Sharp ships 1GHz IS01 developer's edition in Japan, minus all the goodies

Hoping to get your hot little hands on the tinker-friendly edition of Sharp's Snapdragon-powered IS01 Android MID? If you live in Japan, today's your lucky day -- assuming you're willing to overlook the possibility that the developer's version has been thoroughly neutered. According to a Japanese press release, JN-DK01 dev kits are now shipping, but apparently sans cellular modem (no phone calls, no 3G data) and without API support for FM and 1Seg connectivity. You'll still get to play around with that 960 x 480 multitouch LCD, experiment with IrDA and download Android Market apps over WiFi, but we're not quite seeing the point of working with a cheap-feeling Android 1.6 device stripped of its coolest toys.

[Damaga Posted May 14th 2010 2:58AM]

"JN-DK01 dev kits are now shipping, but apparently sans cellular modem"
If it had a cellular modem for phone calls and 3g data, wouldn't that make it a cell phone or a very small tablet?

[Zylam Posted May 14th 2010 2:59AM]

i must have died and woken up years later, it used to be no tablets back in my time.. yea yea we've all heard of the "Sharp ships 1GHz IS01"

(what the hell is it?)

[Teslanaut Posted May 14th 2010 3:00AM]

DO WANT (With newer firmware)

[n8equalsd Posted May 14th 2010 3:03AM]

Whatever happened to that phone that was later turned into a mid with a better processor?I think it was made by synaptics?

[dcrudo Posted May 14th 2010 3:07AM]

I subscribed to the SDK... to check out the price...unbelievable!
They sell it, striped down, for 94,800 Yen!!! (over $1000 !!)

[kabukabu Posted May 14th 2010 7:35AM]

$1000 :D ? Vaio P Wins! Flawless victory! (+fatality+babality) :D

[anotherworld Posted May 14th 2010 3:13AM]

Reminds me of the Nokia E90..Dam to bad no one cares about MID these days....imagine if it had phone functions...

[F C Posted May 14th 2010 3:29AM]

Dang! Couldnt you have started the headline w/ two different words?

[sibyy Posted May 14th 2010 3:45AM]

Once Sharp pairs with Android and starts shipping devices and cellphones outside Japan it will kill other manufacturers. Sharp has amazing hardware and legendary build!

Japanese manufacturers were looking for a way to expand westwards.. I think Android is their vehicle!

[cosmicinglewood Posted May 14th 2010 3:50AM]

Half baked, thank goodness it is only in Japan for now. As for bringing sharp phones to the States or somewhere other than Japan... good idea. They do build quality hardware. Lets hope they finish baking their cell phone cookies before selling them in any verizon, att or spring bakeries.

[BookishOwl Posted May 14th 2010 3:57AM]

That hardware looks awesome, and the user interface reminds me of webos.... so awesome too.

[Imran Posted May 14th 2010 4:01AM]

That theme looks like WebOS!!

[Bash2cool Posted May 14th 2010 6:18AM]

@Imran just what i was thinking

[kingu Posted May 19th 2010 6:37PM]

@Imran
That meme looks like luther wandross

[darjen Posted May 14th 2010 9:13AM]

give me android 2.1 or 2.2 by the time this ships and I'll seriously consider buying it. what's with all the outdated android tablets?

[barry99705 Posted May 14th 2010 10:48AM]

Finally! Something to replace the Zaurus.

[microlith Posted May 14th 2010 2:40PM]

If it wasn't so stupidly expensive, it'd be a good target platform for MeeGo. Sad that they gutted the cellular connectivity and omit APIs for the FM and 1Seg (but that's what you get when you're dependent on Android for your APIs,) I suppose if docs for the chips are available they could be re-enabled...