Google took multiple beatings from various Japanese sides (press, politics, activists etc.) ever since deciding to launch Street View in this country. Google Japan countered concerns if their service is consistent with existing Japanese law by taking some Japan-specific actions, such as using special cameras. So far the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the… Continue reading Japanese government: Google Street View isn’t soo bad
Author: Serkan Toto
Mobile social network GREE adds 2 million members in 3 months, makes lots of money
GREE, a mobile social network only operating in Japan, is adding members at an incredible speed. In April 2008, the number of registered users hit 10 million members already, but GREE expects a whopping 2 million more as early as the end of this month. GREE offers dozens of (essentially) free games to play on… Continue reading Mobile social network GREE adds 2 million members in 3 months, makes lots of money
Manga Mode: DoCoMo brings e-manga to European cell phones
Japan’s biggest cell phone carrier NTT DoCoMo and major publisher Shueisha have teamed up and plan to launch an e-manga delivery service for cell phones in Europe. Dubbed Manga Mode and launched yesterday, the service already lets manga enthusiasts in France choose between about ten different titles. Certainly the manga with the biggest potential is… Continue reading Manga Mode: DoCoMo brings e-manga to European cell phones
GeeksOnaAPlane: Silicon Valley meets the Tokyo tech scene
While it’s not unheard of that entrepreneurs and VCs from Japan go to California for information exchange, fund-raising (sometimes), networking and other purposes, Americans taking the trip to Tokyo are still the exception. This is the main idea of an initiative called GeeksOnAPlane, initiated by Silicon Valley icon Dave McClure (his San Francisco-based venture capital… Continue reading GeeksOnaAPlane: Silicon Valley meets the Tokyo tech scene
NTT pumps $470 million into cloud computing by 2012
It seems Japan is getting more serious as far as cloud computing adoption is concerned. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, better known as NTT, is planning to invest about $470 million into cloud computing system-related R&D over the next three years. This decision may just right come right in time (or possible half a year too… Continue reading NTT pumps $470 million into cloud computing by 2012
Japan’s No.1 TV web portal acTVila tops 1 million subscribers
It took 28 months, but now it has happened. Japan’s answer of sorts to American video platform Hulu, a content-on-demand service called acTVila, has racked up one million subscribers [JP, PDF]. acTVila is surely benefiting from the sharp rise in popularity of Internet-enabled TV sets, which are required to used the video-on-demand service. Users can… Continue reading Japan’s No.1 TV web portal acTVila tops 1 million subscribers
We waited so long: Hot-girl-gadget Bijin Dokei gets an iPhone app
My personal favorite web concept of 2009, the Bijin Dokei (Hot Girl Clock) gadget, which I was happy to introduce in March, gets an iPhone app (App store link). Finally. The clever people from PHIRIA Design offer the gadget worldwide for $2.99/2.39 Euros (they even provide a German description in the German App Store). Similar… Continue reading We waited so long: Hot-girl-gadget Bijin Dokei gets an iPhone app
NEC Biglobe + Nifty + IIJ = A single huge ISP (by 2011)
Japan’s biggest business publication, The Nikkei, is reporting a major shake-up in Japan’s ISP industry. According to the paper, a total of three ISPs in the country, namely NEC Biglobe [JP], Nifty and Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) are in talks to join forces by 2011. Supposedly, a basic agreement is expected to be reached within… Continue reading NEC Biglobe + Nifty + IIJ = A single huge ISP (by 2011)
Virtual consolation service confirms you’re cool, a real man and loved
I have never heard of a site like this before and have massive doubts about every single aspect of it. But Japanese media claim that Homerare Salon, launched in December last year, is a huge success. So what does it do? Homerare Salon, which roughly translates to “salon in which you will be praised”, basically… Continue reading Virtual consolation service confirms you’re cool, a real man and loved
Bijin Tokei: Japanese company offers Hot-girl-clock gadget
Finally a Google and Windows Vista gadget that makes sense. Tokyo-based PHIRIA DESIGN has developed the Bijin Tokei (hot girl clock) gadget, which shows random Japanese girls holding up a sign that displays the current time (see the pictures below for examples). So every time you look at the gadget, you will know what time… Continue reading Bijin Tokei: Japanese company offers Hot-girl-clock gadget