Sony is releasing its “VAIO | red edition” – 5 special VAIO models coated with a vibrant red color. This special edition will set each of these models apart from the standard models.
Buyers of the “VAIO Duo 13 | red edition” will be eligible for a special original PORTER carrying case, which will have a price of 24,980 yen.
VAIO Duo 13 | red edition SVD1321A1J ¥235,000 (Picture #1) VAIO Pro 13 | red edition SVP1321A1J ¥210,000 (Picture #2) VAIO Pro 11 | red edition SVP1121A1J ¥190,000 (Picture #3) VAIO Fit 15 | red edition SVF15A1A1J ¥170,000 (Picture #4) VAIO Fit 14 | red edition SVF14A1A1J ¥165,000 (Picture #5)
Sony is releasing new VAIO models for summer from 3 series after June 22. Prices have not yet been set.
VAIO Tap (Table Top PC) (Pictures 1-8)
VAIO Tap has an adjustable stand through which you can adjust its viewing angle, called the “Free style stand”. You can fold the stand and use it like a giant tablet. It has a built-in battery, so despite its size, you can carry it around anywhere in the house, just like a tablet.
VAIO Tap 20 1) Model: SVJ20239CJW Color: white Release date: June 22 OS: Windows 8 64 bit CPU: Intel Core i7-3537U processor Display: 20 inch wide (1600 x 900) Memory: 8GB (Max. 8GB) HDD: Hybrid HDD 1TB
2) Model: SVJ20238CJW Color: white Release date: June 22 OS: Windows 8 64 bit CPU: Intel Core i5-3337U processor Display: 20 inch wide (1600 x 900) Memory: 4GB (Max. 4GB) HDD: HDD 1TB
VAIO Duo (Pictures 9-17)
We wrote about the VAIO DUO in AkihabaraNews when it was unveiled with its 11 inch model. It features the Surf Slider style with the screen part sliding to transform into a tablet from a note PC and vice versa. The 13 inch model will be added to the series.
VAIO DUO 13 Models: SVD13219CJW, SVD13219CJB Colors: white, black Release date: June 29 OS: Windows 8 64 bit CPU: Intel Core i5-4200U processor Display: 13.3 inch wide (1920 x 1080) touch panel Memory: 4GB (Max. 4GB)
Ultrabook VAIO Pro (Pictures 18-22)
Because UD carbon is used for the body material, VAIO Pro has become an extremely light notebook PC. In particular, the “VAIO Pro 11″ is the lightest (870g) among all 11.5 inch touch panel Ultrabooks.
VAIO Pro 13 Models: SVP13219CJB, SVP13219CJS Colors: black, silver Release date: June 22 OS: Windows 8 64 bit CPU: Intel Core i5-4200U processor Display: 13.3 inch wide (1920 x 1080) touch panel Memory: 4GB (Max. 4GB)
VAIO Pro 11 1) Touch panel built-in models: SVP11219CJB, SVP11219CJS Colors: black, silver Release date: June 22 OS: Windows 8 64 bit CPU: Intel Core i5-4200U processor Display: 11.6 inch wide (1920 x 1080) touch panel Memory: 4GB (Max. 4GB) SSD: 128G
2) Non – touch panel model: SVP11218CJBI Color: black Release date: June 22 OS: Windows 8 64 bit CPU: Intel Core i5-4200U processor Display: 11.6 inch wide (1920 x 1080) Memory: 4GB (Max. 4GB) SSD: 128G
On June 8, 2013, the “AKB48 General Election” took place in Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan. This was the 5th year of the election and was broadcast live for 4 hours on national TV. For the top 16 ranked girls, there is a spot to be part of the group’s upcoming 32nd single.
For those who do not know what “AKB48″ and the “AKB48 General Election” are, let me explain a bit about them…
AKB48 is currently the most popular girl idol group in Japan. It’s named after Akihabara, famous for a subculture of techie stuff, manga, idols, anime and gaming – the center of Otaku Japan. AKB48 have their own theater and even after they started to appear on media a lot, popular members still perform in the small theater. For this reason, people call them “idols you can meet”. AKB48 consists of nearly 100 girls and they also have sister groups in other cities in Japan and even outside of Japan. Below are the current sister groups of AKB48:
SKE48 – Sakae, Aichi prefecture NMB48 – Namba, Osaka prefecture HKT48 – Hakata, Fukuoka prefecture JKT48 – Jakarta, Indonesia SNH48 – Shanghai, China TPE48 – Taipei, Taiwan
So, this weekend’s “AKB48 General Election” was for their fans to decide the top 16 girls who will make up the ensemble that will sing the group’s 32nd single. The name of the single has yet to be announced (and probably is still being written) – the reason for this is that the single will be made and tailored to fit the singing and dancing skills (or lack of skills…) of the group of 16 girls.
So who was voting this weekend? AKB48 fans could acquire the right to vote by buying the latest AKB48 single or registering/buying related services. Once they have the right to vote, each AKB48 otaku can support their “Oshimen” (the girl who you give your support to).
Getting the most votes and securing a top ranking is extremely important for AKB48 members and their fans, because the higher a girl’s ranking, the more media exposure she will receive. The girls in the top 16 will get by far the most TV time and the #1 ranked girl will always be at the center of the group.
So it is so important for fans that their “oshimen” get a high ranking – because they will be able to see more of her cute smile on TV and promotional events for the next year – and a lot of attention is given each year to see which girls will be most popular and who will get the #1 spot.
And so, the pundits discussed the chances of each of the girls, the favorites were analyzed, fond memories from past singles and past AKB events were discussed, and the results were revealed.
When the results of the election came in, the winner was a surprise! It was Rino Sashihara, 20, who got 150,570 votes, winning first place over many other popular girls including perennial favorite, Yuko Oshima, 24, the previous #1, who has had unshakable popularity and who had competed for the top of the group with former #1, Atsuko Maeda, 21, who left the group last year.
Rino Sashihara had been ranked #9 last year, but her ascendency to #1 was a big surprise because she had been transferred to sister group, HKT48, during a scandal last year amid revelations that she had an ex-boyfriend. AKB48 members are prohibited to have boyfriends, but because this was something that happened in the past, she was able to remain popular with her fans.
Another surprise happened that night, when one of the original AKB members, Mariko Shinoda, 27, who finished with a #5 ranking, revealed that she will leave AKB48 for good after receiving her ranking.
Something else that the election showed was that AKB48 is currently in a transition of popularity to the next generation of younger members.
AKB48 sells a considerable number of CDs and goods in an age when CDs don’t sell so some say that their popularity affects the economy of Japan…
The announcement of the #1 ranking for Rino Sashihara on live national TV…
Thanko just released a 4.5mm thin business card sized 1,000mAh portable battery and 4GB USB memory unit called the “Gokuusu (Ultra-slim) Battery 4.5mm”.
In order for it to connect to various kinds of devices, 4 different connection adapters come with the product.
Price: 2,980 yen (including tax) Size: 85.5 x 4.5 x 54.4mm Weight: 35g Able to connect with: dock connector (iPhone 4, etc,), lightning connector (iPhone 5, etc.), micro USB (smartphones, etc.), and mini USB (digital cameras, etc.)
Does your eyes hurts after hours spent in front of your PC Nuking monsters and other aliens or by coding like a maniac? Well don’t worry that’s unfortunately normal, but in order to make things much easier for you, the Japanese company Sante Pharmaceutical announced last Friday the “Sante PC” eye drops!
Sold in Japan at 840 yen, these 12ml eye drops have been designed to fight against the damage of “blue lights” emitted by today LCDs and thanks to its Vitamin B12 and B6, Sante PC will ease your pain and allow you to continue working or playing without pain.
Seiko is releasing even more limited models to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Seiko wristwatch. Here are 3 from Seiko’s luxurious watch “Credor” series and featured its ultra-thin mechanical movement “68 calibres”.
18K yellow gold model (Model: GBAQ964) Release date: July 6 Price: ¥1,470,000 Size: 36.6mm (outside diameter of the watch), 7.1mm (thickness)
18K white gold model (Model: GBAQ965) Release date: July 6 Price: ¥1,575,000 Size: 36.6mm (outside diameter of the watch), 7.1mm (thickness)
18K pink gold model (Model: GBBE972) Release date: August 9 Price: ¥1,470,000 Size: 37.0mm (outside diameter of the watch), 6.5mm (thickness)
Silver-lipped pearl oyster is used for the dial. Only 30 watches are available for each model.
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Seiko wristwatch, Seiko is releasing a limited edition wristwatch called the “SH Special model” (Model # SCQE001) on June 8. “SH” is are the initials of Seiko’s president Shinji Hattori. A numbered series of only 39 watches will be available.
Blue-colored silver-lipped pearl oyster is used for the dial, and 18K white gold is used for the case and back cover. It’s designed in the motif of the Shonan beaches south of Tokyo. Using the center line to resemble the line of the horizon, the dial’s upper part looks like sky and the bottom part looks like ocean.
You can see the mechanical movement through a see-through back cover and enjoy fine detailed carvings of sea creature and sky.
This watch is for the discerning luxury Seiko buyer…
Price: ¥2,625,000 Case/back cover: 18K white gold Dial: Silver-lipped pearl oyster
When your smartphone is running out of power, you will be able to steal some power from your friend’s smartphone if you have JTT’s “Rescue cable for micro USB”.
Both ends of the cable have micro USB terminals. You can use it by setting the bigger side to a smartphone that will feed power and setting the smaller side to the other smartphone running out of power.
It’s also possible to use it between a smartphone and tablet.
Price: ¥980 Compatible with: Android OS 4.0 or later micro USB built-in device Weight: Approx. 16g
We know there are many fans of Ghibli movies out there who have had a long, patient wait for a new movie from Director Hayao Miyazaki. His new movie, “Kaze Tachinu”, will be released on July 20 in Japan.
It’s an animation movie about the life of Jiro Horikoshi. He had dreamed of becoming a designer of airplanes and finally made his dream come true. However, the time was around World War II and what he created was a famous fighter aircraft A6M “Zero” to kill people. The movie will show his life and inner conflict.
Studio Ghibli already announced that Hideaki Anno, who is best known as film director of the Evangelion series, will play the leading voice part of Jiro. Other famous and popular actors/actresses have also joined the cast as voice actors.
Logitec is releasing high-performance, shockproof USB3.0 portable HDD “LHD-PBLU3″ and “LHD-PBMU3″ series in mid-June.
Inside of the HDD, Logitec’s unique energy-absorbing rubber frame and floating structure are adopted and it will absorb a shock from whatever angle the HDD falls from.
The surface has a scratch resistant rubber coating to make it tough. You can feel comfortable carrying it around!
LHD-PBLU3 Price: ¥7,980 Capacity: 500GB Color: black, white
LHD-PBMU3 Price: 1TB – ¥10,980, 2TB – ¥21,980 Capacity: 1TB or 2TB Color: black, white
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
