Many partygoers want to keep their alcohol in check, but we don't know many who want to lug around a dedicated breathalyzer, no matter how small it may be. Tokyoflash may have found a happy medium for those drinkers by tucking a breathalyzer into its new Kisai Intoxicated watch. Blow into a sensor and the LCD will change to a color reflecting the alcohol intake: green is sober, yellow is buzzed and red is well over the line. There's also a mini-game to test reflexes in those less-than-certain moments. Buyers seeking some temperance in their lives will want to act quickly, however -- Tokyoflash will only sell the Kisai Intoxicated at a discounted $99 price during its first 48 hours on sale.

Filed under: Wearables

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Source: Tokyoflash

If you thought November 2013 was too long to wait, bear a thought for Asian gamers who will apparently have to wait those six months, plus an additional twelve, to pick up their Xbox One. According to Alan Bowman, Microsoft's Regional VP for Sales and Marketing in Asia, the new console will launch in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and India around late 2014. (Note the lack of Japan on that list, we're still checking with Microsoft on that.) These are all regions that have been marked as gaming high-growth areas by Microsoft -- the VP added that the Xbox 360 became the top-selling console in Asia this year. The company's also pointed to its next-generation Kinect sensor, one that will work in "dramatically reduced" room spaces and, according Bowman, will be better attuned to Asian gamers who might not have living room space in their homes.

Update: We've just heard back from a Microsoft spokesperson who told us the following:

"Microsoft does plan to launch Xbox One, the ultimate new-generation all-in-one entertainment system, in Japan -- we look forward to confirming timing and other details at a later stage."

Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft

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Source: WSJ

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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An official extended battery for its Wii U Gamepad isn't the only thing Nintendo Japan posted on its website tonight, as it also added a white option for the Wii U 32GB Premium set, a 30th Anniversary Luigi special edition 3DS XL and quick charging option for the Wiimote. Surveys surfaced earlier this year suggesting a fast charging option on the way for the Wiimote, and in Japan gamers will be able to add the accessory -- consisting of replacement battery / backplate and charging stand, pictured after the break -- starting July 13th for 4,200 yen ($41) , and 2,625 yen ($26) for the battery alone. That should allow not only faster charging, but also longer battery life than Wii gamers have been used to.

July 13th is the same day the white Wii U premium will arrive as well, coming at the same price and packing the same accessories as the existing black 32GB console. Finally, Nintendo listed all the details for the special Luigi edition 3DS XL announced recently on Nintendo Direct. Of course, none of these are the games that even Iwata admits the Wii U needs, but a few more choices can't hurt, can they?

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo

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Source: Wii U Premium, Wiimote Fast Charger, 3DS XL

Bummed out about the Wii U GamePad's middling battery life? Nintendo finally has an answer: install a bigger battery. Taking to Twitter these evening, Nintendo revealed has that a new larger capacity GamePad battery will be available in Japan soon, promising between 5-8 hours of battery life. The 2,550mAh battery will cost ¥3,000 yen (about $39) when it launches this July, and will need to be installed manually by the user. There's no word yet on international availability, but it's a welcome band-aid for problem that nagged early adopters. Hungry for all of the (machine translated) details? Check out the official announcement at the attached source link.

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo

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Source: Nintendo(1), (2)

Microsoft's Surface Pro started shipping in the US back in February, but its rollout elsewhere has been sporadic, and a 256GB model non-existent -- until now. Japanese customers lusting after the Intel Core i5-powered hybrid will be able to claim one on June 8th, priced at 99,800 yen ($975) with 128GB of storage. The new 256GB iteration will premiere on shelves there for 119,800 yen ($1,175), and customers there will be able to adorn it with the Touch Cover for 9,980 yen ($100) and tactile key Type Cover for 10,980 yen ($110). Better still, Microsoft will toss in its pressure-sensitive pen (and Office 2013) for all the versions as well -- just in time for you to finally do something useful with it.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Microsoft

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Via: AV Watch (translated)

Filed under: Misc, Peripherals, Mobile

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Via: The Next Web

Sharp has just introduced a couple of high-end TVs if you're rich enough to be seeking an UltraHD set and lucky enough to live in Japan: the 70-inch LC-70UD1 and the 60-inch LC-60UD1, part of the new 4K Aquos UD1 series. Each will feature Sharp's 4K "Moth-eye" panel, Aquos 4K-Master Engine Pro HD upconversion engine, 2.1 channel THX surround and 3D capability. The 70-inch model will run 850,000 yen ($8,290) and launch on June 15th, while the 60-inch set will arrive August 10th for 650,000 yen ($6,335). There's no word yet on a stateside arrival, but based on what Sharp said at CES 2013 in January, it may join a 32-inch 4K Aquos model sometime later this year.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Via: AV Watch (translated)

Source: Sharp (translated)

The FCC may have spoiled the surprise, but Sony's now gone official with yet another smartphone and this one's for its native Japan. The Xperia UL appears to be a slightly thicker riff on the Xperia Z, matching the display of the company's early-2013 flagship, with a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro (APQ8064) ticking behind the 5-inch 1080p screen. It's worth noting that it's a substantial resolution bump from the similar-looking 720p NTT DoCoMo Xperia A. Although it's not the Snapdragon 600 rumored, Qualcomm's S4 Pro flexes its muscle through Exmor RS 13-megapixel camera sensor, offering up the ability to capture 15 frames in a second. NFC, naturally, is already in attendance as well as the Felica wireless payment system. You'll also get the benefits of both a physical camera button and water (IPX5/8) and dust resistance (IP5X) -- two features in tandem that should help separate it from Sony's pair of existing 5-inch 1080p smartphones. The Xperia UL will launch on KDDI's au network in white, black and hot pink colors on May 25th. Check out the obligatory close-up ad after the break.

Update: The Xperia UL runs on an S4 Pro processor, not the Snapdragon 600 initially stated.

Gallery: Sony Xperia UL press shots

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Source: Sony (Japanese)

It was only a couple of weeks ago that we got an early peek of T-Mobile's Xperia Z thanks to the FCC, but we've now already gotten word of another unannounced Sony handset. While the published FCC report doesn't offer much more than a label, Blog of Mobile has turned up some images of what's purported to be the Xperia UL (codenamed "Gaga"), giving us an early look at the 5-inch device clearly inspired by other members of the family design-wise. What's more, the UL is allegedly sporting Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 chip, along with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a 2,300mAh battery and waterproof / dustproof attributes (these being common Japanese standards). Word on the internet is the Xperia UL will be launching as a KDDI exclusive, though we'll have to wait for something more concrete to see if that's indeed the case. Until then, you can peruse the gallery after the break to get a slight idea of what to expect.

Gallery: Sony Xperia UL

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Via: UnwiredView

Source: Blog of Mobile, FCC

To this day, relatively few wireless carriers offer LTE at its loftiest 150Mbps speeds. We'll soon get to count NTT DoCoMo among those ranks, however. Alongside the launch of its summer phone lineup, the Japanese network has firmed up some details of its Xi speed-up plans. The initial rollout will focus on the major centers of Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo, all of which should have 150Mbps access by the end of the year. While NTT DoCoMo hasn't settled on the frequencies it will use, Impress Watch understands that this could involve reusing 1,700MHz FOMA 3G bands to get around local spectrum limits. Regardless of the speeds, there should be a tangible improvement in coverage -- the provider hopes to more than double its Xi base stations from 24,400 in March to 50,000 by the end of 2013. Most of us won't reap the rewards of the upgrade, but it's good to know that Japan's biggest carrier will soon be a first-class 4G citizen.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Via: Impress Watch (translated)

Source: NTT DoCoMo (PDF)

The folks at NTT DoCoMo have just paraded out their roster of handsets for the summer season, and tucked in among the phones is the waterproof Aquos Phone Zeta SH-06E, which packs a 1080p IGZO display. Behind the 4.8-inch screen, the Android 4.2 handset totes a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, NFC, WiFi, a TV tuner and a 2,600mAh battery. As for cameras, the Sharp-made hardware -- which comes in blue, red and white hues -- packs a 13.1-megapixel rear shooter and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing cam. Since the device operates on the network's Xi LTE service, it's rated to pull down 100Mbps and upload at 37.5Mbps. As for a release date, the smartphone is slated to hit Japanese streets on May 24th. There's no telling when this cellphone or its 1080p IGZO display will arrive in other territories, but our eyes sure hope it's soon.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Source: NTT DoCoMo (PDF)

Sony is adding another option to its smartphone lineup with this Xperia A it just announced in Japan. Spotted a few days ago in an FCC filing, the SO-04E will be released on the 17th on NTT DoCoMo. It slots in a step below the Z and ZL models on the spec sheet however, with a 1,280 x 720 4.6-inch LCD. It shares most of their internals, with a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and Android 4.1, which are nice, but not the latest out (Snapdragon 600 and Android 4.2.) It also packs a 2,300mAh battery, 13MP rear camera and 0.3MP front camera. Like all of the phones announced today in NTT DoCoMo's summer push it supports LTE, and it will have NOTTV access after an update this fall.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Source: NTT DoCoMo (PDF), (2)

Samsung can add "mist" and "frost" to its color names, but deep down we know the Galaxy S 4 only comes in black or white. That is, unless you're one of NTT DoCoMo's customers, who can expect the Korean flagship to arrive in blue arctic as well. A leaked pamphlet reveals that the third shade will be announced when the quad-core handset is announced on May 15th -- confirming once and for all that Japanese mobile users get all the fun.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Via: All About Samsung, SammyHub

Source: RBMen (Translated)

Those who don't hang out at Japanese arcades (who doesn't?) have missed out on Pokemon Tretta, which has players building virtual Pokemon collections through real tokens they win in battle. It's not always easy to visit the local gaming den, however -- so Nintendo, Marvelous AQL and Takara Tomy Arts are releasing Pokemon Tretta Lab to use those creature libraries elsewhere. The add-on for the 3DS and 3DS LL combines a downloadable game with a dual-token scanner that can be used to fight other players, practice against AI or simply study new critters. Pokemon Tretta Lab ships to Japan on August 10th for ¥3,800 ($38), and it may be tempting to newcomers when tokens for Eevee, Lucario and Mewtwo are in the box. Unfortunately, the rest of the world will likely have to watch from afar. While it's easy for a Pikachu handheld to cross borders, Tretta Lab's dependence on a healthy arcade market all but rules out a similar trip.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Peripherals, Nintendo

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Via: Tiny Cartridge

Source: Pokemon Tretta (translated)

You probably won't ever see these latest NEC computers hit retailers on this side of the Pacific, but if you do your laptop shopping in Japan, it's time to listen up. NEC's just flooded the market with a bounty of fresh models, all likely destined for corporate IT departments, and maybe a few homes.

There are a few additions to the Mate series, including an MG all-in-one, along with ML, ME and MB slim towers. Then, on the portables front, there's some VB, VH, VD and VA notebooks, followed by two standouts: a VX laptop for 138,500 JPY ($1,400) and a VG Ultrabook priced at a whopping 261,000 JPY (about $2,650). That first model is available with Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, a WXGA 15.6-inch LCD and integrated graphics. The pricey Ultrabook, for its part, can be had with a Core i5 or i7 processor, four gigs of RAM, a 1,600 x 900-pixel 13.3-inch LCD, integrated graphics and either Windows 8 Pro or Windows 7 (huzzah!). There's plenty more to discover, of course, but we'll leave that up to you. NEC loyalists can get their fix (in Japanese) at the source link below.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

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Via: Akihabara News

Source: NEC

Many have suspected that Sony wasn't done with its 2013 high-end phones just because the Xperia Z and ZL were shipping. As of today, that's more than just speculation: a once-rumored Xperia A has swung through the FCC for approval as NTT DoCoMo's SO-04E. The filing is unusually detailed for a device that isn't official, showing a 5-inch, 1080p handset that maintains Sony's OmniBalance look while including a removable, 2,300mAh battery that we haven't seen in the Z or ZL. The manual also has the Android phone sharing the Z's 13-megapixel camera, 16GB of built-in storage and LTE, although mum's the word on any upgrade to the Snapdragon S4 Pro. Sony hasn't confirmed what we're seeing, but we may not have long to learn the full story when NTT DoCoMo is revealing its summer mobile lineup on May 15th.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

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Source: FCC

"Emergency taking place!" That's quite possibly the last thing you'd want to hear from anyone smelling your breath -- a female humanoid robotic head mounted atop a rectangular pink and red box being no exception. Similarly, a robotic hound passing out after smelling your feet should certainly be cause for alarm. Japanese company CrazyLabo paired up with Kitakyushu National College of Technology to create both bots, tasked with smelling your breath and your feet, respectively. The woman, named Kaori-chan, passes judgement on four levels, with feedback ranging from "It smells like citrus!" to the dire exclamation you read about above.

The pooch, for his part, doesn't speak, but instead displays varying levels of affection -- it'll cuddle up if things are looking good, but it'll bark or growl if it's time to change those socks. If the situation is beyond repair, he'll collapse, as Chopin's funeral march plays in the background. It's just as depressing as it sounds. Granted, it's all in good fun, but if you're easily offended (or often offending), you probably won't want to venture any closer than the demo video at the source link below.

Filed under: Robots, Alt

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Source: Asahi Shimbun (article), Asahi Shimbun (video)

Tokyo Institute of Technology's SOINN (Self-Organizing Incremental Neural Network) bot was impressive enough during our first introduction back in 2011, but the intelligent device can now tap the web for its latest trick: accurate object identification. The updated system, which appears to utilize a database akin to Google's image search, can scour the web for similar shots, making it possible to ID objects based on comparable structures published on the web. It can distinguish a box cutter from a knife, for example, or a rickshaw from a car. For now, SOINN is limited to identifying objects in images, including those captured in realtime with a camera, but its designers imagine that future revisions could enable content recognition in video streams, and audio clips, too. Our friends at DigInfo saw the update in action -- check it out for yourself in the video after the break.

Filed under: Robots, Internet, Alt

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Source: DigInfo.TV

Tokyoflash is known for crafting some seriously cryptic, over-the-top timepieces, and its latest efforts are no exception. Today, the company announced a revised pair of wristwatches that aim to pull your attention away from your smartphone's clock. Unlike the original Kisai Rogue SR2, its wooden successor is a combination of maple and sandalwood wrapped around a prominent always-on LCD lined with a circle of connecting blocks in place of a traditional set of numbers. The watch's display comes in three natural colors -- we know red and green are on deck but the third remains a mystery (though blue seems a safe bet).

The second time-teller to get a makeover is the Kisai Stencil. This limited edition design sports a natural maple or sandalwood casing and your choice of a black or white leather wristband. The Stencil's enigmatic LCD displays time in an almost scrawled four block space that the company claims is "very simple to read." In celebration of the launch of its new gear, Tokyoflash is offering both watches at a discounted price of $99 until Friday at 4PM JST.

Filed under: Wearables

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Source: Tokyoflash (1), (2)

Despite bidding competition from Dish, Softbank's founder, Masayoshi Son, has told Reuters that he sees no need to adjust his company's offer for Sprint. In fact, he's even seen support from Intel CEO Paul Otellini, who stated in a letter to the FCC last week that a third competitive national carrier is "very compelling."

During the company's financial results today, Softbank's Son went on the attack, spending a big chunk of the presentation pitching what his company would offer over its rival's bid. He kicked off by saying that Dish's offer (and comparisons) was "illusory" and how the Japanese carrier's offer had a 21 percent premium over its rival's, along with a swifter turnaround: two months compared to a year. Son also said that his company's offer would sidestep the difficulties in combining spectrum in the US, as Softbank doesn't currently hold any US wireless spectrum at the moment. The CEO added: "If our deal doesn't go through with Sprint... the carrier won't have the cash to follow through with their network vision [this year]."

Earlier in the earnings event, Son said that his company's healthy native position was "just a stepping stone", and that he's now aiming for the number one spot in mobile internet globally -- Sprint appears to be a big part of those plans.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: @masason (Twitter)

Japan's transport minster, Akihiro Ohta, announced today that the country's airliners can resume flying grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliners once a newly approved battery system is installed. "We have reached a conclusion that there is no problem with the judgment by the FAA," Ohta told the Associated Press. Back in January two separate fires caused by the 787's lithium ion batteries led to the FAA temporarily grounding all Dreamliners. Japan's decision comes shortly after Boeing's CEO, Jim McNerney, stated during the company's recent fiscal conference call that he expected all 50 aircraft to be fixed by the middle of May. Japanese airline officials are forecasting a slightly longer timeline, with the country's 787s returning to the skies around June and test flights scheduled to begin on April 28th.

Filed under: Transportation

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Via: The Verge

Source: Associated Press

Sure, we've seen game consoles modified for use beyond their original purpose, but this apparatus turns things up a notch. Pictured above is the Joysound Festa, a mobile entertainment system powered by the Wii U's hardware and software. Built by Japanese karaoke machine maker Xing, this beastly console mod is controlled from the system's Gamepad and includes the gracelessly named Nintendo x Joysound Wii Karaoke U. Pre-loaded with 90,000 songs, this party starter also ships with a set of dance, exercise, yoga and brain training videos. Already reaching for your wallet? You should know that this unique setup is Japan-only, and headed to hotels and nursing homes at a hefty price of 1,580,000 yen (around $15,884). At that price, it may take around 25 years until we see one of these bad boys up for grabs on eBay.

Filed under: Gaming, Nintendo

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Via: Kotaku

Source: Joysound Festa (translated)

There must be some kind of unstated rule that Nintendo can never give the US a special edition handheld without releasing some Japan-focused models. While the company was busy promising Americans an Animal Crossing 3DS XL of their very own, it was also introducing a Luigi edition 3DS LL for its home country as part of its "Year of Luigi" theme -- not fair, Nintendo. The system is decked out in a camouflage-like pattern that pays tribute to Mario's oft-neglected sibling, and it should ship with a preloaded copy of Mario and Luigi: Dream Team just to drive the point home. Local gamers will get the distinctly-patterned 3DS LL on June 18th, but there's no word on an XL equivalent for the US so far. We'll just have to make do with Mario-colored devices instead.

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds, Nintendo

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Via: Destructoid

Source: Nintendo

Google Fiber might be making waves with its 1Gbps speeds, but it's no match for what's being hailed as the world's fastest commercially-provided home internet service: Nuro. Launched in Japan yesterday by Sony-supported ISP So-net, the fiber connection pulls down data at 2 Gbps, and sends it up at 1 Gbps. An optical network unit (ONU) given to Nuro customers comes outfitted with three Gigabit ethernet ports and supports 450 Mbps over 802.11 a/b/g/n. When hitched to a two-year contract, web surfers will be set back 4,980 yen ($51) per month and pony up a required 52,500 yen (roughly $540) installation fee, which is currently being waived for folks who apply online. Those lucky enough to call the Land of the Rising Sun home can register their house, apartment or small business to receive the blazing hookup, so long as they're located within Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Tokyo, Kanagawa or Saitama. Click the bordering source link for more details on signing up.

Filed under: Internet, Sony

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Via: Engadget Japanese

Source: Nuro (translated)