Category Archives: Sharp

Sharp Cuts Back Galapagos Tablet Line, Will Continue to Sell 7-Inch Only

Posted by on September 15, 2011 No comments

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Sharp is putting all of their eggs in a 7-inch basket as low sales have resulted in the discontinuation of their 5.5-inch and 10.8-inch Galapagos tablets. Two of three Galapagos models, the tablets were introduced to Japan last December and followed by a 7-inch Honeycomb slate last month. Sharp today confirmed that it would cease taking orders for the two older models on September 30th.

Sharp is struggling to move tablets in light of the Apple iPad’s market dominance, a scenario not uncommon to manufacturers of Android-based slates around the globe. Still, the company hopes to bring their 7-inch device to new markets, including the United States. It could launch on American shores by the end of the year.

[via TechCrunch]

Sharp Announces Another 3D Aquos Phone, Headed for SoftBank Japan

Posted by on September 9, 2011 No comments

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While 3D-enabled smartphones are altogether new to the US, the concept is old hat in Japan, as is often the case with technology. Sharp introduced their glasses-free 3D Lynx handsets last fall, and has since brought the Aquos SH-12C with a screen and dual-camera setup capable of taking your mobile experience into the third dimension. Now yet another handset is on the way, the Sharp Aquos SH8298U for Japan’s SoftBank.

The new Aquos phone features a 1,4GHz Snapdragon CPU with Adreno 205 graphics, 512MB of RAM, and a 4.2-inch qHD display with glasses-free 3D capabilities. Dual 8MP rear cameras enable the capture of 3D content. The phone will run on Android 2.3 and come in red and white decos.

We’re still waiting for Sharp to bring any of its high-end Android devices to the US market. They would offer an interesting change of pace to the current lineup of big-name brands and their almost monthly releases.

[via PocketNow]

Sharp RW-T107 Gingerbread Tablet Comes With NFC Support

Posted by on August 23, 2011 No comments


The folks of Sharp, the company that will most likely make the iPhone 6 display have just announced a new 7 inch Android tablet. Strangely, this model doesn’t rely on Honeycomb like most newcomers, focusing instead on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The device will come to Japan first and it’ll bring forth an NFC interface specifically created for commercial interaction. The slate will support Japanese FeliCa cards initially, but further payment methods are probably expected afterwards. Sharp RW-T107 can also take advantage of membership cards, IDs, loyalty cards and other special offers and coupons.

Sharp promised a Japan-only release of about 5,000 units a month starting with September 5th, so don’t expect one of these tablets to reach your area pretty soon. The specs of this model are not clear yet, but they should include the classic dual speakers, microUSB port, SIM card slot, HDMI and audio jack. Wonder what CPU is inside and how much storage we’ll get…


The Yahoo Phone… With Google’s Android

Posted by on August 18, 2011 No comments

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Well, isn’t this just the cluster**** of all cluster****s (use your imagination). Carrier SoftBank in Japan has introduced a “Yahoo Phone” complete with licensed branding and possibly a completely customized version of Android. Users will get preinstalled Yahoo applications and, for the cost of the phone, two free years of Yahoo Plus. Yahoo is apparently the nation’s biggest website so it should turn some heads just as we figure a Facebook phone in Europe and the Americas would.

Yahoo didn’t go and order extensive R&D for hardware, though – this one’s a rebranded Sharp AQUOS PHONE THE PREMIUM SoftBank 009SH. It has a 4 inch qHD display, an 8 megapixel camera sensor, WiFi, Bluetooth and Android 2.3. On top of that looks to be a custom Yahoo-centric user interface that will give you access to time, weather, stocks, news, social, search and more right on your homescreen.

We’ll probably never see this phone make outside of Japan, but interesting and very ironic nonetheless. SoftBank is set to offer it to their customers next month. [TechCrunch]

Sharp Shows Off 7-Inch Galapagos Tablet with Android 3.2

Posted by on August 3, 2011 No comments

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Sharp has unveiled their Galapgos A01SH tablet for the Japanese, a 7-inch tablet running Android 3.2. The slate features a 1024×600 resolution, dual-core Tegra 2 processor, and a built-in 42Mbps data connectivity. Other specs include 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear and 2MP front-facing camera, and 8GB of internal storage. Pricing hasn’t been revealed but the tablet should be on sale by the end of the month in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Sharp is committed to bringing at least a few of their tablet products to the US, and we recently saw the A01SH pass through the FCC. Today’s product unveil did not come with any additional details for plans to release the device in other regions, however.

[via Electronista]

The Affordable Sidekick-Like Sharp FX Plus for AT&T Hits Walmart on Backorder

Posted by on August 2, 2011 No comments

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Looks like AT&T’s just about ready to offer this one. While we understand their lack of desire to make a lot of noise about the device’s launch, the Sharp FX Plus should be a pretty decent addition to AT&T’s affordable lineup. According to Walmart, it will be available for $0 on-contract and just $350 off. For that, it’s not a bad of a phone with its 3.2 inch display, 3 megapixel camera, 512MB of RAM and a Sidekick-inspired keyboard. It’s on backorder now, but we imagine this month won’t expire without seeing its availability. [via Electronista]

Promo Shots Give Us a Clear Look at the Sharp FX Plus for AT&T

Posted by on July 28, 2011 No comments

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We know the Sharp FX Plus is headed to AT&T as a Walmart exclusive, and now we are getting a nice, clear look at the handset courtesy of PocketNow. While the Froyo handset with slide-out keyboard and 3.2-inch display is unlikely to be a stunner, it will offer another mid-range option to customers looking for a messaging-friendly handset. It could go for as cheap as free when purchased on a two-year contract.

[via PocketNow]