sharp
Latest
The Daily Roundup for 06.26.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Sharp announces first THX-certified 4K TV, the $8,000 Aquos Ultra
Sharp has just revealed the Aquos Ultra at CE Week, a 70-inch Ultra HDTV the company says is the only THX-certified 4K model on the market. Calling it the company's "best designed TV ever," Sharp said that it put the model through "four hundred rigorous performance tests" to gain the THX nod, which is meant to assure that content is reproduced as closely as possible. On top of the 3,840 x 2,160 pixel count, the model features advanced HD upscaling tech via a dual-core signal processor, pre-calibrated THX Movie viewing modes, a dual subwoofer system with 35 watts of sound output, Sharp's SmartCentral Smart TV platform and a flash-enabled web browser. You'll also be able to change channels or send video directly from your smartphone via the Beam app, and watch 3D films at 4K with the set's active shutter technology (two Bluetooth 3D glasses are included). If you're not dissuaded by the $8,000 price tag, it'll be up for grabs in mid-August -- check the PR and video after the break for more.
Qualcomm finishes $120 million investment in Sharp, becomes third-largest investor
Chipmaker Qualcomm has finalized its investment in beleaguered display manufacturer Sharp. Announced back in December 2012 and totaling $120 million, the second portion of the investment was delayed earlier this year when Sharp failed to satisfy conditions for the investment. Sharp's now confirmed the transaction, which gives Qualcomm a 3.53 percent share of the display maker, and will presumably increase its involvement on new screen tech being developed between the two companies. The combination of Qualcomm's MEMs display products and Sharp's high-resolution IGZO screens will apparently make its way into a number of devices in varying sizes. Qualcomm isn't the only company with a vested interest in Sharp's recovery, either -- Samsung also holds a 3 percent stake.
Leaked packaging suggests Xiaomi is working on a 47-inch TV (update: TV chassis!)
China's Xiaomi has certainly made a name for itself in the smartphone market, but let's not forget that it has other plans as well. For one, there's the Xiaomi Box, which is the company's first foray into the video content world. And according to the above leak, the next step from there appears to be a 47-inch 1080p TV, which is simply branded as "Xiaomi TV" in Chinese (model number L47M1-AA). Like the Xiaomi Box, this TV will apparently feature built-in WiFi and "MiLink" (Airplay, DLNA plus Miracast), as well as audio certification from Dolby and DTS. More after the break. Update: Well well well, this guy sure has some good contacts. He's now posted a couple of alleged photos of the TV chassis, which has a massive Xiaomi logo bang in the middle. We've got one of the shots after the break.
Sharp branching into robo-vacs, grow lights, e-whiteboards to offset slow LCD sales (video)
Remember the Cocorobo robotic vaccum that could send you pics of your newly-cleaned carpet? Sharp is going to be doing a lot more of that kind of thing soon, if a recent demo at its research center in Nara, Japan is any indication. Since the company has been losing gobs of money on its tepid LCD-panel business, it'll soon be using some of that tech in completely different industries: for instance, converting powerful LED lighting from TV backlights to grow lamps, and touchscreen TV panels to interactive whiteboards. Sharp admitted to PC World that it needed to branch into other businesses since "rivals have been able to catch up from behind" to its LCD TV and mobile phone businesses -- and judging by the drastic actions the company's taken to stave off disaster lately, it'll need to hustle those products to market, stat. Check the video after the jump to see some of the prototypes in action. [Image credit: PC World]
Sharp shows off 14-inch and 15.6-inch 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO panels (eyes-on)
It was only a few hours ago when Fujitsu announced its UH90, the first laptop to feature a 14-inch 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO display. While the device won't hit Japan until June 28th, we were lucky enough to stumble upon the panel itself at Sharp's Computex booth. In fact, the company also had a 15.6-inch IGZO panel with the same QHD+ resolution, 400 nit brightness plus 1000:1 contrast ratio, and both looked super crisp to our eyes. Alas, IGZO is still a bit behind LTPS panels when it comes to viewing angle, but we had absolutely no problem when looking at the displays straight on. With the UH90 rolling out soon, we should see more devices shipping with these panels very soon. %Gallery-190394% Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Sharp launches two new Aquos 4K LCD TVs into the Japanese market
Sharp has just introduced a couple of high-end TVs if you're rich enough to be seeking an UltraHD set and lucky enough to live in Japan: the 70-inch LC-70UD1 and the 60-inch LC-60UD1, part of the new 4K Aquos UD1 series. Each will feature Sharp's 4K "Moth-eye" panel, Aquos 4K-Master Engine Pro HD upconversion engine, 2.1 channel THX surround and 3D capability. The 70-inch model will run 850,000 yen ($8,290) and launch on June 15th, while the 60-inch set will arrive August 10th for 650,000 yen ($6,335). There's no word yet on a stateside arrival, but based on what Sharp said at CES 2013 in January, it may join a 32-inch 4K Aquos model sometime later this year.
Aquos Pad SH-08E flaunts 7-inch high-res IGZO display, 1.7GHz quad-core processor
Amid the bevy of phones outed in NTT DoCoMo's summer lineup, the Japanese carrier snuck in a tablet: Sharp's Aquos Pad SH-08E. A 7-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IGZO display dominates the front of the Android 4.2 device, while a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and a 4,200mAh battery are tucked inside. When it comes to imaging, the slab totes an 8.1-megapixel shooter on its rear, and wears a 2.1-megapixel cam on the front. The hardware's also been kitted out with WiFi, NFC and TV tuning capabilities, along with waterproofing and dustproofing, to boot. As the slate's outfitted to work with DoCoMo's Xi LTE network, it's capable of sucking down 100Mbps and uploading at 37.5Mbps. There's no word on how much it'll empty wallets, but it's penciled in to be available in Japan by the end of July.
Aquos Phone Zeta SH-06E packs a 1080p IGZO Screen, 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600
The folks at NTT DoCoMo have just paraded out their roster of handsets for the summer season, and tucked in among the phones is the waterproof Aquos Phone Zeta SH-06E, which packs a 1080p IGZO display. Behind the 4.8-inch screen, the Android 4.2 handset totes a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, NFC, WiFi, a TV tuner and a 2,600mAh battery. As for cameras, the Sharp-made hardware -- which comes in blue, red and white hues -- packs a 13.1-megapixel rear shooter and a 2.1-megapixel front-facing cam. Since the device operates on the network's Xi LTE service, it's rated to pull down 100Mbps and upload at 37.5Mbps. As for a release date, the smartphone is slated to hit Japanese streets on May 24th. There's no telling when this cellphone or its 1080p IGZO display will arrive in other territories, but our eyes sure hope it's soon.
Sharp reportedly laying off 5,000 employees, focusing more on smartphone displays and bigger, better TVs for US market
Sharp finally had something positive to report a couple of months ago when it received a much-need cash injection from Samsung, but today's news isn't so rosy. According to The Asahi Shimbun, Sharp will reveal a three-year management plan next Tuesday that'll see 5,000 workers losing their jobs as part of the company's efforts to claw its way back into the black. Many of those who are expected to be axed are said to be employed outside of Japan, but the number of empty desks at Sharp's head office in Osaka is also set to increase -- half of the workforce there will be sent on their way, including half of the company's directors. Allegedly, Sharp will also begin producing more 4K sets and 70-inch or over HDTVs for the US market, and also shift its broader focus towards making more "small-sized panels for smartphones and other devices." Who exactly are these displays being made for, we wonder?
China's LeTV debuts 'Super TV' X60, throws in a quad-core S4 Prime chip
Quad-core smart TVs? Move over, Samsung and Haier, because another company's now joining the party. At a press event in Beijing yesterday, Chinese video content provider LeTV announced its first TV series dubbed "Super TV." Despite the cheesy name, there are a handful of big names behind it: Kai-Fu Lee's Innovation Works, Qualcomm, Foxconn and Sharp. The last two aren't surprising considering Foxconn's parent company, Hon Hai, is an investor of Sharp as well as LeTV. It's also worth noting, though, that Hon Hai already has a deal with RadioShack to make and sell a 60-inch TV, the RS60-V1, in China since January. The flagship X60 (pictured above at GMIC Beijing) features an aluminum alloy body that encases Sharp's 10th-generation 60-inch 1080p panel -- as featured on the RadioShack TV -- with 120Hz 3D, on top of a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Prime MPQ8064 (with 2GB of RAM and Adreno 320 graphics), dual-band WiFi and S/PDIF optical output. You can also add an optional 2.4GHz gyroscopic remote control and a PrimeSense motion sensor just for giggles. But most importantly, LeTV now streams over 2,000 TV apps as well as some 90,000 TV episodes and 5,000 movies for free (LeTV claims to own the rights to 95 percent of the video content). So, the ¥6,999 or $1,140 price tag seems a steal for the X60. There will also be a 39-inch 1080p (likely 2D only), dual-core S40 model priced at ¥1,999 or about $330, and both TVs will be available by the end of June.%Gallery-187824%
The Daily Roundup for 05.08.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Sharp rumored to start producing next-generation iPhone LCDs this June
Flush from that springtime financing boost from Samsung, Sharp's reportedly readying production of new screens for Apple's next smartphone. According to Nikkan Kogyo, one of Japan's business dailies, the display manufacturer will start making LCD panels for the next iPhone in its Kameyama plant this June, although there's no specifics about size and resolution differences compared to the iPhone 5. Company team-up Japan Display (which includes Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba) and LG Display have also allegedly received orders from Apple, with production already underway. With the combined might of all those screen-makers, Apple should be able to sidestep any possible screen component delays.
Sharp will miss deadline for $60M Qualcomm investment, is getting an extension instead
If you recall, Sharp hit the jackpot back in December, when Qualcomm promised to invest around $120 million in the troubled company in exchange for a five percent stake. Sharp already received the first half of that windfall at the tail end of 2012, whereas the remaining $60 million wasn't going to distributed until "sufficient progress has been made." If that last bit sounds vague, Sharp was actually being held to some clear terms: it had until March 29th to finalize specifications for new power-saving screens that will be used in both tablets and smartphones, and which Qualcomm will help produce. Sharp also needed to generate an operating profit of 100 billion yen ($1.05 billion) in the second half of its fiscal year, though a company spokesperson confirmed that's not the reason this payment has been stalled. Fortunately, like those of us who ever started a paper too late, Sharp is getting an extension, with a new deadline of June 30th. In the meantime, though, its problems are festering: a deal for Foxconn to buy a 9.9 percent stake appears to have fallen through.
Sharp may be close to receiving a $110 million boost from Samsung (update: deal final)
Japan's Sharp has been struggling very publicly for some time now, and many reports indicate it's been looking outward for interested investors. While it already secured just such an arrangement with Qualcomm in December, rumors indicate attempts to reach a deal with Foxconn are in trouble and now Samsung is tabbed as a potential investor. Reuters and Japan's Nikkei cite sources indicating an official announcement could come sometime today regarding a 10 billion yen ($110 million) investment that would net the Korean electronics giant a three percent piece of Sharp. This deal would be mutually beneficial as Sharp gains a place to sell more of the LCDs it's capable of manufacturing, and Samsung cheaply expands its supply of panels, with a possibility of expanding their arrangement beyond LCDs in the future. We'll wait and see exactly what happens, but those IGZO screens Sharp is working on could be popping up in some unexpected places by the time it's all said and done. Update: Sharp has just confirmed that Samsung is now indeed a 3.08 percent owner thanks to an investment of 10.4 billion yen ($112 million). It said the deal would "further strengthen the alliance (with Samsung Electronics) and continuously provide a long-term, stable and timely output of LCD panels for large-size TVs and small- and medium-size LCD panels for mobile devices such as notebook computers." For more info, see the PR after the break.
Emblaze Mobile's ex-CEO: First Else was eventually ready but the market had changed
We were rather heartbroken when Emblaze Mobile announced the premature death of its First Else project back in June 2010, with the culprit being "critical delays in deliveries;" so when we caught up with ex-CEO Amir Kupervas -- who's now running a startup called UIU -- at MWC, we had to see if he had anything to add to the sad story. "It was ambitious for a small Israeli company to come into consumer electronics, build a brand and try to push it," Kupervas emphasized. "When we started this project it wasn't about ecosystem and apps and things like that. Eventually the iPhone came with its app store, and then Android came with its app store, and we were left behind."
Sharp manages an operating profit in Q3, but forecast remains cloudy
It's been a while since we had any good financial news for Sharp, so we'll start there. On an operating basis, Reuters and Nikkei report it managed to turn a profit for the October to December quarter of 2.6 billion yen ($28.5 million) -- more than analysts had predicted -- despite still recording a net loss of $398 million. That's not so bad when you consider the massive losses of a year ago, although questions raised last fall about the company's viability still remain. We'll see if a slew of new devices and partnership with Qualcomm are what the doctor ordered -- hopefully the #1 manufacturer of 60-inch and above HDTVs in 2012 can continue on long enough to put its 8K Super Hi-Vision TV in our living rooms.
PlayStation Mobile's 'New Year giveaway' offering six free titles over six weeks
For those who haven't yet found a reason to check out the three-month old PlayStation Mobile store, Sony's got a rather compelling one for ya: freebies. Starting today, one game will be available gratis every seven days as part of a "New Year giveaway," which will last six weeks in total. To obtain the complimentary titles, you'll need either a Vita, or a device that's been PS-Certified -- an honor currently bestowed upon several Sony slates, a bunch of Xperia and Sharp handsets, and HTC's One series Android phones. Samurai Beatdown is the first cross-platform game to lose its price tag, so if you've got rhythm, hack and slash your way over to the PlayStation Mobile store to get downloading.
Sharp's next-gen concept displays and 60-inch ICC 4K LCD (eyes-on)
The majority of Sharp's area on the CES show floor is taken up by its 2013 consumer AQUOS range, but hidden in dark corners are tech demos, concept panels, and ridiculously priced displays. One demonstration set is split into two sections, comparing the company's next-gen Quattron yellow sub-pixel technology with the current generation. Did the color's look great? For sure. Did it look like the current-gen Quattron had been made intentionally low quality? Definitely. The two-faced demo TV also had the glare-reducing Moth-Eye technology on board, as did a 70-inch UHDTV concept model which a Sharp rep called "just an exercise in engineering." It wasn't exactly gasp-inducing, but the anti-reflective tech was certainly working. Finally, hidden behind a curtain and crammed into a small pitch-black room (literally) were a bunch of Sharp's "Integrated Cognitive Creation" (ICC) 60-inch 4K LCDs. The hook of the ICC PURIOS is that it upscales 1080p to 4K, and will do so for only $25,000 - $30,000 when it launches in the US this summer. We couldn't really tell the difference between the HD and 4K pictures, but maybe we should've brought a microscope for a more thorough analysis.%Gallery-175387% %Gallery-175385%
Sharp's 32-inch 4K IGZO LCD monitors (eyes-on)
When you're surrounded by huge 4K TVs cranked to retina-damaging brightness, it's easy to get desensitized to the high resolution. But, when you are standing in front of a 32-inch monitor (31.5-inch to be exact) at that same resolution, it's a whole different story. In the gargantuan halls of CES, Sharp is showing off the 4K-resolution low-power IGZO LCD panels it announced November last year. They had two touchscreen versions on show -- one for Windows 7 and another for Windows 8 -- as well as one non-touch model. The touch versions were also slightly different in that you can lie them horizontally if you need to. Honestly, the resolution and color reproduction on the panels were absolutely incredible. They looked so good, in fact, that I fantasized about tearing it from the table and making a break for it, if only for a second. That's the only way I could end up "owning" one, as the non-touch model will be "at least" $5500 when it launches in February, and the touch models will be "at least" $1000 more when they arrive sometime in Q2. They aren't really intended for general consumption, anyway, but for the medical sector, serious design pros and other commercial uses. The pics we got of them can be found in the gallery below, but unfortunately, it was hard to do the displays justice in the crowded, dimly lit Sharp den. %Gallery-175376%
