Wired Magazine

If you're into gadgets you've probably realized some of the coolest, strangest and geekiest gadgets and gizmos come from Japan. If you're a real webmeister, you've probably noticed the hottest Japanese items are often premiered to the US (and the rest of the world) via Tokyomango, a site started by Lisa Katayama nearly a year ago.

Lisa, who grew up in Tokyo and now lives in San Francisco, has been sharing her insight into Japanese culture and gadgets (as well as her general knowledge of techie things) with Wired Magazine for two years and is also the associate editor at PLANETº Magazine. She has a book coming out in Spring 08 about secret Japanese tips and tricks and has quickly gained a reputation for her witty, hilarious and insightful pieces. Think golden poop. Think cell phone straps. Think beer for dogs. Think anything you ever wanted to know about Japan's "Beauty Adviser" Nintendo DS games. Think where does Lisa find all this goofy stuff?

When she's not writing, she's game for any team sport or activity (like speeding down hills on skis or a bike), crafting, eating, watching chick flicks, playing video games and traveling all over the world. I managed to snag an interview with her and asked her a couple questions about her site and well, overall coolness. Click here to read more

When I saw Martha Stewart on the cover of August's 'How To' edition of Wired Magazine showing off her "homemade" Wii cake I briefly considered following her directions and recipe (hers was mostly cardboard and not edible). That is until I remembered what a disaster I am when it comes to baking projects. When I learned Flickr user rufus50 (real name Brian W) had taken the Martha Stewart cover as a personal challenge to create a scrumptious Wii cake I tracked him down. No, I didn't get a piece, but it sure looks amazing.

What made Brian create this intricate, award-worthy cake? read more

Remember the Doggie Cam? I guess we weren't the only people loving it. Wired Magazine has put together a Doggie Style: Cell Phones, Webcams and GPS for Hounds piece that makes me drool...just a little bit.

While I don't have a puppy and can't imagine I'd keep mine in the best designer gadgets if I did - the idea that so many pet gizmos exists is a real testament to geeky animal lovers. I can't decide if I love the Canine Camera or Puppy PDA more. It's a real trial in cuteness.

Here are some highlights in the study of gadgets designed by people that clearly don't have children or hobbies:

• Canine Camera - A portable, durable camera from Takara Tomy can be hung from your dog's collar and operated by remote control. You can set a timer, triggering the camera to snap photos every few minutes and auto-upload to any Japanese cell phone.
• Doggie Cell Phone - This voice-enabled, waterproof, GPS-enabled cell phone from Pets Mobility tracks your dog's location using GPS. It's also a two-way cell phone, with an auto-answer feature that puts your voice on speakerphone. You can talk to your pup and he can respond with a bark. The doggy phone has a "call home" button so if anyone finds him, they can use the phone to contact you.
• Pooch PDA - The PetMaster lets you keep your dog's busy schedule in one paw-shaped device. Keep tabs on Spot's vet appointments and play dates, or check a database of animal hospitals and dog-friendly motels across the United States.

View 9 Photos ›

• doggles
• pedometer
• doorbell
• emergency_kit

To check out the wild selection of doggie styles,  read more

In the fresh May issue of Wired Magazine Heroes star and one of my favorite Geek of the Week contenders Masi Oka opened up about being a geek in real life and on screen.

The interview was actually just a slice Behind the Scenes With Heroes Creator Tim Kring and "Hiro," Masi Oka, which details the story of how the Crossing Jordan and Chicago Hope creator came up with the idea for the show. For those of you that haven't been watching, Heroes has quickly garnered cred from the mainstream press and viewers as well as the usual sci-fi cult fans.

According to Wired, Oka, who plays time traveler Hiro Nakamura, said he bases Hiro's wide-eyed innocence on an anime character from Dragonball Z.

He also said he "wants Heroes to include more geeky references." "Sometimes I try to sneak one in there," he told the magazine.

Here are some highlights from the story:

• Masi Oka, who plays salaryman Hiro Nakamura on Heroes, is scarfing down baked chicken in the back of a strip club in Van Nuys, California, on a break from filming the April 30 episode. "Tim's a great barometer for people who are not into comics," Oka says. "If Tim understands it, the whole world will. The writers might geek out and come up with some time- traveling, mind-bending fifth-dimensional thing. Tim says, 'Whoa, what does that mean?'"

For additional highlights, read more

As design, fashion and gadget lovers we seem to always be searching for the best, biggest (or littlest) and brightest product that is going to change our life. We naturally crave the newest iPod model, big screen TV or camera, but where is the line where the popular gadgets of the moment and personal technology merge and how do we find gadgetry that truly meets our long-term individual needs?

Wired recently interviewed Industrial Designer Branko Lukic, who is working to develop and license products that will be "treasured not because of their specifications, but because they make the owner happy to own it." The idea, which Branko details in his upcoming book "Nonobject," is about the "space between you and the object" and while it may seem esoteric to some, points to an exciting, interactive and deeply personal trend in technology. Lukic, who says his interest in design sprung from his desire to "make the world around me a better place," told Wired:

In the 20th century, we were focused mostly on the practical, utilitarian side of design, and later we were driven by technological advancements, marketing and business plans. In the 21st century, instead of design just fulfilling the basic needs, doing certain things or resolving particular problems, people will seek deeper, greater and longer lasting product experiences. nonobject benefits from not being constrained, as compared to design practice today, which benefits from being constrained.

Check out the full interview on Wired's website and let me know what you think about the movement and idea.

The April cover of Wired Magazine will feature a package of stories about radical transparency, their notion that the next model of business success is laying your company bare to the world—sharing secrets with your rivals, blogging about ideas as you have them, and copping to fumbles and foibles as you make them. Even more transparent, I fear, is the magazine's cover, which features the fabulously funny and smart Jenna Fischer, who plays Pam on The Office. No there won't be any foil wrapping, but Fischer will appear clothed in the top cover and "naked" on a second cover underneath.

"If you're talking about transparency, the obvious metaphor is clear: you're naked," says Wired's Creative Director. "So of course, Wired being Wired we wanted a cover that was smart and showy. And as Creative Director I wanted something that hadn't been done before. We settled on the idea of printing on clear acetate. But it had to be interactive. Now you’re in a business suit—now you’re not." read more

Wired Magazine's Monkey Bites recently snapped a photo of these sodas in the lobby of Microsoft's conference center, and while I have seen them on every single tech site out there I am still giggling about them.

Some insiders say it's actually not soda in the can, but water, but there hasn't been any official word yet as to the contents, which means I am going to continue to dream of popping open a can of refreshing and lime-infused Microsoft Soda. I'll bet it tastes better than the lime-colored screen that pops up when things go sour in Windows. Oh snap!

This month's Wired Magazine features a list of the top six geek bars in the US that can't be missed if you're a bar-going geek. While the concept of a geek bar excites me to no end, I do worry the crowd at such places is slightly more likely to use pick up lines like "you make me want to upgrade my Tivo" and "by looking at you I can tell you're 36-25-36, which by the way are all perfect squares." Just a guess. I must admit, their pick for Edinburgh Castle in my hometown of San Francisco is spot on. The A-listers include:

Miracle of Science
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
The giant menu on the wall is in the form of the periodic table of the elements, and it’s just a short unicycle ride from MIT.

Barcade
BROOKLYN
The large selection of beers on tap is outdone by 25 mint-condition, 1980s arcade games lining the walls.

Quark’s Bar
LAS VEGAS
Only at the Las Vegas Hilton can you drink Romulan ale and be amused by roaming Klingons.

For the rest of the Best Geek Bars visit Wired.