THe CASIO XJ-S series, the SONY Liblog Station VGF-HS1 nad the SONY Canvas Online VGF-CP1 are the subjects of this week's gadget watch. Plus, a round-up of gadget news in Japan. Read Now

How many interviews does your company do with a single candidate before making a job offer? In my own firm, we usually have three interviews: one by the screening recruiter in the HR/recruiting team, one by the hiring manager AND the team leader of the specific team that the person might be joining, and one by the division manager. If there is a technology or knowledge component, then there is a fourth interview, or a sub-interview, to assess technical competency and skills.

This week's Gadget Watch checks out Sony Ericsson's new au mobile with mega-camera; ELECOM's latest do-it-all memory card reader; BUFFALO's simplified Skype phone; and a JAXA initiative to give gadgets and more the galactic stamp of approval.

I often get requests from clients wanting to hire a manager, engineer, or other bilingual or specialized position “yesterday” – meaning that they are in a great hurry and are willing to fill a vacant position with a near fit. While one could say that the art of managing involves making sure that HR resources are available for expansion as required, unfortunately the reality is that both internal budget constrictions and the general paucity of bilingual candidates in the Japanese job market mean that hiring needs and candidate availability are seldom aligned.