JapanNewbie » Crazy Consumers

Study Joyo Kanji on your iPhone with iKIC

harvey — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:55:14 +0000

Yet another iPod Touch or iPhone App to help you learn Japanese has been released. This one was released my my former school, IUC Japan.

iKIC is available as a free limited download, and as a iKIC full paid version with more content. You can also purchase add-ons for the paid version that adds even more content.

iKIC FREE

IKIC PAID

iKIC stands for “i-Kanji in Context” The content from the app is taken from IUC’s very intense SKIP program that the students at IUC use every day to learn the Kanji.

The strong points of iKIC are that it includes 1,947 characters (given you upgrade to the full version) and it gives example sentences (most of the time) that gives context to help you understand how the vocabulary is used. The example sentences it gives are serious and sometimes pretty academic, so it’s good practice for advanced learners.

You can get audio files for the vocabulary and sentences as an add-on pack. I haven’t tried the upgrades beyond the basic paid version, but if it is like the SKIP program which is available at the school that this is based on it should be quality natural Japanese read by the teachers at the school.

Here are a ton of images that should explain what the app is all about.

Note, iKIC also has a simple quiz mode that works like a flashcard program where you grade yourself whether you guessed right or wrong.

iKIC information on IUC Webpage.

Here’s those download links again:

iKIC FREE

IKIC PAID

For more on IUC check out my IUC as an Advanced Student post.

Happy Kanji-ing!

Harvey

PlaySay Revisited

harvey — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:19:26 +0000

Learn Japanese Vocab on your iPod-like Device with PlaySay

You may have noticed mention of PlaySay on and off on this blog over the past year so. Recently Ryan, the head Japan-head at PlaySay, contacted me to let me know that PlaySay has really been taking off. You can read a quick article about Ryan and PlaySay on YoungUpStarts here.

Some of the major changes to PlaySay include that now they not only cover Japanese Language Proficiency Exam (JLPT) stuff, but they do Genki Textbook Vocabulary and also cover content from the Dictionary of Japanese Grammar. The products have also been updated to cover the new JLPT N1-N5 levels.

Here’s a quick video showing how the product works.

More information on the PlaySay Japanese products can be found on our PlaySay introduction page. If you’re looking for one more way to supplement your Japanese environment, check it out!

You may have noticed I was careful to say PlaySay “Japanese” products. They also do Chinese and Spanish. I’m going to take a look at the Chinese stuff 今すぐ！

Happy learning!

Harvey

Hello Kitty Toaster for the Kitty Geek who has Everything

harvey — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:05:42 +0000

Burn Hello Kitty's Face into your Toast

Now you can burn Hello Kitty’s face into your toast with this too-cute-to-be-owned Hello Kitty Toaster!

I don’t have one of these.

Probably never will…

Unless of course I have a daughter someday who learns of this product and demands that I buy it.

Scary thought.

Seriously though. Hello Kitty is powerful stuff. Powerful.

- Harvey

Takoyaki USB Memory Stick

harvey — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:04:55 +0000

What better gift for a Japan-loving Osaka-friendly Kansai-dreaming friend of yours than a Takoyaki USB Memory Stick? Afterall, the best gifts are the things that no one in their right mind would ever go out and buy on their own… but on the other hand would be happy to receive! Yummy.

Takoyaki USB Memory Stick (1GB)

For the price this USB stick is hardly cheap storage, but hey, it’s got a takoyaki on it!!!

You know… I have blogged about Takoyaki a ridiculous number of times on this blog. I count more than 10.

Check this out.

Vintage JapanNewbie from 2005: Takoyaki.
Takoyaki Party 2006
Takoyaki Home Party!
GIANT Takoyaki!
How to make Takoyaki at Home
Takoyaki Revisited
Haagen Dazs Takoyaki!?
You can BE Takoyaki
Takoyaki with Green Onions in Osaka.
Osaka Meal. Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki.
Fully Automatic Takoyaki Maker

Enjoy! But don’t eat it. It probably won’t work after that.

Harvey

Fully Automatic Takoyaki Maker

harvey — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:23:16 +0000

Finally, a place where you can buy a Fully-Automatic Takoyaki Maker online and have it shipped overseas. If you still haven’t made that last minute holiday gift purchase for that special Japanese-loving someone, this might be worth a look!

Automatic Takoyaki Maker, not cheap, but awesome!

Did I say “fully automatic?” Why yes, yes I did.

I have actually never seen a fully-automatic Takoyaki Maker before – this is pretty swank!

This thing flips and rounds the Takoyaki for you, so you don’t have to be all busy with the stick turning them. Well, not -as- busy anyway. As you can see from the video, you have to be sure that one side is pretty well cooked before you start the motor to get the auto flipping going, but once you get it right it’s pretty cool. Plus, it’s fun to watch.

If you’re still wondering what to get your very special Japan geek for the holiday season, maybe this Takoyaki maker is worth a look.

Check the links below if you want some more background information on Takoyaki!

Harvey