We can’t say we’re very surprised: Japanese business daily The Nikkei is reporting today that Sharp is to stop selling and producing computers from now on. The last time we reported on a Sharp computer was back in April last year, when the company introduced a netbook with an LCD trackpad (pictured). According to the report, big S will focus on the production of tablets instead. → Read More
Sharp has announced [JP] the BD-AV70 for the Japanese market today, a Blu-ray recorder that stands out with a number of features. Perhaps most importantly, the device is just 35mm thin, which makes it the thinnest out there, according to Sharp. → Read More
Earlier this week, we blogged Sharp’s new Android phone, the IS03. On paper, the handset has a lot going for it: a nice 3.5-inch touchscreen with 960×640 resolution (same as the iPhone 4) with a combined memory LCD, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 9.6MP CCD camera, Wi-Fi, and Android 2.1 as the OS. → Read More
CrunchGear is at CEATEC 2010, Asia’s biggest technology and electronics exhibition, which takes place yearly in Chiba (one hour away from Tokyo). Sharp’s booth was (next to 3D devices) all about Android, with its so-called Galapagos e-reader/tablet hybrids being not only the biggest attraction there but also one of the biggest of the entire exhibition. → Read More
It took Japan’s handset makers and carriers a while, but interest in Android is picking up steam over here. Sharp, for example, announced two Android tablets for release later this year just last week. Earlier this year, the same company presented the IS01 (full details), an Android-based smartbook distributed by Japan’s No. 2 mobile carrier, KDDI au.
And today both companies announced [JP] the IS03, an Android-powered cell phone for next month. And the device boasts some pretty impressive (and quite unique) specs. It’s basically the first smartphone that meets the specific demands of Japan’s spoiled cell phone users. → Read More
Another day, another new 3D TV announcement. This time, it’s two new models coming [press release in English] from Sharp Japan, the 46-inch LC-46LB3 and the 52-inch LC-52LB3. The TVs of the AQUOS Quattron series feature a built-in Blu-ray recorder, which are 3D-enabled, too. → Read More
It took them a while, but now it seems Sharp is serious about entering the e-book and tablet business. The company announced “Galapagos”in Tokyo today [press release in English], with Galapagos being the (terrible) name both for Sharp’s cloud-based e-book service and two new Android devices supporting that service. → Read More
Sharp just announced a slick new pair of Blu-Ray players, and updated its Quattron TVs (you know, the ones with the yellow pixels in ‘em) to support 3D. The new players support Netflix, VUDU and Pandora, among other internet services and rich media-type stuff. Mainly, though, they’re really nice-looking. Pictures courtesy of Gizmodo. → Read More
Sharp is to acquire 100% of Recurrent Energy, a San Francisco-based independent power producer and developer of distributed solar projects, for up to $305 million in cash.
The acquisition is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, provided authorities approve the transaction. → Read More
If there’s something solar energy as a technology needs, then it’s better and cheaper solar cells. And now Sharp has apparently made a step forward regarding the first factor: the company says it has developed a solar cell that has the world’s highest efficiency of 42.1%, breaking the record of Spectrolab of the US. → Read More
Today we find discover, first-hand, the horrors of machine translation. The deal is that Sharp plans to take on Apple (and thus, the world) by releasing an e-reader of some sort. Sharp also plans on releasing 3D smartphones (think Nintendo 3DS, technology-wise). But I dare you to figure that our from Google’s translation of the original story. → Read More
Japan not only loves the iPad, it also finds creative ways to use it. Now Sharp (of all companies) is testing a self-ordering system for Izakaya, Japanese-style restaurants, that’s based on the device. The idea is to do away with the usual hardcopy menus and make it possible for customers to choose and directly order what they like through an iPad. → Read More
Sharp Japan announced [JP] the PN-L601B today, a quite cool touch screen that enables handwritten input to be superimposed over scanned images. Marketed as a 60-inch “LCD Blackboard” , the device is mainly geared towards businesses and educational institutions. Buyers will get a special stylus and handwriting software. → Read More
In the US (and elsewhere), Sharp has been selling a number of air purifiers, branded as “Plasmacluster”, for years now. In Japan, the company today announced [JP] a portable Plasmacluster, the IG-CM1. The mini version (57×27.5×124mm) basically works like the bigger models: it cleans the air around you, suppresses odors and makes sure your skin looks healthy. → Read More
Accusations of price fixing like those now being filed in New York are nothing new, but as it turns out, the penalties don’t really stick. LG and Sharp paid hundreds of millions in a settlement back in 2008, Hitachi had its own scandal in 2009, and Sharp is already the defendant in a Dell lawsuit also alleging price fixing. Samsung seems to be the new kid on the block, but I think they can probably hold their own. What does it mean to the consumer? Probably the same it meant the last three times: very little. → Read More
The 3D craze continues to find its way into the cell phone market. Sharp has today announced plans to launch a smartphone that features both the 3D screen (pictured) and the 3D camera the company unveiled earlier this year. While this doesn’t come as much of a surprise, a Sharp representative today stressed the phone will be available by year end – globally. → Read More
Japan is a huge market for electronic dictionaries, even though a good number of cell phones in this country come with decent dictionaries pre-installed. While most Japanese e-dictionaries are designed like micro-notebooks, market leader Sharp today announced [JP] a model of a different kind. For reasons unknown, their PW-AC10 looks much like a Blackberry (or a knock-off). → Read More
Another day, another e-reader. Sharp, manufacturer of all things high tech (although I honestly haven’t seen them on the American market much recently) is planning to launch and e-book reader that may run on the Verizon network. The reader will use Sharp’s own XMDF (ever-eXtending Mobile Document Format) for e-book files. The company offers 29,000 titles in XMDF for Japanese readers already, although they definite have some catching up to do if they want to beat the entrenched incumbents. → Read More
The 100GB BDXL Blu-rays Sharp unveiled today are nice and all, but they’re useless with all Blu-ray recorders that are currently on the market. That’s why Sharp Japan also announced [press release in English] not one but two new Blu-ray recorders (the BD-HDW700/pictured and BD-HDW70) that will actually support the BDXL format. → Read More
Progress in the Blu-ray world: Sharp Japan announced [press release in English] the VR-100BR1 today, the world’s first Blu-ray disc that’s compatible to the BDXL format. In other words, you’ll soon be able to store up to 100GB of data on the three-layer discs, twice as much as the capacity conventional dual discs have. → Read More
