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Engadget Daily: AQUOS Crystal review, the August smart lock and more!
What's that? A brand-new phone from Sharp? Yep, it's called the AQUOS Crystal and it looks good. That's not all we have on deck though -- read on for our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including the August smart lock, Google's ongoing licensing battle with Oracle, and more. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Sharp AQUOS Crystal review: mid-range brains meet striking looks
Pop quiz, hotshot: When's the last time you saw a Sharp phone in the United States? The Sharp FX from years back? Maybe the FX Plus? If you're anything like me, your mind will hearken back to chunky clamshell classics like this one. Long story short, it's been ages since Sharp has had any kind of mobile presence around these parts. That's something the Japanese company is finally ready to change, and it's aiming to do it with a splash. Enter the AQUOS Crystal, one of the most striking phones you'll ever see. It's finally available for $149 on Boost Mobile now and Sprint will get it come October 17th, but we have questions -- so many questions. Has Sharp figured out a way to crack the all-too-fickle US market? Are we looking at a classic case of style over substance?
Sharp's all-screen AQUOS Crystal arrives at Sprint
We knew the Sharp AQUOS Crystal was coming, but we weren't exactly sure when. That's all changed thanks to news from Sprint. The handset, packing a nigh edge-to-edge display, has just reached Sprint Prepaid and Boost Mobile (either at Best Buy or a Boost Mobile retail store) for $150. If you'd rather run Sharp's latest attempt at breaking into the US smartphone market on traditional service using a $10 per month payment plan, you'll have to wait an additional week until October 17th. There's yet another option, although it sadly won't put the phone in your hands any sooner. Quite the opposite, actually. Should you rather buy on the Sprint Prepaid from Radio Shack -- it'd surely love the business -- you'll have to wait all the way until October 21st to drop your cash. Need help deciding if it's for you? Check out our hands-on video after the break.
Engadget Daily: Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, transparent solar panels and more!
Today, we take the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook for a spin, round up a few of our favorite phones, learn about transparent solar panels, and more! Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Sharp's new bezel-less smartphone will land in US thanks to Sprint
It's been a long, long time since Sharp shipped a phone in the United States (remember this thing?) but it looks like that drought may soon be over. The Japanese electronics giant just pulled back the curtain on a pair of smartphones that barely have bezels, and one of them is slated to land here sooner or later. Sharp's Aquos Crystal X is the more impressive of the two -- aside from the fact that there's hardly any material running around its 5.5-inch 1080p display, there's a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 ticking away inside its 10mm thick chassis. Alas, it's the less-powerful Aquos Crystal that's expected find its way stateside. There still aren't any bezels to speak of, but it packs a comparatively paltry 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 and a 5-inch 720p display -- expect the price tag to reflect those decidedly mid-range ambitions.
