<div dir="ltr"><p>--------------------------------------------------------<br>
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. 316 Thursday October 03, 2008<br>
Subscribers: 9467<br>
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<p>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
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<p>Canon builds HD video, 21 megapixels into EOS 5D Mark II</p>
<p>Name: Canon EOS 5D Mark II<br>
Category: digital SLR camera<br>
Price: About JPY300,000<br>
Release date in Japan: Late November, 2008</p>
<p>With all the light'n'easy digital SLRs coming out - the<br>
Panasonic LUMIX G1, the Canon EOS Kiss F, the Pentax K-m, and<br>
more - it's good to see a new release of pro-level heavy iron.<br>
'Middle high class' iron, more specifically, to quote Canon's<br>
positioning of its newly updated EOS 5D DSLR camera, the Mark<br>
II.</p>
<p>The key bragging points are two-fold: a 21-megapixel CMOS<br>
sensor, and 30 fps full HD video recording. The former offers<br>
about twice the pixels of the recent 'light' DSLRs (as you'd<br>
expect from a camera in a much higher price range), churning out<br>
shots in resolutions up to 5616x3744 pixels. Continuous shooting<br>
is 3.9 fps. </p>
<p>The latter feature comes too late to claim 'first!' for video in<br>
a DSLR; the Nikon D90 brought that to the world in early<br>
September. But while the D90's video topped out at HD720p (1280<br>
x 720 resolution), the 5D Mark II leaps to HD1080 (1920x1080).<br>
Video is saved to Quicktime 1080p H.264 format. (As with the<br>
Nikon, some restrictions apply: HD video shooting is limited to<br>
12 minutes, and auto-focus is disabled.) </p>
<p>The camera's new Canon CMOS sensor handles ISO up to a whopping<br>
25,600, for shooting in light so dim even owls give up and lie<br>
down. Shutter speed is as fast as 1/8000 second. There's a<br>
3-inch LCD display, with automatic brightness adjustment and 30<br>
fps Live View mode for composition without use of the viewfinder<br>
(useful for shooting from difficult positions). The EOS<br>
Integrated Cleaning System repels and removes internal dust.<br>
(The only major feature you might expect but won't find is a<br>
built-in flash - sorry, the pros don't use those little lights.)<br>
Weight without battery is 810 grams.</p>
<p>Expect to see the Mark II turning up soon in the hands of<br>
photojournalists, wedding photographers, and other pros (as well<br>
as the really serious hobbyists). With the 5D Mark II<br>
representing 'middle high class', the 5D and 50D 'middle class',<br>
and the kiss X2 and kiss F 'entry class', Canon expresses hope<br>
that it'll grab 45% unit share of Japan's DSLR market in the<br>
coming year. </p>
<p>More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/5dmk2/index.html" title="http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/5dmk2/index.html">http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/5dmk2/index.html</a><br>
Panasonic LUMIX G1 (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/lumix_g1" title="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/lumix_g1">http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/lumix_g1</a><br>
Canon EOS Kiss F (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/06/eos_kiss_f" title="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/06/eos_kiss_f">http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/06/eos_kiss_f</a><br>
Pentax K-m (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/pentax_k_m" title="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/pentax_k_m">http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/pentax_k_m</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>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
========================================================</p>
<p>The Tamagotchi goes color!</p>
<p>Name: Bandai Tamagotchi + Color<br>
Category: digital toy<br>
Price: JPY5040<br>
Release date in Japan: November 22, 2008</p>
<p>Remember the Tamagotchi? Billions of digital Tamagotchi 'pets'<br>
may have lived and died since Bandai released the toy in late<br>
1996, but after all these years the gadget lives on. And now<br>
it's going color. </p>
<p>Everyone recalls the Tamagotchi as a mega-hit fad. It's sold<br>
tens of millions of units in over 30 countries. It's been seen<br>
on TV's 'ER' medical drama, banned by school administrators as<br>
an in-class distraction, blamed by psychologists for creating<br>
'pet loss syndrome', and awarded an Ig Nobel Prize early in its<br>
career for 'diverting millions of person-hours of work into the<br>
husbandry of virtual pets'. But the initial explosive popularity<br>
caught Bandai off-guard and unprepared to fill demand; the boom<br>
ended just as the company ramped up production, and in FY1998<br>
Bandai had to restructure as it sat on tons of unsold<br>
Tamagotchis. </p>
<p>While the Tamagotchi didn't keep the world's attention for too<br>
long, Bandai has been nurturing it since into a staple product<br>
line. There have been countless Tamagotchi versions, spin-off<br>
products, video games, cartoons, and so on, while the core toy's<br>
virtual world keeps growing in complexity. A key step forward<br>
came in 2004: the Tamagotchi Connection added infrared<br>
connectivity, letting owners' virtual pets 'meet' each other,<br>
play games, exchange gifts, and even make tama-babies. The<br>
upgrade sparked a modest resurgence for the toy that lasted<br>
until another slump in 2007.</p>
<p>Evolution continues on November 22 when Bandai releases the<br>
'Tamagotchi + Color', the first toy in the line with a color LCD<br>
display. That makes the pets' little world not just prettier,<br>
but more informative too: visual indicators of time, season, and<br>
weather are much easier to show in color than in black and<br>
white, says Bandai, as are richer character expressions.<br>
(Weather and season matter, as the pets are scheduled to take<br>
outdoor walks to the park and stores in their virtual world.)<br>
Owners can also change colors and designs in the pets' rooms.<br>
The toy's case will be available in 7 colors. </p>
<p>Not surprisingly, the color version will be a little bigger than<br>
earlier models (6.5 cm tall, verses 5.3 for the original), and<br>
more power-hungry too: the + Color ditches button batteries for<br>
two AAAs. It's also a lot pricier: JPY5040, vs JPY1980 back in<br>
1996. </p>
<p>Will Tamagotchi + Color spark a new generation of schoolkids<br>
ignoring teacher to feed a Kuchibatchi? Or spur the original<br>
Tamagotchi generation to check up on Memetchi during a boring<br>
sales meeting? Stay tuned from late November. </p>
<p>More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://tamagotch.channel.or.jp/toy/tama_color/index.html" title="http://tamagotch.channel.or.jp/toy/tama_color/index.html">http://tamagotch.channel.or.jp/toy/tama_color/index.html</a></p>
<p>========================================================<br>
STAFF<br>
Written by: Timm Tuttle<br>
READ PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS<br>
Gadget Watch online archive:<br>
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Check out our other Japan-specific newsletters:<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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<p>Try an award-winning wine like the Northwest Cellars 2005<br>
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<p>Ordering is easy, and Northwest Cellars can ship to<br>
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<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>TAXAN KG-PL105S palmtop projector gives PC the boot</p>
<p>Name: TAXAN KG-PL105S<br>
Category: projector<br>
Price: About JPY140,000<br>
Release date in Japan: Mid-October, 2008</p>
<p>'Mobile projectors' are generally defined as those under 2 kg in<br>
weight. Tokyo-based Kaga Components, holder of the TAXAN brand<br>
of projectors, goes well under that bar with the palmtop-sized<br>
780-gram KG-PL105S. The projector's LED lamp, a first for a<br>
TAXAN, not only saves weight but is energy eficient and<br>
long-lasting: Kaga says its 'ecology projector' runs at an<br>
economical 100W, and the light will last 20,000 hours. (Anyone<br>
who's bought one of the hyper-expensive, mercury-containing<br>
bulbs used by conventional projectors will appreciate that.)</p>
<p>The KG-PL105S's short-focus lens projects a 40-inch image<br>
(800x600 pixels, 16 million colors, 140 lumens) from only 1.1<br>
meters away - a closer (and thus brighter) distance than the 1.5<br>
meters Kaga's previous mobile projectors require to achieve an<br>
image that size. </p>
<p>The projector has a mini D-sub RGB connector for use with a PC<br>
or DVD player, but you don't need to have external hardware<br>
handy: the KG-PL105S can play a slideshow from images (such as<br>
photos or slideshows converted to JPEG images) or play DivX<br>
video from a thumbdrive in its USB port. </p>
<p>Early buyers get a freebie: a 20-inch folding portable screen.<br>
Kaga will later release accessories including a 22-inch screen<br>
and portable batteries. </p>
<p>This is not the smallest projector you could buy; the<br>
pocket-sized Kairen YK Pro920 is only 190 grams (though at a wan<br>
10 lumens, is a bit of a toy as well). And 140-lumen brightness<br>
isn't all that bright, as the full-size projectors made for big<br>
conference rooms typically run 2000 lumens and higher. But the<br>
KG-PL105S sounds handy for small meeting rooms, temporary retail<br>
displays, trade show presentations, and meetings on-the-go. </p>
<p>More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://www.taxan-projector.jp/releases/080925.php" title="http://www.taxan-projector.jp/releases/080925.php">http://www.taxan-projector.jp/releases/080925.php</a><br>
Kairen YK Pro920 (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/07/pro920_projector" title="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/07/pro920_projector">http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/07/pro920_projector</a></p>
<p>========================================================</p>
<p>Short items</p>
<p>Spotted elsewhere in the news:</p>
<p>1) Take the 'intelligent' car key, a wireless fob which allows<br>
unlocking your car and starting the engine by simple proximity<br>
to the vehicle. Build that functionality into a mobile phone.<br>
That's the innovative gadget convergence which Nissan, NTT<br>
Docomo and Sharp, stumped for a catchy name, have dubbed 'Mobile<br>
Phone with Intelligent Key'. As long as you've got your phone<br>
with you, the open road belongs to you and your Nissan. Simple<br>
as that. The companies are rushing to put the concept into<br>
production.<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://tiny.cc/6x1SU" title="http://tiny.cc/6x1SU">http://tiny.cc/6x1SU</a></p>
<p>2) At Photokina in Germany last month, FUJIFILM announced its<br>
upcoming 'FUJIFILM FinePix Real 3D System', an all-new<br>
combination of two-lens 3D camera, 3D photo frame, and even 3D<br>
printing, all with no funny glasses required. Both the camera's<br>
display and the photo frame share 'light direction control<br>
module' technology controlling image transmission to the<br>
viewer's left and right eyes; the print technology appears to<br>
attempt something similar with a 'fine pitch lenticular sheet'.<br>
While we'll have to expect major limitations ('Don't tilt your<br>
head!'), it'll be interesting to see what develops from this<br>
concept when (or if) planned commercialization transpires in<br>
2009.<br>
Intro movie (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://finepix.com/jp/#/theater/real3dsystem/" title="http://finepix.com/jp/#/theater/real3dsystem/">http://finepix.com/jp/#/theater/real3dsystem/</a></p>
<p>3) GREEN HOUSE's GH-CRHC44 USB memory card reader has six card<br>
slots that handle 44 types of card - all the common variants of<br>
SD/SDHC, Compact Flash, MemoryStick, etc. What's the point of<br>
44, when the ELECOM MR-A47H already works with 47? Well, the<br>
GREEN HOUSE is a lot cheaper: JPY1380 vs JPY4410. On sale from<br>
mid-October.<br>
More info (Japanese):<br>
<a href="http://tiny.cc/aS7WF" title="http://tiny.cc/aS7WF">http://tiny.cc/aS7WF</a><br>
ELECOM MR-A47H (English):<br>
<a href="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/05/elecom_47" title="http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/05/elecom_47">http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/05/elecom_47</a><br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo-Seminar<br>
- Tuesday, October 7th</p>
<p>Speaker: Einosuke Sumitani, CEO of Kids City Japan K.K.</p>
<p>Mr. Sumitani is the driving force behind the wildly<br>
popular indoor amusement park, KidZania Tokyo.</p>
<p>He initially worked with Fujita Kanko K.K. and went on to<br>
become a founding director at WDI Inc., which introduced<br>
several U.S. restaurant chains to Japan, including Kentucky<br>
Fried Chicken, Hard Rock Cafe and Spago.<br>
It now operates more than 10 restaurant chains in the U.S.<br>
and Japan.</p>
<p>Please sign up early while seats are available.</p>
<p>Date/Time: Tuesday, October 7th 7:00 pm<br>
Location: Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan<br>
Language: English<br>
Website: <a href="http://www.ea-tokyo.com/" title="http://www.ea-tokyo.com">http://www.ea-tokyo.com</a></p>
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