Sure, you’re probably looking at this thing and shaking your head. Did you hit the right website? Be sure, you’re at the right place, and we promise there’s a reason this Mobile Internet Device (MID) is making an appearance here on our pages. While it is a MID, it’s also got the power to make phone calls, and that, right there, is the reason we’ve decided to give it some face time. It’s destined for Japan’s shores, so unfortunately we’re not going to get to get our hands on it, but that’s not stopping us from wishing.
After Softbank announced the HTC Desire and DoCoMo began pushing its very first Android smartphone (Xperia X10), Japan had big hopes for AU’s press event today. An EVO perhaps, or maybe something more from this once proud home of the original superphones? Engadget Japanese let out a collective meh in response to a 5-inch IS01 handheld from Sharp running Android 1.6 on a Snapdragon processor and measuring 83 × 149 × 17.9mm and 227g. While it looks like the classic Japanese eDictionary, the IS01 is meant to be used as a general purpose MID with a 5-row QWERTY, Sharp-built “New Mobile ASV” multi-touch capacitive display pushing a 960 x 480 pixel resolution and a 5.27 megapixel auto focus camera on back with a 0.43 megapixel jobbie up front for video calls. Rounding out the specs are 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth2.1 + EDR, microSD slot, 1Seg mobile TVtuner, IrDA, 4GB of internal storage, and Qualcomm 3G CDMA data. Look for it to ship in October while a developer friendly version (JN-DK01) should be available in May.
After the unveiling of the superphone last week, DoCoMo which has recently unveiled a set of shiny android devices last summer, will soon have a partner to unveil a new android handset on its sleeves, for the first time. Correction for the word ‘android phone’, it’ll be marketed not as a mobile phone,handset or a smartphone, but as a smartbook – Does this ring a bell? – It’ll be called as Sharp IS01 which is lined up with the the IS02, formerly known as the Toshiba K01 during its debut last MWC. Together with KDDI au (Japan’s #2 mobile carrier) they will offer the IS01 unit on an undisclosed date (but sources suggest it’ll be on June this year)
Unfortunately for users, their version isn’t going to show up on shelves until this October. The developer’s version will start being sold in May, though, so maybe you’ll have a change of heart for your career decisions. You can check out more about the device at this page. We definitely think you should take a look at it, even if just to keep yourself dreaming of what you wish you could. Then again, if you’re in Japan and pick one of these up when the time comes, make sure to let us know what you think of it!
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