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Two quick items that aren't exactly news, but deserve some attention.
First of all, there is a massive discussion going on over at Slashdot about the "tech deficit" between Japan and America [1]. It's pretty interesting to read some of the responses. It was apparently inspired by this article [2]. I'm staying out of things over there, but only because I've got a lot to do today :( And finals continue.
Next, I'm requesting anyone who has potential questions for the next "Ask TechJapan" submit them to me. More details on this inside.
Some of you may have been around for the first edition of Ask TechJapan [3], and that's great if you were. Thanks for sticking around!
But if you weren't, the premise behind the feature is pretty straightforward: me (or someone else) will answer questions regarding Japanese electronics. This would include questions about the industry, its trends, a request for a product suggestion, or even a request for a general overview of a somewhat hazy topic.
Here's some ideas that I've personally been tossing around, namely from the thread we did on the forums way back when we called for suggestions.
- Why those cool japanese cell phones (usually) don't work outside Japan?
- Why clamshells cell phones are so popular in Japan while for example in Europe candybar ones are all the rage?
- Is cheaper or more expensive to buy technology in Japan than in Europe/America/Taiwan/...?
- What is the cheapest Japanese cellular provider?
- Where are the cheapest places to order/buy Japanese technology, both inside and outside of Japan?
- Could you explain the relationship between Matsushita, Panasonic, and National? Seriously, I have no ***** clue what these three companies have to do with one another.
- What the hell got Japan so interested in technology in the first place?
- How can you install Japanese text input on a Windows machine? Is it possible to upgrade one language version of Windows (i.e. English Windows 2000) to a Japanese language version of Windows (like Windows XP)? What are my options for running a complete Japanese operating system?
- Overview of next generation medias (Blu-Ray, HD DVD, Info-MICA, etc)?
- Overview of recent 3D display technologies?
- What are the best places to shop for electronics in Japan? I've heard Akihabara is a good place, but where, specifically, should I go once I get to Akihabara?
If you would like to see one of those written sooner than the other, please either comment on this post (using the box below that says "Add a new Comment") or send an email my way [4].
But, those are just suggestions we took earlier! If you've got a new suggestion, we're completely open to that, too. Let us hear about it [5].
Thanks!
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