Emblaze Mobile inks deal with Sharp and ACCESS

Emblaze Mobile, Israeli-based phone designers / makers, have inked a deal with Japanese powerhouse Sharp, and software developer ACCESS (of Palm OS fame, amongst others) to create a new mobile device which will "revolutionize mobile communication." You know... just a small goal. The companies plan to reveal this magical device sometime in 2008, which will be based around Sharp-developed hardware, and ACCESS-grown software (go figure). Guy Bernstein, CEO of Emblaze, says, "The device represents one of the most ambitious projects in the high-tech mobile industry." Of course, given that said device is still a total mystery, statements like that should be very easy to make. Your poker face is good, Guy, but let's see your cards.

[Johan S @ Oct 1st 2007 1:16PM]

If they are using Sharp's hi-res LCD technology (enough ppi to put an 800 x 600 or better display in 3.5" display) .. and GPS + 3G .. on top of everything the iPhone has (especially full HTML browsing ease of use) ... they could have a winner.

[Doctor Memory @ Oct 1st 2007 1:40PM]

Interesting. If a US carrier actually ships an Access Linux Platform device, this could finally be an escape route to the many, many users currently standing on the decks of the sinking ship PalmOS...

[EricLMcCormick @ Oct 1st 2007 1:49PM]

Isn't that what Palm was trying to do? Even today ACCESS still hasn't turned out a new OS for the Palm PDA's and smartphones and they have been promising stuff for at least a year if not 2.

[Doctor Memory @ Oct 1st 2007 5:51PM]

Eric: although it's true that neither Palm nor Access have managed to ship (or have someone else ship) a phone based on their next-gen OSes, Access appears to be much further along in the process than Palm is. There's an SDK for ALP in limited release, and Access has documentation for it on their website. Palm, in contrast, has so far only said that "PalmOS II" will ship sometime in 2008, and if there's any documentation about the system yet it's only been given out under NDA.

[Zeke @ Oct 1st 2007 2:22PM]

Nice new-school hearts, Engadget! hehe.

[Fernando @ Oct 1st 2007 3:32PM]

A Paml-based Sharp phone? noooo, why ruin a 910sh for example =P

[Jamar @ Oct 1st 2007 10:21PM]

Please, please base this design on one of the Softbank phones. I've always been drooling over those and it sucks really bad that we don't get any of the really cool ones.