Slashdot Mirror

You gotta love the top 10 searches made by Japanese people that month:
1. map (yes, just "map")
2. Winter Sonata - a Korean TV show Japanese ladies went batshit insane over because of the male lead to the point that middle aged women were touring Korea in droves searching for their own "winter sonata" experience
3. weather news
4. wallpaper
5. translation
6. fortune telling
7. typhoon information
8. dictionary
9. lottery
10. mitsubishi motors - I find this the funniest because the previous eight are boring, normal phrases. I wonder what could have happened that put Mitsubishi up in the top 10.

For comparison to how lame Japanese searches were, here is the top 10 overall:
euro 2004, harry potter, paul johnson, john kerry, wimbledon, venus transit, fahrenheit 911, bill clinton, ronald reagan, scott peterson
Note how these are all proper nouns.

I find it interesting that the Japanese people don't just have weather and lottery information webpages bookmarked already. I'd start making all kinds of propositions here, but that's irrelevant to /.

I just couldn't resist picking on the country I'm living in. ^_^ Call it revenge for making me eat mayonnaise on my pizza.

There has never been a fatality (in 40+ years) due to accident on a Shinkansen (bullet train.)

It seems that there have been fatalities where the Shinkansen have been involved. See here and here.

another link here

Germany used gas to kill thousands of Jews.

It didn't happen nearly as often but it did happen.

that means LESS than $465. It is probably just someone saying the equivalent of "my car cost less than $100k." True statement, vague though.

I was going to post this exact thing - the fact is Sony probably doesn't know what the pricing is going to be yet. But there is an obvious ceiling that they can point to and say "we're pretty confident we can bring the costs in below this number". That doesn't mean they won't be able to bring them down even further, and it doesn't mean they won't choose to sell the system at even more of a loss in a grab for market share.

We don't know the original context for this. (As a side note, I don't know why the blurb here links to IGN - the official translation of the original article is on the Mainichi web site here, if you want to see the source for this.) We don't know what was said in the original Japanese interview (there's no actual quote here, it's all paraphrased) and we don't know what question was asked of Sony. It could have been something like "how much would you need to sell a PS3 for to turn a profit?" for all we know.

My guess is the PS3 will be priced to compete with the Xbox 360; whatever the Xbox is at, the PS3 will be at.

Also keep in mind that pricing in Japan and the US rarely correlates directly on game consoles. The disconnect can be upwards of $100 in some cases.

...as long as they pick the right targets

Chikan

Grope-fest

Pervert Express

Research: video games decrease brain activity

Strike up another one for the people of the far east! Horseflesh icecream and now this?

2004 Tokyo Game Show
2003 Tokyo Game Show

2004 Tokyo Game Show
2003 Tokyo Game Show

...so YOU'RE THE ONE!

these characters to help get the youngins into the voting routine.

Googles newest competitor? Thursday September 30, @08:31AM Rejected

And I didn't even link to a NY Times article but rather an AP story.

You can see that I have this story listed in my journal at this link.

Keep up the good work. This is the kind of nonsense we have come to expect from /.

P.S. I will usually post some of the stories which have been rejected so be sure to check my journal every so often. After all, why wait for three days to go by when you can get the story when it comes out?

P.P.S. Anyone else see the story of the vibrating condom?

Goddammit, I just had to look up "Butter Dogs". Now I share the joys with everyone: Butter Dogs

From the various articles, there's mention of a virus on WinNY that shares user's confidential data.

he got the shaft.. from the Mainichi Daily News Japan: Winny has already stirred up considerable controversy within Japan this year. In March, a virus swept through the program, picking up investigation records from a Kyoto Prefectural Police officer's computer and whisking them around cyberspace. Other police documents and Self-Defense Force materials have also been spread across the Internet through Winny. Cops probably had a hard on for this guy ever since their investigations records ended up on Whinny..

• ABC News Australia
• Mainichi Daily News Japan
• Straits Times Singapore (AP)

Yeah, but Japan has gropers like these , and the US has a ridiculous number of gun crimes compared to any nation (other than disintegrating hellholes like Iraq or west Africa). Human nature determines that most types of crime will be universal, but the values of a society do a lot to determine what sort of crimes will be common.

From this page:

"QRIO has even been programmed to conduct musical orchestras. Recently, the robot was controlled remotely by computer to conduct the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra during a performance at Tokyo Opera City."

Remote control... doesn't exactly sound autonomous.

I would love to see the bot conducting an entire orchestra at the Tokyo Philharmonic Society. Here is a photograph.

As usual, the Japanese are way ahead of us, but I reckon Russian Sex Roulette is bound to catch on soon. People are already worrying less about AIDS thanks to the new treatments. It'll be like the 70s all over again.

Some choice quotes from the linked interview (thanks to babelfish):

You say that it evolves graphics and should have kept making function complicated "golden law of success" is the collapse red sandal wood.
I think Iwata says that design is a natural evolution from graphics, and that the DS will be collapsible and come in a nice wood finish. Bold move, in this age of clean, plastic designs! I had assumed it would look more like the SP, but we all know that big N aren't satisfied with jumping on bandwagons. I agree with Iwata here, the design needs to convey a more adult sense of purpose, so it doesn't have to compete with the GBA.

The creator having suffered hardship 100 times, 100 times it can sell, instead of, in the circumstance that, even even maintenance of the status quo it is difficult, in the former route which wastes time and energy, as for future of the game as for without being it is clear.
From this quote, I gather the DS will break easily. Iwata suggests that once you've bought a DS, you'll readily buy 100 more if they keep breaking (indicating that it will be a cheap unit, I suppose). I'm not so sure about this strategy, as Iwata says it will probably be a waste of time and energy to try and repair them yourself - but I'm still concerned about the cost. Time will have to tell on that one.

Very useful information! Hopefully slashdot can keep posting interviews like these. This really helped shed some light on Nintendo's strategy with the DS.

For those wondering how this system works here is the actual article:

Viewers gaze at a live three-dimensional image produced with groundbreaking technology unveiled by electronics giant Hitachi Ltd. on Tuesday. Hitachi's device is the first in the world that can record and instantly display three-dimensional images from 360 degrees.

Up until now two steps were required: special filming using lasers and the intermediate process of physically recording the image, meaning that the image could not be seen at the same time as filming.

The circular viewing device stands about 2 meters high and is 40 centimeters in diameter. The image of the person being filmed is portrayed onto a high-speed spinning screen from angled mirrors.

When viewed from the side, the person's face can be seen and their back is visible when viewing the object from the opposite direction.

The person or object being filmed is surrounded by 24 mirrors and recorded with a camera. This recorded image is instantly transmitted to a projector in the viewing device. (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Feb. 24, 2004)

To see the picture, which is larger than the ones on the Hitachi site, go to Mainichi Daily News and in the lower right corner of the current picturce click 'More'. When the pop-up occurs click 'Next' to see the single picture and the text I just posted.

Japanese train sets world record at 581 kph

Would you go into the same room as a Candygirl? They come in underaged and varieties. How about a Fantastic Doll, they're anime style. Thank you WaiWai for demonstrating yet again how insane modern Japan is. (main sites here and here)

Would you go into the same room as a Candygirl? They come in underaged and varieties. How about a Fantastic Doll, they're anime style. Thank you WaiWai for demonstrating yet again how insane modern Japan is. (main sites here and here)

When illogic prevails, reason gives way. -- Japanese proverb Well, for one, quoting a Japanese proverb discredits your post. Japan is one of the most fucked up over-commercialized places in the world, as chronicled here and here. You really don't want the megamonolithic corporations Japan has. Trust me. By instiuting megamergers the chance for America to have the same problems only increases due to lack of competition between companies to satisfy consumers as well as employees. The suicide rate in Japan is phenominal due to extreme corporate pressure. Just today a Tokyo resident blew himself up along with a few coworkers. Sayonara, dude!

You are right, they do not feel especially guilty. Perhaps as a result of that, there is some fscked-up shit going on in Japan. Check out this site.

Imagine somebody recording your phonecall and posting it on the web to make the fool out of you... suddenly 12yro's phone pranks and blackmail got a brand new sense -_-;

Also...
Imagine a cluster of perverts posting directly on bbs the pics they snatch from showers, toilets...

"Hey, mom! It's you on Internet!"
"Oh my god! That's my company changing room!"

If I was Intel PR I would call this "Project Pandora"... a good nickname for the project, along of the lines of "Palladium" for Microsoft DRM.
(And in the myth of Iliad, the Palladium didn't prevent Ajax to do really really nasty things to Cassandra when she tried to take cover at the feet of the statue of Pallas Athena).

ya know, I was looking at this image that was posted with the story, the picture of the rfid chips... and boy does that guy have huge fingers!!

You mean like this one?

Thairath Daily News .Oh, you can't read it? Oh well... sucks to be a USian, huh?

-"úV

Oh, you can't read it? Oh well... sucks to be a Europian, huh?

You missed... Dominatrix whips up donations for refugees ... now that's a headline!

Prob'ly mildly offtopic, but whenever I see "Mainichi Daily News", I think of their Wai Wai section, which is full of crazy stories with headlines like "Schoolgirls selling panties open avenue of danger" or "Louis' leathers lure lasses into luxurious lunacy". It's the kind of Jap-weirdness that occasionally shows up on FARK.

when you can steal the whole machine?

(As far as I know, they still haven't caught all the guys responsible for these.)

That would be almost as funny as the Mainichi Daily News.

GF.

Yeah - so can I.. picture
what an ugly fscker..

Wakamaru is also expected to achieve the real world of cartoon character robot Tstsuwan Atomu, known as "Astro Boy" overseas, created by the late cartoonist Osamu Tezuka.

It look more like a pawn than a Astro Boy. :)

At least it look better than my wife. :)

And don't forget this gem regarding voyeurism with cell phones. My favorite quote?

The girl was alerted to his presence by the noise emitted by the phone camera's shutter. She turned around to catch Hamano with his hands between her legs

And don't forget this gem regarding voyeurism with cell phones. My favorite quote?

The girl was alerted to his presence by the noise emitted by the phone camera's shutter. She turned around to catch Hamano with his hands between her legs

It has A, B, Start, Select (and one other button - probably on/off for the screen). The two shoulder buttons are on top. That's not really four "Face" buttons, since everyone was expecting X and Y to join A and B, like the SNES.

It should be easy to see that this is no change over the existing GBA. Nothing has been added here except for the screen ligth and a new form factor.

This means the rumors for the Clamshell Design, Lighting, and Smaller design are true. Just look at the picture here where you can clearly see the cartridge port. MAN that thing is tiny!

The rumors about 4 face buttons are obviously not true. At least, not with this upgrade.

Some more images. Image. Page. Front, buttons, ports.

• Disney red-faced over 'faulty' DVD

  KYOTO -- Buyers of a DVD version of the popular animated film "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" have launched a lawsuit against its retailer, Walt Disney Japan, claiming the color is "completely different" from movie theater showings.

  The Kyoto District Court suit, launched by three buyers from Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures, claims that a heavy red tone persists throughout the DVD version, ruining the film.

  They have demanded that the company replace the copies they bought with a better version, and pay them 10,000 yen each in compensation.

  A total of 3 million copies of the DVD have already been produced, and Walt Disney Japan and consumer centers have reportedly fielded numerous complaints from other buyers.

  Walt Disney Japan began selling DVD copies of the film through Buena Vista Home Entertainment in July. However, a red tone that buyers claim persists through the film makes the movie dark, and consumers say it is completely different from the movie version.

  Buyers of the DVD reportedly analyzed the colors by computer and found that of the three primary colors, the red tone was extremely strong.

  Buena Vista Home entertainment reportedly posted a home page message saying that the tone of the colors could vary depending on the playing environment, but the firm is reportedly refusing to exchange copies, saying the DVD is not a defective product.

  Buena Vista officials said they would consider a response together with Studio Ghibli, the makers of the "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" film, but added that the DVD was an original product whose tones were produced while respecting the intentions of the producers. (Mainichi Shimbun, Dec. 3, 2002)

While you're at Mainichi, check out the girls of the 2002 Tokyo Game Show :D

I have been a fan of Square and Enix for many, many years. I still remember playing the very first Dragon Warrior (or, as the Japanese call it, "Dragon Quest") game on my Nintendo Entertainment System, not to mention Final Fantasy I, II, III, IV (which Americans know as "Final Fantasy II"), V, VI (which Americans know as "Final Fantasy III"), VII, VIII, IX, and X! Have you seen Final Fantasy XI yet? It's outstanding.

• IGN PS2: Square and Enix to merge
• CBS Marketwatch: Square, Enix to merge next year
• Games Asylum: Square and Enix, up a tree
• Ferrago: Square and Enix to merge
• Mainichi Shimbun (in Japan) : Dark age forces role-playing giants to join forces
• IGN GameCube: Square and Enix to merge

If i had a toilet like that, i'd never leave the bathroom!

But really, see this for more about washing toilets

And take part in the bathroom behaviour survey to feel normal again.

It's obvious that people at M$ are involved in testing games because they lose concentration, get angry easily and have trouble associating with others.

Yeah. The fact that their banner features mock 18th century Edo erotica and the words "Saucy Stories from Japan's Wild Weeklies" might also be an indicator. :-)

http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/waiwai/0206/020619nymphs .html

Sorry, you are mistaken. The Mainichi is a great major Japanese newspaper, unfortunately its English version has stopped appearing in printed form due to furious competition.

The Wai-Wai section which this latest sex maniac article has always been a full page section which compiled a precis of several bizarre and interesting (half of the time sex-related) articles from the weekly tabloid magazines. The word tabloid is also perhaps not appropriate; these magazines include news, essays, and a titilating slant but are not like U.S. supermarket tabloids' "Space Aliens Had My Baby" genre. Generally the articles seem not to be apocryphal, and most always good for a laugh or squeamish grimace. I recommend WaiWai (which means something like "Yeah!" or "Fun!" or "Surf's Up!" which shows another side of Japan which you might call wacky, perverse, sociologically fascinating or just "realistic", this is what Crighton never told.

I used to buy the newspaper just for this column (Sundays I believe) and a couple of columns inside the front page. A great loss right down to the cheap ink that would come off on your fingers. Thanks for finding it online for me again!