://www.clarion.com/jp/ja/newsrelease/index_2007/">http://www.clarion.com/jp/ja/newsrelease/index_2007/</a><br>
071010_01/index.html<br>
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STAFF<br>
Written by: Liam McNulty<br>
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