E-books reportedly doing well in Japan - Page 3

grimo1re · 09-03-2007, 04:50 AM

I don't actually know either. I report on telecommunications news and my beat is Asia & Russia. I find these sorts of articles when I check the local papers so other then these reports I know nothing either. Any Japanese Mobile Readers that could enlighten us?

igorsk · 09-03-2007, 07:23 AM

There are a few dedicated readers (Panasonic SigmaBook and WordsGear, Sony LIBRIé, I think there was something else but can't remember the name), but I beleive the main reading device in Japan is the mobile phone.

Azayzel · 09-03-2007, 11:53 AM

Yeah, it's pretty much limited to their phones. While I've shoulder-surfed quite a bit on the trains, most of what people are doing is a) text friends, b) surfing the Internet, or c) playing RPG's (even the young women, not just geeky teen boys!). Not too much reading on digital devices, though you see many people carrying around PB novels or manga (comics). While they have digital devices like Igorsk mentioned, I have yet to have seen a Librie, Sigma book, or the Wordsgear.

I hadn't heard about the Panasonic Wordsgear up until now, but man I'm drooling over it now! It's still on pre-order status from Dynamism, but I'll take a trip down to Akihabara tomorrow or Thursday and see if it's around. Not a bad price if it can do all they advertise. Here's a link to a YouTube video Click here

Thanks for the heads up Igorsk!

nekokami · 09-03-2007, 08:59 PM

Curious -- what kinds of RPGs do young women play in Japan? Is there a sort of "shoujo" category of RPGs there, or do they play the same ones the guys play?

Azayzel · 09-06-2007, 11:38 AM

Thought I'd give an update on my perpetual search for an eReader that will do PDF's well and eReaders in Japan... After checking out Panasonic's website for the Sigma and WordsGear, I just had to get my hands on one of them to see how well it looks and if it could render PDF's any better than my Sony Reader. I armed myself with an SD card with various types of PDF's, just in case I spotted the elusive eBook-device on my outing. Mind you, a typhoon was bearing down on us, but I just had to get my hands on one of these to see if it lived up to the hype.

Made it to Akihabara and first stop was a shop with a huge neon sign advertising Panasonic (looked quite official, thought it might have been an outlet), walk in with my personal Japanese translator, poked around, and had no luck. We asked a sales rep, who had no idea what we were talking about; I suggested the Panasonic website, so he looked and came to the conclusion they didn't have it but recommended a few shops to check in and suggested to look in a bookstore(?). A few stores later and still no luck, so we decided to hit one of the major electronics/whatever you want shops, I figured they might be pricier but if they have, no problem. Nine floors and three hours later, with still no luck. We stopped by the translator/dictionary/encyclopedia area and asked one of the sales reps; he immediately seemed to know what we were looking for, so I got my hopes up. After a few minutes of chit-chat, my friend informed me that they could only be purchased online(?)!!! By this time I was a bit tired after several hours of looking so we just decided to call it quits on the search for the day, eat, and catch a train back before they closed operations due to Typhoon Fitlow.

So here I am, listening to the wind and rain blow outside, in absolute and utter disappointment with the so-called tech-mecca that's Akihabara. After searching here a bit, I noticed one person mentioned he/she had seen one of these elusive devices at a bookstore (should'a listened, huh?) so I might venture out tomorrow to Shinjuku and see if they have it there. My hopes are too high, since I was there about a month ago and didn't see any eReaders. I'll keep my fingures crossed, though since I wasn't really looking for this at the time and I was just in awe at how large the bookstore was.

Now, time to mope...

Edit: It looked to me like they're playing the old-school, top-down hack 'n slash adventure kinda like Zelda or Jimmy's Quest (old PDA game), but on a cellphone. I haven't really seen too much in the way of shoujo RPG's, though I'm sure they're there. There's a ton 'o RPG's available at the computer shops here, though I really haven't searched that genre.

grimo1re · 09-07-2007, 01:45 AM

Let us know if you find an ebook reader that handles PDFs well, I'd be curious to see some pics.

09-06-2007, 11:38 AM	#35
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Thought I'd give an update on my perpetual search for an eReader that will do PDF's well and eReaders in Japan... After checking out Panasonic's website for the Sigma and WordsGear, I just had to get my hands on one of them to see how well it looks and if it could render PDF's any better than my Sony Reader. I armed myself with an SD card with various types of PDF's, just in case I spotted the elusive eBook-device on my outing. Mind you, a typhoon was bearing down on us, but I just had to get my hands on one of these to see if it lived up to the hype. Made it to Akihabara and first stop was a shop with a huge neon sign advertising Panasonic (looked quite official, thought it might have been an outlet), walk in with my personal Japanese translator, poked around, and had no luck. We asked a sales rep, who had no idea what we were talking about; I suggested the Panasonic website, so he looked and came to the conclusion they didn't have it but recommended a few shops to check in and suggested to look in a bookstore(?). A few stores later and still no luck, so we decided to hit one of the major electronics/whatever you want shops, I figured they might be pricier but if they have, no problem. Nine floors and three hours later, with still no luck. We stopped by the translator/dictionary/encyclopedia area and asked one of the sales reps; he immediately seemed to know what we were looking for, so I got my hopes up. After a few minutes of chit-chat, my friend informed me that they could only be purchased online(?)!!! By this time I was a bit tired after several hours of looking so we just decided to call it quits on the search for the day, eat, and catch a train back before they closed operations due to Typhoon Fitlow. So here I am, listening to the wind and rain blow outside, in absolute and utter disappointment with the so-called tech-mecca that's Akihabara. After searching here a bit, I noticed one person mentioned he/she had seen one of these elusive devices at a bookstore (should'a listened, huh?) so I might venture out tomorrow to Shinjuku and see if they have it there. My hopes are too high, since I was there about a month ago and didn't see any eReaders. I'll keep my fingures crossed, though since I wasn't really looking for this at the time and I was just in awe at how large the bookstore was. Now, time to mope... Edit: It looked to me like they're playing the old-school, top-down hack 'n slash adventure kinda like Zelda or Jimmy's Quest (old PDA game), but on a cellphone. I haven't really seen too much in the way of shoujo RPG's, though I'm sure they're there. There's a ton 'o RPG's available at the computer shops here, though I really haven't searched that genre. Last edited by Azayzel; 09-06-2007 at 11:42 AM. Reason: Sorry, forgot to answer Nekokami's question...

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09-03-2007, 04:50 AM	#31
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	I don't actually know either. I report on telecommunications news and my beat is Asia & Russia. I find these sorts of articles when I check the local papers so other then these reports I know nothing either. Any Japanese Mobile Readers that could enlighten us?

09-03-2007, 07:23 AM	#32
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	There are a few dedicated readers (Panasonic SigmaBook and WordsGear, Sony LIBRIé, I think there was something else but can't remember the name), but I beleive the main reading device in Japan is the mobile phone.

09-03-2007, 11:53 AM	#33
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	Yeah, it's pretty much limited to their phones. While I've shoulder-surfed quite a bit on the trains, most of what people are doing is a) text friends, b) surfing the Internet, or c) playing RPG's (even the young women, not just geeky teen boys!). Not too much reading on digital devices, though you see many people carrying around PB novels or manga (comics). While they have digital devices like Igorsk mentioned, I have yet to have seen a Librie, Sigma book, or the Wordsgear. I hadn't heard about the Panasonic Wordsgear up until now, but man I'm drooling over it now! It's still on pre-order status from Dynamism, but I'll take a trip down to Akihabara tomorrow or Thursday and see if it's around. Not a bad price if it can do all they advertise. Here's a link to a YouTube video Click here Thanks for the heads up Igorsk!

09-03-2007, 08:59 PM	#34
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Curious -- what kinds of RPGs do young women play in Japan? Is there a sort of "shoujo" category of RPGs there, or do they play the same ones the guys play?

09-07-2007, 01:45 AM	#36
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	Let us know if you find an ebook reader that handles PDFs well, I'd be curious to see some pics.

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