Cigarette Vending Machines That Can Check Age

Trust the Japanese to make use of technology for very practical reasons. This is, in fact, one of their strongest points, in my mind. They have been gifted with the aptitude for innovations when it comes to technology and they have not hesitated to make use of it. As simple as things may be, the Japanese are known to be able to create applications that are quite useful.

One of the latest things that the government is working on is to enable their cigarette vending machines to be able to check the age of the buyer using his or her driver’s license. An AP article gives more information:

The Finance Ministry plans to allow a new type of cigarette vending machine that accepts driving licenses for age verification, in addition to those that read “taspo” smart cards, sources close to the matter said Sunday.

The move is planned because vending machines with the taspo card function have proved unpopular, probably due to the extra procedures required to obtain the integrated circuit card, they said.

In order to prevent underage smoking, Japan plans to restrict access to cigarette vending machines to adults carrying taspo cards by July.

Vending machines that check a buyer’s age by reading a taspo card have already been introduced in some areas, including Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures.

But according to the Tobacco Institute of Japan, only 8 percent of the around 26 million smokers had applied for the cards as of April 13.

To obtain the taspo IC cards, consumers need to fill out applications distributed by tobacco shops and to mail them to a designated address together with copies of personal identification papers such as a driving license.

The new type of vending machine, to be approved by the ministry, can verify a cigarette buyer’s birth date when a driving license is inserted in it, they said.

New device for portable karaoke

The Japanese love to karaoke. It could probably even be considered as the national pastime. This love for singing in public (to the usual detriment of the ears of people within listening distance) could only mean that the Japanese will try to develop gadgets that would take karaoke to different platforms.

Take for example the portable karaoke handset that was developed by Logictec. The device, which could be attached to MP3 players like the iPod is the answer to karaoke lovers who just cannot wait to go to karaoke clubs to get their groove on. By attaching the device to the earphone plug of a digital music player you can now sing along with the music in the player. An added bonus is the built in FM radio transmitter that would beam the signal to a nearby radio, effectively widening the range in bad singers can irritate people.

Toshiba to use Sony’s Cell processor on its TVs

Flat screen TVs are probably the most sought after electronic equipment in the world today. Everyone wants to jump into the digital age and dump their oh-so-primitive CRT TVs for the space and electricity saving plasma or LCD displays. With digital broadcasting already in place in many countries (or about to be implemented in some) now is a great time to get those TVs.

But Japan’s Toshiba is upping the ante in terms of technological competition. The company is now going to use the Sony Playstation 3’s much vaunted Cell processor in their TVs. The addition of the chip is expected to bring more visual and graphical bang to Toshiba’s TVs. The company has already released prototypes of its TVs with the Cell processor attached to it and it has extended the capabilities of HD TVs by incorporating new features like multiple windowed channels that are shown all at once. This allows you to choose the channel much like flicking through thumbnails on your computer. Standard broadcasts are also enhanced to near HD quality. It also offers a much improved interface that is commonly found in media center computers.

No word yet on when these TVs will be made available to consumers.

Robots taking care of senior citizens

In Katsuhiro Otomo’s anime Roujin - Z, caring for the elderly has become such an issue that a robotic bed system was developed in order to take care of them.

Now, in what looks like another case of life imitating art, the Japanese are beginning to use the help of robots in caring for the elderly and the sick.

These robots may not look as sleek as the humanoid like drones developed by Honda or even as technologically advanced as the bed system in Otomo’s Roujin Z, but nevertheless, this system is helping in giving care to the elderly in their own unique way.

The robot, a product made by the Business Design Laboratory Co., is called Yorisoi ifbot and it can “talk” to its users. The 604,800 yen priced device’s main purpose is to help entertain children but it has gained a lot of demand from senior citizens and families who take care of a senior family member.

The robot cannot only respond to greetings by the owner, it can also ask riddles or sing songs as a way of stimulating the brain functions of the elderly.

Another robot that is in the market is the Chapit, developed by Ray Tron, Inc. This robot actually helps the elderly in operating various equipment inside their homes. The robot eliminates the confusion that the elderly feel when trying to operate so many different devices at home.

Panasonic presents bumper cam

Navigating the tiny streets of Japan can be so cumbersome but then any small street would always be a pain to drive in no matter the country. But probably one of the toughest things to do when in a car is parking it especially in spaces where the fit is just too tight that you really can’t see where you’re going and estimating the distance from the wall or another vehicle is just so tough.

But Panasonic has formed a solution for the dilemma by now selling a small camera that you can attach to the rear bumper of your car. The camera is then attached to a small monitor that is installed on the car dashboard. With this setup, parking becomes idiot proof. The great thing is that Panasonic is also selling the product in different colors so it will match the color of your car. Isn’t it ingenious?

Bake your pizza on your stove

Here’s another product from the school of Japanese “can do” ingenuity.

The Japanese has developed an ongoing love affair with pizza. Many people love the traditional Italian variants but then there are also some who have an affinity for a more decidedly more Japanese tasting ingredient combinations (like squid!). This Pizzeria now allows you to actually make whatever kind of pizza you want from the comfort of your own home. The product is actually a ceramic oven that you can put on your stove burner. No more need for an actual oven and the stone slab to make the crust crispy. This thing does it all and it is quite convenient to use. The small size is also perfect for the cramped Japanese kitchen.

The Pizzeria is being sold by Hakuho-web.com.

You no longer need a huge oven to make pizzas at home. With Pizzeria, a new ceramic oven, you can make hand-made pizza on the stove burner. It is very easy to use. Just put the pizza crust and toppings inside the Pizzeria, set for 300 degrees C and let it do the rest.

Swarovski decorated Mickey Mouse digital player

A few years ago, Swarovski crystals were considered too cool for school. Everyone wanted one and it was tacked on to anything and everything you could think of. With Swarovski’s well past the saturation level and currently experiencing a “been there, done that” reputation, it was a natural move for it to pair with another brand that has acquired the same feel — Disney characters. The 1GB Swarovski encrusted Mickey Mouse inspired MP3 player comes from the creative minds of iRiver Japan and is a part of a five-design collection.

The player will come in either blue, pink, black, white and silver and can even be worn like a pendant. There’s no denying though that anyone who gets this should also have “cheesy” tattooed on their forehead.

Samsung releases dedicated VoIP displays

VoIP has really taken the world by storm, so much so that different devices that take advantage of the technology is being developed at a steady pace.

Take for example this new device from Samsung that is really an ingenious way of taking advantage of VoIP. The new device joins together an internet VoIP phone and a regular computer monitor as a means of saving up space and yet maximizing VoIP’s potential.

The SyncMaster 220TN and the 225UW are both 22 inch displays that can run a version of Windows XP without any CPU. Each display has a500mhz CPU attached to it. It also has a 2 megapixel webcam, a microphone, speakers, and the necessary software needed in order to chat online through a plugged in network cable. The main difference between the two models is that the 22TN is operated through a proprietary VoIP software while the 225UW can use Skype and other VoIP applications.

PSP to be offered in Red

The new slim PSP could be one of the hottest gifts this coming Christmas. The new svelte look for the Sony PSP really suits it well and makes it a sleeker looking gadget. The new colors (blue, silver and pink aside from black and white) are also making it a more visually desirable product.

But now you can also add red to the color offerings for the PSP. The new color — officially called Deep Red — will become available this December 13. With new peripherals and uses being given to the PSP (cameras, GPS, TV tuners) the PSP may just have a few more years added to its lifespan.

Panasonic releases first Viera-branded phone

When Sony-Ericsson released its first mobile phone which carried the Cybershot and Walkman brands, I knew that intra-company cross branding will become more and more prevalent.

Panasonic has now taken a page from Sony’s marketing book by launching mobile phone that features technology that the company uses for its TV screens that result in high quality video displays. The P905i will be Panasonic’s first mobile phone that will also carry the Viera brand. The handset will be able to receive an exclusive digital TV broadcasting system that is widely available in some of the major cities in Japan. The system is called one-seg broadcasting. The phone can also be operated in both W-CDMA and GSM mobile networks and will also possess bluetooth and GPS features.

The Panasonic P905i will be distributed by leading Japanese mobile provider NTT DoCoMo.