http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/rss にっく(Nick_smallworld)'s latest journal entries Lang-8 Inc. Tue Feb 14 07:37:36 UTC 2012 Tue Feb 14 07:37:36 UTC 2012 Lang-8 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Lang-8
http://business.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/topics/20110921/222726/?top_updt&rt=nocnt

It gives a really big impact to Japanese mobile contents providers and also to web service companies, because feature phone (so-called old technology mobile phone) still have big share in Japan.

Lots of contents providers and web service developers have to make websites for feature phone users in addition to ordinary websites for PC users now.

Though, if new iPhone5 will be released from multiple mobile telecom companies, it must get a big share in Japanese mobile market, and it means that the feature phone's share should decrease month by month.

Also they have to provide their contents and websites mainly to smart phone users, and it invokes a really big change in Japanese market.

The progress of smart phone goes rapidly and it really changes our life quickly.

Posted at Thu Sep 22 04:00:25 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1108066 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1108066 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Thu Sep 22 04:00:25 UTC 2011 With these useful advice, I've looked for a lesson materials for my English study.

Then, I happened to find good one on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d31ukSQJ8pA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvKQ5XzTYpc


It's an English version of Japanese famous animation series "Pretty Cure".
According to the Wikipedia, this version was broadcasted on Canada, 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Cure_(2004_TV_series)

As I wrote my old journal, I love Pretty Cure series affected by my children.

http://lang-8.com/5840/journals/270084

So I'll look for these English series and listen to the actor's voice, and write down drama's lines.

Anyway, there are good materials on internet (especially on Youtube) for language study.


Posted at Mon Aug 22 05:04:03 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1064139 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1064139 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Mon Aug 22 05:04:03 UTC 2011
Though I'm writing and reading English everyday at my office, I cannot speak English as much as before.

I'm wondering if I am falling into slump.

My study methods are;

* Writing journal on Lang-8(of course, this site)
* Listening and doing dictation of Radio English conversation program
* Memorizing vocabulary with iPhone app
* Taking online conversation lesson

I have improved my English skill with these methods for a few years, but now I'm facing a high barrier.

Posted at Fri Aug 19 04:11:01 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1060023 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1060023 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Fri Aug 19 04:11:01 UTC 2011 I've made a goal I run through 140km per every month.

BTW, I am tracking my jogging data with iPhone.

The software I'm using is "Runkeeper", one of the most popular application of iPhone.

http://runkeeper.com/

With this system, I can track my jogging record both distance and average speed.

Though there are another good applications which are distributed by famous sports brand such as Nike and Adidas.

They are getting popularity and my friends tend to use them.

I'm wondering I'll continue to use Runkeeper or change and share tracking information with friends.

Posted at Mon Aug 15 04:47:17 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1054137 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1054137 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Mon Aug 15 04:47:17 UTC 2011 They are getting a short summer holiday and visiting my wife's home.

Thus my house is very quiet. Yes, I haven't had such a silent time over a year.
I feel calm and have my time, but I also feel a little lonely.

To tell the truth, I also want to go with them, if I could.
It can't be helped because I have to do my important job.



Posted at Mon Aug 08 13:12:09 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1045448 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1045448 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Mon Aug 08 13:12:09 UTC 2011
Temperature have been high enough. Thus the recent weather have been humid, muggy.

Personally I want to see a clear, beautiful blue sky, even if it can be a hot day.

Posted at Sun Jul 31 02:46:40 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1034215 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1034215 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Sun Jul 31 02:46:40 UTC 2011 She will be there since this Autumn, and she'll stay there at least over a year.

Last year, my another friend also had moved to London, and he is now working there with his wife.

I don't know why my friends go to that city after another. Maybe some invisible fortune might be around my friend's network.

Anyway, I hope she will have a good time and have a good friends at London.


Posted at Sat Jul 30 09:17:44 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1033277 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/1033277 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Sat Jul 30 09:17:44 UTC 2011 All of them are saved as digital images, and I maintain them by Google picasa, digital asset management software.

Though I cannot share them for my family smoothly. The reason is my family have to see my notebook's display, but it is too small to be seen by plural people.

So now I am considering to buy a new computer, which can connect to television monitor.

The issue is my present computer is healthy, quite good condition, and I don't need to replace it if I use it for daily purpose except for managing photo data.

To buy, or not to buy, that is a question.

Posted at Tue May 24 23:50:47 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/942803 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/942803 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue May 24 23:50:47 UTC 2011
I started my new job at the new company sice this April.

At the office, all staff uses wiki system.

Do you know "wiki"? It's an online documentation system, and people who has authority can edit documents freely.

The most famous use case of wiki system is Wikipedia, of course.
But we can use wiki system personally if we install it or lent it.

Talking about my office, all member uses wiki system everyday. They share their knowledge and experiments, thoughts, photos, as if walking, talking, and drinking water --- very naturally.

It really surprised me.

I used wiki system at my prevous company, to record the process of the project, but there were few people who had used wiki, and it was not a daily tool.

Though, by the wiki system, I could check all of meeting records which related with the project, and grasp the rule of the company.

I found that wiki system is a really useful tool and it empowers communication between staff, if they use the wiki naturally.

Posted at Wed May 11 04:55:27 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/924202 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/924202 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Wed May 11 04:55:27 UTC 2011
A few months ago, I got a gift from my friend.

It was an England cookie named "Duchy".

According to the explanation, it is a brand which has been established by England's prince, Charles.

It was so yummy.
I heard that is called "shortbread" in England.

I also heard that the most famous brand of shortbread was "Walkers", according to my wife.

So I bought walkers' shortbread, and ate them.
It was also so yummy.


Posted at Sun Apr 17 01:15:51 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/891089 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/891089 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Sun Apr 17 01:15:51 UTC 2011
My wife made biscuits a few days ago.

She had bought some cakes and biscuits at Daikanyama, where lots of confectionery shops were located, and biscuits she had bought were very yummy. So she wanted to make them by herself.

They were also yummy as same as bought one.

By the way, I happen to find that English people call them "scone", but American people call them "biscuit". It seems very interesting for me.

Posted at Mon Feb 28 03:01:58 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/827516 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/827516 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Mon Feb 28 03:01:58 UTC 2011

It's getting warmer in Japan. Daily temperature is still cold in the morning, but it increases like Spring at daytime.

I found that Japanese plum flowers are blooming now.
These are pictures I've taken in the park near my house.
People who visited to the park was watching plum flowers and felt a Spring.

There is an old Japanese music and here is a lyrics of that,

"Now Plum is blooming, so when will Cherry blossom be?"

(梅は咲いたか、桜はまだないか
In Hiragana, うめは　さいたか　さくらは　まだかいな)

This means that plum flowers are sign of an end of Winter, so we can't wait for Spring.




Posted at Tue Feb 22 06:35:28 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/820864 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/820864 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Feb 22 06:35:28 UTC 2011
http://lang-8.com/5840/journals/807177/Inflammation-of-lungs

My doctor have told me that I won't have to come to her hospital, so I've been trying to make my daily life as before.

Now I restart to go jogging, but I have really been exhausted only by a short distance's jog.
It seems I must spend a time to get my body back to the best condition.

Posted at Sat Feb 19 07:47:24 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/816452 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/816452 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Sat Feb 19 07:47:24 UTC 2011
Tokyo, the largest city in Japan, has many trains and bus companies, and they take a lot of commuters every day.
Once it snows, almost all of them are effected by weather, and destruptions and delays occur.

Monday was snowy day, so the confusions of commuter lines happened. Many office workers had the effections by its confusions.

Now the weather has calmed down, but there is still snow in side of roads and railways.

Posted at Thu Feb 17 01:47:28 UTC 2011
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/813228 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/813228 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Thu Feb 17 01:47:28 UTC 2011

As I wrote in my last journal, I will talk about NARUTO and ONE PIECE.

Both Naruto and One piece are really popular Manga and Anime in Japan. Though comparing with one onother, ONE PIECE is getting more popularity than NARUTO in Japan.

According to the newsapaper, latest ONE PIECE comic, the 59nd volume, has been printed over 3.2 millions. This is the largest record in Japanese comic market.
On the other hand, the Naruto's one of latest comic, the 50nd volume, had been printed over 1.57millions. It’s also a huge number, but less than ONE PIECE’s record.

I though about this matters and found some reasons.

1, NARUTO is detached from real NINJA.

In the comic, NARUTO is pictured as NINJA. Though for Japanese, he is rather a “SUPER MAN” than a “NINJA”, and we feel that “OMG, he is detached from reality!”.

Truly, a real “NINJA” was a kind of spy in Japanese Warring States Period (Sengoku era), 400 years before.

In fact, there might have been a special NINJA like Jamese Bond, but NARUTO is too invincible and supernatural NINJA-man, so we feel that he is far from real NINJA.

I’d like to continue this story in the next time.


この前話した通り、今日はワンピースとNARUTOについて話そうと思います。

ワンピースもNARUTOも、共に日本ではとても人気のある漫画です。ただ、比較すると、日本ではワンピースの方がNARUTOより人気があります。

新聞などによると、ワンピースの最新巻、59巻は、320万部を超える初刷がありました。これは、日本のコミックの最高記録です。一方、NARUTOの最新刊のひとつ、50巻は、157万部だったそうです。こちらもすごい記録ですが、ワンピースには及びません。

理由について考察した所、幾つかの理由を思いつきました。

1、NARUTOは幾分現実離れした忍者である事


NARUTOは忍者ということになっているが、我々日本人にとっては、ややスーパーマン過ぎて、「こんな忍者は実際にはいないよ」と思ってしまいます。
実際の忍者は、約400年ほど前、日本の戦国時代に活躍した諜報部員です。忍者=スパイ、というのがより現実に近いです。

確かに、ジェームスボンドの様なスペシャルなスパイはいたかもしれませんが、NARUTOの様に無敵の戦闘力を持った忍者は、日本人にとっては少し現実離れしているのです。


続きはまた次回に書きたいと思います。

Posted at Tue Sep 07 09:11:23 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/613526 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/613526 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Sep 07 09:11:23 UTC 2010
I got a comment from Chen-kun on my last journal.
He referred to another famous Japanese MANGA and ANIME, "NARUTO".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruto

To tell the truth, I didn't read NARUTO.

Though, I have started reading NARUTO series from three weeks ago.

The latest volume of NARUTO is now up to the 52 volume, and I read from the first.
Now I've finished to read the forty-three volume, and I will complete reading this series until next week.

I will talk about ONE PIECE and NARUTO, and compare them in next journal.

Posted at Fri Aug 27 04:19:12 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/601385 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/601385 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Fri Aug 27 04:19:12 UTC 2010

It's summer time!

Hot days have been continuing in Japan, and this hot atmosphere makes me really sweat.
I have to change my shirt frequently.

So I bought some new T-shirts in this season.

The picture is one of those.
I'm sure you can see some characters are printed in the front of shirt.

These are characters of "ONE PIECE", which is Japanese famous MANGA and ANIME.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Piece

ONE PIECE is really popular MANGA among Japanese young people.
The latest comic book had printed over three millions volumes.

This series are translated and printed over 30 languages, so some of Lang-8 members might have read this series.

I love ONE PIECE. I couldn't have read recent comic books, but a few week ago I read them.

I love this T-shirt, of course!



Posted at Thu Aug 26 04:11:11 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/600344 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/600344 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Thu Aug 26 04:11:11 UTC 2010
18th of August is a special day for my family ... Yes, it's my second son's birthday!

He is now two years old. The picture is the birthday dish which my wife made.

It forms Japanese very famouse ANIME　character "Anpanman".
(in Japanese, "アンパンマン")


White mash potatoes forms clouds in the sky.
The face of Anpanman is formed by rice fried by ketchup.
The body is made of hamburg stake.

BTW, Anpan-man is a very popular among Japanese children.
The popularity of Anpan-man is just like Mickey Mouse's one.


Posted at Tue Aug 24 03:54:37 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/598109 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/598109 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Aug 24 03:54:37 UTC 2010
Yamaguchi prefecture is located at western part of Japan.

I went to Ube almost every year.

In that city, there is a beautiful place named "Tokiwa park".

Tokiwa park has a large lake called "Tokiwa-ko".

I took some photos and movies with my iPhone4.
Please check them if you have a minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EafBY7GsCHg


http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/smallworld.jpn.org/20100726?authkey=Gv1sRgCIv3vJOdxdrgpgE&feat=directlink

Posted at Tue Aug 17 03:05:28 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/590472 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/590472 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Aug 17 03:05:28 UTC 2010

Finally...yes, finally I got an iPhone4!

I got it and have used for a week.

My impression for this gadget is ... incredible!

This is really useful and convenient.

I can get all kinds of application software from Apple's AppStore.
Google map lead me correctly whether walking or driving.
Sometime it can be used as a mobile game machine.
I can check the distance I have jogged by GPS tracing application.

I downloaded soccer game named "FIFA World Cup" and played it while real World Cup have been holding.

I can check all e-mail with this.

Really marvelous gadget.

I can understand now why so many people have been fired up with this mobile phone.

I like Japanese mobile phone too, but iPhone is something different device compared to other.


Posted at Tue Jul 13 03:41:04 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/552934 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/552934 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Jul 13 03:41:04 UTC 2010
Now, I made up my mind - I will have an iPhone4 at first.

I talked to my Japanese friends about my question, and many of them recommended iPhone4, like my Lang-8 friends, ポール and Eliott said.

So I decided to get iPhone4 first.
Now I'm waiting for an arrival of Apple's masterpiece - wow! I can't wait for the delievery!


Posted at Sun Jul 04 05:42:40 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/542885 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/542885 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Sun Jul 04 05:42:40 UTC 2010

Now I'm tempted by the latest gadget.

As you may know, iPhone4 was released to the market on 24th, June in Japan.

I applied a reservation through online reservation system, but I couldn't get iPhone4 because of the shortage of supply.

I heard the rumor that iPhone4 will be distributed within a month, but there are no assurance that I can get that Apple's latest gadget or not.

Then, I got another news. The latest smartphone, which uses Android as OS, is now on sale.

That has a qwerty keyboard. I touched, examined it yesterday, and found that was a pretty good.

Now I'm wondering which type of smartphone is really suitable for me.

To be or not to be (a user of iPhone),
...that is a question!

Posted at Thu Jul 01 04:20:43 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/539721 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/539721 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Thu Jul 01 04:20:43 UTC 2010 The title of the article was "Glo-bish", a new international English in the world.
Globish is an abbreviation of two words, "Global" and "English".

According to the article, Glo-bish is consisted from 1,500 words, and have a simple structure.

I think this tendency pictures vividly world's English situation.
Yes, I'm sure that I'm using "Glo-bish"... a clumsy, and not a "real", but an "English".

If you want to read about "Glo-bish" in detail, please visit Newsweek's website.

Here is a direct link to the article.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/12/glob-ish.html


Posted at Tue Jun 29 03:59:51 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/537462 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/537462 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Jun 29 03:59:51 UTC 2010
In this song, a lot of Japanese "verb" words are used in lyrics.
It is made for elementary school students, but quite useful for Japanese learners.

The name of the song is "The song of ru ru ru" (るるるのうた).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M5bXnLqQ00

"Ru ru ru" means a scat of the song, and also means "end words of Japanese verbs". Yes, almost all of Japanese verbs are ended with the word "ru"(る).

Please check it out and count how many words you know.

Posted at Fri Jun 25 04:36:30 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/533042 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/533042 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Fri Jun 25 04:36:30 UTC 2010
I once used "echofon" frequently, because it was very useful.
Though, I'm not using it.

The reason for taking away is I have changed my browser from FireFox to Google Chrome.

Echofon is very good software, but it is developed and provided only for FireFox and iPhone.

I have been embarrassed and looking for an another client software for Twitter.

Now, I finally found a best one... yes, it was a "Hootsuite".
It can be used by any browsers, and there is an expanded option tool for Google Chrome.

I can exchange my plural account with Hootsuite.
Therefore I can write some tweets for my plural accounts, and even WordPress's blog entries with this software, only one clicking action.

Please check "Hootsuite" if you are searching for some goodies for Twitter, Tumblr, and WordPress.

Posted at Wed Jun 23 13:18:56 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/531217 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/531217 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Wed Jun 23 13:18:56 UTC 2010 Are you watching this largest sports event in the world?

I'm watching television everyday to check games.
I know this site has various of nationalities and you are sending cheers to your national team.

Of course, I support Japan's national team.

Sometime this event invokes some troubles within disparate nation's people, but I wish we should support our team with the heart of gentleness, and we'd talk about the game peacefully.



Posted at Tue Jun 22 06:21:34 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/529631 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/529631 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue Jun 22 06:21:34 UTC 2010
18th of May is the special day for me and my family ... it's my first son's birthday.

Because it was Tuesday this year, I and my family celebrated his birthday on Sudnay, 16th of May.

My wife made a birthday dinner for him, displayed his favorite tv program "Kamen Rider", a hero of the juvenile story. It was decorated by rice and raw Tuna, and dried seawead.

He was really pleased with this surprising dish.

Now he is six years old now, and trying to ride bicycle with no safe wheels.

Posted at Tue May 25 04:40:25 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/494990 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/494990 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Tue May 25 04:40:25 UTC 2010
The causes of that were:

1.My wife had been back to her job

My wife had been having a child-care leave, but she went back to her job on Fevruary, so we have had a less time to take care of children more than before.

2. a bunch of tasks

March is the end of fiscal year in Japan. So I had a bunch of tasks to do (...and are now continuing!)

So I hadn't afford to write a journal and access to the Lang8.

Now I have complete some my tasks, I wish I could come to wirte my journal and proofreading my Lang8 friend's journal like before.


Posted at Fri Apr 09 03:46:54 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/438159 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/438159 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Fri Apr 09 03:46:54 UTC 2010
As everyone knows, many newspaper companies in U.S. has been going bankrupt yearly.

The same can be said for Japanese mass media.
According to the static data, Japanese mass media is losing both their profit and users gently.

Of course, this is influenced by internet media.
I'm now investigating this situation for personally.


Posted at Wed Mar 24 20:53:38 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/420273 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/420273 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Wed Mar 24 20:53:38 UTC 2010
I often go shopping with my family.

A few weeks ago, I went shopping as usual, hearing that a new big supermarket had opened near my town.

I bought some house utensils and foods as usual, took care of my child as usual, ate some ice cream with wife as usual.

The shopping ended as usual, except for a really beautiful sunset.

We headed up to the roof parking to load our thing we bought, and accidentally saw this sunset.

It was really beautiful, purple and blue sky was melted into one color, and the sunset red was fading out minute by minute.

It was really wonderful time at an ordinary parking space.
I was also happy I saw this sunset with my family.

Posted at Fri Mar 12 03:33:17 UTC 2010
]]> http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/403964 http://www.lang-8.com/5840/journals/403964 にっく(Nick_smallworld) Fri Mar 12 03:33:17 UTC 2010