Netprice released 24value.com for mobile, time sale EC site

24value.com has launched on April 6th, providing time sales with two time slots of 24 hours and 12 hours. By selling product with limited time offer, the company aims to lower costs of purchase and operation and provides low price.

Mobile version has "24 time-line" providing information in chronological order.

CNET 4/28, 2010

Yahoo and DeNA alligns to provide Yahoo! Moba-ge

Yahoo and DeNA will develop social game platform on PC, where existing game titles of Moba-ge-town and new games will be provided. Also Yahoo wallet billing system will be available on the plat form. Yahoo! Japan ID and Moba-ge-town ID will be mutually usable.

In this summer, Yahoo! Moba-ge will be launched.

CNET 4/27, 2010

Accent launches "iStringer", Apach module enabling session identification and integration of access log analysis for mobile

iStringer is to be installed on Web server. Retaining original IP address, it gives unique session ID, which enables to get referrer information of transition in web site of mobile devices which does not notify referrer information.

The company plans to provide the solution to mobile site operator collaborating with server hosting companies.

Venture Now 4/27, 2010

TransWARE announced that its web mail product, Active! mail 6 is adopted by NTT Bizlink

Developed with Ajax, "Active mail 6" enables comfortable usability and performance and also has security suited to business environment. Attached file preview function allows users to look at attached files such as Word, Excel, PPT and PDF with mobile phone or smart phone.

Asahi 4/27, 2010

Celartem Technology agreed on partnership in work syle innovation with BB System

As the first partnership result, Celartem starts to provide an optional function of viewing attached files of email for ExLook Infinity, BB System's mobile solution allowing users to view mail and schedule on Exchange Server in mid May.

Attached files are to be converted to image optimized for mobile using Celartem's EQ Merchandizer, so that users can view attached files with mobile phone without Office applications.

CNET 4/27, 2010

[VentureBeat]To expand its boundaries, Zynga allies with Japan’s Softbank

VentureBeat 4/27, 2010

Zynga, the maker of FarmVille and other popular social games, is preparing for an alliance with Japan’s Softbank investment firm as a way to break into the fast -growing Japanese market, VentureBeat has learned.

Netflowers released "Restel", automatic voice response system

"Restel" is Interactive Voice Response system responding based on scenario which users set on management console on web.

The company expect that the system will be used with accepting campaign call, introducing product information, accepting request for documents, survey by telephone and sorting calls by person.

Venture Now 4/27, 2010

[Asiajin]Gourmet Navigator Plans 1-Seg TV Service For Mobile On Tokyo Subways

Asiajin 4/27, 2010

NKB[J], the transit ad agency running well-known restaurant guide Gourmet Navigator(Gournavi) on the web, is now discussing in-subway 1-seg TV service (refer to these stories about 1-seg) with Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for obtaining a TV station license.

J-Payment starts to provide "Appli Kessai", low-cost credit card transaction system for SNS apps.

SNS apps market is booming backed by increasing popularity of mixi Apps and Moba-ge-town.
It is expected to continue also led by penetration of smart phone such as iPhone and Android.

Many of apps developers are individual who need low cost payment system. As a means of payment on the Internet, credit card is common, but it has an issue that processing fee is to be high in case of micro payment.

"Appli Kessai" sets from 8.5% for the fee, the lowest price in the industry, which allows to pay from 100 yen.

Mainichi 4/23, 2010

”Ousia Weaver", mash-up tool automatically generates web site aggregating data on web

Studio Ousia released Ousia Weaver, which generates web site aggregating contents and data on web. Studio Ousia is researching and developing three technologies. The first is keyword semantic recognition technology, which recognizes attributes and meanings of keywords of 1.7 million of English and 400 thousands of Japanese. The second is keyword mark-up technology, which extracts keywords demonstrates using the keyword semantic recognition technology. The third is contents aggregation and editing technology, which generates mash-up contents aggregating contents on web using API provided by those web sites owners. Ousia Weaver is production of the third technology.

An example of using the tools is to develop web site for analyst analyzing a specific company showing the company's products, news, stock price and so on.

Studio Ousia targets business user. Currently it provides its demo site "Phroni".
The company was founded in 2007, and has been collaborating with Keio University.

CNET 4/22, 2010

Cloud business app service, "SakuBiz" corresponds to Android smart phone

AXSEED corresponded its cloud business app service, "SakuBiz" to Android smart phone such as Xperia. SakuBiz allows users to save reports with pictures that users took along with its time and location automatically.

PR TIMES 4/21, 2010

Navi-P.com releases the first mobile location-based service for business in China

Location-based service, DP2 for China, allows users to check location of members with GPS-enabled mobile phone on PC. A 100 % subsidiary, Navi-P.com Shanhai starts the service from June 1st.

According to the company, there increases maintenance of consumer electronics such as TV and air-conditioner and also transportation to multi-stores like supermarket and convenience stores, which requires to build efficient assignment of personnel. The service allows those companies to reduce initial and running costs from using car navigation system.

ITmedia 4/21, 2010

User Local released "AppTraq", free access log analysis for social apps

”AppTraq” is available with mixi and Moba-ge-town, and soon will be with Facebook and GREE.
In addition to number of accesses and unique users, AppTraq provides segment analytic function, which reports difference in number of accesses and conversions depending on age, gender, and area, benchmark function, which compares number of members of competitive applications, and user ranking function, which reports transition of users with high visit frequency.

CNET 4/20, 2010

CyberAgent America launched virtual space service, "ComicWorld" for Facebook

ComicWorld is a service that users communicate each other through avatar in the virtual space. Avatars are modeled on Anime and Manga. Users buy items such as cloths and hairstyles with virtual money in the space.

CNET 4/20, 2010

DeNA and Felica started customer promotion

DeNA and Felica Networks started trial of affiliate service to accelerate customer coming to shops by utilizing Osaihu-Keitai on Moba-ge-town, DeNA's mobile portal site.
Campaign ads and coupons are put on Moba-ge-town. Users will get Moba-ge-town's virtual money, Moba-gold, by holding Osaihu-Keitai over a reader/writer device at the shop.

40 restaurants of Karaoke, Shidax, 81 shops of Tower Record, 19 of Tokyu Hands and others will join the trial, which will be increased in the middle of May.

CNET 4/19, 2010

PCPhase launched "Telepipa", search service for mobile synchronizing with TV program

Telepipa provides information of casts, music and goods showed on TV program which users are viewing. It uses search engine of Froute and developed by Preferred Infrastructure.

Telepipa displays keywords from every TV program of NHK and other 5 commercial TV stations in Kanto area, and allows users to view search result of the keywords with one-click.

CNET 4/19, 2010

NTT Investment Partners invests in Ubitus, providing contents distribution platform for multi-device

NTT Investment Partners takes new shares of Ubitus, Taiwanese company with US$ 2 million.
NTT had partnership with Ubitus in October of 2009. With its investment, NTT plans to develop contents distribution market for multi-device such as smart phone, mobile, PC and IPTV.

ITpro 4/20, 2010

Axsh released OSS, "Wakame-vdc" to develop cloud like Amazon EC2

Wakame-vdc (Virtual Data Center) has Web API connecting with Wakame-fuel which automatically controls settings of servers and networks on Amazon EC2.

Main target is data center. It expects to have 3 or 4 users within this year.

Venture Now 4/20. 2010

Apparel EC, Start Today affiliates Crown Jewel by buying new shares

Start Today announced that it decided to buy new shares of Crown Jewel, a subsidiary of CyberAgent, and make it equity method affiliate.

Crown Jewel operates an auction site focused on fashion items. Start Today will have 30% of the shares.

CNET 4/16, 2010

[Asiajin]KLab Releases Amazon Kindle Compatible Emulator In Open Source

Asiajin 4/15, 2010

Japanese mobile system/application developer KLab Inc. [J] announced that they had developed a clone of Kindle Developer’s Kit (KDK) and Kindle Emulator.

mixi exceeded 20 million users

It has been 6 years from its launch in February of 2004.
mixi started SNS in China by establishing local corporate, but it has not gone well.

ITmedia 4/14, 2010

Rei-Frontier allocated new shares of 3.5 million yen to Samurai Incubate

In December of 2009, Rei-Frontier launched LiveScopar which allows users to share information with tag displayed in real space through camera. With the capital, the company develops social game using AR and location information for iPhone.

Venture Now 4/14, 2010

Dreamnets starts to sell e-publishing system, "TOWNZ for EC"

"TOWNZ for EC" allows publishers to automatically generate web pages of e-books and introduction pages from PDF files of books and magazines, and also to sell e-books on EC system. This is the industry's first system packaging generation to sales of e-books.

Asahi.com 4/13, 2010

Livedoor is sold to NHN Japan

Livedoor brand is going to be used in the future.
NHN Japan operates Han-game, online game portal, and NAVER, search service.

CNET 4/12, 2010

iDOC developed DRM system, "KeyringEPUB" corresponding to EPUB format of ebook

iDOC has provided DRM solution "KetromgPDF" and "KeyringFLASH". The company provides the solution to viewer providers. The first service which use the technology will be "Qlippy" that SpinningWorks is now developing. Qlippy allows readers to clip, store and share sentences and images and also communicate with others when reading.

Venture Now 4/9, 2010

Winas started ASP service, "Smooth Viewer" distributing flyer and comics to mobile as Flash

The ASP service, Smooth Viewer, allows to distribute printed media such as magazines, catalogs, flyer and comics into mobile by making them Flash. By just registering pictures and text on web site, it creates Flash for mobile and distribute it to any career's site.

Venture Now 4/9, 2010

Conit and Fais un reve provides Facebook application, "EatNow" sharing food life realtime with location info and photos

Users share dining information with friends at timing they eat. In addition to Facebook application, iPhone and Android application using Facebook connect and also upload functions from a traditional mobile phone are provided for free.

@Press 4/9, 2010

CyberAgent invested in iPhone application start-up, Pankaku.

CyberAgent took 20% share of Pankaku, which is a leading company of iPhone application. Its game, LightBike became No.1 at AppStore and has been played with over 2 million users.

Asahi.com 4/9, 2010

Index provides Chinese popular social game, "Oishii Bokujo LOVE&PORK" on mixi

Oishii Bokujo LOVE&PORK is a ranch simulation game provided in Chinese SNS, Renren.

The Second Times 4/9, 2010

CyberStep started trial of ECommerce service, CyberStep AR Shop, using AR technology and robot

CyberStep AR Shop allows users to manipulate robot set up in the shop utilizing AR technology and buy goods as if handling goods on the web.  NIAC at Harajuku is to be the first shop selling iPhone case designed by the shop.

@Press 4/7, 2010

VASILY started fashion item coordinate site, "iQON"

Users clip fashion items from several EC sites and coordinate them in iQON. Users can share coordinates they made in the site and also post them on blogs and Twitter. Since each items used in a coordinate has URL of original sites and pages, viewers can go to the shopping page by clicking items.

VASILY provides clipping tool as a bookmarklet and editor for coordinate, which allows to make background transparent and flip horizontal and change size and layer order.

Ventue Now 4/8, 2010

Nico Nico Drama started, distributing TV drama in advance

Dwango and Hakuhodo DY Media Partners started Nico Nico Dorama, which allows to watch TV program in advance of broadcast on Nico Nico Douga operated by Niwango, subsidiary of Dwango.

The video contents with users' comments are to be broadcast together with contents without users' comments on TV.

The service aims to add value, promote programs and accelerate real-time viewing.

CNET 4/8, 2010

InterRobot developed robot system tweeting comment of Twitter

InterRobot will start selling the robot from May 1st.
The robot system is developed with text-to-voice technology and the company's own patented technology, iRT, generating motions of robot. It is also capable to display texts with motions and voices at the same time.

Venture Now 4/8, 2010

Interspace launched reward advertisement service for mixi application, "i Reward"

Interspace announced to start providing affiliate advertisement for mixi application developers, 'i Reward", packaging ads supply and operation support.

If users take actions such as registration or purchasing to advertisement in a promotion site, virtual money or items are given. At first the service is targeted only for PC, but planned to be provided for mobile soon.

CNET 4/7, 2010

GMO Digital Contents Distribution provides contents delivery platform service

GMO Digital Contents Distribution started Moba-sapu, contents delivery service for mobile site operators.

Moba-sapu is B2B service allowing mobile site operators to distribute 4 types of contents, cloth change, Flash game, Flash standby display, and e-comics.

CNET 4/7, 2010

Anime World delivers anime as an application for iPhone

Anime World plans to start anime delivery as an application within April.
There are some user generated video sharing applications such as Nico Nico Doga and YouTube, but few charged video contents delivery services in Japan.

Anime World plans to sell an episode of anime as an application on App Store. Users run the application to view an anime. The application has related contents like story and characters as an added value. The benefit of delivering as an application is not dependent on network status and easy to protect copy right strongly. Also, after delivery, it is possible to update application and contents.

The price will be determined, which is expected to be about 1000 yen for one episode, similar to packaged medias.

AV Watch 4/7, 2010

Hunglead launched SaaS based multi-shops item management system, "item robot"

item robot is SaaS based service to register and manage items on multi online shops. By a single registration, users are able to register item information, category and pictures to multi shopping mall and also edit a price and copy. The service is capable with Rakuten, Yahoo shopping, and Bidders.

Venture Now 4/7, 2010

Inter Communications started 3G enabled Wi-Fi router rental service overseas

Inter Communications launched rental service of mobile Wi-Fi router, "MiFi" at April 5th. It makes packet fee of 3G network in overseas for free, Daily rental fee is 1580 yen.

Inter Communications integrates SIM card for data communication of 20 countries into the router and lend it to users. Users of iPhone and other Wi-Fi enabled devices are allowed to access the Internet with free by connecting through MiFi. Telecommunication fee from MiFi to local telecom career is covered by the company.

ITmedia 4/6, 2010

Primeworks got into Android market along with Docomo's smart phone, "Xperia"

Mobile Internet solution provider, Primeworks, started sales of "Puri Puri USAVICH" application, which anyone can decorate pictures in the motif of USAVICH.

CNET 4/6, 2010

Hatena Monolith, sharing shopping activities on iPhone and Android

Hatena launched a new service, "Hatena Monolith" at April 5th, 2010. Hatena Monolith is a social service connecting people through goods. Users read bar-code printed on packages of goods with a native application. The application takes information of goods using Amazon's database from JAN code which the bar-code indicates and displays them on the screen. In addition to Hatena Monolith, users can tweet comments related to the goods on Twitter. In this way, the service allows to share shopping activities and impressions of the goods.

The service is explained as replacing locations of "foursquare" by goods.

IT Pro 4/5, 2010

24stream launched free mobile video decoration service, "Pochisuta"

24stream launched test service of "Pochisuta" allowing to combine videos recorded by mobile and templates and animations. Without registration, users can use for free from docomo/au/sotbank mobile devices.

Pochisuta prepares 12 types of templates with messaging, decoration and animation. Decorated videos are automatically to be generated just selecting template and sending an email attached with a video.

Venture Now 4/2, 2010

Index starts to provide photo viewer,"TapPhoto" for Android today

"TapPhoto" is provided at Andoroid Market, and also at "Docomo Market", NTT Docomo's portal site for smart phones. Also it is featured at "PlayNow", Sony Ericsson's portal site for Android.

"TapPhoto" is a photo viewer which displays photos along with rhythm that the application memorize users tapping to music.

CNET 4/2, 2010

Cyphertec develops DRM technology for smart phone

Cyphertec and Blue Ocean Systems announced to develop Digital Right Management technology for electric devices such as smart phones and tablet computers.

Cyphertec has provided self-developed DRM services to digital contents providers such as Rakuten and Benesse corporation. It is expected that digital contents distribution services for smart phones such as iPhone and Android and ebook reader such as iPad and Kindle will increase. But the most of DRM technologies only target Windows, therefore the company started development.

As a plan, DRM for Mac OS and iPhone will be released in the summer of 2010, and followed by the service for Android.

Keitai Watch 4/2, 2010

DeNA and Docomo established joint venture, "Everystar" operating user generated contents site

DeNA and NTT Docomo established joint venture company, "Everystar". The company will operate web sites in which users submit and view contents such as novels, comics, illustrations, recipes and haiku.

The web site is planned to open in the middle of May. In addition to accepting general users' submit, pre-open event with over 7 million yen of prize will be held.

The total capital of Everystar is 1.6 billion yen. of which DeNA has 70% share and the rest is shared by Docomo.

CNET 4/2, 2010

Seesaa released the first social game, "Seesaa Noujou"

A blog platform operator, Seesaa, got into social game business launching "Seesaa Noujou", farming game. The game introduces the company's emerging technology.

Second Times 4/1, 2010

Portarte announced "Movilibo", very easy ebook authoring service for iPhone/iPad

Portarte, DTP solution provider announced low price ebook application authoring service, "Movilibo".

"Movilibo" is low price web based ASP service targeted for business corporate. Its advantage is to allow to upload PDF and design ebook application on the web step by step. Portarte operates sales at App Store. The authored ebook application has basic functions such as zoom and keyword search. The fee structure is 10,500 yen monthly and 31,500 yen for 1 application to register on App Store plus 10% of its revenue.

The service is planned to start in July.

hon.jp 4/1, 2010