Day by day, the catastrophe by the quake and tsunami in Japan has been revealed. Whenever I see news on a TV and in a newspaper, I'm disappointed, but I'm relieved by good stories at the same time. I really hope that its situations will be getting better.
The New York Times has uploaded interesting photos. Check them out!!
The top of that photos is of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant I'm most concerned about now. Obviously, the radiation leak crisis is so serious. As long as I listened to comments by Mr. Goto, the former Toshiba Nuclear Plant Designer, it's already worse than the Three Mile Island accident. We should pay attention to what's going on the plants because radiation could have a bad affect on us not only directly but also through food chains for a long time. Hope quick recovery!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Take a Break
He is amazing!! How hilarious he is !!
He, a 3 years old kid, is one of the greatest conductors I've ever seen. He knows the music, 4th movement of Beethoven Symphony 5th. Especially, the end is my favorite! Don't miss it!!
And, if you need more laughing, visit Funny or Die -- there is also an interview with its founders on @KatieCouric.
"Laugher is the best medicine."
He, a 3 years old kid, is one of the greatest conductors I've ever seen. He knows the music, 4th movement of Beethoven Symphony 5th. Especially, the end is my favorite! Don't miss it!!
And, if you need more laughing, visit Funny or Die -- there is also an interview with its founders on @KatieCouric.
"Laugher is the best medicine."
8.8 Earthquake Hit in Japan
Yesterday 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit in the eastern area of Japan with huge Tsunami. We are able to get information about Japanese situations from a Japanese Live TV program.
Hope the earthquake victims are safe and get a safe place! And, I offer my condolences to the families of those who were killed.
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| Photo by The Time |
Hope the earthquake victims are safe and get a safe place! And, I offer my condolences to the families of those who were killed.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Just a Memo
I guess that the hard disk drive (HDD) market is not familiar to many people. The bottom of the figure shows us an example of the Kryder's law, which is one of similar laws of Moore's law -- a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware. Anyway, I'd like to think about the HDD industry through a current issue.
Western Digital (WD) and Hitachi announced on March 7, 2011 that WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) for approximately $4.3 billion, according to an article by Venture Beat and a press release by WD.
This news gives a significant impact on the HDD industry. To begin with, the leader of the industry is Seagate, which has occupied about 41% of the market share, according to Smart HDD. And, WD is the second at approximately 23%, and the third is Samsung at approximately 16%. Hitachi GST has held about 8% of the market share. As a result of the acquisition by WD, WD will be closer Seagate's market share (simply, market share of WD and Hitachi GST totals about 31%.). Additionally, as an interesting thing, Seagate is favoring heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), while Hitachi GST favors patterned media (DTR or PBM) -- both have been known as a new technology. As long as I read a report of the HDD industry by Tom Coughlin and Ed Grochowski, it would be happened a format war between HAMR and DTR/PBM, such as the format war between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, and so on -- aka, a de facto standard. Therefore, competition between WD and Seagate will be harder, instead of the previous competition among to five companies; Seagate, WD, Samsung, Hitachi GST, and Toshiba.
It also implies another thing, which Samsung would take action like acquiring a HDD company or constructing a new factory to enhance their capacity of producing. It is because Samsung will keep away from the top two companies; Seagate and WD.
Thus, what WD is going to buy Hitachi GST is a big deal for the HDD market. How the market will be changed is interesting for me as a consequence of the acquisition.
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| Figure: Hard Drive Capacity Over Time by the Wikipedia |
Western Digital (WD) and Hitachi announced on March 7, 2011 that WD will acquire Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) for approximately $4.3 billion, according to an article by Venture Beat and a press release by WD.
This news gives a significant impact on the HDD industry. To begin with, the leader of the industry is Seagate, which has occupied about 41% of the market share, according to Smart HDD. And, WD is the second at approximately 23%, and the third is Samsung at approximately 16%. Hitachi GST has held about 8% of the market share. As a result of the acquisition by WD, WD will be closer Seagate's market share (simply, market share of WD and Hitachi GST totals about 31%.). Additionally, as an interesting thing, Seagate is favoring heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), while Hitachi GST favors patterned media (DTR or PBM) -- both have been known as a new technology. As long as I read a report of the HDD industry by Tom Coughlin and Ed Grochowski, it would be happened a format war between HAMR and DTR/PBM, such as the format war between Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, and so on -- aka, a de facto standard. Therefore, competition between WD and Seagate will be harder, instead of the previous competition among to five companies; Seagate, WD, Samsung, Hitachi GST, and Toshiba.
It also implies another thing, which Samsung would take action like acquiring a HDD company or constructing a new factory to enhance their capacity of producing. It is because Samsung will keep away from the top two companies; Seagate and WD.
Thus, what WD is going to buy Hitachi GST is a big deal for the HDD market. How the market will be changed is interesting for me as a consequence of the acquisition.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Recently some articles on the TechFlash have introduced Microsoft's cutting-edge technologies. Each technology is cool and, needless to say, is expected to launch as up-and-coming products (visit for more other videos: Todd Bishop's Microsoft blog. However, stories of businesses by stunning technologies aren't generally in progress, and reach the happy end. There are some reasons why brilliant technologies don't promise to be success and to be accepted by consumers.
For instance, an electric car was already invented in the mid-19th century, and seemed to get legitimacy by consumers between 1890s and 1900s. But, the history was different. In fact, electric vehicles were defeated by gasoline cars as a result of competition regarding more popularity (A story of why people changed from horses to cars as a transportation by NOVA is interesting. If you are interested in it, click on THIS.). Since then electric cars have waited for a century to get the tipping point. They would seem to build status instead of gasoline cars within a few decades.
Why are technologies so difficult or taken much time to be accepted by consumers? Cameras, TVs, Computers, the Internet, Google, Facebook, Smartphones, and so on look like easy to diffuse markets. But, each had different difficulty in the way to accomplish the tipping point (btw, Malcolm Gladwell is actually my favorite author.). As far as I know, lots of books and theories tell us how to break the wall in order to get citizenship in markets (As references from a point of view of marketing and management, Blue Occean Strategy, The Innovator's Dilemma, Crossing the Chasm, et cetera.).
Here, from my point of view, I would like to make a comment. Obviously, some of technologies like the above video are too daring. They are hard and difficult for customers to figure out, and they are even far away from and beyond their life style. Thus, a problem for the hyper cutting-edge technologies is how to sell products with such technologies. In other words, it is a marketing problem. A good example is the Apple Inc.. iPhone is one of the great gadget and at the same time a blockbuster. Also, Mac series, despite having maniac functions, have contributed to build and acknowledge the Apple brand by consumers. A key for diffusion is that it is recognized as cool and stylish not like gizmo. On other hand, PlayStation and Xperia by Sony -- especially, PlayStation 3 and Xperia TM PLAY -- is too having functions and qualities, such as too beautiful screens and sounds, too much capacity to play game and use cellphone, and so on. Apparently, the target customers are not everybody but a part (and, actually I don't know how much they are sold, so this opinion is not strong and needed more information, though).
As long as I saw the videos by Microsoft, they are trying to promote their technologies with their familiar products like Xbox360 and Kinect. I think this is a good way. However, Microsoft should pay attention not to be caught a competency trap (aka an innovator dilemma), as examples for it; actually Sony's PlayStation 3 and more likely film cameras (More in detail: Organizational Learning, or The Innovator's Dilemma). They always have to stare at customers in order to avoid happening such situation (Unfortunately, Microsoft is already called as 20 centuries company). At the same time, we consumers have to catch up with their cutting-edge technologies, too!!
For instance, an electric car was already invented in the mid-19th century, and seemed to get legitimacy by consumers between 1890s and 1900s. But, the history was different. In fact, electric vehicles were defeated by gasoline cars as a result of competition regarding more popularity (A story of why people changed from horses to cars as a transportation by NOVA is interesting. If you are interested in it, click on THIS.). Since then electric cars have waited for a century to get the tipping point. They would seem to build status instead of gasoline cars within a few decades.
Why are technologies so difficult or taken much time to be accepted by consumers? Cameras, TVs, Computers, the Internet, Google, Facebook, Smartphones, and so on look like easy to diffuse markets. But, each had different difficulty in the way to accomplish the tipping point (btw, Malcolm Gladwell is actually my favorite author.). As far as I know, lots of books and theories tell us how to break the wall in order to get citizenship in markets (As references from a point of view of marketing and management, Blue Occean Strategy, The Innovator's Dilemma, Crossing the Chasm, et cetera.).
Here, from my point of view, I would like to make a comment. Obviously, some of technologies like the above video are too daring. They are hard and difficult for customers to figure out, and they are even far away from and beyond their life style. Thus, a problem for the hyper cutting-edge technologies is how to sell products with such technologies. In other words, it is a marketing problem. A good example is the Apple Inc.. iPhone is one of the great gadget and at the same time a blockbuster. Also, Mac series, despite having maniac functions, have contributed to build and acknowledge the Apple brand by consumers. A key for diffusion is that it is recognized as cool and stylish not like gizmo. On other hand, PlayStation and Xperia by Sony -- especially, PlayStation 3 and Xperia TM PLAY -- is too having functions and qualities, such as too beautiful screens and sounds, too much capacity to play game and use cellphone, and so on. Apparently, the target customers are not everybody but a part (and, actually I don't know how much they are sold, so this opinion is not strong and needed more information, though).
As long as I saw the videos by Microsoft, they are trying to promote their technologies with their familiar products like Xbox360 and Kinect. I think this is a good way. However, Microsoft should pay attention not to be caught a competency trap (aka an innovator dilemma), as examples for it; actually Sony's PlayStation 3 and more likely film cameras (More in detail: Organizational Learning, or The Innovator's Dilemma). They always have to stare at customers in order to avoid happening such situation (Unfortunately, Microsoft is already called as 20 centuries company). At the same time, we consumers have to catch up with their cutting-edge technologies, too!!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
SUMO
Sumo wrestling in Japan is exposing a serious problem. According to an article of the Seattle Times, police have found text messages to plan how to fix bouts on confiscated cell phones which implicate 13 wrestlers. And, the text messages indicate that the wrestlers routinely fixed matches and charged thousands dollars per match to do so, according to Japan's Kyodo news service. This is pathetic for me and sumo fans.
At the same time, this is interesting for me because this news reminds me of Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. In the book, Steven already showed evidence to fix bouts of sumo. His blog and comments for his article also pointed out the thing. It means that empirical research and a method based on data would be useful to reveal a part of reality.
Finally, the following is my reaction to the news:
I have been concerned about sumo wrestling since coming to the U.S. because it's typical of Japanese tradition and culture. For example, many people in a class of college know about, and are interested in sumo wrestling, so they asked me to explain about it more in details than they know. Also, as another instance, I saw a video about sumo wrestlers by National Geographic Channel a few months ago. In the video, American wrestlers were featured. I was very impressed with their attitude and effort toward sumo, and the fact that they purely love playing sumo. However, at the same time, I was ashamed at professional sumo wrestlers because they are losing a proper attitude, which means they look like more sticking to gain money.
My feeling and impression to sumo wrestling is getting worse throughout a series of scandals -- the baseball gambling, using marijuana among three Russian wrestlers, and so on. As the article by the Seattle Times pointed out, sumo is seen by most Japanese as not only a sport but a bastion of Japanese tradition and culture, and sumo wrestlers are expected to observe a high standard of public behavior. Is this too much expectation for them? I think no. We Japanese people are positively able to introduce sumo to other countries' people as a Japanese culture (as a result, sumo received positive reputation from the world, too. It is give-and-take) because it has kept depicting what is a respectable manner and behavior for Japanese people, which is deeply connected with Japanese image of tradition and culture. If sumo wrestling lost the image, we would never introduce it to others as a Japanese culture.
At the same time, this is interesting for me because this news reminds me of Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. In the book, Steven already showed evidence to fix bouts of sumo. His blog and comments for his article also pointed out the thing. It means that empirical research and a method based on data would be useful to reveal a part of reality.
Finally, the following is my reaction to the news:
I have been concerned about sumo wrestling since coming to the U.S. because it's typical of Japanese tradition and culture. For example, many people in a class of college know about, and are interested in sumo wrestling, so they asked me to explain about it more in details than they know. Also, as another instance, I saw a video about sumo wrestlers by National Geographic Channel a few months ago. In the video, American wrestlers were featured. I was very impressed with their attitude and effort toward sumo, and the fact that they purely love playing sumo. However, at the same time, I was ashamed at professional sumo wrestlers because they are losing a proper attitude, which means they look like more sticking to gain money.
My feeling and impression to sumo wrestling is getting worse throughout a series of scandals -- the baseball gambling, using marijuana among three Russian wrestlers, and so on. As the article by the Seattle Times pointed out, sumo is seen by most Japanese as not only a sport but a bastion of Japanese tradition and culture, and sumo wrestlers are expected to observe a high standard of public behavior. Is this too much expectation for them? I think no. We Japanese people are positively able to introduce sumo to other countries' people as a Japanese culture (as a result, sumo received positive reputation from the world, too. It is give-and-take) because it has kept depicting what is a respectable manner and behavior for Japanese people, which is deeply connected with Japanese image of tradition and culture. If sumo wrestling lost the image, we would never introduce it to others as a Japanese culture.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Spot-light Effect
One day, I went to college, wearing a T-shirt inside out. When coming back home, my mom pointed out the fact. I was so ashamed. However, I asked some friends about it next day. Although some of the friends noticed it, the others did not!
I guess that many people have a such experience. In Social Psychology, it is called as the spot-light effect. The Spot-light effect is a tendency to overestimate the extent to which others notice our behavior and appearance.
The above comic strip is a good instance for the spot-light effect, I think. In this comic strip, a senior gentleman wears his military uniform in the morning despite no workday. He subsequently goes to check the mailbox, even though it is on Sunday. At the mailbox, he says "But if neighbors see me peeking in my mailbox, they'll think I'm looney." His comment and behavior imply that he cares about neighbors' eyes, and he thinks that he is always seen by neighbors. I think these behaviors and statements show the spot-light effect. What do you think about it? Is it a funny thing, isn't it?
In fact, an experiment by Thomas Gilovich and his associates shows us how much we are often greatly exaggerating such worries.
I guess that many people have a such experience. In Social Psychology, it is called as the spot-light effect. The Spot-light effect is a tendency to overestimate the extent to which others notice our behavior and appearance.
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| Article: The Seattle Times by Mort Walker |
In fact, an experiment by Thomas Gilovich and his associates shows us how much we are often greatly exaggerating such worries.
In the experiment, participants who are college students were worn an attention arousing T-shirt (one with a large picture of Barry Manilow on it) and then they were indicated to enter a room full of other student. After interacting with the students awhile, the participant was asked to estimate the number of students who had noticed the decidedly uncool T-shirt. The experimenter also asked everyone in the room if they had noticed the shirt. The participants thought that about 50% of the people in the room noticed their shirt. In reality, however, only about 20% had noticed!So, you don't need to worry about your ashamed statement and behavior too much. We often overestimate that others are paying attention to us! Again, "Don't worry!"
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