It’s no secret, i love having an iPhone, it’s probably been the single best technology purchase i’ve made … and there have been a few.
It’s the applications that make your life easier that appeal to me and catching public transport as often as i do this one does just that, the Tokyo Metro iPhone application.
At the moment you can pick it up for a special price of $0.79 instead of the usual $4.99 … in the Japanese store it’s 115 yen, cheaper than the cheapest fare on the rail network.
When the iPhone was released in Japan there was some resistance because it didn’t have a few things the local handsets had, emoji (emoticons) and TV. As of the latest update to the firmware you can use emoji and as of today you can download the Ustream iPhone App and watch live Video Streaming.
Not having either of these on the iPhone certainly didn’t stall my purchase of the iPhone, i never used either on my Japanese handset. I couldn’t download the Ustream app quick enough today though and can confirm it does work in Japan.
Here’s a couple of screen caps i took. It’s an extremely easy interface to search through and find programs to watch by live or featured categories.
Over the last 12 months I’ve bought no less than 7 books relating to learning various components of the Japanese Language and I’ve learnt one major lesson, just having them in the same room as me isn’t enough.
Hoping the “learning” will magically jump from the books into my head was a nice thought but all these books really need to be opened, read and studied ….. easier said than done.
I guess I’m disappointed in my current level of Japanese and can easily highlight the reason why, my own laziness, i`m sure this will reflect in the JLPT results from this year.
The thought of coming home from a long day and opening up a book just doesn’t appeal to me and it probably never will. Of the books i own and know Friends use, these are pretty much a good place to start.
I also know my own strengths in learning and this isn’t the most effective for me, i can read it all day long but if i don’t get it i just don’t get it.
