A Hot Cup of Jack Squat » japan

iPhone Keeps Getting Better

admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:57:53 +0000

This piece of brilliance was created by Mobile Art Lab. So far it’s only available in Japan (the book frame through Amazon and the app through Japanese app store) and it turns the iPhone into an interactive kid’s book.

I love the creation of context around the phone that adds another dimension to the experience.

Ha ha ha ha

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:02:33 +0000

Without a doubt, I want one of these seal hats the next time I go to an aquarium. I’m not kidding.

Cheap 3D Thrills

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:24:49 +0000

In honor of the Consumer Electronic Show starting today and all those 3D televisions everyone is so fired up about (my electronics obsolescence is practically becoming a monthly issue now), here’s a little 3D for those of us who aren’t ready to chuck their somewhat-recently-acquired giant flat screen HD TVs.

Apparently 3D is not that new, back in the late 18 and early 1900s, a photographer named T. Enami was taking 3D stereoview photographs of life in Japan during the Meiji period. The website Pink Tentacle has these handpainted photos posted and as animated gifs so that the three-dimensional effect of looking through the stereoview’s two different lenses is replicated by switching between the two images. You’ll be looking at a photo of an ancient culture, but dimensionalized. It’s not something you’ve seen before and is worth a look. The image I’ve posted here doesn’t reflect the 3D-ness because it’s not animated. It just gives you a taste of the images you can see there.

Starbucks-San

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:07:53 +0000

When it comes to Starbucks, I zag when others zig. Well, I go there…which… means I’m zigging with the rest of them. But I go there happily without I’m-too-cool bitching about it. (that’s the zag.) Seriously – have you ever driven through a town and needed a decent caffeine jolt and there was no Starbucks around? Trust me, you get all wild-eyed and start panicking out loud about what godforsaken corner of the uncivilized desert you’ve wandered into. Plus let us thank Starbucks for being the only mass business that gave us a taste of European cafe culture – the “go ahead and hang out as long as you like.” Up until then, the minute your butt hit a seat in any kind of restaurant or business, you were on their GTFO timer. (you can figure out those initials.)

But I dare say…if Starbucks would open stores like THIS in the U.S. – all those warbling hipsters would STFU. (whew – I’m all about f-bomb acronyms today) These are photos taken from a Starbucks concept store in Kamakura Japan. It’s just like any other Starbucks – open space, high ceilings, terraced seating around a pool. Yeah – a pool. Of course if this was in the States – you would inevitably find straw paper, sugar packets and a turd floating in the pool.

Want it.

Strike Hai!

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:19:52 +0000

On the surface – sure it seems like another silly Japanese game show stunt. But it’s pretty damn impressive. This samurai swordsman (woman?) has the sword holstered when the ball comes screaming out of the pitching machine. Not bad Grasshopper!

Hey speaking of which – has anyone seen that the Japanese show Silent Library is going to be on MTV this summer? Can it be as funny as the original? Methinks not.