Asia Internet Report

OLEDs basically consist of emissive organic material which when supplied an electric current produces a colourful display on the flat panel. OLED is better than other screen technologies in many ways such as being ultra thin, and it can even be placed on plastic film. As a result, it becomes much easier to handle and becomes much lighter than any other flat panel display screen. It is even lighter than hand held devices such as laptops and notebooks. It even opens the door to flexible displays. OLED is also brighter and has better contrast than LCD, but does not require back-lighting.

OLED was first invented in the early 1980s by Eastman Kodak and it has been improving since then. It consumes about 20% less power than LCD, and has a response time every bit as fast as CRT displays. OLED also has the advantages of consuming less power, brighter and thinner contrast ratios, and better display than traditional LCDs. As a benefit for the manufacture, they are cheaper to produce.

The start of light was with the invention of incandescent bulb by Thomas Alva Edison and he would be pleased to know that he laid the foundation to today’s growing industry of OLED technology and that his seed would sprout and grow into becoming OLED: Organic Light Emitting Diodes. This new technology changes the light bulb we and Mr. Edison are familiar with into a very thin and flexible sheet of bright, white light.

This technology has come up quite lately and is still going through a lot of research and developmental phases and the obvious light of the foreseeable future. OLED Lights occurs when current passes through thin films of light-emitting material. Because it is possible to make these lights very thin, transparent, and flexible, lighting designers are opened to entirely new creative possibilities. Organic LED Lighting is used almost exclusively today in the design of stunning displays but there are a number of manufacturers in the US and EU developing ways to create white light using this technology.

In addition to designers being inspired by Organic LED Lighting technology the environmentally conscious are as well. OLED is highly efficient and these objects of light do not contain mercury like CFL lamps causing fewer recycling issues. That would make the new OLED white light quite Green.

Reference: OLED lighting | KONICA MINOLTA

Japan has yet suffered another blow to their country. If you think the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami is not enough, then there is indeed more consequences in the economy of Japan. The devastation in Japan brought out an immediate response to travelers as reports have been coming in that the country is currently experiencing a slump in the number of foreign visitors. And given that the country would be focusing on rebuilding whatever damages were brought about by the tsunami and the earthquake, travelers are having second thoughts in visiting a much defocused country in terms of tourism. The most parties most affected? Tour groups providing gay Japan tours, tours for seniors, tours for backpackers, and travel agencies.

Although there are no certain reports of a slump in the tourism industry of Japan, it would be an immediate reaction from travelers regarding the condition that Japan is currently facing. The Japan National Tourism Organization is still uncertain of a slump in tourism since they have no statistics yet of any travel cancelations bound for Japan but one thing is for certain, if the country would not hasten up their rebuilding process, there will definitely be a problem in their tourism industry.

One indication of this impending slump in their tourism would be the uncertainty amongst the leisure travelers and business travelers. This particular uncertainty was evident as the U.S. tour operators were bombarded with calls regarding citizens concerned about what to do with their booked flights to Japan considering that the said country is still in its rebuilding process. Moreover, the U.S. State Department has already made travel alerts for potential visitors in Japan that the country is currently having temporary power outages and water shortage. Added to that, there might also be a shortage in food since the government is currently prioritizing its citizens as the government continues to supply rations for those who are in the evacuation centers. “Air traffic continued to suffer delays, and most public transportation in Tokyo and other major cities has been substantially reduced by power shortages and damage to highways and rail lines,” according to the State Department.

Last year, Japan had more than 8.6 million visitors, which were composed of around 727,000 American citizens according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. According to the Department of Commerce, this would then be a very significant number for the country considering that the total number of American visitors have an average of $5 billion of spending.

But despite all the things that Japan is going through, they are still optimistic that they still have more to offer more particularly in their tourism industry. Apart from what people actually know about the devastation in Japan, the only regions significantly affected by the catastrophe are the Northeastern regions of Japan. As far as tourist attractions are concerned, the tourist spots in Japan were barely affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Japan has been one of the unfortunate victims of Mother Nature’s wrath as seen on the aftermath brought by the tsunami and earthquake that struck its land. Japan suffered the wrath of the strongest earthquake ever recorded with an 8.9 magnitude earthquake. Moreover, the country also suffered a series of ground trembling aftershocks with an average magnitude of more than 5 that sent people panicking in their homes and the streets. Added to that, they have also suffered the fate of a tsunami which was stirred up by the earthquake and aftershocks mentioned earlier. The tsunami rose to 23-feet and the enormous volume of water swept away everything in its path. The epicenter of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake was detected 80 miles of the coastline of Japan. The earthquake’s effects were mostly felt on the Northeastern part of Japan particularly in the Natori city. Luckily, there was no significant damage on Japan’s capital city, which is Tokyo.

The devastation of the tsunami was clearly documented as it was recorded and the videos were fed live during the brink of the tsunami’s devastation. Live video feeds from local news teams showed the devastation of the earthquake and the tsunami as evident in the burning houses in a residential area in Natori city. Also, there were video feeds showing the devastation of the tsunami in Sendai Airport wherein people have sought refuge on top of the airport as they watch the devastation during the wake of the tsunami. There were trucks, cars, ships, boats, and even planes that were swept away by the torrent of the tsunami.

The aftermath of the earthquake is really devastating. The residential areas in the city of Natori turned into mere piles of debris, rubbles, and corpses. The overall death toll from the affected areas is expected to exceed 1,000 according to the Kyodo news agency. Also, the defense ministry of Japan said 1,800 houses were devastated, added the Kyodo news agency. But the most devastating effect of the tsunami and the earthquake came to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, as there are possibilities of a nuclear meltdown as devastating as that of the Chernobyl in Russia. The citizens of Japan are still on a race to prevent a nuclear meltdown as they struggle to flood the cooling systems of the nuclear reactor.

While dry cabinets do have many different uses, the uses can depend on who is using them. A consumer may use a dry cabinet for one list of uses whereas a professional may have a completely different list of uses in which they see a dry cabinet being utilized for.

The main list of uses a consumer may see for a dry cabinet will usually include the drying of clothing items. Many people have delicate clothing, bulky items, or even shoes in which they would like to use a dry cabinet for. Most consumers are only educated about these uses for a dry cabinet. So, with many consumers not knowing about all of the uses a dry cabinet can be used for; their list usually starts and ends with clothing or any fabricated item.

When it comes to professionals using a dry cabinet, they more than likely have one solid use in mind prior to the purchase of a dry cabinet. An example of this would be a professional photographer. The purpose behind a professional photographer purchasing a dry cabinet would be to keep all of their camera equipment safe from humidity and moisture. They definitely don’t want their expensive equipment being affected by such conditions or growing mold on them as their camera equipment would be expensive to replace.

As you can see, consumers mainly choose to purchase or use dry cabinets for homely uses. A professional, however, generally has one solid purpose in mind prior to the purchase of a dry cabinet. Dry cabinets probably get the most use from a consumer in comparison to a professional. The main reason for this is because many people do purchase delicate clothing, so to dry these items they will use their dry cabinet. A professional will only use their dry cabinet as needed for their select few items.

Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) has been a Japanese custom since the 7th century when the aristocrats enjoyed looking at beautiful Sakura and wrote poems. Sakura is a symbol of Japan, and it’s said that there are over four hundred varieties of cherry trees in Japan. The most popular kind of Sakura which can be viewed everywhere in Japan is somei-yoshino (Yedoensis). Japanese cherry trees do not yield fruits like other cherry trees. Hanami and cherry blossom festivals are held all over Japan in spring. In Hanami parties, people have fun, drinking, eating, and singing during the day or night. It is like a picnic under Sakura trees. Usually, people bring food, do BBQ, or buy food from vendors for Hanami parties. Among various food people eat in Hanami, Dango is the most common. In popular Hanami spots, there are even competitions for the best spots.  In Kyoto, spring is a good season since Kyoto’s historical sites are famous spots for Sakura.

Cherry blossoms flower at different times throughout Japan. The cherry blossoms begin blooming in January in Okinawa, and they are at their peak in late March to April in Honshu region. In Hokkaido, cherry blossoms usually become in their peak in May. The blooming period of Sakura is very short.  Hanami is one of the most popular events of Spring. Crowds of people – families, groups of friends, and groups from companies sit under the fully open cherry blossoms, usually on plastic tarps, and have a picnic celebration. The picnic fare consists of a wide variety of foods, snack foods, and sake (rice wine) or other drinks. The activities often include dancing and karaoke in addition to the cherry blossom viewing. In very popular places such as Ueno Park and Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo the competition for prime picnic spots is intense. Company groups and family members claim spots by arriving very early in the morning and sitting all day long until the real celebrations begin in the evening. It is not unusual to see a young man in a business suit sitting under a cherry tree early in the morning reserving a space for his company. The new employees are traditionally given this job of sitting all day long to reserve space for the company celebration. Spring is the favorite season of the Japanese and tourists visiting the country. The mild weather, the myriad shades of budding greenery, the riot of flowers and the accompanying Hanami culture makes Japan a much loved destination during spring. Hanami or ‘flower viewing’ is a very old tradition in Japan. Though Hanami can be the viewing of any flower, over the centuries it has become synonymous with viewing the famous Sakura or cherry blossoms and experiencing the charm of the unfolding of the Japanese spring.

Nowadays, Hanami is synonymous with having picnics and parties with friends and loved ones under the canopy of Sakuras and enjoying both modern and traditional music. The Hanami season also coincides with the beginning of the academic and fiscal year in Japan, therefore many schools and companies initiate the new comers with Hanami.

Photo: Traveling to Heaven

Precision metal stamping is basically the process of engraving text or symbols on metals or alloys, a combination of two or more metals. Precision metal stamping is an art that has been perfected over the years with constant effort and research. This activity is undertaken when a company manufactures metal products and wishes to engrave its name on the products produced, either for identification or for marketing purposes. An example would be a company that manufactures T-Irons that are used to support roofs.

It is only natural and reasonable for a company to invest in better and improvised techniques of precision metal stamping owing to the fact that if accuracy and clearness of the text is not made available, the exercise will most probably fetch much low results than what is expected of it. For instance, if the sole concern of a manufacturer is to have an excellent looking finished piece of metal with the company name and details neatly engrossed upon it to make a perfect fit, then, any errors or omissions on the part of the machine will undoubtedly spoil the taste and effect of the stamping.

So, new techniques have been crafted out of the process, using human ingenuity to turn circumstances to its advantage and desire. Numerous techniques have been designed to improve the accuracy of the stamping procedure, thereby improving it manifold.

Precision metal stamping offers a unique way of depicting the brand image of the subject company and any company that exercises such an effort is respected and liked by buyers in the market for products made by it. It is a practice that might well bring out favorable results for the company in terms of goodwill which, in turn, improves the overall worth of the company as against competitors in the market.

Japan’s largest and most wide spread operator of cinema complexes, Toho Cinemas Ltd. Has announced plans to cut ticket prices starting in spring next year. The current price of 1,800 yen for customers aged 18 and over shall be cut back to 1,500 yen, the company is hoping the cut will increase the number of people visiting the cinema. Senior high school students are set to benifit even more, with prices for those 18 and under dropping to 1,000 yen, from the current 1,500 price.

Toho Cinemas Ltd, plans to implement the new system in six prefectures for roughly a year to see how it works out, before expanding nationwide.

The company will try out the new fee system at its movie theatres in six prefectures for about a year before extending it nationwide.

‘‘We hope to work out a fee system that would be reasonable for movie producers, distributors and film fans,’’ Takashi Nakagawa, president of the company said. Movie fans are dissatisfied with the current 1,800 yen charge when the economy is in deflation, he said.

The Tokyo based company, runs roughly 20% of cinemas in Japan. It is possible that if their plans are successful in drawing more audience members to screens, that rivals companies may follow suit, with cuts of their own.

This news may not be as welcome to senior citizens who currently pay 1,000 yen to see films, as industry insiders have stated that this discount may be abolished or the age for which you can qualify may be increase from its current 60+ range.

Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world in which to visit the cinema.

Here is a list of prices from around the world. This is a rough guide and is not entirely accurate, but will give a general idea.

Average Ticket Price in Dollars

U.S $7.50

Japan $14.00

U.K $9.60

France $8.00

Germany $9.00

Serbia $2.00

South Korea $6.00

Denmark $13.20

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/japans-biggest-movie-theater-operator-to-lower-ticket-prices

Picture Source: http://punynari.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/yoshima-hyakuana-132.jpg?w=691&h=518