GW-149

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J@pan Inc Magazine Presents:
G A D G E T W A T C H
The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan
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Issue No. 149

Tuesday, June 22, 2004
(Long URLs may break across two lines, so copy to your browser.)

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Name: Toshiba dynabook VX/2W 15LDSTW, dynabook VX/2W 15LDSW
Category: Notebook PC
Price: 249,800 yen for a dynabook VX/2W 15LDSW according to
Bic Camera痴 Web site as of June 21.
Release date in Japan: mid June, 2004

The Gist: These two models are the first notebook PCs that contain
High-Visual-Quality Engines, or combined PC software and hardware
technologies developed by Toshiba, according to Toshiba's Web site.
They each have a 15.4-inch clear superView LCD, which increases
brightness by 20 percent over the latest dynabook model.High-Visual-
Quality Engines feature functions such as White/Black Enhancers,
Digital Sharpness and Digital Overdrive, all of which makes the
visual quality as high as that of LCD televisions. With the new
models, users can use a video player, a CS (communication satellite)
broadcasting tuner and a game function without starting up Windows
OS. Both laptops contain an 80GB hard disk. The size of the LCD is
15.4 inches.

More info:
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2004_05/pr_j2401.htm

================== Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar =====================
Terrie Lloyd, founder of over 12 start-up companies in Japan will be
giving a English-language seminar and Q&A on starting up a company in
Japan. This is an ideal opportunity to find out what is involved, and
to ask specific questions that are not normally answered in business
books.

Time/date: 10:30am, June 26th, 2004
Place: 7-8-1 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107
Price: 15,000 yen prepaid, 20,000 at the door
Included: Lunchbox, refreshments, handouts

Bookings: maria@japaninc.com, in English or Japanese.

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Name: Olympus Ferrari DIGITAL MODEL 2004
Category: Digital camera
Price: 84,000 yen on Olympus's Web site.
Release date in Japan: Olympus to accept orders from June 21 to July 9.

The Gist: Camera-maker Olympus and automaker Ferrari S.p.A. collaborated
on the design of this sporty-looking, red digital camera. Olympus accepts
orders only for two weeks, and plans to sell only 10,000 units worldwide,
including 1,000 in Japan. This is a revamped model of the Ferrari
DIGITAL MODEL 2003, the first gadget codesigned by the two majors.
Accessories such as a case, a strap and a CD ROM also feature Ferrari's
design.

You can place an order via Olympus's Web site from 11 a.m. on June 21
to 6 p.m. on July 9 (JST). The Ferrari DIGITAL MODEL 2004 will be
displayed at the following locations:

1) Olympus Plaza Tokyo
Ogawamachi Mitsui Bldg., Kanda-Ogawamachi 1-3-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
Open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Closed on Sundays and national holidays.

2) Olympus Plaza Osaka
Olympus Osaka Center 2F, Minami Funaba 2-12-26, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi.
Open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and
national holidays.

More info:
http://www.olympus.co.jp/jp/news/2004a/nr040518ferraj.cfm

========================= Tennis in TOKYO! =============================
Want to play tennis but don't know how to find a court in Tokyo?
JINJI TENNIS CENTER provides the ideal tennis environment for foreigners
living in and around Tokyo. For info on tournaments, summer camps for
kids, tennis equipment and much more: Contact US! :)

**SPECIAL OFFER for JAPAN INC: the first 30 new players that
contact us can save 15,000yen. Want to know how?

click "English" for details.

http://WWW.JINJITENNIS.COM

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Name: Sony ICD-B20
Category: IC recorder
Price: Sony anticipates 11,000 yen. 10,290 yen currently,
according to Bic Camera's Web site in late June.)
Release date in Japan: June 21, 2004

The Gist: The ICD-B20 is a bit smaller than a mobile phone and records
16 hours and 10 minutes of sound. Its user-friendly interface sports
large buttons and a big LCD. It uses two AAAA batteries, which allow
the ICD-B20 to record 15.5 hours. It measures 30 mm in width, 103.5 mm
in height and 16 mm in thickness, and it weighs 58g -- including its
two batteries. It comes in three colors: silver, white and red.
Accessories such as AC power adaptors and microphones designed to record
sound from mobile phones hit the market on July 21.

More info:
http://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/Press/200405/05-0531/

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Subscribers: 5,876 as of June 22, 2004

STAFF
Written by: Minoru Matsutani
Edited by: J@pan Inc editors (editors@japaninc.com)

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