--------------------------------------------------------------<br>Japan Inc Magazine Presents:<br>G A D G E T W A T C H<br><br>READ GADGETWATCH ONLINE AT:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com">www.japaninc.com</a><br><br>The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan
<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>Issue No. 279 Friday October 26, 2007<br>Subscribers: 9467<br>SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE TO GADGET WATCH:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up">
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<br>win a bottle of Tanqueray No. Ten: <a href="http://winki.co.uk/~0XvE">http://winki.co.uk/~0XvE</a><br><br>=================================================================<br>=================================================================
<br>Name: Mac OS X Leopard<br> Category: Operating System<br> Price: Single License: 14,800 yen, Family License (up to 5<br> machines): 22,800 yen<br>Release date in Japan: October 26, 2007<br> <br>The Gist: Apple is gearing for the worldwide release their sixth
<br>iteration of Mac OS X this week, dubbed 'Leopard.' <br><br>According to Apple, this update features more than 300 updates. <br>We won't go into too much detail here in this newsletter because <br>Apple's site already provides a wealth of information and even an
<br>introductory video in English:<br><br>-Stacks automatically organizes files into neat stacks on your <br>Dock, assuring your desktop won't be cluttered because of <br>downloaded files<br>-Finder now allows you to use Cover Flow (popularized by the
<br>iPhone) to get quick previews of many common file types, making <br>browsing through your files hopefully go faster. There are also <br>new features for connecting to Macs and PCs on your network, <br>as well as new features for Spotlight, the OS's search function.
<br>-Quick Look is a new feature that allows you to look through <br>files without actually opening the corresponding software. No <br>need to fire up your presentation software just to see the fifth <br>slide of your presentation, and no need to fire up QuickTime just
<br>to watch a 10 second video.<br>-Time Machine keeps a change log of your entire computer that <br>assures you'll have backups on hand should you accidentally <br>delete or change something. The interface allows you to scroll
<br>'back in time' to certain dates. This feature requires an <br>external hard drive, but is automated; once you connect the drive<br>and do your initial backup, everything else will be taken care of. <br>-Mail now has integrated notes and to-do list functionality, as
<br>well as simplified setup for common types of email accounts like <br>Gmail.<br>-iChat has some new features such as video backdrops, desktop <br>sharing, and in-window file display.<br>-Taking a queue from KDE (and perhaps other systems before it),
<br>Spaces allows you to have multiple virtual desktops for <br>organizing your various open applications. Image editing on one <br>screen, browsing on one screen, chat on another, and so on.<br>-The full version of Boot Camp is included, so feel free to load
<br>up Windows XP or Vista when/if you need to.<br><br>Given the nature of this newsletter, it's important to point out <br>a couple of new Japanese-related features in Leopard. The first <br>is full compliance with JIS2004 standards. JIS2004 standards
<br>dictate display of characters. Specifically, JIS2004 features 122<br>altered Kanji versus its previous version as well as 200 new <br>'non-Kanji' characters such as a few for Ainu script and <br>pronunciation symbols. For those keeping score, JIS2004 is also
<br>supported by default in Windows Vista and a patch is available <br>for Windows XP users. <br><br>The Leopard product page also gives mention to inclusion of 'the <br>most beautiful of Japanese fonts,' Hiragino Gothic and Hiragino
<br>Mincho. It should be interesting to see how these compare to the <br>Japanese font included with Vista, Meiryo, as it too is <br>supposedly a vast improvement over the Japanese fonts of Windows<br>XP. A final feature is predictive input for Japanese, which has
<br>'improved accuracy' in Leopard.<br><br>More info: <a href="http://www.apple.com/macosx/">http://www.apple.com/macosx/</a><br>=================================================================<br><br>Japan's First Family Social Network is here!
<a href="http://www.piqniq.jp">www.piqniq.jp</a><br><br>Are you raising a family in Japan? Do you speak English?<br>Would you like to meet other English speaking families in<br>your area? Piqniq is a Social Network Service tailored
<br>specifically for you!<br>Our concept is 'Families helping Families' and we invite<br>anyone that wants to meet other families, help other families,<br>or discuss family-related issues pertinent to life in Japan
<br>to come and join the Piqniq today!<br><br>For more information: <a href="http://www.piqniq.jp">www.piqniq.jp</a><br><br><br>=================================================================<br>Name: Marubeni Infotec Wooden Keyboard Kit, Wooden USB memory
<br> Category: PC Peripherals<br> Price: Open Price<br>Release date in Japan: Already Available<br> <br>The Gist: Marubeni Infotec has collaborated with the Hacoa <br>Company, a woodworking firm, to offer two new products sure to
<br>appeal to those with an affinity for wood. Wood isn't a material <br>you see used very frequently around PCs (or at least the <br>components), so it's refreshing to see companies try different <br>things.<br><br>
The first is a 'Ki-board,' as the Japanese word for tree is <br>'ki.' This certainly isn't the first wooden keyboard, but this <br>kit is unique as it requires you to assemble the keyboard <br>yourself. Available in maple and walnut, the kit includes a
<br>keyless keyboard and several un-separated keys. Marubeni leaves <br>the final step -- cutting off each key, and placing it in the <br>correct position -- to you. Maybe you want to cut the keys apart <br>with a knife, maybe with a circular saw, or maybe you want to
<br>stain each one a different color then shellac them until you turn<br>blue. It's your choice: 'we wanted to provide the enjoyment of <br>making your own keyboard,' says Infotec. The keyboard connects <br>via USB and is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
<br><br>For the less adventurous, Marubeni and Hacoa have also <br>collaborated to bring forth a series of wooden USB memory <br>devices. Three varieties will be available -- 'Monaca,' <br>reminiscent of the Japanese delight with the same name,
<br>'Chocolat,' shaped like a bar of chocolate, and the lacquered <br>'Urushi.' In total, there are 10 different models available in <br>various woods and designs, all with a 1GB capacity.<br><br> More info:
<a href="http://www.monodo.jp/hacoa/product/">http://www.monodo.jp/hacoa/product/</a><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">http://www.japaninc.com/gadget_watch</a><br>Check out our other Japan-specific newsletters:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters_main_page">
http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters_main_page</a><br><br>SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE TO GADGET WATCH:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up">http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up</a><br><br>
ADVERTISING INFORMATION<br>To advertise in this newsletter, contact: <a href="mailto:ads@japaninc.com">ads@japaninc.com</a><br><br>FEEDBACK AND PROBLEMS<br>We welcome your viewpoint: <a href="mailto:editors@japaninc.com">
editors@japaninc.com</a><br>NB Please do not reply to this newsletter<br>-- it's outgoing only, so we won't get it!<br>Technical problems: <a href="mailto:webmaster@japaninc.com">webmaster@japaninc.com</a><br>Copyright (C) 2007 Japan Inc Communications KK.
<br>All Rights Reserved.<br>_______________________________________________<br>GadgetWatch mailing list<br><a href="mailto:GadgetWatch@mailman.japaninc.com">GadgetWatch@mailman.japaninc.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/gadgetwatch">
http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/gadgetwatch</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>Japan's First Family Social Network is here!
<a href="http://www.piqniq.jp">www.piqniq.jp</a><br><br>Are you raising a family in Japan? Do you speak English?<br>Would you like to meet other English speaking families in<br>your area? Piqniq is a Social Network Service tailored
<br>specifically for you!<br>Our concept is "Families helping Families" and we invite<br>anyone that wants to meet other families, help other families,<br>or discuss family-related issues pertinent to life in Japan
<br>to come and join the Piqniq today!<br><br>For more information: <a href="http://www.piqniq.jp">www.piqniq.jp</a><br><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>=================================================================
<br>Name: au x Sony 'MUSIC PROJECT'<br> Category: Mobile phone service<br> Price: Varies<br>Release date in Japan: Mid-November 2007<br> <br>The Gist: Without a doubt, au's LISMO music service dominates
<br>the market for enjoying music on mobile phones in Japan. At a <br>higher level, au's LISMO is perhaps the only music solution that <br>can actually compete with Apple's unstoppable iTunes+iPod service<br>in Japan. In numerical terms, au announced that 15 million
<br>handsets with LISMO support have been sold, and there have been <br>more than 150 million song downloads. At least downloads of Chaku<br>Uta Full songs; no telling how many of those were sold via LISMO.<br><br>That's why it's interesting to see the direction the service is
<br>going. KDDI's research has revealed that most people don't use<br>mobile phones to listen to music -- 52.3% of them use PCs, 58.6% <br>of use home audio equipment, and 36% use digital audio players. <br>In other words, the mobile phone-centric LISMO has been
<br>apparently been missing a huge market opportunity as LISMO songs <br>could only be listened to on your PC or your phone.<br><br>Enter the '2nd stage' of LISMO, known as the 'au x Sony 'MUSIC <br>PROJECT'.' This new service is designed to cater to the needs of
<br>modern consumers by allowing songs to be used on a wider variety <br>of devices. Specifically, downloaded songs enter a 'system' and <br>these songs can be used somewhat freely (there is a check-in/<br>check-out scheme) amongst devices within the system. Download a
<br>song with your mobile phone, listen to it on your PC, and then <br>put it on your stereo's hard drive to enjoy whenever you want. <br>Alternatively, download a song using your stereo, and then <br>transfer it to your Walkman to listen to on the go.
<br>Alternatively, transfer that song to your mobile phone. <br>Confusing? Put plainly, this au x Sony MUSIC PROJECT lets you <br>download songs using various devices and listen to those songs <br>using said devices.<br><br>
There are currently three ways to get music into the system: <br>downloading them with your mobile phone (via LISMO), downloading <br>them with the PC software ('mora for LISMO'), or downloading them<br>with Sony's NetJuke home audio system (via AnyMusic). Once a song
<br>is inside the system, you will be able to move it to the system's<br>different devices for maximum enjoyment.<br><br>Behind this solution are a number of software changes. First, <br>Walkman models with HE-AAC support (the NW-S610, S710 series) can
<br>instantly join the party; other Walkman models means tracks must <br>be converted to ATRAC before transfer. Next, because things also <br>have to go the other way -- from Sony's existing mora EMD service<br>to au components -- it means the phones have to support Sony's
<br>formats and DRM. au will be launching the W54S, W54SA, and W54T <br>in November, which will be compatible. Finally, Sony's NetJuke <br>minicomponent devices make up the 'Home Audio' part of the <br>solution, and these will allow you to backup songs stored on your
<br>mobile phone, listen to downloaded music, and transfer songs to <br>mobile phones or Walkman devices.<br><br>It would have been nice to see the Playstation 3 be part of this <br>equation, but it doesn't seem that will be happening in the near
<br>future. In theory it could be, as the PS3 does support ATRAC <br>audio and DRM, but HE-AAC support would also be required for <br>the Chaku Uta Full portion.<br><br>This is a major step for LISMO and it's certainly nice to see the
<br>service making strides to being ubiquitous. Were it not for all <br>of the various accessories/solutions to integrate your iPod with <br>virtually everything, you could say this new au x Sony MUSIC <br>PROJECT gives both companies a leg up versus iTunes+iPod.
<br><br>More info: <a href="http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release">http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release</a><br>/2007/1016b/index.html<br>=================================================================<br>=================================================================
<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">http://www.japaninc.com/gadget_watch</a><br>Check out our other Japan-specific newsletters:
<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters_main_page">http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters_main_page</a><br><br>SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE TO GADGET WATCH:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up">
http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up</a><br><br>ADVERTISING INFORMATION<br>To advertise in this newsletter, contact: <a href="mailto:ads@japaninc.com">ads@japaninc.com</a><br><br>FEEDBACK AND PROBLEMS<br>We welcome your viewpoint:
<a href="mailto:editors@japaninc.com">editors@japaninc.com</a><br>NB Please do not reply to this newsletter<br>-- it's outgoing only, so we won't get it!<br>Technical problems: <a href="mailto:webmaster@japaninc.com">
webmaster@japaninc.com</a><br>Copyright (C) 2007 Japan Inc Communications KK.<br>All Rights Reserved.<br>_______________________________________________<br>GadgetWatch mailing list<br><a href="mailto:GadgetWatch@mailman.japaninc.com">
GadgetWatch@mailman.japaninc.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/gadgetwatch">http://mailman.japaninc.com/mailman/listinfo/gadgetwatch</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------