AL9999
12-23-2003, 04:35 AM
Well seeing as how nobody has yet started talking about this phone, I thought I'd jumpstart the rumour mill. :)
There's been a little bit of talk about the Sharp GX-30, the successor to the GX-20. Rumours have popped up here and there, but no concrete information yet. Two different rumours I'm aware of:
http://techdigestuk.typepad.com/tech_digest/2003/09/is_this_the_sha.html
The Tech Digest website posts a rumour going around that the Sharp J-SH53, a handset Sharp made for J-Phone (now Vodafone) in May, will be the GX-30, with a few alterations. It's their belief that the J-SH53 will become the GX-30. Here is their reasoning:
1 We know that Sharp has a phone called the GX30 that is set to debut early next year (ie 2004)
2 This phone is available via J-Phone (the Vodafone-owned Japanese network)
3 All the enhancements are of the type we'd expect to find on an upgrade of the GX20
4 Someone fairly high up in Sharp Germany confirmed that a version of this phone, with a few minor alterations, would be on sale in 2004.
I think the first and last points are interesting: Sharp has confirmed a GX-30 for early 2004 release, and a "high up" person in Sharp Germany confirmed that a modified J-SH53 will be sold in 2004. Can't wait!
Here are the J-SH53's main specs:
2.4" 240x320 pixel 262k colour CGS main display - slightly larger than the GX-20 and more colours, but same resolution
1.2" 64x96 pixel 65k colour sub display - much bigger than the GX-20's
1 megapixel digital camera
144x176 pixel QCIF video camera for non email use - can record up to 30 mins per clip
128x96 pixel video camera - 5 second video clips (or 10 second ones at 80x60 resolution) for sending over email
SD Memory Card support
40-tone polyphonic ringtones
256k size Java application support (each application that is, not total storage space)
MP3 Player
Dimensions: 50 x 98 x 24 (mm) (when folded)
Weight: 115g
Talk time: 2 hours
Standby Time: 430 hours (when folded)
MP3 Playback Time: 8 hours
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0305/21/sh53.jpg
The other rumour:
http://techdigestuk.typepad.com/mobile_digest/2003/10/then_again_mayb.html
Mobile Digest - run on the same site as Tech Digest - suggests that the GX-30 will be based on the more recent V401SH, made for Vodafone in Japan in November.
Specs:
2.2-inch 240x320 pixel 262k colour CGS Main display, same as the GX-20 except for the colours
1.1-inch 64x96 pixel 65k colour GF sub display
Video camera, capable of 60 second clips (but it can't send them over email, unlike the J-SH53)
1 megapixel (858x1144) digital camera,
40-tone polyphonic ringtones
Java support (50KB application size)
Dimensions: 48 x 95 x 23mm (when folded)
Weight: 102g
Talk time: 2 hours 30 mins
Standby time: 450 hours (when folded)
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0310/06/vodafone_02.jpg
Just a note, the J-SH53 was considered a "high-end" phone when it was released. While the V401SH is more recent, it is considered a "middle-end" or mainstream phone.
One last note, Mobile Digest noticed some rumours going around that the GX-30 could be Vodafone's first 3G handset when they start 3G in Europe. While they're skeptical of this (I am too), if that were to be the case, it would likely be based on the V801SH, which is Sharp's first 3G handset for Vodafone in Japan. Nobody knows the specs on this phone as they haven't been released yet (I haven't been able to find them), but the phone looks remarkably similar to the J-SH53.
I don't think they'd base it on the new SH900i for NTT DoCoMo's 3G FOMA, as it's too advanced and I don't think NTT DoCoMo would let them give it to Vodafone. :p
I for one pray that the GX-30 definitely has the 1MP camera. Sharp have so far proven that they advance their handset technology with each new release, and I hope that they keep their trend up. I am praying that they release a 2MP camera by the end of 2004. The inclusion of a practical digital camera with a phone will be what makes me shell out US$500 for their expensive phones in the end. :)
There's been a little bit of talk about the Sharp GX-30, the successor to the GX-20. Rumours have popped up here and there, but no concrete information yet. Two different rumours I'm aware of:
http://techdigestuk.typepad.com/tech_digest/2003/09/is_this_the_sha.html
The Tech Digest website posts a rumour going around that the Sharp J-SH53, a handset Sharp made for J-Phone (now Vodafone) in May, will be the GX-30, with a few alterations. It's their belief that the J-SH53 will become the GX-30. Here is their reasoning:
1 We know that Sharp has a phone called the GX30 that is set to debut early next year (ie 2004)
2 This phone is available via J-Phone (the Vodafone-owned Japanese network)
3 All the enhancements are of the type we'd expect to find on an upgrade of the GX20
4 Someone fairly high up in Sharp Germany confirmed that a version of this phone, with a few minor alterations, would be on sale in 2004.
I think the first and last points are interesting: Sharp has confirmed a GX-30 for early 2004 release, and a "high up" person in Sharp Germany confirmed that a modified J-SH53 will be sold in 2004. Can't wait!
Here are the J-SH53's main specs:
2.4" 240x320 pixel 262k colour CGS main display - slightly larger than the GX-20 and more colours, but same resolution
1.2" 64x96 pixel 65k colour sub display - much bigger than the GX-20's
1 megapixel digital camera
144x176 pixel QCIF video camera for non email use - can record up to 30 mins per clip
128x96 pixel video camera - 5 second video clips (or 10 second ones at 80x60 resolution) for sending over email
SD Memory Card support
40-tone polyphonic ringtones
256k size Java application support (each application that is, not total storage space)
MP3 Player
Dimensions: 50 x 98 x 24 (mm) (when folded)
Weight: 115g
Talk time: 2 hours
Standby Time: 430 hours (when folded)
MP3 Playback Time: 8 hours
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0305/21/sh53.jpg
The other rumour:
http://techdigestuk.typepad.com/mobile_digest/2003/10/then_again_mayb.html
Mobile Digest - run on the same site as Tech Digest - suggests that the GX-30 will be based on the more recent V401SH, made for Vodafone in Japan in November.
Specs:
2.2-inch 240x320 pixel 262k colour CGS Main display, same as the GX-20 except for the colours
1.1-inch 64x96 pixel 65k colour GF sub display
Video camera, capable of 60 second clips (but it can't send them over email, unlike the J-SH53)
1 megapixel (858x1144) digital camera,
40-tone polyphonic ringtones
Java support (50KB application size)
Dimensions: 48 x 95 x 23mm (when folded)
Weight: 102g
Talk time: 2 hours 30 mins
Standby time: 450 hours (when folded)
http://www.zdnet.co.jp/mobile/0310/06/vodafone_02.jpg
Just a note, the J-SH53 was considered a "high-end" phone when it was released. While the V401SH is more recent, it is considered a "middle-end" or mainstream phone.
One last note, Mobile Digest noticed some rumours going around that the GX-30 could be Vodafone's first 3G handset when they start 3G in Europe. While they're skeptical of this (I am too), if that were to be the case, it would likely be based on the V801SH, which is Sharp's first 3G handset for Vodafone in Japan. Nobody knows the specs on this phone as they haven't been released yet (I haven't been able to find them), but the phone looks remarkably similar to the J-SH53.
I don't think they'd base it on the new SH900i for NTT DoCoMo's 3G FOMA, as it's too advanced and I don't think NTT DoCoMo would let them give it to Vodafone. :p
I for one pray that the GX-30 definitely has the 1MP camera. Sharp have so far proven that they advance their handset technology with each new release, and I hope that they keep their trend up. I am praying that they release a 2MP camera by the end of 2004. The inclusion of a practical digital camera with a phone will be what makes me shell out US$500 for their expensive phones in the end. :)