Latest news with #Maxell
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Kayokyoku Bar Spotlight Shimbashi; Bring the Spotlight Back to When We Were Young
As the voice of popular J-pop singer Momoe Yamaguchi plays in the bar, customers with glasses in their hands hum along and sway their shoulders to the music. At Kayokyoku Bar Spotlight Shimbashi in Tokyo's Shimbashi district, visitors can listen to Showa-era songs from the '70s and '80s on vinyl, and fans are enjoying a reunion with their favorite songs. The shelves are lined with 2,100 extended play and long-playing records, and if a customer hands in a record he or she wants to listen to or writes a request on a card, the DJ will drop the needle on each one in turn. A man in his early 60s who works at a nearby company requested 'Soleil,' an album by Takako Okamura. 'This is the song that soothed me after coming home exhausted as a rookie,' he monthly request rankings are posted on the wall up to No. 10, in the style of 'The Best Ten,' a famous Japanese music TV program of yesteryear. In May, C-C-B's 'Romantic ga Tomaranai' (Romantic never stops) was No. 1 and Kyoko Koizumi's 'Kogarashi ni Dakarete' (Embraced by wintry wind) was No. 2. The name of the bar is taken from the name of a segment on the TV program, and also means 'to bring the spotlight back to when we were young.' The interior is decorated like a set from a 1980s disco or singing show, complete with red chairs and a mirror ball. The entrance door has a round window and resembles the entrance to a TV station studio. Nostalgic cassette tapes are also on display.'We have a lot of fun talking about which company's cassette tapes we used to use, Maxell, TDK or Sony,' said Nobuaki Ando, a 57-year-old representative of the bar. After Ando's best friend died suddenly about 25 years ago, his friend's wife told Ando that 'listening to the tapes Ando-kun dubbed for him when he was in junior high and high school and talking about the old days was a source of emotional healing for him.' Ando opened the bar in 2011 with the hope of creating a place where he could play nostalgic songs to ease people's minds during difficult times, and where people could talk about their problems on a daily basis. 'I want to provide a space where people can talk about the old days without worrying about others,' said Ando. Kayokyoku Bar Spotlight ShimbashiAddress: Karasumori Building 6F, 3-16-3, Shimbashi, Minato Ward, Tokyo Access: 1 minute walk from JR Shimbashi Station Hours: Open 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. on weekdays. Open until 2 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, national holidays and days before holidays. Closed on Sundays.
The Verge
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Maxell releases its own modernized cassette player.
Posted Jun 30, 2025 at 1:25 PM UTC Maxell releases its own modernized cassette player. In the '80s, Maxell was a brand synonymous with audio and cassette tapes thanks to an iconic ad. With the popularity of cassette tapes on the rise, Maxell is once again making cassette players but with upgraded features including Bluetooth connectivity, USB-C charging, and a rechargeable battery. But it still includes a headphone jack for the full retro experience. The MXCP-P100 is only available in Japan right now for ¥13,000, or around $90. 1/2 Battery life on a full charge is up to nine hours, and the cassette player includes a belt clip on the back. Image: Maxell
GSM Arena
30-05-2025
- Business
- GSM Arena
Samsung hit with $117M fine over patent infringement
Samsung found itself under a patent infringement case filed with the U.S. District Court in Texarkana, Texas. The court reached an early verdict and ordered Samsung to pay out $117.7 million in damages. The plaintiff? Maxell (formerly Hitachi Maxell), whose patents related to Galaxy smartphone and tablet unlocking tech, data management and smart home platforms were violated. The current case was initially filed back in September 2023 when Maxell accused Samsung of violating seven of its patents by selling a variety of products, including the SmartThings station alongside smartphones, laptops and home appliances all using Maxell's patented tech. Samsung SmartThings station According to a report shared by The Korea Herald, Samsung licensed Maxell's patents for the duration of ten years back in 2011. Once the initial agreement expired in 2021, Samsung continued using the patented tech without renegotiating its license with Maxell. The Japanese company then filed legal complaints across several district courts across the U.S, Germany and Japan. Samsung can appeal the current district court decision to a higher court, and is expected to do so, which means this legal battle is far from over. Source
Phone Arena
30-05-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Samsung hit with $112M verdict in Maxell patent fight, and the drama's far from over
Just when you think the patent wars might be slowing down – bam, another tech giant lands in hot water. This time, it's Samsung, facing a hefty $112 million judgment in the U.S. after a court ruled it stepped on Maxell's intellectual property. And yes, this drama includes smartphones, smart home gadgets, and even a past deal gone cold.A U.S. District Court ruled that Samsung infringed on three patents registered by Japanese firm Maxell, and ordered the South Korea-based tech giant to pay $112 million. Of course, Samsung may appeal this judgment to a higher court if it finds that the ruling isn't satisfactory to it. A report from The Korea Herald indicates that the Court in Texarkana, Texas, said in its verdict that Samsung Galaxy phones, tablets, SmartThings, and even some home appliances are infringing on the patents. The patents are numbers 8,982,086, 10,176,848 and 11,017,815 by Maxell. These patents are focused on new methods of device unlocking, processing of information, networking, and even reproduction of images and videos. Maxell requested almost $130 million in damages, but the jury ordered Samsung to pay almost $112 million. This lawsuit started in 2023. It covered a wide range of electronics-related patents that Samsung was claimed to have violated. Back in 2011, Samsung signed an agreement with Hitachi Consumer Electronics (which was a parent firm back then) to use ten patents from Maxell for a period of ten years. Curiously enough, the company didn't renew the agreement, and obviously, the ten-year period ended in 2021. However, it seems Samsung continued to use the patents in its products. Maxell then contacted Samsung, but the tech giant reportedly claimed the patents were now invalid. The Japanese firm then sued Samsung in multiple markets, including Germany, Japan, and the U.S. At the moment, it's not clear whether Samsung will agree to pay or whether it will appeal the decision and continue the drama. Whether Samsung decides to pay up or fight it out in a higher court, this is just another chapter in the ongoing tech patent drama. And it's not just Samsung – other big names like Apple have had their fair share of these legal battles too. In the world of gadgets and smart devices, it seems there's always something to argue over, it seems.
Korea Herald
30-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Samsung hit with $117m judgment over patent infringement against Maxell
Samsung Electronics was ordered by a US federal jury to pay $117.7 million in damages to Japanese electronics firm Maxell for infringing on several technology patents related to smart home platforms and smartphones. The verdict, delivered by a federal jury in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on Wednesday, sided with Maxell that Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, tablets and other devices infringe on three of Maxell's US patents related to the unlocking function on devices, managing data and the reproduction of images and videos. The verdict, however, is not a final ruling and could be subject to appeal. The case dates back to September 2023, when Maxell sued Samsung alleging the tech giant violated seven patents by producing and selling a wide range of products, including the SmartThings station, smartphones, laptops and home appliances. According to the complaint, Samsung and Maxell's relationship dates to 2011 when Samsung signed a licensing agreement with Maxell's predecessor Hitachi Consumer Electronics to use 10 of its patents for a 10-year period. The agreement expired in 2021, but Samsung continued to use the patented technology without renewing the license. Maxell argued that it contacted Samsung about the violations and to request a new licensing agreement, but Samsung refused. Instead, the Korean company continue to make and sell products with the disputed technology, prompting Maxell to pursue legal action in multiple jurisdictions, including the US, Germany, Japan and the US International Trade Commission. Since then, Maxell has been stepping up its legal offensive. In April, it filed another lawsuit against Samsung in Texas alleging a similar patent violation.
