When you’re a little kid, any slightly long object turns into your own personal phone. The remote control, a banana, maybe even a sausage have all served as substitute talking devices for children not quite old enough to have their own fully-functional mobile device. But frozen treats, no matter how perfectly sized, have always been out of reach as a play phone, transforming into a puddle of sticky goo before the purple dragon had his turn to talk. But now you can be the envy of all those 5-year-olds yammering like fools on their pickle phones with the icePhone case that looks like a real crunch bar or popsicle.
iPhone (Page 6)
Have a hankering for some yakiniku (grilled meat) but don’t have enough money? Just supplement your meal with scented air. That’s what one Japanese company is suggesting with their new Hana Yakiniku, or “Nose Grilled Meat” system. Just plug the specially-made scent cartridge into your smartphone, download the app and you’re on your way to a cheap and (questionably) satisfying meal.
Released earlier this month, the latest iteration of Apple’s operating system for mobile devices, iOS 7, boasts a sleek, vivid interface that is certainly quite a departure from previous iPhone software. Although the majority of Apple’s customers will likely be more than satisfied with both the OS’s stylistic and functional changes, some Korean citizens have taken issue with iOS 7’s Maps application, which refers to the islets located between Japan and Korea – over which there has been much debate – by the Japanese name of Takeshima.
Smartphones and tablet devices have proven themselves to be viable gaming platforms… as long as the game suits it. While games like Angry Birds work perfectly, old school gamers (which is probably all of us in this instance) can’t help but struggle with the virtual D-pad and buttons we’ve grown accustomed to in other genres like action games.
So along comes Buttons Anywhere to bring us back that loving feeling of 3D plastic buttons to games like Street Fighter and GTA on the touch screens of newer devices.
In the early days of the iPhone in Japan it was under an exclusive contract with telecoms giant Softbank, which gradually gave way to AU availability as well. This left NTT’s Docomo, as the only big mobile carrier without any Apple product of its own.
However, coinciding with the Japanese launch of the new iPhone5S and iPhone5C today, Docomo has finally jumped on the iPhone bandwagon and is carrying the unit that so many people have been clamouring for. No one was more thrilled at the news then our own Mr. Sato, a long time Docomo subscriber. So he headed down to the Docomo store in Marunouchi to get one as soon as it came out. Turns out he was their very first customer.
These days technology seems to be getting more and more closed off from the consumers that use it. Back in the day you easily could pull out a screwdriver and fix the gear on your Walkman by yourself after it chewed up your new jack swing mix-tape.
Now you wouldn’t know how to pop open an iPhone, even if you wanted to void the warranty. This is why problems like this lady’s have got me baffled. In her video titled The Case of My iPhone Gasping While Charging After a Long Time we can watch an iPhone make sounds not unlike Police Academy’s Michael Winslow when charging from 0%.
Whether it’s people worrying about the NSA stealing all the cookies from their cookie jars or a generous gent hiding his identity, it seems that privacy is all over the news these days. And while we could argue the merits and demerits of living in a surveillance society, we can probably all agree that there’s nothing more annoying than people looking at your phone screen over your shoulder!
Of course, privacy-protecting films for phones have been around almost as long as cell phones have, but this one takes your privacy to heart and makes sure no one sees your business…
You’ve been through a bubble wrap case, iPhone underpants, and even talked to your friend using a piece of toast, but those are just fads. You want something that will stand the test of time. Well, every little kid has used a banana as a phone, so why not transform your iPhone into a banana? It’s timeless.
How one prefers their fried eggs cooked is about as divisive an issue as whether Batman or Wolverine would win in a fight. Many a surprise anniversary breakfast in bed has no doubt ended in bitter tears due to fried eggs being prepared in the incorrect way.
But you can avoid this unnecessary situation and show solidarity with fellow runny egg lovers with this new “egg in a basket” iPhone 5 case. Just snap your iPhone inside and share the other half with your runny egg soul mate; then, by clicking the two halves together as a secret greeting, you can baffle and enrage all those cretinous fully cooked yolk lovers at the diner.
That’s right, Kodansha’s super popular manga series Shingeki no Kyojin: Attack on Titan has teamed up with Yahoo! Japan to bring Japanese smart phone users a terrifying titan-themed search engine!
Imagine the world overrun with enormous humanoid monsters whose sole purpose seems to be extinguishing the human race. What can anyone do to stop the carnage? The answer to that question is what the remaining humans on the planet have to find out in Hajime Isayama’s manga-turned-anime series, Shingeki no Kyojin: Attack on Titan.
Looking for a fresh pair of undies for your smartphone? We thought so! Bandai has just announced a new line up of their hugely popular SmartPants brand smartphone underwear. This time, SmartPants2 come in eight new designs, a pixelized home button sticker, and a exceptionally weird promotional video.
Remember Google Nose? No, we don’t either, because it was just an April Fool’s joke. But, naturally, a Japanese company has taken the idea way too seriously, and is set to release a bizarre new plug-in device for your smartphone. Read More
Japan is to mascots what Broadway is to theatre or what France is to bicycle racing, and in Japan the Phantom of the Opera or [*name removed*] of mascots has got to be Domo-kun (simply “Domo” in other countries).
From his humble beginnings as a mascot for Japan’s national broadcaster he has achieved international notoriety and an ever expanding line of merchandise. Now, iPhone holding Domo fans may rejoice with the upcoming release of the cute and useful “iPhone Supported Smart Stuffed Toy: iDomo-kun.”
With almost 40 percent of mobile phones in Japan now smart phones, people are constantly striving to find new ways to jazz up their iPhones and Android devices. As we’ve seen over the last few weeks here on RocketNews24, the popularity of character-based earphone jack plugs continues to rise, with even Disney hoping to cash in on the trend. The imaginative video game lovers over at Japan’s Gold Rush, however, have something better in mind.
Someone finally “went there.”
Presenting SmartPants, a pair of underpants that covers up your iPhone’s home button. I guess if your iPhone were to have private parts, they would be located on the home button…
Japanese telecommunications company SoftBank is seemingly never out of the news recently. In the past seven days, we’ve seen CEO Masayoshi Son put down a heckler on Twitter, offer his employees up to a month’s pay for mastering English, and now the company comes out with a genuinely wonderful free app for iOS in celebration of being Japan’s most popular telecommunications provider for five years running.
Officially titled 「ラップお父さん」 “Rappu Otousan” (lit. rap dad), the application is essentially a sound board filled with memorable lines uttered by members of SoftBank’s fictional White Family, as seen in commercials. As well as allowing users to annoy friends with one-liners like “Shut it!”, “What’s so funny!?” and even the company CEO’s famous “Let’s do it!” line, users can play and mix a variety of prerecorded rhythm tracks, making this app by far the most wonderful time-waster we’ve discovered so far this year.
Shota Mori is a man with a dream – a dream many young males have fantasized about: making a gun pop out of your sleeve. Known as a sleeve gun, these cool yet largely impractical devices have been featured in the many badass movies such as Taxi Driver, Desperado, and Alien Resurrection.
However, with a nationwide ban on guns, Mr. Mori opted for everyday items like his iPhone, train pass, and toy drums. What began as a simple DIY project, however, had grown into something much bigger. Documented in a series of videos titled Sleeve iPhone it became a journey of self-realization for the man and a lesson for all of us to follow our dreams.
Here’s an awkward situation I’m sure we’ve all had to deal with at one point or another.
Your recently-divorced out-of-the-closet father with a thing for guys in uniform has begun bringing home high ranking military officials.
You want to show these officers and gentlemen their due respect, but every time you go to salute your lack of technique makes them look at you like you’re some kind of dirty hippy. That scornful glare cast by a Rear Admiral as he flings on a feather boa is just the worst.
Luckily, the modern incarnation of the Japanese Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) put together a free iPhone app and instructional video to teach the proper way to salute. The iPhone app called Salute Trainer also measures your saluting ability in detail and gives you a score and military style ranking.
We’re sure that there are plenty of people out there who enjoyed just a smidgen too much alcohol or Christmas pudding over holidays and ended up glued to the toilet as a result. Or, if you’re situated in this writer’s native UK, perhaps you’ve recently become acquainted with the chuckle-fest that is Noro virus as it sweeps through the nation like a modern-day diarrhoea and vomit-sponsored Beatlemania.
Well now you can relive that episode of gastric hell on earth with these cute earphone jack stoppers featuring tiny black and white plastic figures clinging to the toilet for dear life while appealing to the gods to “let it stop, oh please let it stop!”
Sony’s recent publicly-announced warning not to put your gaming console in the microwave, has left most of the online community completely lost for words. If you happen to be the owner of a Sony gaming console, placing it in the microwave only to fry the hell of it is surely the last thing on your agenda. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that such reports have recently been doing the rounds on the net. Frying your treasured gaming console obviously defies all forms of common sense and I’m sure most of you will be racking your brains as to whom and under what circumstances would do such a thing.
So just why would Sony issue such a bizarre warning? In short, Sony appears only to be going by the facts, or should we say the evidence that remains resident on the game console after being submitted for repair:
“Of the defective products received by Sony, we have detected on some rate occasions evident changes in the shape of the unit and even burn marks that can only be assumed to have been brought about by the use of an electrical appliance such as a hairdryer or microwave”.
Sony adds, “Heating up your game console leads not only to a defective unit but also creates the risk of a fire or even serious injury”.
Whilst there is much speculation and even theories out there as to why game users would resort to such an act, hard evidence is much lacking.
So just what are some of these theories?
Forget about sending your broken game console to Sony: if you have a hairdryer at hand, repair it yourself the D.I.Y way! – Or so the ‘hairdryer method’ would have you believe!


















McDonald’s Japan partners with anime English teacher, but did they commit a cultural error?[Video]
Three beautiful places to see Japan’s plum blossoms after starting your day in downtown Tokyo
Ramen shop manager arrested for punching self in the face and pretending he was robbed
Japan’s most famous Mt. Fuji view park cancels cherry blossom festival because of overtourism
Huge Evangelion Unit-01 head appearing in lights in Japan to celebrate anime’s 30th anniversary
Enjoy Kyoto (Part 3) — The ultimate breakfast? Try $45 rice porridge at a 400-year-old restaurant
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Naruto jerseys coming to Major Leage Baseball theme nights, Hello Kitty to take over a field
Abandoned Japanese houses transformed into stunning modern homes
Updated Japan cherry blossom forecast maps move up predicted start of sakura season
Yokai are descending upon Tokyo this spring in the latest immersive art experience
New Studio Ghibli stamps leave an impression on your stationery…and your heart
Cherry blossom forecasts map shows Japan’s OTHER sakura season is starting right now
Japan cherry blossom forecast update moves up sakura dates for many parts of the country
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting the lines at a popular Tokyo gyukatsu restaurant?
Morning-after pill finally available in Japan without a prescription, must be taken at pharmacy
Japanese women sound off on their minimum height requirements for a husband【Survey】
Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free
Japanese man gets drunk and falls asleep on Tokyo streets, then gets robbed by foreign national
And now, we eat a bear paw we bought in Japan’s Chiba Prefecture【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Japan releases first official sakura cherry blossom forecast for 2026
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning looks to be affecting tourist crowds on Miyajima
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Studio Ghibli releases new “komorebi” plush toys from Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Enjoy Kyoto (Part 3) — The ultimate breakfast? Try $45 rice porridge at a 400-year-old restaurant
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Naruto jerseys coming to Major Leage Baseball theme nights, Hello Kitty to take over a field
Abandoned Japanese houses transformed into stunning modern homes
Updated Japan cherry blossom forecast maps move up predicted start of sakura season
Act of Japanese kindness touches one man’s heart, provides hope for elevator etiquette
A chain of “welding theme parks” is opening in Japan
W.T.F. Japan: Top 5 kanji with ironic meanings【Weird Top Five】
The 10 most attractive Japanese women’s names, as chosen by dating app users
Japan’s job-quitting service claims bosses contact it to try to make their employees quit
Kyoto planning surprise late-night inspections of Airbnb-style rentals to fight overtourism
Japan’s Shinkansen trains are getting a Super Mario makeover【Pics】
Japan’s suicides fall to lowest recorded number ever, but one demographic hits all-time high
Trouble making friends? Sticker collecting works surprisingly well