Category: Trend

On-demand Free Paper Using Convenience Store Web-Print Service

A Japanese blogger @error403 ran an interesting experiment on digital but still paper publishing over NetPrint. NetPrint is a service by which you can print out your computer documents at your nearest Seven-Eleven store in Japan. We covered the service in 2008. You may upload your documents/images to the service, then receive the printed copy… Continue reading On-demand Free Paper Using Convenience Store Web-Print Service

Spain Joins Vocaloid Fever

Probably you know about Vocaloid, one of the most advanced voice synthesizers apps. Hatsune Miku, a huge successful Japanese virtual idol, was created using this software. What you may not know is the Vocaloid software itself, which is a Yamaha Corporation trademark, was developed in a joint research with the Pompeu Fabra University of Spain. Maybe… Continue reading Spain Joins Vocaloid Fever

Trend Micro’s Charisma “Cloud Girl” Security Promotion

It is one of the weirdest promotions on security solution I have ever seen. Trend Micro Japan, who sells Virus Buster anti-virus software, started a dedicated site Cloud Girl, where “charisma” cloud girls talk how they are utilizing cloud services with PC and smartphone. The word “cloud girl” may come from recently-coined Japanese word “mori… Continue reading Trend Micro’s Charisma “Cloud Girl” Security Promotion

Konami Links Social Game And Arcade Machine

This is something I was expecting to read. Konami has launched an arcade machine linked with one of its social games [JP]. The arcade game it’s called Baseball Heroes 2011 Shine Star [JP], and it’s complemented with the social game Professional Baseball Dream Nine (which have about 1 million users at GREE). There is no so much details about… Continue reading Konami Links Social Game And Arcade Machine

Moymoypalaboy Everybody Copied By MMD. So WTF Is MMD?

Moymoypalaboy’s Everybody (Backstreet Boys) is a popular user generated movie played about 3 million times on YouTube. Then what is this movie rapidly adding its played count? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-287ehU1U4 From the Japanese title “【MMD】 「顔芸担当」 × 「エアボ兄弟」 でEVERYBODY 【オリジナル】” “[MMD][Kaogei Tantou]x[Eabo Kyodai] de EVERYBODY [Original]”, which shows the left side movie is made by MMD =… Continue reading Moymoypalaboy Everybody Copied By MMD. So WTF Is MMD?

Major Publishers, Novelists And Cartoonists Pressures Over 100 Book-Scan Agents

According to ITMedia [J], Internet Watch [J] and others, 7 major Japanese publishers (Kadokawa Shoten, Kodansha, Kobunsha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, Shinchosha and Bungei Syunjyu) and 122 known authors of novels and manga reportedly sent a question letter to over 100 companies who are selling so-called “Jisui”(自炊) service. “Jisui” originally means “self cooking” in Japanese, but in… Continue reading Major Publishers, Novelists And Cartoonists Pressures Over 100 Book-Scan Agents

Amazon Japan And Yodobashi Camera Heat Up On The Release Day Delivery

We just reported that electronic chain-store Yodobashi Camera began the same day delivery around Tokyo on weekend. I saw it as the race for better service level against its competitors, including Amazon Japan. On September 5, Amazon Japan started a new delivery option “Hatsubaibi Todoke”(= deliver on the release day) initially with selected games, Gamespot… Continue reading Amazon Japan And Yodobashi Camera Heat Up On The Release Day Delivery

WordPress Japanese Official Character Gets A Name

WordPress set [J] its Japanese official character in February 2011, and held a naming contest [J] recently. So its name is Wapuu. Wapuu’s character is copyrighted by the creator Kazuko Kaneuchi [J], but the license is the same as WordPress, GPL version 2 or any later version. Six Apart, a blog application rival who led… Continue reading WordPress Japanese Official Character Gets A Name

Crazy Japanese Commercials For The World First Windows Phone 7.5

KDDI au, who shipped Fujitsu-Toshiba-made IS12T, the earliest shipped Windows Phone 7.5(Mango) around the world last month, made some strange commercial films. parody of TV shopping program Even if it is all in Japanese, I think you will get the point as the high-tension on the TV shopping should be universal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIz4C93i-U8 I liked the… Continue reading Crazy Japanese Commercials For The World First Windows Phone 7.5