It's a shame that #4. Blu-ray recorders didnt catch on here in the US.

I for one would love to burn my dvr stuff to Blu-Ray. The damn thing is always filling up.

Let me clarify...
I know that you CAN burn DVR to DVD/BR, but it aint as easy as the ol' TV->VCR used to be.

In your claim: "Setting up a machine to record TV shows to discs — or tapes, for that matter — is beyond many people. The U.S. rejected DVD recorders because we use DVD machines as players only, with the DVR essentially taking over all video-recording duties. By the time Blu-ray came, virtually no one was recording to disc anymore outside of the PC."

People have been used to setting up recorders for years as VCRs, so its not like we forgot.
I think this is mainly due to what technology was allowed to the consumer (ie, what cable & satellite companies gave us).
They only gave DVR and no way to easily record from thier boxes.
I think that if people had a way to save their DVR'ed shows to Blu-Ray, they would eagerly do so.

we already have toilets like that in the states.. made by TOTO I believe. I know one guy who has one, he's too large to reach around to wipe so he has to use this.

Giggity has it right: It's not beyond us, it's the fact that the DRM and DVD consortiums don't want us to record anything without paying them more money, even commercial television programs.

The film and TV studios that make the media you might record and burn on a DVD/Blue Ray recorder saw what digital and the internet did to the music biz and said, that aint gona happen to us. They made it clear to the manufactures of the electronic gear that they would not release films or TV shows to Blue Ray if they sold a recordable system in the USA. A BR recorder hooked to a TV tuner never had a change to reach an audience in the USA. I would buy one tomorrow for the going price in Japan, around $1,250.

I have a DVD Recorder that I bought at a Sears in 2007 and I love it. It only records up to 8 hours on a single dvd but that's great for me. It can record my shows and then I can watch them when I get around to it. I use a DVD-Ram disc so that I can delete them after I watch them so that it can record more.

Blame the big media companies. Lots of people would have bought OTA DVRs with Hard Drives and DVD (or Blu Ray) burners. Even after a judge drove a stake through the heart of the Broadcast Flag nonsense, manufacturers were shy. It is a shame that, while the Japanese get treated like adults, we Americans get told what technology we can have - if we a good little Vegemites. Long live the gray market!

@flex
HORF!!! Are you serious... I'm sorry you know that...

For massage chairs like the one pictured above, I totally want one, but they don't make them for people over 6 foot (or people with long torsos like mine).

The slim cell phone is fugly and looks too long to fit in the average pocket.

The sit-down shower seems pretty sweet.

Netbooks are kind of pointless unless you're a dedicated business traveler of some sort.

Blu-Ray came on too strong and people are now like "WTF? why isn't anyone buying this?" where DVDs took damn near forever just to become recordable which left the consumer with hundreds of tapes not knowing what they're gonna do with all of them.

Lastly... Bidets... Where to begin... If you squirt you'd still need to dry and since some of us in America have this fancy new-fangled thing called cold weather, having a wet crack isn't that appealing.

The US has always been gun shy of buying new technology. BluRay needs to show its going to be around for a while and not fade out like Beta or Hi8. Media companies need to feel safe that being able to record isn't going to cut into their profit margins.

Massage Chairs are sold buttheir high costs (over $4K per chair) limits wide spread appeal.

Micro netbooks would be cool, but I am guessing battery life is not all that great right now. Also the small screen might be too small for people to adequately use effectively.

The Bidets are available with heated air driers, which will blow warm air to help dry your bottom.

#1 #4 and #6
are all sold here in California.. Dvice.. please check your sources.
They're sold here in Asian Markets and no one says anything.
They've been selling these things for decades.
especially those massage chairs.
I've seen those everywhere in technology stores at Malls.

Lived in Japan for a year, and the sit-down showers were a true revelation. If I ever build my own house, it'll have a japanese style bathroom - sit-down shower, and *deep* soaking tub. The PERFECT way to unwind after a long day or hard workout.

It's a shame they don't sell those mini netbooks in the UK

i have a tiny netbook...it sucks balls, that's why they didn't catch on.

Retarded. the slim phones look nothing like that obviously photoshopped picture. they are a tad bit longer and that's .. perhaps a cm or 2 longer than a blackberry bold. my 2 year old cell phone has built in e-wallet, train pass, card reader, bar code reader (able to get lots of info on food, concerts, discounts, etc.), multiple widgets, gps, 5.2mega pixel camera, qwerty keyboard, tv, and my personal concierge service.. and thats only the surface.

i don`t understand.. why americans refuse this products? i think those are very cool gadgets specially that massage chair,anyone tried it? it`s very relaxing :D

Way off base on #4. We use our computers as media centers for playback and recording, bypassing the DVD altogether. The computer has made all round shiny things obsolete here.

acer and asus are actually taiwanese brands...alot of asian countries have gadgets that are way ahead of the US, not just japan.

@Captain Fisheye...true, but that is usually a setup for those that know the tech.
#4 is great for the normal tv viewer or even a person like myself that doesnt want to deal with setting up my pc to do all that. Nor do I want cables running thru my apt from my living room to where my pc is.

Getchaback, he didn't say these things aren't available in the US, just that they haven't caught on. Everything on the list is available in the US - you just have to look a little harder and pay a bit more.

I don't have a blu-ray recorder because there is nothing on worth recording on $24 blank disk.
I can download any show I could want already ripped.
Sit down showers, well I have a large tub.. so if I want to sit down... I put in the bench that was made for that tub.. works find. I really do prefer baths tho.
Super small computers... I like having screen space. Small just does not work for me..
Massage chairs... I like them but at $2000.00 for the nice ones... it's cheaper to put a roommate to work working my aches and pains.

Those bidets are pretty sweet... How about the e cigarette ? Not on the list.

I think the reason why most Americans don't have a Bidet Seat is because we have some kind of social stigma about them and don't like talking about our behinds. I say get over it Bidets can only be a good thing!

@thisisonlyatest. I'm sorry to shatter your dreams of a world where only the USA gets cold... Sister Aloysius from your secluded Kansas Catholic School was regrettably wrong: http://tinyurl.com/yjkks2e

When it comes to Bidet. I think it's as previously mentioned. Most people have this fear against a machine squirting water up your rear. But if you've ever tried it, you'll understand that you will never feel so clean using toilet paper. Plus, other features are the heated seat, dryer, and customizable settings. Makes sense that we should move away from the dark ages of using TP and yoru hand, when you have technology that can do a much better job.

those toilets are cool, but aren't that common. What is much more common is a little porcelain hole in the ground that you squat over. So don't get too jealous of their toilet tech. Combine that with no central heat or air conditioning, and most people not owning computers (they use their cell phones, or maybe the little netbooks) it isn't all it's cracked up to be.

>in public baths you're supposed to wash only from the neck down.

Wrong.

Also, I lived in a university town in the East coast and saw a lot of American students using those netbooks.

Hey I think thats not true. I am a Japanese but I've never seen such a long and slim phone, and I've never seen #3, sit-down showers as well.

I mean, almost all of Japanese phones are very slim, but they are not long like that picture.
>Retarded. the slim phones look nothing like that obviously photoshopped picture.

Thats right.
but massage chairs are relly nice.

American Fingers too fat for mini laptops.

The bidet caught on in Japan after a commercial showing the difference between 'wiping' a dirty hand vs 'rinsing' it off. Japanese wipe after rinse.

The small netbooks are great especially for commuting. I can easily imagine why you wouldn't need one in the States if your transportation door to door is by car. And you don't take your work home.

I have seen netbooks everywhere and now even Cellular South, Verizon, oh heck all the mobile companies are marketing them for a pretty decent price. Once again, no facts required to get a story on the net

The problem with mini netbooks are the price. Right now you can get a 15" laptop for about the same as a 10". Given the choice in price and size most people want the screen.

You're joking about the impractibility of power to the bidet seats right? All it is is a power cord going to a nearby outlet. I guess it is totally impracticle to have an outlet in American bathrooms. (HUH???) And in case you haven't heard, bidets are used throughout the western world, it's just filthy Americans prefer dry TP and leftover dingleberries to a washed behind.

How about a heated massage toilet seat, with warm and gentle testacle dual bidets and waterproof speakers in toilet bowl that say "thankyou for poo poo Honcho"!, in a husky Japanese voice.

BluRay hasn't caught on because of the perverted-control-freak level DRM embedded into it.

About the phones I have two japanese phones myself.. and i think they are better then what is offered in the U.S. the best thing about it is no one knows what it is and they seem amazed when you turn the screen or flip it.

I would LOVE to have a BR recorder! I have wanted one for a whole now, thinking they hadn't been made available widely yet because of cost. I mean, most computers don't have BR burners yet. I don't get people in my own country sometimes. Technology is awesome! Learn it, live it, love it! (As I type this on my iPhone...)

@thisisonlyatest: The bidet toilets use warm water -- the temperature is usually adjustable, in fact -- and they don't leave your crack wet, but dry it with warm air.

You forgot "Love Hotels"

The US didn't reject Blu-Ray recorders we weren't given a chance to use them. The movie studios want so many royalties and set so many standards to keep us from getting the recorders that they were not usable. I would love to archive video I have purchased to BR disc but can't due to the strict standards. I can't copy anything that I get from satellite without it being converted to analog before it can then be re-recorded to BR digital.

6... Massage Chairs... have one, it's awesome. I see them all over, both my parents have them and I have one in my living room. Walk through any major mall in America and you'll see pay per use ones. I think that cost could be a factor, but you can buy the cheap ones that go over office chairs.

5... Elongated phone... have one, it's awesome. Aside from the length of the phone, Japanese (and other Asian) phones have way more features than our standard flip phone. I'm worried more about the quality than the length of the phone. By the way, I'd buy the photo-shopped version... talk about your awesome gag-gift.

2... Netbook... have one, it's awesome. I know tons of people that have them. As previously stated, walk into any classroom. Of course, the Japanese one I own is 2 years old and includes way more features than their us counterparts... like tablet functionality. The battery life of these things are super long too, I know one that can allegedly go for 8 to 10 hours.

4... Blu-ray recorder... want one, it's awesome! I loved the DVD-Recorder I got (from Japan), but did feel it was limited in the amount of data you could fit on the disk. Once the cost comes down some, this could be very useful. Agreed, however, that all of the copy-protection weighs us down.

3... Sit-down Shower... I take my showers in the morning and would love to be able to take a seat... if I had the time. I don't think these are all that common in Japan though. Perhaps relegated to the public bath, as I never saw one.

Now what would be better for #3 would be the handheld shower over the sink. You're expected to shower in the open area, not in the tub. In Korea they omit the tub and include a toilet (sans bidet for obvious electrical issues) all in the water-tight bathroom.
Japan http://tinyurl.com/yfzlygw
Korea http://tinyurl.com/ygocdmg
(Images found with Google images... not my own)

1... Bidet... First off, these aren't available in (most) public toilets... most are previously stated are limited to the squatter... especially in older establishments. The bidet is something you'll find in well to-do person's home, nice hotel, or the private bathroom of an executive of any company. These are found all over Asia, and in some form all over the world.

I agree that the reduction of TP use is a good idea... but did have an issue with clearing my colon with high pressured water jets. The heated seats are very nice though, and they do have blow-dry for those that don't mind the jet of water up the arse.

All in all, I think the answer to why Japanese tech hasn't caught on here is it already has, but most of what we consider high-tech, they consider yesterday's tech. As for the rest, just give it time... aside from the shower and the bidet, these things already have or will be catching on soon.

Also, about the netbooks, the cost is super cheap. You can get one for 300 or less. That full-size notebook with huge screen will likely cost you more than double that (for a decent one).

I am so mad that "most" Americans don't embrace better tech from not just Japan but alot of Asia. Came back from Japan a in 1996 with MDs no one had even heard of them at the time (I had been using them for at least a year at the time) it was hard to believe.
I personally still have the almost $3k massage chair I bought in Japan, one of the nicest things I think that I will ever own.

I want one of those BD burners but it has to have a DTV tuner in it since the DVR I have now doesn't, so it just became a $300 dvd player real fast lol

While visiting Japan my favorite gadget has always been the heated bidet toilet seat. Waking up on a cold morning is a nice thing when you know you have this waiting for you.

I'd have to add that along with the elongated phone the variety of phones and color options haven't caught on either in the US. Walk into any Cell phone store in Tokyo and you will see hundreds of different phones of all hues with more features than netbooks.

The reason Blu Ray recorders are not common in the US is the same reason health insurance is more expensive here than anywhere else in the world: Monopoly. DVR is available by subscription only. You get charged every month. A Blu Ray recorder is a one-time charge. The recording industry doesn't like that.

I have a DVD recorder and use it all the time to put TV shows on disk or transfer VHS movies I have to DVD. It is getting harder and harder to find one and I am praying mine does not break.

Wow... I can tell that the American that wrote this article really didn't do his homework. I have lived in Japan for many years and here in the US as well ( US born citizen here). The technology in Japan is way more advanced than the states. I had a HD TV 10 years ago. The only reason the blue recorder hasn't caught on is all the red tape here in the USA, they do not want you to be able to record in HD. They want to sell you the blue-ray movies. This countries technology is so far behind Japan it is not funny. I really miss the Japanese baths as well. Most americans would love to have a real bathroom like the Japanese do, it's much healthier than what we have here in the states too. But what do we americans know. Most americans haven't even been out of our own country. I wish the DVICE would get some writers that are a little more worldly so not right articles that so USA biased as this one. I love reading DVICE.com, but you have really dropped the ball on this one.......try harder and get your facts straight next time.

The BR burning reason is crap. The reason why it never caught on in the US is because media companies want to profit off of copywrite issues. They don't want you to burn HD shows to BRD unless you pay royalties to the media companies. That is the main reason.

Where to begin. First of all I think all the gadgets are cool but for many reasons I can't get into the gadget culture, not the least of which is money. I would love to get an iPhone but when all is said and done I can't afford 600 plus 130 every month for services just as an example. Most of this stuff is useless cARp that will take up valuable space in my small home, will be something else for my kids to break and will be obsolete and replaceable before I even get it home. At least my PC now has some breathing room these days. Most gadget culture seems narcissistic and worthless. Some of it is nice to have but come on how did you ever live without a heated toilet seat?

>>This countries technology is so far behind Japan it is not funny. I really miss the Japanese baths as well.

Yeah making robot dogs and creepy looking wedding dress wearing robots is so important to the future of the world. We are not a technologically backwards country it’s just that we are working on practical solutions to real world problems. In my previous post I said it before that it’s nice to have a heated toilet seat or a million gadgets but do you need them to get by? No.

>>Most americans would love to have a real bathroom like the Japanese do, it's much healthier than what we have here in the states too.

How so? I take showers because that’s all I have time for. I don’t need a seat in one because I live in an area where we have water issues so they are quick but thorough. Again bidet’s are out of the question and again not necessary. Nice but not necessary.

>>But what do we americans know. Most americans haven't even been out of our own country.

I am really sick of this argument. Yes there are other countries in the world, yes we all know that, but it works both ways. How many everyday average Japanese citizens have ever been out of their country? Same with India, China, or even Canada for that matter? If you were a painter the canvas would be just a gray background. I would love to travel and go see different places but I have to work to put food on the table and just get by. I suspect most other people in whatever country are in the same boat. Get a new argument you elitist pr--k.

>>I wish the DVICE would get some writers that are a little more worldly so not right articles that so USA biased as this one. I love reading DVICE.com, but you have really dropped the ball on this one.......try harder and get your facts straight next time.

It seems like you’re itching to throw out flame bait. All he did was list gadgets that made it there and didn’t make it here. It’s a cultural thing. You may not like his analysis but I see nothing wrong with his facts.

Anonymous... you are such a stupid american DOUCHE-BAG. No wonder most countries dislike americans. You people speak first and think later.

Takeshi - Real intelligent comeback. You want to talk about not thinking before you respond. I actually put quite a bit of thought into my response. Apparently more than you did. And you would be from? Stones and glass houses. If they dislike people without getting to know them they are guilty of what you are accusing Americans of.

In Japan massaging each other is one way families and groups bond as units. Massages are an every day part of life. So for someone to go for a time without a massage would not feel right - something is missing, and thus massage chairs are popular.

In the U.S. we do not massage as much, and for some it has only sexual connotations - we have a more limited and/or conflicted view of massage here. Thus massage chairs are not as popular.

I wanted to leave a comment on this article and my experience working in Japan and using the electronics there. But I am afraid to say anything now. Apparently there seems to be some unsavory characters attacking each other here. This is not the forum for that guys. Please go elsewhere......

Actually there are ways to record dvr to blueray or dvd however due to the constraints developed by most dvr services it is difficult for the average consumer to do so. Generally speaking you need to know where to look and be open to permanently damaging the dvr box though of course there are software versions of dvr for your computer (typical setup flat screen monitor, mini pc box hooked up vie hdmi, with the antenna/cable box/slt hooked up to the pc). Most people want something really easy which is why they think there aren't ways to do it.

#5:
I am writing from Japan but never seen this kind of product!

#6:
I still don't understand why Japanese people like the massage chair or other tools for massage.
It just tickles me, and I don't like it.

Currently living on Okinawa:
Love:
"free" iPhones with your cell phone plan, that starts at $40 a month, and scales to your usage every month, topping out at about $120 a month for unlimited (if you use it that much).
-small cars... love 'em. But the speed limit on much of the island is only 36mph (unless you're on the one tollroad)
- scooters (mixed blessing) great MPG, well accepted, but zip in and out of traffic like mofo crazies.
- Demand water heaters instead of hot-water tanks. Got em in the states, but they are the standard over here
-Walk in Shower ROOM. The whole room is waterproof and would hold about six people, with a tub to boot. No worries about getting the walls wet. Complete with fan, heated air, heated floors... da bomb.
-Respect for others... quite amazing and endearing. Makes a lot of Americans want to stay. Super friendly folks on Okinawa.
-Ambulances with little voices that tell you to move over (I think!)
-The dumptrucks are all decked out in lights and chrome trim... trick!
-The road crew flagman bows to you as you pass by on the highway. Wow!

The bad:
- Not a freakin' Best Buy in the neighborhood...
- No Radio Shack (or equivalent) either (when you need that little gizmo or adapter)
- Expensive crazy for electronics (vice American discount retailers and online prices)
- Wall unit A/C ???WTF??? They call this progress? Have they not heard of central A/C? That's right, most home are made of poured concrete, and running HVAC is an afterthought. VERY energy inefficient, and at 25c a kWH, VERY expensive!
- Trash. Good luck finding a public trash can, so people just throw their bento boxes, plastic bottles and trash in the gutters... disgusting.
- Go into an electronics store and it's 90% DVDs, and little showcases with a PS3 or controllers in it. Very difficult to find what you want.

NOTE: Things may be a little different here on little Okinawa, and may not be indicative of things on Honshu (or mainland Japan).

You are STILL a Douche-Bag Anonymous. Stupid gaijin. Keep your negative comments to yourself. The world has enough of that sort thing already.

Takeshi you are so negative you are going backwards. Also I'm not the one throwing around racial epithets. Give it up. I made a better series of points and your only response is to be immature and call people names so who do you think is the real douche bag? Unless you have a point to make about the article just keep YOUR negativity to YOURSELF.

Different priorities and lifestyles set the mood for different choices. Indeed, people in Japan seem to create a gadget for every task imaginable. .. Rather entertaining, even though these gadgets more often than not seem unnecessary. In Europe, few people would spend on a self-flushing toilet with heated seats and an LCD display... :)

Peter Pachal's explanation of why us poor dumb Americans have such a hard time hooking up a VCR, as reason why BlueRay machines and recordable media were not adopted here as eagerly as they are in Japan, honestly makes me want to slap the man in the face with a rolled-up hentai comic and hope this idiot does some further research before writing another article on a supposed "Technology" site.

Read the comments above, then consider that American Corporate GREED and DRM schemes are probably more to blame for American consumers not having access to BlueRay recorders, than the fairlytale that we're all a bunch of morons over here who can't change a light bulb without consulting assistance from a downloadable .pdf file or tech support in India.
The fact I can even operate this computer to comment on the article is astounding, isn't it? My fat American fingers driven by muscles fed with sloppy fast food and a brain built by generations of gun-toting cowboys who've slept with their cousins...

Please - throwing out the "Americans are teh morans" card is so old already. If you're going to pick on America, please pick on the things even we Americans living here can't stand about the place. Like greedy corporations and Fat-Cats who make enormous amounts of money the old fashioned way: Off the backs of honest hard-working people and by sticking it to the little guy.

Additionally, actually we DO have massage chairs here in the U.S. - they're just not as robotic as a lot of the Japanese models, and as such, considerably cheaper to afford.
For a "real" massage, maybe we Americans just prefer the contact with a real human being. The occasional Happy Ending isn't too bad of a deal either.

Why would I want a "netbook" when I have a portable laptop and a smartphone? I pose that same question to people living in Japan. Why?

Bidet Toilets. It's partially a culture-thing and a "if you have the means to afford one" thing. As another poster mentions, MOST Japanese households do with a toilet that's a hole in a tiled floor you squat over.
Technologically, real impressive you can imagine.
I think they use toilet paper too, like in the U.S. or possibly nanobots in a spray bottle that convert fecal matter into ringtones.

Bidet Toilet Seats are becoming more popular in recent years. Evens Americans will start seeing their benefits soon enough. I've had mine for about two years now and can't live without it. Got it from http://bidetking.com

"nanobots in a spray bottle that convert fecal matter into ringtones. " LOL! Yeah, things are easier when you have a smaller, more concentrated population. I've only seen one bidet in the US and it was a private residence. I sure wouldn't mind one. Shower seat- my biggest wish. Right now I just sit in the tub and let the shower hit me while I slowly wake up.

DVR to BR would be nice. Of course, my DVR allows (after a 1 time fee) to hook up an external USB HD and offload shows onto that. The only problem is you can't move them to another device. If we can get better HTPCs, that'd be the way to go.