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Japan Inc Magazine Presents:<br>
G A D G E T W A T C H</p>
<p>READ GADGETWATCH ONLINE AT:<br>
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The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
Issue No. 315 Thursday September 25, 2008<br>
Subscribers: 9467<br>
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<p>GREEN HOUSE releases GHV-DV24SD budget camcorder</p>
<p>Name: GAUDI GHV-DV24SD<br>
Category: digital video/still camera<br>
Price: About JPY12,800<br>
Release date in Japan: Early October, 2008</p>
<p>Tokyo-based GREEN HOUSE introduces the GHV-DV24SD, a new<br>
videocam entry in its GAUDI (Green house AUDIovisual) line of AV<br>
products. Its sales proposition: acceptable video at a<br>
dirt-cheap price, about JPY12,800.</p>
<p>The earlier GAUDI GHV-DV17SDS somehow hit an even lower price,<br>
JPY9800. Pretty amazing for a video camera that on the surface<br>
looks a lot like a one-hand, vertically-oriented compact camera<br>
from a big-name maker. But that cam's generous-sized display<br>
panel swung out to reveal a tiny 1.7-inch screen on the other<br>
side (smaller than many mobile phone screens), its internal<br>
memory was only 16MB, its zoom was 4x digital, and its 30fps<br>
video capture maxed out at VGA resolution (640x480) - not too<br>
impressive. </p>
<p>For JPY19,800, you could move up to the horizontally-oriented<br>
GHV-DV30SDS, which brought 32MB memory, 16x digital zoom, and a<br>
nice 3-inch display, but not much else - still the same VGA<br>
video. </p>
<p>The new GHV-DV24SD takes the middle ground between the two<br>
earlier entries: the 4x digital zoom of the one, the 32MB<br>
internal memory of the other, and a display that splits the<br>
difference at 2.4 inches. Its raison d'etre is improved video:<br>
D1 resolution (720x480), the standard for regular DVD video. The<br>
addition of image stabilization further improves video quality. </p>
<p>That's still a far cry from the glorious HD video now the norm<br>
in camcorders. The 32MB of memory, shared with the camcorder OS,<br>
is next to useless for video; all of the GAUDI camcorders are<br>
made to use SD memory cards (up to 2GB) for actual shooting.<br>
Further, the cam's digital zoom isn't 'real' (optical) zoom. Its<br>
focus is fixed (with a single switch for closer macro shooting).<br>
Yet not all the basic amenities are missing: there's a<br>
microphone/speaker and a voice recording mode, headphone jack,<br>
AV input/output, a flash, MP3 playback, and 5-megapixel still<br>
snapshots. </p>
<p>Okay, so the tech specs aren't exciting, but this one's all<br>
about price. At only JPY12,800 and 136 grams, do you want to be<br>
without a camcorder in your walkabout bag?</p>
<p>More info (Japanese): <a href="http://tiny.cc/Sin99" title="http://tiny.cc/Sin99">http://tiny.cc/Sin99</a></p>
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<p>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
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<p>Pentax announces K-m for DSLR beginners (and mama)</p>
<p>Name: Pentax K-m<br>
Category: digital SLR camera<br>
Price: About JPY60,000 (body only)<br>
Release date in Japan: Late October, 2008</p>
<p>Hoya Corporation's Pentax Imaging Systems Division adds to the<br>
growing range of lighter, simpler digital SLR (DSLR) cameras<br>
coming out of Japan, with the entry-class K-m. Less expensive<br>
than the maker's existing K20D and K200D models, the K-m puts an<br>
'm' in its name to denote 'mini', 'micro', and - says Pentax -<br>
'mama'. </p>
<p>The 10-megapixel camera has the tech features you'd expect from<br>
a DSLR in 2008: Shake Reduction (special lenses not required), a<br>
dust removal system for the large (23.5x15.7mm) CCD image<br>
sensor, a big 2.7-inch LCD panel, RAW and JPEG formatting, and<br>
'digital filters' to apply special effects to photos. Features<br>
aimed specifically at DSLR newcomers include newly-simplified<br>
controls, Auto Picture selection of shooting mode (with a new<br>
ability to automatically select Night Scene Portrait mode), and<br>
use of 4 regular AA batteries. There's a 5-point Auto Focus<br>
system and automatic ISO setting (100 to 3200) as well. Storage<br>
is SD/SDHC memory card.</p>
<p>All in all, it's a good basic package, with nothing outstanding:<br>
no radical move to a digital viewfinder, no 'live view' preview,<br>
no swivel mount on the LCD display, and so on. The biggest<br>
attraction is not tech, but size: with a chassis redesigned to<br>
shed bulk, the K-m body is only 525 grams (over 100g less than<br>
the K200D) and only 122.5 mm wide. Pentax says that's the<br>
smallest width in any DSLR, beating even the Panasonic LUMIX and<br>
its compact Micro Four Thirds build.</p>
<p>Pentax is introducing two new lightweight, plastic-mount lenses<br>
to go with the K-m: the 200-g DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL and the<br>
235-g telephoto DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED. A K-m kit with the<br>
former lens will run about JPY70,000; with both lenses,<br>
JPY80,000. </p>
<p>More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-m/feature.html" title="http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-m/feature.html">http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-m/feature.html</a></p>
<p>================================================================</p>
<p>Trio of new portable DVD players</p>
<p>Portable DVD players aren't too compelling for all-day computer<br>
users, but they can be a big help at times - namely, quelling<br>
the kiddies' screams in cars, airports, and so on. Here's a<br>
recent trio of market entrants, ready for that five-hundredth<br>
viewing of The Little Mermaid. (As well as digital broadcast<br>
recorded to DVD; they're all equipped to handle CPRM content<br>
protection.)</p>
<p>Nippon Polaroid KK offers the DPJ-08546WBB player with 16:9<br>
(widescreen) ratio 8.5-inch screen on a swivel mount. Bundled<br>
accessories include car headrest holder, remote control,<br>
headphones, and AC and car power adapter. Formats handled<br>
include DVD, CD, JPEG, MPEG and DivX. DVD playback time is about<br>
2.5 hours after a 5-hour charge. 930 grams. JPY26,800 from<br>
September.<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://www.polaroid.co.jp/product/ce/dvd/dpj-08546wbb.html" title="http://www.polaroid.co.jp/product/ce/dvd/dpj-08546wbb.html">http://www.polaroid.co.jp/product/ce/dvd/dpj-08546wbb.html</a></p>
<p>GREEN HOUSE brings us the GAUDI GHV-PDV751ST, with widescreen<br>
ratio 7-inch screen, One-seg TV tuner, antenna, SD memory card<br>
slot, AC adapter and car power adapter. It'll handle video,<br>
audio, and images: MPEG1/MPEG2/Xvid/MP3/JPEG, DVD, CD, CD-R/RW,<br>
DVD±R/RW, DVD+R DL, and more. DVD playback time is about 2.5<br>
hours after a 3.5-hour charge. 824 grams. JPY22,800 from late<br>
September.<br>
More info (Japanese): <a href="http://tiny.cc/vFjZe" title="http://tiny.cc/vFjZe">http://tiny.cc/vFjZe</a></p>
<p>Finally, Tokyo-based BLUEDOT gives us the BDP-2705WD, with<br>
widescreen 7-inch display and faux wood-paneled body. Formats<br>
handled include DVD, DVD±R/RW, CD-R/RW, DivX, MP3, and JPEG.<br>
Features include SD/SDHC memory card slot, 27-second commercial<br>
skip button (for disk recordings of TV shows), double headphone<br>
jacks, remote control, and LED screen backlighting that BLUEDOT<br>
claims raises playback time to 5 hours. 680 grams. JPY26,000<br>
from October 10.<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://www.bluedot.co.jp/products/bdp2705.html" title="http://www.bluedot.co.jp/products/bdp2705.html">http://www.bluedot.co.jp/products/bdp2705.html</a></p>
<p>================================================================</p>
<p>Trouble Watch</p>
<p>Product recalls and other goofs:</p>
<p>Who: Fuji Film<br>
What: Battery chargers (BC-50) with lot numbers WCAA and WCAB,<br>
for the FinePix F100fd and F50fd cameras<br>
Why: Breakage<br>
What to do: Call 0120-611-277 in Japan<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://fujifilm.jp/important/20080919/" title="http://fujifilm.jp/important/20080919/">http://fujifilm.jp/important/20080919/</a></p>
<p>Who: Apple Computer<br>
What: USB power adapter for iPhone 3G, in North America, Japan,<br>
and several Latin American countries<br>
Why: Prongs can break off in power outlet<br>
What to do: Follow online instructions<br>
More info (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.apple.com/support/usbadapter/exchangeprogram/" title="http://www.apple.com/support/usbadapter/exchangeprogram/">http://www.apple.com/support/usbadapter/exchangeprogram/</a></p>
<p>================================================================</p>
<p>Short items</p>
<p>Spotted elsewhere in the news:</p>
<p>1) It's half an inch smaller than the GREEN HOUSE GH-JEF223SH<br>
display introduced last time, but LG Electronics Japan's new<br>
W2261V-PF display undercuts its rival's price considerably - and<br>
beats some tech specs too: its display has full-HD 1920x1080<br>
resolution and a contrast ratio up to 20,000:1. With HDMI,<br>
DVI-D, and regular mini D-sub 15-pin connectors. About<br>
JPY30,000, from early October.<br>
Press release (Japanese): <a href="http://tiny.cc/B75SS" title="http://tiny.cc/B75SS">http://tiny.cc/B75SS</a><br>
GREEN HOUSE GH-JEF223SH (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/big_screens" title="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/big_screens">http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/big_screens</a></p>
<p>2) Desktop PC speakers don't have to be cheap little plastic<br>
things. Sanwa Supply's new MM-SPWD5 is a pair of 2-channel,<br>
3-inch 14W speakers in 18-cm high wood cabinets. In front are a<br>
headphone jack, microphone jack, and separate controls for<br>
tweaking high- and low-frequency output. In back is a stereo<br>
mini plug input, letting you play sound from an external device<br>
(like audio player) while staying connected to your PC's audio<br>
output. The power unit is contained inside, so there's no huge<br>
AC adapter to litter the floor. JPY8820 from late September.<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://www.sanwa.co.jp/news/200809/mm-spwd5/index.html" title="http://www.sanwa.co.jp/news/200809/mm-spwd5/index.html">http://www.sanwa.co.jp/news/200809/mm-spwd5/index.html</a></p>
<p>3) Stunning video, pristine audio - and the luxurious feel of<br>
leather. Now that's multimedia! To celebrate domestic sales of<br>
over 500 million DVD media disks, Hitachi Maxell is set to<br>
release DVD-R/-RW media whose label side is coated with a<br>
leather-like material. (A blank stripe running through the faux<br>
cowhide provides space to write disk information.) A box of 10<br>
disks (in five colors) will run JPY1200 from October 25.<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://www.maxell.co.jp/jpn/news/2008/news080918.html" title="http://www.maxell.co.jp/jpn/news/2008/news080918.html">http://www.maxell.co.jp/jpn/news/2008/news080918.html</a><br>
----------------------------------------------------------------<br>
STAFF<br>
Written by: Timm Tuttle<br>
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<p>--------NEW GADGET BLOG: TEKRONOMICON.COM------------------</p>
<p>In collaboration with Gadget Watch, Gadget blog Tekronomicon<br>
offers a detailed look at select gadgets - shiny and strange,<br>
from gizmo ground zero in Tokyo.<br>
See the gadgets introduced in Gadget Watch,<br>
with photos and more at: <a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/" title="www.tekronomicon.com">www.tekronomicon.com</a><br>
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The Silver Market Phenomenon: Business Opportunities<br>
and Responsibilities in the Ageing Society</p>
<p>International Symposium on October 3 and 4</p>
<p>If you have been wondering how demographic change is going<br>
to affect your business in Japan, find out more in this<br>
international symposium by the German Institute for Japanese<br>
Studies, United Nations University and Tokyo Institute of<br>
Technology in Tokyo.<br>
This is a unique opportunity to discuss Japan's silver market<br>
phenomenon with renowned experts from around the globe and to<br>
meet the inventor of 'Paro,' a robot for therapeutic treatment,<br>
as well as the inventor of the Robot Suit HAL, Dr. Kawashima<br>
from the worldwide success 'Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training'<br>
and many more.</p>
<p>Space is limited, so register quickly.</p>
<p>For more details:<br>
<a href="http://www.dijtokyo.org/" title="www.dijtokyo.org">www.dijtokyo.org</a><br>
<a href="http://www.dijtokyo.org/doc/DIJ-Silvermarket0810_faxform.pdf" title="www.dijtokyo.org/doc/DIJ-Silvermarket0810_faxform.pdf">www.dijtokyo.org/doc/DIJ-Silvermarket0810_faxform.pdf</a><br>
Or contact us by phone or e-mail:<br>
03-3222-5077<br>
<a href="mailto:silver@dijtokyo.org">silver@dijtokyo.org</a></p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
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