Powered by USB port and weigh only 38grams and cost only $22, they are the perfect gift. Just don’t expect your girlfriend to wear them on the next visit to your mother.

If your girlfriend wants to show how much she loves you, she might find interest in the breast pillow from Japan. We didn’t try it ourselves, but someone might wonder if the pillow proves itself, what use is keeping the girlfriend?

via [rinkya]

The new keyboard is rechargeable by a small solar panel right above the numeric keypad, that can be charged from indoor light also.

In addition, it’s maker promises that you can use it for up to 10 meters away from your computer. You can also find the usual additional keys like volume and video player controls. It’s weight is 840g excluding 2 AA batteries needed for operation.

Unfortunately, Buffalo, the maker of the keyboard doesn’t say for how long it can work without recharge. The price is $123 and it currently sells only in Japan.

[Product Page] (Japanese) via [AkihabaraNews]

Sharp Electronics has introduced a new LCD TV which is powered by solar panels. Sharp claims that the 26-inch screen consumes only a quarter of a energy compared with a similar size CRT.

The new LCD is actually a very low power consumption LCD screen, that is paired with a new thin solar panel from the company. Sharp suggest that this can be used in remote areas which are off the grid. But these poor people may have better things to worry about then seeing American Idol at night.

No word on pricing, availability or production yet.

Via [TechRadar]

More from Sharp [Sharp]

This $21 unique flower is not just an ordinary plastic flower. It is covered with special chemicals that “choke” the fire instantly. The logic behind the product is that it more nice to have some flowers in the kitchen, than a large ugly fire extinguisher. Just don’t forget to call 911, we don’t want to bring some flowers to your funeral.

See the flower in action:

[Product page] via [Rinkya Stores]

USB Necktie

This is an improved model of last year necktie. In the necktie you can find a small fan that gets you fresh air while sitting in the office. It may look exciting, but think what will happen if you get up and forget that you are chained to your laptop with a USB cable. And we don’t want to even start thinking what your peers will think of you. And that cute receptionist? Don’t count on a date tonight. All of this for the price of only 27 dollars. [Product Page]

Lazy Chair

In the summer you may also want to relax with your laptop a bit. Just spreading out in the floor is not a good idea. Your hands get numb, and your back might hurt. The Japanese solution? The lazy chair. The chair allows you to lie down comfortably and work on your notebook. You also get five positions for the angle of this “chair”, and you can always use it as a head rest, in case you want to read the newspaper. The price: 74 dollars. [Product Page]

Cooling Chair

We know that Japanese food might get your stomach to work differently than usual, with the related consequence. But we thought that these problems are limited to only westerns that are not accustomed to Japanese food – not to the nice and sterile Japanese girls.

Anyway, it seems to affect them too, otherwise we see no purpose to this cooling chair. The chair blows up cool air straight to your behind, and if you have to work long hours, that’s certainly going to get you some boost. We just hope that you don’t find yourself hovering above your chair in the process.Price starts at $45 without car accessories. [Product Page]

Dogs Jacuzzi

Why not to take care of your beloved friend also? It’s gets hot in the summer and your dog will rather prefer sitting in the Jacuzzi, than just getting a cold shower. IDEC Corporation invented a bubble bath that can help you wash your dog. The company calls the Jacuzzi “Wan Love Yu” or “Dog Loves Bath”.

The appliance generates 600,000 bubbles/cm³ in the size of 0.02 millimeters (these are really tiny bubbles!). The company promises that with these bubbles you can really get rid of dirt from the dog, in a way a normal shower can’t. You’ll still have to persuade your dog to get into this bubble bath. The price is between $6,000 and $7,000, and the appliance is targeted at pet hospitals and pet shops. [IDEC] (Japanese) and more on [TechOn]

Inside the pen you can find a tri-axial sensor that monitors the pen in any direction. A Bluetooth connection between the pen and the computer transmits the movements to the screen. By using Bluetooth, the pen can actually “write” from a distance of 10 meters.

SMK Corp., the company behind the pen claims it is the first wireless pen that can write in the air. Other companies have so far introduced wireless pens that can only write on paper.

SMK corp. showed the new pen in “TEXPO 2008″, an exhibition in Tokyo a couple of days ago. No word on pricing or availably yet.

via [TechOn]

If you are a father to girls under the age of 12, we strongly recommend no to show them the following pictures. Or else you’ll have to cough up $65 for a basic phone and almost $100 for a model with an answering machine.

Hello? hello? It’s kitty!

More [Uniden Japan]

The robot, 17 centimeter tall and 130 grams in weight, was forced to climb a 500 meters canyon as a demonstration by Panasonic for its new line of alkaline batteries.

The Evolta (combining “evolution” and “voltage”) batteries can be used to satisfy your climbing robot hunger for energy, with 20 percent more energy than Duracell and Energizer.

The batteries actually hold the Guinness book of records for being the most long lasting alkaline batteries. Panasonic claims that the batteries managed to flash a strobe light 277 times, while the existing alkaline and oxyride battery cells could set off 203 and 255 flashes, respectively.

Video after the break:

The batteries aren’t cheap and cost $5.40 for four in Japan, 15 percent higher than other batteries. They planned to reach more countries in the following months.

The robot accomplished the mission successfully within time of 6 hours and 45 minutes by using 530 meters of rope. Now Tom Cruise won’t have to worry about a stunt double, if he’ll ever want to this again:

Tom Cruise in a typical climbing.

Source: [Mainichi]

More about the Evolta batteries: [Techon]

After Japanese scientists helped us to enjoy our morning news in the shower, it’s time for them to help us read Japanite! while bathing.

The new plastic laptop case from Thanko in Japan is another crazy idea to help us with modern life – courtesy of the Japanese inventors. The case is the same as freezer bags and can protect your laptop computer from spills, dusts and shocks.

According to Thanko, the case can be extremely useful while cooking with a recipe displayed on your laptop. If you tried this once, you already know that a wrong move at the wrong time, could introduce a pasta sauce directly into the chips of your laptop. And you really don’t want to try this at home.

Price is only $19 (1,980 yen). A pretty good bargain when you consider that an accident with a $2 coffee cup in a café, could mean spending hundreds of dollars for a new computer.

Anyway, you wouldn’t want to take your laptop for a swim. The case is not 100% waterproof and has tiny holes for ventilation in the back.

Some more photos:

Source (Japanese): [Thanko]

If you’ll ever visit Tokyo you will find some weird and strange recreation places. Some will find the Mom Cafés very unique place, others will rather drop for an IV drip to help fight the jetlag, and others may just want to pass the time by eating at McDonalds.

But the latest trend in Japan nowadays is virtual golf. More than 50 golf simulators allow people to get into the action without getting on the grass. The virtual golf players are coming not just for the sports, but also the company.

The company that develops these virtual golf simulators already sold 30 systems with a price tag of $57,000 (6 million yen). One of these virtual golf courses managers tells that most days the bar draws about 30 golfers. On a busy evening more than 60 golfers will come to play. Most of them have played golf before.

It seems that Japanese people love to play virtual golf together. An analyst explains that Japanese people don’t have a strong individualist streak, and many games are best enjoyed when played with friends.

Technology and golf goes great in Japan, so it seems. Several months ago Sony launched a virtual golf caddy that uses the PSP (Playstation portable) GPS unit in order to keep track of your game.

By the way, if you are interested have a golf simulator at home – you can. Full Swing Golf offers complete systems to home customers for a bargain price of $55,000. You can join customers like Donald Trump, Michael Jordan, Kevin Dillon, Richard Marriott (the hotel chain owner). The Swing Golf System even allows you to play online against other rich friends of yours.

Source: [Guardian]