07th Sep 2003
Strawberry Pocky
Yesterday was a whirlwind of park, get out, do something, go somewhere else, do more stuff. I’ve researched cell phones + plans about as much as I can stand …
I’m getting a Nokia 3650 with T-Mobile service through Amazon.com. If you are hemming and hawing yourself, realize that the time of Massive Rebate is almost up. Going through Amazon gets you a $300 phone for free. I like that word. Free. I also like the words “unlimited laptop internet through Bluetooth, talking to cell phone, for $19.99 a month”. Sign me up.
After driving my daughter crazy by actually going to a cell phone store, and checking out the item in question (imagine that, consumer research!), we dropped by an extensively stocked video (strictly retail) store in a Generic Mall. Amongst 100’s of anime vids and other imports was a Japanese Candy Section. I always enjoy the opportunity to point out the cultural bright spots in Suburban Mall Hell, where kiosks will sell ya a new plan, a new faceplate, will keep you talking so much that you forget the people you’re physically with, if you don’t watch out. So we bought us some edible Culture. Hee-yup.
Enter Strawberry Pocky. Although I haven’t yet been to Tokyo, I’m aware of the candy/vending machine subcultures there. Food fads come and go in a blur of culinary darwinism. Pocky, in this case, being a thin biscuit-stick with icing. One of the long-time survivors of the fickle taste buds of Japanese schoolkids. Context to tell Sophia a little more about how phones used to be, how they are now, and how tech is a bit ahead elsewhere.
Our new gadgets are Japan/Korea/Europe hand-me-downs. America always behind. My new phone will do 15 seconds of video. Assume Tokyo is ahead of us. More seconds. More resolution. Japanese schoolgirls are driving the newstands crazy with phonecam shoplifting. They use their phones to snap photos of fashion magazines. Maybe do a short video - A fresh email attachment sent before they even leave the store. Newstands resort to warning signs, but the problem is, they can’t tell if Hip Teenager is legitimately on the phone, or converting everything in sight into massive MoBlog copyright violations. Interesting culture: Hello Kitty hi-tech, bags of Pocky and Melon soda - convert real life to digital in a typical afternoon of crowded trains, earbuds, IMs and text messaging. Wavering between Real and Virtual space with the dexterity of a Russian gymnast.
No overwhelming conclusion to all of this. Just have been thinking a lot about cultures and gadgets. I’m old enough to remember how things were, and still enjoy the Edge of seeing where things are going. It would be fun to tour a few cities and do an article. Compare mobile tech and attitudes to what we see in the States. Sure, it’s been done, but then it keeps changing. A one-device-does-all Tech Nirvana on the horizon (and how will it affect the people that own it?)
