vB Easy Archive - Sharp @ ITU Telecom World Expo

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Sharp @ ITU Telecom World Expo
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Posted by: DSFX

As some of you might already know the ITU World expo is in Hong Kong this year and I decided to pay a visit today. The student pass was $90 in HKD and I went straight to the Sharp booth after registration, and the phones like 910sh and sh903i are all there

One thing about the 910 and the docomo sh903i is that they feel pretty much the same in hands except the 910sh has a hump as the part that house the 5MP camera module, instead of like the 903sh even though superficially looks like so. Both 910 and the sh903i again share similar camera setting options giving much greater flexibility and the multi-point focus on 910 is especially great for taking portraits. The LED light on it was pretty bright but yet I still prefer the multi-color one from its predecessors. On the other hand menu on the sh903i, somehow, pretty complex unlike the Softbank counterparts. Several other exhibitor including Avex was using the 903i for demonstration of the music playing and some sort of "auto-radio".

The 911sh was right next by was playing pre-recorded videos due to the fact that there is no compatible type of broadcast in Hong Kong. Screen is brilliant but the video wasn't astonishing. You can feel there's spring to hold when you twist the screen at 90 degrees which I kind of don't like.

And apart from these mini-reviews above I asked the Sharp officials from Japan a few questions and it might be disappointing for all of you to know that
they still have no plans to develop their own sales network and all of the products will be sold in the same manner as today. And the worst is that they have no plans on releasing anything with the 5MP module outside of Japan.

The Toshiba booth was showing nearly all of their new products and a 800 by 480 screen BTW. Two sealed in transparent plastic casings and one in the hands of one of their representative wrapped in something black, might be some tape?

I am having some trouble uploading the very few pictures taken in case there are someone who want to see some prove that I was there. I should too mention Sharp did a great job, disabling the bluetooth on all their demo units that I can't get a picture out although they've a printer where you can have your picture taken by a 910

and printed right away.

Posted by: Junglizt1210

WOW... i wish i were there... ><

was this at the HKCEC just curious..

Posted by: DSFX

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junglizt1210

WOW... i wish i were there... ><

was this at the HKCEC just curious..

Nope. It's at the AsiaWorld Expo which is built right next to the airport...or more precisely close to the Runway 25R

Posted by: yangj08

How long will this be going on for (or is it already over)?

Posted by: Junglizt1210

oooh the AsiaWorld Expo... :P

Posted by: DSFX

Quote:

Originally Posted by yangj08

How long will this be going on for (or is it already over)?

http://www.itu.int/WORLD2006/
Two more days left

Posted by: AL9999

Yeah it finishes on Friday. Sharp JP firmware phones (for Vodafone JP/Softbank) have demo modes that can be turned on, disabling all networking functions. Most of their demo units in stores in Japan are set to this mode.

Anyway no big surprise about Sharp's continuation of their current business model. I think they've had enough of the Vodafone partnership, as Vodafone just isn't supporting them anymore, but they're not game to take on the big names in the world phone market, probably after seeing Toshiba's effort in Europe and their struggle.

As for Toshiba's screens, I still don't see a Toshiba model with a VGA LCD in it, yet they developed one two years ago, so I wouldn't be too excited about an 800x480 widescreen LCD just yet.

Posted by: PaulShih

Will the next 912SH equip with WVGA LCD?

Posted by: Shion Uzuki

I just came back from HK for my grandma's funeral. I squeezed in 3.5hrs of time for ITU. Boy was it worth it. (and I wish I could spend 5 days there)

The entire NTT DoCoMo lineup was there. I've also spotted lots of KDDI phones (but from manufecteurer, not in their own booth). Somehow Softbank didn't had a stand, but Sharp showcased their phones. (and so did toshiba).

But personally I think the Korean phones/operators are more impressive. I dunno why, myabe its jsut becaue they have much more stuff there. RnD wise they're pretty much the same.

And yes, I got to see the 910SH and the 905SH (purely for the DMB stuff). pretty nice.

edit: I got the normal visitor pass... costed me a whopping of 325 dollars. Literally 10 seconds after paying I spotted that hidden sign that says they have student pass. I went back to the guy right away to ask for me but I was refused... he said no refund.

I feel so stupid.

Posted by: faifai9394

Again I don't think we need to talk about the WVGA and all those other elite functions of the phone unless they are going to come out with a version with network selector and sim slot. Otherwise it is just going to be another dream for us

Posted by: DSFX

Quote:

Originally Posted by faifai9394

Again I don't think we need to talk about the WVGA and all those other elite functions of the phone unless they are going to come out with a version with network selector and sim slot. Otherwise it is just going to be another dream for us

First of all there are SIM slots on nearly all of the phones there by Sharp, it's just the SIM lock that takes some time. Do some research before saying something foolish.
Apart from that Toshiba is taking a far more aggressive role by means of mobile business compared to Sharp and I think we stand a chance seeing it got released outside.

BTW if you don't want to talk why still make such post?
I don't see anything bad in dreaming

Posted by: AL9999

DSFX, faifai's done his research and he's right - the phones that are 3G only - the 905SH, 910SH and 911SH at this stage (all the ones we really want) - don't have network selectors so unlocking them doesn't achieve anything - you still can't select a network to connect to because the phones are hard-coded to Softbank's network. Unless the people unlocking the phones actually code the network selector back into the phone (which is no mean feat considering the OS is low-level assembler-based), network functions still look to be impossible. So that leaves us with the dual-mode 3G/GSM Sharp phones only. But this is not to mention that with all Vodafone JP/Softbank Sharp phones since the 904SH, meaning the 904SH, 905SH, 705SH, 810SH, 811SH, 910SH and 911SH, you can't input internet settings manually anymore (only reprovisioning is possible). This means even if the phones were unlocked AND a network selector was rebuilt for them or already existed, you still wouldn't be able to send/receive MMS or connect to the internet. These settings menus would have to be recoded in as well - ouch.

So before you go accusing anyone else of not doing their research make sure you yourself always check the facts first, because it saves you embarassment in the future (something which I do all the time).

I don't have anything against talking about the phones or dreaming about them, but I can see faifai's point too - I would much prefer Sharp to actually officially release a phone in my country rather than me import an unlocked version that has no warranty or service centre support here at all. That's why I bought a 903 from inside Australia and never changed since...

Posted by: Kevbodian

not having a network selector coded, to me means that if it were to be unlocked, the network selection would be fixed on automatic and you would constantly roam on other networks than your own. the jp 903 was never unlocked, it just had its firmware hacked with a simlock put in so that an unlock could be accomplished.

unfortunately, however, we may have to wait a year or two until one of these phones is released in another market. at that point there may be a basis for an unlock. here's to hoping.

Posted by: yangj08

I'm starting to consider just signing up for a Softbank account when I'm out of high school (I plan to study in Japan to learn Japanese) and roaming back home all the time (I mainly use multimedia/internet functions on the phones I buy) just to be able to use one of these phones...

Posted by: azn_boi_128

pics!?!??!?? lol

sounds very interesting

Posted by: Kevbodian

Quote:

Originally Posted by yangj08

I'm starting to consider just signing up for a Softbank account when I'm out of high school (I plan to study in Japan to learn Japanese) and roaming back home all the time (I mainly use multimedia/internet functions on the phones I buy) just to be able to use one of these phones...

my wife has an old voda plan where she pays about $3 a month to keep her number and is only charged for what she uses; kind of like prepaid. I dont think softbank offers this plan anymore. It's a nice plan because it is how I got my 903 as she can still do kishu-henkou (機種変更) or hardware upgrade. I plan to pick up a HTC X01HT this way in about 2 weeks from now.. yippee!!

Posted by: DSFX

Quote:

Originally Posted by AL9999

DSFX, faifai's done his research and he's right - the phones that are 3G only - the 905SH, 910SH and 911SH at this stage (all the ones we really want) - don't have network selectors so unlocking them doesn't achieve anything - you still can't select a network to connect to because the phones are hard-coded to Softbank's network. Unless the people unlocking the phones actually code the network selector back into the phone (which is no mean feat considering the OS is low-level assembler-based), network functions still look to be impossible. So that leaves us with the dual-mode 3G/GSM Sharp phones only. But this is not to mention that with all Vodafone JP/Softbank Sharp phones since the 904SH, meaning the 904SH, 905SH, 705SH, 810SH, 811SH, 910SH and 911SH, you can't input internet settings manually anymore (only reprovisioning is possible). This means even if the phones were unlocked AND a network selector was rebuilt for them or already existed, you still wouldn't be able to send/receive MMS or connect to the internet. These settings menus would have to be recoded in as well - ouch.

So before you go accusing anyone else of not doing their research make sure you yourself always check the facts first, because it saves you embarassment in the future (something which I do all the time).

I can see what you are talking about and thanks for reminding me about the network slector point that I missed when taking literally.

What is interesting is note here is the 706sc from Samsung which is a part of the current lineup has just been unlocked! It looks like Softbank required virtually all the phone manufacturers to do such firmware-based analogy to SIMLOCK apart from the SIM LOCK itself in place just as you mentioned earlier resulting phones like the 705P from Panasonic and this Samsung apart from Sharps. I have no clue how those guys manage to do the unlock on the Samsung but it certainly is a breakthrough;p

Apart from that, even though 5 of the current generation Sharps are 3G only the sh903i from Docomo can be used here in Hong Kong. I am not certain if the Softbank series are using a different WCDMA band or still 2100 only with software restrictions. There are somehow agreements between DoCoMo and Three-HK and we have hope that some of their phone lineup will get launched outside of Japan finally.

Posted by: yangj08

But a 3G-only phone is still somewhat impractical- for example, the US and mainland China (which will have 3G in place before the Olympics, I imagine) still don't have 3G (China's selling 3G-capable phones through official channels now, though).

Posted by: DSFX

Quote:

Originally Posted by yangj08

But a 3G-only phone is still somewhat impractical- for example, the US and mainland China (which will have 3G in place before the Olympics, I imagine) still don't have 3G (China's selling 3G-capable phones through official channels now, though).

Right. But for a person like me who's in place with coverage and don't do that much of travel, it's good. You can check Docomo's roaming page for the details, and you can see that are actually quite a big number of nations have 3G operators.

And just as you mentioned both US and China has started building the network - especially for US because as I know, like, Cingular is already serving HSDPA(3.5G) in certain parts of the nation. It would certainly take some time to expand coverage to rural area of course. I am not exactly sure about but I do hope some operators in China start the WCDMA2100 service sometime as an end-user.

Posted by: yangj08

At least with expanding 3G coverage there will be motivation to get DoCoMo phones unlocked now.

Posted by: AL9999

Softbank is still using the 2100 band with software restrictions. The difference between say the 910SH and 911SH, and DoCoMo's 903i series phones is that the Softbank ones are hard-coded only to connect to Softbank, while the DoCoMo ones are coded to allow a connection to any 3G network. I haven't read the manuals of any 903i phone yet so I'm yet to know how it's accomplished (typical network selector menu or some other way), but that's how it stands right now.

Worldwide 3G coverage has improved significantly - many European and Asian countries now have it in their major cities, as do Australia and New Zealand. For the majority of people who live and work in the confines of those cities, they're covered by 3G as far as they're concerned. So as yang says, I also think there will be more motivation now to unlock the 903i phones and other DoCoMo 3G roaming capable phones.

Posted by: Junglizt1210

Quote:

Originally Posted by yangj08

China is deploying TD-SCDMA, not W-CDMA. which is a shame really.

Posted by: Shion Uzuki

It makes sense for China to develop TD-SCDMA. With a consumer base of its size and as an emerging power, they would want to have their own standards.

There was a huge booth of TD-SCDMA on at ITU.

Posted by: AL9999

It's still a shame for the rest of the world though, who will have to roam in on GSM only

Although, China Mobile is trialling a 3G UMTS network now isn't it? My father was in Shanghai recently on business and got 3G signal in the city on his RAZR V3x (eww, I know

)

Ah well. That's the path the Chinese government wants to walk down, that of enforcing proprietary Chinese standards to escape paying royalties to overseas companies. I can understand the logic, although it's slowing down technology development in the country right now.

Posted by: yangj08

Nope, I still have 2 choices when I do a network search- China Mobile and China Unicom (Although what suprises me is that China Unicom has GPRS available now) although I live nowhere near any sort of testing centers so there may well be a 3G signal floating around like there was in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. I thought they were going to use WCDMA too since a big wholesale/discount chain (Metro-I believe it exists in Europe too, but not North America) where I live has dedicated a small portion of their cellphone display counter to selling WCDMA-capable phones (the N-series- they were once sold with GSM only because of the apparent lack of plans to deploy WCDMA, but now they're being sold with WCDMA).

Posted by: faifai9394

DSFX there is nothing wrong about dreaming, and I am dreaming about that phone everyday, but it is not just as easy as you thought. The samsung from the same lineup got unlocked because they made them that way, which means the company purposely put those network selector and things on that phone. BUT for sharps... thats a totally different story, SHARP PURPOSELY made their phone NOT accepting other networks and unless there is going to be a genius that can get that firmware, change it and then flash it back to the phone. Then we might have a chance of having the network selector back. Second there is the so far unlockable SE sim lock chip..... untill they find out a way of cracking that chip there is no way for others to use phones from 904sh on..... I never mean to be rude but thats the truth and guess why we are all here everyday? yes its becaseu we care about all the sharp phones.

OH forgot the thanks AL my man, to explain the situation

Posted by: AL9999

Yang, ah ok, well my dad definitely had a 3G signal in Shanghai, but he said it was unreliable and he couldn't do any sort of packet data transfer at all (MMS wasn't working, WAP wasn't working, etc.), so eventually he just locked his phone to GSM and then had no problems

Posted by: DSFX

Quote:

Originally Posted by faifai9394

DSFX there is nothing wrong about dreaming, and I am dreaming about that phone everyday, but it is not just as easy as you thought. The samsung from the same lineup got unlocked because they made them that way, which means the company purposely put those network selector and things on that phone. BUT for sharps... thats a totally different story, SHARP PURPOSELY made their phone NOT accepting other networks and unless there is going to be a genius that can get that firmware, change it and then flash it back to the phone. Then we might have a chance of having the network selector back. Second there is the so far unlockable SE sim lock chip..... untill they find out a way of cracking that chip there is no way for others to use phones from 904sh on..... I never mean to be rude but thats the truth and guess why we are all here everyday? yes its becaseu we care about all the sharp phones.

OH forgot the thanks AL my man, to explain the situation

It looks to me we need a leak more than a genius

And I understand the situations with the DB2020. Thanks for trying to clarify that.

For those who want to know more about the DB2020, click here

Posted by: yangj08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shion Uzuki

It makes sense for China to develop TD-SCDMA. With a consumer base of its size and as an emerging power, they would want to have their own standards.

There was a huge booth of TD-SCDMA on at ITU.

I recently watched a news piece on the local TD-SCDMA development (it's already in testing, apparently). But, it seems like it has really bad data transfer bandwidth- a videocall test produced a really blocky image that looked like it was moving at 2-3fps. I wished that I took a video of that news report, but I don't have a TiVo or anything like that.

Posted by: Junglizt1210

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSFX

For those who want to know more about the DB2020, click here

nice link! cheers. it'll be in the FAQ i'm working on!

Posted by: AL9999

Yeah that was a very informative thread, thank you