Mikio Katayama, Sharp’s president, is a man not in the business of making weak-assed claims, touting Sharp’s upcoming e-reader as a rival for the iPad. Considering the iPad is much more than an e-reader (okay, not that much more), such a claim would seem ludicrous. But Katayama’s bold as hell. Katayama likes things extra-spicy. Likes shaking things up.
But while we puzzle over Katayama’s confidence, the Sharp e-reader is still turning out to be a pretty interesting device. Out later this year, the device will employ a colour display and utilize the new XMDF file format for e-books, which allows video and music alongside the text. Personally, I prefer e-ink, but then again, I’m not a big reader. What do I know.
The biggest rumour going around, however (and most head-scratching for an e-reader) is that this thing might support the same glasses-free 3D tech Sharp is also providing Nintendo with for its 3DS. It would stand to reason that Sharp would want to keep pimping this tech, but… for an e-reader? Wait a second, let’s pull back, here.
So we’ve got: a colour LCD screen, video, music, and 3D.
On a device aimed at people who want to read a book.
That’s supposed to rival the iPad.
Katayama, you are an intense man.
Posted February 8, 2012 in As the workforce goes mobile, security concerns rise
Posted February 8, 2012 in Twitter and Facebook may be more addictive than alcohol or cigarettes
Posted February 3, 2012 in Corning expands its vision of a glass future
Posted February 2, 2012 in 2012 technology to highlight NADA conference in Las Vegas
Posted February 4, 2012 in Smartphones on pace to near 1 billion by 2015