Japan

And now from Japan, Velociraptor Santa Claus

Screw Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. I’ve found a new holiday mascot to burn gingerbread effigies before. His name is Raptor Santa Claus, he’s from Japan, and he’s a damn robot. I was first introduced to my new Christmas overlord over at Plastic Pals’ Japanese holiday robot round-up. He’s part of the…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Dec 18

Japanese Kids Go Skydiving Over a Google Earth Projection

These giggling Japanese will make you fall in love with the country all over again. And Google Earth, which is really the star of the video. If you’ve got a harness and projector, it’d be super-easy to do this yourself. Well, a harness, projector and a Bluegrass MP3. I may be scared of heights, but…

Tech News Kat Hannaford Dec 14

I paid a woman to be my friend at a Tokyo Maid Cafe

Maid Cafes are a tradition in Tokyo’s otaku-centric Akihabara neighborhood. People say they’re a romantic version of strip clubs: Instead of lapdances, you buy innocent displays of affection. How does it feel to pay for puppy love? I found out. I had been reading for years about Maid Cafes, places where lonely otaku (geeks) pay…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 13

This Japanese Multiplication Method Will Divide Your Brain By Zero

When I first saw this Japanese multiplication method, I just couldn’t believe it. Then I tried it and it works perfectly, but still can’t understand how it works—or how anyone found this method. You just need to follow the instructions in the video, and you will be able to multiply any number by any number…

Tech News Jesus Diaz Dec 13

The Second Concept-to-Reality Watch Has Gone at Sale at Tokyo Flash

Another concept watch voted on by fans has been made a reality by Tokyo Flash—the Kisai Satellite. Available in either black or white, people voted in droves for the chance to be able to buy it. https://gizmodo.com/tokyo-flash-is-making-this-watch-a-reality-thanks-to-y-5699090 The readability on this watch design is actually pretty simple. The top circle on the face represents hours,…

Tech News Kat Hannaford Dec 8

In Japan, this is where the hardcore geeks go to dance

I spent the past week chasing otaku in Tokyo. Otaku are geeky fans who love comics, videogames, and music – and in Tokyo there are so many otaku that they have created their own nightlife scene. Here’s what it’s like. For geeks in the West, it’s difficult to imagine what it would mean to have…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 6

Don’t Worry, the Balloon Bench Won’t Float Out of Your House

Japanese design firm h220430’s whimsical Balloon Bench isn’t exactly traditional. But it looks a whole lot more fun to sit on than your average sofa—even if the balloons aren’t real. Or, have some drinks and pretend you’re floating. The bench’s trick is a little less graceful than actual levitation—the plastic “balloons” would have to be…

Tech News Sam Biddle Dec 3

This Generator the Size of a Pencil Tip Shakes Up Big Power

Japanese researchers have cooked up a minuscule kinetic battery capable of generating more energy than anything of its kind. Through only the slightest vibrations, the tiny device cranks out 22 milliwatts—20 times more than anything similar before it. Twenty two milliwatts might not sound like terribly much—certainly a long way from powering your PS3—but could…

Tech News Sam Biddle Dec 2

Strawberry-Pickin’ Robot Only Picks the Red Berries

Yet another field of expertise has been wiped out by some steel pincers—strawberry-pickers. Japan’s robot detects which berries are at least 80 per cent red, and picks them gently off the vine. It’s being trained to pick other forms of berries, but if the ‘bot gets to the point where it can be released safely…

Tech News Kat Hannaford Dec 2

Activate Wave-Motion Gun! New documentary takes you inside the live-action Star Blazers

The most anticipated science fiction movie of December, for some of us, might actually be Space Battleship Yamato, aka Star Blazers. The classic anime’s long-awaited live-action adaptation opens tomorrow. Watch an hour-long making-of feature, and read snippets from early reviews. TBS did a lengthy documentary all about the making of this live-action movie, and the…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Nov 30

Oh, to Have a Free iPad

Japan, long heavy on subsidies for phones to lock people into two-year commitments, just offered a 16GB iPad for free if you sign a contract. The UK and France are also doing it. Why can’t we? To be fair, Japan has always been very friendly for subsidies, giving away high-end phones for essentially low-double-digits (in…

Tech News Jason Chen Nov 30

Buy a Galaxy S, Get a Free Sith Lord

Why is this man lounging in a rowboat with Darth Vader? Because apparently when you buy a Galaxy S on Japan’s NTT DoCoMo, you get the power of an evil intergalactic wizard along with it. Or something like that. [YouTube]

Gadgets Kyle VanHemert Nov 29

Sharp’s Android Tablets Get Priced for Japan

If Sharp ever launches its Galapagos range of Android tablets outside of Japan, we can expect prices to be fairly big. The 5.5-inch tablet costs the equivalent of $476, with the 10.8-incher $714, from December 10th. [CrunchGear]

Tech News Kat Hannaford Nov 29

The Weird Futurism of the 1970 World’s Fair

The 1970 World’s Fair in Osaka, the first to be held in Japan, was full of retro-futuristic architectural splendor. Here’s a look at just a few of its strange sights. [Pink Tentacle]

Tech News Kyle VanHemert Nov 25

Sony Resumes Selling Ereaders in Japan After a Three-Year Hiatus

When Japan does something, the rest of the world usually follows—so we could see ereaders get even more popular. Three years since Sony ceased selling Readers in Japan due to low demand, they’re flogging ’em again. [Bloomberg]

Tech News Kat Hannaford Nov 25

Get Gingerbread RIGHT NOW at Bar Android

Real gingerbread, that is. You see, Japan is a wonderful place where food and tech cohabitate together in harmony. And Bar Android is no different, offering snacks and more based around the Android codenames (which are based around food). https://gizmodo.com/i-ate-the-windows-7-burger-5394184 So yes, if you ever venture out to Tokyo between 7p and 10:30p on a…

Tech News Adrian Covert Nov 25

This Door Knob Lets You See What’s in the Room Behind It

You probably don’t spend much time thinking about door knobs, or how they could be improved. Maybe you should! This glass globe lets you catch a glimpse of what’s going on in the room you’re about to enter. Hideyuki Nakayama’s “A Room in the Glass Globe,” developed in conjunction with door handle manufacturer LEVER, shows…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert Nov 24

The Day Obama Awkwardly Hung Out With Some Robots

Fresh after a midterm thrashing, Obama perhaps thought this weekend’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Japan might be a needed respite. Instead, he was greeted by a bunch of uncomfortable robots. Shrieking robo-seals! A creepy fembot! Some strange pod car! Click to view Obama was a great sport about it, but you can sense the…

Tech News Sam Biddle Nov 15

Japanese Lingerie Maker Hopes To Promote Tourism With Talking Bra

Click to viewI’m not really sure if being welcomed into the country by a bra which speaks three languages will encourage anyone to visit Japan, but I certainly do appreciate lingerie maker Triumph’s valiant effort to promote tourism in Tokyo. Triumph’s lingerie set comes with a funky removable skirt which converts into a map of…

Tech News Rosa Golijan Nov 11

Gorge on Retro Japanese Robots by Downloading This $3 iPad App

There’s no clever functionality, no swish design—just reams and reams of vintage Japanese robots for salivating over. It’s like a flipbook of otaku porn—only won’t attract too many stares on public transport. It’s based on a Japanese book from 1988, cataloging the robot of collector Teruhisa Kitahara, who is “internationally known as the top ladder…

Tech News Kat Hannaford Nov 10

And now from Japan, Velociraptor Santa Claus

Japanese Kids Go Skydiving Over a Google Earth Projection

I paid a woman to be my friend at a Tokyo Maid Cafe

This Japanese Multiplication Method Will Divide Your Brain By Zero

The Second Concept-to-Reality Watch Has Gone at Sale at Tokyo Flash

In Japan, this is where the hardcore geeks go to dance

Don’t Worry, the Balloon Bench Won’t Float Out of Your House

This Generator the Size of a Pencil Tip Shakes Up Big Power

Strawberry-Pickin’ Robot Only Picks the Red Berries

Activate Wave-Motion Gun! New documentary takes you inside the live-action Star Blazers

Oh, to Have a Free iPad

Buy a Galaxy S, Get a Free Sith Lord

Sharp’s Android Tablets Get Priced for Japan

The Weird Futurism of the 1970 World’s Fair

Sony Resumes Selling Ereaders in Japan After a Three-Year Hiatus

Get Gingerbread RIGHT NOW at Bar Android

This Door Knob Lets You See What’s in the Room Behind It

The Day Obama Awkwardly Hung Out With Some Robots

Japanese Lingerie Maker Hopes To Promote Tourism With Talking Bra

Gorge on Retro Japanese Robots by Downloading This $3 iPad App

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