Where do you start your company?

Zuckerberg answered that he would start a new company again in Boston, not Silicon Valley.

• Will not leave Boston

Weather is one of big influences among the environments.  I personally believes that Seattle is one of the best places to start up a new company; especially software products and others which require a lot of research and development in house.

The people who lives in tough weather such as rain and cold, they generally develop more patience which would drive longer strategy.

SV might have the similar trend with NYC for business as money game.  Business execution is as important as a new business idea.

Facebookのザッカーバーグのインタビューでのコメント。

• もしまた会社を始めるならボストンを離れない

シリコンバレーは投資家が多い、情報が多い・・・ということでSV詣は今でも根強いし、起業家はSVで一旗挙げようという傾向は強いですが、前からずっと感じていました。

環境が人を生み出す、創り出しますが、そのなかでも天候の影響は大です。
寒く、雨の多い地方の人は一般的に辛抱強い。まして、雨に閉じ込められ外で遊べないとなると家の閉じこもりがち。試験研究開発のビジネスにここシアトルは良いと思っています。ソフトウエア開発はその顕著な例。

辛抱強い傾向は、ビジネス戦略でも短期でなく、長期になる可能性もあるのでは？

ザッカーバーグがインタビューで語っているようにSVはNYCとは違ったビジネスのマネーゲーム化の危険性の匂いを感じます。

新規ビジネスのアイデアと同様、ビジネス開拓・実行力も大切です。

Bank Account - Credit Card

I took my Japanese client president today to the bank to open an account.  With all necessary paper work, I could  help him to open the account without any problem.

Then, I asked how long it takes to get him a credit card.  The answer is One year because of a credit history.
Give me a break...  I remember 10 years ago when I came here and I had this problem for myself.

It does not seem to be right for this guideline for the credit card society here in the USA.

TPP 2 - USA or China?

Last week I talked about TPP -Garapagos which USA is in.  On the other hand, there is FTA which China is in. The Japanese export amount to China is now larger than to USA.  Which love call does Japan respond, China or USA?  One side agreement either China or USA will not work out.

Japan is standing in the middle between China and USA as an interface of the new relationship for the next one decade.  Both countries need Japan.  Japan needs both countries. To be a reliable country by others is one of important leaderships.

This is a huge responsibility for Japan how they can develop this relationship.   Each country also must to protect her own country industries. This means a lot not only for all Pacific Rim countries but also EU.  It is not only Japan issue.

I hope they do not use this agreement for the national isolation in both politics and economy.  Otherwise, it will be a new kind of invisible war. None will get any benefit.  Japan is being asked to show their leadership.  This could be a last but big chance for Japan.   This agreement has a large influence in the world.

There is a similar era in Japanese history 200 years ago.  Innovation is not only technologies.

太陽電池の行方

米国の3社が破綻。中国の安物参入はLEDだけでなく、薄型TVからこうしたエコ技術製品にまで波及してきています。

日経新聞：太陽電池

米国・EUの景気が、こうしたエコロジーに対する補助金カットになっているのも遠因の一つ。

しかし、原発で苦い経験した日本は、地産地消でこうしたエコロジー技術の立国となることで長期的にも強い日本、頼りになる日本、喜ばれる日本となるようにしたいものです。

Amazon vs. Garapagos

Amazon has been negotiating to publish e-Book with several publish companies for the Japanese market as well as the launch of Kindle. Again, Japanese market will be opened by the US companies versus they limit the user benefits by hardware.  2012 will be the turning point for e-Book business market in Japan.

• Amazon e-Book in Japan

アマゾンが日本市場向けに電子書籍を充実する動きに出始めました。

黒船以来、 変革（イノベーション）にどうして日本は外圧がないと進まないのか？和を尊ぶ文化だから。しかし、気がついたら、海外企業に飛び越えられて、自分たちでそのビジネスをなくすのは如何なものでしょうか？

グローバルな協業、共創の動きというか、日本のイニシアティブが求められていると思います。

アマゾン創業の舞台裏 ～ 膝当てよりテーブルを！

アップル、ステーブ・ジョブズの自伝や映画化が噂されていますが、こうした成功者の人々の舞台裏。つまり、彼らの人間形成などに影響与えた幼い頃の体験や教訓。そして、失敗談など人間臭いものを知りたいですね。

WSJにアマゾンの創業者、ベゾス氏の舞台裏に一端が紹介されています。

• Amazon の舞台裏

「膝当てよりテーブルを買って欲しい！」という創業時期の素晴らしいアイデア！
笑えるかもしれませんが、創業時の混沌としかつバイタリティのある時期はそんなものでしょう。

私もデル極東、デル・ジャパン立上げ頃の８０年代後半から９０年代初頭似たような経験というか、ドタバタながらも充実した時間を過ごしました。理屈より経験が先立つ＝行動・考働が原動力だったと思います。

上記WSJの記事の著者、ブラント氏は「The Google Guys」の著者でもあり、このエッセイは最新作「One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com（ワンクリック：ジェフ・ベゾスとアマゾン・ドット・コムの隆盛）」の一部だそうです。 読んでみる価値ありでは？

Kindle Fire vs. Apple iPad 2

Which do you want?  It will not be simple price comparison ($499 vs. $199) and features but also future possible solutions and your lifestyle match.

Tablet is more likely reader, not typing something a lot... maybe a short text message... then, Kindle Fire is a good cost performance tool.  If you expect some entertainment solution such as music and movies.... then iPad will be better.

Rather than comparing the hardware specifications, you should consider what you want to do with it.  Also it will be good if we know what kind of new services Apple or Amazon will provide for this tablet.

VUI will be JUI - Joyful IT Interface

One of new features of iPhone 4S is the voice recognition; Siri.

I talked about the Interface improvement from GUI (Graphics User Interface) -> VUI (Voice User Interface) and then adding GUI (Gesture User Interface) will become JUI (Joyfule User Interface).

Siri will support the Japanese language in 2012 and until then, some users seem to be able to enjoy the following JUI.  One of the Japanese is asking iPhone 4S in English about today's weather.  Let's see what Siri responses.

iPhone 4Sにある新機能のひとつが音声認識。
以前、GUIの次に来るのがVUI。そして、ジェスチャーのGUIが加わればJUI（楽しいユーザー・インタフェース）の時代になることを書留ました。

Siri音声認識が日本語をサポートするのは来年2012年とのこと。しかし、すでにJUIの領域に達しているようです。この日本人は、今日の天気は？と尋ねているようですが、さて何と返事が返ってきているのでしょうか？

TPP - Garapagos Japanese Politician

I cannot believe that there are some Japanese politicians who are against to be a part of TPP due to some disadvantages for agriculture, medical business and etc.

Of course, there are pros/cons whenever we face to change for something new regardless good or bad.

However, they have to read the social trend where we or others are going to (or would like to go).
If we have some objections, we should make a proposal to work with.

Without being a part of TPP, Japan will be eventually out of the questions if the most countries in the Pacific Rim join. Later, Japan tries to come back to be a part of TPP.  No way... the follower does not have any voice to speak if they do not contribute from the beginning when they have hard time to go through.

No leadership... It is the BIG problem in Japan right now.  A leader will take a responsibility; that is, he/she has his/her own belief and opinion and they are good listeners.

Where do you try to lead Japan?  I hate to see that Japan will become a country which cannot have any respect from other countries because they do not take a responsibility and participate as one of good leaders.

Olympus to fire the President

The president, Woodford, got fired in 6-month after he becamse the president of Olympus.
I do not know the details but it seems to be the Communication Skill Issue. 

The Communication Skill related with both his/her personality.  In case of the international business, it also relates with the difference among the culture, life style, religion, race and etc.

It is always a challenge to overcome these gaps and it becomes ne of the frustrations in international business,

But it is also one of the most interesting and fun in international business once you respect and try to learn from another culture. Eat their food and try to greet each other in their language is the min.what we should try. 

Beyond business skill and experience, it is the matter of human relationship over a different culture, religion, race and etc. Again, it is the most interesting part of International Relations and Business.

• Nikkei.com

ASUS ZENBOOK

I believe that ASUS ZENBOOK is the one which Windows PC users have been waiting for vs. MacBook Air.

Taiwan companies are no longer simple OEM manufacturers. Is the Japanese legend over?

BTW the name of ZENBOOK reminds me of Steve Jobs though.

Voice Recognition - JUI by Vocre

Some new applications of iPhone 4S is a voice recognition and what?  Bluetooth 4.0?

Personally, I have been interested in the voice recognition technology since the middle of 1980's.  At that time, I was dreaming to replace a joystick for kids' education by Tandy Color Computer.

Vocre is the venture company who introduced their real time voice translation. It will be available for iApps for iPhone. As you can see the demo, it is getting the area of JUI (Joyful User Interface) with the mixture of  VUI (Voice User Interface) and GUI (not Graphic but Gesture User Interface).  They are under $50K seed round. Actually it does not seem to be a technology but an idea.  I think it will be interesting to pay attention what they're going to do.

日々是好日 by S.Jobs

Steve Jobsの日々是好日の実践の言葉が下記に現れていると思います。

「墓場で最も裕福な人物になることは私には関係ない。夜寝るときに、素晴らしいことをやったと言えることが、私には重要だ」（ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナル、1993年5月25日）

 For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself, "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "no" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

The Zen of Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs passed away yesterday at 56.  It was famous that he was Zen practitioner.  From the following CNN news, I found that his Zen master was the Japanese.

According to the following CNN news, Jobs appointed his master, Kobun as the official "spiritual adviser" for the company he founded after being fired as Apple CEO in 1986.  I think it is NEXT computer.

•  The-Zen-of-Steve Jobs

 Working in the same industry, I had several big turning-point to think about myself and my life; that is, harmony and balance.  I am practicing Zen Sitting, Soutou Zen（曹洞禅）, Just Sit! (只管打坐）.  Zen is the way of life.

I do not k now much about him but the public information; however, I respect the way of  Steve Jobs' life.

The above CNN blog news is good one.  I want to read it again later and I recommend you to take a look.

Bon voyage, Steve Jobs !

Washingtonpost News reports Steve Jobs departure and you can find his photo albums and videos

iPhone 4S

It was not iPhone 5 but 4S.  After 1.5 years, they released the new version but not so much attractive.  No innovation but just presented some features specification with comparison chart just like others, not Apple way.

Losing how to make us excited because S.Jobs left.  I hope not.

Sharp Garapagos Mistake

I talked about the wrong strategy by Japanese hardware makers which they did not offer any compatibility among their platform.

Did they offer this kind of inconvenience for VHS and DVD?

It is the ego of hardware maker and it ignored the customer's expectation and satisfaction.

Sharp admitted the mistake and they are going to switch to Andoroid platform; Sharp Garapagos