If you didn't think mannequins were creepy enough already, maybe this will change your mind. In an attempt to lure shoppers, Japanese department store Takashimiya installed an eerily lifelike interactive robot for its Valentine's window display. The retailer called on robotics guru Hiroshi Ishiguro to provide the humanoid dummy, which can not only wink and yawn as people approach, but also display a range of emotions -- beyond boredom, indifference and oblivious content, we assume. While this was just part of the store's seasonal promotion, it might be a hint at where visual merchandise is going. Whether Ishiguro's model "model" will crossover into more professional roles like her sister, however, is unclear. Want to see that cheeky wink for yourself? Then hit up the video after the break.Continue reading Hiroshi Ishiguro's android mannequin creeps out Japanese shoppers (video)
Hiroshi Ishiguro's android mannequin creeps out Japanese shoppers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The OLED-infused future is fast approaching in Taiwan, where AU Optronics today announced a "strategic alliance" with Japanese firm Idemitsu Kosan. According to AUO, the partnership will see both companies collaborate on new OLED displays and patents, with Idemitsu filling the role of supplier. Taiwan-based AUO delivered the following statement: "This will accelerate business growth in AUO's small-sized OLED displays for smartphones and tablets, which have emerged as a new growth area in the display industry, and that of large-sized OLED displays for TVs." There's no indication as to when we might see the first fruits of this alliance, but as AUO VP Paul Peng recently reminded us, it may be a while.
The next time you buy an iPod dock, ask yourself this important question: can I put a lamp on it? If not, what's the point, really? While we're sure that's not the main selling point with JVC's NX-BX3 home theater sound system with integrated stand, it's certainly an important one. The system features an FM tuner, SRS StudioSound HD and can also hold glasses or a flower vase on its top -- really, the sky the limit (plus some general weight restrictions, we'd imagine) when it comes to the things you can place on top of it. The dock arrives in Japan this month.
Let's be honest, the saga of the giant RX-78-2 couldn't have ended with the 59-foot replica mecha lying scattered in pieces. On April 19th, Bandai's opening a theme park dedicated to the world's greatest giant-robot cartoon, Neon Genesis Evangelion Mobile Suit Gundam. Adults will pay 1,000 yen ($13), Kids 800 yen ($10) to visit the 2,050 square-meter "Gundam Front," park, in a shopping mall in Tokyo's Odaiba district. There's even a themed caf
It's pretty tough out there for TV manufacturers. Sharp's reporting its financial results for April-December last year, announcing a profit of 9.14 billion yen ($120 million), a drop of 57.37 billion yen since the same period in 2010. Despite announcing a whole gang of new displays for the year, Sharp has cut its profit forecast correspondingly, down to zero for March 2012. According to Reuters, the company was expected to post healthier results, having recently finished a new manufacturing plant and apparently strong demand for its high-end AQUOS TVs, although it's perhaps not strong enough.
Sony has just confirmed Kazuo Hirai as its new CEO and President, validating rumors that have been swirling for a few weeks now. Outgoing CEO Howard Stringer, meanwhile, has been appointed Chairman of Sony's Board of Directors. The Hirai era officially begins April 1st, while Stringer will assume his new role sometime in June (until then, he'll remain executive chairman). Today's announcement, coming a day before Sony's earnings call, brings an end to more than a year's worth of speculation, though Hirai's selection hardly comes as a surprise, considering his recent string of promotions. In April, he was named Executive Deputy President; five months later, he was promoted to Sony Computer Entertainment Chairman. According to Stringer, in fact, Sony has been grooming Hirai since as early as 2009, when the Board began designing its succession plans. Kaz, he says, stood out from the crowd:
Remember that brand-spanking new production facility in Sakai City, Osaka that Sharp just christened a few years back? Japan's Nikkei business daily reports that Sharp will be cutting output at that factory by a whopping half for a month or maybe longer -- its second major reduction in a year. The Sakai factory typically makes 1.3 million 40-inch panels per month but was running at 80-90 percent capacity after being idled in April. Sharp continues to be impacted by the same cutthroat competition in the LCD market that has affected Japanese rivals like Hitachi and Sony as the high yen continues to push up pricing for domestically produced goods while dragging down overseas revenues. Sharp, which recently announced its 2012 lineup, is now thinking about reconfiguring the plant to make panels with higher resolutions and other features during the slowdown.
Many Japanese thumbs still love that classic ten-button keypad, so they should feel right at home on the newest model in KDDI's designer INFOBAR range. The 3.2-inch, 854 x 480 touchscreen shows off the same tile-based custom UI as last year's A01, once again running on top of Gingerbread and a single-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor. The rear camera captures eight megapixel stills and HD video, while dual-mode GSM / CDMA connectivity makes it worth taking abroad -- if only so foreigners can remark on its checkerboard aesthetics (available in three different color schemes) and 1Seg TV tuner. Just make sure you're still in Japan on February 3rd, or you'll miss the release. Click onwards for a video tour.
It appears Disney's mobile efforts in Japan are going pretty well, and with the help of carrier NTT DoCoMo they're expanding under the joint "Disney Mobile on DoCoMo" brand name. The partnership is kicking off with two new Android-powered handsets launching over the next couple of months that pack in access to exclusive content from Disney like full-length animations, games, wallpapers and more. First up is the F-08D (left), a "luxury smartphone" that features silhouettes of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, a 4.3-inch HD (720x1280) LCD display, dual cameras and 1.2Ghz dual-core OMAP4430 CPU available in pink or white next month with preorders opening up February 17th. Next up is the P-05D (right), which has a slim 7.8mm thick frame, rear camera and 4.3-inch 540x960 res OLED screen all powered by a dual-core 1Ghz CPU that will launch at some point in March. Check out the press releases after the break for a few more details on each of these Japan-only cellphones, or hit the source link for even more specs -- no word yet on pricetags or which version of Android these will end up launching with.
