Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you. Enjoy!
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Hands-on with Docomo’s squeeze-based smartphone UI (video): Even though in the 90s people were always joking about how cell phones were always getting smaller and smaller, the opposite is happening right now. Designers are challenged to deal with bigger, more cumbersome phones; and some are coming up with some pretty creative solutions. Using a big ol’ phone one-handed is a pain, so Japanese designers are experimenting with a squeeze-based interface. What can we expect? Squeeze to refresh your timeline? Squeeze twice to fire an angry bird from a catapult? The possibilities are endless.[/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last]German customs seize Stradivarius from another Japanese musician: Apparently, German customs agents love expensive, antique violins. For the second time this year, German customs has siezed a violin worth over a million dollars from a Japanese musician traveling through the Germany. Are they stockpiling them in preparation for a worldwide violin shortage? Are they trying to learn? It remains a mystery.
The $1 billion mission to reach the Earth’s mantle: Getting people to the moon? That’s so old and overrated. Getting to the center of the earth? Now that’s where it’s at. An international team, including Japanese deep-sea drilling ship Chikyu are attempting to do what’s never been done before — drill to the earth’s mantle. It sounds like an awesome mission and I wish them the best of luck, but for the love of god don’t wake the mole people![/threecol_one_last]
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[threecol_one]Japan’s New Tech Generation: Japan isn’t a place where you’ll find a whole lot of entrepreneurs or start ups, but that doesn’t mean they’re not there. Turns out there is a small, but dedicated group working hard to make the start up scene in Japan more viable. Japan might not churn out the next Facebook or Twitter, but it’s still making some pretty cool things, like the very futuristic Whill.
NicoNico US Site to be “Retired,” NicoNico JP to be Localized in English: Before YouTube really took off in Japan, there was Nico Nico Douga, a Japanese video site where comments fly in real time across the screen. While the company’s US site has been up and running for a while now, Nico Nico has decided to close it down and merge it with the Japanese site. Not to worry though, as a full English version of the site has been promised for October 17.[/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]
Japan’s extreme game shows could find their way onto U.S. theverge: Just a few weeks ago we talked about one of Japan’s many incredible game shows, but little did we know that Japan’s famous game shows could be going overseas. Several Japanese broadcasting companies are banding together to promote TV game shows overseas. We’ve already gotten Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, Hole in the Wall, and Wipeout, but hopefully these new, exported Japanese game shows will be even better.[/threecol_two_last]
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Header image by Peter Roan