know when to flee with this desktop seismic updater

May 27th, 2008 comments (2) stumble it! digg it! by: karen m.

Not that I think this will really save you in an earthquake, but in case you’re the type of person who likes to be as prepared as humanly possible- I present the S Band EJ, a desktop seismic updater from Sankosha. This little gadget can (supposedly) clue you in to the Richter reading of the current quake at your location and at the epicenter, and also tell you when, and to what degree, the aftershocks will reach you.

I predict that by the time you’ve figured out what your seismic updater is telling you there is a good chance you will already have been crushed by falling debris so I’m not sure this is money well-spent. But if you’d like to know more about this product, I can refer you to the simple and easy-to-read diagram below, which I’m sure will clear up any questions you might have about this product.

OK, what I think we’ve all learned here is that unfortunately it looks like unless you can read Japanese pretty proficiently, ordering/understanding this gizmo online is not going to be a walk in the park. The US $4,200 price tag might also be a slight hindrance for you. But if you’re either a) fluent in Japanese, b) insanely wealthy, c) addicted to potentially useless gadgets, d) terrified of earthquakes, or e) all of the above, then feel free to check out the product page and let me know if I’ve missed any key details.

[via Trends in Japan]

filed under:  gadgets technology

May 27th, 2008 comments (2): stumble it! digg it! by: karen m.