The gadget world is full of "why didn't I think of that?" discoveries - and some "why is anyone thinking of that?" finds as well. From November, Marubeni Infotech would like to sell you the CMFC-001 "Fragrance Case for Earphone". It's a little round aluminum button that you pop open, fill with fragrance-scented cotton, and snap onto the "Y" portion of your earphones. Whereupon it acts as an earphone accessory that emits pretty smells. Harmless enough, true, but still... Anyway, designed by CEMENT Design, it comes in white, pink, or black and costs JPY2980.
More info (Japanese):
http://www.monodo.jp/comonodo/product/f_e/

Name: Nikon Media Port UP300x
Category: portable AV player
Price: JPY69,800
Release date in Japan: Mid December, 2008

Sorry for the odd article title, but this one's not easy to describe. Out of nowhere, staid Nikon suddenly announces a "multimedia playback headset device" dubbed the Media Port UP, or UP for short. (Pronounce that as individual letters, not as "up". As always, there's English-language imagery behind the name: Nikon offers a half-dozen derivations, including "universal port", "ubiquitous player", and "U (your) pleasure".)

In Nikon's words, "This innovative product, which incorporates display, headphones, mobile A/V player, Wi-Fi capability, high-capacity memory, and power source in a single compact unit is the first of its type. The UP allows users to easily enjoy high-quality images, videos, and music anywhere."

In short, the UP takes the media player out of your hands and puts it all on your head. It's a set of full-ear padded headphones with a tiny arm-mounted video screen that sits in front of one eye, like something from a sci-fi flick. Nikon says that despite the tiny 0.44-inch, 640x480-pixel size, the 16-million color backlit LCD display offers the experience of viewing a 50-inch screen at a 3-meter distance. (Viewed with one eye only, that is, an experience that sounds decidedly odd.) Nikon is serious about the hands-free aspect, too: an internal motion sensor lets you control volume and other features with head movements alone.

Media is transfered via USB and stored on internal 8GB flash memory; 802.11b/g WiFi allows downloads of new media, with Nikon promising a content download service ("UPLINK") and video sharing site ("UPLAB") in the near future. (There's even a web browser available in that eyepiece; no word yet on how you'd actually use it.) Formats handled include WMV9, MPEG-1, and MPEG-2 movies, and MP3, AAC, and WMA9 audio files. An AV input jack lets you enjoy media played back from other devices.

It's certainly interesting, but is it useful? The internal memory holds less than 3 hours of MPEG-2 video, so you could take along, say, a single "Lord of the Rings" installment on a flight - but be prepared to swap AA batteries after only 2 hours. And will you actually enjoy watching video in one-eyed, military heads-up-display style?

Maybe, if you're a male aged 25-35; that's the target Nikon is gunning for. To help Nikon reach its sales goal of 3 million units by 2013, head to http://www.upstore.jp/ and get UP. (Japan only, for now.) If you're short JPY10,000, there's the cheaper UP300 model: only 4GB memory, no motion sensor controls, and no AV jack.

More info (English):
http://www.nikon.com/about/news/2008/1007_up300_01.htm

Stunning video, pristine audio - and the luxurious feel of leather. Now that's multimedia! To celebrate domestic sales of over 500 million DVD media disks, Hitachi Maxell is set to release DVD-R/-RW media whose label side is coated with a leather-like material. (A blank stripe running through the faux cowhide provides space to write disk information.) A box of 10 disks (in five colors) will run JPY1200 from October 25.
More info (Japanese):
http://www.maxell.co.jp/jpn/news/2008/news080918.html

Name: Hanwha UDCM301
Category: scuba gear / underwater camera
Price: JPY12,800
Release date in Japan: August 8, 2008

Why do divers get this cool head-mounted camera, while we land people have to hold our cams the regular way? Hmm, I suppose it's because divers are already wearing head gear, and we normally aren't. Plus, our hands are usually available for things like photography, while they need their hands free for stuff like swimming and fending off sharks and making that funny I'm-out-of-air sign.

So we'll let the divers have this one. What exactly is it? A spiffy-looking, silicone and tempered-glass scuba mask with a 3-megapixel camera built into the brow, waterproof at depths up to 5 meters. In addition to 2048x1536 JPEG snaps (minimum shooting distance: 50cm), the camera will record 640x480 MotionJPEG video at 15fps. Those image specs won't impress National Geographic, but sound fine for casual scuba shooting.

Nice extras include regular or rechargeable AAA batteries as the power supply, so you don't need to worry about charging proprietary batteries, and a mini USB 1.1 port, so you don't need to remember to take a memory card reader on that beach vacation. There's a built-in 16MB memory, plus a slot for MicroSD cards up to 2GB, which should hold well over an hour of video (though topped-off rechargeable batteries will last through only about 30 minutes of video).

How do you use the camera? At the top of the mask is a control for mode switching and a shutter release, so you will need to keep a hand free to shoot. Crosshairs printed on the lenses act as viewfinders for aiming your forehead. Behind the camera is a small LCD panel showing battery status, shot counter, and shooting mode, plus LED lights indicating current shooting activity; it's all visible with a glance upward.

The UDCM301 is a limited model available only online, says seller Hanwha Japan, so move fast if you want to try what looks to be a really convenient gadget for underwater photography.  

More info: http://www.hanwha-japan.com/products/udcm301/ (Japanese)
Purchase: https://item.rakuten.co.jp/hanwha/10000048/

Name: Chinshu Hakken!? Mugen Edamame
Category: novelty / toy
Price: JPY630
Release date in Japan: June 28, 2008

Remember the "Mugen Edamame" keychain/mobile phone fob from BANDAI, released barely over two months ago? (You should; it's for some reason the most-viewed gadget on this site.) The maker now has new varieties in stores: "Chinshu Hakken!? (Rare Breed Discovered!?) Mugen Edamame". It seems, says BANDAI, that the original green Mugen Edamame have married with other fruits and vegetables, producing "new breeds" in bright colors that reflect their heritage: Lemon Edamame, Sweet Potato Edamame, Carrot Edamame, and Mint Edamame (a rich blue).

This time around, BANDAI has six new faces readied for the beans, plus one "secret design". The "gadget" still does the same thing as the original: nothing. Give it a squeeze, and a little bean face pops out – a wee diversion for the stressed-out or the really easily amused. (It is cute, though, and oddly addictive, say owners.)

If the toy doesn't interest your serious sensibilities, the numbers might: BANDAI says it's reaching its 1 million unit sales goal for the Mugen Edamame in only two months, and with the help of the new "rare breeds'", expects to sell a total 1.5 million by September. At JPY630 a pop, that's JPY945 million – almost US$10 million – for a keychain! (BANDAI also reports that the beans' predecessor, a popping fake bubble wrap novelty called "Mugen Puchi-Puchi", has sold 2.5 million units at JPY819 each.)

More info: http://www.bandai.co.jp/releases/J2008062401.html
http://www.asovision.com/edamame/chinshu.html
Original Mugen Edamame:
http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/04/mugen_edamame_provides_bean_p...
http://www.asovision.com/edamame/
Be sure to catch the movie too: http://www.asovision.com/edamame/movie.html

Name: Thanko USB Necktie Cooler 2
Category: fan
Price: JPY2980 (JPY3680 with battery)
Release date in Japan: June 2008

Kids! What do you give Dad on his birthday? A necktie, of course. Ah, but what if dad's a gadget geek? Make that a USB-powered necktie!

Thanko's earlier USB Necktie Cooler was a jokey silicone necktie with a big fan intake on the front "knot". This time they've gotten serious with a real silk tie and a fan hidden within the knot. When you need to cool down, just lower the knot a bit to give the fan some breathing room, and let it blow its cooling magic at you. When guests come, turn it off and slide the knot back up to look all professional-like again.  

Oh, don't forget to first tether your tie to a computer's USB port by the included 1.35-meter cable with fan controls. Hmm, that does limit you to deskwork. If you want cooling plus mobility, attach the cable instead to Thanko's battery pack (4 AAA batteries), which can ride in your shirt pocket.

Thanko is standing by to take orders online, and has even prepared a selection of gift boxes (JPY210). Dads, be afraid.

More information: http://thanko.jp/usbnecktie2/ (Japanese)

New from GREEN HOUSE: "cute and wild" GH-ERC-PIG earphones for JPY1280. One earbud is shaped like the front end of a pig; the other earbud, the back end of a pig. The visual effect is that a very long little pig going through your head. All righty. Pink, black, or white.
http://www.green-house.co.jp/products/av/earphone/erc_pig/index.html