Sharp to Start E-Bookstore Service from December with "GALAPAGOS" E-Book Reader

Sharp Corporation will launch a new cloud-based media service business, named "GALAPAGOS", specially designed for the Japanese market. The first effort in this area will be an e-bookstore service that is planned to begin in December of this year. Two compatible tablet terminals have been developed specifically as e-book readers and will be introduced at the same time.

This new e-bookstore provides an "Automatic Scheduled Delivery Service" (fee-based service) for periodical publications. The most recent editions of newspapers and magazines a user has subscribed to can be delivered and read by the user's e-book readers. In addition, free trial versions of recommended e-book content can also be delivered to the e-book reader, letting users immediately purchase content of their favor.

Two models of the e-book readers have been developed - a mobile type featuring a 5.5-inch LCD screen that reads like a paperback book, and a home type featuring a 10.8-inch high-resolution HD LCD that allows users to enjoy magazines formatted across a two-page spread.

E-bookstore Service (overview)

Start of service December, 2010 (Planned)
Content lineup (at time of launch) Approx. 30,000 newspapers, magazines, and books

E-book Reader/Tablet Terminal (overview)

Nickname GALAPAGOS

Mobile type
5.5-inch LCD
(1,024 × 600 pixels)

Home type
10.8-inch
(1,366 × 800 pixels)

Communication function Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11b/g)