sharp

Qualcomm today announced that it has expanded an agreement between a subsidiary and Sharp and taken an equity stake in the ailing electronics maker.

Sharp and Qualcomm subsidiary Pixtronix already have a display technology agreement between them, according to Qualcomm. This new deal extends that partnership. The agreement centers on displays using Sharp's IGZO technology, which is widely considered one of the best options for visual quality in the industry.

As part of the agreement, Qualcomm has dropped some cash in Sharp, earning it a minority stake in the company.

Sharp saw its sales drop 16 percent year-over-year to … Read more

Ailing electronics maker Sharp might soon receive a cash infusion from a few prominent technology companies.

Dell, Intel, and Qualcomm are all in talks with Sharp to invest some cash in the company, The Wall Street Journal is reporting today, citing sources who claim to have knowledge of the discussions. Sharp has reportedly asked both Dell and Intel for a $240 million infusion in return for equity or debt. Qualcomm's investment would likely be smaller.

This isn't the first time we've heard reports of Intel and Qualcomm considering an investment in Sharp. Reuters reported earlier this month … Read more

Sharp will begin sales of an ultrathin IGZO 4K LED display from early next year.

The Japanese display maker said Wednesday that it will launch sales of a Full HD 3,840x2,160 resolution 32-inch LED-backlit display starting on February 15, 2013.

Including the chassis, the model PN-K321 display is 35mm thick and compatible with DisplayPort and HDMI connectors.

Probably its most salient feature is the use of IGZO technology -- something Apple has had its eye on for the iPad because IGZO can yield very-high-resolution yet thin displays.

Sharp has a production target of 1,500 units a month. … Read more

You won't have any trouble finding rock-bottom prices on no-name TVs from sketchy online vendors this Cyber Monday, but if buying a good television from a trustworthy retailer is your priority, Dell's site has a couple of very good prices on big-screen TVs I can actually recommend.

Samsung 51-inch plasma, $578 with free shipping. Judging from the published specifications, the PN51E530 has the same picture quality as the PN51E550 that we really liked. Yeah it's missing Smart TV and 3D, but you could always just add a $40 Roku if you want streaming apps.

Samsung 60-inch plasma, $848 with free shipping. … Read more

Qualcomm and Intel are in discussions with Sharp to invest more than $375 million, according to two reports.

Japan's Kyodo News reported today that Intel is in talks to invest between 30 billion and 40 billion yen (approximately $378 million to $500 million) in Sharp.

But a more recent report today from Reuters said the two companies may make a joint investment of about $378 million.

However, the Reuters report goes to describe the Intel investment as less certain than Qualcomm's commitment. The latter may reach an agreement with Sharp as early as the end of this month. … Read more

Not that long ago, Japanese companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Sharp were considered premium brands.

They made virtually everything in the consumer electronics world, from televisions to microwaves and digital music players. There seemed to be no way to stop their momentum. Their products often carried higher price tags to reflect their perceived quality, and people snapped them up.

"People used to have Sony homes," said Tony Costa, an analyst at Forrester Research. "You're just not seeing that any more."

These days, the Japanese consumer-electronics giants have largely been reduced to also-rans, many of … Read more

It's a small world, unless you're the one who sets the clocks. Years ago, keeping track of the time around the world meant a row of wall clocks with labels like "Leningrad" and "Peking." Things are easier in this century, and it's easy to keep track of the time in Beijing or Kalamazoo, Mich. But those who need to track multiple time zones simultaneously still face more of a challenge. That's where tools like Sharp World Clock step in.

Unlike many desktop clocks, it's shareware, though it's free to try … Read more

I recently posted a list of the best TVs at every screen size. By "best" I also considered value, so some expensive models didn't make the cut.

The list below only considers picture quality and ignores value. It represents the best TVs regardless of cost, and incidentally, regardless of design and features, that we've reviewed this year. I already listed the best TV series for picture quality, but the list below goes through the field at key size points, too.

TV makers are reluctant to put the best quality into their smallest, cheapest TVs, but the field really opens up once you hit 46 inches or so. I also threw in a runner-up -- the second-best-performing TV available in each size range -- for people who don't like door No. 1.

I omitted TVs larger than 65 inches this time because the 70-inch-plus 2012 models we have reviewed aren't quite worthy. If you're unsatisfied with 65 inches, however, the 70-inch Sharp Elite is my price-no-object, mammoth-screen pick.

… Read more

Sharp is looking distinctly less keen these days. Not only are its losses "huge," the company warned investors that there is "material doubt" that it may be able to continue as a "going concern." These are never good words to hear from a major company.

The ailing Japanese consumer-electronics manufacturer saw sales drop 16 percent year-over-year to 1.1 trillion yen ($13.7 billion) in the six months ended September 30. The company's net loss widened to 387.6 billion yen, dwarfing last year's six-month loss of 39.8 billion yen.

"… Read more