TOKYOMANGO

Get your hand-printed limited edition TokyoMango t-shirt now (2 weeks only)

My friend Ben and I made a test run of TokyoMango t-shirts on Saturday. They're really nice, do you want one? If so, you can buy one here. Below are the details:

- All shirts are 100% cotton.
- Each t-shirt will be hand-silk screened by me and Ben on his Yudu machine. The shirt logo was custom-designed by Ben. Mango design courtesy of my web designer James.
- The Women's tees come in a t-shirt style (pistacio and white) and a spaghetti strap ribbed tank (yellow).
- The Men's tees come in orange and white. In the pic above, Ben is actually accidentally wearing a girl's tee, but you get the idea... the sleeves will be more manly on the one you get.
- You can choose a custom colored tee for $25. Just shoot me an email with your preference after you place the order.
- The sizes tend to run a little big (except for the tanktops). They might shrink in the wash.
- Some of you will receive a free surprise Japanese toy or gadget with your t-shirt! I'm just gonna randomly stick them into bags, so keep an eye out.
- We're taking orders over the next two weeks only, at least for this first printing. They'll ship at the end of those two weeks, when Ben & I will silkscreen them by hand.
- Last day to order is Monday, October 5th.

UPDATE: T-shirts are no longer for sale. Maybe we'll do another round sometime!

USB alien with illuminated tongue

This scary realistic alien toy modeled after the Alien movie series will sporadically stick its glowing red tongue out at you if you plug it into your computer via its USB cable. Buy it here.

Home bath bomb making machine

There's a new toy coming out at the end of this month that I kinda want. It's a bath bomb maker — you know, those big balls of fizzy aromatic goodness for your bathtub that they sell at Lush. The main ingredients in bath bombs are baking soda and citric acid; so basically all you have to do is add your favorite relaxing smells — herbs, rose petals, essential oils — and some water, put all the ingredients in the ball, stir it and compress it, and out pops a perfect bath ball. If only I had a bigger bath tub at home, I would totally use it all the time. It's a fun craft project and great for producing homemade gifts. The kit costs about $40 and comes with enough baking soda and citric acid to get a project started.

Product page (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

Bra doubles as a golf putting green

Lingerie company Triumph's newest conception is this crazy green bra that transforms into a putting green. If you get a ball into the boob hole, a built-in speaker says: "Nice shot!"

Via Pink Tentacle

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New "luxury" capsule hotel has computerized lighting, fancy sheets

Product designer Fumie Shibata has created a new concept for a luxury capsule hotel — she is transforming the most barebones way for traveling businessmen to spend the night into a trendy fancy type of thing. It's called 9 h (Nine Hours) and the first one will open in Kyoto next month. The hotel will include 125 clean, minimalist capsules, as well as lockers, showers, and a communal lounge. Each capsule has its own computerized lighting system by Panasonic and sheets with a thread count equivalent of a four-star hotel. It's 4,900 yen a night.

Nine Hours main page via Designboom

Crystal-studded Hello Kitty MP3 player

Wondering what music player to buy? For $150, you can now own this beautiful (?) crystal-studded Hello Kitty MP3 player that doubles as an accessory.

Link (via News on Japan)

Toyjector, a low-res, super cute toy projector

For $150, you can now get this cute, boxy toy projector called the Toyjector. It's two cubic inches and weighs just four ounces, so it's super portable, but it really is just a toy — it projects 300x224 images and only has an internal 1W mono speaker. But if you're looking for a cute-and-little gadget-y holiday gift for a non-gadgety person, this could be a good gift. It goes on sale in Japan at the end of November.

Press release (Japanese, via CrunchGear)

USB breast-warming pads (maybe NSFW)

Thanko has a wonderful solution to those whose nipples get cold during winter days at the computer — The USB Bust Beauty Pad. Just plus it into your computer, slip the U-shaped pads under your bra, and cozy up as the pads get warm. The pads are meant to last about six months, and the whole set-up costs about $20.

Product page (Japanese)

Hello Kitty solar charger

If you love Hello Kitty and care about the environment, this Hello Kitty solar charger strap could be a good fit for you. It also comes with a Kitty-shaped carabiner.

Product page (Japanese)

New toy plays back everything you record backwards

Takara Tomy has a new crazy toy called the Sakasa Master Japan. It's actually a recording device that plays back whatever you say backwards — useful for those who want to make up a secret code language or are linguistically curious. But mostly, just pure entertainment.

Buy it here.

Burger King celebrates new OS with Windows 7 Whopper

What better way to celebrate the release of Windows 7 than with a giant 7-patty BK Whopper that costs 777 yen? It's a limited edition burger, available only for 7 days!

Link

Megahouse's Disney character-shaped cookie making kit

Toy company Megahouse has come out with yet another fun family cooking tool — this one's a cookie maker that makes sugar cookies in the shape of Mickey Mouse heads.

Product page (Japanese)

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Video: Keromin and Maywa Denki perform duet at Engadget party

At a party held for Engadget in Roppongi last night, Maywa Denki's newest quirky instrument, the Otamatone, did a duet with the famed theremin-like frog puppet, Keromin.

Pervy iPhone app lets you look up a girl's skirt

This is one of those pervy inventions that is at once brilliant and disturbing — it's an iPhone app that lets you look up the skirts of pretty Japanese women by blowing on or rubbing the screen. Does this encourage train perverts, or does it provide them an outlet that distracts them from doing this in real life? I don't know the answer.

(Thanks, John!)

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Solar-powered twirling figurine stand

What better way to utilize solar energy than to use it to flaunt your figurine collection? This solar-powered figurine stand by Thanko uses sunlight and/or fluorescent light to power up, then slowly rotates so you can put your favorite figurine or gadget on a rotating pedestal.

Product page (Japanese)

Honda's U3-X is the Segway of the future

Honda unveiled the U3-X, a Segway-like amusement vehicle that moves to one direction or another based on a lean. This one, though, has you in a seated position and is more like a unicycle.

via DannyChoo.com

Summary of Joi and Lisa's session about Japanese obsessions at Foo Camp

On Saturday, August 29th, Joi Ito and I gave an impromptu talk at O'Reilly's Foo Camp about Japanese otaku culture and how it relates to hacking and Zen Buddhism. The talk wasn't recorded so we don't have an exact transcript, but here's the gist of it:

We started by showing several photos that portray otaku obsessions—rows of figurines on a store shelf, cat cafes, itasha, body pillow covers, a man with his body pillow girlfriend, and a maid cafe bento box with a bunny rabbit drawn on the lid. We also showed some non-otaku photos, like a perfectly designed plate of cooked vegetables at the restaurant Daigo and Yoichiro Kawaguchi's futuristic sea creatures lined up in front of a Yushima Seido temple. The obsessiveness of otaku culture, we said, can be seen even in more traditional and non-otaku Japanese aesthetic, from food presentation to religious display. And it's this obsessiveness—which clearly goes beyond economical or functional rationale—that enables the precision manufacturing, cleanliness, punctuality, and politeness that we think of as stereotypically Japanese.

Joi noted that the caste system of Japan probably plays a role in this obsessiveness. For generations, people have been taught to be happy perfecting their role in society, without necessarily viewing social or financial gain as a measurement of their success—it's the shokunin culture in which focusing on one job allows one to obsess with abandon until they reach perfection on a very local level. As examples, we mentioned waiters working for no tip and the guy at Narita airport whose only job is to tell people that their checked-in bags are on the revolving belt. As an example of obsession reaching a perfected end, Joi mentioned ukiyo-e, a type of woodblock printing that was popular during the Edo period. According to Professor Mitsuhiro Takemura, a media design scholar at Sapporo City University, the art form was essentially made more simple and abstract through rapid iterations until it reached obsessive perfection, and that was where innovation in this genre ended. (The actual end of ukiyo-e is attributed to the Meiji Restoration.)

Sekai camera AR iPhone app makes high-fashion debut

Sekai Camera, the augmented reality iPhone app that tags and overlays information about products and places, debuted in Tokyo today at a press event held at the Spanish luxury designer Loewe. Here's a video showing how it works — basically, when your camera scans a certain tagged item, it shows up on the screen along with a description, pricing, etc. Video by Nobi Hayashi.

(Thanks, Nobi and Hitoshi!)

Korean sake bottle cell phone strap with bottle opener

This cell phone strap resembles a Korean sake bottle, and even comes with a miniature working bottle opener. Kinda neat!

Product page

Hello Kitty PC

Korean PC maker Moneual recently released this Hello Kitty-branded PC. Wow.

via Crunchgear

Polaris, a new cell phone x robot that acts as a desktop secretary

This is Polaris, a robot designed by KDDI and Flower Robotics that monitors your behavior via your cell phone and then communicates to you via your TV. Basically what it does is function as an intelligent dock for your cell phone — when you put the phone on it, it extracts information from the handset and then gives you recommendations and reminders. Kinda like a miniature personal secretary! It also has the ability to self-navigate on flat surfaces. We should be seeing this in the consumer market soon — so far it's just a prototype.

via Impress Watch (Japanese)

Follow my live Apple event Tweets

Hey guys! I'm not here right now — I'm at Yerba Buena Center in downtown San Francisco live-tweeting the very important announcement by Apple for Boing Boing. Follow my Twitter feed to read my updates live.

BBG's Live-Tweeting the Apple Event Today

iPhone cases designed after famous samurai

These iPhone cases cost $1000 each and were designed after warlords and warriors from the samurai era. I just wrote about them on BBG.

Tiny video camera looks like a shirt button

Want to feel like a spy for a day? Wear this tiny video camera that looks like a button on your shirt. It has a mic and a camera on the surface that will record what you see, and the resulting footage can be transferred to a computer via USB. The buttons covers are interchangeable so you can change them to match what you're wearing that day.

Product page (Thanko)

Rose-shaped cell phone strap makes toilet flushing noises

If you've spent some time in public toilets in Japan, you've probably seen Otohime, the little control panel that makes the sound of flushing while you relieve yourself so that nobody can hear the farts or plops. This beautiful black rose has the same function, except it's embedded in a portable cell phone strap &mdash it makes a flushing noise when you press down on it. While that may assuage the fear of having someone hear you take a dump in the toilet, I'd think it would be even more embarrassing to have this accidentally go off when you're sitting in a train or walking to work.

Product page

Related story: The Healing Log

Clockman, a clock with a face and lots of personality

Meet Clockman. He's a black box with a funny face that tells time. Actually, there are four different iterations of Clockman, and they all have different characteristics based on blood type. (In Japan, blood type is said to determine personality traits like a horoscope.) For example, when you hit Type AB's button, he'll say: "I think it's 11am." and if you hit him again: "Didn't I just tell you? It's 11am." Super cute!

via IT Media News (Japanese)

Limited edition Rilakumma netbook

Great news for Rilakumma fans: you can get an original character netbook for $800 through August 31. It comes with a cute yellow carrying case, too, and a slew of Rilakkuma wallpapers, games, and features. It's made by Bandai Namco, and has 1 gig of memory, an Atom processor, Windows XP, and five hours of battery life.

Product page

Stuffed animal cell phone cases

Why not carry your cell phone around in the mouth of a fuzzy puppy dog toy in a playful pose? Strap-Ya has this in multiple breeds and poses. Cows and hippos, too.

Product page (Japanese)

Fuzzy cat ear headband with earphones

On BBG, I just blogged about these earphones integrated into a fuzzy nekomimi hairband. It comes in black, too.

Product page (Japanese)

Gadget makes perfect sunny side up eggs in the microwave

Do you suck at making eggs? Some people just do, and that's okay. That's why there's this gadget (or is it just a container?) that helps you make a perfect sunny side up egg. All you have to do is crack the egg into this bowl and stick it in the microwave for 60 seconds. Easy. You do have to know how to crack an egg without breaking it, though.

Skater (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

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Toy pot sticker maker from Bandai goes on sale Saturday

On Saturday, Bandai will release a new culinary toy. It's a pot sticker maker &mdash all you have to do is stick the ingredients in a little box and lay the skin flat in between the two rollers, then turn the lever for a perfectly wrapped gyoza.

Press release (Japanese)

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Bowlingual Voice, a digital gadget that lets dogs communicate with owners

Several years ago, a doggie gadget called the Bowlingual made waves in Japan after claiming it could translate what your dog was saying every time she barked. Now, Takara Tomy is coming out with a newer version called Bowlingual Voice. There are several key differences between Voice and its predecessor. First of all, Voice is digital &mdash the original Bowlingual was analog. Voice also has a new and improved translation mechanism that has honed its understanding of doggie language to an even sharper point, and thus facilitates real-time two-way conversations between dog and owner.

Bowlingual Voice goes on sale on August 27th, in Japan only, for $200.

Press release (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

New toy simulates giant fireworks inside the house

Sega Toys has an awesome new toy called Uchiage. Its structure is similar to a miniature planetarium &mdash it uses multiple lenses pointed towards the ceiling to project light patterns that look just like a giant burst of fire. The cool thing is that it's completely safe, still beautiful, and you can even program it to project customized messages or images in the sky. How much are you willing to bet that somebody will use this to propose marriage? It goes on sale August 1 for about $150.

Product page (Japanese)

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Full-sized LED light sculpture by Makoto Tojiki

Designer Makoto Tojiki's newest creation is a life-sized LED human figure called the Man With No Shadow.

via Moco Loco

Fake taxi meter charges freeloading friends for rides

Maybe you have a secret taxi fetish. Or, you have a friend who mooches rides all the time without ever offering to pay for gas. This fake taxi meter could help you &mdash it's meant to be a jokey room decoration, but when you press the "ride" or "extra charge" button, the yen meter actually starts ticking.

Product page (Japanese)

New samurai-themed pedometer lets you pretend you're a foot soldier

On July 18, Bandai is releasing a new toy that has a noble theme and an exercise function. It's a pedometer and calorie counter with a samurai-era storyline &mdash you choose to be a character out of three famous daimyo from the Sengoku, or Warring States Period (circa 1500s) and take your foot soldiers out to the battlefield. Of course, the more you walk, the closer you will get to attaining full control of Japan.

Press release (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

BB Video episode from Maker Faire 2009

Maker Faire, my favorite artsy crafty geeky event of the year, was a couple weeks ago. I walked around with Make EIC and fellow Boinger Mark Frauenfelder to check out some of our favorite things. Link

USB E-cigarette lights up, emits steam

If you're trying to kick the habit of puffing on cigarettes at your desk, you might want to try this USB e-cigarette from Thanko. One charge lasts you about 2-3 hours, and it's designed to light up at the tip when you inhale, and so you can blow out steam when you exhale.

Product page

Kitten paw keychain meows when you push it

I love playing with paws. They're so soft and cushy. This keychain looks like a kitten paw, and it's cushy. Also, when you press it, it meows.

Buy it here.

Toy simulates sound of cracking knuckles

This funny little gadget is actually a dual-purpose stress relieving device &mdash when you bend it, it simulates the sound of cracking knuckles. And if you keep it straight, it can be used to push pressure points. It's $5.

via Tokyu Hands

University hands out iPhones to prevent students from ditching class

Tokyo's Aoyama Gakuin University handed out free iPhones to all the staff and students at its School of Social Informatics &mdash not just to be nice, but to use the GPS function to make sure nobody's ditching class. The system will be in full force by fall semester, when instructors will also start asking for homework and tests via iPhone. It's part of provider Softbank's web education training initiative, so the students aren't being charged for any of it.

Link

Get the cell phone strap for people who like opening beers

In March, I wrote a post about the Mugen Beer Pull, Bandai's new keychain/cell phone strap toy that lets you mimic the sensation of opening a can of beer whenever you want. A lot of you asked where you can buy one, and I finally found out where you can buy it online for $12.

Buy the mugen beer pull here. (Thanks, Mark F!)

Pepper mill sprinkles brown specks from R2D2's butt

For $20, you can get this awesome little pepper mill shaped like R2D2, in either white and blue or black and red. You twist his head, and pepper sprinkles out of his butt like poop.

Get it here.

Man creates moving Pac-Man with a Roomba

Fun video of a Japanese guy who created a Pac-Man out of a Roomba and 488 LED lights.

via BBG

R2D2 water bottle

This water bottle is shaped like R2D2. You drink out of it by unscrewing his head and sucking on his spine. Pretty cute accessory, and it's always important to stay hydrated. You can buy it in the US for $40 here. Even comes with a little carry strap.

Vibrating plastic dog massages you with his paws

This funny plastic dog (or is it a panda?) is actually a vibrating massager that you can put behind your back or under your feet. When you press the button on his tail, the dog starts shaking all four paws, which you can put on your sore spots for a gentle and very bizarre massage. It's going to retail for about $15 on June 1st.

Alinco (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

R2D2 cell phone strap with LED

This R2D2 cell phone strap/keychain doubles as a LED flashlight. Buy it here.

Geeky portable shrine worships gadgets and figurines

The geekiest shrine ever is this portable mikoshi designed by a maid cafe employee in Akihabara. Instead of Buddhas and mochi, this shrine features a TV screen, a keyboard, anime figurines, laptops, game consoles, and tons of cell phone handsets.

via Japan Probe

Breakfast gadget that makes egg three different ways in the microwave

Hario's microwave egg cooker is a little egg-shaped container that allows you to make things like scrambled eggs, onsen eggs, or poached eggs with just your microwave. No need to dirty pots and pans.

Product page (Japanese, via Impress Watch)

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Review of the five second stadium stopwatch

I reviewed Bandai Gadget's five-second stadium stopwatch on BBG today, and took this video of me and Malcolm playing with it. Read review.

Woman publishes book full of text messages sent to her dead husband's cell phone

65-year old Toshiko Fukuda of Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, lost her husband to asbestos on April 17th last year. Her husband, Motoo, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2006, probably from the steel pipe factory he worked at. He got worker's comp, but the disease ultimately destroyed his lungs and left him with hallucinations for the remainder of his life. Shocked, the widowed Fukuda started sending text messages to her dead husband every time she thought of something she wanted to say to him. Continue reading at BBG