Akihabara – Gadget Heaven
Every time I get to travel with a group to more exotic places, one of the inevitable questions asked is the location of the nearest flea market or place where – to use the vernacular – “”kabutingtings” (almost literally: knick-knacks or odds ends) can be found. The Saturday fleas markets of Rome and Amsterdam come to mind. But there was also this rather seedy open market right in the middle of a Hanoi square where I found a great selection of East bloc watches – sturdy rather than fancy – selling for only $2 – 5 each, and a gem of a Praktika German camera with a Zeiss lens no less. Of course, the original makers of Zeiss optics transferred to West Germany then, and I guess the factory left behind just went on making camera lenses using the venerable name.
But when it comes to gadgets, there is only one place in the world that has it all – the gadget heaven that is Akihabara in a northern section of Tokyo. In my first visit there sometime in the 60s, the place was a warren of shops with probably one or two larger buildings containing yet more shops. But the impression was one of total chaos, with all kinds of electronic doodads on sale, with a product-selection available to suit even the most discriminating or ridiculous demand or craving. It has been some time since I have had a chance to visit the place, and so, this early, I am planning on visiting the district again, but with a wiser agenda of spending more than just a day over there. Based on reports I have read, the place has grown by leaps and bounds, and has actually gone mainstream. Even respectable manufacturers find it an honor to have their products on display over there side by side with the inevitable funky or almost useless gadgets. Trust the Japanese inventiveness and imagination to come up with gadgets you never knew you needed – or maybe, didn’t need but bought anyhow because they were so “cute”.
Well-known electronics or consumer manufacturers often showcase their products in Akihabara first before foisting them on the general public. Maybe to test market reaction in one of the world’s most gadget-crazy environments, one whose buyers get bored real fast with a product or a technology and look immediately for the next trend.
Toshiba, for example, is ready with a line-up of Tablet PCs that seem to cover the three main operating systems: Android, Chrome, and Windows 7. Maybe they are still smarting over losing out to the Blue-Ray technology of Sony in another area, and don’t want to be left out in the cold this time. Meanwhile, Google is said to be bringing out a laptop (the CR-48) for testing the Chrome OS further, making this an exciting battle to see which system wins out in the end.
But if all you want is the latest in massage chairs, or a really good back-scratcher that does it all, or a gadget that can listen in to cellphone conversations – then you need not look any further. These and many more gadgets guaranteed to bust your wallet are available at a price.
You think I am kidding? Well, one product I saw featured in an online publication showcased the ultimate in fountain pens. Now, what does a fountain pen do other than write? Why, the inventors who drive Akihabara found that some people actually want a pen that can also double as a voice recorder, with MP3 playback available plus as much as 4G storage capacity. Bet you never thought of that particular use for a fountain pen, right? And we have to thank the wonderful people of Thanko, who also make spy pens and other similar gadgets, for this innovative pen. The Thanko voice recording pen is available right now – in Japan, but especially in Akihabara.
Now, I think I really want to get that spy pen instead….or will my choice be the device that will allow me to eavesdrop on cellphone conversations? Perhaps this latter one should be a gift to any number of gossip-mongers who inhabit coffee shops to exchange the latest in sordid tales.
By on 14/12/2010