Three Newspapers’ App: Highly Ranked But Not Highly Rated

Regarding the three newspaper companies’ iPhone/iPod app “Allatanys” that was covered in my previous post, it is at the top of the free app section in the Japanese App Store.    But it has attained only two stars in the five-star-rating system.    Why is this? The App Store’s ranking list is based on the number… Continue reading Three Newspapers’ App: Highly Ranked But Not Highly Rated

Katana Japanese Sword vs. KATANA: Which iPhone App Remains Standing?

Currently number 4 on the (Japanese) App Store’s list of Top Free apps is Katana Japanese Sword by Hanatsuki Inc.[J]. A bit further down on the Top Paid list at number 28 is KATANA by Appliya Inc. Katana Japanese Sword is currently free (although the company’s website states that this could change at any time),… Continue reading Katana Japanese Sword vs. KATANA: Which iPhone App Remains Standing?

Three Major Japanese Newspapers Collectively Introduce iPhone/iPod App

The three major Japanese newspaper companies in the Nikkei–Asahi–Yomiuri Internet Business Partnership introduced their free iPhone/iPod app on Wednesday, enabling news stories from these papers to be read side by side.   The partnership was formed almost a year ago to launch a website bringing news stories from the three different papers together in one place.… Continue reading Three Major Japanese Newspapers Collectively Introduce iPhone/iPod App

ISP Platform Provider Releases iPhone App To “Server-ize” Your iPhone

FreeBit Co., Ltd[J], a Tokyo-based venture company famous for providing its network platform to many VNO/ISPs (virtual network operator/Internet service providers), presented its business plans to investors Wednesday. On the same day, company CEO Atsuki Ishida[J] unveiled the company’s brand new iPhone app in the AppStore (clicking on the link will launch iTunes). The app… Continue reading ISP Platform Provider Releases iPhone App To “Server-ize” Your iPhone

Akiba mobile app biz plan competition held by Mitsui VC

Mitsui Ventures, the investment arm of Mitsui & Co., Ltd., organized a business plan competition called “i*deal competition“, and the award presentation ceremony was held today in Akihabara, where new Internet subcultures and innovative services are born. The event started with a keynote speech by famous IT journalist Nobuyuki Hayashi, who is well-known as the… Continue reading Akiba mobile app biz plan competition held by Mitsui VC

iPhone TV (finally) comes to Japan

As we reported on October, Softbank, No.3 cellphone carrier sells iPhone in Japan, start selling a specially designed iPhone peripheral for Japanese customers who think cellphone must have TV tuner. This tuner and external battery combo is sold at 7 Softbank shops since the end of 2008. It will be officially available nationwide on January… Continue reading iPhone TV (finally) comes to Japan

iPhone Apps Developers in Japan will visit San Francisco during MacWorld for promoting

On Decemeber 24, at Chirstmas eve night, Japanese iPhone developers gathered at an old Japanese-style hotel “Houmeikan” near Tokyo universtiy. Houmeikan The purpose is ” to plan an event in SanFrancsico during MacWorld to promote iphone apps by Japanese developers in a group”. Japanese iphone app market is not big as U.S. market and there’s… Continue reading iPhone Apps Developers in Japan will visit San Francisco during MacWorld for promoting

Coming soon: Sushi encyclopedia for the iPhone and iPod Touch

This news should be especially interesting for anyone who loves sushi and happens to be an iPhone owner: Major Japanese publishing company Shogakukan is planning to release a virtual sushi guide for the iPhone (J). The sushi encyclopedia will be available for download on both the iPod Touch and the iPhone by the end of… Continue reading Coming soon: Sushi encyclopedia for the iPhone and iPod Touch

Softbank Mobile to Release 1-seg TV tuner for iPhone

Softbank Mobile announced today to release 1-seg digital TV tuner device for iPhone in the middle of December.   The 80-gram device provides the feature of TV over WiFi (converting TV signal received to IP-based data for iPhone) and doubles as a battery extender.   Three hours continuous TV viewing is available.   Price is not announced so… Continue reading Softbank Mobile to Release 1-seg TV tuner for iPhone

paiTouch – Virtual Boob Simulator comes to iPhone

Blogger technohippy has released paiTouch, the third generation of his series of Oppai (Boob) Simulators, now for the iPhone. Using the app, you can freely touch a virtual boob on the iPhone’s Safari browser. For the software to be used on the iPhone, technohippy’s application was ported from Flash technology to JavaScript. The application also… Continue reading paiTouch – Virtual Boob Simulator comes to iPhone