Japan

Honda Motor Co said Tuesday it has agreed with TDK Corp and Japan Metals & Chemicals Co (JMC) to jointly pursue the reuse of a rare earth metal extracted from nickel-metal hydride batteries in hybrid vehicles for magnets of new hybrid vehicle motors. In early March of this year, Honda…

Artist: VA Title: M.A.N.D.Y. Presents Get Physical In Ibiza (2013) Style: Tech House/Deep House Quality: 320 Kbps Date: 18-06-2013 Source: WEB Size: 332 MbTracklist:1. Anja Schneider – Stay Quiet (Dub Version) 2. LOPAZZ & Miguel Rendeiro – Summer In HD 3. Kate Simko – Out Of Order (Vinyl Dub) 4. Adultnapper – Arcana 5. DJ T. vs Sergej Gorn – Got An Attitude 6. Boris Werner – Just Another Drive By Photoshoot 7. Franck Roger – Did She Tell U 8. Booka Shade – Aery Canary (Live from Eve Dub) 9. M.A.N.D.Y. & Julian Ganzer – Japan 10. Steve Bug – Lion On The Hunt 11. Steve Lawler – Problem Child 12. Damian Lazarus – Neverending (M.A.N.D.Y. Re-Remix) 13. False Image – Ladybug 14. Mr. C – Hechizo 15. Fabio Giannelli – Lost In 27 16. Wankelmut – Mountain Top 17. Paolo Rocco – Mind F ck 18. Ultrasone – Indian Kebab 19. Smash TV – Selling Dreams (Dub Version) 20. SIOPIS & Kiki – Smoke Signals (SIOPIS Remix)Short preview: ( Lower quality – 64 kbps )mp3 download links:uploaded.net M.A.N.D.Y. Presents Get Physical In Ibiza 2013 (18-06-2013)

Despite the iPad’s popularity and prevalence throughout academia, Microsoft is undaunted in its efforts to claim a sizable share of the education market. Word surfaced this week that Microsoft is slashing the price of its Surface RT tablet to just $199 for schools and colleges that will use the tablets for education purposes. So far, the Surface RT hasn’t been a big seller against red-hot iOS and Android-powered tablets, but Microsoft is only ten months into the tablet battle. The “Microsoft Surface for education limited-time offer” will be available between June 17 and August 31, 2013, according to a brochure detailing the program. Under the program, Surface RTs without keyboards will go for $199 (normal estimated retail price is $499). With a touch keyboard, the discounted price is $249 (estimated retail price is $599), and with a type keyboard the discounted price is $289 (estimated retail price is $629). According to ZDNet, Microsoft is extending the discount purchase opportunity to schools in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Cashed-up aviation enthusiasts in the US and Europe are struggling to get their hands on UAVs – unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), because governments are still trying to work out how to regulate their purchase and use. But in China, there are no rules, according to Lily Kuo and Tim Fernholz at Quartz: China could become a drones “proliferator.” [...] The portability and low cost of drones produced in China makes them more attractive. [...] An example: China’s Wing Loong, a drone that is sometimes compared to the US’s Reaper, costs $1 million; the Reaper goes for around $30 million or more. [Source]  True zealots would be unwise to buy the Chinese vehicles, however, as most reports place their technology about 20 years behind the US. But a more real possibility is that China will start selling to other emerging markets, Quartz reports: China has already used its satellite technology for this purpose: Nigeria, Brazil, Venezuela and Pakistan have all bought or received Chinese satellites in exchange for Chinese access to their natural resources. [Source] Nevertheless, the Chinese are trying hard to catch up with US technology. In May, Foreign Policy posted pictures of a new stealth drone. They are a step up from an older generation of propeller-driven UAVs. Since the revelation of China’s real presence in the drone air-space, many have opined on how it will use them.  In Thailand’s The Nation, Andrew Erickson and Austin Strange describe an “impressive arsenal”: Beijing, however, is unlikely to use its drones lightly. It already faces tremendous criticism from much of the international community for its perceived brazenness in continental and maritime sovereignty disputes. With its leaders attempting to allay notions that China’s rise poses a threat to the region, injecting drones conspicuously into these disputes would prove counterproductive. China also fears setting a precedent for the use of drones in East Asian hotspots that the United States could eventually exploit. For now, Beijing is showing that it understands these risks, and to date it has limited its use of drones in these areas to surveillance, according to recent public statements from China’s Defence Ministry. [Source] China will also be hesitant to use drones further afield due to “the restrictive position that Beijing takes on sovereignty in international forums.” But for surveillance, it’s a different story, according to The Nation report: Domestic surveillance by drones is a different issue; there should be few barriers to its application in what is already one of the world’s most heavily policed societies. China might also be willing to use stealth drones in foreign airspace without authorisation if the risk of detection were low enough; it already deploys intelligence-gathering ships in the exclusive economic zones of Japan and the United States, as well as in the Indian Ocean. [Source] The US government’s US – China Economic and Security Review Commission released a special report: China’s Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Industry on June 13th. Read more about China’s drone development via CDT, including  CDT coverage of the considered use of drones to target a drug lord in Myanmar, who was later captured and sentenced to death. Also see CDT coverage of maritime disputes in the South China and East China Seas, where the usage of drones is expected to increase. © oliviarosenman for China Digital Times (CDT), 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: drones, emerging markets, military plane, military technology, surveillance Download Tools to Circumvent the Great Firewall

A mysterious Facebook event set for Thursday has sparked buzz that the leading social network could be adding video to Instagram smartphone picture-sharing service. The leading social network invited the media to its headquarters in the Silicon Valley city of Menlo Park where "a small team has been working on…

With many of the best soccer teams in the world competing in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, it should come as no surprise that the action has been fantastic thus far. While every player in the tournament deserves to be there, a small handful has risen above the rest.Every soccer fan knows about the likes of Neymar, Luis Suarez, Mario Balotelli and the countless other stars competing in Brazil, but the players who typically fly under the radar have a great chance to shine. That is precisely what a select few players have already done in the early going.Here are three players in particular who have considerably improved their stock with strong performances in the Confederations Cup. Nnamdi OduamadiNigeria didn't exactly face elite competition in its opening game as it took on an over-matched Tahiti squad, but that doesn't diminish what Nnamdi Oduamadi accomplished. The 22-year-old, Milan-owned striker was a dominant force for the Super Eagles against Tahiti as he registered a hat trick in Nigeria's 6-1 victory, according to SuperSport Blitz.Oduamadi is a supremely talented player, but he hasn't really received a fair chance to produce at the club level. In fact, he has played just one match for Milan as the club has loaned him out twice. Oduamadi most recently played for Varese of Serie B this past season and he showed some flashes of brilliance as he scored twice in 16 appearances. His playing time was far too inconsistent to tell how much he progressed, though.Considering how well he performed against Tahiti, it seems like Oduamadi is ready for the big time. He will have a chance to prove himself even further in the coming days as his Nigerian squad takes on the likes of Uruguay and Spain. If he is able to continue his great form and perhaps score another goal or two against those teams, then there is no doubt that Milan will come calling. PaulinhoAll of the focus heading into the tournament was on Neymar as he is considered the present and future of Brazilian soccer. Brazil has a ton of talent, however, including 24-year-old midfielder Paulinho. He scored one of Canarinha's three goals as Brazil defeated Japan by a 3-0 score to open its defense of the Confederations Cup on home turf.Paulinho has largely flown under the radar with Corinthians over the past few seasons, but that may not be the case for much longer. A number of high-level teams seem to be interested in the Brazilian up-and-comer, including Tottenham, according to Goal UK.If Paulinho is afforded the opportunity to play alongside better players on a regular basis, he figures to be far more productive. He is already a great two-way player with a strong defensive acumen as well as some scoring ability. He has already shown a knack for making big plays internationally, as he has four goals in 14 matches for Brazil, so his Confederations Cup showing could lead him to big things at the club level. Uwa EchiejileIt's usually quite difficult to overlook a two-goal performance in an important soccer match, but with Oduamadi netting three against Tahiti, many have already forgotten about Nigerian left-back Uwa Echiejile's two markers in that same match. Echiejile displayed plenty of skill on both sides of the pitch, so he is someone to watch moving forward.Echiejile has been a fairly anonymous player to this point as he plays for Sporting de Braga in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. The 25-year-old has been a consistent contributor for Braga, but the Confederations Cup offers him a grand stage for the first time. He has already made the most of it with some fantastic forays down the field, excellent scoring touch and smart defensive plays.It will be interesting to see if Echiejile's Confederations Cup play leads to anything bigger from a club perspective. There shouldn't necessarily be any rush on his part to move on from Braga as he receives ample playing time, but it is definitely something to think about in the near future. Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

Canadian animation producer/distributor Nelvana has announced plans to sponsor the production of an additional two made-for-North-America Beyblade television series. The 13-episode “BeyRaiderz Shogun” will tentatively premiere next spring. “BeyWarriors Cyborg” will follow in fall 2014 with 26-episodes and two hour-long specials. Production of the new series will be supervised in Japan by d-rights. The new North American-exclusive series will follow the broadcast of “Beyblade Shogun Steel,” an English language adaptation of Japan’s 2013 series Metal Fight Beyblade Zero-G. Nelvana previously comissioned the production of the Japanese-animated North-American-broadcast 2012 television series BeyWheelz.

The ACT Brumbies defended superbly under huge pressure to upset the British and Irish Lions 14-12 in Canberra on Tuesday and end the tourists' unbeaten run on their Australian tour. Centre Tevita Kuridrani scored the match's sole try in the first half and Jesse Mogg slotted three penalties for the…

The two loveable scamps who host Baseball Prospectus’ Effectively Wild podcast, Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller, had a fun idea on Friday’s show: they drafted a dream home run derby team. Not just in terms of “which team would win” but which team would feature the most entertaining players? They sought entertaining players more than effective players for this hypothetical situation. After the usual suspects (Giancarlo Stanton et al) and some off-the-board choices including football player/famous progeny Trey Griffey, Ben Lindbergh selected Munenori Kawasaki of the Toronto Blue Jays. Kawasaki is enjoying a fun run for the Toronto Blue Jays, mostly scoring points in the “antics” column. He is a solid defender at shortstop and turns in solid at bats but he is not an everyday player in the big leagues. Which is the point of Ben’s tongue-in-cheek selection: it would be fun to see the slight, slap-hitting Japanese import swing for the fences. As someone who joylessly drifts through life as literally as possible, it got me thinking: how might Munenori Kawasaki actually fare in the home run derby? To answer that question, I did some digging and watched him take batting practice. The results might surprise you! The Research Munenori Kawasaki is not a good hitter. Not anymore, anyway. During his prime in Japan, he was a high-average hitter who hit .294 for his career in Japan. He hit just 21 home runs in 3400 career at bats in the JPL. Kawasaki has played just about every day for the Blue Jays for the past two months, hitting just .219 but posting a robust .337 on base percentage, owning mostly to his outright refusal to swing the bat at all, really. There is a reason Kawasaki swings the bat with great reluctance – when he hits it, it doesn’t really go anywhere. His spray chart is rather hilarious, as so few of his batted balls even approach the warning track. Courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info Kawasaki’s entire gameplan is based on keeping the ball on the ground, as his second-highest in baseball ground ball-to-fly ball ratio attests. Nonetheless, Kawasaki occasionally lofts a ball into the outfield. When he does so, the outcome is generally bad. Or sad, depending on your outlook. ESPN Stats & Info, who provides the above spray chart, also tracks average fly ball distance. According to their measurements, Munenori Kawasaki has the 20th lowest average fly ball distance, just 253 feet per outfield fly. Most of the hitters below him on the average fly ball leaderboard are hitters very much like Kawasaki, with names like Nick Punto, Elvis Andrus, Emilio Bonifacio, Ichiro Suzuki and Brendan Ryan jumping out at me. When Kawasaki does put the bat squarely to the ball, good things happen. Below are two examples of solid contact by the famous mascotinjury replacment, lining extra base hits over the heads of non-believing outfielders. Playing Kawasaki shallow the other way is probably good practice…until Muni takes one over your head! But what does all this have to do with the home run derby? Even the well-hit balls off Kawasaki’s bat don’t threaten the fence. Fun as it might be, facing live pitching doesn’t bode well for Kawasaki’s ability to deliver the unexpected entertainment Ben & Sam seek. Eyes-On Scouting Report Batting practice is a strange ritual. Part warm up, part rehearsal, all players use BP differently. Some hitters choose to work on a specific part of their approach, working the other way or driving the ball to center field. Others just bomb away, seeing how many they can put into the seats and by how much. Typically hitters take five rounds of BP, five swings per turn. With my trusty notebook at my side, I watched Munenori Kawasaki take batting practice in search of some glimmers of untapped power. Rather than waste your time (and hours of mine) trying to stuff the pitch by pitch information into a silly,

Card game developer Bushiroad has announced that an anime based on its upcoming Future Card Buddyfight trading card game will premiere next spring. The CCG will be released simultaneously in Japan and North America next January. Source: Anime News Network