mixi, Inc. [J] has announced the termination of service for “mixi coworker’s network” and mixi video [J] on the SNS “mixi.”

Service for “Mixi coworker’s network” began in June of 2010, and it allows you to find coworkers who register their place of work at the same company as yourself.  Also, “Mixi video” is Mixi’s own video sharing function which opened in February of 2007, and it allowed users to upload videos and paste them onto their profile or diary entries.  However according to the company, because both services are falling short of their expectations for user numbers, they came to the conclusion that they should focus their attentions on other communication services and bring these to a close.  “Mixi coworker’s network” will close service on May 23rd (Thurs.), and “Mixi video” will halt new video posts from May 23rd and terminate service at the end of July.  Also, from June (planned), they will offer a service that allows download of posted video data.

Translation authorized by VSMedia

Tags: Japan, VSMedia by samueljlilly
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Mixi, a Japanese local social networking service competing against Facebook, announced today [J] that the founder, president and the largest stockholder Kenji Kasahara is to hand over the presidency to Yusuke Asakura.

Asakura, born in 1982, 30 years old, who joined Mixi in October 2011 when Mixi purchased his founding company Naked Technology.

According to Nikkei BP interview in 2010, he entered an Australian jocky school when he was 15, dropped out because of growing too tall, came back to Japan and went to The University of Tokyo with 2-years delay. While still studying, he established Naked Technology with other students. He once left the company at graduation and worked for McKinsey & Company for a few years, then back to Naked Technology in August 2010, became a president 2 months later.

The changes will officially happen at the shareholder meeting on June 25.

Tags: Japan by Akky Akimoto
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Mixi added a new feature “Mixi Hello!” on March 25. With it, users can send pre-set messages in comic style to your friends, by 1-click without writing any letter.

The pre-set messages are, “Oh Yeah!”, “Hello!”, “Long time no see”, “Hi”, “How are you?” and “Take care”.

Mixi said [J] that the function was introduced by users’ request, which asked to have more communications casually.

Tags: Japan by Akky Akimoto
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Mixi released iPhone/Android free app Nohana [J] today.

The app is a camera application with backend photo storage web service. Every month, you get one free photobook (stamp fee 90-yen = $1 required though) made from your taking photos. The book will have 28 pages with 20 photos.

They said that their business model is to sell the second or more photobooks, such like a gift to grand-parents living remotely.

The app is seen on US iTunes Store, but the texts are all in Japanese. And the truth that the site says 90-yen mail fee only, it sounds like the free book is only available domestically.

ノハナ

Genre: Photo & Video, Lifestyle

Language:

Devices: iPodTouchThirdGen, iPodTouchourthGen, iPodTouchFifthGen, iPad2Wifi, iPhone4S, iPadThirdGen4G, iPad23G, iPadMini4G, iPadMini, iPadThirdGen, iPhone-3GS, iPhone4, iPadFourthGen, iPad3G, iPadFourthGen4G, iPadWifi, iPhone5

Price: free

Version: 1.1.1

Artist: mixi, Inc

Released at: February 15, 2013

User Rating (all version): no rating yet

User Rating (current version): no rating yet

Screenshots

Tags: Android, iOS, Japan by Akky Akimoto
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Cybridge, Inc. [J] has announced that they have acquired all stocks of Conit, Inc. [J] from mixi, Inc. [J].

Conit is a company the entered into the mixi umbrella in November 2011, their business centers around smartphone application planning and development.  They manage the ASP “Samurai Smartphone Services” such as the iPhone/iPad/Android application contents billing solution “Samurai Purchase,” as well as the smartphone push notification solution app “Samurai Notification.”  From now Cybridge plans to strengthen their business transactions, smartphone related app development and solutions, through Conit.

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Tags: VSMedia by Chiho Komoriya
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