The Superhuman Sports Committee explores the concept of tech-enhanced sports events, which may be the norm in the next decades to come.
Toshiba’s Clerk Robot Talks With Sign Language
Toshiba takes its visitors to a trip down the uncanny valley with its new sign language robot.
Yahoo to Lay Off Most of Indian Staff
In a surprise move, Yahoo has been rumored to be laying off the majority if not all of their software development staff located in Bangalore, India.
Toshiba Launches 15nm NAND Flash Chip Samples
Toshiba (TYO: 6502) has announced the roll out of its very first 15nm NAND flash memory chip. The chips are already available for sampling starting this October, with the first 16GB version chips to be shipped first and the rest of the other size versions to follow shortly. This new NAND flash memory chip utilizes both the flash memory chip and its controller in a single board. Toshiba claims that this optimization technique promises an overall increase in its data transfer speed (8% read, 2% write), as well as making the chips around 26% smaller compared to its predecessors. Its updated interface also boasts a significant increase in speed,
Ricoh Introduces GR Certification For Smartphone Cameras
Ricoh announces that it will be providing a new certification standard for smartphone cameras through its GR certification program.
Touchscreen Notebooks Soon to Disappear?
Touchscreens may soon bid farewell to standard notebook PCs. A recent report from Digitimes — which has often questionable accuracy — has just detailed what seems to be a recent decision by major notebook PC vendors to do away with touchscreens for notebook PCs in the near future. According to the information presented, demand for touchscreen notebooks overall wasn’t as high as expected, and thus affected companies are now planning to adjust accordingly. Following this assessment, the report also states that touchscreen notebook PC vendors will be ceasing production of touchscreen notebooks for the final quarter of the current year. One of the most cited reasons for the
InnoLight Raises $32M to Build Faster Optical Transceivers for Servers
Chinese startup InnoLight raises $32M in Series C funding led by Google Capital, and will focus on building 100Gbps optical transceivers that enable servers to communicate through fiber-optics.
SoftBank in Talks to Acquire Movie Studio DreamWorks Animation
$4.6B richer after the Alibaba IPO, Japanese tech and telecoms conglomerate SoftBank is reportedly discussing a potential acquisition of movie studio DreamWorks Animation.
Japan Hospitals to Monitor Patients With Smartphones
Soon, patients in Japanese hospitals may be monitored 24/7 using smartphones. That is according to a new proposal recently announced by Japanese IT giant NEC. The new system, called as the Application Platform for Healthcare, will primarily focus on the concept of using smartphones to monitor hospital patients via wireless video feed. The system will be offered and catered to medical institutions nationwide towards the end of October. Traditionally, nurse call systems are often made of pre-installed communications equipment that is simply set up throughout the medical establishment. If medical attention is required, users are to speak through the comms units, and a nurse on standby
Dancing Robot Cheer Squad Shows Off Their Skills
Making a robot dance is one thing, but coordinating a group of dancing robots is an entirely different ball game. That is perhaps why Murata’s robot cheer squad evokes a unique sense of awe, something that we haven’t felt since the appearance of these critters. The Murata Cheering Squad, as it is affectionately called, was unveiled just a few days earlier at a press conference by the company in Tokyo. The demonstration presented a total of ten units, which each of the 35cm, 1.5kg cheer robot moving through a surface using a single large ball. It balances itself using three gyro sensors, which constantly checks
Intel Makes Another Major Investment in Chinense SoC Makers
In order to catch up in a mobile SoC market dominated by Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) and MediaTek (TPE: 2454), Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) announced Friday that it is making a strategic investment in two Chinese SoC makers via Tsinghua Unigroup, a government-affiliated private equity firm. “China is now the largest consumption market for smartphones and has the largest number of Internet users in the world,” said Brian Krzanich, Intel CEO, in a statement. “These agreements with Tsinghua Unigroup underscore Intel’s 29-year-long history of investing in and working in China. This partnership will also enhance our ability to support a wider range of mobile customers in China
GetResponse Talks Adaptive Design, Mobile-First Approach, and Expansion to Asia
GetResponse kicks off its ASEAN expansion. Our interview highlights key opportunities in this market, as well as the importance of adaptive design and mobile-first strategies.
Japanese launch date for SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk revealed
Sony (TYO: 6758) had enthralled us with its unveiling of the newest SmartWatch 3 and SmartBand Talk wearables last IFA 2014. However, despite the announcement of its availability this fall, we were still left wondering as to when exactly we’ll get our hands on one. Well, the wait is finally over, at least for Japan. Sony finally announces that both wearables are going to be available around the end of November in the country. There are no exact prices revealed yet, but it is estimated that the SmartWatch 3 and the SmartBand Talk will be available in Japan with an equivalent price of about $230.00 and
Adobe Closes Down China R&D Unit Along With Cloud Push
Adobe will shut down its R&D unit in China amid its new focus on its Creative Cloud platform. Sources also cite piracy as a reason for closing the unit.
Assistant Robot Knows What Grandma Will Do
Assistant robots are very important tech assets in Japan today. In fact, its development industry is still growing to be the primary backbone of the country’s elderly healthcare system. Panasonic, in response to this evolving industry develops its own, one that tries to see what your grandma will do next. The Autonomous Stand and Walk Assistant Robot is, as suggested, an assistant robot that aids elderly people in going about their daily lives. It may not look as charming or advanced as Asimo, but what is unique about this robot is its automatic position assist system. Whenever the person it assists tries to do something,
Japanese School to Provide iPad Mini to Students
Tablet implementation on schools is certainly not a new concept. However, it is always fascinating to see its implementation, as it shows the tablet’s significant impact on education in developed countries worldwide. Japan is no different, and soon, another school in this country is about to distribute tablets to students in the name of education. Starting September 26, the Asahikawa Fuji Girls High School in Hokkaido prefecture will be distributing iPad mini units to its first and second year senior high school students. This is part of the school’s curriculum shift to include updated electronic mobile devices and computers. Each student will be provided with
New Smart Eyewear Boosts Japanese Shogi
When it comes to smart eyewear, we usually think of floating interfaces, navigation guides, and augmented reality. Board games certainly weren’t on top of the list, but this idea from Japan takes the traditional game of Shogi and pushes it into the next generation with a new smart eyewear unit. The Shogi smart eyewear unit is the product of the collaborative effort between software developers and prominent Shogi players in Japan. The unit has no official name, and it is probably best to tell you early on that this particular model won’t be commercially available soon. The primary function of the Shogi smart eyewear is
PlayGirls Lets You Frolic With Ladies On A VR Beach
Immersion is undoubtedly the most important aspect of VR. Who can deny the wonderful sensation of seeing and hearing inside a virtual fantasy world? But you know what’s even more fantastic? Bringing the ‘R’ in VR closer to us, and there’s no other better example of this than this upcoming VR game that lets you play with bikini-clad ladies at the beach. PlayGirls is the brainchild of PG Production and Japanese game company Illusion that combines VR and lovely AV actresses. Why are actresses involved you say? Well, the concept is described as the “Sexy Actress Perfect Simulation Project”, which, as suggested, recreates an actress
Need a Quick VR? Slap Your Phone Into This Device
The VR boom that Oculus Rift has made created a lot of new innovations and ideas, but it has also spawned many creations that try to emulate the concept in a much simpler form. Take this new VR headset in Japan for example. If you need some quick and cheap VR experience, then this simple gadget might be the thing you need. Called the Smartphone Virtual 3D Goggles, this VR headset has the same concept of slapping your own smartphone into your face a la Google Cardboard. There’s not much tech specs to be introduced here, but it is advertised to be able to use most
Toshiba Curtails Consumer PC Business
Toshiba (TYO: 6502) has announced the scaling down of its consumer PC business to give more focus on its general business-to-business operations. This decision is in response to the company’s need to secure and stabilize its overall business structure, and as a result around 900 employees from the PC business division will be laid off. In accordance to the change and restructuring of its business operations, the Japanese electronics giant will be shifting more towards corporate-targeted services, such as provision of enterprise hardware like workstations and business-use mobile devices, as well as technology-based client solutions. Part of the plan also includes of the corporation’s extension of
