Zettai Geek Dayo

SoftBank hails a ride (share), CoinCheck checks in & docomo’s seeing double! Plus, how to watch the Olympics & cutting through the BS(/CS) of satellite TV. All this, & some “obligation chocolates”, if you’ll be my valentine on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

ソフトバンク、中国ライドシェア「滴滴」と協業–国内でタクシー配車サービス構築

Didi Chuxing teams up with SoftBank for Japanese ride-hailing joint venture

コインチェック、日本円出金を2月13日に再開

Coincheck Users Pull $373 Million in First Chance Since Hack

ドコモの2画面スマホ「M」は買いなのか？ 実機レビュー＆コラムまとめ

2画面スマホ「M Z-01K」を5日間メイン端末として使ってみたレポート

Main Stories

Japanese TV show about draining ponds becomes surprise hit with viewers

SkyPerfect

Guide to BS/CS antenna direction (Japanese)

Fun Stuff

Godiva runs full-page ad asking Japanese women to stop buying so much Valentine’s chocolate

Japanese confectioner has firm rebuttal to Godiva’s anti-obligation chocolate ad in Japan

How To Watch The Olympics In Japan (Japanese)

And keep an eye out for any well-known plumbers playing curling…

NHK Olympics App (iOS)

gorin.jp (iOS)

Gamers can become Pac-Man with new VR attraction in Tokyo

「まるでオフライン対戦」　プロ選手が「ストリートファイターV」で下り10Gbpsを体験

Japanese senior stabs younger man multiple times after seeing him sit in train’s priority seat

See you next week!

A survey of streaming video, SoftBank & LINE Mobile team up, and take a ride with your packages (& Yamato) down to Wakayama! Plus, it’s the end of an era for Sazae-san AND Osaka! All this and more, if you can get Back In Time for #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

LINEモバイルがソフトバンク傘下に。戦略的提携に向け基本合意

KDDI、月400円からのIoT通信プラン「LTE Low」「LTE Mid」「LTE High」提供開始

Idols stand by cryptocurrency after major theft leaves them without paychecks

ヤマト、和歌山電鉄で宅配便を「貨客混載」 16日から

モバイルバッテリーにもPSEマークが必須に、事故増加を受け経産省が規制強化

Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law

Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000

大阪・市営地下鉄新会社の愛称「Osaka Metro」に決定　外国人にもわかりやすく

Osaka Municipal Subway

Main Stories

What is Japan’s most used on-demand video streaming service?

Zettai Geek Dayo – 02. I See Streams Of Green, New iPhones, Too ♪

Tsutaya TV

GYAO

au videopass

U-NEXT

dTV

WOWOW Members On-Demand

Netflix Japan

Hulu Japan

Amazon Prime Japan

Apple TV

Chromecast

Fire TV

Fire TV Stick

Fire HD 10

Fun Stuff

任天堂、スイッチのオンライン有料化は2018年9月。詳細は今後発表

任天堂の新スマホアプリは『マリオカート ツアー』、2019年3月までに配信スタート

スマートフォン向けアプリ『Miitomo』サービス終了のお知らせ

「サザエさん」の新スポンサーがアマゾンなどに決定　「買い物しようと街まで出かけなくなりそう」などの声

The Longest Running TV Cartoon, Ever

Walmart & Rakuten team up, live it up in JAXA’s simulated space station & a new portable iOS keyboard! Plus, some Pokemon news and if you’re “very hungry”, do I have the cafe for you! All this, and a few instant photos, on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

楽天とWal-Mart、日米で提携　「楽天西友ネットスーパー」オープンへ

運転中「ポケモンＧＯ」で死亡事故 被告の実刑確定へ

Pokémon GO-playing driver’s two year prison sentence for manslaughter upheld. Was it enough?

Nintendo and Pokémon Company help grade-school boy get over bullying incident, earn lifelong fan

JAXA paying people 380,000 yen to drop out of life for two weeks

Japan Clinical Volunteer Network application page (Japanese)

(It didn’t occur to me when I was recording this that, by the time the podcast was released, it’d be too late to apply… Oh well…)

ロジクール、iOS向け薄型軽量ポータブルキーボードiK1042BKAを2月6日発売

We tried the awesome battery-free, instant photo printer for smartphones and came away impressed

Printoss (Japanese)

Printoss TPJ-03SO (Amazon.co.jp)

Amazonが日本版Alexaスキルの人気ランキング発表。12月の1位はあの定番ラジオ

radiko.jp (Japanese)

Main Stories

Unlimited Japanese SIM Card by Mobal

moumoon (Wikipedia)

They have been doing a free, live internet broadcast on the full moon of every month for years and years now, and the archives are free to watch on their official YouTube channel!

moumoon – pride (YouTube)

moumoon – follow me (YouTube)

moumoon – Never Look Back (YouTube)

ローランド、音響ミキサーをワイヤレス・コントロールできるiPad用無料アプリ「M-480 Remote」公開

docomo wants in on mobile payments, mineo wants in on iPhones and we all want in on the kotatsu! Plus, THE SOUND of Panasonic, retro games are new again and how to get to Tokyo for cheap! All this, with 20% fewer idols, on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

Tokyo’s most famous landmarks are even more beautiful after heaviest snowfall in years【Photos】

mineo (Japanese)

格安SIMのmineo、iPhone 7とiPhone 7 Plusの日本SIMフリー版を2月15日発売

ドコモがQRコード決済「d払い」4月開始、ローソン・マツキヨも対応予定

パナソニック、スピーカー内蔵LEDシーリングライト「AIR PANEL LED THE SOUND」発売

Japanese movie theater with kotatsu seating looks like it’s the best cinematic experience ever

セガ サターン パッドがBluetooth対応で復活、まさかの実機用アダプタも。メガドラ・ドリキャス版も展示

Retro-bit brought brand-new Sega accessories to CES

New Bluetooth Dreamcast Controllers From Retro-bit Revealed

Main Stories

VIP Liner (Japanese)

VIP Liner (English [Auto Translated])

Momoiro Clover Z & Nangoku Peanuts = ♡♡

I mean, I sure wanna go see his dinner show, don’t you?

Momoiro Clover – Rough Style

Momoiro Clover – Ano Sora e Mukatte / Towards That Blue Sky

Fun Stuff

がなぜか突然アップデートされ「懐かしい！」「遊んでた！」と話題に

NextFrame – Tanaka_U’s Flash Game Website (Japanese)

Kanpou Shageki (“Naval Gunfire”)

PLAY! TETRIS® TOWERをお楽しみください

【動画レポート】PLAY! TETRIS®TOWER – YouTube

Japanese cram school gives students permission to smash window, break into building on test day

25歳女性が常磐線車内で出産　JR東日本「記録も記憶もない」

Woma...

docomo helps travellers, au helps parents and SoftBank helps teachers! Plus, mixi’s still open (somehow), DMM’s chomping at the Bit(coin) and an MVNO warning when travelling to the States! All this (and a few idols) on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

NHK apologizes for false missile alert

Earthquake warnings leave Kanto jolted, but the big shake never came

ドコモのデータ通信量、24時間980円で海外でも利用可能に。パケットパック海外オプション3月開始

18歳未満のiPhone、宿題サボるとアプリが突然消える!? auの改正新法対応フィルタリングサービス

ソフトバンクの学割は「先生」も対象、50GBが月3980円～になる「学割先生」1月17日受付開始

CES: 三井住友カード、「ロック機能付きクレジットカード」発表　カード番号を液晶で表示

「mixi閉鎖」のうわさ、ミクシィが否定　「閉鎖の予定ない」

mixi.jp

LING

pixivにライブ配信機能　お絵かきを生中継

Anker、iPhone Xを立ててワイヤレス充電できる PowerPort Wireless 5 Standなど発売

 

偽のスタバグッズを販売か、千葉

新4K8K衛星放送コンテンツ、BD-R/BD-REで録画可能に–BDAが新ライセンス

仮想通貨取引サイト「DMM Bitcoin」が本日サービス開始。手数料の低さが売り

DMM Bitcoin

Main Story

KDDI Mobile Sim – New Registration (Japanese)

Unlockit.co.nz

Fun Stuff

Introducing Virtual Currency Girls, the new electronic money-themed, educational idol group

And their single. I mean, with such lyrics as:

“Hot day forget myself go to the moon イイジャナイ”, how can you say no?

115 series trains

ＪＲ東「かぼちゃ列車」引退へ　上越線などで活躍

*sigh* Still kinda sad about Momoclo…

Here’s a minute long video of that 2014 concert I talked about at the former Olympic Stadium. Dang it, this was an AMAZING weekend. Please watch this one. ♡

Momoiro Clover – Hashire!

(This episode of the podcast get its title from original English lyrics which I wrote/translated of this song,

aibo goes for a walk at the Sony Store, the cool tech lucky bags this year & the incredible expanding suitcase from Muji! Plus, a word on that YouTube video and a word with my folks on tech, Japan & tech in Japan! All on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

全国のソニーストアにaibo 1月11日から

【Lucky Bag Roundup 2018】Akihabara Junk Shop Lucky Bags: Now with less junk!

【Lucky Bag Roundup 2018】Yodobashi Camera offers up a tablet box of techie dreams

Muji’s new expandable suitcase is perfect for Japan-based expats and overseas Japanophiles

Main Stories

Maxell QI iPhone 5/5s/SE Case (Amazon Japan)

(Not So) Fun Stuff

Japanese Twitter reacts to “Japanese Suicide Forest” video

Don’t be That Guy in Japan… or Anywhere Else – That Japanese Man Yuta

How I feel about what Logan Paul did in Japan… – Reina Scully

Be kind to each other, ne?

See you next week!

Goodbye to garakei LINE, Space World & TicketCamp. Plus, KFC breaks records, AbemaTV makes a move for new year’s programming and what DO we do in Japan for “Oshogatsu”? Spend your days of auld lang syne with #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Tech News in Japan

ガラケー版LINE終了へ　5年でユーザー95％減

Japan’s disaster alerts will work with all Android 8.1 phones

LINEがシェアサイクル参入、解錠・決済もLINEアプリで可能に。Mobikeと資本業務提携

Omotena Seals (Japanese)

Crane Game Video – 「絶対に取れる」クレーンゲームで47万円詐取か

Japanese arcade owner arrested for allegedly rigging crane games to be unwinnable

ニンテンドーeショップ、クリスマスに約6時間ダウン（復旧済み）

ミクシィ、チケキャン終了を正式発表　18年5月末に

Main Stories

KFC Japan earned 6 billion yen over Christmas weekend, proving that Japan loves Christmas chicken

New Year’s Greetings in Japanese

NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen

No-Laughing Batsu Games

AbemaTV

Splashtop Personal

What’s the best way to ring in the new year in Tokyo? Try the countdown event at Shibuya crossing

New Year’s Eve in Shibuya (Video)

New Year’s Eve/Day, Traditional Style (Video)

Meiji Jingu Hatsumode (Video)

Fukubukuro

アップルストア初売り、福袋 Lucky Bag の大当たりは今年も MacBook Air

【本日開催】アップルの初売りが超お得！MacBook・iPad Pro購入で還元1万円オーバー

Fun Stuff

Here’s your chance to ride Japan’s maglev Shinkansen in spring, nine years before service starts

快盗戦隊ルパンレンジャーVS警察戦隊パトレンジャー｜テレビ朝日

Digital Gachapons, Panasonic’s at your door and Amazon “Towers” over the competition! Plus, a couple of fun train stories, Christmas in Japan & a brief history of time, err, LINE. Celebrate the ho-ho-holidays with #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions, concerns, topics or you just wanna chat, I’d love to hear from you. Please tweet them at me on Twitter @kayleedayo with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Oh, He’s Making A Cake, Icing It Twice, Gonna Find Out Whose Allergic To Strawberries… ♪

Tech News in Japan

Apple still lets video game developers keep their loot box odds a secret in Japan

「ピンポーン♪」外出先でもスマホで応対、パナソニックがモニター壁掛け式ワイヤレステレビドアホン発売

Osechi (English)

Amazon、高さ1メートル超の「タワーおせち」20万円で発売

板前魂　おせち　板前魂のタワーおせち　和洋中二十一段重

2018年おせち特集 – Amazon.co.jp

最大100万円が当たる「LINEのお年玉」キャンペーンが開催されるぞ!!

Main Stories

History of the Christmas Chicken in Japan

In always-polite Japan, KFC has low-smell fried chicken so you won’t bother people on the train

LINE (software)

How Japan’s Most Popular Messaging App Emerged From The 2011 Earthquake

Monkey Majik – Sendai / SEND愛

Original Two LINE Commercials: “Laugh” & “Cry”

Downfall of Japanese TV’s girl next door highlights wider industry sexism

Fun Stuff

Hypnotic moving map of Tokyo’s crazy rush hour trains almost makes them relaxing

JR Central’s commercial film – Xmas Express Series

(And the parody commercial… :P)

Christmas Eve – Yamashita Tatsuro (山下達郎)

Christmas Eve – Yamashita Tatsuro – Lyrics

See you next week!

Rakuten wants to break the “4th” wall (and beyond!), how to delete your LINEs & scan your QRs. Plus, robots at the airport, cars driving in a “Maru”, online crane games & how to buy used Apple gear in Japan! All this & more on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions or topics you’d like me to cover, please tweet them at me @kayleedayo on Twitter with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

Let It Flo, Let It Flo, Let It Flo! ♪

Tech News in Japan

Rakuten aims to become nation’s 4th mobile carrier

楽天が「第4の携帯キャリア」に、2019年度にサービス開始との報道

Rakuten and Bic Camera team to marry virtual and real stores

楽天とビックカメラが新会社　「楽天ビック」提供へ　通販・店舗連携

ドコモが20GBプランを値下げ、基本料込み月4980円～に 「通話はLINE」な単身者向け

LINE、“誤爆”したメッセージの「送信取消」機能を提供開始

「Suica」アプリがアップデート、ネットショッピングでの支払いに対応

羽田空港がスタッフロボ数種を試験採用。2018年1月より警備から案内、荷物運びなど期間限定で見習い

東京都心の公道、自動運転車が「初」走行。ソフトバンクが実証実験へ

『自動運転バス試乗会 in 丸の内仲通り』を実施

「日本では大きなインパクトになる」–Twitch Primeが日本でサービス開始

ドコモ「ジョジョスマホ」、1万台限定で発売　12万円

オンラインクレーンゲーム「セガキャッチャーオンライン」の正式サービスが開始

セガキャッチャーオンライン

新幹線「こだま」200人乗せずに出発進行⇒20メートル戻って仕切り直し　名古屋駅で

Main Stories

ISP Oshietekun (Japanese)

How to Scan a QR Code Using the Camera on the iPhone or the iPad

Janpara (Japanese)

Network Restriction Check

docomo

au

SoftBank

Fun Stuff

109 Cinemas – 4DX (Japanese)

m-flo、15年ぶりに初代ボーカルLISA復帰 大みそかにUSJで復活ステージ

ThinkPad X220 macOS High Sierra Installation

See you next week!

The 2nd “Wave” of LINE’s smart speakers, self-driving taxis in Yokohama, plus SIM cards and Hue lights and drones working overtime! (Oh, my). And the wait is over: WiMAX! (And Pocket Wi-Fis, too!) All this & more on this week’s #ZettaiGeekDayo!

As always, if you have any comments, questions or topics you’d like me to cover, please tweet them at me @kayleedayo on Twitter with the hashtag #ZettaiGeekDayo so I can find them.

PlatypusPodcasts.com

@kayleedayo (English)

@purplefuku (Japanese)

@ZettaiGeekDayo

This year, to save me (and you. …mostly you…) from tears, I’d recommend you get an unlimited plan…

Tech News in Japan

LINEのスマートスピーカー第2弾、Clova Friendsが12月14日に発売。人気キャラクターを採用

LINE Payカード店頭販売終了のお知らせ。改悪により店頭で買えなくなることが確定

b-mobile S 190 Pad SIM (Japanese)

Nissan will test its self-driving taxi service in Japan next year

スマート照明 Philips Hue、人感センサー国内販売開始。価格は4400円前後

チケットキャンプがサービスを一時停止、商標法および不正競争防止法違反の容疑

NHK reveals journalist’s 2013 death was caused by overwork

Will this new ‘go home’ drone end Japan’s overtime binge?

Main Stories

Y! mobile (Japanese)

So-net WiMAX (Japanese)

WiMAX2 最安値比較 2017年12月！(Comparison Page in Japanese)

kakaku.com – Pocket Wi-Fi & WiMAX comparisons

(Keep in mind that many times, the “monthly prices” on kakaku take into account the cash back that you get from signing up…)

Fun Stuff

Pokémon Rescue (Main Site, Japanese)

Pokémon Rescue – Case #03 (YouTube, English Subtitles)

PASOKONGA-paintings – Tatsuo Horiuchi is painting pictures on PC with EXCEL.

The Michelangelo of Microsoft Excel

MX4D (Japanese)

See you next week!