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Sharp will launch its Galapagos e-book tablets in Japan on Dec. 10, it said Monday.
The tablets will go on sale nationwide in two versions: one has a 5.5-inch screen and
the other has a 10.8-inch screen.
The Galapagos tablets sit somewhere between dedicated e-book readers like Amazon's Kindle
and full-featured tablet computers like Apple's iPad.
In terms of functionality they are dedicated to reading electronic books, newspapers and
magazines. Despite running Google's Android operating system, users don't have the freedom
to download and install software of their choice.
But in terms of appearance, their color LCD (liquid crystal display) screens and shiny
finish make them look more like an iPad or Samsung Galaxy.
They'll cost ¥39,800 and ¥54,800 respectively, that's around US$474 and $652.
About 20,000 Japanese newspapers, magazines and books will be available for purchase at
launch. An audio and video service is planned for next year.
Sharp said it has plans to sell the Galapagos overseas, but details are still under consideration.
In Tokyo, this is Martyn Williams, IDG News Service�