Japanese tech devices we might like to buy now

KOBE, Japan—The smart speaker, which comes as a vibrant yellow bird or a brown bear, appears just as smart as Alexa but is miles cuter.

I’m sorry, folks. The Clova Friends speaker is not for sale inside the U.S. but needs to be.

Talking Tech spent eight days in the land that pioneered the Sony Walkman and PlayStation, spending a lot of time in those mega, multi-tale electronics stores promoting everything from cameras and TVs to bathrooms, LCD domestic lights, and toys.

While much of what we noticed was available in the U.S. at similar expenses, much of the merchandise we ogled is now not to be had here. And that truly piqued our interest and device envy. Clova Friends and Wave are the brand names of the clever audio system from Line, the app that is to Japan what Facebook is to the U.S.

A line is the No. 1 social network in Japan, differentiating itself from others with cute characters as mascots used as chat stickers.

The Clova Friends speaker is shaped like a yellow or brown bear. It’s battery-powered, making it portable and Bluetooth-enabled to play the tune from your telephone. It sells for around $60.

Clova Friends and Wave, a bigger speaker promoting for around $ hundred and forty, are Line’s solution to Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple’s soon-to-launch HomePod speaker, the usage of Line’s personal Clova non-public assistant, the equivalent of Siri, Alexa, and the Google Assistant.

The functionality is the same as an Echo or Home in that Clova will play music, set your alarm, tell you about your calendar, and let you make and accept free telephone calls. It also tells you your fortune.

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If Line sold these Clova speakers inside the U.S., they might give Amazon and Google a real run for their money. Cute, small, and smart vs. the black hockey-% fashion of the Amazon Dot? Come on.

I wanted to shop for a Clova Friends speaker for use in the U.S., but it best speaks in Japanese and can simplest connect with the Japanese version of the Line app, now not the U.S. Version, which I have and use all the time.

The Panasonic Lets Note laptops are billed as the arena’s lightest. (Photo: Jefferson Graham)

The Panasonic Let’s Note series is Japan’s solution to the popularity of Apple MacBooks and MacBook Air laptops inside the U.S. These are a top-rate, more high-priced Line of computer systems that are displayed as Made in Japan, a sign to neighborhood clients that differentiates them from Chinese-made Lenovo, Asus, Acer, Apple, Dell, and other computer systems.

For some reason, Panasonic, a first-class manufacturer of TVs and cameras in the U.S., has chosen not to promote the Lets Note line inside the U.S. But oh, should we have these specifications?

Most computers had become smaller as businesses removed DVD drives and ethernet ports.

But the Let’s Note line gives more on one system than I’ve seen before. Many of the fashions on display at the Yodobashi shop in Osaka had every port we may want to dream of: USB C, three ordinary USBs, an SD card slot, options to plug into projectors, monitors, and TVs, and a slot for a SIM card, so if you’re not in a Wi-Fi zone, you can log on via your wireless cellular network.

Oh, the screen pulls out and will become a functioning pill. The merchandise begins at around $1 three hundred and moves up to $2,000.

Panasonic payments the Let’s Note laptops because they are the lightest laptops available. This might also or may not be genuine; however, in our evaluation test, an Apple MacBook Air vs. A Let Note, the Panasonic felt 1/2 the load.

The Panasonic Lets Note laptops are billed as the world’s lightest. (Photo: Jefferson Graham)

The Panasonic Let’s Note series is Japan’s solution to the popularity of Apple MacBooks and MacBook Air laptops in the U.S. These are a top-rate, extra-high-priced Line of computer systems that are displayed as Made in Japan, a sign to neighborhood consumers that differentiates them from Chinese-made Lenovo, Asus, Acer, Apple, Dell, and other computer systems.

For some purpose, Panasonic, a high-quality company acknowledged within the U.S. for TVs and cameras, has chosen not to sell the Lets Note line in the U.S. But oh, if we may want to have these specifications.

Most computers had been getting smaller as agencies put off such things as DVD drives and ethernet ports.

But the Lets Note line offers more on one system than I’ve ever seen. Many of the fashions on display at the Yodobashi store in Osaka had every port we may want to dream of: USB C, three everyday USBs, an SD card slot, alternatives to plug into projectors, video display units, and TVs, and a slot for a SIM card, so in case you’re not in a Wi-Fi zone, you can browse via your wireless cellular community.

Oh, the display pulls out and will become a functioning tablet. The merchandise begins at around $1 three hundred and goes as much as $2,000.

Panasonic bills the Let’s Note laptops because they are the lightest. This might also or may not be real, but in our evaluation check, an Apple MacBook Air vs. A Let Note, the Panasonic felt 1/2 the burden.