TechToys Video Podcast

Earth Day Tokyo footage from Saturday, April 23 near Yoyogi Park. Check out Bee Japan at www.beejapan.org. They are doing a bike ride from the top to the bottom of Japan to raise awareness of environmental issues. They are also raising money for Henoko to protect the dugong (like manatees) and coral reefs in Okinawa.

First of many videos from Earth Day Tokyo, taken using the Sony HDR-HC3 High Def camcorder. We were trying to find the Earth Day Tokyo event, but were looking in Yoyogi Park and got a bit lost. Found it eventually. It was a really cool, chilled out event. This footage is mainly unedited, but if you like Japan and the environment, you might like it.

A version of the ToinPhoenix Robot by students at the Toin University of Yokohama performs to the song "I hope" by Ether Hour at www.etherhour.com. This work and the music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike License.

Wind power, hair-loss treatment and soccer robots at Technical Show Yokohama 2006, set to "Pretty Ugly" by 50FootWave. The Technical Show is an annual event showcasing the best of Yokohama's many high tech universities and companies, such as Nissan, which has decided to relocate its head office to Yokohama in 2010 to take advantage of the infrastructure here. This video and the song is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Sharealike License. We have been working on a Flash-based online store the last month or so. You can check it out at http://techtoys.jp if you want to help us test it out or suggest any products from Japan. From now on any videos related to store products will use the store logo, while videos of tech events and expos will usually be Creative Commons and use the podcast logo.

A quick demo of the iFish, set to "Summertime" by Brother Love, courtesy of the Podshow Music Network. The iFish from Sega Toys went on sale in Japan on Saturday, February 4. Like the iDog, it lights up, makes noises, responds to sound and touch, and can act as an iPod speaker. I like its crazy spins and the design of its tail. I also think it moves better and has better sound quality than the original Japanese iDog. "Summertime" is for all you guys back in New Zealand and other countries who are enjoying the beach and summer fun while the rest of us have to suffer in the snow.

Third video from the Eco-Products Expo, this time focusing on some electric, hybrid, diesel and hydrogen powered "eco" cars, set to "Drive Away" by Matthew Ebel, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network (music.podshow.com). The Expo was held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center, December 15-17. Matthew Ebel is one of the more well known podsafe music artists. You can buy his album "Beer & Coffee" from his website at www.matthewebel.com.

Second video of exhibits from the Eco-Products Expo, and a puppy, set to the song "Standing On The Shoulders Of Love" by Dave McDaid. Thanks Dave! The Expo was held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center, December 15-17. Check out Dave's music at http://www.myspace.com/mcdaidmusic.

First video from the Eco-Products Expo, held at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center December 15-17. Set to the song "In A Long Time" by 46bliss, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. The expo was an interesting mix of big corporations, with their power-saving 65-inch LCD and Plasma TVs, oil-saving hybrid and hydrogen cars and water-saving washing machines, lined up alongside small NGOs and environmental groups, health-food eateries, organic food and goods producers, and a few oil companies thrown in for good measure.

Happy New Year from Yokohama, Japan! Watch the lights and fireworks as we countdown to the new year in the "City of Creative Experimentation" Yokohama Minato Mirai 21 (Future Port City). And check out the song "Anne Bancroft Is Dead" by the Blue Vagrants, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. Have a great 2006! 新年あけましておめでとうございます。今年もよろしくお願いします！

A mashup of some classic vlog moments in 2005, set to the song "Really Really Happy" by The Muffs, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. These were some of the first video blogs I subscribed to back in April using FireANT and Juice (iPodder Lemon). joshleo.com, thevoiz.com, insanefilms.com, michaelverdi.com and ryanedit.blogspot.com. Happy New Year!