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Leica's very own Leitz Phone 1 is a rebadged Sharp Aquos R6
The Leitz Phone 1 is Leica's first self-branded mobile phone, and it'll be a Softbank exclusive when it launches in July. The camera maker isn't afraid to admit that the Leitz Phone 1 is actually a rebadged Aquos R6.
Sharp's powerful Aquos R6 features a huge one-inch camera sensor
We don't hear much about Sharp's smartphones these days, but the company has just unveiled a new model, the Aquos R6, that's loaded with interesting tech.
Google tries to make Android tablets fun with 'Entertainment Space'
Android tablets are getting a new feature called Entertainment Space that serves as a portal for all the media apps you've installed.
Sharp's first Alexa-ready microwave ovens are optimized for popcorn
Sharp has unveiled its first microwave ovens with Alexa, and they have voice commands fine-tuned for Orville Redenbacher popcorn.
San Francisco 49ers unveil the first in-stadium 8K replay system
Starting next week, the San Francisco 49ers home field will have the first 8K instant replay system in sports, allowing for crystal-clear zooming in on important plays.
Toshiba officially quits the laptop business
Toshiba has sold its remaining stake in its laptop business to Sharp, effectively quitting the PC industry.
Sharp sues Vizio over display tech in 70-inch TVs
Sharp, the Japanese electronics company behind the world's largest 8K LCD TV, is suing Vizio and two other companies over alleged patent infringement. Sharp claims that the companies infringed 12 patents related to panel technologies, like liquid crystal displays (LCD). In particular, Sharp says one of Vizio's 70-inch TVs is an offender. Sharp is seeking an injunction, as well as compensation for lost profits and the use of its technology.
Sharp's latest Dynabook is one of the lightest 13-inch laptops yet
Sharp's Dynabook brand (formerly Toshiba's) might just have a laptop for road warriors who want the lightest possible machine that doesn't make major compromises. It just unveiled the Portégé X30L-G, a portable billed as the lightest 13.3-inch laptop with one of Intel's 10th-generation Core processors inside. It weighs just 1.9 pounds, but still manages to include a U-series processor, a 470-nit IGZO display, WiFi 6 and a healthy selection of ports (one USB-C, two USB-A, HDMI and Ethernet). It even boasts military-grade dust and drop resistance and an estimated 14.5-hours of peak battery life -- we wouldn't count on lasting that long in practice, but it should last through a full workday.
Sharp will show off the 'world's biggest' 8K LCD TV at IFA Berlin (updated)
If the 55-inch 4K TV in your den is starting to look too small, Sharp wants you to know something to the tune of 120 inches is coming. On Wednesday, the company announced it plans to showcase the world's largest 8K LCD TV at the upcoming IFA trade show in Berlin, Germany, which starts on September 6th. For those who are wondering, the world's biggest 8K TV is actually Samsung's 292-inch The Wall Luxury, but that's based on MicroLED instead of LCD.
Nintendo may have many, many more Switch consoles planned
Nintendo is definitely releasing the $200 Switch Lite handheld console on September 20th, and may release a higher-end console soon too, if rumors are to be believed. Its plans might even go beyond all that, however. The company is reportedly working on further updates beyond those models "to make the platform's lifecycle long," according to WSJ sources inside the company.
Sharp's latest RoBoHon robot can't walk, but hey it's only $715
The cute Japanese robots keep coming. Sony's adorable Aibo pups are already on to their sixth litter and now Sharp is upgrading its RoBoHon line, too. In case you need reminding, that's the robot smartphone that -- like all good droids -- can sing and dance. Along with pricey LTE and WiFi-only models, the second-gen RoBoHon range includes a cheaper "seated" bot that costs 79,000 yen plus tax (around $715). Of course, that means it can't walk, but it will still be able to bust-a-move to certain songs using the top half of its body. Users can also manually move its legs to make it stand upright.
Sharp thinks two phone notches are better than one
If the thought of one notch on a phone makes you apoplectic, you might want to sit down before you read this. Sharp has unveiled the Aquos R2 Compact, a 5.2-inch handset that crams in two notches -- one for its front 8-megapixel camera and another for its fingerprint reader. The design helps make the most out of a relatively small body, but this is destined to give you fits if you dislike components jutting into the screen. It's not even symmetric, either.
Sharp brings much-needed competition to mobile OLED display market
That super-sharp OLED display on the latest iPhone XS models comes courtesy of Samsung and LG. The rival Korean manufacturers were pretty much your only choice for the pricey phone screens, but that could be about to change. Apple's LCD supplier Sharp is now jumping on the bandwagon with the release of its first OLED smartphone, the Aquos Zero. Though the handset (pictured above) is only shipping in its native Japan, Sharp's manufacturing shift could bring down the overarching cost of producing OLED displays -- which is good news for consumers that don't want to pay upwards of $700 for the tech.
Sharp's 8K satellite receiver is ready for broadcasts to start in Japan
As we learned during IFA last month, the 8K hype train is here whether we're ready or not. In Japan everything is timed to coincide with the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, and as such broadcaster NHK is planning to kick off hybrid 4K/8K broadcasts beginning December 1st. Assuming you have access to an 8K TV or projector, you'll need a box to actually catch and process the Super Hi-Vision video signal, and fortunately Sharp has one ready to connect to its 8K TV that has been on sale since 2017.
Get a fridge that helps you sous vide
Sharp's newest fridge freezer doesn't have a water fountain or a voice assistant. Instead it houses a vacuum-packing slot that will help keep produce fresh for longer, reduce food waste (leftovers!) and, yes, even prep food for that millennial cooking style of choice -- sous vide. The VacPac Pro fridge-freezer had its debut at IFA 2018, and doesn't require proprietary bags. You can use any sealer bag, and the slot will suck out the air at the touch of a button -- which we proceeded to do on some plastic fruit.
Windows Collaboration Displays are like DIY Surface Hubs
The Surface Hub family is getting some distant cousins. At Computex today, Microsoft announced Windows Collaboration Displays -- big-screen group-working devices from other manufacturers. Rather than housing computer hardware of their own, they're meant for connecting your own PC. They feature far-field microphones and high-resolution webcams, making them ideal for remote collaboration.
RED and Sharp team up on 8K monitor technology
Cinema camera company RED is working with Sharp on new 8K technology, according to Phil Holland, a cinematographer who works closely with RED. He has been testing an unreleased, prototype 70-inch 8K TV, and comparing it against a Sharp 4K model using 8K aerial footage he shot in LA. From seven feet away, "which is within the ideal viewing distance for a 70-inch screen based on THX's numbers," the difference is like "looking at a decent fine art print versus a really good one," he said.
Sharp wants a 'Japan alliance' to boost OLED TV competition
Sharp wants to gain a foothold in the OLED market by teaming up with rival company Japan Display. Sharp's chief executive, Tai Jeng-wu, told reporters at the Tokyo Stock Exchange that he wants to form a "Japan alliance" to better compete with the South Korean makers that are dominating the industry.
Sharp's $77,000 camcorder shows that 8K is coming soon
Sharp has unveiled an 8K camcorder that is undoubtedly aimed at the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but will be equally at home on a film set. Looking like an old-school ENG news camera, the 8C-B60A captures 8K, 10-bit 60fps video onto a large, Super 35mm sensor that's around the same size as the one on Red's Helium Weapon 8K. The custom 2TB SSD pack, developed in collaboration with Astrodesign, can hold about 40 minutes of 8K video.
Sharp's smartphone robot gets a more 'affordable' WiFi version
If you've been waiting for a price drop for Sharp's super adorable robot phone, your wait is sort of over. As of October 6th, you can get a RoBoHon for 138,000 yen (excluding tax) which is about $1,230. That's a notable 60,000 yen or $530 drop from the original price, but there's a catch: this new offering doesn't come with cellular function. Apart from that, this WiFi-only RoBoHon (SR-02M-W) is otherwise identical to its LTE counterpart (SR-01M-W), packing the same Snapdragon 400 chipset, Android 5.0 OS, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera (with 720p video recording), a 720p pico projector in the head, a 1,700 mAh battery and a 2-inch QVGA touchscreen on the back.
