Movatwitter Has A New Owner: jig.jp Buys Twitter Client Operator Mindscope

Tokyo-based mobile tech company jig.jp today announced it acquired Mindscope, the startup behind popular Twitter client movatwitter. movatwitter is Japanese-only, web-based and as such usable across various platforms, including smartphones, feature phones, the PC or handheld consoles like the Sony Vita or the Nintendo 3DS. Around 2009, Twitter’s official Japanese top page featured the app… Continue reading Movatwitter Has A New Owner: jig.jp Buys Twitter Client Operator Mindscope

Japan’s Web News Week 18

This week’s Japanese Web/IT related news which we did not write as a dedicated article. The week 18 was a “Golden Week”, and this year, taking 2 days off (on May 1 and 2) makes 9 consecutive holiday so there were almost no activities from enterprises, except the big news around social game on Saturday… Continue reading Japan’s Web News Week 18

Yahoo! Japan Releases Yahoo! Browser for Android

Yahoo! Japan, the largest and the most popular website in Japan, offers a new web browser for Android for free. The name is Yahoo! Browser. It starts from a speed dial page like Opera, Do Yahoo! Search on Yahoo! Browser, The browser offers semicircular menu, which shows up when you touch the either side edge… Continue reading Yahoo! Japan Releases Yahoo! Browser for Android

Yahoo! Japan Invests And Allies Office Items Supplier Askul

Askul is a Japanese mail-order/online-commerce company offers office supplies. As the company name has the same sounds with “Asukuru”, which means “(it) comes tomorrow” in Japanese, the company boasts fast shipment to offices around the nation. On April 27, Yahoo! Japan, the largest web company in Japan, announced that they had agreed with Askul for… Continue reading Yahoo! Japan Invests And Allies Office Items Supplier Askul

Japan’s Web News Week 17

This week’s Japanese Web/IT related news which we did not write as a dedicated article. Referred pages are all in Japanese, unless otherwise stated. A Japanese Twitter user made up a fake invoice from Twitter, buzzed as good number of people believed the story heavy tweets would be charged. Gree, DeNA and 4 Others Held… Continue reading Japan’s Web News Week 17

Human Form 3D Input Device QUMARION Ready For Pre-Users

Celsys [J] have begun to recruit the first pre-users of “QUMARION,” [J] a 3DCG data input device. “QUMARION” is a human shaped device with joints developed from 2009 by the teamwork of  Softether, Celsys, and Pipian, a venture business company launched by The University of Electro-Communications. It can capture the doll’s poses at specific moments… Continue reading Human Form 3D Input Device QUMARION Ready For Pre-Users

Classic “Pokeberu”(Pager) Game Now On iPhone

Omoshiro Houjin Kayac [J] has released the game app “Pokebell” for iOS.  Download is free. “Pokeberu” is a fast hitting game app based on the classic gadget, pager (or beeper) which was a big hit in the time when cell phones weren’t as commonplace.  You quickly push the buttons displayed on the screen and input… Continue reading Classic “Pokeberu”(Pager) Game Now On iPhone

Coverage of Mobage Open Platform Forum 2012

Last Wednesday 25th took place the annual Mobage Open Platform Forum. A huge event, with hundreds of attendees and lots of presentations. Still, the most interesting points were related with the need of making Japanese mobile social games global. The message from DeNA to the developers was crystal clear: go abroad and go ASAP. Localize… Continue reading Coverage of Mobage Open Platform Forum 2012

Sadako The Ring Memorial Pitch

Sadako, from the popular Japanese horror movie Ring, threw the opening pitch at Tokyo Dome on Hokkaido Nippon-ham Fighters vs Chiba Lotte Marines on April 25th. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOB9kZiOD50 A photo after the ceremony, https://twitter.com/#!/hochi_baseball/status/195085224986677248 More photos on Nikkan Sports [J], Sanspo [J]

Star Wars Social Card Game Cards Offered With Dominos Pizza

Dominos Pizza Japan [J] has begun sales of “Star Wars Special Set Volume 2” from April 23rd, and in conjunction with this they’ve announced that they will distribute real cards from KONAMI’s [J] social card game “Star Wars Collection.”  This marks the first collaboration between Dominos Pizza and KONAMI. “Star Wars Special Set” is a… Continue reading Star Wars Social Card Game Cards Offered With Dominos Pizza