I really want a couple of these mini beanbag chairs for my iPhone and iPad(s), and one for a DLSR lens camera rest.
Sounds like a great project for Tokyo HackerSpace.
Great iPhone or iPad Hackerspace Project
Written by admin on August 6th, 2010I really want a couple of these mini beanbag chairs for my iPhone and iPad(s), and one for a DLSR lens camera rest.
Plan: 8th Wonderful Robot Carnival
Written by admin on July 5th, 2010What: 8th Wonderful Robot Carnival
When: Sunday, July 11, 2010 10:00-17:00
Where: Tokyo Electric Power Museum Hall, Kawasaki, Japan
URL: http://k2g2.sakura.ne.jp/wndrb/
Why: The Wonderful Robot Carnival is the funniest, most exciting, most enthusiastic humanoid robot competitions in the world, bar none. Here’s a small sample -
Comments: I will be there from start to finish, and probably for the nomunication afterwards. It’s my favorite robot event in Japan. The event is open to the public.
Disclaimer: Robots Dreams is an official sponsor of the Wonderful Robot Carnival
Plan: iPad-Passing Fad or Mighty Portent Presentation
Written by admin on July 5th, 2010What: Media Tectonics Seminar Presentation – iPad – Passing Fad or Mighty Portent
When: July 20, 2010 18:30-21:30
Where: Westley Center, 6-10-11 Minami Aoyama, Tokyo
URL: http://mediatectonics.com/seminars/clever-devices-that-generate-profit-online/
Why: Detailed information and demonstrations showing the iPad used to increase productivity, create professional content, boost income, and improve quality of life.
Comments: I’ll be sharing my experience with the iPad including how it’s been incorporated into my work and daily life, along with many of the dramatic workflow improvements it has enabled. I’ll also share the dark side.
Plan: iPad/iPhone/iPod Business Opportunities Event
Written by admin on July 5th, 2010What: iPad/iPhone/iPod Business Opportunities Networking Event
When: Friday, July 16, 2010 19:00 – 22:00
Where: Apple Store Ginza – 3rd Floor
URL: iPad/iPhone/iPod Business Networking
Why: Good chance to meet others interested in developing business centered around iOS and related Apple products.
Comments: I plan to be there for the entire event, and probably nomunication afterwards. 
Long ago, but not so far away…
Written by admin on June 13th, 2010People frequently ask why I originally came to Japan, so I dug up two of the first two user-testimonial ads that we ran for the Unigraphics CAD/CAM system, named U-Graph here:
Takagi Manufacturing: A key supplier for progressive die systems to produce leadframes, critical parts for the burgeoning semiconductor industry. The stern looking gentleman in the oval is Mr. Takagi, the founder of the company and just as stern as he appears. He was a demanding customer, but when he spoke other people in the industry listened, so we sold a lot of systems based on his recommendations.
Yonetani Manufacturing: One of the main companies supplying engine blocks and other precision parts to major Japanese auto manufacturers like Toyota. Again, a really tough and demanding customer, but one that really paid off in the end with lots of other companies following their lead.
The ads ran in selected Japanese industry publications around 1983.
What You Should Know About the iPad: Quick Photos & Notes
Written by admin on May 31st, 2010I’m in the process of re-laying out my home office space to improve the storage and workflow. I have a business meeting in the city this afternoon, then will have time to swing by Ikea on the way back home, but I need to take a photo and some quick dimensions with me.
I took a quick, low resolution shot of my current layout with my digital camera. It didn’t have to look pretty, so I didn’t spend any time fussing with the settings. Then I transferred the photo into my iPad using the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit SD card connector.
On the iPad I pulled the image into the Sketches2 app. I’m sure there are better apps available for what I wanted to do, but this is the one that I’m most familar with and was already installed.
Grabbing my tape measure I took the critical dimensions of the space, and added the annotations to the photo. Then I exported the image to the iPad Photo album. The entire process took less than 5 minutes. Now I can walk through Ikea getting ideas while referring to the image on my iPad.
Pretty cool. 
Before/After pictures will be posted soon!
Plan: Make Tokyo Meeting 05
Written by admin on May 14th, 2010What: Make Tokyo Meeting 05
When: May 22 (Sat) & 23 (Sun), 2010
Where: Tokyo Institute of Technology – Ookayama Campus
Why: The Make movement is finally taking off in Japan the same way it took the US by storm. Exhibitors and attendees have doubled each time the event has been held. The creativity, inspiration, and networking opportunities are rampant.
Admission: Free and open to the public
Other: This is a school campus and the Make venues are scattered in different buildings. Make sure to get one of the handout maps when you arrive, and check it to see that you take in everything available. For Make Tokyo 04 it was difficult to see everything in less than five or six hours.
Url: http://www.oreilly.co.jp/mtm/05/
Comments: I plan to participate on Sunday all day, and possibly part of Saturday depending on some schedule conflicts with the ROBO-ONE events in Kawasaki.
Plan: Chris Steele-Perkins “A Life in Photography”
Written by admin on May 14th, 2010What: Chris Steele-Perkins talk on “A Life in Photography”
When: Tuesday May 25, 2010 from 15:10 until 16:40
Where: Hosei University Kudan Kosha Building (3rd floor)
Why: Chris Steele-Perkins has been a key part of the Magnum Photos group since 1979 and has served as its president. His life as a photojournalist has included theaters of conflict, urban poverty, subcultures, rural life, and many other moving and emotional scenes.
Admission: Free but preregistration is required and seating is limited to 70.
Other: The presentation will be in English with no formal translation available.
Url: http://www.hosei.ac.jp/gis/en/event/csp.html
Comments: This is a rare chance to see and hear a leading photojournalists and key Magnum Photo leader. I plan to show up early and stay late.
Who Says That YouTube Doesn’t Have Useful Content? (Video)
Written by admin on April 17th, 2010There’s a common misconception that YouTube is filled with nothing but cats dancing on piano keyboards, and clumsy, acned, adolescent kids dancing with light sabers. Thankfully, that isn’t all that you can find on YouTube. It’s chock full of helpful how-to’s, instructional videos, and other great content. Here’s a good example:
Saturday Cycling Adventure in Chiba (Video)
Written by admin on April 11th, 2010Saturday was one of those unbelievably beautiful Spring days, enchanting actually. I needed a few things from the local convenience store and decided to use my recumbent trike just for the exercise, even though the store is only about half a mile away.
What started out as a simple 5 minute spin, turned into a 3 hour, 28 km adventure. The weather was so great, and the cherry blossoms were still in full bloom, so I quickly got completely absorbed in the moment while time flew by.
Of course, it helps that I live in Chiba, just a few minutes from the start of the Hanamigawa Cycling Course. ‘Hanamigawa’, by the way, means ‘flower viewing river’ in Japanese, which is perfect naming. The banks are lined with flowers, and flowering trees, for most of its length, with very little encroachment from industry, condo’s and other aspects of what we mistakenly call ‘civilization’.
Here’s a time-lapse (10x) video covering the first hour of my cycling adventure. Unfortunately the camera battery ran out and I failed to bring along a spare because I never expected to go that far.
My HPV (human powered vehicle) of choice for the trip was the TW-Bents Mantis recumbent trike. I’ve ridden the same course for the same distance before on a Trek 820 mountain bike, enjoyed it, but came back a little stiff and sore.
In comparision, the Mantis is an absolute pleasure. After three hours of pedalling, with a few short breaks for water and to chat with other people enjoying the course, I felt completely relaxed and refreshed. No pain, no soreness at all. I did spend quite a bit of time adjusting the Mantis when I first bought it to make sure that it match my body dimensions, especially my long legs, and that really paid off. I could have easily continued cycling for several more hours with no problems and no after-effects.