Japan

Wanting to jump on the 3D bandwagon but don’t have the cash to lay down for a big screen 3D TV or even a Nintendo 3DS? This 3D viewer from Japan’s Sanwa provides a cheap and easy way to enjoy 3D YouTube content on an iPhone. Functioning like the venerable View-Master stereoscopic viewer or more recent MY3D viewer from Hasbro, the device sends the left/right images from 3D videos in the side-by-side format (yt3D) to the appropriate eyeball.  Read More

Mazda has added a new micro-mini tall wagon to its lineup in Japan with the release of the Mazda Flairwagon. Designed to seat four adults with plenty of headroom, the Flairwagon features sliding rear doors on both sides and a low rear step to provide easy ingress and egress in the tightest of parking spaces.  Read More

Here's a novel take on the home residence: a block of eight apartments in Japan designed exclusively for the motorcyclist.  Read More

Japan's national public broadcaster NHK has revealed that it successfully broadcast a compressed Super Hi-Vision (SHV) signal carrying video at a resolution of 7680 x 4320, 16 times the resolution of regular HD. This is the first time that SHV has been transmitted over the air.  Read More

With the World Superbike Championship celebrating its 25th year in 2012, it is an ideal time to reflect on the profound influence the series has had on the development of the everyday motorcycle. The production-based World Superbike Championship Series is now unquestionably the most important global race series in terms of influencing buyer decision of sports motorcycles and performance accessories but as our research shows, it appears to be even more influential than that. Statistics sourced from lap-times and speed traps over the last decade indicate the rapid rate road-going sports motorcycles are improving racetrack laptimes. Indeed, today's showroom models on road tires, are now quicker than the fastest factory superbikes of just five years ago.  Read More

Auto China is probably the most influential automobile show in the world at present. China now produces and consumes more cars than any other nation, so its needs will heavily influence personal transport globally in coming decades. Some early trends are emerging as to what we'll see, and as congestion in China increases and parking centrally becomes prohibitively expensive, a car will increasingly only get you part of the way to your destination. Geely and BMW both showed cars with inclusive last-mile transport at Auto China, but the number of last mile Transportation Appliance options under development by auto manufacturers is growing rapidly.  Read More

Honda has unveiled a demonstration house in Saitama, Japan, to showcase and test its new Honda Smart Home System (HSHS). Featuring a line-up of innovative energy production, management and conservation solutions, the company hopes HSHS will free homeowners from the constraints of on-grid living somewhat, give them a leg up on self-sufficiency when disaster strikes and help reduce carbon dioxide emissions both at home and on the road by networking electric vehicles into the mix.  Read More

Biometric technology has been boosting the security of a greater array of electronic devices in recent years, including homes, businesses, schools and even wallets. The technology has also made its way into ATMs as a way to beat card skimmers, but these machines still require customers to insert a card. Now a Japanese bank has announced that it will introduce ATMs that allow customers to carry out transactions with a scan of their palm.  Read More

The 1988 film Akira stands as a classic not just in Japanese animation, but in the entire post-apocalyptic film genre. As such, fans of the film have been drawn to some of its most memorable moments and visuals, particularly the futuristic motorcycle driven by one of the main characters. One fan even went so far as to devote several years to creating a working replica of the signature vehicle, which has become the only one officially recognized by Akira's creator, and which recently toured Japan to raise money for charity.  Read More