Plusgain VOLX Palette U-MP3

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Plusgain, from Japan, announced the new VOLX Palette U-MP3 music player with 4GB internal memory. Available in 7 colors, the VOLX Palette U-MP3 supports both MP3 and WMA audio files. It uses USB interface and works with Windows. The integrated rechargeable battery offers up to three hours of play time.

PURASUGEIN Inc., capacity 4GB audio player with built-in flash memory "VOLX Palette U-MP3 Player 4GB" the 12 to start the sale from late Monday. Two shipments in 2009 and since mid-October. Direct selling price is 2,980 yen.

Weight 7g, dimensions 46 × 15.5 × 9 (vertical × side × thickness) and lightweight, 4GB flash memory built-in audio player. Black, blue, candy red, pink, TAKOIZUBURU, white, green apple for a seven-color variations. Supported OS is Windows Me/2000/XP/Vista.

Playback Formats MP3 (8 ~ 320kbps) and WMA (32 ~ 384kbps) support. The cap of the unit features USB 2.0 connectors, and can charge and transfer music directly to a PC slot. USB mass storage class support, transfer of music is performed in drag and drop. Charging time is approximately three hours and can play up to three hours.

Resume function. Earphone lanyard type of accessories is that you can use a player put on his neck.

[impress]

Source: http://www.itechnews.net/2008/12/23/plusgain-volx-palette-u-mp3-player/

Bula Stereohead

BULA presents the STEREOHEAD earphone and hat combos. There are three models available, the Sound Master, the Power Up and the Intro. They have different styles of hats such as beanie, lex cap, and Peruvian.

The Sound Master has a max input of 150MW, 20Hz frequency response, 32ohm and 40mm driver diameter. The Power Up and the Intro both accpet max input of 100MW. The Intro has a 30mm driver.

Warm head, top shredding tunes and well tasty headwear, what more could you want? (Apart from endless days of champagne powder and bluebird skies, but money can't buy the weather). Bula Stereo head hats are an all-in-one package for music-filled days on the hill.

[BULA]

Source: http://www.itechnews.net/2008/

Maid Robot From Japan

Scientists in Japan have created a maid robot that mops, does the laundry and cleans the kitchen. Officially called the ‘Assistant Robot’ or “AR”, the robot was created by Tokyo University’s Information and Robot Technology (IRT) and Japanese technology and robotics companies including Toyota Corp, Sega, Panasonic and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The maid robot is 1.5m tall and weighs 130kg. The maid robot can “see” three dimensional objects and locate them as well as recognizing when a job has not been completed properly and move to complete it. Doing laundry is said to be one the robot’s strongest assets. It can find a dirty shirt, throw it into a washing machine and push the buttons to wash and rinse and spin dry clothes.

But those who think this might be the answer to their cleaning woes can't rejoice just yet. The research centre says it will be another decade or two before the robot can be mass-produced.

The robot is being designed to assist Japan’s aging population to do main household chores.

The scientists say they are still more than 10 years away from mass producing these robots so until then, otaku can still visit Akihabara and visit their favorite maids in their cafes.

Source: http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/category/japan-technology/

LED on the walls, floor… ubiquitously!

Light up your life! Light keeps on illuminating our life in surprising ways. Light emitting diodes, commonly called LEDs, are real unsung heroes in the electronics world. Illustrious designer Ingo Maurer at the Spazio Krizia 2006 in Milan presented his bright LED creations which included Wallpaper, Carpet, and Table with adjustable colored LED's. Wall and floor décor choice has never been so diverse. Identifying the need to move with the changing demands of the consumer, from lighting prospective, the future seems to be bright. Says Ingo, “New technologies and materials constantly spark my interest and imagination. We work with highly innovative technology – as well as simple materials – to give form to my aesthetical ideas, sometimes called poetic.”

Here is LED magic carpet of green circuit boards and LEDs suspended from the ceiling.

Take a close up look at this Luminous table.

Source: http://www.luxurylaunches.com/

See Details in: http://mocoloco.com/archives/002534.php

Music Mug

Not a whole lot to say about the MusicMug from Idea International that you can't guess from the pictures. Or the name, for that matter.

It's a ceramic mug with an integrated (passive) speaker on the bottom. Plug the cable into your iPod or other portable audio device, put it in the cup, and you've got a portable audio system fit for even the most spartan of living environments. As for why the mug doesn't have a handle, Idea International's Chief Designer, Masato Tokuno, stated in the below interview with ITmedia that he didn't want people mistaking the MusicMug for a coffee mug, pouring coffee all over their music player. Likewise, he didn't want people to have to worry about where to grab the MusicMug when transporting it. Retails for 3,990 yen.

source:http://www.techjapan.com/

MUSIC THAT COMES WHEN YOU CALL

MUSIC THAT COMES WHEN YOU CALL
Robot Takes Music Where You Want to Hear It (December 15, 2006)
source: http://web-japan.org/

The robot can play a particular track at a set time. (c) 2006 ZMP INC.

There is now a robot that will come over to you and play music with just the push of a button on a remote control. ZMP Inc., a startup company that develops and sells humanoid robots, released the "miuro" in December 2006. It is the first such product capable of autonomous movement to go on sale anywhere in the world.

Mobile-Phone Controlled
The small robot "miuro," which contains a music player, is essentially a moving stereo. It measures 35 cm across and 22 cm high, it weighs 5 kg, and it moves on two wheels. Priced at an affordable ¥108,800 ($907 at ¥120 to the dollar), with the purchase of an add-on package for ¥19,800 ($165) users with a computer and wireless LAN can enjoy having the robot autonomously navigate their house using onboard cameras and sensors, finding its own way to the living room and other preprogrammed locations. For example, it could be used in place of an alarm clock, moving into your bedroom and waking you up with the song of your choice in the morning.

Miuro blends into your living room. (c) 2006 ZMP INC.

The miuro uses a lithium battery that allows up to four hours of use on a single two-hour charge. It is operated by means of an infrared remote control, but it is also possible to give it instructions using a mobile phone. Using the remote control, the user can select and play music taken from an mp3 player, a computer, or Internet radio. On top of that, when users are away, they can keep tabs on what is happening at home by instructing the miuro go to a preprogrammed location, take a photo, and email it to them.

A yellow miuro. (c) 2006 ZMP INC.

An Integral Part of Life
Industrial robots account for most of Japan's robot market at present. When Sony Corp. released the dog-like robot AIBO in 1999 for home use, sales were not as good as expected, and the company later halted production. Robots that feature human-like intelligence and those that can walk on two legs are still in the development stages, and those that are available remain too expensive for ordinary consumers to purchase.

The miuro, however, is priced affordably enough for most households. A company spokesperson explains: "Robots had previously attracted attention just for being able to move. What we're trying to do is make this kind of robot a part of everyday life, showing people a new kind of lifestyle."

source: http://web-japan.org/