Giant Robot Store and GR2 News – Tagged "News"– Page 464 – GiantRobotStore

china · counterfeit goods · fake products · News · obama · Shanzhai · Aug 05, 2011

The “Shanzhai” Fake Product Concept is Not New in China

The Chinese term “Shanzhai” literally means “mountain village” or “mountain stronghold”. But in modern Chinese, usage of the term is derived from a way in Cantonese slang to describe products of inferior quality or, more commonly, products which are imitation or fake. Now, it is well-known that China has unfortunately been a major global source of intellectual property rights violations for decades. In recent weeks, for example, we have reported the stories of the fake Apple and Ikea stores in Kunming in China’s southern Yunnan Province. And these are great examples of how imitation products and retail fakery in China have entered a new dimension of pervasiveness and boldness. At the link, you’ll read an analysis by a Chinese blogger who intends to conduct a research project on the Shanzhai phenomenon in China. After reading the text and looking at the accompanying images, you’ll be struck by, or reminded of, how much fakery occurs in China, and how some of the most famous brands and icons have been tweaked. Another aspect of the Shanzhai phenomenon touched upon in this blogger’s post is the concern and interest China’s fake product and design activity is causing within the global advertising, design and art communities. And frankly, we don’t blame them for being worried. (The Creators Project – Shanzhai Fakery in China)

customers · giant robot · Giant Robot store · GR2 · News · shoppers · Aug 05, 2011

GR Shoppers

A charming young woman named Kim walked in. She’s new to the area and works at a local eatery and enjoys everything in the area so far. She browsed and also does her own art. She was a student at a local art school and is trying to get back into painting. When four young African American, Japanese language students walked in and started talking about gaming, she broke in with extensive Halo knowledge. We were all excited and surprised. A girl gamer on X-Box Live? Her info got passed along and perhaps they’ll meet online. A Japanese girl named Yoko was near the front of the shop. I was outside inspecting the sidewalk area and she asked when the bar next door opened. I’m not used to Japanese people striking up any kind of conversation. They’d usually see that it was closed and would wander away quickly. Yoko then asked where she could find the local strip clubs, because she wanted to make money to visit Japan. She naively told me that she’s never stripped before, but heard that there’s money to be made by doing it. Again she had no fear of telling me, no fear of stripping and said all she needs is to be drunk and she’d dance the night away naked. As I asked questions, either her lack of English or her defense went up. She was careful in her answers, but did say that she was a student and couldn’t work legally. Some of her dollars are earned being a “hostess” in a Japanese bar. She gets paid to talk to customers. Yoko made sure to tell me that there’d be no sex involved in any of her work. Soon after explaining her story, she left to check out the clubs. I hope she stays naive and safe. Her hints of desperation gave me reasons to worry. *Names and specific details are changed to protect identities.

News · Aug 05, 2011

Need a Hand With Your iPhone? The Japanese Can Help.

So what kind of protective case do you have for your iPhone? Some kind of protective silicone rubber thing, probably. Oh, the color is likely vibrant and fun, some kind of hot pink or Day-Glo green. Or perhaps you have something more whimsical, a cover that looks like an old NES controller, or a pack of Japanese Black Jack gum, or a vintage Sony Walkman. Well, whatever you have protecting your precious Apple device, it’s doubtful you have anything like this. At the link, have a look at the Dokkiri Hand iPhone accessory. From the images it appears that the most practical thing about this seemingly impractical phone case is that it will keep your iPhone standing up straight and stable when placed on a flat surface. Other than that, this thing stretches the limits of oddness and practicality even amongst the weirdest Japanese consumer products we’ve seen. Yes, it really is strange. But you could have a lot of fun with it playing jokes on people, or at Halloween, or painting its fingernails and giving it fake tattoos. Okay, we’ll stop now. (Technabob – “Handy” Japanese iPhone Case) If you have US $64 and absolutely have to have one of these, you can buy it here.

Buddhism · Buddhist monk · china · hipster Buddhism · iphone · News · technology · Aug 05, 2011

China’s Hipster Buddhist Monk

Shi Daoxin is not your average Chinese Buddhist monk, and we’re not just talking about the hipster glasses. He uses an iPhone, takes copious pictures of himself, has a blog and a music career, and is very popular with the ladies. And he may be the new face of Chinese Buddhism. And, oh yeah, everything he does pretty much flies in the face of the traditional, almost clichéd, image of the Buddhist monk as a quiet, thoughtful, humble man of piety, poverty and peace. And as you might expect, Shi has created some controversy within China over his very public, almost flamboyant, approach to being a monk. Shi is 29 and has been a Buddhist monk since he was 17. His position is that as the world grows more modern and technological, so must Buddhism embrace technology and modernity. Who knows? Perhaps the man is right. Or perhaps this is another example of personality-cult building, a craving for celebrity from an unlikely source. It is pleasing to note that Shi donates all the proceeds from the sales of his music to charity. But as for what this unusual monk truly represents, go to the link, have a look around, and judge for yourself. (21CB – Modern Hipster Buddhist Monk)

anders nilsen · big questions · comic con · MW · News · Aug 04, 2011

Anders Nilsen: Big Questions, short interview at Comic-Con

Anders Nilsen at Comic-Con

The work of Anders Nilsen can be cryptic, daunting. But his comics are as raw and primal as they are poetic, and their philosophical scope and artistic magnitude have never been clearer than in the Big Questions anthology. I have to admit that I was afraid to pick up the brick of a collection. Then I attended the Epic Literary Adventures panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, where the Chicago artist admitted to Drawn and Quarterly’s creative director Tom Devlin that even he had to draw a map so that the sprawling volumes wouldn’t contradict each other. It turns out he’s a regular guy who just happened to write and draw an ambitious, inspiring, and thought-provoking 600-page comic book about birds, snakes, and a plane crash.

Big Questions by Anders Nilsen

MW: You’re in the midst of a reading tour to promote the Big Questions anthology. How’s that going? How do you structure your events?

AN: I just finished the first leg, going up the West Coast. I leave again in a week for Toronto and Minneapolis. It’s been great so far. People are coming out and I’m having great conversations. Most of the stops were basically just me signing books for a while, doing a slide show, talking about the book, and doing some readings from it, a bit of Q&A, signing a few more books… and then going out for a beer.

MW: The book is massive. Did you prefer long, epic comic book stories as a kid? The Kree-Skrull War? The introduction of the Inhumans?

AN: Yeah, totally. The X-Men battling the Brood, Elfquest, The Dark Knight–all that stuff.