Sharp IS01 clamshell Android MID powered by Snapdragon
Oh my, I think my heart just skipped a beat.
What you're looking at is the newly unveiled Sharp IS01, a 5.9" x 3.3" x 0.7" clamshell MID phone that's got a 5" multitouch-enabled capacitive display with a unique 960 x 480 resolution, trackball, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, Android 1.6, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, EVDO Rev A, 1Seg, IrDA, dual cameras, and 4GB of internal storage expandable with microSD cards. Scheduled for consumer release in October through KDDI, a carrier in Japan, the IS01 will be offered in black or blue and looks to have the full Google Experience within its Android installation, which is more than can be said of another handheld running Donut.
I probably would have fainted if the device had Android 2.1, a larger SSD, and WiMAX, so I guess I should be thankful that the specs aren't completely perfect. It isn't the sleekest looking machine I've ever seen either, but I have a soft spot for clamshells (I turn into a big pile of goo for sliders and slide-and-tilts) and I'm really enjoying Android on my Nexus One. It's making me incredibly anxious to get my hands on the Dell Streak/Mini 5, and in some ways this could kind of be seen as a keyboarded version of that.
A developer's version of the Sharp IS01 is expected to be available in May, which is really when Sharp should've tried to get the retail model out (the specs look quite tasty right now, but they'll be pretty stale in October). No word on pricing just yet, but I think I'll stalk this until I find out.
[Engadget | K-Tai Watch (thanks, nonene)]
