E-Commerce Blog

Last week, a select group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs traveled to Tokyo to learn about Japan’s tech sector and new opportunities. What they found was a country in transition, a few surprises, and a group of Japanese entrepreneurs itching to plunge headfirst into the international marketplace. The goal was to “build bridges — geographical, cultural, and topical” between Silicon Valley and Japan, said Ellen Levy, VP of corporate development and strategy at LinkedIn and founder of Silicon Valley Connect, the organizing body for the trip.

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Where are the Japanese Googles?

I didn’t expect much from games on the iPhone. I had visions of casual games, perhaps a fancy take on solitaire or a version of poker that takes advantage of the handset’s touchscreen. Surely not a true mobile gaming experience. Boy, was I wrong. For the last few days I’ve been sampling some of the games available from the iTunes Store on the iPod touch, and I’ve been stunned at how elaborate and involved they are. On the iPod touch I’ve played a version of Gameloft’s “Real Soccer 2009″ that rivals the version of the game on the Nintendo DS, and I didn’t even miss the buttons.

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Apple: Soon to Be a Mobile Gaming Force

Pokemon, Mario and the Wii are as hot as ever, but the onset of a headstrong yen forced Nintendo to prune its money-making ambitions Thursday. The Kyoto, Japan-based video game and console maker cut its annual net profit forecast by nearly 16 percent because of the stronger Japanese currency, which erodes overseas earnings. It now predicts a net profit of $3.5 billion for the fiscal year, down from the $4.2 billion estimated in August. The outlook is based on an exchange rate of 100 yen to the dollar instead of 105.

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Nintendo Cheery About Holiday Sales Despite Lowered Forecast

Sony posted a 90 percent fall in quarterly profit as the global slowdown boosted the yen, battered stocks and stoked price competition, and the company kept its annual profit outlook of a 58 percent decline. The steep profit slide was expected after the electronics and entertainment conglomerate last week cut its annual operating profit forecast by 57 percent, citing yen strength, slowing digital camera and flat TV demand, and tumbling share prices.

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Sony Delivers on Bleak Expectations

Ask anyone to describe a hardcore gamer and the image that comes to mind is probably that of a geeky, teenaged, socially awkward male who spends countless hours locked in his bedroom. The notion, however, that men alone rule the gaming realm is as outdated as the Atari 2600. Men, women and children alike have answered the call to play. While the gaming industry has long tailored its approach to gaming for young men and boys, women and girls have been largely left out. “A large part of it is legacy perceptions,” Kimberly Unger told TechNewsWorld.

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Where Are the Video Games Women Really Want?