Sharp flip top, swivel screen mobile phone launches in Japan

Sharp has released a new clamshell mobile phone in Japan that boasts a swiveling 3.3-inch, 480 x 845 resolution AQUOS LCD display. The Sharp 923SH can be used as a traditional clamshell handset when making calls, then transformed into a mobile widescreen TV by turning the screen on its side and taking advantage of the in-built 1Seg, (Japan’s mobile terrestrial digital broadcasting service), tuner. The phone’s battery is good for around 4 hours and 45 minutes of continuous digital TV viewing or approximately 240 minutes of continuous talk time.

The phone is also equipped with a 5.2 megapixel camera with autofocus which stabilizes hand-shake blurring, Bluetooth connectivity, GPS and global roaming. The phone runs on W-CDMA, GSM (900.1800/1900Mhz), and 3G networks, supports microSDHC memory cards, and comes in a variety of colors. So far the phone has only garnered a Japan release, where over a third of mobile phones sold are capable of receiving 1Seg broadcasts.

The 923SH measures 50 x 113 x 18.6mm and weighs 135g.