Skip the wiring; Sharp newest Aqous DX line of LCD TVs features a built-in Blu-ray recoder to simplify your home HD-media connectivity. Contents are converted and compressed at MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format, the higher compression rate results in 5 times more storage space compare to a direct recording mode. A 50G dual layer BD media can record up to 22 hours of such content. Digital audio can be output via bitstream and video displays at native form of 1080/24p.
Sharp have been demonstrating a solar-powered HDTV at CEATEC 2008, capable of operating solely from the power generated from sunlight. The 52-inch set uses an LED backlight and other energy-efficiency technology so as to reduce it’s power requirements to just 220kWh; coincidentally, that’s the same amount as the solar panel generates.
Sharp is now known for having the Blu-ray player with the fastest load times, but now the company is adding two new models to the current line up. The BD-HP21U and the BD-HP50U also have this quick start feature, but they haven’t received the same updates as some other company’s players out on the market. One perk, however, is the low price.
T-Mobile’s Sidekick is one of the heavyweights in the text-messaging realm for young and socially connected consumers. Today T-Mobile introduces its latest Sidekick, the Sidekick 2008. Previously dubbed the Sidekick Gekko, the new messaging-focused handset kicks off a new naming convention. But how does the new Sidekick fare compared to its predecessors and rivals?
Sharp have announced the development of a prototype direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) that it claims achieves the world’s highest power density. The cell is constructed of a stack of multiple reed-shaped thin cells, sandwiched together with similarly shaped porous spacers. That increases surface area and maximises air-flow (essential for the fuel cell to produce power), resulting in 0.3W/cc power density.
These serious looking business-people have heard you’re not giving Sharp’s new range of professional HD displays the respect they deserve, and they’re not impressed. The TL-M4600 and TL-M5200 measure 46-inches and 52-inches respectively, with full 1920 x 1080 two-megapixel high-definition resolution. Intended primarily for commercial use, I can see their fan-free passive cooling and ethernet port winning them fans in the home install crowd.
More speed, more gameplay and more pixels has been the theme of the week, with a variety of new hardware launches and upgrades together with some long awaited titles getting released. Apple lived up to the rumors and introduced new processors and faster FSB for their iMac range, together with stirring up a little controversy over whether they’d had access to Intel’s future product line first. Faux-Apple hardware also get plenty of attention, as Psystar’s OS X-running Open Computer took time out from being sniped at by fanboys to get benchmarked.
Wall-mounting LCD and plasma TVs might look good if done properly, but all too often the cable management leaves HDMI and other cords dangling down the wall. Sharp are offering a solution, in the shape of the WHDI “wireless HDTV” accessory for their new X-Series LCDs. Developed in partnership with AMIMON, the system allows uncompressed HD footage to be sent wirelessly up to 100-feet.
Sure, this little UMPC can fit in the palm of your hand and is only marginally larger than a lot of the larger smartphones being released these days, but this is no smartphone, this is a full on computer. It has an Intel Atom processor inside, a 40GB HDD, a 5” touchscreen, and so much more.
Some enterprising fellows over at eLinux.org have found a way to get Google’s Android OS onto a Nokia N810 with its OMAP2 chips, which means this particular hack should also work with some Sharp Zaurus models. Anyways, the Android OS looks simply heavenly on the N810 and just goes to further prove that the OS isn’t limited by a cellular connection, it can work on a broad range of mobile devices.
SlashGear JP
