Sharp’s first Windows 8 tablet has 10.1-inch, 2,560 x 1,600 IGZO display and water resistance (hands-on)

Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet has 101inch, 2,560 x 1,600 IGZO display and water resistance

Kicking off this week's CEATEC show in Japan, Sharp has played to its strengths with its new Windows 8 tablet, the Mebius Pad, factoring in a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution display. That puts it pretty far ahead of the current crowd of 1080p Windows 8 tablets, including Microsoft's incoming Surface 2, although we admit, we'd have loved to have seen another incredible 4K tablet. Regardless, that's the highest resolution Windows 8 tablet we've seen yet. Alongside the company's 10.1-inch IGZO panel (known for their low-power credentials), the Mebius Pad runs on a slightly less-exciting Intel quad-core Atom processor (the Z3370), which we've had mixed feelings on when it comes to the Windows tablets its powered in the past. The basic Windows 8.1 model will arrive with Office for free, although you'll have to pay extra if you want it for the Pro edition. Also, following Japanese trends for practically any device, the slab is both water and dust-proof (it's in the midst of being certified for IPX5, IPX7, IP5X), while you'll be able to buy it with LTE radios on board, at least for Nippon, as the device is unlikely to leave Japanese shores once it launches in early 2014.

Unsurprisingly, in the flesh the screen looked good -- Sharp even provided a magnifying glass so we could get up close to those pixels. The 10.1-inch display is also satisfyingly bright -- if we're honest, it's unusual to see such a capable screen powered by an Atom processor. The tablet is headed towards business use (which explains the optional stylus) and the extra resolution found on Sharp's first Windows 8 tablet means there's more space for your spreadsheets and documents. The hardware itself is suitably thin and light, with the rear of the device bearing a passing resemblance to recent Sony hardware -- possibly due to the understated camera lens in the corner. We'll let you know if Sharp has plans to offer the tablet to global business types. %Gallery-slideshow99502%

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ASUS’ 31.5-inch PQ321 4K monitor gets reviewed: pricey, but luscious

ASUS' 315inch PQ321 4K monitor gets reviewed pricey, but luscious

Let's be honest: almost no one expected one of the world's first 4K monitors to be ho hum. After all, it has eleventy gazillion pixels. Er, a native 3,840 x 2,160 resolution, but close enough. The gurus over at HotHardware were able to take the 31.5-inch PQ321 for a spin, and predictably, they loved what they saw. Outside of being duly impressed with how the panel handled everything from Photoshop work to gaming, they were also taken aback by the monitor's svelte frame. In fact, they found it a little tough to look back on a 1080p screen after a couple of weeks with this thing -- it's like the SD-to-HD revolution all over again. That said, they did confess that the product feels a bit ahead of its time, and the monstrous $3,500 price tag is certainly indicative of that. Feel free to hit the source link for the full spiel, but the long and short of it is this: if you're in the one percent, buy it.

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Source: HotHardware

Sharp intros 32-inch IGZO monitor with 4K resolution and pen support

Sharp intros 32inch IGZO monitor with 4K resolution and support for touch pen

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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Via: SlashGear

Source: Sharp

ASUS’ 31.5-inch 4K monitor is up for pre-order for an introductory $3,500

ASUS' 315inch 4K monitor is up for preorder for an introductory $3,500

A mere month after ASUS unveiled its 31.5-inch 4K monitor to the world, and the humbly-named PQ321 is already available for pre-order on Amazon, Newegg and TigerDirect. As a reminder, the Ultra HD display boasts a jaw-dropping 3840 x 2160-pixel 10-bit RGB (a billion colors) IGZO panel with LED backlight, 176-degree viewing angles, a maximum of 350 cd/m2 in brightness and 8ms GTG response time. Built-in stereo speakers sweeten the package, as does a 3.5mm audio jack, DisplayPort connectivity and dual HDMI inputs. Oh, and did we mention it's also apparently the thinnest 4K monitor on the market at only 35mm thick? However, you'll have to pay a pretty penny for all that awesomeness: it has an introductory price of $3,499.99. That's about $300 less than what was announced a month ago, but it's still not exactly cheap. The PQ321 is set for a July 16th release date, so you still have a couple weeks to bribe relatives, rob a bank or sell off any unwanted organs.

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Via: ZDNet

Source: Amazon, NewEgg, TigerDirect

Qualcomm finishes $120 million investment in Sharp, becomes third-largest investor

Chipmaker Qualcomm has finalized its investment in beleaguered display manufacturer Sharp. Announced back in December 2012 and totaling $120 million, the second portion of the investment was delayed earlier this year when Sharp failed to satisfy conditions for the investment. Sharp's now confirmed the transaction, which gives Qualcomm a 3.53 percent share of the display maker, and will presumably increase its involvement on new screen tech being developed between the two companies. The combination of Qualcomm's MEMs display products and Sharp's high-resolution IGZO screens will apparently make its way into a number of devices in varying sizes. Qualcomm isn't the only company with a vested interest in Sharp's recovery, either -- Samsung also holds a 3 percent stake.

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Source: Sharp (PDF)

Sharp shows off 14-inch and 15.6-inch 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO panels (eyes-on)

Sharp shows off 14inch and 156inch 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO panels eyeson

It was only a few hours ago when Fujitsu announced its UH90, the first laptop to feature a 14-inch 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO display. While the device won't hit Japan until June 28th, we were lucky enough to stumble upon the panel itself at Sharp's Computex booth. In fact, the company also had a 15.6-inch IGZO panel with the same qHD+ resolution, 400 nit brightness plus 1000:1 contrast ratio, and both looked super crisp to our eyes. Alas, IGZO is still a bit behind LTPS panels when it comes to viewing angle, but we had absolutely no problem when looking at the displays straight on. With the UH90 rolling out soon, we should see more devices shipping with these panels very soon.

Mat Smith contributed to this report.

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Via: Engadget Chinese

Fujitsu intros Lifebook UH90 with Haswell and a 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO touchscreen

Fujitsu unveils Lifebook UH90 an Ultrabook with Haswell and a 3,200 x 1,800 IGZO display

Fujitsu burst on to the Ultrabook scene in earnest with the Lifebook UH75 last fall, and it's clearly bent on keeping our attention: it just launched an early sequel, the Lifebook UH90. The 14-inch portable is ever-so-slightly thinner than its ancestor at 15.5mm (0.61 inches) thick, but upgrades to an extra-dense 3,200 x 1,800, IGZO-based touchscreen. The improvements are more than just skin-deep, of course. A Haswell-based, 1.6GHz Core i5 helps feed that monster display, and a 500GB hybrid hard drive strikes a balance between speed and storage. Japanese buyers will get a crack at the UH90 on June 28th under the country's customary open pricing system. There's no word yet on a possible US release, but we hope one is on the cards.

In case the UH90 is too pricey, Fujitsu also has a trio of more modest PCs on tap. The Esprimo FH78 all-in-one (shown after the break) runs on a Haswell-era, 2.4GHz Core i7 and stuffs a 30W, 2.1-channel Pioneer speaker system underneath its 23-inch display. The PC builder's 15.6-inch Lifebook AH models have also been given a slight bump: the AH45's battery life has doubled to 6.4 hours, and the AH42 has upgraded to a 2.4GHz Pentium while lasting for 7.9 hours on a charge. We're not expecting the Esprimo to reach the US, although the starter Lifebooks may cross the Pacific.

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Source: Fujitsu

ASUS unveils 31.5-inch 4K monitor ahead of Computex

ASUS unveils 315inch 4K monitor ahead of Computex

Taiwanese PC maker ASUS dropped this gem yesterday ahead of Computex 2013 -- the PQ321, a professional-grade 31.5-inch 4K monitor. It features a 3840 x 2160-pixel (16:9, 140 ppi) 10-bit RGB (one billion colors) IGZO panel with LED backlight, 176-degree viewing angles, 350 cd/m2 brightness and 8ms GTG response time. Beyond its Ultra HD capability, the monitor comes with built-in stereo speakers (2W) plus height, tilt and swivel adjustments. It's wall-mountable (VESA) and only 35mm thick -- according to ASUS, that makes it the thinnest 4K monitor on the market today. Connectivity includes DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio, RS-232C and, for US models, dual HDMI inputs with picture-in-picture support. There's no word on pricing yet, but the PQ321 will be available in North America at the end of June and ASUS is expected to show the monitor in Taipei next week along with a 39-inch 4K model.

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Via: PC Perspective

Source: Asus, Hexus