Learn about awamori? There’s an app for that.

Modern technology is reaching every corner of the globe, and leaving no industry untouched, as now a local company has come up with an Awamori Large-Scale Dictionary for the smart phone iPhone.

The software application produced by Rakuen-Keikaku, a company that deals with the restaurant and publishing industries, works with the Apple iPhone, listing all 365 brands of awamori from the beverage’s 48 distilleries on Okinawa. The software lets customers sort for different awamori brands, taste, fragrance, percentage of alcohol, by distiller and by awamori name.

[…]

(Via Japan Update.)

Set for a mid-December release for ¥600. I’m hoping it’ll be released for the US too and if it is, we’ll have a review up as soon as we can get our hands on it.

iOS app: iOkinawa!

Billing itself as a combination of beautiful Okinawan girls and Okinawan dialect, out of curiosity I installed the free (with ads) iOkinawa! app (link opens iTunes US Store) on my iPhone 4. Developed by Sayobs (Ray Matayoshi) from Tokyo, it looks like it’s their first iOS app made for the iPhone. Released November 10, 2010, it’s currently at version 1.0 and the description on iTunes reads: “Tons of useful Okinawan dialect phrases with beautiful Okinawan girls.”

App Review: Sanshin (三線) for iPhone and iPod touch

Following our introduction of two virtual sanshin iPhone/iPod touch apps on the 20th and our review of the iSanshin app from Pawana LLC earlier today, we continue with Sanshin (三線) from Crimson Technology.

Crimson Technology’s Sanshin app is currently at version 1.1 and sells for U.S. $1.99. (iTunes Link) It’s nearest (or only at the moment) competitor is Pawana LLC’s iSanshin app which also happens to be at version 1.1 and is on sale for the same price of U.S. $1.99. But is it really a competition between the two apps or do both compliment each other? Read on to find out.

App Review: iSanshin (i三線) for iPhone & iPod touch

We introduced two iPhone/iPod touch apps on December 20, 2009, and both developers were kind enough to provide us with a demo of their app.

The first app we’re going to look at is called iSanshin (i三線) from Pawana LLC. iSanshin sells for U.S. $1.99 and is currently at version 1.1. (iTunes Link)

Upon launching iSanshin, you’re greeted with the splash screen (三線 = sanshin).

[Updated] Introducing two sanshin apps for your iPhone or iPod touch

We’re big Mac fans here and there’s always an iPhone within reach but we don’t always carry a sanshin with us. (Duh?) Well, anyhoo, if you own an iPhone or iPod touch you’re in luck with two apps to keep you entertained for those times when you’re without sanshin. Both apps are U.S. $1.99 and are virtual instruments.

The first app we’ll look at is called (simply) Sanshin (iTunes Link: http://j.mp/4vYmMY) and is from Crimson Technology. Unfortunately, the developers don’t have a video preview of the app and, based on App Store reviews, Sanshin has been rated 2 out of 5 stars by customers.

[Update 1: Kazushige, developer of the Sanshin app provided a link to two YouTube clips featuring his app being played by none other than the beautiful Keiko Higa of Deigo Musume.

The second app, iSanshin from Pawana LLC (iTunes Link: http://j.mp/79oZoX) has a YouTube video up (embedded down below) showcasing a few of the app’s features.

I hope to do reviews of both apps in a future entry.

[Update 2: I’m working on reviews of both apps and hope to have it up soon. So stay tuned!]

Test post with the WordPress iPhone 2.0 app

Testing the recently released WordPress for iPhone app version 2.0. So far, I like it a whole lot better than version 1.x where I’ll actually make more use of this. Wish it had a Dashboard like the Web version but I guess this is more of an on-the-go type of software rather than a replacement.

Beautiful photos of Okinawa on your iPhone? There’s an app for that.

We’re big fans of Apple Inc. here so of course, we love the iPhone. For USD $0.99, you can buy an app of beautiful photos of Okinawa shot by none other than Mr. O-pop himself, Rinken Teruya (founder of all things Rinken). The app, simply called “Okinawa,” features the song “Takouyama” sung by Tomoko Uehara, vocalist of Rinken Band and can be found here (iTunes link). Information about the app can be found here.

Is it as bad as it looks?

Putting the WordPress iPhone app to the test. If everything goes smoothly, there should be an image down below of the horrible weather in Okinawa (well, as seen in the image of the Yahoo! Weather app). Here we go.. *crosses fingers*

Bassist Yo Yasuda’s BeatMaster iPhone/iPod touch app

Currently based in Okinawa, professional bass player Yo Yasuda has played with a number of artists like Syakari, Siori, and Namiko. Although that should be enough to be of interest to our pop culture blog, he’s gone and done something to really excite us: introducing the BeatMaster app for iPhone and iPod touch. According to his blog entry, Yo created the app as a way to help musicians build a strong sense of rhythm in a fun, and very portable way. The video above showcases the app in a very familiar setting: Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. Sounds interesting? Check out the product’s website or at the iTunes App Store (link opens iTunes).

(Via しゃかりデジカメ日記.)

WordPress iPhone app

Test post with the WordPress iPhone app. It crashed on me the first time and I couldn’t complete this post the second time (the “Save” button vanished!?) so let’s hope the third time’s the charm. 🙂