Sharp is going to release new electronic handwriting notebook “WG-N20″ on August 8.
You can write smoothly in the electronic notebook as if you were writing in a regular paper notebook with a pencil. It is capable of saving maximum 2000 pages/ 100 notebooks so that you can create many notebooks for both personal and professional purposes and manage them easily. You can set the pass-code in order to feel safe to carry around the electronic notebook.
By connecting it to your PC with the accompanying microUSB cable, you can have back-ups and transfer date between the electronic notebook and the PC.
Price: Open price Color: White, Black Display: 6 inch, 600×800 dot Size: 111 x 155 x 9.9mm (without a cover) Weight: 210g (without a cover) Power source: lithium-ion battery Battery life: 30days Accessories: Stylus pen, cover, microUSB cable
Japan: Not Always as Tech as it Seems Often discussed, but difficult to appreciate if one’s never been here, is the notion of Japanese technological duality, or contradictionism, if you will. Among the favorite targets are the fax machine and its death grip on relevance, banking stuck in 1997, and very late-to-the-game smartphone adoption. These exist side-by-side with some of the world’s most advanced robotics research, a plurality of global industrial automation, the world-standard high-speed shinkansen trains, nationwide 4G wireless coverage, etc.
A lot of Japan has remained unchanged for, ohhhhh… a few thousand years, and one of the technological hangers-on is the humble broom. While one can find a standard plastic broom with plastic bristles anywhere, there are just as many, if not more, shiny new cleaning tools with bamboo handles and some kind of dried grass or an entire plant just stuck on the end.
One might argue that if it’s not broke, blah blah blah, but try effectively sweeping anything other than a lawn with a tumbleweed wired onto the end of a stick. Granted, they’re used primarily for outdoor cleaning – but still, that they exist alone is a curiosity.
(Editor’s Note: Though we’re making light of the issue here, it’s also quite nice to be spared the noise and air pollution of leaf blowers and lawn mowers here in Japan. Mid-sized weed eaters, small engine rotary grass cutters, are pretty much the only motorized outdoor landscaping tools in use.)
So, arguably, in a country where all public school students spend at least 10-15 minutes a day cleaning their own classrooms and buildings by hand, where the verb「掃除」(“sō-ji;” cleaning) is often pronounced with an honorific prefix, and a generalized reverence for things being clean & tidy pervades much of everyday life, the leap to robot cleaners is an interesting one, but one that’s gradually being taken. Japanese buyers’ most common leap is this:
Yep, according to a new survey report from Tokyo-based Seed Planning Market Research and Consulting (市場調査とコンサルティングのシード・プランニング), Boston, Massachusetts-based iRobot’s Roomba, available here since 2004 (and first to market), holds a 75%+ share of Japan’s robo-cleaning market.
Seemingly unrelated, the luxury of home cleaning robots and the practical utility of disaster response robots have one thing in common here in Japan: iRobot. The American company makes both Japan’s #1 selling cleaning robot and the first robots able to enter and inspect the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster zone. This again, is a matter of timing; iRobot’s PackBot and Warrior models have been tested and deployed in active war zones for more than a decade, and Roomba’s 2004 introduction in Japan was far ahead of any viable domestic models.
In second and third place, respectively, are domestic models from Tsukamoto Aim (below left) and Sharp’s Kokorobo series (below right):
(Another Editor’s Note: It’s not being, and would be unfair to imply here that all models sold by Tsukamoto Aim license and take design cues from Hello Kitty, but the existence of this product is, well, it’s just… Japan!)
To Buy or Not to Buy and Why: Reasons & Numbers As elsewhere, cleaning robots got a slow start here in Japan. Shiny new gee-whiz product purchasing patterns from early adopters gave the market an initial bump, but average consumers were hesitant – rightfully so – early Roomba and domestic models just didn’t, you know, work very well, and reviews and word of mouth weren’t kind to the inspired, yet uninspiring machines.
The tech has caught up, however, and sales in Japan are booming. According to Seed Planning, since 2008 the home cleaning robot market has seen a 6-fold increase in yearly sales (approx. 380,000 units sold in 2012), and they project sales of 9o0,000 units in 2018. In a nation of about 128 million people, if realized that’s some serious market penetration. Given that homes in Japan generally aren’t all that big and don’t have a lot of carpeting, it’s all the more impressive. Among Japan’s massive, dominant middle-class, such expenditures are a luxury but not quite as economically extravagant as one might think – but still, 900,000!
In addition to evaluating brand preference and sales figures, Seed Planning’s survey among 400 cleaning robot owners and 300 non-owners also gauged reasons for consumers’ purchasing and not purchasing. Current owners included simple convenience and easing the cleaning burden as the most common reasons for buying, and, true to form in the Japanese consumer tech market, a lot of people just wanted to try a “cute” new product (in that vein, see video below for some of the best viral marketing cleaning robot makers didn’t but could have ever asked for). Non-owners cited cost and concerns over the robots’ ability to properly clean as the most common barriers to purchasing (best seller iRobot’s prices range from $650 – $800, Sharp’s Kokorobo models are comparable, and Tsukumoto Aim’s, at $100-$150 for the disc-shaped models, up to $400 for the unfortunately named “Hobot” glass cleaning model, are vastly more affordable).
Why Care? Because Live-In Social Robots Begin, Labor Shortages Pend, and $¥$¥$¥$¥$¥$! Okay, to be fair, it’s understandable if you’re yawning at the ferociously unsexy topic of cleaning robots. But here’s the kicker: one has to fully grasp and appreciate that these unassuming little pucks of technology are the vanguard of personal service robot deployment and use. The quest toward a friendly, conversational, perhaps dressed-like-a-French-maid home and/or industrial service robot has to start somewhere – and clearly, it’s on. For now these simple machines operate within a very narrow spectrum of ability, but they are, nonetheless, primarily autonomous robots existing side-by-side with human beings, doing a job, becoming part of our conceptual landscape; these are the babysteps of human/robot integrative socialization, and while still novel to us, for future generations they might be simply obligatory and obvious.
Japanese society, as per usual, presents a unique market observation opportunity. Women do most of the cleaning and housework here, and if, as predicted and arguably very necessary, more women begin entering more of the workforce, in addition to the impending and unavoidable large-scale human labor crisis facing the country, then the seemingly over optimistic sales projection of 900,000 units in 2018 makes a lot more sense.
It’s often claimed, but seldom detailed how, the robotics industry is going to have any practical impact on the Japanese economy. (which it’s going to desperately need in 50 years when – and this is inevitable – 30% of what might be the world’s most advanced capitalist economy’s consumers have passed away, and due to extremely low birth rates, go unreplaced). Well, let’s see: how about 900,000 units times even the low-end cost of a cleaning robot plus maintenance, accessories, upgrades, etc.? Not a bad economic push, that.
For now, iRobot’s running away with the Japanese sales cake, but there’s no shortage of competitors on their way up. One review site, LesNumeriques, found 24 (!) viable models from around the world worthy of consideration:
So, there you have it. But, if even now the subject of cleaning robots does absolutely nothing for you, if you remain unmoved by the practical genesis of in-home, someday social robotics, if the intriguing demographic factors are just meh, and if you care little about potentially lots and lots of big-time money changing hands here in Asia, then we’ll simply leave you with these words:
Cat Riding a Roomba In a Shark Costume Chasing a Duckling (and if that doesn’t strike a nerve, someone should take your pulse)
• • •
Reno J. Tibke is the founder and operator of Anthrobotic.com and a contributor at the non-profit Robohub.org.
I am one who subscribes to the ideology that bigger is better – and when it comes to working with text and images, it makes perfect sense to have a really large display at your disposal. Your eyes will thank you for it in the long run, trust me. Sharp intends to up the ante when it comes to displays with the announcement of the 20” Full HD multi-touch monitor, where it carries the model number LL-S201A, and this bad boy has started to ship.
The Sharp LL-S201A is part of the Professional Touch Display product range, where you will find the power of the award-winning Sharp AQUOS BOARD Interactive Display System that has been crammed into a sleek, lightweight design. It is perfect for use in business, medical and education environments, and will also double up as a complement to the AQUOS BOARD display. In a nutshell, once you have warmed up to the LL-S201A, it ends up as an indispensable part of everyday communication, regardless of who is the user.
I suppose it will not take too long for your eyes to warm up to the 20” class touchscreen LCD panel that offers a whopping 1,920 x 1,080-pixel Full HD resolution with performance-enhancing UV2A technology, where it will do its bit to prevent light leakage so that you can experience truly bright whites and extremely deep blacks.
This 10-point multi-touch screen and Palm Cancellation Function will prioritize the touch of the pen compared to your finger, allowing you to write naturally and smoothly with the pen, even when your hand takes a break on the screen itself. Whenever it is hooked to a device that is powered by the Windows 8 operating system, the monitor will double up as an intuitive interface, and will also boast of a range of usage styles which will match the way you work. If you want it to stand, then a dedicated stand will prop the monitor at an easy-to-view 75 degree angle, making it ideal for use as a PC monitor or display. Should you prefer to exercise that writing arm of yours, then the Pen Writing Style with its Sharp Pen Software utility will allow one to enjoy natural handwriting functionality, similar to the AQUOS BOARD Interactive Display.
Of course, you can also write in Tablet Style. The Sharp LL-S201A can now be picked up from Sharp Authorized Pro AV dealers and resellers.
Many ostensibly female-oriented phones tend to be compromised, with flashiness on the outside sadly unmatched by power on the inside. Not so Sugar’s inaugural, namesake smartphone: while the Android 4.2-based device is lined with 5.16 carats’ worth of Swarovski Pure Brilliance gems, the underlying hardware is worth attention all on its own. The 5-inch, 1080p Sharp LCD is backed up by a quad-core MediaTek chip, 2GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera, a 1.3MP front shooter and either 16GB or 32GB of storage. Sugar plans to launch the phone in China and Europe, although you’ll have to wait until August for full details. In the meantime, you can catch the full Engadget Chinese hands-on at the link below, and our colleagues’ English hands-on video is available after the break.
Apple‘s 2014 MacBook refresh will see the company switch to IGZO displays, it’s reported, reducing power consumption while simultaneously improving clarity. The switch, which isn’t expected to take place until the first half of next year, will see Apple raid the production lines of Sharp and LG Display, ETNews reports, with the iPad also potentially in line for the screen technology.
IGZO – or indium gallium zinc oxide – is used by Sharp and others to replace the more traditional amorphous silicon substrate found in TFT LCD panels. Since IGZO demonstrates more electron mobility, it can be more efficient, and the individual pixels can be smaller.
That allows for higher-resolution displays, but also permits a reduction in backlighting for the same degree of brightness as a regular LCD. Sharp has used the technology for a number of smartphones and tablets in the Japanese market, but we’re only just seeing IGZO make its way to the desktop in the shape of displays from Sharp itself and ASUS.
Those advantages have long been said to have caught Apple’s attention, and in fact the company is believed to have quietly invested in Sharp so as to get first refusal on the panels once they reach mass-production level.
According to the Korean reports, Sharp may end up supplying both MacBook and iPad scale IGZO panels to Apple, trimming the power consumption of the notebooks and tablets in the process. It’s also expected that LG Display will join the supply chain with IGZO, and said that the company is already upgrading its existing AMOLED and LCD lines to be compatible with IGZO manufacturing.
For Apple, the biggest benefit could be Retina display resolution but without the drain on battery life. The company has made a name for its hardware thanks to the pixel-dense displays, but balancing the power demands of such panels is an ongoing challenge.
A smartphone “AQUOS PHONE SERIE SHL22″ , manufactured by Sharp, will be released by au by KDDI on July 12. It has 4.9 inch IGZO LCD and high-capacity 3,080mAh battery built-in.
Sharp is preparing to launch a new 4K2K multi-touch LCD monitor, the PN-K322B. Adopting the IGZO technology, this 32-inch LED-backlight monitor provides 3840 x 2160 4K2K native resolution and 300 cd/m2 brightness, and supports for pen input. In addition, it also comes with two built-in 2W stereo speakers and has 2x HDMI and DisplayPort connectors. The PN-K322B will start shipping from July 30th for around 560,000 Yen (about $5,622). [Sharp]
Sharp is going to release a AQUOS smartphone “AQUOS PHONE es WX04SH” for Wilcom in mid September.
The compact body that is only 60mm wide has a 4inch LCD screen. 1.5GHz dual core CPU and 2,080mAh battery are built-in. It offers convenient features such as Wi-Fi, a waterproof body, One-seg, infrared data communication, and mobile wallet function.
As it’s compatible with PHS and 3G, you are able to talk on the phone through 3G line even when there is no service for PHS. It has PHS tethering function as well.
Akihabara News wrote about the AQUOS 4K compliant model over a month ago. Recently, its first model for the North American Market was finally introduced in New York City. Below is the Sharp’s press release.
Press release:
On June 26, 2013, Sharp announced its first Ultra HD TV for the North American market.
The 70 inch class (69.5 inch diagonal) AQUOS Ultra HD TV is the first Ultra HD TV to receive the coveted THX 4K certification in NorthAmerica. THX 4K certification sets the industry standard for image quality and consistency.
“Sharp has a rich history of leading the electronics industry in innovation. Today we continue that tradition with the introduction of the AQUOS Ultra HD LED TV,” said John Herrington, President, Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America. “With four times the pixel resolution of HD, the 70 inch class AQUOS Ultra HD LED TV is our finest television ever.”
Sharp will be enforcing its sales of Ultra HD TVs toward the North American market with strong demands for large size TVs.
The majority of the world is still patiently waiting for 4K technology to become more widely adopted, and companies are certainly doing all they can to assist in speeding up that process. Following in the footsteps of ASUS, Sharp’s now introducing an Ultra HD, IGZO panel of its own, the PN-K322B. Aside from boasting a 3,840 x 2,160 screen resolution, this 32-inch multi-touch monitor also features the ability to support digital writing (or drawing) by way of a “dedicated touch pen with a pen-tip width of just 2mm.” Ports-wise, the LED-backlit PN-K322B houses two HDMI inputs, a DisplayPort and a 3.5mm stereo jack to help get some external audio going. Mum’s the word on how much it’ll cost when it arrives in Japan on July 30th, but if other similar options are any indication, we’d say upwards of $3,500 is a safe bet.
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