GW-43

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J@pan Inc Magazine Presents:
G A D G E T W A T C H
A Free Newsletter Covering the Latest Cool Stuff in Japan
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Issue No. 43
Thursday, January 10, 2002

Name: Sony Digital Video Cassette Recorder Memory Stick Walkman
Category: Portable video
Price: Open
Release date in Japan: February 1, 2002

The Gist: You have to applaud Sony sometimes. Intent on pushing the
envelope whether or not there's a massive market for the final
product, the company just keeps on developing interesting, niche
gear.
This digital video cassette recorder is based around the miniDV
cassettes found in digital camcorders and the like and so is
intended to view your movie creations on the move. The GV-D1000 is
essentially a Memory Stick video Walkman with a built-in LCD monitor
and stereo speakers in the lid. There are DV (iLINK), USB, S-video
and all sorts of audio connectors to connect it up to other gear and
the whole thing weighs only 880g, which is still very portable. The
rechargeable battery packs come in several different sizes, but will
power the D1000 for anything from one and a half to well over eight
and a half hours, depending on type and whether you use it with the
monitor on or off. Not that a video Walkman would be very useful
with the monitor off.
There's a 'zoom up' function, allowing users to select their
favorite portion of a scene (your treasured son's face as he
crosses the finish line in a school race, for instance) and zoom in
on it. The 5-times zoom is activated by a selector dial and
the zoomed result can be saved to the Memory Stick too. And, of
course, there are those weird picture effects that allow you to
turn your pictures monotone or sepia, or whatever, although why on
earth you'd want to is another matter. The inclusion of the Memory
Stick means images can be transferred from a Handycam or from the
tape to the Stick -- and sent by email to impress or annoy your
friends.
If you go the whole hog and splash the cash for a big Stick, you can
squeeze 1,970 standard images on a 128MB Memory Stick at 640x480 dot
resolution as well as short MPEG1 movies.
More info:
www.sony.co.jp/sd/products/Consumer/VD/GV-D1000/index.html

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Name: Mitsubishi LVP-L01 Home Theater LCD Projector
Category: AV
Price: 398,000 yen
Release date in Japan: February 1, 2002

The Gist: This projector is very smart. With a class-beating 600:1
contrast ratio and a 0.7-inch, low energy consuming LCD panel, the
L01 LCD projector has Mitsubishi DLE (Dynamic Level Expander)
circuitry that automatically adjusts the brightness level in real
time if the image becomes darker.
The fan is also super quiet at 33 dB, which is less than half that
of its LVP-L2000V predecessor. The projector is compatible with the
industry-leading sRGB color reproduction technology and at under
400,000 yen, represents the truly affordable side of the projector
universe.
More info:
www.melco.co.jp/news/2001/1219-b.htm

Name: Panasonic NV-GS5K Digital Video Camera
Category: Digicam
Price: Open
Release date in Japan: February 20, 2002

The Gist: Billed as an 'easy to use, compact video camera,' the
NV-GS5K has been trimmed down from previous models.
So much so, in fact, that it's only 81 percent the size of the
company's NV-DS88K model and, thanks to Panasonic's cunning 'Magic
Strap,' the camera suddenly becomes eminently portable, hung from
your belt strap. A pen-sized remote control means you can hold the
camera at arm's length while operating it with the remote in your
other hand and still record from particularly high or low angles,
making it perfect for holding above crowds at the kids' sports day.
The SD memory card slot built into the camera allows for the taking
of still digital shots as well as moving images and there's even a
color night view function for taking pictures in low light
conditions. Moreover, the camera boots up in a quickfire 1.5
seconds.
More info:
www.sense.panasonic.co.jp/shop/ncpo/monitor49/index.html

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Name: Panasonic SV-P10 SD mobile printer
Category: Digicams
Price: Open
Release date in Japan: January 20, 2002

The Gist: Well, we're 10 days into January, so I reckon we've left
it long enough without a 'world's smallest' news piece. Cue the
SV-P10 from Panasonic, the world's smallest and lightest SD and
MultiMedia slot-touting mobile printer. There, that's better.
The palm-sized (85x30x68mm) SV-P10 weighs only 185g, is powered
either from AC or the included battery pack and sports a USB
connection for hooking up to a computer. A natural partner for the
company's own recently announced SV-AV10 multifunction digital
still and video camera/audio player/voice recorder (which will be
released on the same day), the mini printer produces up to
45 69x38 mm prints on mini-cards (available separately) on
one battery charge. But you don't have to go Panny -- it'll
accommodate any other digital (still or video) camera too, popping
out your high quality prints at 230 dpi.
It's even future proof, being capable of churning out prints at a
resolution of 6,1444x4,096 dots (25 megapixels) for when digicam
pixel counts get that high.
More info:
www.matsushita.co.jp/corp/news/official.data/data.dir/jn011218-3/jn01121...

Name: Panasonic B-WA21

Category: Transport
Price: 49,800 yen
Release date in Japan: February 1, 2002

The Gist: Bit of a weird one here. The B-WA21, or 'WiLL Bike,' from
Panasonic is meant to be a simple, no frills, but meaty pushbike
that you can take seriously. The aluminum frame -- sharing the same
materials used in F1 cars -- makes it incredibly lightweight
(9.7kg) as well as strong, and Panasonic claims it can easily be
thrown into a car trunk or behind the car seats if you get a bit too
tired pedaling away. The main target audience for the WiLL bike is,
would you believe, 30-something males who are just clamoring to
embark upon a new life of cycling happiness. And, even more
bizarrely, the new WiLL bike was designed to look like a Doberman
hound. Apparently, Doberman Pinschers, specifically bred to be
vicious guard dogs, are perceived by the company's designer as both
'smart' and 'cool,' which in turn will hopefully strike a chord
with these Japanese men. You know, it's a cunning plan, and it
might...just...work.
More info:
www.digi-vita.com/digi-vita/bike

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Subscribers: 1,571 as of January 10, 2001

STAFF Written by Max Everingham (max@everingham.net)
Editor: Japan Inc magazine staff (editors@japaninc.net)

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