Lessev Mobile Station hides gadget cords with style

The most frustrating part of a gadget-filled life is keep them all charged up and ready to go. As a result, the second most frustrating part is keeping all of the cords in order! Just off the top of my head, I regularly use about four small devices (mobile phone, iPhone, iPod, PSP) that all make a big mess of cords on my desk. Organizing them with rubber bands is one thing, but having something stylish to handle it all would be ideal.

Designed by Takafumi Nemoto (pictured below), the Lessev Mobile Station makes “out of sight, out of mind” a reality.

All of the cords stay inside the container connected to a single power source, and all of your gadgets sit on top of the silicone lid which keeps the connection ends accessible without looking sloppy. This keeps your space looking happy and your gadgets protected from scratches.

It can also work with USB cables since only the box is included, so you can charge everything on your computer to save even more space during your daily (hourly?) syncs with the Mothership.

Lessev Mobile Station product page

Tags: design, Digital Lifestyle, gadgets
Category: Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends

Deli Touch automated ordering system

Okay, it’s not a robot waiter but Teraoka’s new Deli Touch pen allows customers to place orders without human contact. Using a menu with barcodes embedded in the photos of the items, the pen’s camera scans the codes and transmits the information via wireless to a server, which is connected to a printer in the kitchen that prints out the order. On both sides an automated voice announces that an order has been placed.

While touch screen menus have been around for awhile in Japan now, the Deli Touch pen has a few advantages, for example: the pen and menu-book style in general seems more user friendly, especially for elderly customers, and at one third the cost of implementing a touch screen order system, the Deli Touch Pen is equally appealing to restaurant owners. In fact, at only ¥45,000 for a one-month rental, which consists of 30 pens, server, and printer, the Deli Touch is considerably cheaper than an actual waiter, robot or otherwise (though maybe not as cute).

Tags: Digital Lifestyle, Restaurants
Category: Fashion & Lifestyle Trends, Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends

Kaiten sushi Express Lane from Kappa Sushi

As if kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi weren’t already entertaining enough, chain restaurant Kappa Sushi has added another layer of novelty, the sushi “Express Lane.”

While the original conveyor belt continues to carry the miscellaneous plates dished out at the whim of the chefs, this additional conveyor belt located above brings your special ordered plates directly to your spot at the counter at express speeds. Orders are placed on picture touch screens at your seat.

No more waiting anxiously to see if the yummy looking tuna will make it all the way around to your seat or be picked up by the other customers along the way! Of course, you could just make a special request to the chef in person, but where is the fun in that?

Tags: Digital Lifestyle, Dining
Category: Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends

Mobile phone voice recognition gets famous

You may not have the perfect doe eyes of Ayumi Hamasaki, but you might sound like her. Advanced Media Inc.’s new application, “Koe Chieki” (“Voice Check”) for Docomo mobile phones uses voice recognition software to tell users which famous person, out of 500 (including actors, pop idols, and anime characters), that their voice most resembles.

And as if that weren’t cool enough, there’s also “Mimic Check” that can rate your ability to mimic said celebrities (definitely worth giving a go before busting out your latest impersonation at your next goukan) and “Joke Check” to tell you what kind of jokes your voice is best suited for telling.

There’s still more: “Love Check” uses voices to measure the compatibility between two people, either that potential love interest that you just finished talking to or your latest celebrity crush.

Thank you Advanced Media for reminding us that a mobile phone can mean so much more than just talk! I am so thinking of switching to Docomo.

Tags: celebrity, Digital Lifestyle, Mobile phones, Voice Recognition
Category: Technology & Gadget Trends
Other categories: Marketing & Ad Trends, Fashion & Lifestyle Trends