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Softbank's CEO donating ¥10 billion to Japan's quake-affected region
Softbank already stepped up to the plate by offering gratis handsets to earthquake orphans following the horrific events that transpired last month, but now the outfit's CEO is doing one better. ¥10 billion will be leaving Masayoshi Son (admittedly deep) pockets in order to "support the region and people affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami," and if you're curious, that equates to just under $120 million in greenbacks. Of course, one might say that said sum is pocket change for Japan's wealthiest citizen, but he even vowed to "donate to the same cause all of his future compensation as the head of Softbank." On top of Son's personal donations, Softbank as a company will be handing over ¥1 billion, with both the man and his entity considering various channels for which the money will be distributed. We've got a feeling this is just a bit more serious than your average PR stunt, and we've no qualms handing Mr. Son the round of golf claps he so richly deserves.
EVE Online players raise over $44,000 for Japan relief fund
Never let it be said that gamers don't have big hearts. When Japan was hit by an earthquake and the ensuing tsunami, people around the world stepped up to donate to disaster relief programs. Several MMO developers have made substantial donations using profits from their games. NCSoft made a huge donation of 500 million yen (6.3 million USD), and Sony Online Entertainment donated 300 million yen (3.6 million U.S. dollars). SOE, gPotato, Perfect World Entertainment and Hi-Rez studios have all been running schemes to help players donate, ranging from special once-only microtransaction items to just donating a percentage of all cash shop proceeds to charity. EVE Online's developer CCP Games has encouraged donations through their unique PLEX system. Players who couldn't afford to donate cash were encouraged to buy PLEX in-game using ISK and donate them to the relief fund. CCP would then scrap the PLEX items and donate their full purchase value to charity. The scheme has been very successful at raising money in previous disasters, raising over 40,000 USD for the Haitian earthquake fund and roughly a further 20,000 USD for the flooding in Pakistan. In a new devblog, CCP Fallout has released the final results of EVE's charity drive. A total of 2549 PLEX, each worth 17.5 USD, was donated to the scheme by players. CCP will be donating the full value of 44,607.50 USD to the Red Cross in the name the EVE Online community, and will be paying for all of the tax and management costs themselves. EVE players have now donated a total of 108,000 USD through the PLEX for Good scheme. Head over to the devblog for the details of the charity drive and some interesting information on three players who helped make it a success.
Sony CEO casually mentions he's supplying cameras to Apple
We were tempted to call it an April Fools' joke, but it seems the story's true: Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer reportedly let slip that his company is producing cameras for the next batch of iPhones and iPads during a public interview with the Wall Street Journal. Traditionally, Apple's sourced its sensors from OmniVision, including the delightfully backside-illuminated 5 megapixel CMOS unit you'll find in the iPhone 4, but since Sony too has BSI tech and OmniVision has reportedly encountered delays, your next portable Apple product might house a Sony Exmor R sensor like the one we admired on the Xperia Arc. Mind you, that may not end up actually happening, because of the context in which Sir Howard revealed the news -- according to 9 to 5 Mac, he said that the factory producing sensors for Apple was affected by the Japanese tsunami. Oh well.
iRobot, QinetiQ machines to assist in Japan relief effort
A few weeks ago, it looked like robots would play a relatively small role in recovery efforts following the earthquake and subsequent nuclear crisis in Japan, but as concern grows over radiation leaks, robotics companies are positioning their mechanical offspring to do jobs deemed unsafe for humans. We've already heard of Aldebaran's plans for a fleet of rescue bots, and now QinetiQ and iRobot are lending automated assistance to the cause. QinetiQ plans to send in a set of Robotic Applique Kits -- used to convert Bobcat loaders into unmanned vehicles -- along with sensor machines like the TALON and Dragon. Meanwhile, iRobot's enlisted two each of its PackBots and Warriors to help aid in recovery -- the former is used by the US military for bomb disposal. Both companies have already deployed teams to Japan for training.
Perfect World Entertainment offers Japanese disaster relief across multiple games
MMO industry efforts to rebuild Japan continue, as free-to-play titan Perfect World Entertainment is lending its considerable weight to the cause. The firm is donating 50% of the proceeds from special cash shop items to the ongoing Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief drive. Players of PWE's games can pick up a little something extra for their characters while simultaneously making a donation to the Red Cross. The promotion runs through April 13th and features a variety of items in games including Battle of the Immortals (bag expansions), Ether Saga Online (ancestral crystals), Forsaken World (star of hope), Jade Dynasty (meditation orbs), and Perfect World International (super inventory stone).
Softbank to offer free phones to earthquake orphans, free replacement for lost iPhones
Following the catastrophic earthquakes and tsunami in Japan, surviving victims from the affected region are going to face a tough time over the coming months, if not years. Many of those who are more fortunate have been actively contributing in one way or another, regardless of distance, to help put Japan on its road to recovery. Back in the country, one such generous person is non other than Softbank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, who's recently visited Tamura, one of the cities most affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster. During that trip, Son announced that Softbank will cover a year's worth of living costs (commute and food) and provide job positions for the 1,200 people to be relocated to Takeo in Saga, the prefecture where Son originated. Additionally, Son is using Softbank's "Let's Do It" campaign site -- a tracker for his "Let's Do It" tasks posted on Twitter, each accompanied by a completion status indicator -- to crowdsource requests for supporting earthquake victims. So far, these requests are mainly about ways to increase efficiency for donation efforts (like publishing a live list of item shortages for each shelter, and setting up new mobile networks at the shelters), but there were two that caught our attention. Last week, one of Son's followers suggested that Softbank should provide orphaned children free phone credit for a limited time, so that they could contact their friends and other family members. Son then retweeted this idea and announced that all earthquake orphans will receive free phones, along with call costs waived until they reach the age of 18. Another gadget-related initiative came in earlier today with Son promising free replacement for all lost or damaged iPhones due to the earthquake, with details to follow later. Obviously, anyone providing aid to Japan in any way, shape, or form deserves just as much credit, but Softbank's extra mileage and cunning use of social networking is certainly praiseworthy in its own right. Here's hoping that Son's actions will inspire others for even greater causes. [Thanks, Tres] Update: It's worth pointing out that Son said he's also happy to help pay phone bills for earthquake orphans who are already on other networks, including DoCoMo. Good on ya, sir!
Fujifilm resumes production on X100 cameras, new-age vintage is rolling again
Fujifilm has a hit on its hands with the retrotastic X100 camera, selling for a whopping $1,200 but still flying off shelves. That popularity resulted in some shortages, and a stoppage of production due to the disaster in Japan made that situation worse. Now the company is announcing a resumption of production, so the 12.3 megapixel compact with a 23mm fixed lens should be hitting store shelves again in the next week or so. Place your orders now, if you haven't already, and get that sepia filter warmed up so that your pictures can look as vintage as what you're shooting them with.
SOE rewards players for aiding Japan's relief effort
In case you haven't been paying attention to the world, Japan was hit with a devastating tsunami a couple of weeks ago. Since then, multiple MMO companies have donated to the restoration. According to a post on the EverQuest II site, the Sony Corporation has donated 300 million yen (3.6 million U.S. dollars) to the Central Community Chest of Japan and hopes to donate more as needed. Sony Online Entertainment is encouraging its players to donate to the cause as well. The game development team has designed special in-game gifts for those who would like to donate through Station Cash. EverQuest, Free Realms, and Clone Wars Adventures players can purchase a cherry blossom tree (the national tree of Japan) for 500 Station Cash. EQII players can purchase a Memory of Spring statue, also for 500 Station Cash. Lastly, Star Wars Galaxies players can buy a $5 stuffed Tauntaun toy TCG loot card. With each of these purchases, SOE will donate $10 to the American Red Cross relief efforts. Monday will mark the last day you'll be able to make these purchases, so if you play any of these games or would just like to make a donation, the sooner the better!
Monirobo measures radiation following nuclear crisis at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi power plant
According to a report by a Japanese news agency, a radiation monitoring robot, aptly named Monirobo, is the first non-human responder to go on-site following the partial meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The machine, which was developed by Japan's Nuclear Safety Technology Centre to operate at lethal radiation levels, reportedly began work Friday, enlisting a 3D camera, radiation detector, and heat and humidity sensors to monitor the extent of the damage. A second Monirobo, used to collect samples and detect flammable gases, is expected to join its red counterpart soon -- both robots are operated by remote control from distances up to one kilometer away. They join the US Air Force's Global Hawk drone in unmanned surveillance of the crisis.
Aldebaran to create all-terrain disaster relief robots, make a hero of Nao?
We've seen Nao bust a move and play a little footy, and now its creator is making plans to take its bots off-roading in the name of disaster relief. Aldebaran robotics recently announced its intention to invest in and develop a range of robots that can traverse rocky roads to help in hazardous situations, citing the tsunami in Japan as a catalyst for the move. The company's yet to state how it will make this happen, but says it's already made contributions to Cap Robotique, the "French cluster dedicated to the development and innovation in the field of service robotics." If you ask us, we're all for Nao gettin' a little dirt under its nails, as long as it can still serve Fosse. Full PR after the break.
Leaf deliveries delayed by Japanese quake, but Nissan and Sony already reopening factories
Not the jolliest of news if you were waiting on a fresh new Leaf EV to blow in any time soon, as Nissan has had to understandably delay shipments as a result of the natural disaster that has befallen Japan. Updates on when customers might expect their orders to be completed will be forthcoming as soon as available. There are happier developments on the isle of Japan itself, however, where Nissan is resuming limited operations at five plants today and expects to be producing vehicles again by Thursday, which will last as long as supplies do. Sony has also shaken off some of the effects of the recent earthquake and says it'll restart production of lithium-ion batteries at its Tochigi prefecture plant tomorrow. So, encouraging signs ahead for Japan's industry, let's hope everyone else's recovery proves to be as swift.
The Mog Log: Blackout
It's really hard to find the heart to talk about anything related to Final Fantasy this week. Last week, things went intensely cross-eyed for Japan. If you've somehow missed it, the short version is that a massive earthquake struck, killing a huge number of people and sending Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plants into a crisis that's still escalating as of this writing. There's the very real possibility of the plant's suffering a meltdown, resulting in a disaster some people are likening to the explosion at Chernobyl. And yet the Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV teams are working. We've seen communication out of the teams, and while Tokyo wasn't directly hit by the quake, it's hard to believe none of the employees has family in the region. The country faces rolling blackouts and a nuclear threat, and yet the teams keep working at making the games better for everyone. There comes a point when dedication doesn't adequately explain what keeps someone working through a crisis.
Roundup of developers and apps to help Japan
The developer community is stepping up its offers of help to disaster-struck Japan with increasing ways to send money to those in need. This is a roundup of offers we've heard about -- let us know in comments of any others. Simplest of all is the offer from Japanese startup Lunascape: download the free iPhone or iPad version of its tabbed web browser app, and the company will donate ¥50 (about US$0.63) up to a total of ¥5 million (about US$65,000 -- in addition to the ¥1 million it's already given) for the Japanese Red Cross and other similar relief organisations. Marketcircle is going to give 100% of all proceeds made from its professional time billing programs Billings 3 and Billings Touch to the Red Cross starting on Monday, March 21, until the end of Wednesday, March 23. Capcom has reduced the price of Street fighter IV to US$0.99 and is giving 100% of iPhone sales to relief efforts until Monday, March 21. Real Software of Austin, Texas, is giving 5% of all sales of its web development tools next week to the American Red Cross's Japan fund. The Square Enix Group -- maker of Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider and Space Invaders -- is donating ¥100 million (about US$1.25 million) to recovery efforts. Ohanaware, maker of Mac photo software, such as HDRtist Pro and Funtastic Photos, is selling all of its software at half-price until Friday, March 25, with all profits going to the Red Cross for Japan relief. Users of SmartRoam's VoIP app for iPhone ChatTime can make free calls to Japan until the end of March, which usually costs $15 a month. Users who have already called Japan since the earthquake began will have charges for those calls waived. Devon Technologies, makers of data-management Mac software Devon Think and Devon Agent, will donate 20% of its March proceeds to Japanese relief efforts, such as Doctors Without Borders. Interval Studios, producers of the Thicket and Snowdrift apps for iOS, is donating 100% of its proceeds from March 11 to March 31 to the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund. Tesla Software is also donating proceeds from the weekend to the Japan Relief fund and will post results on the company's site.
NCsoft makes multi-million dollar Japanese relief donation
Earlier we told you about Hi-Rez Studios and its efforts to help victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. NCsoft is also throwing a considerable contribution into the relief drive in the form of 500 million Yen (or 4.5 million Euros/6.3 million USD, for those of you counting along at home). NCsoft's Sung Joon Park explained that the sum equals a month's worth of sales, adding that the South Korean gaming giant would not be shutting off game services. "We'll maintain the service with minimal electricity and personnel. Maintaining daily life is also important, therefore we plan to uphold the service." Kotaku puts NCsoft's gift into perspective, noting that the South Korean MMO maker is a big deal in Asia, where its contributions to the Japanese recovery outstrip notables including Nintendo, Sony, and Hyundai. [Thanks to cic for the tip!]
iPad 2 supply line affected by Japan disaster
As Japan suffers under the weight of a major tsunami and a continuing crisis with the Fukushima nuclear power plants, it's becoming clear that the ripple effects from the combined tragedies are impacting Japan's consumer electronics industry, and of course the iPad 2. Asia Times is reporting today that the iPad 2's battery and memory are made in Japan, and with electrical shutdowns, disrupted transportation system and employees understandably staying home, supplies of these parts just aren't available. AppleInsider quotes iSuppli as saying Apple will also have difficulty getting the iPad 2 internal compass provided by AKM Semiconductor and touchscreen components likely sourced from Asahi Glass Company. At present, Apple appears to be able to build the iPad 2 for 2-3 weeks before the parts shortages impact the company. The iPad 2 went on sale in the US on the day the tsumami struck Japan, and Apple has recently announced that initial sales of the iPad 2 in Japan will be delayed. It may be frustrating to not have the latest and greatest piece of Apple tech, but those frustrations are small compared to the very real crises unfolding in Japan. Our hearts (and funds) go out to the people of Japan who are struggling with the many challenges they face. [via AppleInsider]
Toshiba and Hitachi LCD plants damaged, will shut down for a month
You can't have a 9.0 magnitude earthquake without breaking a few factories, particularly ones that produce fragile liquid crystal screens, and this week Toshiba, Hitachi and Panasonic are each reporting damages that have forced them to close LCD production facilities affected by the tsunami and quake. Panasonic isn't sure when its plant in Chiba prefecture might resume carving up the glass sandwiches, telling Bloomberg that "there has been some damage, though not a fire or a collapse," but both Hitachi and Toshiba will reportedly halt some assembly lines for around a month to deal with damages. It's probably still too soon to talk about panel shortages -- though they seem likely soon -- but we'll let you know how things progress.
Donate EVE ISK to help disaster relief efforts in Japan
When it comes to collecting aid for disaster relief, EVE Online developer CCP Games has a unique way of helping players donate. While many MMOs ask for donations or release limited-edition cash shop items, CCP has managed to devise a way for players to donate in-game currency to help people in the real world. During the relief effort for last year's earthquake in Haiti, CCP began accepting donations of 30-day Pilot's License EXtensions (PLEX) for their full monetary value in game time. With the recent devestation in Japan, CCP has once again asked for the EVE community's help to raise money for relief aid. Each PLEX bought on the in-game market and donated to charity represents 30 days of game time that someone in the world originally paid for with cash but that won't be redeemed into game time. Because of this, CCP can donate the full cash value of that game time to a registered relief charity without taking a big loss. CCP absorbs all management and tax fees to ensure that 100% of the donated game time's value is passed on to registered charities (in this case, the Red Cross). To donate to the relief effort in Japan, EVE players are encouraged to buy PLEX on the open market and contract them to the character "CCP PLEX For Good" before March 31st. As usual, EVE Online's normally permissive rules on scamming have been suspended in relation to the charity drive. Anyone attempting to scam players out of ISK or PLEX using this charity drive will be dealt with harshly. With notable rich players and corporations able to potentially donate thousands of dollars' worth of PLEX, this charity drive is sure to raise a substantial amount of money for disaster-stricken Japan.
Japanese quake will likely affect the global supply of gadgets
Devastating. There are no words to effectively convey the human catastrophe suffered in Japan. Engadget would like to express our sincere condolences to those readers personally affected by recent events. As a tech publication, we're obviously focused on the impact these events will have on Japan's vast consumer electronics industry -- an industry that has responded with millions of dollars in cash, equipment and services to help with the relief effort. Thus far, Canon, Panasonic, and Sony have each pledged ¥300 million ($3.67 million) in donations. Sony is also matching employee contributions as will Mitsubishi who's donating a whopping ¥500 million ($6.1 million) in aid. On the equipment side, Sony is donating some 30,000 radios to relief efforts while Panasonic is providing 10,000 radios, 10,000 flashlights, and 500,000 batteries. NEC, Kyocera, and Epson are each donating ¥100 million in funds, computers, and telecoms and IT equipment. While it's still too early to quantify the exact impact the earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing nuclear troubles will have on the global tech industry, the scope of the issues is becoming clearer now that the initial chaos has passed. Click through to see how everything from laptop batteries to iPads are at risk.
Contact Japan for free via AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and more (update)
We imagine that many of you, like us, have been making frantic calls to friends and family in Japan over the last few days without regard to the costs. Now, in the face of otherwise devastating news, we have some good news to share courtesy of AT&T. Ma Bell is offering wired and wireless billing relief for calls made on AT&T between March 11th and March 31st. Under the plan, AT&T wireless postpaid customers will not be charged for international long distance or text messages to Japan from the US and Puerto Rico. Likewise, residential wireline customers can seek credits for up to 60 minutes of direct dialing to Japan. Sure it's a shameless publicity grab but this one seems genuinely helpful. Update: Sprint and Verizon have both now elected to waive call and text message fees (in Verizon's case, the move applies both to landline and wireless numbers). Update 2: Dish Networks is also getting in on helping people stay up to date. Boris wrote in to let us know you can now watch TV Japan for free as well. Update 3: Comcast is also in the game, providing free calls for Xfinity Voice and Business Class Voice customers. Update 4: And that ain't all! Cox Communications has announced that calls and texts placed to Japan with Cox Digital Telephone and Cox Wireless will be free of charge through March 31. Update 5: Kelly let us know that Verizon has added Japan TV for free for FIOS subscribers too. Update 6: Don't worry, pay-as-you-go customers: Cricket has been kind enough to inform us that their customers will be able to make phone calls effective immediately, until March 29.
Researchers claim discovery of lost city of Atlantis, conveniently located in southern Spain
We had to do a double take when we read this headline from Reuters, but sure enough, it's not April1st yet and its writers don't seem to be joking: the location of the lost city of Atlantis has finally been discovered. Such is the bold claim from an international team of researchers, dreamers and intrepid adventurers. With the use of ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography, they've unearthed evidence to suggest that a spot on the southern coast of Spain, just north of Cadiz, played host to what may have been human society's first metropolis. One of the reasons why it's taken archaeologists so long to pinpoint its whereabouts may be the fact that it lies 60 miles inland, where you wouldn't really expect it to be susceptible to the effects of tidal waves (which is what Plato's account of the ancient city identified as its demise). A National Geographic documentary on the subject will be broadcast this evening where we may learn more about what was discovered, the methods for doing so, and the gorgeous tans those scientists built up in sunny Spain.
