Japan is always one step ahead when it comes to gadgets, creating products that can be as practical as they are fun. We collected a few you definitively must have.
Article continues below
There are a lot of smartphone photo printers around but they tend to require some sort of connection or a dedicated app The Printoss is much simpler, acting like a scanner. You just place your phone over the device while it is showing the photo you want to print. Then press the shutter button on the Printoss and turn the handle to print out a Polaroid-style copy of the image. It’s a pretty simple construction but it does a good job at filling the gap in the market.[break]
Created by a tech start-up called BoCo, the EarsOpen delivers high-quality audio without using your eardrums. Reducing unnecessary vibration to an absolute minimum through the cylindrical shape, the EarsOpen is like a clip around the ear that means you can hear surrounding noise when necessary. They are ideal for wearing when cycling, running or working — since you still need to be aware of the sounds around you, especially in crowded places.
Lesson Pod is another cute electronic companion. While it might be too much to call it a robot, the waterproof lesson partner is ideal for talking with at home, even in the bath, and draws on a dedicated app and Casio’s various dictionaries and language resources. It can help you practice pronunciation, play vocabulary games with you, teach you grammar, and answer questions in English. And if Lesson Pod lets you down, you can always trust translation software like Google Word Lens to come to the rescue.
The popular Robi Jr robot is now even better now, including twice as many conversations and new features such as quizzes. Robi Jr. can ask you questions and even remember your answers, generating new ways to interact with all the family. Robi Jr stays seated but can move its head and flash its eyes in a very cute way that will delight and entertain you every day. It also says different things (in Japanese) at different times of the year, acting like a friend who keeps you company. ■
