PSPINC CEO Kenichi Uchikura's Blog

Last full day in Japan

Jul

26

I am leaving Japan and flying back to Seattle tomorrow from Narita. Today is the last full day in Tokyo. I will be attending the 50th Anniversary Party for our biggest customer Otsuka Corporation. (http://www.otsuka-shokai.co.jp/english/)

My plan is to visit Akihabara (Electronic Town) to see what the latest electronics in Japan. It will be cloudy with 88F today. I cannot say it is comfortable because of high humidity. I can't wait to get back to Seattle.

This is a view from my hotel room.

#Travel

No.1 Hotel in Japan

Jul

25

I am staying at IMPERIAL HOTEL in Japan. I believe this is No.1 hotel in Japan in my mind. Everything is expensive at this hotel. A bottle of water costs 945 yen ... that is over US$11.

So I was expecting to pay $20 or $30 a day for Internet. I was wrong. The internet access is FREE. This is the first city hotel of this caliber to offer Internet for FREE. I hope every other hotel will follow IMPERIAL HOTEL.

http://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/e/

#Travel

Pocket Hummus

Jul

24

Did you know there is a pocket hummus? I did not like the taste, but it is interesting.

#Gourmet

Japanese Yen Exchange

Jul

23

Almost all experts forecasting weaker Japanese Yen for the rest of he year and in 2012. Some people are forecasting as much as 140 yen to US Dollar.

#Life #Politics #Society

People studying abroad ...

Jul

22

Here is the number of people studying abroad by country.

(1) China 510,842
(2) India 184,801
(3) Korea 115,464
(4) Germany 94,408
(5) Turkey 65,459
(6) France 63,081
(7) Japan 52,849
(8) USA 52,328
(9) Canada 45,157
(10) Italy 42,443
(11) Iran 39,983
(12) Poland 38,641
(13) Indonesia 36,786
(14) Hong Kong 34,970

Japan and USA need to have more people studying abroad, don't you think?

#Life #Politics #Society

Waking up early in the morning to ...

Jul

22

Since I got to Japan, I have been waking up around 4 in the morning ... that makes a day very long.

Tomorrow will be the last day in Japan for analog TV broadcasting. Every channel on TV will go digital tomorrow noon. There is a rash of TV buying going on in Japan. Digital TVs cost about twice there compared to the US. That is because sellers are expecting last minuets buyers.

I believe the price of digital YVs will drop in Japan within few weeks if not days.

#Life #Politics #Society

Comparing the Temperature

Jul

22

There is the weekly forecast of the weather and temperatures for next week. It is not that hot, but what it does not show is the humidity. It is very wet here in Japan.

#Nature

Japan and its summer

Jul

21

After 10 hours on DELTA 183 from Seattle to Kansai, I arrived in Japan yesterday. It was (still is) cloudy and the temperature is less than 80F (27C). It is very comfortable for Japan.

This morning I am hearing cicadas ... that is very typical of Japanese summer. I will stay in the Kansai (western part of Japan) this weekend and travel to Tokyo on Monday.

#Nature

Mac OS X Lion

Jul

20

Wooooooooooooo!!!

I will get it when I come back from Japan. See you in 8 days.

#Computer #Internet

Google's Chromebook : First Impression

Jul

19

I purchased Google's new Internet Computer called Chromebook on Amazon and was delivered last week. The one I purchased is Wi-Fi version from Acer Computer.

It is very well made compared to some of the netbook and Android based subnote PCs. I thought the Chromebook was based on Google Mobile OS (Android) but it is not. It is running Chrome OS based on open source (Linux) platform. But you don't need to know Linux to use it.

Google says Chromebook is all Internet. When you start Chromebook (it starts up in less than 10 seconds), it starts up with an Internet browser. As a matter of fact, there is nothing but a browser on Chromebook user interface. There is no desktop. There is no application to click. And if you do not have Internet access, you can do almost nothing with Chromebook.

So, quickly I found out there is no software I can install on Chromebook. Everything you install is basically a bookmark to a web page or a web application page. I don't understand why it needs 16GB of disk space. I cannot install no software. Not even an email software. I have to use web mail, mainly Gmail. Gmail is a good system except it does not support external email server (like PSPINC.COM) using IMAP.

There is a plus side too. Since there is noting being stored including application and data, even if you loose Chromebook, you lost nothing but a hardware. You can access all your data and application from your desktop.

Do I recommend Chromebook?

I must say "Not Yet". I really would like to see what Google going to do on next version. At least, Gmail needs to support external IMAP. That will make Chromebook more useable.

If you have a question or comment, please feel free to post on this blog or email me.

#Computer #Internet