Category Archives: Japan
Retro event in Akihabara: MyCOM Infinite PRO-68K
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Culture,Gadgets,Hardware,Japan,MSX,Retro,Technology | November 23, 2015Yesterday I attended MyCOM Infinite PRO-68K, a small event about retro computers at the conference floor of the Akihabara UDX building.
I arrived a little bit after 1pm, in the middle of a talk by Mr. Mikito Ichikawa, president of Mindware.
The lights were dimmed during the talk, so I waited until it ended before visiting the stands.
Read more ›Let me explain with a quick diagram…
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Culture,Fun,Japan,Pets | September 12, 2015Today I took Yuki to the vet for her vaccination. I always take her to the Nomura Veterinary Clinic in Nakano because this doctor is especialized in exotic pets. Not just ferrets, but all kind of animals that other doctors wouldn’t even dare to touch. Almost everybody in Tokyo who owns a ferret brings his to this clinic.
Dr. Nomura’s clinic is a bit far from home, so I can’t just take Yuki and bring her there. I have to put her in her carrier cage and either take the train (inconvenient) or a taxi. We took a taxi today.
Every time you take your pet to Dr. Nomura he does a checkup to check that your little furry (or scaly, if you’re bringing a snake) is healthy. Usually there are no problems and your pet gets a vaccine or some other medication, and then you pay and go home.
Today it was a bit different…
Read more ›New retro shop opening in Akihabara
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Gadgets,Hardware,Japan,MSX,Retro,Technology | September 5, 2015Good news for all retro computer users, including MSX:
A new retro shop will be opening in Akihabara during the next few weeks. The name: BEEP.
According to their still under construction website (http://www.akihabara-beep.com), they’ll deal with retro computers, retro games, arcade games, and fanmade items. In the updates they’re posting on Twitter (@BEEP_akihabara) we can see that they have lots and lots of MSX-related stuff, including several piles of unopened, brand new Pioneer PX-V60 MSX computers that they’re selling for 19,800 yen each (they sell used ones for 8,000 yen).
They’re planning to open during the Japanese silver week, which is the week from September 21st to 25th. Unfortunately, that week I’ll be traveling out of the country, so I really, really hope they get a bit delayed so I can attend during the opening. :-)
Take a look at their Twitter feed: it’s worth it.
URL: http://www.akihabara-beep.com
Twitter: @BEEP_akihabara
Address:
Akihabara BEEP Nakaei Building (basement) 3-9-8 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0021
MSXですがPX-V60の販売ですが中古は8000円と消費税、新品は19800円と消費税での販売です。お一人様一台まででお願い致します pic.twitter.com/6x8izI1vtx
— BEEP秋葉原店 (@BEEP_akihabara) August 10, 2015
並べるとそれらしくなってきました これから防犯の準備します pic.twitter.com/Qfza2OxCP4
— BEEP秋葉原店 (@BEEP_akihabara) September 3, 2015
Japanese books for retro computer fans
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Hardware,Japan,MSX,Retro,Technology | May 25, 2015During a conversation on Facebook earlier today I mentioned a couple of books by Japanese author Hiroyuki Maeda, and I promised to post more information later. These books are for retro computer fans, even those who can’t understand Japanese. Mr. Maeda has published several books about retro computers and game consoles, but in this post I’ll talk about two of them:
- 懐かしのホビーパソコンガイドブック (The Nostalgic Hobby PC Guidebook, ISBN 978-4-7755-2339-1)
- 海外のゲーム&パソコンガイドブック (The Oversea’s Game & PC Guidebook, ISBN 978-4-7755-2419-0)
These books contain lots of information about hundreds of computer systems and consoles from the late 70s to the early 90s. Keep reading for a taste of what’s inside
Read more ›Sony Design exhibition in Ginza: MAKING MODERN
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Culture,Design,Japan,MSX,Retro,Technology | May 6, 2015If you’re following me on Facebook or Twitter then you already learnt about this earlier today:
This morning we went to Ginza for some important shopping, and afterwards we headed for the Sony Building. The reason: an exhibition opened there last week about the design of Sony products, and they have on display one of the coolest-looking MSX computers ever produced: a red HIT-BIT HB-101.
Sony Design: MAKING MODERN
Place: Sony Building (8th floor), Ginza
Admission fee: Free
Companion book: Sony Design: Making Modern
Held from April 29th to June 14th, 2015
18 meter tall, 30 meter long dinosaur spotted in Shinjuku
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Fun,Japan,MSX,Retro | January 17, 2015Well, this actually happened almost thirty years ago, and it wasn’t a real dinosaur.
For years I’d been hearing about the dinosaur that Mr. Kazuhiko Nishi planted in the middle of Shinjuku to commemorate one million MSX computers sold. However, I never saw any real, detailed information about this, so I kept it inside the “Unverified stories that may or may not be true” drawer inside my brain.
Recently, while reading old MSX Magazines I came across a report about this event, so here’s a report on the report.
Read more ›RE:birth
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Fun,Gadgets,Hardware,Japan,MSX,Retro,Technology | January 15, 2015Today I had to go to Akihabara for work and something caught my attention in an electronics shop not far from the station:
In the background there was playing one of Salamander‘s themes, with perfect timing and perfect instruments. Initially I thought this was a custom-built MSX computers, but it wasn’t.
Keep reading for the details.
Read more ›Computer ads from the 80s are hilarious
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Fun,Japan,MSX,Non-important,Retro,Stupidity | December 13, 2014“Imagine how much more fun we would be having if we plugged it in!”
We’re spending the weekend in Hakone with the family. Last time I came here was probably April last year, if I remember correctly. It suddenly started snowing a lot on the way to the hotel, and now it is sunny again.
It’s going to be an interesting weekend.
Spaceship lands in the middle of Shibuya
Posted by Javi Lavandeira in Architecture,Japan,Photography | November 30, 2014Well, not really. It’s just the Humax Pabillion building.