Asiajin

Tokyo-based system integrator developing LBS (location-based service) and GIS (geographic information system) applications Wave On[J] just introduced a convenient iPhone/iPod touch app for golf lovers.

This is called Question Yards[E/J] and allows you to measure the approximate distance to the pin on a green that marks the hole by taking a picture having the pin and your golf ball with the iPhone-embedded camera.   The app will calculate the distance based on the ratio of the pin’s length on-screen to its real height.   The golf pin is usually seven feet high as every golfer knows, and you need not to enter the number of the height on the app.  It does work on the same principle as the golf scope monocular.

The company expects that the population of amateur golfers will be rapidly growing because golf is intend to be introduced as an official summer Olympic sport in 2016, and it also expects the app to be purchased by beginner golfers who have suffered from reading the distance when making an approach.

All the processes are completed within the app and require no Internet connectivity, which allows you to use it on a green sometimes located out of the cellphone service coverage.

Tags: Cellular Phone, Japan, Software by Masaru IKEDA
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Tokyo-, Osaka- and Shanghai-based business consultancy providing support for start-up companies, Akinai Research Institute[J] just introduced a new program encouraging entrepreneurs in terms of financial, personnel and material resources in association with nine program supporting partners. Entrepreneurs joining the program can get benefits by receiving complimentary services and packages as follows.

1. Microsoft BizSpark: offering free license of Microsoft BI applications.
2. Yayoi[J]: offering discount rates for the company’s Intuit Quickbooks-like accounting software designed for SMEs. (requiring to subscribe to a two-year onerous customer support)
3. Cybozu: offering the company’s flagship groupware license for free for the first year.
4. NetOn (web-marketing business): offering 10% discount for the company’s presenting template sets for Flash-based website designs.
5. C-Rep[J] (sales promotion): offering the template sets of business proposal presentations for free.
6. Sakura Internet[J] (server hosting): offering shared-server hosting service for free.
7. Find Star[J] (e-marketing news): offering an opportunity to place an ad on the company’s e-mail newsletter subscribed by 21,000 readers.
8. Office Busters[J] (second-hand office fixtures): offering second-hand desks and chairs for free for the first year. S&H charges are requested to be paid.
9. Akinai Research Instiute: offering a free consultation about launching and managing a company for the first interview. Providing a free office rent for the first three months.

The new service is named Katana, standing for a sword in Japanese, after a weapon that used to be held by the Samurai warriors, since the consultancy portrays potential entrepreneurs as the warriors.

Younger-than-three-year-old start-up companies and self-employed businesses are allowed to join the program after completing the sign-up process to be a member of it.  The consultancy expects to engage 50 supporting partners and 100,000 members by the end of 2012.

The consultancy’s head Mr. Masanori Yoshida[J] is known for having launched several entrepreneurship encouragement programs, and has organized new business contests in Yokohama, Shanghai (Mainland China) and HCMC (HoChiMinh City, Vietnam).

Katana: The Program’s Promotion Video[J] on YouTube.

See Also:

• Akinai’s Press Release: “Katana” Service launched [J, PDF]

Tags: Company, Japan, News, Trend by Masaru IKEDA
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