The launch of the iPhone 3G is imminent. In the US and A we already know there they lining up since last friday or so. Now, thanks to Akihabara News we can enjoy a few pics of people queuing up in Harajuku, Tokyo. Just before the main Softbank store. See a few pictures after the break and the whole gallery on Akihabara News.
So, Softbank the third biggest mobile phone operator besides NTT Docomo and KDDI in Japan signed an agreement with Apple to distribute the iPhone through out the country. As we all might know, Softbank operates solely on a W-CDMA network in Japan, so the iPhone Softbank is going to sell, must be a 3G UMTS/HSPA version. Softbank announced the iPhone to be available later this year.
Source: Engadget and AppleInsider
Ekitan just released 駅探ガジェット or Station searching Gadget (widget) for Windows Vista’s Sidebar. With this widget you can search, route and list timetables and prices all through Tokyo and the rest of Japan. This can be an extremly helpful application if you’re riding through Tokyo and need to know how much it costs to ride and transfer from Ueno to Ikebukuro for example. Watch a demo on their site and download the widget here.
Now, where is the widget for us Mac OS X users, Ekitan? Please don’t forget us!
火垂るの墓 (Hotaru No Haka) or Grave Of The Fireflies is going into reality. With a release scheduled for this year’s summer. I am waiting for it. The animation was very good, well, very sad. I have high hopes for this movie.
Thanks mari
Zojirushi comes up with a new gadget, the i-Pot CV-DA22, a hot water supply, as we all know it and love it. But this new model has wireless capabilities. If you are going out of home, just push a designated button on the machine, and you can track the usage of the supply from your mobile phone when you’re on the road. This can be especially very handy for parents and old folks. Nice one, Zoji!! Now, where the rice cooker with wireless capabilites and remote control (or is there already one)??
Source: Slashphone
Tomorrow is the release of Polysic’s new single Pretty Good, in Japan. Watch the video here (as long as it’s there).
Also got note today that the band’s releasing a new album called We Ate The Machine on 23th of April this year. Available in two flavors: Normal and Limited CD +DVD Edition. Well, your choice.
In a poll conducted by Mitsubishi Research Institute and Rakuten Research Inc. 5.2% out of 2200 respondents are very willing to buy an Apple iPhone when it comes available in Japan. 22.4% said, they are somewhat willing to buy. Interesting point here, the iPhone seems already very popular in Japan. There are 11.8% of people that would buy an iPhone even if they have to switch the provider.
[source: Kyodo News]
From today Yahoo Japan is cooperating with Apple Inc’s iTunes Music Store, replacing Sony’s Mora music download service. The old service can still be used, but visitors need to login and change the default to Sony’s download service as the iTunes Music Store is now set to default. For members of the Yahoo music pages this means they now have a prominent link to iTMS and a one-click access to the download service.
Well, this is a big Boo-Hoo for You for Sony and a even bigger Woo-Hoo for Yahoo.
Ufortunately, there were some earthquakes in Japan!
Hundreds of houses have been destroyed, about 200 people got injured. The extent of the destruction isn’t clear yet. Many households are cut off from water- und energysupplies.
We pray for they’re safety! 
Recorded that movie last week and watched it just yesterday. Rated at 18 and mostly described as a polit-porno. Arte, a french/german broadcasting channel, aired this flick in a series of other movies. Arte calls this series Trash (more info here). Well, I’m still trying to get the logic behind this movie. Altough I did follow the story (…), laughed here and there, I didn’t mean to keep the recorded DVD for anytime longer (maybe that’s why Arte calls it trash). As of today I changed my mind a bit as I approched myself searching in a DVD-Shop for this movie. Why? I don’t really know. So, if you ever wanted to enjoy a japanese soft porno with a soft politics touch (spoiler: George W. Bushs cut-off middlefinger and a north korean secret agency are also involved) then watch Hanai Sachiko no karei na shougai.
