Sharp's Snapdragon-powered, Android-running IS01 MID gets a hands-on (updated)
By Donald Melanson 
posted March 31st 2010 3:09AM
posted March 31st 2010 3:09AM
Sharp's new IS01 MID for KDDI au proved to be something of a letdown when it was announced earlier today, partly due to raised expectations, and partly due to a lack of a decent look at it. Thankfully, Akihabara News has now come through on the latter point, and provided a fairly extensive hands-on look at the Snapdragon-powered MID. Anyone hoping for a bit more incentive to buy one may well still come away disappointed, however, as the site describes the device as fairly "cheap" feeling, and says that it doesn't have multitouch support (although earlier reports have stated that the device has a multitouch display). That said, the Snapdragon processor does apparently ensure that the device is suitably speedy, and there's always the possibility for some exciting things to emerge from its developer-friendly JN-DK01 counterpart. Hit up the source link for a closer look.
Update: Multi-touch support confirmed in the new video added after the break.
[Thanks, Andy]
Update: Multi-touch support confirmed in the new video added after the break.
[Thanks, Andy]
Wish I knew the price
@Broderbund well let me tell you what i think its worth.... $50 bucks.
@emopoops kthx
@emopoops Aw cmon, snapdragon and android? I'd pay 100$ for it.
@Broderbund
as long as the price is sub astronomical, i dont see anything wrong with this. Who actually uses multitouch anyway (except virtual keyboard users of course).
@Broderbund
i agree, $100 would be (almost) a steal for this device.
@tobsmonster2 Ditto, multitouch on tiny screens is useless when you have an actual tactile feedback keyboard to use.
Honestly, the biggest use I see for this device is for hacker/hobbyists to get a cheap Snapdragon platform to play with.
@n0ne I agree, if this will land on sub 350 then I'm so getting this MID smartbook device. Although, in the future, users could use a little upgrade with its platform (android 1.6) Compiled: http://bit.ly/sharp-is01-compiled-updates
I think Android is great... but... when are they shipping stuff like Photoshop and Flash and Dreamweaver to Android? Thats all I need, otherwise I'm stuck in PC/Mac land :(
@buoy Sounds like the device you're looking for is a laptop.
@buoy I see your new from your lack of knowledge, Welcome to the Tech world!
@buoy well, noone really likes photoshope and flash so i think android is ahead of the game there.. well kind of ;[
@emopoops
uhh.. im pretty sure ALOT of people like photoshop
Like me.. I also like Flash. Can you like name where you got the information that no one likes photoshop or flash? >_>
@buoy
there is a "photoshop" for android (obviously nothing like the desktop variant)
@Broderbund But why one can't wish for computer for job that is iPad form factor and with multitouch gui? Are mouse and keyboard really most ergonomic tools for work?
@mrqs yes but all that stuff kinda isn't as good as the real thing. I do have a netbook which has given me some freedom out of the office, but to have that stuff on your actual smart-phone after you've done 99% on your pc and, say, go out with friends... then the client emails you saying can you adjust xyz (some minor detail) please........ it would be great to do that on your smartphone. might take you 3 times longer, so instead of 1 minute it'll take you 3 or 4 minutes, but at least you could DO it and then send it off to them rather than worry about it until you get home.
@Broderbund well, yes, today it's a laptop device. But when are the smartphones replacing the desktops? If I could get a few essential "apps" I'm jumping on that bandwagon as soon as possible!
http://technologizer.com/2009/03/02/the-smartphone-is-destined-to-replace-the-pc/
http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/Will-the-smartphone-replace-the-PC-in-three-years/1267721779
@buoy
Smartphones may be getting more robust but they'll never have software that rivals premium desktop photo editing software made in the same era. Never, ever.
And to add to that, citing blog posts by nobodies is actually detrimental to your point. It makes you look like you believe everything you read on the internet.
@Broderbund they don't need to rival, merely meet the demands of the application - otherwise netbooks wouldn't have stood a chance with their flimsy processing power. Manipulating a photoshop document has been achieved with computers an order of magnitude slower than today's smartphones back in the day.
To add to that, those links were merely to express what I couldn't write (paragraph on paragraph) in case my point wasn't being made clear... that that was what I was hoping would happen sooner than later. If you want reputable sources about this to enter a debate on this point then, well, that's just not my fight, and beyond the purpose of my initial questioning- but thank you for taking the time to respond.
If it was cheap enough I could see that being a damn good HTPC remote.
@scl23enN4m3 looks nothing like a remote hon! u should be ashamed
@emopoops
I beg to differ. I can see this thing controlling all of my media through my network...and the qwerty is perfect for searching.
@emopoops
Gah! leave here troll, leave!
it is strangely compelling..
@glenskey
Your DP Is strangely compelling aswell..
@Jordo1234
not nearly as compelling as making a 'DP' joke..
@glenskey
Actually was being serious, i sat there for like 5 minutes looking at it.
@Jordo1234 Me too. I guess everyone does that when sees it for the first time.
@Jordo1234
enjoy wasting another 5 minutes, ;)
http://img532.imageshack.us/img532/249/uglycattemp.jpg
@glenskey
If that was a 1680x1080 Image it would be my desktop background..
@Jordo1234
yeah, i wish.. but unfortunately that is about the largest image in existence -- i didn't make the original though.. in fact i have no idea who did..
@glenskey
But we can still dream right?
@glenskey
The original came from the somethingawful forums.
"But it was about time that Sharp kicked out a real Linux successor to our beloved Zaurus"
Uh, Sharp Netwalker, ever heard of it?
Is it just me or there is really no source link or read more option on the iPhone engadget app??
@hotmanjo Speaking for the users of the WebOS Engadget app, nope, there isn't a source link or read more option.
However, if you try to view Engadget through your browser you should be just fine. The apps are perfect for on-the-go reading and commenting, though.
multi-touch is nearly useless when you're dealing with screens this small, thats not a big issue.
will have to get my hands on one to get a feel for the fit and finish, but specifications and ergonomics with that nice keyboard sound awesome on paper if the price is right. =)
that keyboard looks sexy
Am I not watching the guy use multitouch all throughout the video?
If someone made a phone like this, I'd be first in line to buy it. 1ghz Snapdragon, Android, QWERTY keyboard... is that too much to ask?
That keyboard is badass
DAMN! A lot more keyboard than screen!
Wait. CDMA.. you still use CDMA? we phased that out for the muchly better "NextG"