Why Japan Gets the Cool Stuff

haahr writes "Good article about why the coolest electronics products are available first in Japan and may never make it to the U.S., in Slate."

Comments

eyestrain

[swankypimp]

The 10-inch 1,280-by-600 screen is amazingly bright and clear, but if you find yourself squinting at a normal laptop display this one will give you eyestrain.

(Insert obligatory tasteless "Japanese squinty eye" joke here.)

Re:Hence they've been in a recession for 20 years.

[Squeeze Truck]

The Japanese economy is quite sad. A (w)hole nation of Enrons. They only hope that the can let the hot air out slowly, and that it doesn't burst.

The Japanese economy is only sad by Japanese standards. Japan does have a whole stack of bad loans, but no major strategic industries (like Worldcom or Enron) have gone bankrupt.
The vast majority of the bad loans went to truly questionable real estate ventures like theme parks. (Soooo many bankrupt resorts and theme parks...)

Also, Enron was a scam from day one, and made all its money by working against the public interest. Japan doesn't have any companies like that.

The trend of the 80's for American companies to bring in Japanese consultants has been reversed. Japanese corporations are now bringing in American consultants to show them how to emulate American prosperity.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAAAAAAA (gasp) AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!

No.