Sharp releases W-ZERO3 / WS003SH qwerty Pocket PC

Take one dash HTC Wizard / Apache, a heaping spoonful of HTC Universal, a pinch of Zaurus, mix liberally with Japanese engineering, bake at 375°, and you've got Sharp's new Universal killer, the W-ZERO3 / WS003SH being released on Willcom. Hm, "Universal killer," didn't think we'd be saying those words so soon, eh? But this sucker runs Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC, and has a 3.7-inch VGA touchscreen, 416MHz Xscale processor, 128MB of flash, 64MB of RAM, a MiniSD slot, mini-USB, 802.11b, W-SIM, and a 1.33 megapixel camera. Ah, this fickle heart, how easily swayed we are. Oh, and if you thought the Universal was hugemongous, well, the W-ZERO3 is still freaking ginormous at 70 x 130 x 26mm (2.75 x 5.1 x 1.0-inches) and 220g (7.75oz), but that's a bit less than the 127 x 81 x 25mm/285g size n' weight on the HTC, so chew on that.

[Via Akihabara News]

[Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I don't care how big it is.

I want it.

[stomper @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Is this a phone? What is W-SIM?

[BlackFlux @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

It looks kind of cool.

[Greenline @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Hello Newton

[WILLCOM user @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

W-SIM is a removable communication card.
When it was removed, W-ZERO3 works just as a PDA.
Weight: 8g
Size: Just like a MMC card
Thickness: 4mm
Comm. method: PHS
http://www.willcom-inc.com/ja/lineup/rx/410in/index.html

sorry for my bad English :(

[tim @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Can I touch it!?! I see it has wifi, what about EVDO or EDGE?

[Oddmanout @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Yeah, hit the link and you will see the comments indicate the 'W-SIM' is an enhanced version of SIM (ie like the SI card in your phone). I read elsewhere it's got PHS capabilities. So yeah, it be phone. And with it's built in wifi it just might function as an IP phone too (Skype anyone ?) but that's just a but of speculation on my part.

I just hope this doesn't canibalize the Zaurus line...

[Surur @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

So thats what ... 10 Windows Mobile phones anounced this year, and 0 Palm OS phones (Treo 700w is WM of course).

Sounds like the future has never been brighter for Palm OS.

http://palmaddict.typepad.com/palmaddicts/2005/10/palms_future_as.html

Surur

[sunz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

1" thick is a bit much ... :(

[Orneta @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

When is this actualy going to be released to the public? Will it be on any cariers?

[Bill Grove @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Well, that pretty much cinches EXACTLY what I wanted. So, no, I'm sure it won't be released here! VGA PPC, cell phone, qwerty kb, absolutely perfect. I carry a x50v and a v710, so the size of it doesn't really matter to me. I WANT IT!!!

Bill

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I almost destroyed my laptop salivating over the device...

[Jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Where's the hard drive? I WANT A HARD DRIVE ON THESE DEVICES!!! Apple can create 60GB video ipods that are very small. Can't someone PLEASE give me a VGA PDA with keyboard, and at least a 30GB Hard Drive that has good battery life???

[Killjoy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Sweet mercy! This is so close to the smartphone I've always dreamed of (VGA, 64MB RAM, 400+MHz CPU, standard card expansion, GSM phone, thumb keyboard). If this ever gets to the US (Even by an importer) I will be FORCED to buy it. But damnit, why does it have to be Windows Mobile? All their other Zaurii run Linux and let you hack on them.

[peteremcc @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

yep this with a 30gb hard drive would make me pull our my savings for this year :D

Peter

[ross @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Sharp releases WZERO3 / what does that mean ?? / releases to who ?? / releases where

what a great news release, so factual and informative / also so stupid!

[Adrian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

dayum, i just popped a boner

[devid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

so retro 1995 styling is back, is it?

[ross @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

Sharp is releasing this phone in Japan. Who cares - by the time it makes it way to US / it will be obsolete

[dansus @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

come to papa. just what im looking for, a loox 720 with slide out qwerty. this will do, can it run 3g?

[Bam @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

what, Windows, not again, what happened to Linux? Bad Idea!

[dan warriner @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

i'm still waiting for an apple os

[idzham @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

when will it be available in malaysia or singapore?

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

this phone is PIMP O LICIOUS

[Nadeem @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

I jus wanna know whther i can put my sim in this thing or not????

[ahtans @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

The price should be reasonable so that more people can afford to buy. When is it coming to Malaysia ? It is a very good PDA phone compare its spec with others on the market. It should attract a big demand if price is right.I am waiting for it.

[vincent @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

it's a bit old for a comment...but,

The Sharp W-Zero3 is marketed through Wilcom, a Japanese PHS network mobile phone and data provider. It does not come with Edge, EV-DO, WCDMA or any of the other mobile phone network frequencies. It will work in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand, though.

I was l was looking at one the other day, and it looks nice, but is big. really, really big. It also looks like you won't be able to use it as an internet phone. I was talking to a Wilcom person yesterday, and they said that only software licensed by Wilcom can be installed on the device. Though, I suppose that even if it's true, there is probably a way to get Skype on the darned thing.

[Tommy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

In Japan, it runs Opera too.

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=5531

[kenneth @ Dec 19th 2005 12:55AM]

The Sharp W-Zero3 blasted on to the Japan market today and it's selling like hot hot hot cakes. Sizzling Super Hot Cakes. I'm a permanent Tokyo resident, went to two of the biggest electronic products stores(Bic Camera/Yodobashi)in Shinjuku to buy one but nobody had inventory. Even online sales punked out and the servers were down due to W-Zero3 order overload. Nobody evidently.... :) anticipated the rush according to Bic staff. Fortunately, my brilliant Japanese negotiating skills fetched me a reserve order. I plunked down 39,800 Yen and will happily wait for mine
to come in. Willcom's monthly fee is 3,950/Yen. 2,900/Yen of this is the basic plan fee. The remaining 1050/Yen is for 100,000 packets of data transmission. Burn up
360,000 packets of data and the data fee is 3,800/Yen.(assuming my quickie translation is correct). Willcom to Wilcom calls/e-mail are free. Wilcom to landline/IP/PHS phones are 10.5/Yen per 30/seconds. Wilcom charges to other carrier mobile phones are 13.125/Yen per 30/seconds.

[Roy @ Dec 30th 2005 6:10PM]

omfg i want this baby so bad... can i touch it, the size is not the matter, its how well it functions...

[Carlsson @ Jan 8th 2006 2:09AM]

I don't think that's english os available for this device right now!!