Humans have been dreaming of taking flight in personal flying vehicles, like hover cars or jetpacks, for a very long time. We’ve seen some impressive advancements in jetpack technology over the years, but they all pale in comparison to Yves Rossy’s jetpack.
Man Flies Homemade Jetpack Around Japan’s Mount Fuji Nine Times [Video] original content from Ubergizmo. 
     |
If there’s one thing we know people don’t need wen they’re driving around is a bathtub in the backseat as making abrupt stops could certainly cause a burn or two to the back of your neck if the water is as hot as we’d expect it to be. But that’s exactly what Volkswagen Group Japan have built as they have built a Volkswagen Beetle that replaces its backseat with a Japanese-style bathtub. (more…)
Volkswagen Beetle Fitted With A Japanese Bathtub In Its Backseat original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
It seems like we’re a little late in discovering the Aomori Garlic Black Beer, what with the month of scares having just ended and all. It’s a brew that was picked up by the folks at Rocket News 24 to taste and review – and maybe ward off a couple of vampires in the process? (Take that, Buffy!)
The unusual booze is produced in the Aomori prefecture, which is Japan’s leading garlic producer. The label boasts that it uses “black garlic extract” in the fermentation process.
On a side note, wouldn’t it be ironic but strangely appropriate if you laid a couple of these bottles to rest in those coffin wine bottle holders that made the rounds a few weeks ago, just in time for Halloween? You’re better off stocking these in a proper cooler like the ones from KingsBottle though, because everyone knows that lukewarm beer is no good at all.
Tastewise, the reviewer described it as tasting like regular beer – until the strong, pungent flavor of raw garlic rose up and overpowered her senses. If you’ve ever eaten gyoza before, then just imagine the aftertaste that you get after eating a plateful of it, but with an intensity about ten times over. Yep, that’s what this beer tastes like.
Does this sound like something you’d like to drink?
[via Foodbeast]
Moving your mouse around with your hands is so 1963 as technology has advanced to a point where we can use other parts of our bodies in order to move around our desktop’s cursor. We’ve seen cameras that are able to track our bodies and eyes to figure out what we want to do with our desktop cursor, but a team of researchers at Kinki University in Japan have developed a way to move your mouse with nothing more than your breath. (more…)
Japanese Researchers Breath-Controlled PC Mouse original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
It is safe to say that Apple’s iPhone is without a doubt popular regardless of wherever you go, although its market share will vary from country to country. However it seems that with the recent launch of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c in Japan, especially with NTT DOCOMO finally coming on board and offering the device to their subscribers, Apple’s iPhone has managed to capture a fairly significant amount of market share. This is according to research consultants, Counterpoint Research, who has found that Apple managed to capture 34% of the 2.8 million mobile sales in Japan this September, a very sizeable and noticeable increase from its estimated market share of 14% in July and August.
According to Counterpoint’s director, Tom Kang, “This is the first time any handset brand has crossed the 30% mark in the last decade in one of the most modern digital handset market in the world, Japan.” Kang notes that is particularly impressive due to the numerous brands available, not to mention how the three major carriers in Japan control these brands which would ultimately make it pretty hard for a single brand to dominate. NTT DOCOMO had recently revealed that despite offering the new iPhone that they were still bleeding subscribers, but hopefully as stock begins to stabilize that they will start seeing the numbers they desired.
iPhones Captured 34% Of The Japanese Market In September original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
A coalition of Japanese architects have said what everyone else was too polite to say: That Zaha Hadid-designed stadium is just too big, too expensive, and too impractical. Japanese officials have announced plans to scale back the design, which would cost $3.1 billion to build according to a recent budget update.
| |
This week the folks at Japan Display Inc. have unveiled their newest in super-sharp screen technology with a 5.4-inch WQHD TFT LCD Module. This piece of technology spreads 1440 x 2560 pixels across 5.4-inches of screen real-estate, making this panel roll out with a cool 543 pixels per inch (PPI). That’s well and above the […]
The Japanese space agency known as JAXA has announced that it has conducted a test of its space cannon that will be used to remotely fire a 4-pound metal projectile into the surface of an asteroid. The space cannon will eventually be mounted inside the Hayabusa-2 space probe that’s scheduled to take off in 2014.
The space probe will eventually rendezvous with an asteroid called 1999JU3 that is in orbit between Earth and Mars. That rendezvous is expected to happen in 2018. Once the space probe gets close enough to the asteroid, the cannon will detach and remotely fire its projectile into the surface of the asteroid.
The goal is not to destroy the asteroid, but to create a small crater that the probe can land beside and then deploy a small Rover to gather samples. The samples will then be carried back to Earth and are expected to return in 2020. The Japanese space agency wants to create the small crater to expose new asteroid material that hasn’t been affected by space weather and heat.
[via Telegraph]
If you find yourself in Japan sometime, you might want to check out the Seven Stars train. It will spoil you from other trains, bullet or otherwise, because this train is elegant style on the outside with a creamy luxury inside.
The train’s is a spacious 226-square meter room with a five-foot panoramic window that gives you a gorgeous view of Kyushu from the back of the train. The cabins all have intricate wood decorations and high paneled ceilings. It is basically the best train you could ever sleep on. For a four-day/three-night trip, this penthouse on wheels goes for an “introductory rate” of $5,750 per person per night, double occupancy. The price is expected to go up to $7,835 per person starting next July.
Photo: Japan Times
There is also a lounge car where passengers can unwind and socialize, while talking about how much money they spent. The train has been open since October 15th, and is so popular that it is booked through through June of next year. All aboard!
Conveyor belt sushi restaurants are usually only worth going to once in your life. The sushi is hardly ever amazing since it spins on the belt over and over again while the dishes you actually want might be snatched ahead of you so you never get to eat it. Not to mention plates stacking on your table, plastic covers getting in your way and the lack of personalized orders. It’s a gimmick! It’s okay though, Japan has figured out those problems with this next generation conveyor belt sushi restaurant.
| |
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.
