https://blog.b1ue.jp/en Gadgets, AI, science, mobility, culture, business, and life — everything interesting happening now, examined from an independent vantage point. en-us Sat, 04 Jul 2026 23:44:34 GMT https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/amazon-prime-day-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/amazon-prime-day-2026 Wed, 17 Jun 2026 03:00:00 GMT The main event runs July 10–13, with early deals from July 7. Skip the hype and win on three levers — points-up entry, the free trial, and the categories that bottom out. Life noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/xiaomi-su7-vs-tesla-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/xiaomi-su7-vs-tesla-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Xiaomi's first volume EV outsold the Model 3 in China in some months. We compare price, spec, and software experience as of 2026. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/wwdc-2026-apple-intelligence https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/wwdc-2026-apple-intelligence Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Bigger on-device LLMs, a rebuilt Siri, Xcode AI, Vision Pro 2 integration. WWDC 2026's headliner will be Apple Intelligence 2 — here's the realistic landing zone based on leaks, patents, and hiring. Gadgets noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/vinyl-revival-japan-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/vinyl-revival-japan-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT In an era when streaming gives you everything for $10 a month, why are young people buying records? A view from Tokyo's used-vinyl shops. Culture noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/v2h-solar-home-economy https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/v2h-solar-home-economy Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Japan's average household power bill is over ¥30,000/month. Here's the math on solar + storage + V2H, the 2026 subsidy landscape, and how to avoid the worst mistakes. Life noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/tsmc-1nm-geopolitics-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/tsmc-1nm-geopolitics-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT TSMC moves from 2nm volume into 1.4nm and 1nm R&D. Intel 18A and Samsung 1.4nm chase. Arizona, Kumamoto, Dresden. Semiconductors became a permanent diplomatic instrument. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/toyota-fcev-strategy-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/toyota-fcev-strategy-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT While BEV maximalism dominates headlines, Toyota keeps investing in fuel cells. We read the third-gen stack, the Mirai's role, and the heavy-duty bet. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/tesla-optimus-consumer-launch https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/tesla-optimus-consumer-launch Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Tesla Optimus Gen3 opens consumer preorders in late 2026, shipping early 2027 at ~$30,000. Home task autonomy, comparison with Figure and BYD, and the honest answer to whether to buy now. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/tabletop-rpg-boom-japan https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/tabletop-rpg-boom-japan Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT In a market dominated by digital games, why are TRPGs and board games slowly rising in Japan? Streaming, cafes, and homegrown systems explain it. Culture noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/space-solar-power-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/space-solar-power-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT From Caltech to the UK, JAXA, and China, space-based solar power is moving into small demos. We audit the two walls — wireless transmission and launch cost — in 2026. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/sora2-veo3-video-ai-showdown https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/sora2-veo3-video-ai-showdown Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Sora 2 and Veo 3 arrived almost in sync, pushing video generation from demo to deployable. Physics consistency, long-form coherence, commercial use, pricing — here's how they compare for real work. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/solid-state-battery-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/solid-state-battery-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT We map the production roadmaps of Toyota, Nissan, Samsung SDI, and QuantumScape to ask when — and for which applications — solid-state batteries actually arrive. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/softbank-stargate-update-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/softbank-stargate-update-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Texas hosts a $500B AI infrastructure plan. We audit funding, land, power, and silicon as the four chokepoints in mid-2026. Business noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/room-temp-superconductor-status-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/room-temp-superconductor-status-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT After the LK-99 saga, what survived? We map high-pressure hydrides, the reproducibility problem, and the real distance to applications — without hype or doom. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/retro-gaming-revival-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/retro-gaming-revival-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT From the Famicom to the Saturn, retro gaming has never been hotter. Soaring prices, mini consoles, and a streaming-fueled culture explain why. Culture noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/rag-vs-finetuning-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/rag-vs-finetuning-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The two classic ways to give an LLM your own knowledge. In the long-context era of 2026, the real question is not which wins, but what you are solving for. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/quantum-computing-2026-status https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/quantum-computing-2026-status Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT IBM Condor, Google Willow, QuEra neutral atoms — we audit hardware, error correction, and which real problems quantum has actually beaten classical on. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/openai-anthropic-google-2026-positioning https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/openai-anthropic-google-2026-positioning Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT GPT-5, Claude Opus 4.7, and Gemini 3 are all on the table. How each company's strategy, revenue, and bets differ in mid-2026. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/nvidia-rubin-datacenter-rush https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/nvidia-rubin-datacenter-rush Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Rubin and Rubin Ultra are shipping, with Microsoft, Google, Meta, OpenAI, and xAI placing tens of billions in quarterly orders. Performance vs Blackwell, the power problem, and the honest bubble debate. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/meta-orion-ar-glasses-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/meta-orion-ar-glasses-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Meta's 2024 Orion prototype is graduating to consumer hardware as 'Artemis' later in 2026. 70° FOV, carbon-fiber lightweighting, on-device Llama 4, $1,200 price. Does AR finally land? Gadgets noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/local-llm-mac-studio-m4 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/local-llm-mac-studio-m4 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Is Apple Silicon's 192GB UMA the right home for local LLMs? Measured takes on Llama 3.3 70B, Qwen2.5, and DeepSeek in 2026. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/honda-0-series-ev-debut https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/honda-0-series-ev-debut Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The first production car in Honda's 0 Series, the Saloon, is set for a late-2026 launch in North America. ~500hp, ~700km range, and the new in-house Asimo OS. Here's how it stacks against Tesla, Lucid, and the EV plateau. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/gemini-3-vs-claude-opus-47 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/gemini-3-vs-claude-opus-47 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Google Gemini 3 lands, Anthropic Claude Opus 4.7 holds the line. I ran both across coding, long-context summarization, data analysis, agents, cost, and Japanese to decide which one earns daily use. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/fusion-2026-breakthroughs https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/fusion-2026-breakthroughs Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT HTS magnets, field-reversed configurations, direct electricity conversion — we audit the three frontrunners and the 2030s commercialization scenario. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/eu-ai-act-jp-corporate-impact https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/eu-ai-act-jp-corporate-impact Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The EU AI Act fully applies from August 2026. The 'Brussels effect' means even companies not selling into the EU can't ignore it. Risk tiering, data governance, transparency, and Japan's likely follow-on. Business noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/ebike-commute-japan-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/ebike-commute-japan-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Is commuting by e-bike actually cheaper than the train? We run the 2026 numbers on bike price, electricity, battery life, and time saved for a typical Tokyo commute. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/dyson-ontrac-review https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/dyson-ontrac-review Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Dyson's serious audio play, revisited in 2026. The 'dress it up' design strategy is sharper than the early reviews gave it credit for. Gadgets noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/cursor-vs-claude-code-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/cursor-vs-claude-code-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Cursor and Claude Code now split the AI coding world. A pragmatic 2026 comparison across pricing, UX, and agent capability. AI noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/crispr-therapy-approvals-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/crispr-therapy-approvals-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Starting from Casgevy, gene-editing therapy is expanding from sickle cell into other inherited diseases and cancer. We map the status and the next walls: price and in vivo editing. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/citypop-global-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/citypop-global-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Why does the overseas love for Tatsuro Yamashita and Mariya Takeuchi keep growing in 2026? Recommendations, sampling, and vinyl explain it. Culture noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/carbon-capture-scale-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/carbon-capture-scale-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT We map Climeworks and Occidental, the difference between point-source and direct air capture, and the path of per-ton cost — to ask whether carbon capture really scales. Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/byd-yangwang-u9-supercar https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/byd-yangwang-u9-supercar Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT BYD's Yangwang U9 brings a 1,300 hp quad-motor EV to the supercar arena. We unpack the specs, the Nürburgring narrative, and the threat to European OEMs. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/asteroid-mining-2026 https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/asteroid-mining-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT We map the exploration plans of a new generation — AstroForge, TransAstra — and audit the two targets, platinum-group metals and water, against the core question: does it pay? Science noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/amazon-q-vs-microsoft-copilot-enterprise https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/amazon-q-vs-microsoft-copilot-enterprise Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Amazon Q and Microsoft 365 Copilot look alike but aren't. Adoption, pricing, identity, and governance compared for 2026. Business noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/ios-27-deep-dive https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/ios-27-deep-dive Tue, 09 Jun 2026 01:00:00 GMT WWDC 2026 unveiled iOS 27. We dig into Apple Intelligence Gen 2, the Liquid Glass overhaul, the new on-device Foundation Models SDK, and the radical redesign of notifications — from both developer and user angles. Gadgets noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO) https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/ev-roadtrip-japan https://blog.b1ue.jp/en/article/ev-roadtrip-japan Fri, 05 Jun 2026 03:00:00 GMT From Sapporo to Kagoshima in a domestic EV. Charger availability, weather, energy use, and lodging — all logged. Mobility noreply@b1ue.jp (KIYODO)