Tokyo Times

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Technology Stuff

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Japanese mobile phone misery?

The failure of Apple’s iPhone to mesmerise the Japanese mobile phone market may, among other things, mean that many consumers don’t want easy-to-use and intuitive machines — instead preferring the clunky and cumbersome menus they have been managing with for many moons now.

But, whereas a dizzying selection of displays may be ok for those that have grown up with such gadgetry, for older folk less familiar with a formidable amount of functions, simply sending a text can be taxing,

Japanese mobile phone

as well as terribly time consuming.

Japanese mobile phone

(click images for full-sized phone flummox)

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Japanese golfing gadgetry

The vast majority of golfers would no doubt agree that Mark Twain’s famous suggestion that golf is a good walk spoiled is a little harsh to say the least, but rather strangely, the Showa-no-mori Golf Course in Akishima, western Tokyo, appears to have taken the denunciation to heart. As, while for obvious reasons the pummelling of the ball hasn’t been eradicated from proceedings, the hindrance of hauling one’s bag around has.

Japanese golf gadget

Meaning that, for the fairly efficient at least, a good walk now need only be spoiled by some seventy or so swishes of a club.

Japanese golf gadget

(click images for gargantuan golfing gadgetry)

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Tokyo battery vending blues

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic (or National as it is sometimes known) may well be able to power an unrelenting little robot all the way up the Grand Canyon with its new, ‘best batteries ever.’

Panasonic Evolta

Yet while there are a gargantuan number of gadgets on the market, most of them seem to have built-in batteries of their own, meaning that regardless of how cute canyon climbing robots can be, they are sadly unlikely to save Japan’s dwindling number of decidedly desolate-looking battery dispensers.

Tokyo battery vending machine

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Japanese jug jugs

Japanese novelty bra giant Triumph International has once again made the headlines with, not surprisingly, another novelty bra. The lingerie maker’s latest offering going by the far from catchy description of a Photovoltaic-Powered Bra.

Japanese bra

An item that, apart from appearing to be made from artificial turf, is what the company claims to be “earth and human friendly”, as it is equipped with pads to hold drinks in a bid to reduce the use of cans and plastic bottles.

However, perhaps more interestingly, it also comes with a solar panel that powers a small electronic board capable of displaying messages. Allowing the option of something suitably suggestive such as “suck on this” perhaps? Or, more than likely, the far more foreseeable, “keep off the grass”.

Japanese bra

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Japanese food and fashion fusion?

The Japanese love of food and fads can only be equalled by the nation’s fondness for fashion, so this new beef-themed beauty from ‘PC Entertainment Company’ Solid Alliance, is possibly the perfect product.

iPod meat case

Its mesmerising meld of meat,

iPod meat case

and music,

iPod meat case

making it ideal for fashionistas and foodies alike.

iPod meat case

A gimmick guaranteed to garner the odd glance, or even a grin, which, coming from the nation’s ‘happiest “Unique Gadget Produce Company”’, is just as it should be.

iPod meat case

(via dannychoo.com)