Stephen Crane

Dec - 6th - KDDI also plans to develop set-top boxes to run smartphone apps on televisions.

2011-12-06T11:16:00.001Z

TOKYO – Telecoms operator KDDI is linking up with J:COM (Jupiter Telecommunications Co.), in which it holds a large stake, and other cable companies, to offer free calls and free cable installation.

Au Mobile customers will be offered free installation and free calls to KDDI landlines if they subscribe to cable. Beginning this month, six shops in the Tokyo area from KDDI’s au mobile carrier, will offer cable customers 5,000 yen ($64) in rebates and coupons for signing up with it.

The campaign will be expanded to 550 au shops across Japan during 2012.

KDDI is also planning to release new set-top boxes in summer 2012 that will allow customers to run smartphone applications on their TVs, using Google’s Android system.

KDDI and J:COM have been working on developing business synergies since the telecoms operator bought Liberty Global Media’s stake for $4 billion last year.

Dec 5th - Japan: Climate Change and Energy Updates

2011-12-05T14:53:00.001Z

Summary

Policy Updates

1. MOE calculate likely increase in CO2 emissions caused by shutdown of nuclear plants

2. Government decides framework for discussion of electricity reform

3. MOE plans an environmental tax on thermal power
4. Kyushu Electric restarts Genkai Nuclear Power Plant
5. PM Noda establishes National Policy Strategy Council as decision making committee on energy policy
6. MLIT plans to intensify energy saving obligations for newly constructed buildings and houses
7. Government submits a proposal on Rio+20 to the UN
8. Japan accelerates deployment of Smart Meters

Stakeholder engagement

9. UK’s nuclear policy presented at “Yomiuri-IEEJ Joint International Symposium on the Best Energy Portfolio and Nuclear Power”

10. Climate Change and Energy section supports the CDP Japan

Detail

Policy Updates

1. MOE calculate likely increase in CO2 emissions caused by shutdown of nuclear plants: MOE disclosed that if all of the 44 nuclear power plants were replaced by thermal power plants, annual CO2 emissions would raise by 150 to 170 million tons - a 12-14% increase from the 1990 level. This suggests the shutdown of nuclear power plants would make a large impact on climate change countermeasures. At the House of Councillors’ Environment Committee meeting on 27 October, Yoriko Kawaguchi (LDP, former Minister of Environment) emphasised the difficulty of achieving the 25% GHGs emission reduction target and the need to revise it.

2. Government decides framework for discussion of electricity reform:

Minister of Economics, Trade and Industry Edano announced that a closed task force to discuss electricity market reform will be established within METI. Edano will chair, with the participation of senior officials including Vice Ministers. Starting November, they will invite experts to exchange opinions and produce a list of proposals by the end of this year.
The Ministerial-level Electricity Reform Committee, chaired by Chief Cabinet Secretary Fujimura held its first meeting. The committee will discuss mid and long term electricity reform, while the Energy and Environment Council deals with the discussion about the best energy mix.

3. MOE plans an environmental tax on thermal power: MOE is planning to apply JPY 0.1 to 0.3 per 1 kW (£0.0007) of environmental tax (climate change tax) to thermal power. In total, tax revenue will be about JPY 240 billion (£1.8 billion) and will be used to reduce CO2 emissions. Originally, the tax scheme was due to be introduced in October 2011 but was postponed to 1 April 2012.

4. Kyushu Electric restarts Genkai Nuclear Power Plant: Kyushu Electric re-started the No.4 nuclear reactor of Genkai Nuclear Power Plant (PWR, 1.18 million kW). The reactor had stopped due to problems with the condenser on 4 October. It is the first reactor to resume operations in Japan since the Fukushima accident.

5. PM Noda establishes National Policy Strategy Council as decision making committee on energy policy: At the 1st meeting of National Policy Strategy Council, it was decided to transfer the Energy and Environment Council, currently under the Government Panel of New Growth Strategies which will be abolished, to the National Policy Strategy Council. PM Noda, who chairs the Council, suggested that the Council should take the role of ‘commander of Japan’s regeneration’ and discuss various policy issues including budgets.

6. MLIT plans to intensify energy saving obligations for newly constructed buildings and houses: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) is considering obliging newly constructed buildings and houses to meet an energy saving standard by 2020. MLIT will ask construction companies to apply a certain level of energy saving standards. Currently, about 60% of newly constructed houses do not meet the energy saving standard. MLIT plans to phase in schemes such as tax deduction for energy saving houses starting next year.

7. Government submits a proposal on Rio+20 to the UN: Eyeing the upcoming Rio +20, the Government submitted a proposal to achieve environmentally sound economic development to the UN on 31 October. The proposal describes keys to achieve sustainable development such as disaster prevention, smart cities, and green economy. Japan’s proposal is here: http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/announce/2011/10/1031_03.html (English)

8. Japan accelerates deployment of Smart Meters: According to the Government, 80% of the users of TEPCO, Chubu Electric, and KEPCO should have smart meters in 5 years time. Among other power companies’ users, it should also reach 60-70%. The Energy and Environment Council will include these smart meter installation ratios among power companies in the next 5 years as part of its action plan for energy demand stabilisation.

Stakeholder engagement

9. UK’s nuclear policy presented at “Yomiuri-IEEJ Joint International Symposium on the Best Energy Portfolio and Nuclear Power”: Lord Hutton delivered his video message on the UK’s current nuclear policy as well as its history among speeches from other high-profile speakers such as METI’s Senior Vice Minister, the Chair of Keidanren’s Committee on Energy and Resources and energy, and nuclear specialists from USA, Germany, France, China, Korea and Malaysia. Keith Franklin, the Embassy’s First Secretary and Nuclear Specialist on temporary secondment from NNL took part in Q&A and panel discussion on behalf of Lord Hutton.

10. Climate Change and Energy section supports the CDP Japan: the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), advocating climate change as central to business strategy, held the launch event of its Japan 500 Report. David Warren made opening remarks to over 400 attendees about the importance of carbon management and the incorporation of sustainability concepts into business strategies. The Embassy’s Climate Change and Energy Section had a discussion with Paul Simpson, CEO of the CDP on the financial sector’s role in creating a transition to the low carbon economy before hosting a seminar for CDP champions in Japan. The CDP felt a positive response from Japan.

Nov 14th - Japan's Economy Rises out of Earthquake Slump

2011-11-14T10:48:00.001Z

Japan's economy grew for the first time in four quarters in a comeback from the earthquake and tsunami disaster that already faces multiple global headwinds.

The world's No. 3 economy expanded at an annualized rate of 6 percent in the July-September period, driven by exports, the Cabinet Office said in a preliminary report Monday.

It was the first growth in four quarters. The result was in line with market forecasts, including Kyodo News agency's projection of 6.2 percent annualized growth.

"Having something as strong as hoped for is really good news," said Martin Schulz, senior economist at Fujitsu Research Institute in Tokyo. "Basically all parts of the economy were expanding. And this is extremely important because we see a slowdown internationally, which is already hitting exports."

While such a robust rebound is encouraging, it is unlikely to last.

"The situation surrounding our country's economy is becoming tougher as we see the recovery in overseas economies weakening and face the impact of the Thai flood, in addition to the yen's rapid rise," said economic and fiscal policy minister Motohisa Furukawa, according to Kyodo.

Economists expect GDP — a measure of the value of all goods and services produced domestically — to contract in the last three months of the year before turning moderately positive again next year.

Last week, Japan's lower house of parliament passed a 12.1 trillion yen ($157 billion) extra budget to help fund recovery efforts in Japan's tsunami-battered northeast. The budget also includes measures aimed at easing pressure from the yen's recent surge.

Considered a safe haven, the Japanese currency has hit record highs against the dollar this year amid intensifying worries about Europe and the U.S. The climb is particularly painful for exporters, whose overseas earnings shrink in value when repatriated.

The new government spending should help offset weaker overseas demand, said Kyohei Morita, chief economist at Barclays Capital in Tokyo.

"We maintain our view that Japan is likely to outpace other advanced economies in 2012," Morita said in a research note Monday.

The International Monetary Fund agrees. It estimates Japan's economy will expand 2.3 percent next year — the strongest growth forecast among the Group of Seven countries including the U.S., U.K. and Germany.

Japan's latest annualized GDP figure translates to growth of 1.5 percent from the previous quarter, according to the Cabinet Office.

Consumer spending, which accounts for some 60 percent of the economy, climbed 1 percent from the previous quarter. Capital investment by companies rose 1.1 percent. Exports jumped 6.2 percent.

The March 11 earthquake and tsunami killed thousands of people and wiped out large swathes of Japan's northeastern coast. The disasters damaged many factories in the region, causing severe shortages of parts and components for manufacturers across the country, including automakers.

The tsunami also crippled a nuclear power plant that triggered the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

Since then, the country has steadily fixed its factories and benefited from pent-up demand for Japanese goods such as cars.

Toyota Motor Corp.'s production had recovered to pre-tsunami levels by September, earlier than initial estimates. Output took another big hit due to the recent flooding in Thailand, but the automaker said last week production in Japan would return to near normal levels Nov. 21-25.

British Business Awards - A big thank you!

2011-11-08T02:53:00.000Z

I would like to thank everyone involved in my nomination for the British Business Awards 2011 in Tokyo on Friday evening. It is a huge honor and privilege to win the 'Person of the Year' award

and I will treasure this moment for a long time.

I have shared a short video of my big moment on my LinkedIn profile, or you can see it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/SteveCraneJapan .

Thanks for your support,
Sincerely,
Steve Crane

Nov 2nd - Japan - Economy: After the Earthquake

2011-11-02T14:28:00.003Z

See full online edition of this message from the British Embassy Tokyo here

Summary

The economy has recovered from the impact of the earthquake, but there are fears of US stagnation and Eurozone volatility.

Detail

Eight months on from the earthquake, the Japanese economy has shown remarkable resilience. Both production and exports quickly recovered to almost pre-earthquake levels in June.

There was widespread fear of major electricity disruption as a result of the closing down of nuclear power stations. But intense collective self-restraint saw electricity usage down 11% across the country (and 18% down in Tokyo) even in an unusually long, hot summer. As the Japanese showed in the 1970s' oil shocks, they have a remarkable ability to respond to major crises by pulling together.

Only 10 of Japan's 54 nuclear plants are now operating. Local political opposition has prevented restarts after regular maintenance inspections. Nuclear currently accounts for around 15% (30% pre-March) of the energy mix. Without restarts, all the reactors will go off-line by spring 2012.

The key economic drivers are external. Japan's short-term economic concerns are the impact of the US balance sheet restructuring and the fiscal challenges facing the Eurozone. Exports are only 15% of GDP, but are the engine for economic growth. Japan did not have a banking crisis in 2008/9 but the slowing in global demand hit the real economy harder than in any other G7 country.

The yen has increasingly been seen as a safe haven and as a result has climbed to historically high levels against the Euro and the dollar. This has made exports expensive and the authorities are considering a range of counter-actions (currency interventions, subsidies for firms setting up in Japan as opposed to off-shoring). It is also, however, an opportunity for cash-rich Japanese firms to pursue outward investment opportunities.

Nov 1st - Vehicle-to-Grid: A New Spin on Car Payments

2011-11-01T22:28:00.000Z

Buried in the high hopes for electric cars is the very real possibility that they can make money by powering and regulating the grid.

Willett Kempton is an anthropologist. And an electrical engineer.

On this winter morning at the University of Delaware, both skill sets come in handy as he courts two Japanese businessmen. They’ve traveled here from Tokyo to see how much progress he’s made toward a revolutionary idea: electric cars that will make several thousand dollars a year for their owners, and speed the switch to renewable energy sources.

Observing Japanese business etiquette, Kempton presents his business card to the senior visitor, Makoto Horiguchi, then the two exchange bows. He repeats the ceremony with Horiguchi’s junior colleague and with their translator. Then Horiguchi steps to the front of the classroom to give a short talk describing the work that his employer, the industry-funded Japan Automobile Research Institute, does on electric vehicles. Kempton listens attentively and asks questions. Then he makes his pitch.

For 15 years, Kempton, who directs the University of Delaware’s Center for Carbon-Free Power Integration, has pushed the idea that fleets of electric vehicles — rather than being another big draw on the electric grid — could provide valuable backup power on demand to utilities. This would reduce the need for costly new generating plants, and help ensure a reliable supply of electricity.

Utilities pay each other billions of dollars a year for such backup power through wholesale electricity markets, and Kempton believes that a hefty slice of that pie could be paid to electric-vehicle owners instead. Some industry analysts agree that the approach, known as “vehicle-to-grid,” could take off; a December 2010 report from the business research firm Global Data conservatively projected a global market for vehicle-to-grid that would pay $2.3 billion to electric vehicle owners by 2012 — and $40 billion by 2020. Kempton and his colleagues have made some influential converts in policy circles, too. Marc Spitzer, a commissioner with theFederal Energy Regulatory Commission, has described the plan as “the salvation of the automotive industry in the United States.”

Automakers, however, have been slow to warm to the idea, and the first crop of mass-market battery electric vehicles, including the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf, can only plug and charge themselves. A small number of 2012-model electric vehicles from a few manufacturers, including theBMW Mini E, Daimler Smart E, and Detroit Electric e63, however, could provide power to the grid because they each contain a proprietary electric drivetrain built by AC Propulsion, a California-based maker of electric vehicle technology that has collaborated with Kempton.

But Kempton wants to take vehicle-to-grid to the mass market, and he pushed for years, unsuccessfully, to convince major automakers to ramp up their vehicle-to-grid work. Now, on this December morning, he has a chance to find a new ally.

For the next few minutes, as three graduate students on his team watch, Kempton presents results from his team’s vehicle-to-grid demonstration project to his Japanese visitors. He gives them calculations that show that electric vehicles could provide plenty of valuable electricity to the grid without inconveniencing drivers. “These numbers are why we think the electric vehicle will become an important part of the electric system,” Kempton explains. The Japanese duo does not seem convinced, and they ask polite but challenging questions. Kempton answers smoothly, and the visitors ask for a tour.

A few minutes later, Nat Pearre, a graduate student in Kempton’s group, is showing off one of the university’s five grid-enabled electric cars, a small, boxy Scion xB. Pearre pops the hood, the Japanese visitors crowd in for a look, and Horiguchi’s colleague snaps some photos. There’s no engine in the engine compartment — just an aluminum box containing the power electronics that control the car.

As Kempton could explain to his guests, after he plugged this car into a smart charging station at his house in late 2009, it began earning $300 a month. This Scion became the first car ever to earn cash for its owner while it sat parked.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

In The late 1960s, with muscle cars the rage, Willett Kempton began overhauling engines. In high school, in McLean, Va., he’d drive his ’65 Mustang to a local service station and spend hours watching a motorhead friend do repairs. Before long, Kempton was buying used Volkswagen Beetles and vans at police auctions for $100, taking them home, and rebuilding the engines from the ground up.

After three years of studying electrical engineering at the University of Virginia, Kempton took a year off “to get a change of pace,” he says. He started an auto-repair business with a friend, which made no money, then got a job fixing engines at a busy Rockville, Md., shop run by a pair of German mechanics.

When he returned to school, Kempton changed his major to sociology and anthropology. “It seemed more useful to figure out why things were moving the way they were in society than to build a more accurate guided-missile electronic system,” he recalls. By the 1980s, he’d earned a doctorate in anthropology. But he couldn’t shake his affinity for the electrical and mechanical, so he studied people’s attitudes about energy efficiency, presenting papers with titles like “Folk Theories of Home Heating Systems” and “Ethnography as a Tool for Interpreting Metered Energy Data.”

In the ’90s, he began looking at the use of rooftop solar panels to power homes and businesses. In 1993, a graduate student named Steven Letendre joined Kempton’s research group to study the value home solar panels would deliver to society if they were used widely. To get around the classic solar-home dilemma — the sun’s power peaks at noon but people draw the most power after they arrive home from work — Kempton thought that each home would need a powerful battery to store this solar electricity. Then, while at a 1996 electric vehicle conference, an idea hit him: “Wait a minute,” he recalls thinking. “We were looking at buying a battery, and there’s already going to be one down in the garage.”

At that point, California had mandated that 2 percent of all cars sold in the state in 1998 — and 10 percent in 2003 — would emit no tailpipe air pollutants. “The expectation was that there would be hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles” in California, Letendre recalls. Meanwhile, physicist Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute had been promoting a “soft energy path” in which a distributed system involving solar panels, wind turbines, and conservation replaced a centralized system driven by large, fossil-fuel-consuming power plants.

“The ideas were percolating,” Letendre says. “Lovins had talked about hydrogen cars in garages providing power. We looked at that and at the technology on the horizon,” including electric cars.

One day, he and Kempton began crunching some numbers. A vehicle’s power is usually calculated as horsepower for the driveshaft, but the two researchers converted those numbers into kilowatts available to the grid. The 146 million cars and SUVs and pickups that made up the United States’ light vehicle fleet, they discovered, produced more than 10 times the power of all U.S. power plants combined. (Today’s fleet produces seven times more.)

That automotive energy could be tapped for other purposes. Cars and other light vehicles are typically driven just one hour a day, so most of the time they sit idle. And electric vehicle batteries have to store several times more energy than that hour of driving requires, to ensure the vehicle can make longer trips. “If we think about the vehicle fleet as an electric utility would think about its equipment, the vehicle fleet’s power capacity is grossly under-utilized,” the two reported in a 1997 paper.

Kempton and Letendre developed a plan, explained in the paper, showing how vehicle-to-grid would work. The car owner would enter information into a dash-mounted control panel, including when he needed to travel, and how far. A microprocessor in the control panel would calculate whether the car had power to spare. When the car was parked for long periods, the owner would plug it into a smart charging station that talked through power lines to the local utility, which could draw from, or charge, the battery as needed — so long as enough power remained to take the driver where he wanted.

Soon after the paper was published, Tom Gage, the CEO of AC Propulsion, the battery drivetrain maker, called Kempton to talk about experimenting with the idea.

Six months later, at the San Dimas, Calif., shop of AC Propulsion, Kempton and Letendre watched as Gage’s team plugged in a prototype electric sports car they had built. They tapped a few commands into a laptop, the car started charging, and the dials in the shop’s utility meter started spinning. Then they tapped some other commands. “The meter slowed down, stopped, and began to spin backwards,” Letendre says.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Electricity is fundamentally different from other commodities in that it’s difficult to warehouse. Some electricity storage capacity exists, including stationary batteries, and there are ways to use electrical power to capture water or air to be released later to generate electricity when it’s needed. Together these methods store only a few percent of the electricity produced in today’s grid. For the most part, electricity must be produced when it’s consumed, and supply must match demand. To ensure that happens, the nation’s 10 regional organizations that run the grid operate several types of wholesale electricity markets.

Kempton and Letendre calculated the profits that vehicle-to-grid might generate in various wholesale electricity markets. They found it was too expensive to compete as a source of base-load power — the round-the-clock electricity available through large-scale coal-fired or nuclear plants.

The money looked more promising in the peak-power market, when utilities buy expensive bulk power from natural gas-fired “peaker” plants or hydroelectric dams for a few hours to meet demand at its height, such as on a hot summer afternoon when air conditioners are cooling full bore. Kempton and Letendre found that in this arena, the going rates were high enough that electric vehicle owners could earn $300-$500 per year simply by attaching their cars to the grid.

The economics were even better in little-known markets called the “spinning reserves,” where power plants or hydroelectric dams ramp up quickly to produce extra electricity in a pinch (when, say, another plant on the grid stops working). Spinning reserves are called on about 20 times a year for an average of 10 minutes at a time.

But the economics looked best of all in the market for frequency regulation. Regulation fine-tunes the balance between supply and demand to make sure that the electricity in outlets has a frequency of exactly 60 hertz at all times. A frequency that’s just slightly off can make clocks run too slow, make lights flicker, and raise havoc with electronics. To provide regulation, an electricity generator must adjust output up or down based on a hard-wired electronic signal that grid operators send out 400 times a day. Coal or gas power plants that typically provide this service can respond by quickly adjusting the spinning steam-driven engines that produce electricity to turn faster or slower. But it’s often not quickly enough; adjusting turbine speed can take several minutes.

The advanced batteries in electric vehicles, on the other hand, can respond within seconds, as grid operators prefer.

“We looked at the value of peak shifting and get a dollar number of $300-$500 per year,” Kempton recalls. “Then we looked at regulation, and holy cow, we can use the same car and it’s worth $5,000 a year!” And the demand for regulation is high enough that millions of cars worldwide could participate.

In 2001, Kempton and his colleagues included these calculations in a report published by the University of Delaware and the University of California, Davis, for the project’s sponsors, the California Air Resources Board and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. They were greeted with enthusiasm — and skepticism. “The electric industry said, ‘Yes, this is incredible. Yes, we’ll pay for it,’” Kempton says. “But the car industry said, ‘Not with our batteries you don’t.’”

So Kempton and chemical engineer Jasna Tomic kept plugging away on what Kempton knew would convince the industry: the numbers. The results, reported in 2005, confirmed that vehicle-to-grid — especially in the spinning reserves and frequency regulation market — was economically competitive for battery electric vehicles, hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles.

Technical analysts started to come around, slowly. The industry “shifted from saying Kempton’s a nut, to saying that vehicle-to-grid is a cool idea that’s 20 years away, so we don’t have to think about it right now,” Kempton says.

At the Philadelphia headquarters of PJM Interconnection, one of 10 independent system operators (or regional transmission organizations) that operate the electrical grid for a particular region, Ken Huber, the company’s manager of advanced technology, passes muster at two security checkpoints. He leads us down a flight of stairs and knocks on a heavy steel door. A man lets us in, and we peer down from a balcony at a two-story room, covered floor to ceiling with electronic displays, including brightly colored maps, charts, graphs, and tables. This is PJM’s control room, where workers ensure reliable electricity for a good chunk of the eastern United States.

The control room workers were monitoring power plants, hydroelectric dams, high-voltage transmission lines, and substations, all to help PJM ensure that electricity supply and demand are balanced every second of the day. “I think that’s the toughest job we’ve got,” Huber tells me.

As more and more wind and solar plants are introduced into the grid, balancing supply and demand gets more complicated, since wind and sun don’t necessarily produce electricity when it’s needed. In PJM’s territory today, wind supplies 3 percent of PJM’s typical load, but an equal amount is under construction. And if half the wind farms already proposed come to fruition, wind could supply up to one-fourth of the region’s power by the 2020s, Huber says. “If we want a future with very high penetration of renewables, we need to have the ability to control the flow of energy they create,” says Chris Shelton, president of AES Energy Storage.

Two large-scale ways to store electricity exist today. The most widely used method involves pumping water uphill into a reservoir and releasing it to drive turbines when electricity is needed. One utility, based in Alabama, stores energy by compressing air into a huge underground cavern, then releasing the pressure to drive an electricity-producing turbine. Both of these methods, which require a very specific natural infrastructure, can replace a downed generator for hours or days at a time. But they can’t produce energy quickly enough to provide spinning reserves or frequency regulation.

Batteries can.

Which is why Huber, who directs a team that searches for technological fixes to grid-operator problems, partnered with Kempton in 2005 to test vehicle-to-grid.

Huber, Kempton, and several companies cobbled together the Mid-Atlantic Grid-Interactive Car Consortium, or MAGICC. Kempton’s longtime research partner AC Propulsion kicked in that converted 2007 Scion; a smart grid company provided software that enabled the car to communicate with the grid; and Kempton’s team developed the hardware at Kempton’s house — now coined the “University of Delaware secret laboratory.”

On Oct. 18, 2007, Kempton, Huber, and half a dozen colleagues gathered at the secret laboratory. Kempton plugged in the Scion; a computer at PJM sent a message down the line signaling a need for frequency regulation; and the car responded by delivering power to the grid.

The operators of the frequency regulation market aren’t much interested in dealing with minor players, like one Scion, so to enable the car owner (the University of Delaware in this instance) to earn money for providing regulation, MAGICC piggybacked the 15 kilowatts delivered by the Scion xB onto a 1-megawatt bank of advanced batteries at AES Energy Storage. Down the road, companies like AES Energy Storage will pool the electricity from cars all over town, allowing ordinary car owners to earn money in wholesale electricity markets like PJM’s.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

As with so many electric car projects, it is a long road from demonstration project to commercially viable enterprise. For vehicle-to-grid to work on a large scale, utilities would have to manage huge amounts of data, says Mark Griffith, of the engineering firm Black & Veatch. Millions of smart charging stations would be needed at homes, shopping centers, and other public charging stations; and hundreds of small transactions would have to be monitored at each station. Difficult, but doable, Griffith says; phone companies manage equally huge volumes of data in billing for calls and texts. And the electric power industry is “intrinsically complicated,” he adds.

There are also business challenges, says Ray Boeman, director of energy partnerships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s National Transportation Research Center. The price of electric vehicles must come down, which means battery makers need to get better at making cheaper advanced batteries that are still reliable, safe, and long-lasting.

And making consumers confident that the program is safe could be a hurdle. Electric car owners may worry that using the car for vehicle-to-grid could, for example, damage their car’s expensive battery or void its warranty, says Venkat Srinivasan, acting head of electrochemistry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and This Week in Batteries blogger.

But steps have been taken: Kempton lobbied successfully, without opposition, to change Delaware’s net metering law to include vehicle-to-grid, and to require utilities to pay the same rate to customers when meters run backward as the customer pays to draw electricity. So far, Delaware is the only one of the 43 states with net metering laws that include vehicle-to-grid.

Kempton’s University of Delaware team recently patented his team’s “vehicle smart link,” a 2.5-inch square circuit board that monitors the owner’s driving habits and decides how much electricity the battery can hold or discharge. They’ve developed software that keeps tabs on each car in a fleet and helps pool their electricity, which allows the fleet to act as a virtual power plant or virtual storage facility. And they’ve built a smart charging station that not only charges the car, but also keeps tabs on it to ensure the owner gets an accurate bill — or a check.

To Kempton’s delight, Autoport, a company in Wilmington, Del., that modifies cars, vans, and trucks, licensed the vehicle smart link last year. The company has overhauled several of the cars in the University of Delaware fleet, and with AC Propulsion, were chosen by the U.S. Postal Service for a trial run of vehicle-to-grid on the postal service’s ubiquitous mail-delivery vehicles. (In 2007, Kempton and Tomic determined that a standard commercial fleet of a couple hundred vehicles could generate low-six-figure profits to the regulation market.) Autoport is doing a trial run with electric delivery vans for a large urban cable television company.

And Kempton has made strides overseas. Last year, he and tech industry veterans Gregory Poilasne and Emir Kiamilev founded Nuvve Corporation, which opened a facility in Horsens, Denmark, this year to bring vehicle-to-grid hardware and software to market. Nuvve is launching a pilot program in which 30 electric cars will provide regulation services to the Danish grid operator Energinet.dk. Poilsane claims that Nuvve will be able to pay electric or hybrid car owners up to $10,000 for the use of their car battery’s extra energy over the lifetime of the car, enough to make electric vehicles more attractive to customers.

The world market for regulation services is $6 billion — $1.5 billion in the United States and $4.5 billion overseas — so Nuvve has plenty of room to grow, Poilasne says. Vehicle-to-grid aggregators such as Nuvve could also provide virtual storage directly to wind farms, which would enable the wind company to deliver a steadier flow of electricity. They could also store electricity from solar panels or utility-scale solar plants, as Kempton envisioned years ago.

Meanwhile, back at the University of Delaware, Kempton’s engineers and social scientists are honing the hardware, software, and know-how to bring Kempton’s idea to the world. The Japanese researchers and I pile into the Scion xB, and Pearre accelerates across campus, fast as a sports car but noiselessly. We talk for a while — which model electric cars will be out soon, which cities are building networks of charging stations. The researchers plan another visit to Kempton’s lab. Both in the U.S. and across the Pacific, it seems, electric cars are here. The fleet has left the charging station.

If vehicle-to-grid catches on as well, tomorrow’s electric vehicles would be more than simply transportation, they’d be resources for all of us. If so, it would help achieve Kempton’s dream “to have most of the light vehicles in the industrialized world be powered primarily by electricity; to have that electricity use integrated with the electrical grid, to do that with 100 percent renewable power, and not have the lights flicker.” It could happen yet.

Oct 24th - Vodafone to link up with NTT DoCoMo

2011-10-24T08:38:00.001+01:00

If you can't beat them join them ....

NTT DoCoMo Inc. will start a business tie-up with Britain's Vodafone Group Plc, possibly in December, the cellphone carrier said Sept. 20. The agreement will cover sales to multinational corporations.

As part of the deal, Vodafone will end its current tie-up with SoftBank Mobile Corp.

General subscribers to NTT DoCoMo and SoftBank, however, will not be affected, because the international roaming services, which allow subscribers to use cellphones abroad, are under separate contracts.

NTT DoCoMo is a member of the Conexus Mobile Alliance, an association of mobile carriers in Asia. Vodafone hopes to expand its business in Asia through the planned tie-up with NTT DoCoMo.

Oct 12th - Steve Jobs and the Sony Uniform Influence

2011-10-12T16:20:00.001+01:00

Steve Jobs Book Excerpt: Why he wore the Black Mock Turtleneck uniform

In case you wondered why the very consistant style emerged (which frankly was a welcome reprieve from the bow tie days). Excerpt from Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson. (via Gawker)

On a trip to Japan in the early 1980s, Jobs asked Sony’s chairman Akio Morita why everyone in the company’s factories wore uniforms. He told Jobs that after the war, no one had any clothes, and companies like Sony had to give their workers something to wear each day. Over the years, the uniforms developed their own signatures styles, especially at companies such as Sony, and it became a way of bonding workers to the company. “I decided that I wanted that type of bonding for Apple,” Jobs recalled.

Yeah, that didn’t fly.

Sony, with its appreciation for style, had gotten the famous designer Issey Miyake to create its uniform. It was a jacket made of rip-stop nylon with sleeves that could unzip to make it a vest. So Jobs called Issey Miyake and asked him to design a vest for Apple, Jobs recalled, “I came back with some samples and told everyone it would great if we would all wear these vests. Oh man, did I get booed off the stage. Everybody hated the idea.”

So Jobs got himself a uniform.

In the process, however, he became friends with Miyake and would visit him regularly. He also came to like the idea of having a uniform for himself, both because of its daily convenience (the rationale he claimed) and its ability to convey a signature style. “So I asked Issey to make me some of his black turtlenecks that I liked, and he made me like a hundred of them.” Jobs noticed my surprise when he told this story, so he showed them stacked up in the closet. “That’s what I wear,” he said. “I have enough to last for the rest of my life.”

Oct 10th - Japan: How a quake changed a culture

2011-10-10T12:02:00.000+01:00

More people are getting hitched and getting spiritual. Welcome to the New Japan.read the full article here

TOKYO, Japan — The quake that hit Japan withsuch brutality seven months ago altered the archipelago's position on theplanet in more ways than one.

The country literally shifted more than 5meters, and as a result now nestles on a tectonic plate slightly closer toNorth America.

But while dramatic, this is not the onlyseismic change Japan experienced. Everything from business practices to everdaybehaviors, societal trends to shared values have taken on new shape followingthe 9.0-magnitude quake that struck March 11.

Some are talking about a newly raisedconsciousness in previously uber-pragmatic Japan.

“It could be the making of a new Japan,” saidTokyo-based architect Mark Dytham of his adopted country.

“The country had stagnated in all sorts of ways. There wasrecession here and a lack of meaning," said Dytham, co-founder of PechaKucha, which is a worldwide series ofevents by which young designers come together and share ideas.

"Now there is a new energy that we didn'tknow existed. ... The changes are coming from a more grass roots level.”

Ordinary Japanese people — particularly the youngergenerations — have discovered a side of themselves they never knew existed,says Mariko Fujiwara, a consultant at Tokyo's market research firmHakuhodoInstitute of Life and Living.

Her agency recently pinpointed a “growing senseof personal responsibility,” and a “desire to contribute to society” followingthe quake. Before the quake, says her agency report, such values were somewhatlower down on the preoccupation of its Japanese interviewees whom it pollsevery few weeks.

What this translates to in everyday Japan is amore caring populace, Fujiwara says. Previously Japan was marked by acomparatively complacent middle class, which had little sense of solidarity andwhich gave less time to civil society and less money to charities than itsWestern counterparts.

Now, volunteerism is all the rage.

River Furuta, 34, turned to charity work immediatelyfollowing the quake. She now works as a program manager at quake relief charity Handson Tokyo.

“One has to visit Tohoku to truly understandthe severity of the damage the tsunami has left behind,” she said. “What youcan see there is enough to instill some kind of change in anyone. After twodays of volunteering, I came back home wanting to go back again to help.”

Furuta agrees that there has been a sea-changeamong her compatriots — younger folks previously labelled as ineffectual andself-centered by pundits here and abroad.

“I think the younger generation is conservingenergy more actively and has learned the value of human networks — family,friends, colleagues, classmates, etc. What one cannot do alone can be done in ateam. Also, the disaster has acted as a catalyst, challenging everyone’spriorities and values.”

After absorbing the shock of the devastationand experiencing a long bout of navel-gazing and stock-taking, some observerssay consumerist Japan has also been knocked off its axis.

Getting spiritual

Love and religion, for example, are now oneveryone's mind. After the quake, attendance at centers for organized religionrose sharply — a fact supported by anecdotal evidence at a few churches andshrines around Tokyo.

Marriages are up, too. Match-making agencyMarry Me reported that inquiries about joining had risen 30 percent since theend of April.

Other local match-making agencies reported asurge in members, and at least one wedding service told the Asahi Newspaperthat it had seen a 50 percent increase at its Fukushima branch.

Books on Buddhism, family life and even poetryare selling well, according to booksellers, who said that previously it wasbusiness-related tomes that were in high demand.

Seize the day

Still, conspicuous materialism hasn’t vanishedaltogether.

Following a phase of mourning-like “jishuku,”or self-restraint, immediately after the quake, seven months on certain luxuryitems are creeping their way back up the consumer list.

“Champagne sales have risen tremendously inJapan recently,” said one Tokyo-based marketeer for a leading Champagne brand.She declined to be named.

And where the the rest of the world isfrantically buying up gold — and sending its price sky high — the Japanese areselling it in record amounts, suggesting that they are feeling more at libertyto enjoy themselves, even indulge. For some, the quake seems to have instilleda sense that time is of the essence.

“Older Japanese who may have hoarded oftenforgotten gold at home now find they want to cheer themselves up a bit,” saidMidori Abe, an independent gold trader in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo. “They arespending their cash-for-gold on treats like five-star restaurants and travel.”

Work from home

Other attitude shifts have allowed rigid socialinstitutions to undergo changes unthinkable a few years ago. Working from home,or telecommuting, is one of them.

Japan’s biggest telecoms firm NTT, for one, hasseen an enormous jump in demand for its work-at-home support service which hasseen a five-fold increase in inquiries since the March earthquake.

“Demand for remote-access tools was limitedbefore as most workers found it easy to get to the office and work there. Therewere also concerns about security,” explains a NTT spokeswoman.

“Post-quake, that has all changed withcompanies keen to equip employees with these tools because of commutingproblems, power blackouts and the need to care for school-less evacuatedchildren.”

Telecommuting support services allow employeesto connect to their company's computer system at home, securely accept emailssent to a company address or use the company's software on their PCs at home.Virtual conferences are also a possible via the internet.

Quite a change for a country where untilrecently bosses rarely let their workers use laptops to work on out of theoffice, nevermind let them use a company one at home.

Of all the unforeseen wallops dealt by thequake and its subsequent tragedies, not all of them at least are bringing thedeepest woe.

Oct 10th - Tech Soft Establishes Office in Japan

2011-10-10T11:38:00.000+01:00

Tech Soft 3D Establishes Japan KK in Yokohama, Japan New Business Development Office Expands Access to HOOPS Suite Component Technology in Japan and Eastern Asia

Tech Soft 3D, leading provider of component technology to the engineering software industry, is pleased to announce the opening of a new sales and consulting office in Yokohama, Japan. Located conveniently in the Yokohama Street Building near the JR Yokohama Station, Tech Soft 3D KK will provide Japanese software vendors closer proximity to Tech Soft 3D technology and expertise.
"With the growth of our technology suite, and a positive response to our components in the Japanese market, it was the right time to open this office," said CEO Ron Fritz. "We're confident it will serve as a critical link to better supply Tech Soft 3D technology to Japanese companies."
The highly-skilled team of sales and technical consulting staff is led by Country Manager Koji Takaba, who has extensive experience selling 3D translation and visualization technology, including Tech Soft 3D's HOOPS 3D Framework graphics engine. The team's consulting engineers each have over eight years of 3D CAD/CAM development experience and the administrative staff is highly experienced working within Japanese-based international corporations.

Oct 10th - XcelMobility Appoints Senior Executive for Japan

2011-10-10T09:49:00.004+01:00

REDWOOD CITY, CA, Oct 06, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- XcelMobility Inc. ("Xcel" or the "Company") a developer of high speed web browsing solutions and related performance enhancing products for mobile devices is very pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Takenori Kobayashi as Senior Vice President, Japan.

Mr. Kobayashi has enjoyed an exceptional and varied career in his native Japan and abroad in the U.S., Taiwan and China. He is an accomplished management professional experienced in business planning, new business development and financial analysis. He has proven leadership abilities exemplified by his effective completion of a large international M&A project and in the role of Corporate Director overseeing the successful expansion of a major Chinese business entity. He achieved great success as Chairman and President of a subsidiary of a large restaurant chain by directing market research, new concepts, branding, site development, and overall operation of the venture.

Mr. Kobayashi recently served as President and Director of Merit Link Investment and Consulting Ltd. and CEO and Director of Merit Link China Co. Ltd. (Hong Kong). Previously he was Chairman and President of Shenzhen Lotteria Restaurant Co. Ltd. (2009-2011), Officer, Global Business at Lotteria Co. Ltd. (Tokyo, 2008-2011), Divisional V.P., SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc. (Tokyo, 2006-2008), Director, Financial Consulting, McDonald's Japan (Tokyo, 2000-2006), Business Development, Faith Inc. (Mobile Content Producer) (Tokyo, 2002-2003), Senior Staff, Taiwan Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. (Panasonic), (Japan, 1994-1997), Internship, Deloitte & Touche LLP (Hawaii, 1999-2000). Mr. Kobayashi was educated at Chaminade University (Hawaii) MBA, and at UC Berkeley, Major in Economics. He resides in Japan, is a Certified Public Accountant (Washington) and speaks fluent English and business level Mandarin.

Ryan Ge, CEO of XcelMobility, comments, "We are really looking forward to working with Takenori, as his entrepreneurial history combined with his financial and management skills have convinced us that he has the attitude, outlook and vision we need in Japan. His primary role will be to work closely with our primary strategic partner in Japan, International Strategic Leaders, Inc. (ISL), who enjoy contractual relationships with the three largest cellular carriers in Japan; NTT Docomo, KDDI and Softbank. Beyond that, we anticipate he will move rapidly to forge relationships with all the other cellular phone manufacturers and providers in the region. We want to welcome him to the team and look forward to his contribution to our growing Company."

As part of the Company's continuous public disclosure as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, further details of the Company's business, finances, appointments and agreements are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") EDGAR database. For more information visit: www.xcelmobility.com .

About XcelMobility Inc. XCLL 0.00% XcelMobility is a US based company focused on the research, development and commercialization of technologies for mobile internet users. The Company develops innovative products which considerably enhance the internet performance of smartphones, tablets and netbooks when connected to cellular carriers. Due to the vast size of the mobile market in Asia and the inherent propensity to connect to the internet using mobile devices, XcelMobility believes that shareholder value is best served by focusing commercialization efforts in the Asian marketplace prior to a product roll out on a global scale. For more information visit: www.xcelmobility.com

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development of new business opportunities, zero operational impact and projected costs, future operations, revenue, profits, gross margins and results of operations. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On Behalf of the Board, Ron Strauss, Chairman, XcelMobility Inc.

Oct 6th - Toshiba ultra thin AT700 tablet impresses CEATEC crowds

2011-10-06T12:29:00.000+01:00

Toshiba says its Regza AT700 10.1-inch tab is the world's thinnest and lightest.

(Credit: Tim Hornyak/CNET)

MAKUHARI, Japan--Toshiba has underlined its commitment to boosting its tablet business with a 10.1-inch Android slate it calls the thinnest and lightest in the world.

People are lining up here at Ceatec 2011 outside of Tokyo to check out the Regza AT700, which runs on Android 3.2, is 7.7mm (0.3 inches) thick, and weighs 558 grams (1.23 pounds).

Toshiba also announced a 7-inch version, the AT3S0, at 12.1mm thick and weighing 379 grams (0.83 pound).

Like the company's thrive tabs, the AT700 and AT3S0 run version 3.2 of Android, have 1GB of memory, 1,280x800-pixel resolution, and Resolution+ upscaling technology to improve low-resolution video.

The 7-inch version.

(Credit: Tim Hornyak/CNET)

The AT700 seems very similar to Toshiba's AT200 introduced last month at the IFA trade show in Berlin.

Indeed, it also has a 1.2 GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal memory. Sensors include a digital compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS.

It also has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2-megapixel camera in front.

Aimed at the Japanese market, the AT700 and AT3S0 are designed to link to Regza TVs and Blu-ray players via a Wi-Fi router.

Toshiba is marketing the tablets as convenient for watching streaming video when you're in a room without a TV.

The 7-inch AT3S0 felt extremely light for its size and has a comfy textured back. Both tablets will launch in mid-December in Japan. Prices haven't been released yet.

26th Sept - UKTI Mission to Japan; Trains, British Embassy and first business meetngs

2011-09-26T17:17:00.000+01:00

We offered the delegates the (easy) option of taking taxis to the British Embassy or the opportunity to navigate the train / subway system in Tokyo and it was a unanimous decision to take the trains! So we navigated our way to the British Embassy with 10 people and successfully made it intact. Following a morning of briefing sessions at the British Embassy the delegates headed out to start the individual meetings with Japanese companies. Would everyone make it to every meeting?, would the Japanese companies respond positively? ......... reports and updates coming ...

Sept 26th - UKTI Mission to Japan - First taste of Japanese food

2011-09-26T00:34:00.002+01:00

After a quick freshen up and time to relax at the hotel on Sunday afternoon the mission delegates headed out for dinner at a local Izakaya Japanese restaurant. There were smiles all round as the sushi, sashimi, tempura, noodles, tofu, tamago, yasai and sakana lined the table ....... and of course the odd beer and sake or two (as a night cap!). It was then back to the hotel for an early night and a chance to charge up the batteries for a busy week ahead!

Sept 25th - UKTI Mission to Japan - delegates start arriving

2011-09-25T09:35:00.000+01:00

Warm sunshine greeted delegates from East Midlands companies as they arrived in Japan this morning following long night flights from the UK. Seven people have now arrived in Japan looking to do business and a further 5 will follow over the coming week. Ian Morrison of UKTI East Midlands was the first to arrive, looking remarkably bright and breezy as he entered the arrivals hall at Narita International airport Tokyo. The award for longest journey went to Mairi and Aidan from DeMontfort University who arrived almost 24 hours after leaving home due to a 3 hour wait on the tarmac during a changeover in Paris! The group gathered and moved on to the hotel in Tokyo for a freshen up before heading out for a team dinner and the first taste of Japanese food.

Sept 25th - Keio University demonstrate Touchable 3D Character Projected Into a Real Environment

2011-09-25T09:18:00.001+01:00

RePro3D, developed by a research group at Keio University, is a multi-perspective, naked eye 3D display in which viewers can touch a 3D character floating in midair.
The touchable 3D display is a combination of three elements. A mechanically-controlled model environment, a tactile interface and a glasses-free 3D integral imaging display.
“We use retro-reflective projection technology, using materials with special retro-reflective characteristics. This kind of material reflects light that enters back at the same angle it entered. Using this technology enables a display to show images at a different place from the light source.”
The input interface uses an infrared camera to recognize the movements of the user’s hand, and the character on screen reacts to the movements instantly. They are currently developing a system which can replicate the sensation of directly touching the image by having the user wear a tactile feedback device on their finger.
“There are many attractive characters in animations and games, but since those characters only exist within the screen, it feels a little lonely, and so we built this image display because we wanted to bring those characters into our real-world 3D space to play.”
Using past methods to display 3D images, it was hard to perfectly match the positions and images users were touching on the 3D display. But with this technology, it feels like you are touching the exact spot as you see it. In the future, they plan to build a touchable 3D display system that expands the size of the visible image, so that multiple people can be in the same space, and can share the same image.

Sept 25th - NTT DoCoMo unveils smartphone radiation 'jacket'

2011-09-25T09:11:00.003+01:00

Japan’s top mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo on Thursday unveiled a smartphone with changeable “jackets” that measure bad breath, body fat and even radiation levels.

DoCoMo says it has developed technology that allows users to measure their own bodies or surroundings by slipping their smartphones inside sensor-embedded shells.

The company will showcase the technology at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, a fair featuring the latest in high-end gadgetry, starting in early October near Tokyo.

“Many customers have been nervous about radiation since the Great East Japan Earthquake,” DoCoMo spokesman Daisuke Sakuma told AFP, referring to the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami of March 11 that sparked a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima atomic plant.

“We had been thinking what services we can provide to address these customer needs as a telecom carrier.”

The tsunami knocked out cooling systems at Fukushima Daiichi, sparking meltdowns that sent radioactive materials into the air, soil and sea.

Worries over the health implications of the leak, which is still not plugged, have sent demand for radiation-measuring devices soaring in Japan.

DoCoMo will show off three kinds of “jacket” for use with a model of smartphone loaded with the appropriate software.

As well as radiation, the company said it would also demonstrate a case that determines if the holder has bad breath or smells of alcohol as well as checking levels of skin-damaging ultraviolet light.

A third case, dubbed the “health management” jacket, will measure body fat and muscle bulk

Sept 25th - 'Smart cities' bring high-tech green energy projects to devastated areas

2011-09-25T09:08:00.000+01:00

Plans to rebuild many areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake as environmentally friendly "smart cities" are being explored by corporations and municipal governments.

By promoting large-scale projects that include power-generation facilities utilizing renewable energy and smart grids, the plans are also meant to create jobs. Some companies and local governments have already started working together on these projects.

Major electronics manufacturer Toshiba Corp. has proposed an integrated system, with facilities ranging from power generation and water-treatment systems to "smart meter" next-generation power meters, to some local governments.

An official of the company's smart community division said, "In the future, [we want] to export technologies created domestically."

Hitachi, Ltd. is considering ways to transport electricity generated at its factory in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, to evacuation centers by buses equipped with storage batteries in the event of a disaster.

Plans to construct mega solar power plants are also under way. Mitsui & Co., Ltd. is considering building a mega solar power plant on quake-hit vacant land, and SoftBank Corp. has established an organization to promote cooperation with local governments across the country.

Local governments in quake-hit areas are eager to restore their infrastructure by introducing smart city and mega solar power projects.

Rikuzen-Takata in Iwate Prefecture is considering a mega solar and large-scale power storage system in collaboration with Ofunato and Sumitacho in the prefecture. The plan aims to build a smart city and create jobs, according to an official at the Rikuzen-Takata municipal government.

Sendai is also considering a plan to build a solar power plant on devastated farmland in the city and run food processing facilities with electricity from the plant.

However, the plans being considered by companies and local governments are based on the precondition that the use of farmland will be deregulated and tax breaks will be available.

The central government's support and encouragement of companies and local governments are indispensable for the restoration of devastated areas.

Sept 25th - Elpida plans to move part of production to Taiwan

2011-09-25T09:05:00.003+01:00

Elpida Memory, Inc. announced Thursday it would transfer up to 40 percent of the production capacity at its Hiroshima plant to its subsidiary in Taiwan, in response to the extremely strong yen and rapid deterioration of the market.

Elpida, the world's third-largest manufacturer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, said it was considering incrementally transferring the production capacity at its plant in Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, to its cost-competitive subsidiary Rexchip Electronics Corp. in Taiwan.

The Hiroshima plant will focus on products for smartphones.

Elpida said it would maintain employment by transferring affected workers within the Elpida group.

Moves to transfer production and other operation bases overseas are accelerating among manufacturers, whose business environment is deteriorating due to the high appreciation of the yen.

Panasonic Corp. plans to transfer part of its parts procurement and distribution functions to Singapore in the first half of fiscal 2012, sources said Thursday.

The sources said Panasonic will transfer about 20 of the 120 employees of its procurement and distribution headquarters in Osaka to Singapore. A base in Singapore will serve as a center for parts procurement abroad.

Panasonic also will reduce the number of companies from which it procures parts to about 10,000, down 40 percent from the current level of about 18,000, in fiscal 2012. The company aims to cut annual costs by about 60 billion yen through a central purchasing system, the sources said.

Sep 25th - Docomo smartphone app translates menus

2011-09-25T09:01:00.001+01:00

NTT Docomo Inc. has released a free smartphone application that translates English, Chinese and Korean restaurant menus into Japanese in a split second.

The software will be available free of charge until Jan. 16. The company will collect user feedback to help improve the technology for future commercial use.

Users train the smartphone's camera on a restaurant menu, and the text is automatically translated in about 0.2 seconds. The translated text appears on the smartphone screen.

The software can be downloaded from the Android Market online store, and can be used on smartphones with Google Inc.'s Android operating system, version 2.1 or later. Docomo plans to develop the technology to also provide instant translations of signboards, product packaging and other written information.

Sep 25th - Rakuten invests £25M to acquire Play.com

2011-09-25T08:53:00.000+01:00

A Japanese internet service company is buying e-commerce website Play.com – which employs 200 people in Histon, Cambridge

Rakuten is paying £25 million for the Jersey-based firm, which has a total of 500 staff, including the people at Vision Park, Histon.

It’s the company’s third acquisition in Europe – it bought French e-commerce pioneer PriceMinister last year and German online shopping mall Tadoria earlier this year.

It now operates e-commerce businesses in 10 countries around the world, including Japan.

“The UK market is one of Europe’s largest and most mature e-commerce markets,” said Hiroshi Mikitani, chairman and chief executive of Rakuten.

“Play.com is not only a pioneer in the market but also one of the UK’s most successful e-commerce businesses.

“We aim to leverage our e-commerce strength and experience to further expand and develop Play.com’s business model and channel its loyal user base, merchants and deep product offerings into Rakuten’s global e-commerce network.”

Aug 23rd - Sharp introduced three new AQUOS Blu-Ray recorders with enhanced Wireless connectivity

2011-08-23T06:30:00.000+01:00

Sharp announced yesterday three new AQUOS Blu-Ray recorder with the 2TB BD-W2000, 1TB BD-W1000 and 500GB BD-W500. While each models comes with basic features found on such products, they however integrate for the first time in these models, a SKYPerfectTV! Tuner, as well as the usual Digital ones, Wireless and DLNA connectivity as well as being now featuring Sharp’s “Wi-Fi Connection” that will allow to get direct access to all your recorded program from any Wired or Wireless compatible Sharp AQUOS TVs but also directly from your Sharp AQUOS Smartphone.
Working only within your home network this service could be a real killer if Sharp would at least let people stream contents on their tablets or phone on the go.

Aug 23rd - Molycorp to open office in Tokyo

2011-08-23T06:28:00.001+01:00

Molycorp, Inc, the western hemisphere’s only producer of rare earth oxides and the largest producer outside of China, announced that it is opening an office in Tokyo in order to better serve its customers there and to build new relationships in the world’s largest rare earth consuming nation outside of China.

The office will provide customer support as well as consulting and technical services to Molycorp’s customers in Japan.

“We are very pleased to be opening a Molycorp office in Tokyo,” said Mark A Smith, Molycorp President and Chief Executive Officer. “This will help us better serve our many valued customers in Japan, as well as help us forge new relationships, improve communications, and increase our understanding of the needs of this very important market. Coupled with our offices in Europe and the U.S., this provides Molycorp with a more comprehensive global reach and will help us significantly improve our customer service capabilities.”

Smith said that Molycorp plans to host an open house event in the Molycorp Tokyo office in the fall.

Aug 23rd - Sanken offering switching power supply ICs with 10mW no-load consumption

2011-08-23T06:26:00.000+01:00

Sanken today announced the development of new switching power supply ICs, STR3A100 series, featuring the industry’s top-class power consumption of only 10 mW at no load. Samples will be available in August 2011, priced at JPY 450 each.
Volume production will begin in October 2011, starting at one million units per month, ramping up to 4 million units per month by April 2012.

Development background and product overview

Today’s home appliances and office machines require efficient operations, consuming less power than ever before. Various countries set regulatory standards on not only operating power efficiency but also on standby power consumptions (*1). Consumers’ environmental awareness is also increasing, prompting appliance and office equipment manufacturers to develop products that meet standby power requirement standards.

*1.	Such as the U.S. ENERGY STAR label requirements (for products that consume 1.0 W or less) and the European Union’s Ecodesign initiatives (applicable to products that consume 1.0 W or less: to be lowered to 0.5 W or less in 2012)

To lower equipment’s standby power consumption levels, a switching power supply IC that features lower power consumption at no load is required.
Up to now, Sanken’s lineup of switching power supply ICs featured no-load power consumption of as low as 25 mW. With improved internal circuitries, STR3A100 series has attained no-load power consumption of 10 mW, a 60% reduction.
STR3A100 series come in a new, heat-resistant DIP8 package. Previous switching power supply ICs in a DIP8 package were limited in output power to about 20W. Thus, any equipment, such as small televisions, Blu-ray disc players, air conditioners, and other, whose output power exceeded the 20 W limit, would require TO220F package with attached heat sink.
STR3A100’s new heat-resistant DIP8 package enables maximum output power of 40 W, nearly doubling the capability of earlier DIP8 packages. STR3A100’s DIP8 may replace TO220F and significantly reduce the size of the equipment’s power block.
Pin layout has also been redesigned. The distance between the high and low-voltage pins is extended from 5.08 mm to 7.6 mm, eliminating the need for time-consuming application of isolation resin between the pins. Thus, STR3A100 series are ideal for air conditioners with strict isolation requirements between the high and low-voltage pins that are placed close together.

Features

(1)Improved internal circuits achieved significant reduction in no-load power consumption to 10 mW.

(2)New, heat-resistant DIP8 package (resin dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 3.4 mm) offer higher output power to 40 W

(3)Improved pin layout extended distance between high and low-voltage pins from 5.08 mm to 7.6 mm

(4)Random switching function reduces EMI noise

(5)Guaranteed avalanche energy tolerance simplifies the design of snubber circuit,using a 2-chip structure

(6)Overvoltage protection and overheating protection functions

Applications

Secondary and standby power supplies for FPD TVs and audio amplifiers, power supply for Blu-ray Disc players, CD players, and small televisions, auxiliary power supply for air conditioner units, AC adapter for mobile phones and game devices, etc.

Lineup

Product Name	MOS FET		Pout
Product Name	VDSS (V)	RDS (ON) (Ω)	230 V/85 to 264 V
STR3A151	650	4.0	16 W/12 W
STR3A152	650	3.0	23 W/20 W
STR3A153	650	1.9	36 W/30 W
STR3A154	650	1.4	40 W/33 W
STR3A155	650	1.1	43 W/35 W

Aug 23rd - Samsung to supply CPU for Sony PSP Vita

2011-08-23T06:24:00.001+01:00

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA UNVEILS
EXCITING DETAILS ABOUT NEXT GENERATION HARDWARE AND
EXCLUSIVE SOFTWARE
SCEA Continues Long-Standing Tradition of Delivering Groundbreaking Technology and
Unrivaled Content at the 2011 E3 Media & Business Summit

Los Angeles, California, June 6, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. (SCEA) today announced at its annual press conference at the E3 Media & Business Summit in Los Angeles, Calif., a stunning line-up of PlayStation® products, services and exclusive content that will change the way consumers experience their favorite games and entertainment at home and on-the-go.

"We are dedicated to providing our consumers with the types of entertainment offerings that have made PlayStation a definitive leader in the gaming and portable entertainment industries for more than 15 years," said Jack Tretton, CEO and President of SCEA. "With the official North American unveiling of PlayStation®Vita as well as the introduction of an extensive line-up of software, hardware and services, the PlayStation platform has never been stronger or more exciting for our customers. We believe that 2011 will be a defining year as we usher in a new era of portable gaming and drive widespread adoption of 3D through our content and hardware offerings."

Introducing PlayStation®Vita

In March 2005, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system defined new standards in portable entertainment and provided game enthusiasts worldwide with a new way to experience games outside of their living room. The PSP system broke through traditional boundaries then and has gone on to sell more than 70 million units since its launch. In January, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) announced a new portable device for a new generation of gamers --- the next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP).

Today, SCE announced PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) as the official platform name for NGP. A Wi-Fi model will be available for 24,980 yen (including tax) in Japan, $249 MSRP in US and €249 in Europe, while a 3G/Wi-Fi model will be available for 29,980 yen (including tax) in Japan, $299 MSRP in US and €299 in Europe. PS Vita will launch in the global market starting at the end of 2011.

Derived from the Latin word "Vita", which means "Life" this next generation portable entertainment system enables a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context.

The PS Vita system incorporates a beautiful 5-inch multi-touch organic light emitting diode (OLED) as the front display and a unique multi-touch pad on the rear. Together with the front touch screen and the rear touch pad, the PS Vita system offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through "touch, grab, trace, push and pull" finger motions. Also the PS Vita system features two analog sticks which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.

In addition to the PS Vita system pricing, SCEA also revealed today that AT&T, which powers the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, will be the exclusive service provider in the United States for the PS Vita system. The speed and coverage of AT&T’s mobile broadband network will ensure that PS Vita system users will remain connected to content and each other on the go.

On the content front, SCEA showcased a robust collection of software titles developed exclusively for the PS Vita system. Featured titles including UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss™, LittleBigPlanet™ and Ruin (working title), utilize the platform’s groundbreaking technology to make unprecedented immersive, interactive and social game play available on-the-go. UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss takes full advantage of PS Vita’s stunning OLED screen to deliver vibrant cinematic visuals and combines input from the front-touch screen and dual-analog sticks to create the most intuitive 3rd person shooter experience available on a portable system. Also making use of PS Vita’s unique feature set, LittleBigPlanet allows users to Play, Create and Share like never before with the system’s front touch screen and rear touch pad as well as its front and rear cameras. Finally,Ruin brings the ultimate social action RPG experience and also delivers interoperable compatibility for players to save their game on the PS Vita system and continue on at home using the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system. Adding to this selection of innovative games, SCEA unveiled a collection of PS Vita titles that will be available including wipEout®, ModNation™ Racers, Reality Fighter (working title), Super Stardust™ Delta,Sound Shapes, Hot Shots Golf®, Hustle Kings™ and more.

Additionally, conference attendees received a look at Capcom’s STREET FIGHTER® x TEKKEN® for the PS Vita system which will feature Cole MacGrath as a playable character from the popular PS3 franchise,inFAMOUS™.

PlayStation®3 system

Currently in its fifth year, the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system continues to experience tremendous momentum, recently surpassing 50 million units sold worldwide. To-date, more than 2,300 games have been made available for PS3 including 108 stereoscopic 3D titles and 184 PlayStation®Move titles, and that momentum continues into 2012. Expanding PS3 system’s industry-leading catalog of stereoscopic 3D games, SCEA presented a selection of new entries from fan-favorite series featuring full stereoscopic 3D support including UNCHARTED 3: Drake's Deception™, Resistance®3 and God of War®: Origins Collection. SCEA also announced the return of one of PlayStation’s most beloved franchises, Sly Cooper®: Thieves in Time™, which will treat players to an all-new adventure in stereoscopic 3D featuring classic characters, Sly, Murray and Bentley. In addition, SCEA introduced new titles utilizing the innovative PlayStation Move controller to deliver unique motion gaming experiences such as Everybody Dance™, Carnival Island (working title), and Medievil Moves: Deadmund's Quest™.

In addition to an unprecedented line-up of first-party titles, third-party support for the PS3 system has never been stronger. Content shown at the conference includes the highly anticipated first-person shooterBioShock Infinite from 2K and Irrational Games which will support the PlayStation Move motion controller, and will also include the original BioShock on the PS3 Blu-ray disc.

Additional exclusive content that will only be found on the PS3 system was announced for titles includingSaint’s Row: The Third from THQ, Electronic Arts’ SSX™, Need for Speed™ The Run, and Battlefield 3™. For Battlefield 3, the PS3 version promises to be bigger than any other as Electronic Arts will be using the extra storage capacity of the Blu-ray to add a second game to the disc, Battlefield 1943, one of the most popular games available on PlayStation®Network.

Innovations in stereoscopic 3D

As a leader in 3D entertainment and gaming, SCEA kicked off the 2011 press conference at E3 on the world’s largest 3D screen – showcasing a breadth of first- and third-party titles coming this year in 3D that is unmatched.

SCE today also announced the upcoming availability of the new PlayStation branded 3D Display. The 24-inch full HD LCD display will give PS3 users easy, affordable access to stereoscopic 3D entertainment. Available this fall, the 3D Display comes bundled with 3D Glasses, an HDMI cable and the highly anticipatedResistance 3 title from Insomniac Games for PlayStation®3 (PS3®) at an attractive recommended retail price (MSRP) of US$499.99. The 3D Glasses will also be sold separately, concurrently with the 3D Display launch for MSRP of US$69.99.

Designed to deliver the ultimate gaming experience, the 3D Display comes equipped with a special two-player feature, which allows two players playing a multi-player game to see individual, unique, full-screen images of gameplay using the bundled 3D Glasses and supported software title.

PlayStation®Network

With more than 77 million accounts worldwide, PlayStation®Network continues to be one of the largest networked entertainment platforms in the world and is the premier destination for games, TV and movies, sports and music entertainment. Today, SCEA announced that coming this fall , BestBuy’s CinemaNow video service will be accessible to PS3 owners, providing consumers with access to more than 12,000 of their favorite TV episodes and movies for rental or purchase.

Publisher support for PlayStation Network continues to remain strong as CCP introduced a new PlayStation Network exclusive title, Dust 514®, which will feature PlayStation Move support and also be made available for the PS Vita system. Another exciting game coming exclusively to the PS3 system and PlayStation Network in 2012 is Star Trek™ from Paramount Digital Entertainment. The game, which continues the adventure that director and producer J.J. Abrams envisioned with Star Trek™ (2009), boasts a story filled with action- packed combat and will be fully PlayStation Move enabled. Paramount Digital Entertainment will also offer an exclusive prequel to the game only on PlayStation Network.

About Sony Computer Entertainment LLC.

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store. Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP and PS3 systems for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. serves as headquarters for all North American operations.

* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

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PlayStation, PS3 and PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Aug 22nd - Samsung launches solar powered laptop

2011-08-22T06:37:00.003+01:00

After Russia, Africa and North America Samsung Electronics unveiled this morning its solar-powered mini notebook (NC215) in Korea. The 10.1″ laptop comes in with a solar panel on the lid, so two-hours of sunlight charges makes it possible for it to run for about an hour.

When its battery is fully recharged, The Samsung NC215 can power on for up to 14 hours and up to 1,000 times of recharge is possible thanks to Samsung’s proprietary Power Plus technology.

This MC215, like in other countries comes with a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N570 dual core processor, 1GB of DDR3 memory, and a 250GB, 5400 RPM hard drive. It runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. This is a great product if you are an outdoor person — it can be used off the grid while camping, or visiting or living in an area without reliable electricity.

Aug 22nd - Sharp update its Android Clamshell Smartphone

2011-08-22T06:31:00.002+01:00

Introduced early this may in Japan, the AQUOS Phone "The Hybrid 007SH" an Android 2.3 Clamshell phone that comes with everything you could think of! An IPX5/IPX7 Waterproof body, a 16.10Mpix sensor, a 3.4” WVGA 3D New Mobile ASV touchscreen, 720p video recording mode, 3D Photo and Video Mode, AQUOS TV connector Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, has now be announced in with a new design featuring the most famous Japanese cat : Hello Kitty!

Sold under the name 007SH KT, this Hello Kitty version of the Hybrid 007SH features the same basic specification as the standard model with however a nice Hello Kitty paint job and UI.

Aug 22nd - Fujitsu launches FENICS network service

2011-08-22T06:28:00.000+01:00

Fujitsu has launched a network service that enables smartphones and tablets to securely connect to a corporate intranet.

With the new Mobile Browser Connection Service, customers can connect to a company’s internal network over the FENICS II Universal Connect service from a mobile device equipped with a special FENICS Browser application from Fujitsu. This, in turn, enables enterprise users to access websites, applications, web e-mail, groupware, address books, and other resources without leaving business data and logs on their mobile devices. As a result, users are freed from having to worry about information leaks and can securely browse and update data.

Amid a remarkable spread in the use of smartphones and tablets, companies are increasingly facing the need to employ such devices in a wide range of business scenarios. On the other hand, due to uncertainty about information leaks and other security risks, as well as concerns about deployment costs and operational burdens, many customers are hesitant to use mobile devices as part of their business processes.

In light of these circumstances, Fujitsu is offering the Mobile Browser Connection Service, a network service that enables mobile devices to securely connect to a corporate intranet. In addition, as an added service, Fujitsu will be offering the Mobile Content Conversion Service, which converts website content intended for PCs into a format that is easily viewable on mobile devices.

Aug 21st - DeNA to expand Asian operations in Singapore

2011-08-21T07:17:00.000+01:00

DeNA Co Ltd on Friday announced plans to establish DeNA Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd (DeNA Asia) in Singapore on Septr 1. A wholly-owned subsidiary of DeNA, DeNA Asia will work with developers in Southeast and South Asia to bring high-quality social mobile games to smartphone users worldwide.

DeNA Asia will serve as a hub for DeNA Group’s social games business in Southeast and South Asia. The subsidiary will also seek to strengthen the group’s development capabilities through acquisitions of local developers. Future activities will include localization of the global edition of Mobage, a social mobile gaming network launched last month by DeNA’s subsidiary ngmoco, LLC.

DeNA Asia complements DeNA’s strong presence in China and Korea, which includes Shanghai Zongyou Network Technologies Co Ltd, also known as DeNA China, and DeNA Seoul Co Ltd in South Korea. DeNA has been exploring business opportunities with local developers in these locations as well, aiming to position Mobage as the world’s top social gaming platform by delivering the finest social games to smartphone users worldwide.

Aug 21st - ST’s MEMS Module Provides Six Degrees of Freedom in Advanced Motion-Sensing Applications

2011-08-21T07:14:00.001+01:00

STMicroelectronics has expanded its portfolio with a new device that combines three-axis sensing of both linear and angular motion. ST’s high-performance multi-sensor module with six degrees of freedom targets advanced motion-sensing applications, including remote controls, black-box recorders, and enhanced GPS systems.

ST’s LSM330DL multi-sensor module detects acceleration up to 16g and angular rate up to 2,000 dps along the pitch, roll and yaw axes . The integration of a 3-axis digital accelerometer with a 3-axis digital gyroscope in a single device increases system robustness and the advanced design of the mechanical sensing structure guarantees outstanding thermal and mechanical stability.

ST’s LSM330DL multi-sensor module is available now, with unit pricing at $3.80 for volumes in the range of 1,000 pieces. If your company has a high-volume need, please contact your ST sales office.

Aug 21st - Sony introduces Digital Recording Binoculars

2011-08-21T07:12:00.001+01:00

Life’s “can’t miss” moments are now easier to observe and capture with the world’s first digital binoculars to record in AVCHD™ 2.0 format, from Sony. The new models, DEV-3 and DEV-5, are ideal for nature/bird watching, they can record Full HD video with stereo sound at the touch of a button, and even add a 3D mode that records scenes as thrilling stereoscopic video footage for playback on most 3D HDTVs.

“Now consumers can watch birds, wildlife, sports action and more in steady, sharply-focused close-up views, while capturing their subjects in crisp Full HD,” said Andy Bubala, director of the camcorder business at Sony Electronics. “These new models add entirely new levels of flexibility and convenience to viewing, recording and enjoying your favorite images and scenes.”

Users can select the variable zoom on both models to scan a wide area at low magnification before zooming in seamlessly to pinpoint a subject, such as birds in a field. Turning on the digital zoom at magnification settings over 10x boosts the DEV-5 model’s total magnification range from 0.9x up to 20x digital (image quality is reduced when digital zoom is on and recording 2D video at magnifications higher than 10x), rivalling many high-powered conventional binoculars. The DEV-3 model pulls wildlife, sporting subjects and architectural details closer with a maximum magnification of 10x optical. In 3D mode, the binoculars’ maximum magnification is 5.4x optical.

Aug 20th - Toshiba TEC develops two-sided label printer

2011-08-20T06:49:00.001+01:00

Toshiba TEC Corp has launched the DB-EA4D, a two-sided direct thermal label printer. The first of a new series, the DB-EA4D can print directly onto a label’s backing paper, thus increasing usability without effecting functionality. Not only does the printer add value, but importantly, it reduces waste and is ideal for applications requiring dual output, providing an efficient alternative to single sided solutions - perfect for the transport and logistics industry.

Specifically, shipping label can be used for service logistics, E-Commerce company and food & beverage manufacturing. Event ticketing is for ticketing center such as theaters, and tag printing can be used in retail stores, service logistics, and clothing stores.

Compact and solid, the DB-EA4D’s small footprint is the perfect solution for the tightest of spaces. Printing using two thermal heads to simultaneously print on the front and back of direct thermal labels, this high performing printer can reach speeds of up to 6ips in a single pass eliminating waste and reducing labeling errors. Furthermore, on-demand printing is available for mutable data and dual conjunction data.

Offering customers a low cost of ownership, the DB-EA4D saves organizations money by using fewer consumables in the print process, and thus reduces storage space and shipping costs.

Easy to operate, the intuitive LCD backlit menu is supported by color LED notification lights with a universal design. The auto feed function enables quick paper loading without opening the cover and the tool-less replacement of essential components such as the printhead and platen roller offer ease of maintenance.

The DB-EA4D comes with BarTender as standard and with the added option to download enhanced software, customers can design bespoke labels to meet their specific business needs. Optional extras include a paper roll holder that gives the printer greater flexibility.See full article at Japan Today

Aug 20th - Fujitsu to expand mobile phone business

2011-08-20T06:45:00.001+01:00

Fujitsu Ltd. has revealed plans to buy out its mobile phone joint venture with Toshiba Corp. next year, a deal that is expected to pull Toshiba out of the handset business.

Fujitsu currently holds an 80.1 percent stake in Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications Ltd. and intends to make the joint venture its wholly owned subsidiary as early as the first half of 2012 by acquiring the remaining 19.9 percent stake from Toshiba.

The joint venture was launched in October 2010. The combined market share of Fujitsu's mobile phone unit and the joint venture currently accounts for about 20 percent in the nation, the second-largest after Sharp Corp.

Toshiba wants to concentrate management resources on its core businesses such as semiconductors, some observers said. As Fujitsu has a dominant position in the joint venture, the company agreed to buy out Toshiba's stake, sources said.

Fujitsu's mobile phone unit has developed handsets for NTT Docomo Inc., while the joint venture has supplied handsets for KDDI Corp. and others. Fujitsu likely plans to cut development and other costs by integrating operations of its mobile phone unit and the joint venture.

After the joint venture is dissolved, Fujitsu will no longer be able to sell smartphones using the "Regza" brand, which is also the name of a popular range of Toshiba LCD TVs. The company will market smartphones with a different brand name.

Fujitsu also said it planned to enter the U.S. and European markets next year.

Aug 20th - Hitachi to stop TV production

2011-08-20T06:39:00.003+01:00

Hitachi, Ltd. will pull the plug on TV production before the current fiscal year ends next March as it has suffered deteriorating profitability amid intensifying price competition with South Korean and other foreign rivals, the company said Wednesday.

The firm said it would continue to develop new TV models but outsource production to makers overseas, including in Taiwan.

Hitachi will keep selling TVs bearing its own brand name, the company said.

Hitachi has been making TVs since 1956. Its departure from the market will leave five domestic TV makers, including Panasonic Corp., Sharp Corp. and Sony Corp.

Hitachi manufactures LCD and plasma TVs under the Wooo brand. It held just 4.6 percent of the domestic market in 2010, ranking fifth among the six makers.

To trim production costs, Hitachi pulled out of a joint venture producing liquid crystal panels for TVs in 2008. Hitachi also halted production of plasma TV panels later that year. The company had stopped TV production overseas by autumn last year.

Hitachi's only domestic TV production plant is in Minokamo, Gifu Prefecture. After TVs stop rolling off the lines, the plant will make other products, and all workers will be kept on.

Among other major electrical appliance makers, Pioneer Corp. pulled out of plasma TV production, and JVC Kenwood Holdings, Inc. stopped making TVs after its subsidiary, Victor Co. of Japan, halted LCD TV production at a Thai factory.

Sony and Panasonic suffered losses in their TV production business in the April-June quarter of this year. Some observers believe domestic electrical appliance makers will continue to review their TV production operations.

Aug 20th - Nintendo fight smartphone competition

2011-08-20T06:38:00.001+01:00

Nintendo Co. has slashed the price of its 3DS portable video game device from 25,000 yen to 15,000 yen, following sluggish sales of the hand-held game console since its release in February.

The poor sales performance of the 3DS is seen as partly due to a shift in the video game market from traditional consoles, in which Japanese firms once had an advantage, to smartphones.

On Thursday morning, when the price cut went into effect, about 30 people had formed a line outside major electronics retailer Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, Tokyo, to buy the discounted 3DS devices.

After selling 3.61 million 3DS devices globally from its February launch through March, Nintendo sold only about 710,000 units between April and June.

Domestic sales have also been sluggish and are much lower than sales of the Nintendo DS, which was released in December 2004.

Industry analysts said the slow sales of the 3DS are due in part to a lack of games on the market that showcase the beauty of 3D graphics.

The poor reception of the device may discourage game makers from developing new titles. If this happens, Nintendo will find itself on the ropes.

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said, "We want to regain market share by lowering the price."

Nintendo's operating profit for the April-to-June quarter of fiscal 2011 fell into the red for the first time.

Nintendo's stock price, which was in the 25,000 yen territory prior to the release of the 3DS on Feb. 26, fell to 11,430 yen on Thursday.

The dwindling sales of the 3DS may negatively impact sales of the Wii U video game console, the next generation of the popular Wii system. Industry analysts said the deep discount is timed to coincide with the year-end shopping season.

According to video game magazine publisher Enterbrain, Inc., domestic sales of home-use video game hardware and software in 2010 totaled 493.6 billion yen.

The figure fell in the past three years and is about 30 percent lower than the peak sales posted in 2007.

Nintendo has increasingly targeted its products, such as the DS console, to light gamers who enjoy easy-to-play games. But the move might not be enough.

Eiji Maeda, senior analyst at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., said, "It's possible that many users are shifting to smartphones, which users can play an increasing number of cheaper games on."

Later this year, Sony Corp. will release the PlayStation Vita, a next-generation portable device that will succeed Sony's PlayStation Portable.

The two models will be priced at 29,980 yen and 24,980 yen, nearly double that of the marked-down Nintendo 3DS.

Kazuo Hirai, executive vice president of Sony, said, "Some people praised [the PlayStation Vita] as being reasonably priced, considering its many functions. We don't feel a price cut will be necessary."

Depending on how well the device performs on the market after its release, Sony may also be forced to review its sales strategy.

Aug 19th - KDDI System Allows Transmission Of Medical Images To Smartphones And Tablets

2011-08-19T09:04:00.002+01:00

Smart MIMAS, developed by KDDI Labs, is a system for hospitals which enables medical images to be transferred and viewed on Android tablets and smartphones.

Images can be sent securely to specialists when they are on the road or at home, so in the case of an emergency, they can give quick and accurate instructions to staff at the hospital.

“This system has three main features. One is that images can be viewed quickly. The second feature is that images can be sent at high speed. And the third feature is that it’s very secure. Regarding the first feature, high-speed viewing, this system uses unique memory management technology to enable large images to be viewed quickly. As for the second feature, high-speed transmission, a CTU image contains a very large amount of information, with over 4,000 gradation levels in a single picture. Usually, physicians in the hospital adjust those levels to see the ones they want. But if the pictures are used on a mobile device, then with the Internet until now, the number of levels was limited due to JPEG compression. So physicians couldn’t adjust the pictures they received. Our system uses JPEG2000, so the compression preserves as many levels as possible. That makes it possible to adjust the gradation on a tablet or smartphone. Regarding the third feature, security, we’ve used KDDI’s own encryption technology to achieve a very advanced level of security.”

As the images can be sent quickly and viewed easily, doctors can compare the results from multiple tests and give an accurate diagnosis.

“There may be only a few specialists in a hospital, or they may not come to the hospital very often. In that case, if there’s an emergency, a specialist can look at pictures while outside the hospital, and tell staff on the spot what to do. The specialist can also tell staff, “I’m coming back in. Get everything ready for surgery.” I think that’s a big advantage of this system. In provincial areas, lack of physicians can be a problem, so I think there’ll be a great many cases like that from now on. And in such cases, a specialist at another local hospital can provide support. We think Smart MIMAS could be utilized for that kind of support.”

Smart MIMAS costs about US$65,000 for the server and tablets. KDDI aims to supply 20 sets to hospitals this year.

Aug 19th - Softbank announce release of Yahoo! smartphone in September

2011-08-19T09:01:00.001+01:00

Softbank Mobile will release an Android-based Yahoo! cell phone in late September. The smartphone, called “Yahoo! Phone”, comes preloaded with 13 apps that allow easy access to Yahoo!‘s free web services like auctions and maps. It is the first cell phone to be branded with Yahoo!‘s logo.

The phone will be a rebranded version of the Aquos 009SH handset, made by Softbank and Sharp. It features Android 2.3 as the OS, a 4-inch LCD with QHD resolution, an 8MP CMOS camera, Bluetooth 3.0, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, a microSDHC slot, a digital TV tuner, an e-wallet function, and infrared communication.

Existing SoftBank cell phone subscribers who choose the Yahoo! Phone become Yahoo! Japan premium members for free for two years (instead of having to pay 360 yen monthly). A premium membership is required to bid over 5,000 yen for auction items on Yahoo! Auctions. Subscribers can also get additional points for every purchase made on Yahoo! Shopping for the next two years.

Yahoo! plans to test the market with the Softbank collaboration and analyze sales data before approaching other cell phone companies and manufacturers.

Aug 19th - MHI, pause oncapital tie-up talks with Areva

2011-08-19T08:59:00.001+01:00

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. has decided to freeze negotiations on a capital alliance with French nuclear energy giant Areva SA until further notice, it was learned Tuesday.

The two companies currently have a business tie-up in nuclear power generation.

Mitsubishi originally aimed to acquire a stake of about 3 percent of capital in the French company.

However, it will now freeze the investment plan and cancel negotiations due to an unclear outlook for the nation's nuclear-related businesses in the wake of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant crisis.

The companies will maintain the business tie-up.

MHI and Areva have partnered on the development of a midsize nuclear reactor and also established a joint venture to produce nuclear fuel since 2006.

They had been negotiating over the capital alliance since 2009 in an attempt to strengthen the partnership.

Since the Fukushima crisis, however, there were increased calls from some European countries to end the dependence on nuclear power.

In France, the leading heavy electric machinery firm Alstom SA, which enjoys close ties with Areva, has lobbied Areva to reject MHI's investment on the grounds that MHI is Alstom's rival in building turbines for nuclear reactors.

Mitsubishi deemed it difficult to continue negotiating with Areva under the circumstances.

MHI and Areva have pitched to sell reactors to Jordan as that country plans its first nuclear power plant.

On Aug. 5, the Japanese government agreed at a Cabinet meeting to continue nuclear power-related exports. But Prime Minister Naoto Kan showed an intention to review the policy, tempering the government's stance against nuclear power-related exports. Such incidences may also have affected Mitsubishi-Areva negotiations.

In June, the French government--which holds a 90 percent share in Areva--ousted Areva Chief Executive Officer Anne Lauvergeon, who was supportive of the capital alliance with MHI. The decision made it unlikely negotiations will resume at an early date.

Aug 18th - Elpida: DRAM price erosion exceeded expectations

2011-08-18T06:25:00.001+01:00

"The spot price of 2Gbit DDR3 started dropping sharply in April and reached $1.09 today. And since the mega-quake, the DRAM price has halved. We didn't expect things to get this tough," said Yoshitaka Kinoshita, COO of Elpida Memory, Inc.

Elpida's downbeat business results for the first quarter of this fiscal year, which started in April, reflect the harsh environment. Sales almost halved to 95.7 billion yen (US$1,196million*), just 54% of the 176.3 billion yen reported for the same period of the previous fiscal year. The operating loss was 3.8 billion yen and the net loss 7.3 billion yen, the third straight quarter in the red for both operating and net income.

* Original figures are in Japanese yen. The exchange rate is roughly US$1=80 yen.

Mobile IT products, digital consumer electronics, servers and PCs are the major DRAM applications. Elpida estimates about 20% of DRAMs produced worldwide end up in mobile gear, 10% in digital consumer products, 10% in servers and 60% in PCs. If we think of the market in terms of a weather forecast, the server market will be fine, but the mobile IT market, supposedly the sweetest spot, is becoming cloudy, rain is already falling on digital consumer electronics and the PC market is almost in the midst of a typhoon, according to Yukio Sakamoto, president and CEO of Elpida.

In these circumstances, Elpida doesn't expect the DRAM market to recover until September in the best case or until November in the worst case. The projection is based on the timing of inventory adjustment of end products by vendors and of DRAM chips by chipmakers. New products to be introduced for the year-end holiday season should also help spur recovery.

Reflecting the severe environment, Elpida's quarter-to-quarter bit growth was 15% for the first quarter, though the company expected 20-30% growth in May. For this quarter, in light of the economic uncertainty triggered by the downgrading of the US bond rating, Elpida lowered its bit growth forecast to 10%. For this fiscal year, the company lowered the bit growth forecast to 40-50% from the figure of more than 50% it announced last May.

Aug 18th - Elpida: Legacy DRAMs can be extended to 1Xnm

2011-08-18T06:23:00.002+01:00

New memory technologies are attracting attention, but customers prefer to continue using the tried and true DRAMs and flash memories they know, and if the JEDEC specifications were relaxed a bit, the life of current DRAMs could be extended to 1Xnm, Yukio Sakamoto, president and CEO of Elpida Memory, Inc., said at a business results briefing.

Elpida envisages introducing EUV technology when the process reaches 1Xnm. But Sakamoto said that even with the EUV technology, it is doubtful whether the specifications the JEDEC standards would require at that time could be fully satisfied.

Instead, as many customers want to keep using the current DRAMs and flash memories they are familiar with, it would be neat if the life of current memories were extended, said Sakamoto.

Elpida joined a government-supported ReRAM development project that also involves the University of Tokyo and Sharp. But Sakamoto doesn't expect a new memory, no matter what the technology is, to enter the market any time soon unless it offers higher performance and lower cost than current memories. "We are developing ReRAM, but it's a kind of insurance and we have no intention of marketing it in the near future," he said.

As for short-term strategy through 2012, Elpida intends to take a lead or set the market trend by quick process migration.

Elpida forecast demand for 4Gbit DRAM will emerge coinciding with the introduction of Ultrabook PCs in the second half of this year. "We will start using 30nm process for the 4Gbit DRAM in the second half of this year. Elpida and a Korean company are currently the only ones able to supply 30nm 4Gbit DRAM chips. Any chipmakers that can't migrate to 30nm will be out of the running. 4Gbit DRAMs will be Elpida's main products for both PCs and mobile devices in 2012," said Sakamoto.

To maintain process leadership, Elpida intends to rapidly shift 4Gbit DRAM to 30nm and 25nm. Its subsidiary Rexchip started mass production of 30nm 2Gbit DDR3 DRAM in June and will have changed its process completely to 30nm by the end of this year. If you factor in the Hiroshima fab, Elpida will have migrated 60% of its capacity to 30nm by the end of this year.

To lower power consumption, Elpida has developed mobile DRAM based on High-k/metal gate transistor technology whose power supply can be lowered to 1.0V from the current 1.2V. 1.0V operation will cut power consumption about 30%, according to Elpida. The company has already completed development of a 30nm HKGM mobile DRAM chip and intends to sample it in the first quarter of 2012.

Through silicon via (TSV) technology is also essential for lowering power consumption. Having sampled four-chip-stack 8Gbit TSV DRAM back in June, Elpida is currently developing 30nm 16Gb TSV DRAM (32bit I/O) and wide I/O (512 bit I/O) TSV mobile DRAM. "Sometime next year, TSV DRAMs will start contributing to our revenues," said Sakamoto.

As already reported, Elpida's business has lost money for three straight quarters. The company stressed its technical advantages and future plans in the analyst briefing, but the stock market is unimpressed. The share price sank to its lowest level so far this year on the day after the briefing.

Aug 18th - Nissan plans foreign executive majority by 2016

2011-08-18T06:21:00.001+01:00

Nissan Motor Co. plans to fill the majority of its top-ranking posts with non-Japanese by the end of fiscal 2016, according to sources.

Non-Japanese officials, such as directors and presidents of overseas units, currently account for 44 people of Nissan's 100 executives. The automaker intends to hire talented local people at its overseas units to accelerate its global advancement strategy, the sources said.

Domestic companies seldom allow a majority of executive positions to be occupied by non-Japanese. Industry observers have pointed out that other Japanese companies could follow Nissan's lead.

Currently, four out of nine Nissan directors at its headquarters are not Japanese, and nearly three-quarters of executive positions at its overseas subsidiaries have been filled with non-Japanese.

At Nissan, it is mandatory that English is spoken at meetings if at least one non-Japanese person is in attendance.

The nation's second-largest automaker has also introduced a personnel management system in which employees are promoted and paid based on ability and performance, regardless of nationality.

The automaker has drawn up a midterm management plan in which it aims to boost global sales from the current 4 million units annually to more than 7 million units by the end of fiscal 2016. The company apparently views more non-Japanese executives as essential to reaching this goal.

Yutaka Suzuki, chief economist at Daiwa Institute of Research, said: "Less than 5 percent of listed domestic companies have non-Japanese executives at their headquarters. Nissan's move may increase employment [in other companies] of non-Japanese people [for executive posts]."

Aug 18th - Lenovo announce quarterly profit nearly doubles

2011-08-18T06:17:00.001+01:00

Lenovo Group, the world’s No. 3 personal computer manufacturer, said Thursday its profit in the latest quarter nearly doubled on strong sales in emerging markets.

Profit for the three months ending June 30 was $108 million, or 1.11 U.S. cents per share, up 98% from a year ago, the company said. It said sales rose 15% to $5.9 billion and its global market share hit a new high of 12.2%.

Lenovo, which acquired IBM Corp’s PC unit in 2005, overtook Taiwan’s Acer Group this year to become the third-largest PC vendor, according to International Data Corp.

“Our global market share has now reached double-digits and we have attained a double-digit share in a greater number of our strategic markets,” said CEO Yang Yuanqing in a statement. “Starting this year, we are advancing to a more balanced strategy of continuing to grow, while shifting our focus more on profitability.”

Lenovo is expanding into mobile Internet and in developed markets with an acquisition this year in Germany and a joint venture with Japan’s NEC Corp.

The company launched a smartphone and two web-linked portable computers last year to compete with Apple Inc, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Corp and Taiwan’s HTC Corp.

Lenovo said its PC shipments in Africa, Latin America and other emerging markets rose 45.7% in the latest quarter over a year ago.

In China, which provides nearly half of Lenovo’s sales, shipments rose 23.4% in the quarter. Shipments in North America rose 30.8% while those in Japan were up 14%.

Lenovo announced its acquisition of Germany’s Medion AG, a maker of multimedia products and consumer electronics in June. It said that would make it the second-largest PC vendor in Europe’s biggest computer market.

Also this year, Lenovo launched a joint venture with NEC Corp, expanding its presence in the Japanese market.

Aug 17th - Toshiba establishes semiconductor design house joint venture in Brazil

2011-08-17T07:50:00.003+01:00

Toshiba Corp has established a semiconductor design house, STI Semiconductor Design Brasil Ltda, as a joint venture with Semp Toshiba Informática Ltda (STIL), a Brazilian Toshiba affiliate. The joint venture is based on the memorandum of understanding signed on Dec 3 last year, under the framework for reinforcing cooperation in economic and industrial development between the Brazilian and Japanese governments, including the cultivation of a Brazilian semiconductor industry.

The new company will initially design radio frequency ICs, widely used devices that are expected to see demand growth in Brazil.

Aug 17th -Mebiol devlops Imec for growing Plants on thin Films

2011-08-17T07:47:00.001+01:00

Category: Science - Tags: DigInfo, Diginfo TV, Hydro-membranes, IMEC, Mebiol, Science

Mebiol has developed Imec, a technology for growing plants on special films just tens of microns thick, called hydro-membranes.
Hydro-membranes make it possible for plants to take up only water and nutrients, without letting harmful bacteria, nematodes, or viruses through.

“As you can see here, roots grow directly on the film surface, and they absorb the water and fertilizer in the film, so they grow large. No soil is needed, as the film plays the role of soil. The only problem is, it’s hard for plants to take up the water in the film, so they don’t grow very big. The plants are subjected to stress, so they have very high quality, but they don’t become large. If you give them some liquid nutrients from above the film, then they do grow very large. So with this technology, plants are grown by applying liquid fertilizer from above and below the film.”

Hydro-membranes are made from water-absorbent hydro-gel, which is used in diapers. They prevent water leaking to the outside. This characteristic is also used in research by NASA on plant cultivation in space.
Currently, Mebiol has succeeded in cultivating tomatoes, musk melons, and cucumbers using Imec. In the future, the company wants to make the film stronger, so the film can be used to grow plants with stronger roots, such as trees.

“Right now, it’s essential to increase food production, to cope with population growth and global warming, but water shortages and poor soils make it impossible for production to keep up with population growth. So in agriculture, we must grow plants more efficiently, using fewer resources and less energy. In industry, such technologies are becoming very advanced. So if we apply technologies from industry to agriculture, we may obtain advantages from industrial production. For about a decade, we’ve been working to utilize advanced technology from Japan, to increase plant production and obtain high-quality plants efficiently. And this product arose from that work.”

An Imec model plant will be installed at Miyagi JA in mid-August. Mebiol is planning further R&D, with a view to enabling this technology to be used in areas suffering from soil contamination and water shortages.

Aug 15th - Nissan and MMC to standardize EV power

2011-08-15T16:03:00.000+01:00

Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plan to standardize a device that enables electric vehicle batteries to supply power to households, it was learned Saturday.

The unification of standards by the two automakers that currently split the domestic electric car market will highly likely lead to a unified national standard, observers said.

Electric vehicles have been attracting attention as "movable batteries" since the Great East Japan Earthquake, due to their portability and large power storage capacity.

The device makes it possible for users to connect their electric vehicles to a house's electricity distribution panel to supply the house with electricity.

Mitsubishi unveiled its device in July, while Nissan introduced its device on Aug. 2. Nissan and Mitsubishi plan to put their respective devices on the market by the end of this fiscal year.

However, they are not compatible. This means that if a user installs a Nissan electricity distribution panel at home, the user will have to purchase only Nissan cars.

An electric vehicle battery can store enough power to supply an ordinary household for two days.

But to supply electricity to a household from an electric car, a device is needed to convert the direct current from the car battery to alternating current.

The device recognizes the car's model number, selects the proper electrical current speed and checks the power level.

In Japan, more than 6,000 Nissan Leaf electric vehicles and more than 4,000 of Mitsubishi's i-MiEV cars are on the market.

Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. said they also planned to sell electric vehicles next year.

Companies are now studying the use of electric vehicle batteries rather than household storage batteries in next generation energy-efficient households, such as those that run on a solar energy power station.

Aug 15th - Fujitsu releases software tool for easy web app creation

2011-08-15T16:00:00.001+01:00

Fujitsu Ltd and Fujitsu Applications Ltd have launched a software tool that makes it easy for customers to create their own web applications.

RapidWebSS has been designed mainly for office tasks managed through Microsoft Office Excel, including simple workflow management, customer-relationship management, bid management, and trouble-ticket management, as well as providing supplemental functionality to mission-critical systems. After installing the product on a PC server, customers can create new web applications in about a half a day using familiar Excel operations. In addition, the software can flexibly accommodate changes to business process specifications after applications have already been put into use. Users of web applications produced using this software can access the applications over the Internet from their own computers to input or browse information.

As a result, business processes for which ICT use has been difficult in the past due to budgetary or operational workload constraints can now be systemized by users, thereby enabling improved business efficiency through central management of information.

Companies have made some progress in systematizing their key business processes. However, for processes with constantly-changing specifications and that involve ROI or operational overhead risks, companies manage information manually using Excel in many cases. As this approach involves the exchange of Excel and other files via e-mail with a variety of different people inputting data, it can be difficult to determine the status of progress with Excel files often becoming scattered, thus making tabulation work complicated.

With these circumstances in mind, Fujitsu and Fujitsu Applications have released RapidWebSS, a software tool that makes it quick, inexpensive, and easy to develop web applications.

JCN Newswire

Aug 15th - Mega Solar; Japan's largest solar power facility starts operation

2011-08-15T15:58:00.001+01:00

As renewable energies to replace nuclear power draw attention, the largest solar power facility in the country, dubbed Mega Solar, has started operations in Kawasaki.

With the addition of another facility to commence operations in December, the combined size of Mega Solar facilities will cover an area the size of seven Tokyo domes. The combined energy from the plants will reach 20,000 kilowatts, enough energy to provide for 5,900 households.

Mega Solar is a joint project between Kawasaki City and Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO). The city government provides the land to build the solar power plants and promote solar power generation through the project, while TEPCO will operate the solar power plants as a power supply facility.

The project consists of the Ukishima Solar Power Plant with an approximate output of 7,000 kW. It was built in a landfill owned by Kawasaki City. The second plant is at Ogishima and has an approximate output of 13,000 kW.

Aug 15th - Tokyo Seeks Big Growth in Solar, Wind Power

2011-08-15T15:31:00.000+01:00

Japan's parliament is set to approve a landmark bill on renewable energy that was championed by Prime Minister Naoto Kan as a way to reduce the nation's dependence on nuclear power, and which would break the monopoly of the 10 major utilities.

The final passage of the bill, which aims to bolster investment in renewable energy following the worst nuclear-plant accident in the country's history, is expected by the end of the month. Its approval also paves the way for the unpopular prime minister to step down.

Mr. Kan has predicted the legislation would spark "explosive growth" in solar and wind power. He made a commitment to raise the share of renewable energy to at least 20% of total power supply by early 2020s.

The main feature of the bill is a requirement that utilities purchase power from outside providers, such as private companies or cooperatives, under certain circumstances. This rule is seen as opening the door for much greater use of alternative energy sources, an area where Japan lags, accounting for just 9% of total supply.

The legislation, known as a feed-in-tariff law, puts the industry minister in charge of setting the prices at which utilities are obliged to purchase electricity from renewable-power generators.

Big manufacturers, already hurt by power shortages and the effects of the high yen on exports, are expected to face higher electricity bills as a result.

The idea was given little chance of winning legislative approval until the Fukushima disaster created a groundswell of opposition to nuclear power. Mr. Kan's personal efforts also are credited for its success. He said his work was inspired by a visit in 1980 to a wind farm in Denver, Colo., and has insisted he wouldn't leave office until the law is enacted.

But even with the new legislation, Hisashi Hoshi, an analyst at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, said "achieving the [20%] target will not be easy without offering generous incentives."

The challenge of connecting a large number of renewable-power generators to the grid is another hurdle. Upgrading the grid is expected to take time and cost up to ¥2 trillion ($26 billion), according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

To ease the burden on heavy electricity users, such as electric-furnace steelmakers, the legislation leaves open the possibility of reducing a new surcharge for large power users. The concession came after fierce opposition to the legislation from the steel industry.

The feed-in-tariff is expected to galvanize Japan's solar-panel makers, such as Sharp Corp. andKyocera Corp., and give a much-needed boost to the wind-power industry. But even Sharp is of two minds, since it also ranks as a major consumer of electricity and doesn't want to see costs go up as it tries to compete with foreign rivals.

The prospects of new opportunities in renewable energy has also spurred new entrants, such as mobile-phone group Softbank Corp., which is looking to develop mega solar projects in regions hit by the March 11 earthquake.

Japan has been strong in solar-panel production, but that advantage is rapidly eroding in the face of competition from China. A boom in renewable energy could result in an increase in Chinese imports instead of developing a local green industry and creating jobs.

The Japan Business Federation, the nation's largest business lobby, also known as Keidanren, has consistently opposed feed-in-tariffs. "The government should focus on ensuring stable energy supply for the next five years," Keidanren said in a statement on energy policy last month. "It must avoid a policy that results in rises in energy prices."

Source; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903918104576504362770587244.html

Aug 12th - NTT DOCOMO to Invest in Vietnam's VMG Media JSC

2011-08-12T17:02:00.001+01:00

NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced today that it has acquired an approximately 25% stake in Vietnam's largest mobile content provider, VMG Media Joint Stock Company (VMG), which owns a market share of roughly 25% in the country. The stock purchase, worth approximately 370 billion Vietnam Dong or about 1.4 billion Japanese yen*1, represents NTT DOCOMO's first investment in Vietnam.

VMG offers both content and content platforms. With its investment, DOCOMO will share its expertise and know-how with VMG, such as in content distribution, with the aim of boosting VMG's business and expanding DOCOMO's value-added services in Asia-Pacific.

DOCOMO will also work together with VMG's largest stakeholder, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), the country's largest telecom operator, which holds about 29% stake in the company, to promote VMG's business.

*1 VND = 0.00373 yen as of July 31, 2011

Aug 12th - Sharp new LED Ceiling Light Is The World’s Most Efficient

2011-08-12T06:49:00.003+01:00

Sharp announced the latest in their series of energy efficient LED lights, a square ceiling light. Available in three models for small, medium, and large sized rooms, the light is 1.6 times more energy efficient than previous LED ceiling lights, making it the most efficient in the industry. Sharp has achieved this by combining direct illumination with the kind of highly efficient LEDs used in LCD televisions.

“The main feature of this LED ceiling light is that it’s the top performer in terms of energy efficiency. In particular, the model for small-sized rooms has a luminous efficiency of 81.3 lumens per watt, which is an industry-leading performance. Another feature of this light is that it utilizes the characteristics of LEDs to enable its brightness and color tone to be adjusted. So you can vary the brightness and the color tone in 10 steps. Even when it’s used as a night light, this light can be adjusted in three steps. So it offers 103 variations in brightness and color tone.”

The light also features an insect repellant structure, which makes it hard for bugs and dust to get inside. There is also a Favorite Setting button on the remote control, which remembers the preferred brightness and color tone. As an environmentally friendly feature, the light also has a Sleep Button, which can gradually fade the light to a low output night-light level or switch off completely.

“We plan to release this ceiling light on August 27. We expect it will retail at around 55,000 yen for the large room model, 45,000 yen for the medium room model, and 35,000 yen for the small room model. Lots of current lighting hasn’t yet been switched to LEDs or efficient light-bulbs, so we’d like to work on achieving a quick changeover to high energy efficiency.”

Aug 12th - Sony launch 'WhiteMagic' LCD for better brightness and lower power

2011-08-12T06:44:00.001+01:00

Sony Corporation has succeeded in commercializing “WhiteMagic™ ”, an LCD module for digital cameras that utilizes the newly-developed ‘RGBW method’.

“WhiteMagic™ ” incorporates a 3-inch VGA low-temperature polysilicone TFT LCD module that adds a white (‘W’) pixel to the Red-Green-Blue (‘RGB’) pixels. By improving the brightness of the entire screen, Sony has been able to develop a module that offers one mode to reduce the power consumption of backlight by around 50%, as well as another mode that approximately doubles the brightness to improve outdoor visibility. Even adding the W pixel, the analysis of the input picture data and Sony’s unique signal processing algorithm enable images to be displayed without any deterioration.

In recent times, devices such as digital cameras and Smartphones have been gradually calling for even larger screens and higher resolutions. There are also increasing demands to reduce the power consumption of the displays. The conventional RGB display, however, has a major difficulty in simultaneously achieving both high resolution and low power consumption.

By incorporating the newly-developed ‘RGBW method’ that adds a white (‘W’) pixel to the conventional RGB pixels, Sony has succeeded in enhancing the brightness of the entire screen of its new LCD module.
The addition of a white pixel tends to result in deterioration of the image quality. However, Sony’s “WhiteMagic™” analyzes the input picture data and performs suitable signal processing (using its new algorithm), thus enabling a deterioration-free display.
As a result, Sony has succeeded in equipping its LCD modules with a new ‘low power mode,’ which enables brightness equivalent to that of conventional RGB LCD modules, even the power consumption of the backlight is reduced by approximately 50%. There is also an ‘outdoors mode,’ which successfully improves outdoor visibility of the display by enhancing the display brightness to roughly double, even without the use of any additional power. Consequently, the ‘Low power mode’ increases the battery life of the devices, while the ‘outdoors mode’ facilitates focusing of the camera and/or checking of the images being filmed even under strong sunlight.

“WhiteMagic™” is also applicable to displays for Smartphones. Sony hopes that “WhiteMagic™” module will meet the demands of customers across a wide range of mobile devices.

Aug 12th - Panasonic launches S10 Toughbook in America

2011-08-12T06:41:00.003+01:00

Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today announced the Panasonic Toughbook® S10. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i5-2520M vPro™ processor, the Toughbook S10 delivers up to 12.5 hours of standard battery life – the longest in its class – and weighs only 3.0 pounds. The notebook offers optional Gobi2000™ mobile broadband and other enhancements to increase performance and drive return on investment. This lightweight device is ideal for road warriors and other highly mobile workers in a variety of markets.

Additional Enhancements for Improved Performance
Panasonic has designed the Toughbook S10 for the most demanding mobile users, offering exceptional battery life, connectivity, security features and performance. The Toughbook S10 also supports both USB 3.0 and 2.0, analog (VGA) and digital (HDMI) video and the latest SD card standard (SDXC) to enable faster file transfer speeds and greater flexibility. A host of security features, including an optional fingerprint reader, are available to keep your data protected and secured while on the road.

“The vast majority of business notebooks lack the durability to survive a hectic travel schedule; however, the Toughbook S10 is designed to address the needs of business professionals with the integration of security and remote management capabilities, protection against drops and spills, and exceptional performance and battery life,” said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Solutions Company. “The Toughbook S10 provides road warriors a reliable and lightweight device that allows them to work virtually anywhere.”

Business-rugged Durability
In order to withstand a highly mobile work environment, the Toughbook S10 is designed to survive drops, bumps and spills. Due to its magnesium alloy case and shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive, the device can handle up to a 30″ drop to the base of the unit while operating. The Toughbook S10 also features a spill-resistant keyboard that can protect against spills up to six ounces (200 cc).

Embedded Wireless Connectivity
The Toughbook S10 offers a variety of embedded wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® and optional Gobi2000™ 3G mobile broadband technology from Qualcomm, allowing workers to stay connected virtually all of the time.

Aug 12th - Sony’s latest car stereos feature SiriusXM and Pandora tuners

2011-08-12T06:39:00.001+01:00

Sony is expanding its mobile audio lineup with eight new in-dash CD receivers. The new models range from entry-level units to advanced receivers and digital media players that offer SiriusXM satellite radio and Pandora internet radio connectivity in the car.

“Consumers want their audio choices personalized to match their individual needs and preferences, especially while they are in their cars,” said Mike Kahn, director of the Audio Product Division at Sony Electronics. “Sony is redefining content selection in the car. Whether someone wants convenient access to commercial-free music and sports, news, talk and entertainment from SiriusXM, music discovery services like Pandora or iPod® and iPhone® compatibility, we now have a solution at lower prices than ever before: We now offer SiriusXM compatibility from as low as $90 SRP and Pandora compatibility from as low as $130 SRP.”

Universal SiriusXM™ Satellite Connectivity

Four of the new models (CDX-GT565UP, CDX-GT660UP, CDX-360MP, CDX-GT56UI) feature SiriusXM compatibility, using the new SXV100 SiriusXM Connect Vehicle Tuner Kit (sold separately, XM subscription required). The compact SiriusXM vehicle tuner has a simple connection, providing integration of SiriusXM in an inexpensive and easy-to-install package. The SiriusXM vehicle tuner also provides numerous new features including the ability for listeners to pause and rewind live SiriusXM satellite radio.

The entry-level CDX-GT360MP model is SiriusXM compatible plus offers great sound quality from its built-in equalizer and powerful 52×4 watt high power amplifier – all at an affordable price point of $90 SRP. The step-up CDX-GT56UI model offers all the features of the CDX-GT360MP receiver and adds iPod and iPhone control, allowing users to control digital music using the USB 1-wire, and 7 Band Digital Equalizer, Time Alignment and Automatic Level Optimizer.

The CDX-GT565UP model, also SiriusXM compatible, allows users to stream Pandora from an iPhone, customize the receiver’s illumination to complement existing lighting components with the Dynamic Color Illuminator and create an impressive listening experience with the Advanced Sound Engine. Users can also control digital music players using the USB 1-Wire feature. The receiver features Automatic Level Optimizer, which analyzes each track’s playback levels and adjusts output level to optimize transitions between tracks and sources. The CDX-GT660UP unit adds a drop down panel design, two line LCD display and SensMe™ channels to organize music into playlists that perfectly match any mood, scene or location.

“The SXV100 connects drivers and their passengers to entirely commercial-free music and exclusive entertainment they can only find on SiriusXM,” said Sean Gibbons, Vice President, Consumer Electronics Product Marketing, SiriusXM. “We are thrilled that Sony is introducing a car stereo lineup that is SiriusXM-Ready, giving customers the ability to control and enjoy satellite radio on the road.”

Sony offers SiriusXM capability, starting at only $90 SRP, on the CDX-360MP, CDX-GT56UI, CDX-GT565UP and CDX-GT660UP models.

Stream Pandora Wirelessly – From Any Device
Sony’s two newest Digital Media Players, the DSX-S210X and DSX-S310BTX models, feature an integrated Tune Tray to connect and control an MP3 player without unsightly and distracting wires, dual USB 1-wire inputs and an easy to read 4-line OEL display. Both also feature the SensMe application, to better organize playlists.

The Pandora integration on the DSX-S210X and the Bluetooth® enabled
DSX-S310BTX digital media players allows listeners to stream Pandora via the application on their smartphone, and transfers the Pandora-related controls to the head unit. Both models allow listeners to access their personalized Pandora stations and the ability to fine-tune the listening experience by offering thumb ratings directly on the receiver. The DSX-S210X digital media player is iPhone compatible; the DSX-S310BTX is iPhone compatible and is also the first aftermarket product to offer Pandora integration with the Android™ and Blackberry® smartphone platforms.

“The car is the most popular place to listen to the radio,” said Jessica Steel, executive vice president of Business Development at Pandora. “We are excited that Sony is making Pandora available in its in-dash receivers, enabling seamless access for iPhone, Android and Blackberry users alike.”

Sony offers Pandora compatible receivers starting at only $130 SRP and up to $280 SRP on the CDX-GT565UP, CDX-GT660UP, DSX-S210X and DSX S310BTX models.

Entry-Level Value, Top-of-the-Line Sound
Also joining the car audio lineup are the CDX-GT260MP and the CDX-GT40U receivers. The CDX-GT260MP model is a front auxiliary model with a slot panel design that features crisp and clear sound at an affordable price. The receiver delivers 52 watts of peak power to all four speakers for powerful output (208 watts total power) while the red key illumination helps users locate buttons quickly during evening playback. The CDX-GT40U unit additionally offers a front USB connector and intuitive search features Quick-BrowZer®, which finds music by artist, album, genre, song or playlist, and ZAPPIN™, which plays a 6/9/30 second introduction clip to help find a specific song. Also included in the CDX-GT40U model is Automatic Level Optimizer. All six CDX models also feature a Digital Clarity Tuner™. A conventional tuner loses stereo sound of FM radio when further away from the station, but the new digital processing tuner expands stereo area, improving sound performance.

Aug 9th - Toyota Motor Corp. : TMC Publishes 'Sustainability Report 2011'

2011-08-09T11:58:00.004+01:00

Toyota Motor Corporation

TMC Publishes ‘Sustainability Report 2011’Toyota City, Japan, August 9, 2011—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces the publication today of its "Sustainability Report 2011”1, which outlines TMC's environmental, social and corporate governance activities conducted primarily during fiscal year 20102 and the concepts and policies that serve as their foundation.

TMC issues such a report every year to disclose information to the public, share information with consolidated companies and business partners, and support the management and assessment of TMC’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.
The contents of the Sustainability Report 2011 are arranged following a “Global Vision for Those We Serve” outline that expresses the type of company TMC wants to be to realize the Toyota Global Vision announced on March 9. The report also introduces TMC’s activities for recovery and reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Separately, the “Environmental Report 2011”, which contains more-detailed information on TMC’s environmental programs and initiatives, will be issued in early September.
1Full-length (at the end of September) and summary versions in English available for download in PDF format at http://www.toyota-global.com/sustainability/report/sr; full-length and summary versions in Japanese available at http://www.toyota.co.jp/jpn/sustainability/report/sr. Hard copies of the summary version (either in English or Japanese) can be ordered online athttp://www.toyota.co.jp/jpn/sustainability/report/application/ (Japanese link, only), by fax at: 0565-23-5701, or by postcard to: CSR Department, Corporate Planning Division, Toyota Motor Corporation, 1 Toyota-cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture 481-8571 Japan.

Aug 9th - Renesas Announces New 16-Bit Microcontrollers

2011-08-09T11:48:00.003+01:00

Renesas Announces New 16-Bit Microcontrollers with Power Line Communication Functions Enabling Industry-Leading Fast Data Transfer

TOKYO, — Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the M16C/6S1 Group of 16-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) with built-in power line communication (PLC) functions enabling data-transfer speeds among the fastest in the industry in the low-frequency band (10 kilohertz [kHz] to 450 kHz). The M16C/6S1 MCUs are suitable for applications such as smart meters, lighting fixtures, and electric household appliances equipped with data communication capabilities essential for visualization of energy usage such as electrical power and quantitative evaluation.

Recently, demand has grown for smart meters, which form the core of smart power grids, capable of realizing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) for reducing the peak power requirements of lighting fixtures, electric household appliances, and so forth in addition to conventional automated meter reading (AMR). This has led to calls for MCUs with on-chip communication control functions offering improved performance. One communication capability for smart meters that is attracting attention is power line communication (PLC), which makes it possible to transfer data over existing power lines and eliminates the need to install new cables. At the same time, there is strong demand for high-speed data communication, more compactness, and reduced system cost.

Renesas Electronics already mass produces the M16C/6S Group of MCUs that combines a PLC modem and an MCU on a single chip. Now the new M16C/6S1 Group provides substantially faster communication speeds and on-chip implementation of functionality that previously required connection of an external device, allowing still further reduction of the overall system size.

Key features of the M16C/6S1 Group of MCUs

(1) Industry-leading fast data transfer speeds in the low-frequency band (10 kHz to 450 kHz)The M16C/6S1 MCUs integrate a newly developed IT900 (DCSK-Turbo) spread spectrum modulation modem core from Yitran Communications, a leader in power line communications. This enables data transfer speeds to be delivered in the low-frequency band (10 kHz to 450 kHz) that are approximately 60 times faster than those achieved by Renesas Electronics' existing M16C/6S MCUs.
As detailed below, these speeds are among the fastest in the industry. (All figures are with anti-noise measures applied.)
- The maximum data communication speed in the frequency bands stipulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Note 1) in the USA and the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB, Note 2) in Japan is 500 Kb/second.
- The maximum data communication speed in the CENELEC-A in Europe (Note 3) band is 150 Kb/second.
- The maximum MAC payload speed under FCC and ARIB standards (using a communication packet length of 1,760 data bytes) is 300 Kb/second.
These speeds make the M16C/6S1 Group of MCUs ideal for use in smart meters with advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) capabilities, which enable smart meters to reduce the peak power usage of lighting fixtures and electric household appliances.
The M16C/6S1 MCUs also incorporate as PLC modem cores, both the IT700, a conventional differential code shift keying (DCSK) core, and the IT900, which employs a newer system, thereby ensuring communication compatibility with existing M16C/6S MCUs.
(2) Up to 256 KB of large-capacity, on-chip flash memory
The M16C/6S1 Group of MCUs incorporates up to 256 kilobytes (KB) of built-in flash memory, approximately four times the flash memory capacity of the company's existing M16C/6S MCUs, making it possible to accommodate the addition of application programs for handling larger networks (including AMI support). There is also 8 KB of on-chip data flash ( Note 4 ) for storing data, eliminating the need to connect external EEPROM. Finally, the RAM capacity has been expanded to approximately 1.3 times that of comparable earlier Renesas Electronics products.
(3) On-chip analog signal processing block (analog front-end)The analog front-end, which comprises elements such as a driver amplifier circuit, band-pass filter, and 10-bit ADC, and which has to be connected to the existing M16C/6S MCU as an external device, is now integrated into a single chip with the new MCUs. This reduces the mounting area on the printed wiring board by about 20 percent, contributing to greater compactness and reduced system cost.
The M16C/6S1 MCUs are available in four product versions with different combinations of flash memory and RAM sizes. Tools such as data link layer (DLL) software and evaluation boards will be made available as an evaluation environment.

for the main specifications of the M16C/6S1 Group of MCUs.

(Note 1) The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for regulating communication in the various states of the United States of America and for regulating international communication between the USA and other countries. It is the governmental body that regulates and approves communication and broadcasting in the USA.
(Note 2) The Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB) is designated by the Prime Minister of Japan as the “Center for the Promotion of Efficient Use of the Radio Spectrum” and “Designated Frequency Change Support Agency.” It performs investigation and R&D on the use of the airwaves for communication and broadcasting, and establishes standards for systems that utilize the airwaves.
(Note 3) CENELEC (Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique) is the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization. It is responsible for establishing unified standards for electrical and electronics technology in the EU that are given the status of EN (European Norm).
(Note 4) Data flash is a feature exclusive to Renesas Electronics in which an area of flash memory is set aside for storing data that normally would be stored in external electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

Pricing and Availability

Samples of Renesas Electronics' M16C/6S1 Group of MCUs are available now, priced at US$15 per unit. Mass production is scheduled to begin in October 2011 and is projected to reach a scale of 200,000 units per month by October 2012.

(Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.)

(Remarks)

All other registered trademarks or trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Renesas Electronics CorporationRenesas Electronics Corporation (TSE: 6723), the world's number one supplier of microcontrollers, is a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions including microcontrollers, SoC solutions and a broad range of analog and power devices. Business operations began as Renesas Electronics in April 2010 through the integration of NEC Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723) and Renesas Technology Corp., with operations spanning research, development, design and manufacturing for a wide range of applications. Headquartered in Japan, Renesas Electronics has subsidiaries in 20 countries worldwide. More information can be found at www.renesas.com.

The content in the press release, including, but not limited to, product prices and specifications, is based on the information as of the date indicated on the document, but may be subject to change without prior notice.

Aug 8th - Sony: PlayStation Vita will launch in US and Europe early next year

2011-08-09T11:46:00.001+01:00

Gamers waiting for the PlayStation Vita finally have a somewhat clearer idea of when the handheld is coming. Unfortunately, the handheld won't be coming as soon as some gamers had hoped.

Kaz Hirai has said that the Vita will be available in Japan before the end of the year and in U.S. and Europe early next year.

The report says Hirai gave no dates for Vita's arrival.

Hirai also denied a potential PlayStation Vita price cut in reaction to Nintendo's 3DS price cut.

"We packed so much into the device and made it very affordable," Hirai told reporters at Sony's Tokyo headquarters. "There is no need to lower the price just because somebody else that happens to be in the video game business decided that they were going to lower their price."

Aug 3rd - Toshiba introduces a new 1TB 2.5” HDD

2011-08-03T09:11:00.000+01:00

Toshiba today announced its first 2.5-inch hard disk drives (HDDs) featuring capacity up to 1TB using 500GB/platter technology in the industry-standard 9.5mm high form factor. With an industry-leading areal density of 744Gb/in2, Toshiba has increased the quantity of data stored per square inch by over 37 percent compared to prior 2.5-inch models, enabling a significant boost in data transfer speed. Available in capacities ranging from 1TB to 250GB, the MQ01ABD series provides the capacity, performance, and power efficiency necessary for even the most data-intensive and energy-sensitive mainstream storage applications.

The MQ01ABD drives are ideal for high-end notebook and desktop PCs, mobile workstations, gaming consoles, DVR set-top boxes, external storage solutions, and other applications requiring high-capacity and cost-effective storage. In addition to delivering best-in-class storage density, which contributes directly to increased performance, Toshiba’s MQ01ABD series HDDs have been engineered for superior energy efficiency — the series HDDs consume only 0.55watts during idle mode. The MQ01ABD drives also offer improved acoustic performance, emitting a maximum of 19dB at idle and 24dB during seek operations. This combination of areal density, power utilization, and acoustic performance enables PC and consumer electronics makers to build differentiated systems based on capacity, performance, heat dissipation, and power efficiency.

“Hard disk drives offer the best value for digital data storage by providing the highest combination of capacity, performance, cost and data reliability,” said Joel Hagberg, vice president of product marketing, Storage Device Division of TAIS. “The creation of rich content by consumers and businesses continues to push the demand for storage capacity. The Toshiba MQ01ABD series provides not only the capacity and performance required by notebook and PC manufacturers, multimedia professionals, multi-room set-top-box and other power users, but also the benefits of a low-power, environmentally friendly drive.”

The MQ01ABD series drives continue Toshiba Corporation’s global commitment to design, develop, manufacture, and distribute Environmentally Conscious Products (ECPs) with minimal environmental impact.

ECPs are products that are designed to be environmentally conscious in all stages of their life cycle, including the procurement of materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, disposal, and recycling. The environmentally conscious product design has three aspects: mitigation of global warming, efficient use of resources, and management of chemicals. Toshiba Group will continue to create ECPs designed to be environmentally conscious in all these aspects through all stages of their life cycle by setting independent environmental standards (ECP standards) for each product. As a result of this voluntary initiative, Toshiba has eliminated or reduced multiple hazardous substances from all components in the MQ01ABD series drives.

Stephen Crane

Dec - 6th - KDDI also plans to develop set-top boxes to run smartphone apps on televisions.

TOKYO – Telecoms operator KDDI is linking up with J:COM (Jupiter Telecommunications Co.), in which it holds a large stake, and other cable companies, to offer free calls and free cable installation.

Dec 5th - Japan: Climate Change and Energy Updates

Summary

Policy Updates

Stakeholder engagement

Detail

Policy Updates

Stakeholder engagement

Nov 14th - Japan's Economy Rises out of Earthquake Slump

British Business Awards - A big thank you!

Nov 2nd - Japan - Economy: After the Earthquake

Summary

Detail

Nov 1st - Vehicle-to-Grid: A New Spin on Car Payments

Oct 24th - Vodafone to link up with NTT DoCoMo

Oct 12th - Steve Jobs and the Sony Uniform Influence

Steve Jobs Book Excerpt: Why he wore the Black Mock Turtleneck uniform

Oct 10th - Japan: How a quake changed a culture

Oct 10th - Tech Soft Establishes Office in Japan

Oct 10th - XcelMobility Appoints Senior Executive for Japan

Oct 6th - Toshiba ultra thin AT700 tablet impresses CEATEC crowds

26th Sept - UKTI Mission to Japan; Trains, British Embassy and first business meetngs

Sept 26th - UKTI Mission to Japan - First taste of Japanese food

Sept 25th - UKTI Mission to Japan - delegates start arriving

Sept 25th - Keio University demonstrate Touchable 3D Character Projected Into a Real Environment

Sept 25th - NTT DoCoMo unveils smartphone radiation 'jacket'

Sept 25th - 'Smart cities' bring high-tech green energy projects to devastated areas

Sept 25th - Elpida plans to move part of production to Taiwan

Sep 25th - Docomo smartphone app translates menus

Sep 25th - Rakuten invests £25M to acquire Play.com

Aug 23rd - Sharp introduced three new AQUOS Blu-Ray recorders with enhanced Wireless connectivity

Aug 23rd - Molycorp to open office in Tokyo

Aug 23rd - Sanken offering switching power supply ICs with 10mW no-load consumption

Aug 23rd - Samsung to supply CPU for Sony PSP Vita

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA UNVEILSEXCITING DETAILS ABOUT NEXT GENERATION HARDWARE ANDEXCLUSIVE SOFTWARESCEA Continues Long-Standing Tradition of Delivering Groundbreaking Technology andUnrivaled Content at the 2011 E3 Media & Business Summit

Introducing PlayStation®Vita

PlayStation®3 system

Innovations in stereoscopic 3D

PlayStation®Network

About Sony Computer Entertainment LLC.

Aug 22nd - Samsung launches solar powered laptop

Aug 22nd - Sharp update its Android Clamshell Smartphone

Aug 22nd - Fujitsu launches FENICS network service

Aug 21st - DeNA to expand Asian operations in Singapore

Aug 21st - ST’s MEMS Module Provides Six Degrees of Freedom in Advanced Motion-Sensing Applications

Aug 21st - Sony introduces Digital Recording Binoculars

Aug 20th - Toshiba TEC develops two-sided label printer

Aug 20th - Fujitsu to expand mobile phone business

Aug 20th - Hitachi to stop TV production

Aug 20th - Nintendo fight smartphone competition

Aug 19th - KDDI System Allows Transmission Of Medical Images To Smartphones And Tablets

Aug 19th - Softbank announce release of Yahoo! smartphone in September

Aug 19th - MHI, pause oncapital tie-up talks with Areva

Aug 18th - Elpida: DRAM price erosion exceeded expectations

Aug 18th - Elpida: Legacy DRAMs can be extended to 1Xnm

Aug 18th - Nissan plans foreign executive majority by 2016

Aug 18th - Lenovo announce quarterly profit nearly doubles

Aug 17th - Toshiba establishes semiconductor design house joint venture in Brazil

Aug 17th -Mebiol devlops Imec for growing Plants on thin Films

Aug 15th - Nissan and MMC to standardize EV power

Aug 15th - Fujitsu releases software tool for easy web app creation

Aug 15th - Mega Solar; Japan's largest solar power facility starts operation

Aug 15th - Tokyo Seeks Big Growth in Solar, Wind Power

Aug 12th - NTT DOCOMO to Invest in Vietnam's VMG Media JSC

Aug 12th - Sharp new LED Ceiling Light Is The World’s Most Efficient

Aug 12th - Sony launch 'WhiteMagic' LCD for better brightness and lower power

Aug 12th - Panasonic launches S10 Toughbook in America

Aug 12th - Sony’s latest car stereos feature SiriusXM and Pandora tuners

Aug 9th - Toyota Motor Corp. : TMC Publishes 'Sustainability Report 2011'

Toyota Motor Corporation

Aug 9th - Renesas Announces New 16-Bit Microcontrollers

Aug 8th - Sony: PlayStation Vita will launch in US and Europe early next year

Aug 3rd - Toshiba introduces a new 1TB 2.5” HDD

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA UNVEILS
EXCITING DETAILS ABOUT NEXT GENERATION HARDWARE AND
EXCLUSIVE SOFTWARE
SCEA Continues Long-Standing Tradition of Delivering Groundbreaking Technology and
Unrivaled Content at the 2011 E3 Media & Business Summit