electronics
Testing the highest-quality earphones from Daiso and the rest of Japan’s lowest-priced stores.
Can 300 yen (US$2.26) headphones actually have enough difference in sound quality to be distinguished?
Japanese company’s gadget for summoning life force for your devices is awesome…but maybe too awesome to be real.
It’s amazing how much technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Companies continually strive to outdo one another by bringing us the latest modern conveniences and seeking to create new and unique gizmos that we won’t want to live without. That said, there are times when we seem to rely on technology more than we need to, and when it feels like companies release new devices without much of a goal in mind besides trying to be different..
A trait of good business leaders is that however high they rise in the company, they never overlook the organization’s frontline operations. It’s important, even for presidents and CEOs, to understand how low-level employees go about their tasks and the manner in which products are purchased and used.
According to accusations from Korean electronics maker Samsung, though, a senior executive from rival LG Electronics got a little too zealous in his point-of-sale activities when he stopped by a retailer and broke one of Samsung’s display models.
Amazon Japan decided to hold its own Cyber Monday sale a few weeks after the North American counterpart. Through the campaign and sales data, they have announced the 20 most wanted Christmas presents in Japan. Clinching the top spot was none other than Sony’s PlayStation 4 which while not the dazzling success that it has been outside Japan has seen strong sales numbers since launch.
But what else do the people of Japan really want this Christmas? Check out the rest of the list below!
For some people, earphones are as much about carving out a little privacy as they are listening to music. Pop in a pair, and only the pushiest of individuals will try to engage you in a conversation, meaning you’re largely left alone in a bubble of just you and your favorite tunes.
But no matter how unappealing you may find the prospect of another human being encroaching on your psychological personal space, we think just about anyone would make an exception and be happy to have these cute little cat-shaped earphone clips in close proximity.
The Olympics gives the world’s most talented athletes a chance to show their abilities to people all over the globe. It also gives the world’s most wealthy marketers a chance to show their products to that same audience.
Among the Games’ biggest sponsors is Samsung, whose Galaxy Note 3 was granted the title of official phone of the Sochi Olympics in thanks of its manufacturer’s generosity. Some reports are claiming that the Korean electronics maker isn’t showing a respect for healthy competition, though, by asking athletes with iPhones to make sure they cover the Apple logo when on-camera.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014 is currently underway over in Las Vegas, giving the industry’s big players a chance to flaunt their wares and drum up publicity for the coming year. With so much shiny new tech on show, it will be difficult to pick an overall winner, but Samsung’s presentation earlier today with special guest world-famous director Michael Bay will no doubt go down as most memorable, though not as the South Korean company might have hoped.
There to discuss Samsung’s gorgeous new 150-inch curved TV set, the Transformers director fluffed his lines and promptly marched off stage, leaving executive vice president Joe Stinziano with little left to do but ask the audience to thank Mr. Bay for coming, prompting one of the most awkward rounds of applause in CES history.
No matter how shiny and slim your new smartphone is, no matter how high-definition a display it has, it’s still very much a slab of plastic and metal with a screen sitting in the middle. But what if your phone’s screen could wrap around the sides? Imagine if the edges of your tablet computer could also be used as a touch screen, removing the need for physical buttons entirely. Or how about a wrist watch whose strap could also function as a display?
Imagine no more: Japan’s SEL is already producing that very technology, and it’s positively droolworthy.
Samsung is known the world over for its stylish, high-quality products, but we doubt that anyone could have predicted the latest creation from Korea’s premier electronics maker. Let us introduce you to a brand new range of eco-friendly printers that are all inspired by none other than the art of origami.
Thanko, Japan’s self-proclaimed “rare things shop,” is now selling a glove that allows users to control a computer or Android device using hand gestures.

















Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese vending machine sells freshly squeezed lemon juice with a futuristic light show
Pokémon comes to McDonald’s Japan for new Happy Meals toys, brings every generation’s starters
Tokyo’s Haneda Airport airlines announce stricter luggage check-in deadline for domestic flights
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Is covering your entire upper body with cooling strips enough to fend off Japan’s summer heat?
Coco’s Japan is very confident in their chilled ramen, but should they be? [Taste test]
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store sandwiches with a wild new choc-mint variety
Studio Ghibli’s No Face twirls to sound of Spirited Away’s theme song in beautiful accessory box
Toyota Museum’s international retro vehicle parade returns to Aichi this autumn
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever gacha capsule toys, featuring iconic menu items as plush coffee charms
7-Eleven Japan adds new chocolate fruit gummies to its sweets range, but are they worth the hype?
Kyoto receives more foreign tourists than ever before, but fewer visitors say they’ll return
7-Eleven Japan now offering baked-in-store pizza by the slice with two very different topping sets
Starbucks Japan opens new store inside historic seaside quarantine station near Tokyo
Foreign tourists in Japan eat far more rice than previously thought, according to new data
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Is covering your entire upper body with cooling strips enough to fend off Japan’s summer heat?
Coco’s Japan is very confident in their chilled ramen, but should they be? [Taste test]
7-Eleven Japan rethinks convenience store sandwiches with a wild new choc-mint variety
Studio Ghibli’s No Face twirls to sound of Spirited Away’s theme song in beautiful accessory box
Toyota Museum’s international retro vehicle parade returns to Aichi this autumn
Sanrio characters join forces with your favorite Japanese snack mascots as prizes at Family Mart
Japan’s favorite popsicles add multilingual packaging to better connect with foreign tourists
Sweet dreams are made of cheese at this all-you-can-eat cheese and doria restaurant
7-Eleven Japan adds new chocolate fruit gummies to its sweets range, but are they worth the hype?
Japan’s Super Volunteer, 86-year-old Haruo Obata, heads to the Kumamoto earthquake site
Live-action Princess Mononoke is coming to streaming as a live event, previews look amazing [Video]
We tried Starbucks Japan’s new coffee for people who don’t drink coffee
Daiso now sells stress-relief punching bags, but are they worth beating on?
Godiva Japan gets into the shaved ice scene with two luxurious frozen desserts this summer