Japan

ALCNON Humanoid Bot Wails on a Tiny, Helpless Robot

Click to viewUnfortunately for the tiny robot in this video, this David vs. Goliath battle from the recent ROBO-ONE competition in Japan does not have a surprising ending. The gigantic ALCNON humanoid robot easily trounces his miniature opponent with a combination of swift punches and furious dance moves. Maybe it’s time someone put a pair…

Tech News Sean Fallon Nov 13

Japan’s Downsy Medical Bot Teaches Doctors How to Treat Special Patients

Say hello to Keiko. She’s the world’s first robot with Down Syndrome. She’s designed to help doctors diagnose people who come into the ER with a bad case of the Downs by answering their questions and responding to touch. What’s that? She’s not supposed to be retarded? Well what the hell is with that forehead…

Tech News Adam Frucci Nov 12

This Robot Wants Your Money, Jerks

Here in America, we use paper to pay for things—maybe plastic if we’re lucky. But over in Japan, wireless RFID is gradually becoming the rage. And this NEC robot supports the trend of paying for something without feeling like you’re actually paying for something.Using the robot is easy enough. You push the touchscreen on its…

Tech News Mark Wilson Nov 12

Japanese School Girl Wristcutters: So Wrong It Really, Really Hurts

Wowowow. I have no idea what the context of this clip is. I don’t want to believe that these kawaii! schoolgirl wristcutters are real, peddled by schoolgirls winking and smiling as they lick the blood trickling down their wrists. But you know what? I honestly don’t know what’s real or not anymore. I just don’t…

Gadgets Matt Buchanan Nov 11

Japanese Apple Stores to Sell Optoma Picoprojector in December For $500

Way back in June Optoma promised to release its picoprojector this year, and now there’s news that indeed it will. Still reportedly the world’s smallest and lightest, it’ll go on sale December 1st in Japan at the Apple store, of all places. In case you’ve forgotten the DLP device is just 0.67 x 2 x…

Gadgets Kit Eaton Nov 11

Deconstructed DSi Reveals Beefier Processor Might Be Draining Battery Life

When the DSi specs were first revealed in front of the Nintendo money vault this past October, we noticed the battery life of the DS line went from “pretty awesome” to “WTF?” The brighter, larger screens were initially blamed for the 1-6 hour drop, but a field stripped DSi we discovered today hints the drain…

Tech News Jack Loftus Nov 9

Japan Makes First Brain Tissues From Stem Cells

Michael J. Fox and other sufferers of degenerative neurological diseases have new hope. Japanese scientists at the government-backed research institute Riken have created the first functioning human brain tissues from stem cells, a step in curing everything from strokes to multiple sclerosis to paralysis. Even better, there may be a chance that these tissues could…

Health Elaine Chow Nov 6

Before Neon Lights: What Tokyo’s Akihabara Geek District Looked Like 50 Years Ago

Before Tokyo’s Akihabara geek district was laced with neon, it looked like this photo taken circa 1950 which I saw on my recent trip. Despite the cow in the photo, even around this time, gadgets were a part of the trade. (Although as the ads below show, phonographs and vacuum tube radios made up some…

Tech News Brian Lam Nov 5

Eco-Friendly BamGoo Car Is Meal on Wheels For Pandas

Researchers at Kyoto University recently displayed an eco-friendly electric car made almost entirely out of bamboo, one of the fastest growing materials available. The single-seat “BamGoo” weighs about 130 pounds, can only run about 30 miles on a charge, and probably won’t pass any safety tests, but it sure is cute! Let’s just hope that…

Tech News Elaine Chow Nov 4

Isola S Turns Your Closet Into a Cocktail Lounge-Themed Kitchen

Toyo Kitchen’s Isola S, from its Nobody line, is my answer to remaining fashionable in the oncoming economic apocalypse. Sure, I can no longer afford a McMansion in an affluent suburb, but I can get a storage unit somewhere and host fancy, LED-lit cocktail parties with this adjustable kitchen contraption. Isola S fits three electric…

Tech News Elaine Chow Nov 3

Panasonic Buys Up Sanyo, Makes Japan’s Biggest Electronics Co

It’s been tentative for a while, but the Nikkei is reporting that Panasonic and Sanyo have come to an agreement, and Pansonic’s buying up Sanyo. The actual act should be completed by April next year, and will result in one mega-corporation with revenues over ¥11.2 trillion (around $110 billion)—sounds like enough money to build quite…

Gadgets Kit Eaton Nov 3

Japan Prepares for a Rhino Attack with Two Dudes in a Rhino Suit

In the spirit of Halloween, I wanted to show you this absolutely amazing video of Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo training for an escaped rhino by dressing up two guys in a big rhino costume. Instead of candy, they’re dressing up for safety. Watch! As the “rhino” walks slowly towards the security force! Listen! To the very…

Gadgets Adam Frucci Oct 31

Aquos Fulltouch: The Highest Resolution Cellphone of All Time

It’s not available in the US, but Softbank customers will be able to snag the Aquos Fulltouch 931SH. It may look a lot like the iPhone, but this phone packs slide-out QWERTY along with a 3.8-inch touchscreen running at a crazy 1024×480 resolution. Not only is that as sharp as the HTC Touch HD—it’s super…

Tech News Mark Wilson Oct 30

Square Enix Making Final Fantasy Based iPhone Game

Square Enix, the famed Japanese publisher behind all 3,000 Final Fantasy games, is hard at work on Crystal Defenders, a new game for the iPhone based on the FF universe. It’ll be a “defense simulation” game that utilizes the touchscreen, so I’m guessing it’ll have more in common with Final Fantasy Tactics than Final Fantasy…

Tech News Adam Frucci Oct 30

Japanese iPhones Getting TV

Softbank’s just stumped-up with this interesting mobile TV add-on for Japanese iPhone users: it’s a separate unit with tuner and aerial that retransmits the signal over Wi-fi to the phone. The rechargeable device will give about three hours of TV oggling, and connects to a special iPhone app that’ll be distributed free when the device…

Tech News Kit Eaton Oct 30

Rain Wipe is Slick Solution For Wet Umbrellas

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with an environmentally friendly solution to drying wet umbrellas. The new “Rain Wipe” from Annon removes rainwater using a squeegee-like device to pull water from the umbrella into a collecting tray. The tray would only need replacement after about 3000 umbrellas have been squeezed through. It generates…

Tech News Elaine Chow Oct 28

Why Zen Software Design Does Not Come From Japan

Japan is the epicenter of Zen, a concept with deep religious roots and a mandate for simplicity of appearance and lifestyle. But when it comes to native gadgetry, Zen is only skin-deep. Japanese cell phones are sleek on the outside, but once you open the clamshell, the interface is a complete mess. While American-made phones…

Tech News LISA KATAYAMA Oct 28

Japan’s Finest: KDDI Fall Winter Cellphone Line

Proving again that Japan has the prettiest phones in the world, au by KDDI has released its Fall and Winter lines, showing off eight new models with emphases on super bright and big Organic EL screens, multimedia “au BOX” connectivity, and a funky mobile personal trainer and calorie counter called “Karada Manager.” While we will…

Tech News Elaine Chow Oct 28

Uniqlo to Set Up Human Vending Machines, Ruin Shopping Forever

Are you looking to buy clothes in the most awkward way possible? Well, Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo is bringing that opportunity to holiday shoppers in New York’s Times Square by setting up human vending machines. Yes, they’re vending machines with mimes inside, with human assistants in metallic bodysuits there to help you. Yikes. The whole…

Gadgets Adam Frucci Oct 27

Robot Does Chores, Learns Not to Put Socks in Refrigerator

The new “Home Assistant Robot” is the product of joint research between Toyota and the University of Tokyo. And while it’s not as fancy as Asimo, the 5-foot, 286lb home robot is probably a whole lot more practical—it cleans instead of dancing and packs two wheels instead of tricky legs.The HAR uses five cameras and…

Tech News Mark Wilson Oct 27

ALCNON Humanoid Bot Wails on a Tiny, Helpless Robot

Japan’s Downsy Medical Bot Teaches Doctors How to Treat Special Patients

This Robot Wants Your Money, Jerks

Japanese School Girl Wristcutters: So Wrong It Really, Really Hurts

Japanese Apple Stores to Sell Optoma Picoprojector in December For $500

Deconstructed DSi Reveals Beefier Processor Might Be Draining Battery Life

Japan Makes First Brain Tissues From Stem Cells

Before Neon Lights: What Tokyo’s Akihabara Geek District Looked Like 50 Years Ago

Eco-Friendly BamGoo Car Is Meal on Wheels For Pandas

Isola S Turns Your Closet Into a Cocktail Lounge-Themed Kitchen

Panasonic Buys Up Sanyo, Makes Japan’s Biggest Electronics Co

Japan Prepares for a Rhino Attack with Two Dudes in a Rhino Suit

Aquos Fulltouch: The Highest Resolution Cellphone of All Time

Square Enix Making Final Fantasy Based iPhone Game

Japanese iPhones Getting TV

Rain Wipe is Slick Solution For Wet Umbrellas

Why Zen Software Design Does Not Come From Japan

Japan’s Finest: KDDI Fall Winter Cellphone Line

Uniqlo to Set Up Human Vending Machines, Ruin Shopping Forever

Robot Does Chores, Learns Not to Put Socks in Refrigerator

Amazon Is Sticking With ‘Rings of Power’ to the End

Trump Is Reportedly Going Full Steam Ahead with the Golden Dome

‘Kamen Rider’ Is Ready to Take on the World

Twitter Just Can’t Stop Leaking Movies

The ‘Mass Effect’ Show is Getting Rewritten to Get Greenlit

See the Early Stages of How ‘Project Hail Mary’ Brought Rocky to Life

‘Cognitive Surrender’ Is a New and Useful Term for How AI Melts Brains

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

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AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

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Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

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