GW-109

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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. 109
Thursday, July 24, 2003
(Long URLs may break across two lines, so copy to your browser.)

Name: Sharp LL-M17W1
Category: PC/AV
Price: approx 90,000 yen
Release date in Japan: August 11, 2003

The Gist: Sharp likes its LCD displays, that's for sure, and has just
released a couple more, the LL-M17W1 and LL-M15X1. We'll concern
ourselves with the 17-inch widescreen, WXGA LL-M17W1 model, cuz it's
sexier and the M15X1 is just a puny 15-incher. WXGA, for the
abbreviationally challenged, equates to a 1,280x768 dot display, which
is good enough for any image source you want to throw at it. Capable
of displaying PIP (Picture in Picture), so you can watch TV and work
on your spreadsheet at the same time (yeah, right), the M17W1 has a
built-in TV tuner and a D1 digital input on the backside of the unit
(as well as 1 S-Video and 2 Composite inputs), making it perfect for
playing back high resolution DVD movies of video games.

Specs wise, the display has a 25ms response time, contrast ratio of
600:1 and brightness of 400cd/m2. The viewing angle is now a
relatively standard 170 degrees in either plane.

More info: http://www.sharp.co.jp/corporate/news/030718.html

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Name: Tokyo Needs TN-40RFMOS/B/G
Category: PC peripherals
Price: 6,800 yen
Release date in Japan: now (released July 7)

The Gist: The TN-40RFMOS/B/G is a (two button with scroll wheel)
optical wireless mouse designed for use with a laptop PC. It'll work
with any personal computer on the market (so long as it's Windows) and
the detachable USB receiver part cunningly fits right into the mouse
for easy storage when not in use. You need to see the picture of the
mouse and receiver to really get that bit. When in use, however, the
receiver needs to be taken out of its hiding place in the mouse and
stuck in a USB port on a computer. It swivels through 270-degrees (no
idea why), has a scan resolution of 800dpi, a range of 1m and comes in
silver, blue or gun metal colors.

More info: http://www.needs.co.jp/pdf/m_os011129.pdf

Name: Panasonic SH-GB10-H
Category: Gaming
Price: Open (but approx 5,000 yen)
Release date in Japan: October 1, 2003

The Gist: We don't cover much games stuff here in Gadget Watch, but
this one's a bit special, cuz it could be the machine's last gasp.
Against all the odds (alright, most of the odds), Nintendo has managed
to repeat a feat of marketing that most observers swore couldn't be
done: completely stuffing up sales of a superb next-generation games
machine twice in a row. In spite of fantastic design values, great
technology and a smattering of superlative games, Nintendo's Gamecube
came out of nowhere and stayed precisely there. Just like the N64
before it.

But that didn't stop Panasonic from improving on perfection in the
Gamecube's design and coming out with the Q, aka the SL-GC10 (but I
think we'll stick with Q), incorporating the Gamecube games console
along with a DVD player. Ooh, and snazzy LCD display. In a stroke of
brilliance, additionally, the Q stuck two fingers up at the marketing
geniuses (should that be geniuii?) who insist on engineering a
territorial lockout on the machines; Q could, in fact, play games from
any region of the world.

Anyway, from October 1, Panny will be selling the SH-GB10-H, or Game
Boy Player, which fits neatly under its Q combo machine and allows
gamers to pipe Game Boy games through the console and display them up
on a TV screen, thereby increasing your visual real estate by about a
zillion percent. If you're a Game Boy or Game Boy Color owner, there
is also another distinct advantage in using the Game Boy Player and
that is that you'll actually be able to see the game you're playing.
You know, with your eyes, without the aid of a high-powered
flashlight. Bonus.

More info: http://panasonic.jp/

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STAFF
Written by: Max Everingham (max@everingham.net)
Edited by: J@pan Inc editors (editors@japaninc.com)

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