Sharp Aquos
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Sharp Aquos lineup for 2014 bears 1080p and 4K TVs, a revamped SmartCentral platform and the new Quattron+ Series
We knew an army of TVs would be making an appearance at CES 2014. Accordingly, Sharp has just announced what we can expect out of the Aquos portfolio this year, with new hardware being introduced as part of its HD, Quattron and 4K Series -- there's also the debut of Quattron+, but we'll talk more about that a little later. As expected, Sharp is placing emphasis on big LED screens: Each model begins at 60 inches, ranging all the way up to 90 inches in the case of the HD Series. Speaking of which, the entry-level Aquos HD will be priced starting at $1,300, offering 1080p at 120Hz, 2D/3D options and Smart TV features. Meanwhile, the Quattron Series, which starts at $1,700, also does 1080p, but at 240Hz, plus it's equipped with Quattron technology and Sharp's completely overhauled SmartCentral platform, much like the HD and rest of the lineup. Those looking to spend a little more will be able to choose from the newly minted Quattron+ or 4K Series, both of which are running the company's revamped Smart TV software, SmartCentral 3. TVs with Quattron+ (seen above) are sort of a step between 1080p and Ultra HD; Sharp describes them as the "highest-resolution full HD" sets available, noting that the technology "divides each pixel, creating two pixels from one, to deliver 16 million subpixels." Prices on these are expected to be from $2,300 to $6,000 -- this gets you things like Active 3D, THX-approved picture quality, Bluetooth and, on the higher-end models, an AquoMotion 960, 240Hz screen. Lastly, the 4K Series, which is likely the most interesting of the bunch and ranges from $5,000 to $6,000, gets you an Ultra HD TV with an AquoMotion 240, 120Hz display, THX 4K, 3D, a duo bass subwoofer and four HDMI 2.0 ports. All in all, Sharp is going to be kicking off the year with a total of 19 different Aquos TVs; the HD, Quattron and Quattron+ are expected to ship in the spring, though there's no word yet on when the 4K Series is due to arrive.
Sharp announces first TVs with Moth-Eye technology: the AQUOS XL series
Sharp may look like it's in trouble, but that's not stopping it bringing new displays to the market, including today's announcement of the AQUOS Quattron 3D XL TV line. Behind the mouthful of acronyms, these LED-backlit LCD panels are the first to feature Sharp's Moth-Eye technology, designed to reduce glare and pump out bright colors, as well as a deep black. The company's 'four primary color' tech is partly responsible for the rich output, which squeezes a yellow sub-pixel in with the standard R, G and B. All the panels run at 1,920 x 1,080, as you'd expect, sport a 10 million to 1 contrast ratio and use five speakers to deliver audio. Prices aren't fixed, but the 46-, 52- and 80-inch models will be released in Japan on December 15th, while the 60- and 70-inch variants will come slightly earlier, on November 30th. You're going to have to be quick on launch day, though -- only 10,000 units are expected to be available in the first month.
Slickdeals' best in tech for October 15th: 60-inch Sharp AQUOS LCD HDTV and a slew of components
Looking to save some coin on your tech purchases? Of course you are! In this round-up, we'll run down a list of the freshest frugal buys, hand-picked with the help of the folks at Slickdeals. You'll want to act fast, though, as many of these offerings won't stick around long. If you're looking to get a jump on some of your holiday shopping, perhaps this round of tech deals will provide the necessary motivation to do just that. A 60-inch Sharp AQUOS 1080p LCD HDTV tops the group, and a smattering of components round out the lot. Keep and eye on those pesky discount codes and rebate links, though, because we'd hate for you to miss out. Head on past the break to peruse the whole list.
Sharp Aquos SH-10D makes pit stop at FCC, earns stamp of approval
NTT DoCoMo announced a roster of phones this past May, and among them was Sharp's Aquos SH-10D. After spending some quality time with the FCC, the handset now has paperwork that could allow it to travel stateside. Along with a quartet of oddly angled corners, the phone packs a GSM and HSPA+ / WCDMA radio, 4.5-inch screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 12.1 MP rear-facing camera and a 0.32 MP frontward-facing cam for those awkward, Facebook-bound self-portraits. Hit the link below if you'd like to rifle through the FCC results yourself.
Sharp launches 'world's largest' 90-inch LED AQUOS TV, we go hands-on
You know what they say: bigger is always better. With that in mind, Sharp's taken the wraps off of its flagship 90-inch AQUOS LED TV, and in the process dubs it the world's largest (sorry, 80-incher). At first glance, this enormous smart television is everything you'd imagine and more, led, naturally, in large part by that gorgeous 90-inch (diagonally) LED screen. Sharp's new AQUOS measures in at 4 feet in height, 5-inches in thickness and weighs in at a mere 141 pounds (without the stand). The company's also done a nice job of stuffing a good amount of software inside the 1080p-capable AQUOS, including apps such as Netflix, Hulu and Vudu. Additionally, Sharp is throwing in a pair of three-dee glasses, which should come in handy during your precious movie night with the family. Best of all, it's up for grabs now, but prepare your wallet to take a major hit, as you'll have to shell out $11,000 to get one of these in your living room. While you think that over, there's a glorious picture gallery for everyone's viewing pleasure down below, and the official presser right past the break. %Gallery-158521% %Gallery-158518%
Sharp teams up with design company for new Feel UX Android skin (video)
While the western hemisphere hasn't (perhaps fortunately) got to experience Sharp's existing Android UI, it's announced that it'll be teaming up with design firm, frog, to craft Feel UX, a new "highly personalized", "visually stunning" smartphone experience. It will land on Sharp's next wave of AQUOS smartphones this summer, and will presumably tie-in to Japan-centric features like 1seg TV and IR receivers. We're told that highlights will include photo browsing and widget functionality without unlocking devices and "real-time weather display motion experience and animation." If you're getting a strong 'Sense' of déjà vu, you're not alone, but we're still intrigued by frog's efforts to "streamline" the home screen and tinker with app management -- some of those lockscreen shortcuts are looking mighty convenient. Sharp's Global Product Development Center's Itsuki Kouchi reckons it'll help them create "distinctive" devices, so take a look at the UI in action after the break and make that call for yourself. However, given a choice, we may still plump for Sharp's fan-baiting Evangelion skin.
iPhone was Japan's best-selling smartphone in 2011, Android more than comfy as well
It's deemed likely that Apple had the top-selling cellphone in Japan this past fall, but how did it do in all of 2011? Quite well, if you go by MMRI's estimates. The iPhone had 30 percent (almost 7.3 million) of the Land of the Rising Sun's 24.2 million sales among individual smartphone labels, or nearly double Sharp's 17.5 percent. Don't think that Android-powered smartphones like the Aquos SH-12C didn't make an impact, though: virtually every other smartphone in Japan, 69 percent, was running some flavor of Google's mobile OS. Apple managed to shake up a sometimes insular overall keitai market as well, having come just short of Fujitsu for the top spot in all cellphones. Researchers are expecting the smartphone space in Japan to grow by a healthy 15 percent in 2012, although it's still a wildcard as to whether or not KDDI's iPhone support will keep Apple riding high for another year.
Sharp to deliver first 80-inch Quattron 3DTV, 20 more new HDTVs
So you wanted an 80-inch TV, but you also wanted 3D? No problem, come April, as Sharp has announced plans to release the LC-80LE844U for $6,499. Another thing unlike the LC-80LE632U released late last year, the new model features the new for 2012 Quattron Pixel Plus II. The entire 2012 Sharp lineup features built-in WiFi and Sharp's SmartCentral that delivers streaming options like Netflix, Hulu, many others and an AirPlay like feature called Beamzit. The feature still missing from the 80-inch is local dimming, only available on the 60 and 70-inch 9 Series. A full breakdown and listing of all the models of each series, along with the press release, after the break.
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 26, 2011: Last week we heard the rumor that Sprint would be launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on October 2nd, and we've finally received the official confirmation. The device will be hitting stores tomorrow for $80 with a two-year contract. [PhoneArena] The Motorola Photon WiMAX, referred to as the Photon 4G in the US, is now making its way to Japan as KDDI announced the launch of the device this past Monday. [Motorola] Verizon Wireless launched the Pantech Jest 2 this week, which is a feature phone with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. [Verizon Wireless] The Samsung Galaxy Y is now listed as "coming soon" on O2's website, which makes it the second carrier to announce upcoming availability in the UK. The actual date of release, however, is still unofficial. [O2] Softbank (Japan) looks ready to land the ZTE Lord V882, which appears to be an Android device running on Gingerbread, and comes packed with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 3.8-inch LCD at WVGA resolution and a 5MP camera. [LandofDroid] NTT DoCoMo and Orange have teamed up to offer the Sharp AQUOS SH80F, which features dual 8MP stereoscopic cameras and claims to be the world's first Android device capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time. It'll first be launched in France on October 6th and will follow to other European and Asian countries shortly after. [Softpedia] Maybe Microsoft Canada just assumed nobody actually reads terms and conditions, because the company outed the names of a few upcoming Windows Phones in the T&C for a developer contest: the Nokia Sabre and a duo of Samsungs named the Yukon and Wembley. The Nokia Searay was also named in the list, indicating the Sabre is a second device running on Mango. [Nokia HDBlog (translated)] In preparation for its Windows Phone debut, Nokia is also rumored to be featuring a new voice navigation system with 3D maps, according to some leaked marketing materials. [WinRumors] Here's a rendering of the HTC EVO Design 4G, also known as the Kingdom or Hero S. [Pocketnow] Samsung may have a midrange device coming soon to AT&T's lineup as a complement to the Galaxy S II. We've already seen the I857 pass through the FCC and show up in a leaked roadmap, and now it appears to have been dubbed the Doubletime, according to uncovered Cellebrite records. [Pocketnow] Also appearing in Cellebrite records are the HTC Vigor (PH98100), Motorola Droid HD (XT912), and the Samsung Nexus Prime (SCH-i515). [Droid-Life]
Sharp's Aquos 104SH monster phone hits Softbank next spring, colors it blue like an orange
Softbank's on a roll -- doling out the updated mobile kit to lucky denizens of Japan. After treating us to news of Dell's dual-core beastie and Sharp's comparatively lower end Aquos 102SH, comes word of this true wireless brute -- the Aquos 104SH. Rocking a dual-core 1.5GHz TI OMAP4460 processor beneath a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 HD LCD display, this handset's certainly no forward-looking specced slouch. Prospective owners can mark their calendars for a spring 2012 debut, at which point you'll get to enjoy speeds of up to 21Mbps down, useful for recording and uploading HD video on its 12.1 megapixel rear camera. Oh, and did we mention the device's loaded with tri-band GSM / WCDMA radios for that global roaming trip around the continents you've been putting off? We haven't yet seen pricing for Sharp's orange and blue (a Syracuse fan, we presume) wonder, so sit tight and wait for a future announcement.
KDDI launches latest line of skinny big-screened smartphones for Japan
In addition to the already announced Fujitsu-Toshiba Arrows Z, HTC Evo 3D and Motorola Photon, Japanese carrier KDDI has now also confirmed a trio of new handsets. There's plenty of similarities; they're all Android, all waterproof and are each packing an eight megapixel camera. Kyocera's Digno is a slimline offering available in three different colors, and puts some of Kyocera's US offerings to shame looks-wise. Sharp's AQUOS IS13SH has an IPS-rivalling ASV display, whilst the NEC's Medias BR IS11 will arrive in a choice of pink, white and blue. Sadly, there's still no sign of that mythical iPhone from KDDI. Check out the links below for all the full-fat details.
Sharp Aquos SH8298U 3D smartphone goes under the knife, comes out in China
Same phone, different market -- that's pretty much what we're looking at above with Sharp's "new" 3D Aquos SH8298U. We first got our hands-on this device's twinner -- the Aquos SH-12C -- back at Computex, with that model sporting the Japan-only 1seg receiver, FeliCa (NFC) and 800MHz / 2100MHz bands. This time out, the OEM's made some subtle changes to its China entry, reducing the handset's storage from 8GB to 2GB, and packing it with GSM / WCDMA / HSPA radios. The rest of the spec list remains exactly the same, leaving this skinned Android 2.3 phone with a 4.2-inch qHD stereoscopic 3D display, dual 8 megapixel cameras, 512MB RAM and a 1.4GHz Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor. If translated pressers are your idea of fun, go ahead and check out the source.
Sharp Aquos SH-12C 3D smartphone hands-on (video)
Towards the end of our recent trip to Taiwan for Computex, just as the hustle and bustle was winding down and we'd settled on a bit of sightseeing, we stumbled upon a rare beast -- a smartphone unicorn of sorts -- the Sharp Aquos SH-12C. This 3D-capable Android handset for NTT's Docomo network was imported from its native Japan by a Hong Kong resident who was also attending the epic trade show. Like the HTC EVO 3D, this device features twin cameras and a glasses-free stereoscopic qHD display, so we decided to combine work and play by getting some hands-on time with this mysterious phone right on the observation deck of Taipei 101. Take a look a our gallery below -- complete with foggy views from the 89th floor at dusk -- and hit the break for our hands-on video, first impressions and some camera samples.%Gallery-125920%
Sharp Aquos Android clamshell flips open for the FCC
Die-hard flip phone enthusiasts may want to rethink their mid-June flight to Japan -- it looks like Sharp's Gingerbread clamshell might be landing stateside after all. Hitting the FCC this week, the Aquos Phone Hybird 007SH rocks Android 2.3 in a waterproof, retro-future flip phone design featuring a 180-degree swiveling touchscreen. Miss texting with T9? Yeah, neither do we, but it'll be nice to have that satisfying hang-up "snap" back, won't it?
NTT DoCoMo announces 24 new mobile wonders (yes, really) to flood its network
So, Japan... want a new mobile device? How about 24? This grandiose announcement comes straight from NTT DoCoMo, which commonly lays its cards on the table for the delight of consumers. Among the selection you'll find eight new Gingerbread phones, six incredibly high-res shooters (ranging between 12.2 and 16.3 megapixels), eight waterproof handsets, and one embedded with Swarovski crystals. We're particularly thrilled to see the mighty Galaxy S II, 3D-capturing Aquos SH-12C, 700-nit Optimus Bright (contrastingly-named but nearly identical to the Optimus Black), ultra-slim MEDIAS WP N-06C, and mobile payment-enabled Xperia Acro. Oh, and don't forget about the LOOX F-07C -- a multi-talented handset that's running Symbian and Windows 7 Home Premium -- while two LTE-enabled WiFi routers are sneaking into DoCoMo's party, too. That's a lot to absorb, so check out the source for individual release timeframes, which begin now and continue through August -- or just check out the PR after the break.
Sharp Aquos Android clamshell tricks friends into thinking you can't afford a smartphone
Looking for a handset that harkens back to simpler, pre-smartphone era, without losing the Googley luster of Android? We've got the perfect phone for you, and all you've got to do is move to Japan and get a Softbank Mobile account. Sharp, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in its native country, rolled out the retro-future Gingerbread-packing Aquos Phone Hybrid 007SH, an Android 2.3 flip phone with a 180-degree swiveling touchscreen above the hinge and a numeric dial pad below that all the cool kids in Shibuya crave. It's also got some pretty solid specs, so far are clamshell phones go, including a 16MP camera and a 3D-capable display. The handset will hit Softbank in mid-June followed shortly by Sharp's rotary Honeycomb tablet.
Sharp releases slew of new Quattron TVs at IFA 2010
Just in case those George Takei commercials didn't clue you in that Sharp was serious about Quattron, the company has announced four new TV lines at IFA sporting yellow as a fourth subpixel color. At the top of the list, the Quattron 3D-enabled LE925 line will be available in 60-inch or 46-inch sizes and feature Sharp's proprietary high-speed FRED LCD signal processing technology along with side-mounted scanning LED backlighting -- which like the LV Series -- is touted to produce 1.8x better brightness than competing sets and reduce 3D crosstalk. Aquos Net+ connectivity is thrown in too, along with 2D-to-3D conversion, a digital triple tuner and 8GB of built-in flash memory for timeshift recording. Playing second fiddle to this overachiever are the 2D-only LE924E, LE824E and LE814E series, which will also feature Aquos Net+. Pricing details for all of the new lines are still unknown, but they're slated to be available in Germany and Austria later this month. Here's hoping Sulu gets his jaw checked out before then.
Sharp's 46-inch Quattron LE821E HDTV and its integrated Freeview HD DVR make reviewers gush
Now this is more like it. Instead of chewing on another underwhelming 3D display, the Tech Radar crew have pulled in one of Sharp's hot new Quattron sets -- distinguishable, if you look really really closely, by the addition of yellow to the standard RGB colors in each pixel -- and their experience has certainly been something to write about. Describing the LE821E's color response as "utterly spectacular," they go on to praise the LCD's improved brightness thanks to the yellow sub-pixel's higher transparency, confident upscaling of standard def pictures to Full HD resolution, and "inspired onscreen menus." Counteracting the good stuff were mildly disappointing black levels and a £2,000 ($3,053) price for the 46-inch model. Sure it's steep, but with Freeview HD and an 8GB HDD built into the box, we can think of a few ways to justify the expense. As ever, the source link will give you the unabridged verdict, so read on. [Thanks, David]
Sharp's $16,000 1080p 57-inch AQUOS - LC-57D90U reviewed
When money is no object, it usually rings true that bigger is better, but in the case of the extra-large $16,000 Sharp AQUOS display, those blinded by bragging rights may overlook the unexpected lack of quality. While the general consensus has held the AQUOS lineup in high regard, the 57-inch LC-57D90U 1080p LCD HDTV has somehow missed the mark, or at least failed to reach those stratospheric expectations created by the pricetag. Although we can't imagine this thing looking awful -- or even bad, actually -- Home Theater Mag stated that it "couldn't be taken seriously" considering the "inexcusable faults" on the "most expensive TV it had reviewed in years." The most glaring fault in the erroneously-priced set was its apparent inability to accept a 1080p signal over HDMI (ahem), while several other sets way below this price range currently can. Reviewers were also annoyed by the unparalleled 10+ second lag time experienced when the display attempted to lock up to a 3:2 sequence, and the "inaccurate color points" seen when viewing HD DVDs. While the list of issues probably overshadow the boons, the set did manage to "bring out a lot of detail" in 480i content, and no one could argue with the speedy 4ms response time. Realistically, however, a display this expensive is presumably expected to obliterate any prior efforts of TV manufacturers, and to be frank, it failed -- so if you'd been saving those pennies benjamins just waiting for this to drop, you're probably better off just picking up a less expensive model (and a new commuter car while you're at it).[Via HD Beat]
Sharp's AQUOS LC-37GE1E
CeBit is great for product announcements, but this one is slightly underwhelming. While the big boys are building 100-inch LCD screens, Sharp adds to their AQUOS line with the LC-37GE1E, a 37-incher. The big claim to fame for the new AQUOS is full 1920 x 1080 resolution in a progressive format, not to mention a backlight with a fourth color: crimson-red. There's a built tuner, 1200:1 contrast and a 6 ms response time along with dual HDCP-compliant interfaces (we're guessing HDMI). No price or availability as of yet.[via Engadget]
