Tokyo-based animation studio FanWorks[J], which is well known for a famous title “Yawaraka Sensha ” or “Soft Wartank”, tied up with animators and TV broadcasters in Toyama (a Honshu island’s prefecture facing the Sea of Japan), and launched a project to promote the prefecture’s sightseeing business by creating original animation titles[J/E/F/C/K] which are intended for… Continue reading Do Animated Tourist Guides Boost Local Economy?
Month: June 2009
Monetize Hacks #3 Report (part 2)
(Following to the part 1) 5. Livedoor (Asiajin articles) Tomo Tsubota, Livedoor Blog [J] Business Department, opened and shared their user demographics and billing method. Livedoor Blog started in 2003 and became black ink in Sep. 2007. 30% of sales come from premium service, which is used by 17% of active users. (60% revenue is… Continue reading Monetize Hacks #3 Report (part 2)
Brain Controlled Wheelchair Demo-ed by Toyota and Riken
The BSI-TOYOTA Collaboration Center (BTCC), which was established in 2007 by RIKEN as a collaborative project with Toyota Motor Corporation , Toyota Central R&D Labs, Inc., and Genesis Research Institute, Inc. made a demonstration of their developing wheelchair which you can manoeuvre just by brain wave, i.e. thinking. The demonstrator showed when he imaged a… Continue reading Brain Controlled Wheelchair Demo-ed by Toyota and Riken
“Social illustration” network Pixiv now has 1 million members
Pixiv [JP], a Japanese-only “social illustration” network (Asiajin articles), today welcomed its one millionth member. The site boasts a healthy growth rate, as the user base stood at 100,000 in March 2008. Pixiv claims the site sees 720 million page views monthly and that users submit 15,000 illustrations daily. It’s not hard to believe. Look… Continue reading “Social illustration” network Pixiv now has 1 million members
Twitter Events Maelstorm Hitting Tokyo
Although the growth is not high as in English, twitter has been beloved by Japanese users even before its localization, and probably approaching to the critical mas. Many twitter related events (some are with Tumblr) have been and will be held recently in Tokyo. Even though Tokyo is the one of the most dense and… Continue reading Twitter Events Maelstorm Hitting Tokyo
Masayoshi Son Retrospects A Meeting With Steve Jobs About Cellphone iPod Idea
At the iPhone 3GS launch event in Omotesando, Tokyo, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son told a story about when he talked an idea of combining iPod and cellphone to Steve Jobs. According to Son, he had a meeting with jobs in 4,5 years ago, which is before he bought the Japan’s third biggest cellphone company from… Continue reading Masayoshi Son Retrospects A Meeting With Steve Jobs About Cellphone iPod Idea
Monetize Hacks #3 Report (part 1)
24th night at Roppongi Hills, the third Monetize Hacks meeting was held by some web directors from Livedoor and Hatena by welcoming 120 web directors and entrepreneurs in and around Tokyo. The first monetize Hacks [J] was called for web directors greeting and exchanging ideas around 15 people, the second one [J] was a group… Continue reading Monetize Hacks #3 Report (part 1)
Twitter Heartbeat Posting Device Akiduki-Pulse
Koress Project [J] released an opensource hardware “Akiduki Pulse” [J], which links your pulsebeat and twitter to let your friends and the world know your heartbeat status. By 3 levels of your heartbeat, three different messages will be post on your twitter account. 30-60: bradycardia now 60-90: alive now 90-140: tachycardia now There is, eventually,… Continue reading Twitter Heartbeat Posting Device Akiduki-Pulse
Total Solar Eclipse Of July 22nd: Where Are You Tracking It?
In the morning of July 22nd (Wed), 2009, we witness this century’s most perfect solar eclipse in the regions of Central Asia, South East Asia, Japan and Micronesia. The eclipse can be observed from 9:30am to 0:30pm. J.S.T.(Japan Standard Time), which is 0:30am to 3:30am U.T.C.(Universal Time Coordinated) on the same day. Several companies and… Continue reading Total Solar Eclipse Of July 22nd: Where Are You Tracking It?
Ezo Red Fox May Also Celebrate Firefox’s Upcoming Release
Mozilla Foundation is now working on the final phase for FireFox 3.5 official release which has a development codename of Shiretoko. The codename was named after a popular forest area and a national park located in the north-eastern end of Hokkaido island, also registered as a World Heritage. In connection with the meet of the… Continue reading Ezo Red Fox May Also Celebrate Firefox’s Upcoming Release