Year: 2010

Mixi Goes Facebook (I): “Mixi Check” Is Facebook’s “Like”

Facebook announced (and rolled it out) earlier this year, and now Japan’s biggest social network, Mixi, announced it, too: A function to share what you “like” on external sites with your friends. On Mixi, that function is called “Check”. As you can see on the screenshot of my Mixi profile below, Mixi Check is now… Continue reading Mixi Goes Facebook (I): “Mixi Check” Is Facebook’s “Like”

Tokyo’s Social App Provider Pokelabo Fundraises USD12M From DCM And Mobage-Town

On Wednesday, Tokyo-based social app provider Pokelabo[J] announced that they had fundraised USD12M from Silicon Valley-headquartered VC firm DCM and IncubateFund[J], an investment fund by DeNA owning social app and mobile game platform Mobage-Town. Pokelabo was founded three years ago by the company’s CEO and his “Mixi[J]-mates”.  It has developed flash games for feature phones,… Continue reading Tokyo’s Social App Provider Pokelabo Fundraises USD12M From DCM And Mobage-Town

Gachapin Now Has His Voice Vocaloid And iPhone Twitter Client

A Japan’s most popular Twitter user Gachapin, who took the most followed user title recently back from ex-prime minister Yukio Hatoyama who once passed him, is expanding his brand on two different geeks-loving products, Vocaloid and iPhone. Gachapin is a 5-year-old dinosaur kid from a popular children TV program Hirake Ponkikki, who is also known… Continue reading Gachapin Now Has His Voice Vocaloid And iPhone Twitter Client

Asiajin Android Reader App Debuts

Tokyo-based Android app developer ACL Inc.[J] has kindly developed the Android Reader App for us, it has been just released today on the Android Market.   Following MotherApp’s iPhone Reader App which was introduced at the beginning of this year, now we have our exclusive apps for both of the two major smartphone platforms. We wish… Continue reading Asiajin Android Reader App Debuts

Ngi Group Unveils API That Integrates Your App With Multiple Social Networks

Ngi Group, which has spawned a number of new Internet businesses in Tokyo and is known for having invested in Japan’s top social network Mixi[J], unveiled a new API called “ngi social connect[J]”  at a serial meet-up by and for Japanese social app providers and developers[J] “Social App Night” today. The API allows app developers… Continue reading Ngi Group Unveils API That Integrates Your App With Multiple Social Networks

WISH2010 Event Report – Panel Discussion by Heads Of Gree, Mixi And Twitter’s Japan Operation

Agile Media Network, a Tokyo-based marketing company using blog and word-of-mouth media and led by A-list blogger Motohiko Tokuriki who also serves an adviser for Asiajin, held the second edition of annual tech and social media conference WISH in Roppongi this weekend.  550 attendees joined. The event started with a panel discussion titled “How Japanese… Continue reading WISH2010 Event Report – Panel Discussion by Heads Of Gree, Mixi And Twitter’s Japan Operation

WISH2010 Event Report – 15 Presenters And The Winner

After the panel of three key persons in Japanese social networks, there were 15 presenters demo, 10 from organizers’ choice and 5 fans’ vote out of 32 nominees. TwiTraq A Twitter analysis tool by UserLocal, who provides web traffic analysis services (Nakanohito for PC, Ugokuhito for Japanese feature phone and UserInsight for enterprise). (from fan’s… Continue reading WISH2010 Event Report – 15 Presenters And The Winner

Japanese Social Marketplace Flutterscape Gets $300,000 Seed Money

A Japanese Internet startup that not only has international ambitions but that’s also able to receive a substantial amount of seed money is a very, very rare beast. But today, we can report that such a beast has been sighted. Singaporean tech blog e27 just broke the news that Tokyo-based Flutterscape, a cross-border social marketplace… Continue reading Japanese Social Marketplace Flutterscape Gets $300,000 Seed Money