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Vintage Sanyo fan sparks fire, leads to two deaths
This past Monday, an old electric fan (circa 1970) that was produced by Sanyo reportedly "caused a fire" which led to the death of two people in Tokyo. Apparently, a fire broke out "due to decay in the motor and other parts" of the fan, but the firm has denied that there were design flaws "or any other defects" to blame. Interestingly, the company has purportedly received "23 similar reports since 2000, including two involving people who suffered burns," but recalling a device made nearly four decades ago isn't exactly high up on the feasibility list.
Tetsuya Mizuguchi to build Virtual Tokyo in Second Life
Like everyone else, we're pretty sick of all the Second Life coverage; it seems like buying real estate in the massively multiplayer non-game is the modern, big-business equivalent of setting up a website for your dad's repair shop. Still, it's one thing when Mercedes sets up a virtual dealership, and a very different matter when Lumines and Rez's Tetsuya Mizuguchi decides to build a re-imagined Tokyo for the denizens of Linden Labs' mammoth world.What makes Mizuguchi's Tokyo different than other architectural projects in Second Life is his intent in building the city. 1UP reports that rather than building an exact replica of the Japanese city, Mizuguchi wants to fashion his facsimile based on the perceptions of both locals and visitors. Speaking to 1UP, he states his hope that the project, which is a collaboration between himself and advertising firm Dentsu, can become a "museum of Japanese pop culture." We might need to dust off our Second Life avatars just to check it out when it launches.
TWISTER: goggle-free 3D rotating panoramic display
In a device eerily akin to teleportation machines seen in major motion pictures (seriously, check it after the break), the Telexistence Wide-angle Immersive STEReoscope aims to "immerse viewers in a 3D video environment" sans those pesky goggles. Developed by a team at the University of Toyko, TWISTER is being hailed as the "world's first full-color 360-degree 3D display that does not require viewers to wear special glasses," and it's finally coming together after a decade of work. Within the cylindrical, rotating device, you'll find some 50,000 LEDs that give off the illusion of a three-dimensional object without any ocular aids. Moreover, the team is already looking into the possibility of adding 3D videophone technology to spruce up video telephony, but we'd be totally content with a couple rounds of Halo in this thing.[Via PinkTentacle]
Internet2 operators set new internet speed record
We all know that data transmission records don't hang around too long these days, but for operators of the Internet2 network, the final "official record" may have just been set. At the Internet2 consortium's spring meeting, it was announced that officials "sent data at 7.67-gigabits per second using standard communications protocols," but crushed even that milestone 24 hours later by achieving 9.08Gbps with IPv6 protocols. Notably, the data had to travel a whopping 20,000 or so miles roundtrip, and it's being suggested that the newest record may be there awhile, considering the theoretical 10Gbps limit on Internet2 transmissions and the requirement for new records to sustain "a ten-percent improvement for recognition." The best bit, however, is the mention of a "a new network with a capacity of 100Gbps," which could see a full-blown DVD shot practically around the globe "within in a few seconds."
Nintendo at Tokyo Game Show 2007?
The talk around town is that Nintendo might have a significant presence this year at the traditionally Sony-dominated Tokyo Game Show, going so far as to secure a booth. The video game trade show hasn't made much of an effort to include Nintendo in the past, as the company stuck to the Space World expo and its own events to make announcements. But with the Wii's current momentum and Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Sky set to appear on the Nintendo DS, leaving Nintendo out of TGS just doesn't make sense. Wired's Chris Kohler has an interesting post on how Nintendo's attendance at the September event will affect the console market in Japan and what the company might present at the convention. Playable DQIX demos of seem given, but we're sure that Nintendo has a lot more planned for the biggest dedicated video game show in Japan. What games and announcements are you looking forward to hearing about?
Square Enix party details make us want to buy a ticket to Tokyo
IGN has some of the details for the upcoming Square Enix party in Japan, which could result in overload for Final Fantasy fanboys and fangirls in attendance. The tip of the iceberg includes: Dragon Quest Monster Joker (DS, playable) Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wing (DS, playable) Final Fantasy Tactics (PSP, playable) Itadaki Street DS (DS, playable) Dragon Quest Swords (Wii, playable) It's a Wonderful World (DS, playable) Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (PSP, playable) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (DS, playable) Final Fantasy XI (PS2, X360, Windows, playable) Final Fantasy (PSP, video) Final Fantasy II (PSP, video) Dragon Quest Monster Battle Road (Arcade, video) Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete (Blu-Ray, video) Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Mobile, video) Partygoers will also be able to play a slew of mobile game demos, and will be going home with exclusive Square Enix goodies, some of which can be seen here. Give us the slime from Dragon Quest, and we might be able to pretend like we experienced all this first-hand.
Wacky inventor running for Tokyo governor on crazy missile defense platform
With so many fringe politicians futilely trying to win office here in the US (many of whom ran for Governor of California in 2003, from adult entertainers to washed up child stars), it's nice to see that other countries are also full of nuts whose deluded senses of reality compel them to waste time and money courting voters with ridiculous campaign promises. The latest "eccentric" candidate comes to us straight out of Japan, where notorious inventor and organizer of the annual World Genius Convention, Yoshiro "Dr. NakaMats" Nakamatsu, has thrown his hat into the ring for Tokyo's upcoming gubernatorial elections. Nakamatsu, winner of an Ig Nobel prize for his curious habit of photographing every single meal he's eaten for the last 30+ years, is campaigning primarily on a platform of citywide defense, vowing to build a secretive system that can "make missiles turn around" for all those times that Tokyo comes under heavy fire. With opponents that include a long-term incumbent as well as a former governor of the city, Dr. NakaMats' electability seems on par with that of Kinky Friedman; our humble suggestion: forget the wacky missile defense and instead concentrate on protecting the poor residents of Tokyo from those habitual Godzilla and Mothra attacks. [Via Danger Room]
University of Tokyo crafts tea-grabbing humanoid to serve you better
If you've got a domesticated service bot around to flip your channels and chase away any uninvited intruders, there's not too much else a lonely, elderly individual needs from a fellow humanoid, but researchers at the University of Tokyo are crafting more lifelike and more agile servant bots nevertheless. In an effort to create a tactical team of droids ready and willing to serve the aging population of Japan, the team is working with Kawada Industries Inc. to create friendly robots that can assist folks with around the house chores such as pouring tea and cleaning the dishes. Several models were out and about during a recent demonstration, as one wheeled bot delivered beverages to its master, and other renditions responded to human movements and the bevy of sensors installed in the floor and sofa of a room. Essentially, the team is attempting to seamlessly integrate robotic life with our world, and they're already prepared to feel a lashing from privacy advocates who will protest the embedded camera systems that the robots feed off of. Still, we'd rather have a potentially Big Brother-equipped servant to make sure our favorite dramas get recorded than no one at all.
Gemotion display boasts reactive 3D functionality
We've seen dozens of (mostly futile) attempts to bring 3D technology into our lives in a non-gimmicky manner, but the 54-year old Yoichiro Kawaguchi has developed yet another device that will likely fall by the wayside rather than gain steam. The University of Tokyo professor has devised a psychedelic 39- x 24-inch screen that boasts no fewer than 72 air cylinders behind the flexible fabric front, which are used to "push and pull" based on whatever action is being portrayed. The creator describes the Gemotion as a "soft, living display that that bulges and collapses in sync with the graphics on the screen," creating a moving display that's likely to terrify (or thrill, depending on perspective) small children. Apparently, the idea is to use computer software to convert images projected onto the screen into specific movements, allowing characters on screen to literally "jump out" at viewers, and can purportedly liven up your average "video game, TV show, or film" by giving it "an element of power never seen before." While the idea seems impressive in theory, we'd definitely need to see this thing in action before taking it too seriously, but those hanging around the National Art Center in Tokyo can drop by and give it a once over for us until February 4th.[Via PinkTentacle]
BeMani turns 10, Konami gets dressed
Has it really been a decade since Konami made the rhythm-action genre a cultural phenomenon? Apparently so. And to celebrate BeMani's 10th anniversary, Konami is holding a 'Pop'N Music Culture Festival' next month at Tokyo's Laforet Museum. Fans should make arrangements to be in Harajuku, Tokyo on February 24/25. Limited edition BeMani-related goods will be on sale at the event, while Konami plans to keep the party dancing with a string of live performances from dance troupes and DJs. The best mementos of this anniversary, though, are the Pop'N Music t-shirts being made by Graniph (a Japanese t-shirt designer that's more Benetton than Bape) to commemorate everything that's been funky about BeMani over the past decade. Only 500 of these shirts are being made, so residents of Japan should make their orders "pronto".
What's that racket? It's the Dragon Quest orchestra warming up!
This is what happens when the composer of soundtracks for Godzilla vs. Biollante (great flick, by the way) and Enix' Dragon Quest series gets his own way. Dragon Quest fans in Japan are advised to form an orderly queue right about now, for Koichi Sugiyama and his band are coming to a town near you*! The composer, who bears an eerie resemblance to a cheerier clone of former NCL dictator Hiroshi Yamauchi, is conducting a five-date tour in venues across Japan. It all kicks off (we predict a riot) in Tokyo on February 26. Tickets are on sale now, starting at ¥3,000 ($25 in real money). *Assuming, that is, you're somewhere near Tokyo/Nagoya/Sapporo. And if you are, check out Sugimania.
$170,000 Japanese-style Roomba takes home the gold
It seems that automated floor-suckers are getting all the attention of late, as we've had users parading their Roombas around with all sorts of unorthodox methods, teaching them to bust a move, and now how to pose for the cameras. While already recognized in one Tokyo ceremony, the Fuji Heavy Industries and Sumitomo-created vacuum has officially taken the gold in the Robot of the Year competition hosted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. Due to its purported ability to replace "two live human beings" and clean out an area of "3,000 square meters in four hours on a single charge," the jumbo-sized Roomba wannabe can help those towering skyscrapers stay clean in a bustling world. Additionally, it can maneuver up and down floors, in and out of elevators, and around crowded workspaces with ease, but we're not exactly sure how many decibels of noise this thing cranks out while taking care of business. Nevertheless, the co-founders are selling the device for a whopping ¥20 million ($168, 011), but still claim that it will more than pay for itself after a decade or so -- you know, since it doesn't beg for health insurance or anything.[Via Plastic Bamboo]
University of Tokyo develops expansive plastic power sheet
It seems this whole "wireless power" phenomenon is just getting warmed up, as we've got yet another creation that promises to rejuvenate our gadgetry without forcing us to hunt for those easy-to-misplace AC adapters. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have demonstrated a prototype which consists of "plastic and flexible electronics" that can wirelessly provide power to "any device that touches its surface." Of course, gadgets would need to be equipped with "a coil and special power-harvesting circuitry" to receive the energy, but it still beats lugging around half a dozen adapters on every outing. While this flexible sheet still relies on electromagnetic induction like the one's that have come before it, this particular rendition features a dual-sheet design that allows it to intelligently divert power to objects touching any part of the sheet, while not wasting energy on parts not being occupied. Takao Someya, professor of engineering, estimates that there's still "about five years" before the sheet will overcome the current "reliability issues," but hopes to one day "power flat-screen panels without ever needing an electrical outlet."
Japanese group will study how robots can improve; humans fear the worst
A whole bunch of Japanese "robot-related companies and organizations, including manufacturers, universities and local governments," have banded together to create an organization to examine how robots can be better used in "welfare and care services" and spread throughout the land. The new group will hold its first meeting on December 13 in Tokyo. Basically, we interpret this move as a sign that the robots are already taking over, by cleverly getting the humans to organize and figure out how they can do a better job becoming more ubiquitous. Freakin' brilliant.[Illustration by Si Clark]
Hello Kitty gets ritzy, dons platinum outfit for the holidays
We've seen Hello Kitty hit the low-end, the mid-range, the high-end, and everywhere in between, but this here rendition has to be some sort of record. In a feat that's sure to be outdone relatively soon, the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo will be selling a 21-ounce miniature rendition of the cat donned in platinum. The shiny feminine feline reportedly comes with seven different hair ribbons made of "diamonds, rubies, and other precious gems" that can be worn by Hello Kitty or used as a pendant. This hope diamond of Japanese cuteness can be snatched up (if it hasn't been already) for a mere ¥18.9 million ($164,291) if you so desire, but we can think of much more practical uses for all that extra disposable income to be quite honest.[Via Hello Kitty Hell]
Biohazard watch detects aliens, consumers of gimmicky timepieces
We've seen our fair share of questionably designed watches (and extraterrestrial detection devices, too), but the Biohazard timepiece takes this alien watchdog stuff to another level. Sure, the solid stainless steel design and squared motif isn't the hippest thing to fly out of Japan, but the overall aesthetics still top some wrist adornments out there, and its functionality isn't half bad either. The company makes no bones about informing you that the "red and white DNA helix bars" are actually not registering levels of alien activity around you, but rather spell out the time via colored blocks, and the date via an "alien DNA percentage" meter. Aside from fooling your friends into believing that ET resides in your guest room, this thing actually performs the single most important duty a watch is supposed to accomplish, and it can be yours for (an admittedly steep) ¥15,900 ($138).[Via BoingBoing]
Japanese Wii enjoys painless birth; stores across Japan sell out
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Japanese_Wii_enjoys_painless_birth_stores_across_Japan_sell_out'; We were in Osaka this morning to see the delivery of Nintendo's Wii to the world's greatest DS fans. Stores across Japan received a total of 400,000 Wii consoles. In Osaka, Japan's second city, 2,800 units were allocated to the Umeda branch of Yodobashi Camera alone, while Bic Camera in Nipponbashi received 650 systems. Both locations were sold out within an hour of opening. Compared with last month's farcical PS3 launch, there were notably fewer auctioneers-in-the-making at today's Wii debut. Most people we met were genuinely looking forward to playing games with their new purchase. (There are Wii lots on Yahoo! Auctions, but the going rate is only marginally higher than the retail price: typically Y30,000 (US$260) via auction, compared with Y25,000 (US$217) in stores.) The Wii's software tie-in ratio, too, seems to be more encouraging than that of the PlayStation3. Most customers in line at Yodobashi Umeda bought Zelda, while significant numbers also went for Wii Sports and Hajimete no Wii. Numerous methods of retail were used to launch the Wii, and these varied from store to store. Yodobashi kept its customers camped overnight in a parking lot, distributing numbered tickets to determine the order of entrance, before opening its doors at 7am. Bic Camera also opened at 7am, although most of the 650 people in line there didn't arrive until the first trains of the morning began to run at around 5am. Famitsu reports that the Tokyo Ikebukuro branch of Bic Camera sold out if its allocation of 1,200 units, while the Tokyo Yuuraku-cho arm of Bic Camera declared the console "sold out" at 5.41am when the 1,500th person arrived in the queue there. Sales figures from around the country are still coming in, but we'll keep you informed of the final stats just as soon as we get them. In the meantime, enjoy our snaps of the Osaka Wii launch experience after the jump.
Reborg-Q to keep Japanese mall shoppers safe this December
By the middle of December, expect to spot a new type of robo-cop at the AquaCity shopping mall in the Odaiba neighborhood of Tokyo. That's what Sohgo Security Services told a crowd on Monday when it debuted the Reborg-Q, its new security bot, which has four video cameras and will alert its human masters when it detects the the presence of unauthorized persons, water leaks, or fire. But don't think that this is just a cold stack of metal, as the Reborg-Q has a chest-mounted touch-screen that can display information about missing children, the time, and weather, just like a real police officer or security guard. Each bot will cost its human security outfit ¥380,000 ($3,200), and Sohgo's already contracted to deploy 10 robots around Japan next year. Although it's programmed to protect and serve, we're pretty sure that when partnered with the webslinging cop, Land Walker, iRobot and the Intelligent Surveillance and Guard Robot, that fearsome fivesome might possibly assemble Voltron, or at very least become the Justice League of bot servants.[Via Pink Tentacle]
Toshiba's fuel cell-powered "Segway competitor" in the works?
Sure, we've seen plenty of Segway wannabes, but Toshiba is reportedly planning to go head to head (or wheel to wheel, depending on perspective) with the human transporting giant by releasing a "competitor" of its own. While details are scant at this point, photos have surfaced that showcase Tosh's presumably forthcoming fuel-cell powered scooter, and it apparently boasts a safer, sturdier design than the hopelessly recalled Segway. Interestingly, the mysterious device is said to sport "LED lights" and communication sensors on the front to "prevent collisions" with other riders and "auto-navigate" when possible. Considering that the manually-driven Segways are illegal on Japanese streets, this functionality would hopefully legalize the machine for public use, but matching up this bad boy with a HT-V1A on a deserted street would give a whole new meaning to Tokyo drift, eh?[Via Crave]
Japan lines up for PS3 (look at the size of that crowd)
This is the scene of Yodobashi Akiba in Electric Town Akihabra. What is the crowd of people waiting on? Why, the PlayStation 3, of course. The guy on the loudspeaker is calling out lottery numbers for the lucky few in the crowd to claim their new console. By now, all the PS3s in Japan are long gone, at home by some gamer's television set.Only 80,000 PS3 units were ready by launch in Japan, which means a good number of those seen in the video went home with yen in their wallet and tears in their eye.
