Top court rules in favor of researcher's claim on patent rights

Top court rules in favor of researcher's claim on patent rights

TOKYO, Japan - Seiji Yonezawa, former researcher of Hitachi Ltd., smiles during a press conference in Tokyo on Oct. 17 after the Supreme Court endorsed the lower court's decision ordering Hitachi to pay 163 million yen to him for the transfer of patent rights related to optical disks.

Matsushita to release Blu-ray Disc drive June 10

Matsushita to release Blu-ray Disc drive June 10

OSAKA, Japan - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. will release on June 10 a personal computer memory disk drive compatible with the specifications of the ''Blu-ray Disc,'' a next-generation ultra-large storage capacity DVD. The drive (L) -- 14.6 centimeters wide, 4.1 cm high and 19 cm long -- is designed to be fitted into a standard-sized CD drive slot on the core tower portion of a desktop computer. The memory capacity of a 50-gigabyte version of a Blu-ray disk (R) provides a capacity nearly 10 times that of a 4.7-gigabyte DVD. The new drive is compatible with both the 50-gigabyte and 25-gigabyte Blu-ray disks.

Matsushita to introduce mobile audio player rivaling iPod

Matsushita to introduce mobile audio player rivaling iPod

OSAKA, Japan - Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki shows off the D-snap March 17 which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. will put on the market April 8. The D-snap is a mobile digital handset that can play music transferred from compact disks onto an SD card.

Sony, Toppan Printing develop paper optical disk

Sony, Toppan Printing develop paper optical disk

TOKYO, Japan - Sony Corp. and Toppan Printing Co. said April 15 they have developed an optical disk made primarily from paper which is capable of storing large volumes of high-definition images. The 25-gigabyte disk is based on Blu-ray Disc technology, which Sony and other high-tech firms in Japan and abroad are promoting as the next-generation standard for optical disks.

Sanyo Electric to sell disks made from corn

Sanyo Electric to sell disks made from corn

OSAKA, Japan - Sanyo Electric Co. said Sept. 24 it will release in December environment-friendly disks made from corn (shown in photo). The MildDisc is made from polylactic acid taken from corn and when discarded can be dissolved by bacteria in two to eight months, it said.

Matsushita to introduce mobile audio player rivaling iPod

Matsushita to introduce mobile audio player rivaling iPod

OSAKA, Japan - Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki shows off the D-snap March 17 which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. will put on the market April 8. The D-snap is a mobile digital handset that can play music transferred from compact disks onto an SD card. (Kyodo)

Matsushita to release Blu-ray Disc drive June 10

Matsushita to release Blu-ray Disc drive June 10

OSAKA, Japan - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. will release on June 10 a personal computer memory disk drive compatible with the specifications of the ''Blu-ray Disc,'' a next-generation ultra-large storage capacity DVD. The drive (L) -- 14.6 centimeters wide, 4.1 cm high and 19 cm long -- is designed to be fitted into a standard-sized CD drive slot on the core tower portion of a desktop computer. The memory capacity of a 50-gigabyte version of a Blu-ray disk (R) provides a capacity nearly 10 times that of a 4.7-gigabyte DVD. The new drive is compatible with both the 50-gigabyte and 25-gigabyte Blu-ray disks. (Kyodo)

Top court rules in favor of researcher's claim on patent rights

Top court rules in favor of researcher's claim on patent rights

TOKYO, Japan - Seiji Yonezawa, former researcher of Hitachi Ltd., smiles during a press conference in Tokyo on Oct. 17 after the Supreme Court endorsed the lower court's decision ordering Hitachi to pay 163 million yen to him for the transfer of patent rights related to optical disks. (Kyodo)

Ainu people

Ainu people

These people are the same as those in photograph #3000. The three men, from the right, are holding the bows and flower arrows used in the iyomante ritual offered in tribute to the bear. Both women are wearing a cloth (ciepanup) tied over the head and a necklace with disks. In the foreground, religious twigs (inaw) are displayed.==Date:unknown, Place:Hokkaido, Photo:unknown, (Credit:Nagasaki University Library/Kyodo News Images) [Cabinet Number60‐1‐0]

Sony, Toppan Printing develop paper optical disk

Sony, Toppan Printing develop paper optical disk

TOKYO, Japan - Sony Corp. and Toppan Printing Co. said April 15 they have developed an optical disk made primarily from paper which is capable of storing large volumes of high-definition images. The 25-gigabyte disk is based on Blu-ray Disc technology, which Sony and other high-tech firms in Japan and abroad are promoting as the next-generation standard for optical disks. (Kyodo)

Sanyo Electric to sell disks made from corn

Sanyo Electric to sell disks made from corn

OSAKA, Japan - Sanyo Electric Co. said Sept. 24 it will release in December environment-friendly disks made from corn (shown in photo). The MildDisc is made from polylactic acid taken from corn and when discarded can be dissolved by bacteria in two to eight months, it said.(Kyodo)

NEC to release optical disk recorder

NEC to release optical disk recorder

TOKYO, Japan - The photo shows a video recorder using optical disks which NEC Corp. said July 22 it will release on Sept. 21. The company says the GigaStation is the first commercially viable optical disk recorder in the world.

NEC to release optical disk recorder

NEC to release optical disk recorder

TOKYO, Japan - The photo shows a video recorder using optical disks which NEC Corp. said July 22 it will release on Sept. 21. The company says the GigaStation is the first commercially viable optical disk recorder in the world.