japan on SWiK

GEARFUSE " Japanese graphic art delivered to your cellphone

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:06:53 -0700

Shinchosha manga service

Creative Japanese Barcodes!

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:06:51 -0700

It looks like the Japanese are using barcodes for more than scanning, take a look at how they used barcodes as another place for advertising. Great idea, I don’t see why U.S. companies are not doing this.

This kind of creative barcode design is completely new to me, but apparently it’s quite common in Asia - or at least Japan. Here’s a full gallery of some unusual product barcodes. Please comment if you have seen similar designs in your country (or if you are missing out on them as well).

via fosfor, source

Brought to you by: Zedomax.com

Creative Japanese Barcodes!

... JRuby Frameworks, GFv3 Docs, Japan, JRE in-place replacement, Blackberry storm

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:01:07 -0700

A compilation of today's news of interest:

Jacob reports from JRuby-land that he is working on Support for More Frameworks in GlassFish, like merb. Others will follow, so let him know if you have preferences.

We are in the last few weeks before GlassFish v3 Prelude, and Paul has announced Final Review for Documentation. Review ends on Monday, so you don't have much time left.

Kohsuke is now in Tokyo, starting his (Japan Trip. Check out the GeoMap on Japan: we have 140K hits there, not bad, but I'm sure we can do better with improved outreach, which is why Kohsuke is visiting.

A new JRE is brewing. The new Java SE 6 Update 10 has an in-place update for the JRE in your desktop. This is a big change that will reduce the download time and will simplify your disk management. The Intro at SDN News has a pointer to a dummy try-out program, consider checking it out to give us feedback on the new release.

And the BlackBerry Storm is out, with its new touch-screen, see: Vodafone, Hands-On and AppCenter. From reading the crackberry entry, it seems the store is for distributing apps from the carrier - which is more limited than the iPhone AppStore, but, since the store is not the only way to download an app, that's less critical.

Kohsuke Kawaguchi's Blog: Tokyo, here I come!

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:50:04 -0700

Story behind Softbank's Success in Winning the iPhone

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:48:21 -0700

Nice article detailing what SoftBank had to do to win the iPhone contract and beat out Docomo in the process.

使用Firefox的FC2愛用者救星

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:47:45 -0700

FC2的強大功能，讓使用Firefox的我心動卻又不敢行動。因日文語系的關係，某些中文字使用Firefox發文會出現亂碼，曾讓我頭痛不已。我遍尋著解決的方法，什麼轉碼器、換字型，就是懶著再開IE發文，最後還是宣佈藥石罔效，對著FC2幾千種美麗的衣裳揮淚再見，躲到牆角去慢慢研究CSS。就在失望之餘，搜尋著日本一些Blog的比較，忽然一陣金光閃閃照得我眼睛張不開，「忍者ブログ」五字浮現在我的眼前（似乎是一個新的Blog服務，以前曾看過他的流量統計，但沒看過Blog），不用再IE、Firefox兩頭跑，不用再擔心「你、晚、囉」會變出什麼慘不忍睹的模樣，是的，使用Firefox 的FC2愛用者救星－忍者ブログ（金光閃閃）。就不多贅言了，先來看看忍者ブログ的基本資料吧。

[tlug] [Announcement] Cross cultural career panel discussion

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:37:31 -0700

I'll be on this panel talking about language and cultural issues that affect Japanese developers when they interact with others from around the world. Should be a very interesting discussion.

After strong initial sales, iPhone not so big in Japan

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:19:29 -0700

iPhoneやAndroidは何がケータイと違うのか - @IT

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:21:46 -0700

ひとりぶろぐ

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:19:54 -0700

moyashi専用チラシの裏サイト

SoftBank Announces iPhone 3G Service Plans - Purchase of iPhone 3G 8GB model at approximately ¥23,000, ¥960/month, and unlimited packet usage at ¥5,985 - | SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:19:36 -0700

Sen:te - Goban

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:19:24 -0700

台風前線 - 参加型メディアが可視化する最前線の台風情報 -

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 15:15:48 -0700

看颱風路線最佳網站

ポッドキャスト・ビデオポッドキャストの番組ガイド「mixPod」 - ラジオポッドキャスト、英語ポッドキャスト / 無料で番組の登録可能。iPodで聞けるポッドキャストを楽しもう。

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:13:15 -0700

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:19:30 -0700

Spark project

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:14:08 -0700

国内の大手サイトが採用しているHTMLのバージョン | バシャログ。

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:16:12 -0700

Apple's Latest iPhone Sees Slow Japan Sales - WSJ.com

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:19:37 -0700

Analysis of slow sales of iPhone in Japan (personally, I disagree with their expert analysis).

- UML超入門

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:13:08 -0700

sekaicamera preview page

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:21:05 -0700

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:10:07 -0700

Podcasters - The podcast portal for audiopodcasts and videopodcasts

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:10:19 -0700

Ganbatte! Japanese iPhone app debuts - SlashPhone

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:00:30 -0700

It's a cool software for Japanese iPhone users. iPhone Central posted about the announcement of Japanese 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. User can purchase and

iPhoneストア

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:59:13 -0700

Japanese Girl Sensation: Virtual Boyfriends (Webkare)

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:59:44 -0700

In Japan, girls are crazy over virtual boyfriends. Webkare (Web Boyfriend in Japanese), a mix between a social network and dating simulation site, is Nippon’s newest web sensation. Geared exclusively towards girls, the site attracted over 10,000 members just 5 days after its release on September 10, racking up 3.5 million page views in the same time frame.

The site is a huge hit over here. Girls sign up and become members of a social network but also users of a dating simulation in cartoon style. They have to try to hook up with one of four male Anime characters (who are the “stars” of the site) through “conversations” and must collaborate with other Webkare members in order to move on in the game. Eventually they conquer the heart of the chosen cartoon boy.

It’s pretty weird but clever. Dating simulations have been popular in Japan for quite a while now, but Webkare marks the first time the concept has been brought online and combined with social networking functionality.

Girls choose between one of four different male cartoon characters they want to hook up with upon registration. They can then “communicate” with their digital crush in cartoon-like sequences to try to win over his heart over the course of the game. It’s also possible to meet other boys later in the story, which uses a virtual high school as the main setting.

Interaction is quite limited, as users themselves can neither type text nor “speak” to the characters. Instead, Webkare will display a short cartoon clip if you click on the boy you like (some of the clips include voice samples such as “What’s up?”, “Do you always stay in the class room until dark?” “Leave me alone!” etc.), driving the love story forward step by step.

Important conversations or events can be stored in the album section of the site as “memories”.

On the surface, Webkare’s social network functions are kept to a minimum. There are profiles (including the “Propeta” feature that lets you decorate your profile with small branded icons, similar to the HotLists used in HotOrNot profiles), a direct messaging system, a discussion board and a Twitter-like microblogging function. But the social aspect is actually quite distinctive, as members need to befriend each other and collaborate. LinkThink, the company behind Webkare, is strangely secretive about the game mechanics, however, making it hard to figure out how to advance in the game. For example, it seems to be essential to “talk” to the boyfriends of other users and view their profiles and albums.

Currently usage is free, with display ads and affiliate links as main sources of revenue. Webkare’s future monetizing strategy could include turning the concept into a video game or novel, merchandising, product placement, selling virtual items, expanding the concept to cell phones, developing a version for male users or offering premium memberships.

Another obvious option is internationalization, but here the question is if such an idiosyncratic way of curing loneliness 2.0 could succeed in the US or Europe as well. Reportedly, 52% of members are Japanese females in their twenties, with thirty-somethings accounting for 18% of the user base.

Crunch Network: CrunchGear drool over the sexiest new gadgets and hardware.

『iPhone』がアジア市場で苦戦する理由:中国には「闇市場」も | WIRED VISION

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:59:04 -0700

Japan Intros Fast Train that goes up to 217MPH!

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:07:23 -0700

Japan intros a really fast train that goes up to 217MPH. Although this is nothing compared to the French train that can go about 357MPH, it wouldn’t hurt to have one in the U.S., where it takes me at least 5 hours to get to L.A. from San Francisco.

Yes, Japan needs to get it a little faster still…(catch up to the French but where’s U.S. in this world train race god darn it!)

Kawasaki Heavy Industries is developing the country’s fastest train. How fast is that? A speedy 217mph, a nice increase over the previous fastest, which moved at 186mph.

via dvice

Brought to you by: Zedomax.com

Japan Intros Fast Train that goes up to 217MPH!

Podcasters - The podcast portal for audiopodcasts and videopodcasts

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:02:23 -0700

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:08:58 -0700

TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ " TC50(Demopit)日本勢の活躍: Firefox拡張機能「Deckkr」でウェブ閲覧をシンプルに

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:33:30 -0700

japan on SWiK

GEARFUSE " Japanese graphic art delivered to your cellphone

Creative Japanese Barcodes!

Related posts

... JRuby Frameworks, GFv3 Docs, Japan, JRE in-place replacement, Blackberry storm

Kohsuke Kawaguchi's Blog: Tokyo, here I come!

Story behind Softbank's Success in Winning the iPhone

使用Firefox的FC2愛用者救星

[tlug] [Announcement] Cross cultural career panel discussion

After strong initial sales, iPhone not so big in Japan

iPhoneやAndroidは何がケータイと違うのか - @IT

ひとりぶろぐ

SoftBank Announces iPhone 3G Service Plans - Purchase of iPhone 3G 8GB model at approximately ¥23,000, ¥960/month, and unlimited packet usage at ¥5,985 - | SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.

Sen:te - Goban

台風前線 - 参加型メディアが可視化する最前線の台風情報 -

ポッドキャスト・ビデオポッドキャストの番組ガイド「mixPod」 - ラジオポッドキャスト、英語ポッドキャスト / 無料で番組の登録可能。iPodで聞けるポッドキャストを楽しもう。

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Spark project

国内の大手サイトが採用しているHTMLのバージョン | バシャログ。

Apple's Latest iPhone Sees Slow Japan Sales - WSJ.com

- UML超入門

sekaicamera preview page

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Podcasters - The podcast portal for audiopodcasts and videopodcasts

Ganbatte! Japanese iPhone app debuts - SlashPhone

iPhoneストア

Japanese Girl Sensation: Virtual Boyfriends (Webkare)

『iPhone』がアジア市場で苦戦する理由:中国には「闇市場」も | WIRED VISION

Japan Intros Fast Train that goes up to 217MPH!

Related posts

Podcasters - The podcast portal for audiopodcasts and videopodcasts

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ " TC50(Demopit)日本勢の活躍: Firefox拡張機能「Deckkr」でウェブ閲覧をシンプルに

japan on SWiK

GEARFUSE " Japanese graphic art delivered to your cellphone

Creative Japanese Barcodes!

Related posts

... JRuby Frameworks, GFv3 Docs, Japan, JRE in-place replacement, Blackberry storm

Kohsuke Kawaguchi's Blog: Tokyo, here I come!

Story behind Softbank's Success in Winning the iPhone

使用Firefox的FC2愛用者救星

[tlug] [Announcement] Cross cultural career panel discussion

After strong initial sales, iPhone *not* so big in Japan

iPhoneやAndroidは何がケータイと違うのか - @IT

ひとりぶろぐ

SoftBank Announces iPhone 3G Service Plans - Purchase of iPhone 3G 8GB model at approximately ¥23,000, ¥960/month, and unlimited packet usage at ¥5,985 - | SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp.

Sen:te - Goban

台風前線 - 参加型メディアが可視化する最前線の台風情報 -

ポッドキャスト・ビデオポッドキャストの番組ガイド「mixPod」 - ラジオポッドキャスト、英語ポッドキャスト / 無料で番組の登録可能。iPodで聞けるポッドキャストを楽しもう。

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Spark project

国内の大手サイトが採用しているHTMLのバージョン | バシャログ。

Apple's Latest iPhone Sees Slow Japan Sales - WSJ.com

- UML超入門

sekaicamera preview page

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

Podcasters - The podcast portal for audiopodcasts and videopodcasts

Ganbatte! Japanese iPhone app debuts - SlashPhone

iPhoneストア

Japanese Girl Sensation: Virtual Boyfriends (Webkare)

『iPhone』がアジア市場で苦戦する理由:中国には「闇市場」も | WIRED VISION

Japan Intros Fast Train that goes up to 217MPH!

Related posts

Podcasters - The podcast portal for audiopodcasts and videopodcasts

Tonchidot Madness: The Video

TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ " TC50(Demopit)日本勢の活躍: Firefox拡張機能「Deckkr」でウェブ閲覧をシンプルに

After strong initial sales, iPhone not so big in Japan