This is English version of Japanese blog media "vsmedia". About Japanese Social Games & Apps, Augmented reality, Virtual Worlds, Avatar, Virtual Goods, Social Media, Fab Culture...etc...
Kumamon is a local character in Kumamoto Prefecture, and one of the most popular Japanese character. Now, his various goods are sold and the regional economy in Kumamoto has been greatly revitalized thanks to him, A new lineup will be added to them in this month. It's a SIM free smartphone "Kumamon-no-Sumaphone(くまモンのすまフォン)".
In order to release this, Kumamoto's MVNO Kuma Mobile made business alliance with French smartphone maker Wiko.
They will develop a SIM free smartphone designed Kumamon wearing the French flag muffler based on Wiko's Android smartphone "Tommy".
The body is Kumamoto's image color red. In addition, they also prepare VR contents that can see Kumamoto Castle before destroyed by the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Its box transforms into mobile VR goggles, and users can enjoy VR content using this. They are planning to sell this from mid December, but the price is unpublished.
Electric manufacturer CASIO will release an interesting compact digital camera in Asia at the end of this month. It is certainly "compact".
They added a new lineup TR-M11 to the digital camera series TR mini for selfie, which is developing mainly in ASEAN. It is a clamshell design, palm size, and colorful, so looks like a cosmetic compact. It has a lens on the top cover, and the 8 LEDs surrounds it. Because of taking a light from the front of the face and taking selfie makes the skin look bright and beautiful. Besides that, LEDs provide various selfie functions to users in collaboration with Casio's image processing technology. Make skin look brighter and fresh, sculpted look to facial features, and slimming...they look more natural and effective than the image effects of camera applications or Purikura(Photo booth).
The camera automatically powers on when the lid is opened and the bottom is the operation screen. The shape of photos is square, and posting to social media such as Instagram is supposed. In addition, users can automatically transfer photos to own smartphones using the EXILIM Connect application linked with the camera.
Power Source is rechargeable lithium ion battery, it can shoot 225 times with one charge, and users can shoot continuously for 4h 50min for still images and 1h 20min for movie. The color variations are Green, Pink, White, Violet, Vivid pink, the size is H82.6 × W77.0 × D26.6mm and weght is 139g (including memory card). Unfortunately, it is undecided whether to be released in Japan.
If you know this robot, you love Japanese huge robot anime. Bandai announced that the mascot robot Haro that appears in the robot anime Gundam will be commercialized as a communication robot and released in 2018.
The prototype has already been exhibited at CEATEC JAPAN 2017 and became a topic.
The theme of this is "if Haro exists in the present age". This is an interactive communication robot with AI with abundant knowledge about Gundam and also has voice recognition function. It responds to users' questions and Gundam keywords and responds optimally from the database, and can also give the users questions for the Gundam quizzes. It also has a wireless LAN function and Bluetooth function so that users can use this as a speaker and use the alarm function in link with smartphones.
The eyes and mouth of this shines with LEDs, sway forward, backward, left, right, and face the people who is talking. That is exactly a charming communication robot. IBM Japan has developed conversation AI, and VAIO is cooperating with Haro's organization, circuit design and production. The size is 190mm in diameter and works with built-in rechargeable batteries. Weight is undecided.
Because of increased crime prevention awareness, the number of families using home security cameras is increasing, and easy handling is a necessary element for home security cameras. Aiuto, a sales company of PC parts and peripherals, release the security camera "Kalay Home" attachable to bulb bayonet socket in the middle of this month.
This is a down-light type security camera attached to the E26 type power socket, and it can be installed easily without tools. It has an infrared sensor that detects from the installation position up to 4m and 2m radius, and detects something that moves it will record the video and light the LED light for one minute. By using MicroSD, it is possible to record automatically recorded videos. Users can check the notification and video in real time and shoot screenshots with the application KalayLightCam that works with this. And because it also has a microphone and speakers, users can talk from smartphones.
A maximum of 4 users can access this simultaneously and up to 16 units can be monitored with one smartphone. If you want to use this at various places in the home, you can check all of these with a smartphone. The size of this is H139 × W130 × D130 mm and weigh is 200 g. Aiuto plans to sell this for 15,580 yen(including tax).
Now in Japan, various communication robots for children are released, but most of them are stuffed toy types.
However this is really like a robot. Hamee will release a mascot type message robot with exterior of polyvinyl chloride "Hamic Bear" this autumn. This is a home robot that can exchange voice messages directly among children who do not have smartphones. This can be used independently under the Wi - Fi environment, and parents make friends request and accept from the mobile application(Management is the role of parents). Its head is a switch, you can activate various functions by push this, and the speaker is built in the gap of the collar. In addition, it has a human sensor and AI, Hamee plans to provide information sending function and communication function using them. The price and release date of this is yet to be determined. But they accept email address registration in its site.
