=====================================================================<br> J@pan Inc Magazine Presents:<br> M U S I C M E D I A W A T C H<br> Commentary on Japan's music technology news<br>=====================================================================
<br><br> Issue No. 115<br> Tuesday, September 11, 2007<br> Tokyo<br><br> ----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>CONTENTS<br><br>++ FEATURE: Miuro and Rolly: Japan's New Rolling Robot Music <br>
Players <br><br>++ NOTEWORTHY NEWS: <br> ** iRiver Japan releases new flash memory player<br> ** XING announces new prize campaign for Pokemelo Joysound <br> subscribers<br> ** Sony releases new Walkman players
<br> ** Digital content in Japan expected to hit $3 billion in 2007<br> ** USEN to offer Universal catalog on its online music store<br><br>++ FEATURE: Miuro and Rolly: Japan's New Rolling Robot Music <br> Players
<br><br>Sony has been in the news a lot lately, announcing the shutdown <br>of its Connect music service, replacing its much maligned Sonic <br>Stage software with Windows Media Player, and finally throwing in<br>the towel with its ill-fated ATRAC format. Several articles
<br>appeared in the Japanese media this week commenting on Sony's <br>decline, and basically lamenting the fact that Sony and other <br>Japanese companies who dominated the CD era have fallen so far <br>behind in the age of networks and hard disks.
<br><br>Amid all the negative press, though, it appears Sony has also <br>been quite busy over the past month readying a 'stealth' <br>marketing campaign for the upcoming release of a new robot music <br>player. Rumors began circulating a few weeks ago about the new
<br>player - called 'Rolly' - and reached a peak last week when video<br>of the device appeared on YouTube. A teaser site for the product <br>(which contains almost nothing in the way of relevant info or <br>content) was also launched on August 20 and a 'Rolly Party' was
<br>scheduled for September 10.<br><br>So what exactly is Rolly? From the photos, the video and the <br>descriptive keywords that scroll across the bottom of the teaser <br>site (small, shuffle, music, motion...), it appears to be a robot
<br>music player shaped like a small American football that rolls on <br>its own and moves along with the music. The device has built in <br>speakers on each side, no visible display, and looks to have very<br>few visible buttons for controlling audio. The video also shows
<br>the robot player performing several different dance moves with <br>various spinning, rocking and flapping movements.<br><br>Some readers may remember a news item we covered back in March on<br>a similar dancing music player robot device from Tokyo-based ZMP
<br>called 'Miuro'. In fact, several Japanese bloggers have been <br>commenting this week that Rolly and Miuro look very similar <br>indeed. While Rolly is (or at least looks) smaller than Miuro, <br>the basic movement of the two robots appears to be nearly
<br>identical. Miuro is actually an iPod docking station rather than <br>a standalone player, but it is quite possible that Sony has <br>licensed the company's robotics technology in the development of <br>Rolly.<br><br>
So assuming that this is all for real and Rolly really rocks and <br>rolls as advertised, you have to wonder how this type of audio <br>player will fare against the likes of the iPod. I had the <br>opportunity back in March to spend some time playing with a
<br>Miuro, and could easily see a place for it in the very high end <br>of the DAP market, at least in Japan. Sony, however, is likely <br>going after a much larger market segment, and a lot will hinge on<br>the price. The Miuro carries a hefty JPY110,000 (US$950) price
<br>tag, which is a bit out of reach for most teenagers. Still, this <br>is a country that truly loves its robots, and If Sony can come <br>out with something similar that is small, stylish and affordable,<br>it may just have a shot.
<br><br><br><br>++ NOTEWORTHY NEWS<br><br>** iRiver Japan releases new flash memory player<br>In brief: Source: iRiver Japan announced last week that on <br>September 7 it will begin selling a new flash memory music player
<br>called the Siren DP250. The new player comes in two models - a <br>1GB model that sells for JPY9,980 (US$87) and a 2GB player that <br>sells for JPY13,800 (US$120). The player supports MP3, WAV and <br>WMA formats, and uses Windows Media DRM 10. It is not compatible
<br>with the Napster-To-Go service for mobile devices.<br><a href="http://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/063/63703/">http://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/063/63703/</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>** XING announces new prize campaign for Pokemelo Joysound <br>subscribers<br>In brief: XING, which operates Pokemelo Joysound - Japan's <br>highest-selling ringtone/realtone site - announced the start of <br>
a prize giveaway campaign on Sept. 1. XING says it will give <br>away a total of JPY 10 million (US$87,000) worth of prizes <br>including iPod Shuffles, Nintendo DS devices and music gift <br>coupons. The campaign is open to all current Pokemelo Joysound
<br>subscribers as well as anyone who subscribers from Sept. 1 to <br>Jan. 31.<br>Source:<br><a href="http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/mobile/articles/0708/29/news088.html">http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/mobile/articles/0708/29/news088.html
</a><br><br>** Sony releases new Walkman players<br>In brief: On August 30, Sony announced the release of its new <br>NW-B100 series of Walkman players. Coinciding with the closing <br>of Sony's Connect online music store, the new players will be the
<br>first Walkman products released since the company allied itself <br>with Microsoft. The results of this partnership are quickly <br>apparent: the first player released in the series (NW-B103F) <br>does not come with Sony's SonicStage software nor support for
<br>the abandoned ATRAC format. The player supports Windows Media <br>DRM, and plays MP3, AAC and WMA formats. The 1GB player sells <br>for JPY9,240 (US$80) in Japan.<br>Source:<br><a href="http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070831/np020.htm">
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20070831/np020.htm</a><br><br>** Digital content in Japan expected to hit $3 billion in 2007<br>In brief: According to a report released in August by the <br>Digital Content Association of Japan (DCAJ), the market for
<br>digital content in Japan is expected to top JPY 366 billion <br>(US$3.2 billion) by the end of 2007. Driven by demand for video, <br>music and games, this year the digital content market has already<br>topped JPY 300 billion for the first time ever, according to the
<br>DCAJ report.<br>Source:<br><a href="http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20070809-00000000-fsi-bus_all">http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20070809-00000000-fsi-bus_all</a><br><br>** USEN to offer Universal catalog on its online music store
<br>In brief: On August 15, USEN announced that it reached agreement <br>with Universal Japan to offer music videos from the Universal <br>catalog on its OnGen USEN MUSIC SERVER online music store. <br>Pricing varies, but is generally JPY 400 (US$3.50) for a video
<br>from a Japanese artist, while videos from western artists are <br>priced at around JPY 300 (US$2.60). The video files use Windows <br>Media DRM 10, and can be forwarded to a mobile device up to 25 <br>times.<br>Source:
<br><a href="http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/lifestyle/articles/0708/15/news042.html">http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/lifestyle/articles/0708/15/news042.html</a><br><br>----------------------------------------------------------<br>
STAFF<br>Written by: Steve Myers (<a href="mailto:steve@thetamusic.com">steve@thetamusic.com</a>)<br>Steve Myers is president and chief enthusiast of Theta Music<br>Technologies, which specializes in the development of<br>
music-related software applications.<br><br>SUBSCRIBE AND UNSUBSCRIBE TO MUSIC MEDIA WATCH:<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up">http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/free_sign_up</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>ADVERTISING INFORMATION<br>To advertise in this newsletter, contact:<br><a href="mailto:ads@japaninc.com">ads@japaninc.com
</a><br>GET THE MAGAZINE<br><a href="http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_subscriptions">http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_subscriptions</a><br>FEEDBACK AND PROBLEMS<br>We welcome your viewpoint:<br><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:<br><a href="mailto:webmaster@japaninc.com">webmaster@japaninc.com</a><br>
(C) Copyright 2006 Japan Inc Communications KK.<br>All Rights Reserved.<br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>++EVENTS<br> -----------------------------------------------------------<br>RidgeRunner Niseko
<br>International Cricket Competition 15-17 September 2007<br><br>This is your invitation to three days of fun at an<br>international cricket tournament in Niseko being held to<br>the benefit of the Tyler Foundation for Childhood Cancer.
<br><br>Cricketing legend Dennis Lillee will be attending the event<br>which is being co-hosted by the Higashiyama Prince Hotel and<br>includes two days of cricket, a golf match and charity<br>dinner dance and auction.<br>
For more information, and the chance to win a<br>dinner with Dennis,<br><br>please visit <a href="http://www.ridgerunner.jp/cricket">www.ridgerunner.jp/cricket</a><br>or contact Simon Jackson<br>(<a href="mailto:simon@rad-development.com">
simon@rad-development.com</a>, 011-876-3704)<br>-<br>------------------- ICA Event-Sept 20 -------------------<br><br>SPECIAL JOINT EVENT with the AUSTRALIAN NEW ZEALAND CHAMBER<br><br>Speaker: Tim Williams, Founder and Director of Value Commerce
<br>Topic: Japan Success Stories - Value Commerce<br><br>Details: Complete event details at <a href="http://www.icajapan.jp/">http://www.icajapan.jp/</a><br>(RSVP Required)<br>Date: Thursday, September 20, 2007<br>Time: 6:30 Doors open
<br>(Light buffet, beer, wine, soft drinks included)<br>Cost: 3,500 yen (members), 5,500 yen (non-members)<br><br>Open to all-location is Australian Embassy B2<br><a href="http://www.australia.or.jp/english/seifu/embassy/map.html">
http://www.australia.or.jp/english/seifu/embassy/map.html</a><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/">http://japaninc.com/terrie_lloyd/</a><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><br>