Sharp will release into the Japanese market a new notebook PC employing an optical sensor LCD for the touchpad, which recognizes users' handwriting input as well as multiple finger-touch operation.

The 4-inch optical sensor LCD pad in this notebook PC is more than just a conventional track pad thanks to its new touch-sensing recognition method: in addition to conventional mouse operation, it allows pen-based input of drawings and text, as well as multiple-finger-touch operation (gestures) to enlarge, shrink, or rotate items on the screen. For example, users can sign their name to an on-screen photo before e-mailing it, or they can use two fingers to zoom in and out of Internet Web sites to make them just the right size for viewing. Unlike regular touch panels, Sharp?s optical sensor LCD pad requires no touch sensor or protective film, so illustrations and photos are clear. The optical sensor LCD pad (854 x 480 mm) can display up to 65,536 colors.

Sharp said that it plans to expand the possibilites for its notebook PCs by developing software that makes the most of the optical sensor LCD pad.



The 10.1-inch notebooks (Product name Mebius) will be available in two colors in Japan Late May 2009. The devices will come with Windows Vista Home Basic (SP1) OS pre-installed, will be powered by an Intel Atom processor N270 (1.60 GHz) processor, Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chip Set / ICH7-M and have 1GB of standard DDR2 memory. Other specifications include a 160GB SATA HDD, a CMOS camera with approx. 1.3 million effective pixels, LAN (100Base-TX/10Base-T), wireless LAN (IEEE802.11b/g compliant), Bluetooth functions, SD and SDHC memory cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card.