Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from TotemoTech on August 4th, 2023. In today’s news, we have two significant stories to discuss.

First, there has been a controversy at a VTuber training school. ANYCOLOR, the company behind the popular VTuber group ‘Nijisanji,’ has announced that they have confirmed rule violations by some participants in their VTuber training program called ‘Virtual Talent Academy’ (VTA). As a result, the program’s services have been terminated for the individuals involved. This incident has raised questions about the management and oversight of VTuber training programs.

Moving on to our second story, a startup called Serendix has completed the construction of a unique 3D printed home. The house, named ‘serendix50,’ is designed for two people to live in comfortably. It took a total of 44 hours and 30 minutes to build using a 3D printer. This achievement showcases the potential of 3D printing technology in the field of architecture and raises prospects for affordable and efficient housing solutions.

Next, let’s talk about an article that has been generating laughter and discussion. An article published by the Tokyo Shimbun titled ‘Using Masks to Bypass Verification of My Number Insurance Card: Explaining the Mechanism of ‘Who Are You?’’ has gained attention. The article claimed that it was possible to use someone else’s My Number insurance card by wearing a mask with their photo. However, many experts have pointed out the inaccuracies in this claim and emphasized the security measures in place for My Number insurance cards. This incident highlights the importance of fact-checking and responsible reporting.

In the tech world, a change has occurred in the Twitter app. Thanks to Elon Musk, the app’s name has been changed to ‘X.’ This change prompted a curious question among journalists: ‘With the introduction of the ‘X’ app, do the app icons now cover all 26 letters of the alphabet?’ To investigate this, a journalist conducted a personal research project, exploring the app icons of various alphabet-themed apps. The findings provide an interesting perspective on the evolution of app design.

Moving on, Sakura Internet has announced a new plan for their cloud service, ‘Sakura no Cloud.’ This plan is specifically designed to meet the high-performance computing needs of AI development and academic research. It offers increased virtual core counts and memory capacity, catering to users who require extensive computational resources for their projects.

Now, let’s delve into the world of cashless payments. Japan has often been criticized for its high transaction fees associated with cashless payments. In comparison to countries like the United States and Europe, where there are restrictions on debit card fees and similar limitations on credit card fees, Japan’s card payment fees are generally higher. This raises the question: Why are cashless payment fees in Japan comparatively high? Exploring the underlying factors and regulations will provide insights into the country’s payment landscape.

Lastly, we have an interesting game to discuss. ‘Ano Gee’ is a game that parodies the ubiquitous advertisements found in smartphone apps. It offers a humorous experience that reflects the common elements of ad-based games. Our intrepid reporter decided to try out this game and explore the world of ‘advertising games.’ Through this experience, they discovered the quirks and tropes associated with this genre of mobile gaming.

That concludes today’s news from TotemoTech. Thank you for tuning in, and we’ll be back tomorrow with more exciting tech updates. And that’s all for today’s news. Thanks for listening to TotemoTech.

Keywords - japan, tech, news