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Rick Martin
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jan 11, 2012
Cyborg teddy bears, telephonic androids, USB missiles set to stun
Assuming you haven't had your fill of toys already this past holiday season, we have a lineup of three gadgets that look particularly fun.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Dec 28, 2011
Looking forward to the next year in tech
If you can manage to look past the bummer of Mayan doomsday prophecies, 2012 looks pretty promising from a tech geek's point of view.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Dec 14, 2011
Perfect toys for retro gamers and karaoke fans
People who were kids during the early days of console gaming often look for ways to recapture the the excitement of that time. Those who spent hours playing the Famicom here in Japan, for example, still have a weakness for retro gaming. And while there are many ways to relive gaming glorydays (Famicom...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 23, 2011
Ultrabook goes Zen; camera sees double
It will be interesting to see how far the 3-D bandwagon can chug along before it runs out of gas. Consumers don't seem too excited about 3-D TVs or 3-D personal computers anymore, but nevertheless, Panasonic hopes that its new Lumix DMC-3D1 camera will inject some enthusiasm back into the market.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 9, 2011
Project from an iPhone and tell the time at the speed of light
Japanese company Thanko, the creator of an assortment of crazy — if not always practical — gadgets, has recently released an intriguing device targeting iPhone users. The iPhone Mini Projector is tiny, at 48 × 58 × 16 mm, and weighs only 32 grams. But once connected to an iPhone it projects the...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 26, 2011
A camera worth saving for, and the first Android 4.0 smartphone
Last week, Canon announced its new EOS-1D X DSLR camera, the latest addition to its 1D series, replacing both the EOS-1Ds Mark III and Mark IV models. The 1D X is Canon's top-of-the-line offering, targeting professionals and high-end photographers. With a hefty price tag of ¥650,000 (for the body only),...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 12, 2011
New toys for retro gamers and wannabe rockers
Nostalgic gaming fans old enough to remember "Space Invaders" no doubt look back on it as one of the most memorable video games of years gone by. Japan's Taito Corporation created the arcade game back in 1978, and it has been a classic ever since.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 28, 2011
A brand new touchscreen device for every pocket
It has been a rough year for Sony after its PlayStation Network security breach this past spring. But it has enjoyed a bit of a respite after rolling out its new pair of tablets this past month, as well as showing off its forthcoming handheld game device, Vita, at Tokyo Game Show.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 14, 2011
Smartphones replacing cameras? Not so fast!
For many consumers, compact cameras have gone the way of the dinosaur thanks to the growing popularity of smartphones. Why take a camera around in your right pocket, when you already have a camera phone in your left? Indeed, the term "camera phone" is itself somewhat outdated since nearly every mobile...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 24, 2011
Panasonic and Sharp betting that, in Japan, 7 inches is enough
It's obvious that tablet computers are making their mark on the electronics world, with Hewlett Packard this past week citing "the tablet effect" as a reason to consider a spinoff of its PC business. That's big. Especially as the company also said that it will cease production of its own tablet, the...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 10, 2011
Keep cool with a cold beverage and a strategically placed fan
Now that we're into August, many of us here in Japan are looking for new ways to beat the summer heat. Some people have purchased "green curtain" kits, growing walls of goya vines to cool their homes or offices. Others are opting for "Super Cool Biz" attire in an effort to stay comfortable in the office....
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 27, 2011
Compact new interchangable-lens camera plus a solar-powered lamp/charger
Japanese camera maker Pentax made the news earlier this month, having been acquired by Ricoh for ¥10 billion. But just prior to that, Pentax rolled out what it hailed as the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable-lens digital camera: the Pentax Q.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 13, 2011
Toys for all ages at Tokyo show
The 2011 International Tokyo Toy Show was held last month at Tokyo Big Sight, and Japanese toy-makers were in attendance to show their wondrous wares to potential buyers, not to mention a veritable army of kids. This year saw everything from figures to remote-control vehicles, robots to iPhone games....
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jun 22, 2011
Sony's surprising speakers; Minebea's keyless keyboard
While all eyes have been on Sony because of the security breaches on its PlayStation Network recently, the company also quietly rolled out a device for all you audiophiles out there when it announced two new speaker-dock systems made for Apple's iPhone and iPods.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jun 8, 2011
Express yourself with a wiggle of Necomimi or make music with the Ningen Gakki
One of the fun things about writing about Japanese technology is that every once in a while you come across a device that elicits both genuine admiration and a jaw-dropping reaction. And I'm delighted to report on two such gadgets today, both of which have generated some pretty significant Internet buzz....
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 25, 2011
Walkman's latest version and a new camera from Panasonic
It was not without a little sadness that we witnessed the end of Sony's Walkman cassette model last year. Sure it was a long time coming, but the Walkman brand is only rivaled by the iPod in the history of portable music. Thankfully, the brand still lives on in more modern Sony products. The latest of...
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 11, 2011
This summer, cute animal gizmos will make 'cool biz' even cooler
Summer is just around the corner, and office workers are starting to don their lighter "cool biz" clothing in order to beat the heat. Japanese gadget-maker Cube Works (you may know them from the infamous humping dog USB stick) has rolled out a series of cute little fans to help you stay chilled.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 27, 2011
Acer and Toshiba serve up Windows 7 to go
The tablet market continues to be increasingly crowded as the recently launched iPad 2 fends off a veritable Android army. And Taiwanese hardware-maker Acer made the fight even more interesting when it threw its hat into the ring this month, with the announcement that is will soon launch its brand new...
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 13, 2011
A cat-shaped mini-camera and stick-on controller-style gaming pads for iPhone
You could be fooled into believing that necono, from superheadz, is simply a decorative cat figurine to dangle from your key chain. It is, however, a quirky digital camera. and may just be the thing to coax a few smiles out of any camera-shy people you know.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 30, 2011
New TVs get socially networked while a solar-powered lamp saves energy.
At the Consumer Electronics Show 2011 in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony previewed its new line of BRAVIA LCD televisions, and the company has now announced that they will be released at the end of April.
Ishiba delays meeting with Trump, citing legal restrictions
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba waves upon arrival for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, in Callao, Peru, on Friday.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Rising sex tourism exposes loopholes in Japan's anti-prostitution law
While financial misfortunes during the COVID-19 pandemic may have driven some women to work the streets, others simply want more money to spend — or want to pay off their debts — at host clubs.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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