As Japanese electronics manufacturers rediscover their place in the consumer electronics world, competing with Chinese, Taiwanese, and Korean companies by introducing innovative and high-end products, Intellectual Property (IP) is increasingly becoming the point of leverage that defines success or failure. As a result...

What small Japanese electronic toy created in 1996 has sold more than 40m units around the world, and within its target age group of under 15's purportedly has a 100% consumer recognition rate? Hint: when it went on sale in 1997, at its peak it sold at a rate of one unit every 4 seconds in North America ...

First of all, please help me celebrate a bit - we've finally reached issue No. 100! Maybe you're a new subscriber, and this is the first issue of Frugal Watch you've ever read. Maybe you've been with me since the beginning (March 13, 2004 - in case you're curious). Whatever the case - here's a cheery 'kanpai' to this not-so-shabby accomplishment...

Starting in April 2007, the Japanese Government requires that all new third-generation mobile phones support position notification functionality using GPS. The latest 3G-models of the three carriers indeed all come with GPS. Time to take a look what location-based services are offered.