If you’ve ever thought it would be cool to have a miniature figurine of yourself—or maybe a loved one—just hanging out on your desk and doing it’s thing, your day has come. The first 3D printing photobooth is due to open in Japan later this month. More »
Keyboard-cases are nothing new for iPads, but it takes a certain mix of elements to make a really good one. After tackling your smartphone typing needs, Elecom decided to create a keyboard-case for your tablet.
The Elecom TK-FBP048ECBK is a transforming iPad keyboard case that isn’t too cramped. The clever mechanism splits its full-size keyboard in two and it folds away in a case which also acts as a stand for the iPad. It’s naturally Bluetooth-compatible, and a charge should keep it running for weeks.
It is 23mm thick when folded up, so that’s a bit much but I guess that the folding mechanism couldn’t be reduced in thickness. As with the Elecom smartphone keyboard, this case is pricey. Expect to pay ¥16,795 (~$210 USD) for it. Will it replace my Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio? I’m not sure.
[via Elecom]
Amazon is on the cusp of launching the complete Kindle line in Japan, so it’s only right that the online retailer fine-tune its firmware for local reading habits. A new version 5.3.0 update for the Kindle Paperwhite puts much of that focus on Manga, introducing options to fit the stylized comics to the screen as well as tweak their page refresh interval separately from that of plain old text. Wider efforts to improve font rendering touch on Japanese characters in the process. Even if we’re a little rusty with our hiragana, there’s still some usability tweaks in store: settings are accessible directly from the menu, readers can purge their home screens of recommended content and sample books now sync their position relative to the full title. The bookworms among us that are too impatient to wait for an automatic update to 5.3.0 can hit the source link for the full skinny and a fast-track installation through USB.
Filed under: Amazon
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite update optimizes your Manga mania, offers quicker settings originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Nov 2012 04:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
I kind of understand the need for a keyboard with today’s smartphones, but to be honest, you can type pretty quickly with your fingers on your touchscreen, once you get used to it. If you can’t and absolutely need a keyboard to get things done with your phone, then check out Elecom’s collapsible Bluetooth keyboard.
Elecom’s TK-FBP049E (JP) has a sliding mechanism that will split the keyboard in half, and then folds up. A folding cover doubles as a stand for smartphones, in portrait or landscape orientations.
Its single AAA battery will give you 8 months of use, and the keyboard works with any Bluetooth-compatible device. The keyboard is available in either black or white, but it costs ¥14,595 (~$182 USD), which is almost as much as you probably paid for your phone.
[via PC Watch]
Nintendo took to UStream again to announce even more details for its impending new console. The company’s CEO was on hand to detail exactly what comes in the box with a very official-looking opening (Yep, Iwata-san just unboxed his own console.) It’s some pretty familiar packaging, but we noted that the AC adapter appears to be a weighty block separate from the main console. Alongside the main unit and the GamePad, the process also gave us a glimpse at the rest of the premium package, including a charging stand for the Wii U GamePad, console stand, HDMI cable, more cable twists, packaging and a beta test for the new Dragon Quest title. White-gloved console handling aside, the CEO had plenty more to explain — and some of it involved karaoke.
Filed under: Gaming, HD, Nintendo
Nintendo Wii U unboxed alongside more details: Multiple users, ‘karaoke’ microphones and Wii U Chat (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you prefer your exercise routines to be incredibly brief and awkward, Japan once again delivers with a contraption designed to tighten cheeks and eliminate double chins. The Kuwaete Sukkiri actually works out just your tongue, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a machine at your gym that can tighten facial muscles with just a minute of commitment every day. More »
The Japanese Jobs fanboys at Legend Toys absolutely nailed the face of the late Apple tycoon on its newest action figure. It’s a phenomenal job. But, quick question—why are his hands the size of skateboards? More »
Supercomputers let us simulate everything from the weather, to a chess match against a master, to how the human body operates. But researchers at Japan’s National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center have created a detailed 3D simulation of a beating human heart that can run on a laptop, allowing even small hospitals to perform research and complex diagnoses. More »
Japan does come out with some weird and quirky inventions from time to time, and perhaps you might want to quantify the Gesture Glove Mouse as one of them, being made available via Thanko. Wearing this is not going to keep your fingers and hand warmer during the coming bitter winter, but at least it lets you feel as though you are a Jedi Knight – for a while, anyways, as you wear the Gesture Glove Mouse to control a computer or an Android-powered device via the wonders of hand gestures alone.
Retailing for approximately $61.87 after conversion, you will wear the Gesture Glove Mouse on your right hand (southpaws will miss out on this product since it was specially made only for right handed folks at this point in time), where the strap on the connected sensor will be hooked to their index finger. The glove is capable of reading your wrist movements, translating that into cursor movements. Want to click on an icon or menu option? Just use your thumb and index finger. It works wirelessly, and has a maximum working range of 10 meters. A single hour of charging over USB will deliver up to a dozen hours of use, now how about that?
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Logitech Touch Mouse T620 and Zone Touch Mouse T400 announced, ROCCAT Mega Mice range launched,
Kobo has announced that two of its ereaders are slated for release in Japan: the Kobo Glo and the Kobo Mini. As its name suggests, the Kobo Glo features a glowing display, while the Mini is said to be “the world’s smallest full-featured eReader.” The Kobo Glo is currently available for pre-order, while the Mini won’t be available for a bit longer.
The Kobo Glo is slated for shipment on November 15. It’s priced at ¥7,980, and features an adjustable embedded light, as well as an SD card expansion slot, and a 6-inch no-glare e-ink display with an XGA resolution. There’s wifi, giving users access to Kobo’s eBookstore, and the battery life is rated at one month.
The Kobo Mini is slated for release some time in December, and is priced at ¥6,980. According to the press release, the Mini is the world’s smallest and lightest “full-featured” e-ink reader. The device has a 5-inch no-glare display, and is available in black and white. No backlight, sadly. It can hold up to 1,000 ebooks.
The Kobo Touch’s price has been dropped to ¥6,980 from it’s original price of ¥7,980. Said Kobo’s CEO Michael Serbinis, “The Japanese eReading market is taking off with new and exciting products coming from Kobo this gift-giving season… We’re working closely with retail partners to successfully integrate the Kobo Reader, digital content, and the Kobo eBookstore into the ecosystem – to deliver an experience that is tailored to the Japanese market and consumer.”
Kobo Glo and Mini ereaders headed for Japan is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
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