Sharp spins Ubuntu-based tablet

By Jonathan Angel
2010-04-20

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Sharp announced a Ubuntu Linux-based tablet PC with a five-inch resistive touchscreen. The Netwalker PC-T1 includes handwriting recognition, a Freescale i.MX515 CPU, 8GB of storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, plus a microSD slot, the company says.

Last August, Sharp released what may be considered an heir to its Zaurus line of Linux-based PDAs: the NetWalker PC-Z1 pictured at right. Measuring 6.4 x 4.3 x 1.0 inches, the device has a five-inch 1024 x 600 display, a QWERTY keyboard, and claimed ten-hour battery life. The PC-Z1 runs a Sharp-customized version of Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Smartbook Remix on an 800MHz Freescale i.MX515 SoC (system-on-chip), according to Sharp.

No doubt thanks to the new-found enthusiasm for tablets Apple's iPad has brought about, Sharp has now followed up with a keyboardless version of the Netwalker known as the PC-T1. Pictured below, the device still has a five-inch 1024 x 600 display, whose resistive touchscreen is intended to be operated primarily with a stylus.

Sharp's Netwalker PC-T1

The PC-T1 also has a separate optical pointing device similar to the one found on the PC-Z1, according to Sharp. Once again, the Netwalker includes 512MB of RAM, but it's said internal storage has been doubled from 4GB to 8GB. The device includes USB 2.0 host and device ports plus a microSD slot, the company adds.

The ports on Sharp's Netwalker PC-T1

According to Sharp, the PC-T1's lithium-ion battery will power the device for about six hours. Like the PC-Z1, the device is said to ship with Firefox, Thunderbird, Flash Lite, and OpenOffice.org 3.0. The tablet also includes handwriting recognition and e-reader software, says Sharp.

Features and specifications released by Sharp for the PC-T1 include:

Processor -- Freescale i.MX515 clocked at 800MHz
Memory -- 512MB of RAM and 8GB of flash storage
Expansion -- microSD slot
Display -- 5-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) TFT LCD touchscreen
Wireless:
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.1
Other I/O:
- 2 x USB 2.0 (1 host, 1 client)
- Audio -- mic in and headphone out
Battery life -- approx. 6 hours
Operating range -- 50~95 deg. F (10~35 deg. C)
Dimensions -- 5.9 x 3.54 x 0.83 inches (150 x 90 x 21.3mm)
Weight -- 9.87 ounces (280g)
Operating system -- Ubuntu Linux 9.04 Smartbook Remix (Sharp customized version)

Further information

According to Sharp, the Netwalker PC-T1 will be available in late May for an undisclosed price. More information may be found on the company's website, here.

Additional images and videos may be found on the Japanese ITMedia website, here.

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