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The most interesting latest news on the topic: Japan |
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Phones come in handy in a crisis as long as they work, an obstacle Japan is striving to develop with networks that function even in extreme conditions.
Japan built its burgeoning "disaster-proof" mobile network to withstand natural disasters by quickly diverting traffic from compromised stations and preventing network overload. The country's interest in improving its networks stems from the 2011 tsunami, which knocked communication in some areas when people desperately needed it. Telecom companies NTT Docomo and KDDI are spearheading separate projects, but the Japanese government is pushing the companies to cooperate to get the networks up and running as soon as possible. In disasters, mobile service is often more reliable than landlines, and more accessible to people caught away from home during an emergency. During the Japanese tsunami, as well as the tornadoes in the U.S. last summer and a bevy of other crisis incidents, people relied on cell service and social media to communicate with family, friends and rescue teams. Creating a sturdy emergency network will benefit Japan, which as an island is prone to natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, and may inspire other nations to concentrate on shoring up their resources to make emergency communication more reliable. A disaster-proof system in the U.S., however, could be more difficult to create. The fiercely competitive relationships between carriers in the U.S. could hinder similar projects and the government is less likely to demand network-building cooperation. Also, the spectrum squeeze makes it difficult for U.S. carriers to devote bandwidth to establishing comprehensive re-routing systems. For example, LightSquared's proposed merger with Sprint would have given Sprint access to more satellite-based network resources, but U.S. regulators blocked the deal due to potential interferences with GPS systems. The FAA warned the GPS disturbance might actually decrease safety by interfering with aviation signals, even though LightSquared insisted it could fix the interference issues and still run its towers. At the same time, unless the government places primacy on letting carriers use such satellites to bolster their networks, the U.S. will have trouble carrying out a project along the same lines as Japan and keeping citizens in contact during emergencies. AT&T introduced a series of "Remote Mobility Zone" kits, which can connect cell service with satellites in case of emergency, but these cost upwards of $15,000, making them too expensive for most consumers. This is not good for the U.S. Although the country is less vulnerable to tsunamis than Japan and other Asian countries, the nation still experiences devastating hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, and it needs a foolproof communication system for people just as much as Japan. Researchers in the U.S. developed a mobile app that uses Bluetooth short-range radio technology to reroute data during service interruptions, but something like that would not be as widespread as a carrier-backed emergency system. The U.S. is developing emergency mobile services, such as a disaster response text alert system. But if the infrastructure to transmit these messages is damaged, systems like these are useless. Given the climate in Congress and among carriers in the U.S., it is unlikely AT&T, Verizon and other major carriers will work together on a project along the same scale as Japan's. But, if a wide-scale natural disaster strikes and people are left without service, both regulators and carriers will face angry citizens wondering why they did not harness the technology available while other countries were doing so. |
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Phones come in handy in a crisis, as long as they work, an obstacle Japan is striving to develop with networks that work in the most extreme of conditions.
Japan built its burgeoning "disaster-proof" mobile network to withstand natural disasters by quickly diverting traffic from compromised stations and preventing network overload. The country, whose interest in improving its networks, stems from the 2011 tsunami, which knocked out communication when people desperately needed it. As a result, Telecom companies NTT Docomo and KDDI are spearheading projects, but separately, so the Japanese government is pushing them to cooperate and get the networks up and running as soon as possible. In disasters, mobile service is often more reliable than landlines, and more accessible to people caught away from home during an emergency. During the Japanese tsunami, as well as the tornadoes in the U.S. last summer and a bevy of other crisis incidents, people relied on cell service and social media to communicate with family, friends and rescue teams. Japan, an island is prone to natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes, will benefit from the sturdier emergency network, and its actions may inspire other nations to concentrate on making emergency communication more reliable. A disaster-proof system in the U.S., however, is more difficult to create. The fiercely-competitive relationships between carriers in the U.S. hinders similar projects and the government is less likely to demand network-building cooperation. In addition, the spectrum squeeze makes it difficult for U.S. carriers to devote bandwidth to establishing comprehensive re-routing systems. For example, LightSquared's proposed merger with Sprint would have given Sprint access to more satellite-based network resources, but U.S. regulators blocked the deal due to potential interferences with GPS systems. Meanwhile, the FAA warned that GPS disturbance may actually decrease safety, by interfering with aviation signals, even though LightSquared insisted it could fix the interference issues and still run its towers. At the same time, unless the government places primacy on letting carriers use such satellites to bolster their networks, the U.S. will have trouble carrying out a project along the same lines as Japan and keeping citizens in contact during emergencies. AT&T introduced a series of "Remote Mobility Zone" kits, which connects cell service with satellites in case of emergency, but these cost upwards of $15,000, making them too expensive for most consumers. The U.S., which experiences devastating hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, needs a foolproof communication system for people just as much as Japan. Researchers in the U.S. developed a mobile app that uses Bluetooth short-range radio technology to reroute data during service interruptions, but that method wouldn't be as widespread as a carrier-backed emergency system. The U.S. is developing emergency mobile services, such as a disaster response text alert system, but if the infrastructure to transmit these messages is damaged, systems like these are useless. Given the climate in Congress and among carriers in the U.S., AT&T, Verizon and other major carriers are unlikely to work together on a project on same scale as in Japan. But, if a widescale natural disaster strikes, and people are left without service, similar to Hurricane Katrina, regulators and carriers will face criticism as to why they didn't harness the technologies available in other countries, such as Japan. |
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Facebook is testing ways to help its users notify loved ones of their safety in case of emergencies, as social media proves an invaluable resource for reaching out during disasters. Facebook is testing its new Disaster Message Board in Japan, a feature that appears on a user's page when an emergency hits their area. Users can click the "I'm Safe" button, instantly notifying friends and family they are unharmed. When disaster strikes, social media users are already using Facebook to alert friends and loved ones, especially since landline and mobile phone infrastructure could easily be damaged. Facebook's feature allows users to send a safety message in mere seconds. The development offers potential to transform Facebook from an entertainment and social platform into a Web community, capitalizing on its efficiency, reliability and widespread popularity in a new way. In addition to the "I'm Safe" status, a list of area friends would pop up, along with their statuses. The message board features lets those in the affected area share information about what's going on, spreading vital information about care centers, medical resources, or remediation efforts. Facebook's new testing follows last summer's cooperative meeting with federal agencies and non-profit officials on the social network's efforts for emergency management. The testing also comes in response to a proven use of social media during emergencies. In the recent Costa Concordia sinking off the coast of Italy, scrambling passengers reached out to loved ones on Facebook and Twitter. Last year, when a devastating tsunami struck Japan and caused multiple disaster situations throughout the region, similar outreach from survivors alerted those abroad to their safety. In the U.S., residents in Joplin, Mo. took to social media to connect after power disruptions disabled landline telephone service following a tornado, illustrating the many ways people are using social media in emergencies. Elsewhere in the industry, Google is also doing its part. During the Japanese tsunami, Street View and Person Tracker were invaluable in helping assess damage and keep track of missing people. As the world over becomes more connected on smartphones, such technologies are becoming less of a unique feature, and more of a utility for daily operation. For some time now, social media plays a role in how we manage disasters, but now companies, as they reach billions of people worldwide, are finding ways to maximize their contribution. For Facebook, recent moves suggest a future of an online community helping to monitor the public welfare of the world. |
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Japan's version of iOS 5 is expected to have an earthquake notification system, another example of how Apple is fulfilling its pledge to help the country in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami this past spring. A special widget will appear on the Japanese version of the new operating system. It uses the iPhone's old notifications, but uses a screen that is reportedly easier to read and stores the last few messages. When activated, it will connect the device to Japan's earthquake early warning system. Reportedly, the system is so sensitive that it may reduce battery life when turned on, as it polls the warning servers constantly. Apple took many steps to help its Japanese customers after the twin disasters earlier this spring. Apple's flagship store in Tokyo remained open, providing survivors with a place to stay and offering them use of iPhones and FaceTime to check in with friends and family, as well as devices to follow the news and check e-mail, Facebook and Twitter. Apple also made provisions for its employees by allowing them and their families to remain overnight in the store, which was stocked with food and supplies. For those who chose to leave, Apple reportedly picked up the transportation cost. After its immediate response, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company urged Japanese users to contact local Apple retail stores and schedule appointments to drop off their damaged devices, rather than making appointments online, speeding up repair rates. Along with providing aid during the earthquake, Apple created a donation page on its Web site allowing people to send money to those in need. The iTunes creator also sells the Sichuan Earthquake Relief album, with profits going to the relief as well. But Apple isn't the only tech company that came to Japan's aid in the trying post-earthquake times. Google dispatched Google Maps' Street View cameras to photograph tsunami-ravaged streets in Japan, recording both the devastation and reconstruction efforts. In addition, Google's "Person Finder" also helped Japanese track down missing people, and the company's YouTube and Picasa websites assisted in sharing and distributing photos and video of the missing. |
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Google is putting technology to work in Japan following the massive earthquake and tsunami that crippled the country, a move that could benefit both Japan and the Mountain View, Calif.-based company. Google Maps' Street View cameras are photographing tsunami-ravaged streets in Japan, recording both the devastation and reconstruction efforts. The company's "Person Finder" also helps the Japanese track down missing people, while its YouTube and Picasa websites share photos and video of the missing. These welcome efforts assist with Japanese recovery efforts, but they may also improve Google's presence in Japan. Unlike in other parts of the world, its search engine trails behind Yahoo in Japan -- Google attracts 40 percent compare to Yahoo's 50 percent. Yahoo Japan, which uses Google's search technology, is powered by Microsoft Bing elsewhere. That means behind the scenes, Google is being used for search, despite lagging behind Yahoo. It's still too early to determine if Google's efforts in Japan will encourage more people to use its services or its family of websites. However, many Japanese welcome Google's help after the disaster. The company's sites and technology are providing a great deal of recovery assistance, causing the Japanese to view Google in a new light. The Street View cameras, which just two years ago brought complaints from the privacy-conscious Japanese, are now warmly welcomed, for instance. Shigeru Sugawara, mayor of tsunami-damaged Kesennuma, told the New York Times, "I'd like them to record Kesennuma's streets now, (and) then I'd like them to come back, when the city is like new again, and show the world the new Kesennuma." Likewise, Google's Person Finder Service is now Japan's largest database of missing people from the disaster, with 616,300 people being recorded. Person Finder was originally developed after the Haiti earthquake in 2010, and was launched again just two days after the Japanese earthquake. Google's other services, along with the work of volunteers, helped make Person Finder work in Japan. Most evacuation centers didn't have Internet service after the disaster, making it difficult to keep Person Finder updated. As a result the centers posted a great deal of information about missing people on bulletin boards, which users photographed and uploaded to Google's Picasa photo sharing service, adding more than 140,000 to Person Finder. Google isn't the only company to step up natural disaster relief efforts in Japan. Apple's flagship store in Tokyo became an emergency shelter shortly after the earthquake, and the store also offered to repair damaged iPads, iPhones and other Apple equipment for free after the disaster. Technology also played key roles in assisting in the aftermath of other disasters. Facebook and Twitterwere kept busy after the Joplin, Mo. tornado last month, when residents used social media when telephone service went down. The sites were also helped in the cleanup of Vancouver after hockey fans rioted after the Canucks' loss to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals. As people around the world become more familiar with Internet use to share disaster and recoveries data, technologies that play a more active role in facilitating communication and coordinating support may profit beyond the immediate humanitarian rewards from their efforts. |
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Nokia is shutting down its luxury mobile phone stores in Japan, as the company continues its strategy of offering offer low-end devices to regain market share from Apple and Google. Nokia's Japanese stores, like Vertu, which specialized in luxury phones that sold for as much as $250,000, will be closed by the end of July. Nokia says it will still do business with Japanese craftsmen on products that will be sold in other markets. While Nokia once controlled nearly half of the global handset market, the Finnish phone maker has never had a strong presence in the Japan. The company's phones have struggled in Asian markets to keep up with the immense popularity of Apple's iPhone and Google's Android devices. This latest move comes just a few weeks after the company announced its plans to flood emerging markets in Asia with low-end offerings. Experts believe Asia's mobile market will grow by 40 percent in the next five years, paving the way for billions of devices. Nokia's phones could appeal to the millions in those markets who do not have the money to spend on an iPhone or a top-of-the-line Android device. Nokia, the number-one phone manufacturer in the world since 1996, has been slipping lately against its rivals. Both Samsung and Apple are expected to surpass Nokia's global smartphone shipments later this year, prompting the company to make adjustments to stay in the race. To get itself out of the hole, the Finnish manufacturer is teaming up with Microsoft to put the Windows Phone 7 operating system on all of its future smartphone devices. Nokia is hoping the move will help it return to relevance in a smartphone market that has become dominated by Apple and Google's Android-based devices. As part of its strategy as Nokia waits for its Windows-based phones to hit the market, the company will slash the prices of its current smartphones in Europe to try and stir up sales. Unlike in the U.S. and Europe, where the mobile phone market is already established, emerging Asian markets may provide Nokia with a growth opportunity. The complete closing of the Vertu stores in Japan will help Nokia focus its business on this wider, potential customer base. |
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Japanese scientists discovered rare earth metals used in iPhones, iPads and other gadgets underneath the Pacific Ocean, which may challenge China's current monopoly of precious materials. Researchers reportedly found gadolinium, lutetium, terbium and dysprosium in the mud beneath the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. Experts believe the cache may total billions of tons of materials, which may be more than 1,000 times the amount found in land sources located mostly in China. Reliable sources of rare earth minerals are crucial materials used to manufacture the growing demand for flat-screen TVs, hybrid cars and other high-tech consumer electronics. In fact, only a fraction of the materials that are under the Pacific Ocean is estimated to meet the world's surging electronics manufacturing needs. Currently, Chin supplies most of the rare earth metals, and the country already threatened to cut back on exports and raise prices to retain its hold on the market. This, in turn, drives up production costs for companies who have little choice but to purchase raw materials. For example, in May, the price of Europium oxide, used for making energy-saving light bulbs in electronic devices, tripled over three weeks, leaving manufacturers to absorb higher production costs, which are eventually passed to U.S. consumers. The government ordered standard light bulbs be phased out in the next few years, so the increased demand, in addition to the increase in the Europium oxide will increase the cost of the final lightbulb, which is already more expensive than standard bulbs. Some experts believe China is stockpiling rare earth materials to force Western companies to share production and technology. Mining the ocean source could shift control of the rare earth metals market away from China, but critics are skeptical the effort will reduce costs for technology because metals from China are easier to obtain. The additional costs for excavating the materials from the bottom of the ocean may very well offset the benefits of having another source. The Pacific source is in mud at least three miles below water, and commercialization may be at least 20 years away. Still, exploration will continue for these valuable materials. The tech industry is still reeling from the massive earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan earlier this year and left companies such as Apple scrambling for the memory chips, diodes and other items that are made on Japan's north coast. As technology advances, manufacturers increasingly need uninterrupted supplies of rare earth materials, which some experts believe may be from the Pacific Ocean. |
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Apple today announced it will offer free repairs to Macs, iPhones and iPads, among others, damaged in Japan's earthquake and tsunami, the latest in the company's efforts to assist those affected by the twin disasters.
The Cuputerino, Calif.-based company is urging its Japanese users to contact local Apple retail stores and schedule appointments to drop off their damaged devices, rather than making appointments online, for this specific program.
For larger devices, such as desktop computers, Apple will arrange free pick-up and delivery for customers, and the iPhone maker has said it cannot guarantee turnaround times due to the large amount of devices they're expecting to receive.
This is the latest goodwill gesture Apple has made in response to the devastating event two months ago. Apple's largest retail store in Tokyo became a shelter and communication hub for survivors of the disaster.
The store remained opened after the earthquake to provide survivors with a place to stay and offered them use of iPhones and FaceTime to check in with friends and family, as well as devices to follow the news, check e-mail, Facebook and Twitter.
Employees of the store supplied extension cords so customers could charge their devices, and remained outside the building after store hours to help fix phones.
Apple also made provisions for its employees by allowing them and their families to remain in the store, which was stocked with food and supplies, overnight. And, for those who chose to leave, Apple reportedly picked up the transportation cost.
Along with providing aid during the earthquake, Apple created a donation page on their Web site to allow people to send money to those in need, and the iTunes creator also sells the Sichuan Earthquake Relief album, with profits going to the relief as well.
The repair offer from Apple is good until July 30, though they have issued a disclaimer stating the offer could end at any time.
The March earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan created parts shortages and delays in the tech industry, and its aftereffects are expected to affect companies throughout this year.
The events also killed over 11,000 people and set off a chain of nuclear accidents that the country is still grappling with, with thousands of people still missing.
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Two unrelated research experiments with touch screens offer greater tactile response using a full hand or even both hands, not just fingers, developments that could point the way to mobile technology with a more natural range of movement.
Japan's University of Electro-Communications is working on a tactile touch screen that transmits sensations to the palm of one hand -- as it holds the back of the device -- based on the finger movements of the user's other hand, manipulating the front. The device includes sensors and gel that helps it conform to a user's palm.
"While you are actually touching the front screen, you have the feeling that the touch is going through the screen and being traced on your palm," according to the lab. "If there are icons or graphics on the screen, they can also be felt on your palm."
The technology could be used for gaming or entertainment -- it could help simulate the feeling of insects or ants, among other as-yet unimaginable tactile sensations, crawling on a user's palm.
More elaborate yet is an experiment at Microsoft. Researchers there are working to develop a touch screen that reacts to more than just a click or poke of a fingertip -- or even the two-finger pinch to zoom -- but offers more natural hand gestures, responding to movements of a whole hand, or even two hands.
For example, making a fist with one hand pressed to the screen holds an object in place, and then a user could re-size the object using the other hand. Or a user could put the edge of a hand on the screen to create a virtual ruler with which she could align objects using her other hand.
This "Rock & Rails" gesture program is being tested on a Microsoft Surface large-scale tabletop touch screen, which is more sensitive than today's smartphone or tablet screens.
A research paper is expected to be published later this year, so it could be a while yet before this comes to market.
Both developments are just the latest in a widening pool of efforts to transform today's standard, relatively limited functionality flat touch screen, and join similar innovations like those the researchers at Canada's Queen's University Human Media Lab's used to create a prototype of a paper-thin and paper-like mobile device, which features a touch-sensitive bendable surface.
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Sumo wrestlers were found fixing matches via text message, highlighting the scandalous potential of cell phones even in the rarefied world of sumo wrestling.
Two security inspectors patrolled the locker rooms at the event beginning last Sunday, checking for mobile phones or other devices that could be linked to match-fixing, according to the Japan Sumo Association.
The monitoring of mobile devices followed a big match-fixing scandal that has tarnished the reputation of the sport in Japan, where it enjoys the status of a national institution going back 2,000 years.
Several wrestlers were first investigated for fixing bouts via text message at the beginning of February, leading to a four-month hiatus on tournaments until this weekend. The scandal had been discovered via a series of texts showing wrestlers engaged in fixing fights.
"Please hit hard at the face-off, then go with the flow," texted Kiyoseumi Takayuki, a prominent wrestler.
"Understood, I'll go with the flow and put up at least a little resistance," texted Kasuganishiki Takahiro, another sumo wrestler.
Both were forced to retire in April for their role in match-fixing, along with 23 other wrestlers and coaches.
As a result of the uncovered texts, Japan's national sport has suffered in popularity since this scandal, as major networks consider whether to air matches should the trouble deepen. Rather than simply sportsmen, sumo wrestlers are considered as upholding traditional Japanese values, making a common scandal into a public betrayal.
It may now even lose its status as a national sport that enjoys special tax breaks.
Cell phones have proved damning in many high-profile events. For instance, golf star Tiger Woods electronically-confirmed several extra-marital affairs through his texts and e-mails. In another highly-publicized texting scandal, former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick revealed an affair with his secretary via indiscreet texts in 2007. Their romantic messages were sent to each other on city-issued phones, an ironic twist given that Kilpatrick himself had authorized the investigation of electronic communication for legal purposes during his first term as mayor.
If the sumo wrestlers had used TigerText, an app designed to instantly wipe messages from users' phones, they may have continued to cover up their misdeeds. Celebrities are big fans of this app, as their private messages can quickly go public in this increasingly open age.
Of course there is the question of whether TigerText may be entirely legal in the coming years, as legislation around the world changes to reflect the growing communications network. Police in the U.S. can currently request TigerText to save messages from a certain phone number with a warrant, despite that person's ignorance about being tracked.
TigerText's makers swear they named their creation before Tiger Woods' scandal first hit headlines.
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