Japan is approaching to world of The Terminator

Where can the computer approach the human brain to? The computers fought against a human being with chess than before. Similarly, the Japanese computers fight against human beings with Shogi(将棋; also known as Japanese chess).

Dwango, administration company of video sharing site niconico douga holds the game "Denousen(電王戦)" that shogi software "Puellaα" fights against professional shogi players.



It was held 4 times until now. Match Results are professional shogi player 1 win, Puellaα 2 win, draw 1. Well, computer wins!



The shogi is slightly more complicated than chess. Because the shogi has a rule to be able to use the pieces of the opponent whom oneself got for as one's pieces. How much are there the patterns of the play? I think like astronomical figures! :0

However, Puella α developer Eiki Ito  said, "The software already transcended excellent professional shogi player". Development of the shogi software began in Japan and passed for about 40 years, and it evolved dramatically in recent 10 years. Even if the computer faces it for a long time, it not tired and do not feel the pressure either. On the other hand, the human being has feelings and is tired. Furthermore, most shogi masters are elderly people. It is an important point that shogi software does not have fatigue and feelings.

In addition, the 5th game is held on April 20(It's a last battle!). May the human being win?

Source:
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/news/130414/shg13041416220000-n1.htm

Tie-up avatar of LINE Play succeeds; They started the collaboration with artists

LINE started the tie-up with companies in their virtual world apps LINE Play from the end of last month.

See Also:
LINE's mobile virtual world LINE Play starts the tie-up with the companies

It succeeded immediately. LINE users who visited the tie-up rooms in ten days since they began a tie-up with companies exceeded 10 million.

How can we visit the tie-up rooms?

*This is a Japanese region. At first we choose "friends".

We watch "friends request tab". Then official avatars of companies are added there.

OK, let's approve them from one end!

We become able to visit the tie-up rooms of companies.

We can play limited Gacha in these rooms.

Various tie-up items come out of limited Gacha.

This is general technique by the virtual world service. Probably every virtual world of the world conducts a similar business. The most successful virtual world was Ameba Pigg until now in Japan. However, LINE Play grows up rapidly.

In addition, LINE Play began a tie-up with not only companies but also artists. They opened the rooms of Japanee singer Ayumi Hamazaki and Korean singer BOM(from Korean girls band 2NE1).

The beginning of the end: Nintendo shuts down a part of the Wii network service

To be frank, Nintendo Wii U is the hard situation. In the first place the situation of Nintendo is hard, too. Meanwhile, Nintendo made a severe decision this week. Some of Wii network services are shut down on June 28.

• Weather channel(お天気チャンネル)
• Digital camera print channel(デジカメプリントチャンネル)
• News channel(ニュースチャンネル)
• Vote channel of all(みんなで投票チャンネル)
• Nintendo channel of all(みんなのニンテンドーチャンネル)
• Mii contest channel(Miiコンテストチャンネル)
• Data exchange with the Wii friends in WiiConnect24(WiiConnect24でのWiiフレンドとのデータ交換)

Unfortunately these disappear from Wii menu after June 28. Originally the lineup of the Wii channel were 17. However, by this announcement, they decreased to 8. Less than half! Is this the beginning of the end?

Source:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/support/information/2013/0412.html

Let's decorate Facebook message cutely!

Japanese company Pickles released the iOS apps "Stamp messenger" that could add a stamps(stickers) to Facebook message.

Why is LINE popular? One of the reasons is cute stamps(stickers). Stamp messenger applies it to Facebook message.

This is apps using Facebook API. When we log in to this using Facebook account, our Facebook friends are reflected. And we can talk with friends with these stamps.

All the stamps are free of charge and many kinds increase from now on.

Furthermore, we can exchange wall paper using photos. We can arrange Facebook message cutely if we combine stamps with this.

This is a very good idea. Facebook is unpopular with youths now. However, some situation may change if they use this.

Japanese old man draws a splendid picture by Excel

Are these pixel art? No. These are "Excel" art.

Mr.Tatsuo Horiuchi, 73-year-old living in Gunma, Japan draws a picture by Excel from 2000.

"I did not use Excel by work, but I watched that other people drew a graph neatly and thought that I could draw pictures by Excel". And he purchased a PC just before retirement at the age limit and challenged Excel art. Then, 10 years later, he became a painter as he participated in art exhibitions.

He is studded with auto-shapes in a worksheet innumerably and gives coloring. It is incredibly delicate that it was described in Excel.

Why will he draw a picture by Excel? He said, "Graphics software were expensive, but Excel was preinstalled in a PC. And it is higher-performance than paint and is easy to use it". He makes friends with oil painters and Japanese painters, and exchanges information now. Furthermore, he runs a Website and shows a method to describe Excel art. Unfortunately it supports only Japanese. However, we can watch his works here.

Source:
http://pc.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/interview/20130319/1083744/