Skip to main content

Sharp positions Galapagos Android tablets as e-readers

Sharp has formally announced its entry into the Android tablet game with its Galapagos tablets (Japanese), but instead of going directly after the tablet market defined by the Apple iPad, Sharp is positioning the Galapagos tablets primarily as an e-reading device with Web capabilities—and the company is launching a new e-bookstore and media service (also called Galapagos) to support them.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Galapagos tablets will come in two sizes—one with a 5.5-inch 1,024 by 600-pixel display and the other with a 10.8-inch 1,399 by 8000-pixel display. Both will support 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, and the 5.5-inch edition will support a trackball so users can can interact with content like a PC mouse and flip pages. The 10.8-inch unit seems to support touch-based interaction—no trackball required.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Being Android devices, the Galapagos tablets will feature built-in email, Web, and mapping capabilities, making them much more capable than a typical e-reader. But Sharp is strongly focused on the e-reader aspect, emphasizing the “Automatic Scheduled Delivery” service for magazines, newspapers, and other periodicals that users will be able to have delivered to the readers. The Galapagos service will enable users to try out free excerpts and trail versions of content and, if they like it, pay for the full version immediately. The Galapagos service and tablets will also support the XMDF ebooks format which supports Japanese expressions like vertical writing and ruby—users will also be able to change the font size of XMDF content without altering a document’s layout. Users will be able to manage their Galapagos content on PCs—it sounds rather like the way iTunes manages content for iPads—and convert documents and maps to XMDF format for use on the tablets. Users will be able to share comments and bookmarks with friends via an integrated social media service.

Sharp is planning to launch Galapagos in Japan this December, although the company hasn’t yet detailed pricing. The Galapagos store will initially launch with about 30,000 periodical and book titles, which would put it way behind competitive offerings from the likes of Sony, Amazon, and Apple; however, if Sharp is able to price its tablets competitively with other e-readers—and rapidly grow its content offerings—the power and flexibility of Android might give the Galapagos tablets an advantage in the e-reader market.

Sharp hasn’t announced any plans to launch Galapagos outside Japan; however, some industry reports have the company in talks with Verizon as a potential distributor in the United States.

Editors' Recommendations

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
How to use Android Recovery Mode to fix your phone or tablet
Pixel 3 recovery mode

Here's an unfun scenario: You've got one of the best Android phones or tablets, but things aren't working right. Typical virus scans and other troubleshooting fixes aren't working. It is time to use recovery mode. This mode allows you to reboot your system and get a fresh start without any viruses or other issues that were potentially causing you trouble.

Unfortunately, there's no one standard way to get into Recovery Mode. In other words, Samsung Galaxy phones and HTC phones have different pathways into the modes. Luckily for you, however, we have the most complete guide to entering Recovery Mode and you should be able to figure out how to get in on just about any device using the steps below.

Read more
Is this the best cheap Android tablet of CES 2024?
Someone holding the Lenovo Tab M11.

Lenovo is adding a new Android tablet to its tablet portfolio, and this one is targeted at content consumption and classrooms. Dubbed the "Tab M11" and announced at CES 2024, the midrange tablet features an 11-inch screen with a Full HD resolution (1920 x 1200 pixels). Notably, Lenovo has put a 90Hz refresh rate screen on its budget tablet, which is a neat addition given its appeal as a reading and scribbling device.

The company is offering the Tab M11 in a trio of configurations, and once again, they play to the core use-case scenario for each buyer. The base variant combines 4GB of RAM with either 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage, which is not too shabby if you are predominantly into streaming videos.

Read more
You should pay attention to TCL’s two new Android tablets
A close-up render of the TCL NXTPAPER 14 Pro tablet.

During CES 2024 in Las Vegas, TCL unveiled two new tablets: the TCL NxtPaper 14 Pro and Tab 10 NxtPaper 5G.

Both devices feature the company’s recently announced TCL NxtPaper 3.0 technology. This isn't the first time we've seen NxtPaper technology from TCL, but the 3.0 version has some pretty promising upgrades.
What's new with NxtPaper 3.0
TCL has improved its popular display technology with the release of TCL NxtPaper 3.0. This technology provides a full-color, paper-like experience while retaining the benefits of traditional LCD screens. The latest version has Circularly Polarized Light (CPL) screens, which mimic natural light’s “emission/reflection/refraction” path. This feature creates a visual experience similar to reading books under natural light, resulting in extra eye comfort and a more paper-like screen.

Read more