Toshiba intros Biblio handset with e-book support
updated 01:25 pm EDT, Mon May 25, 2009
Toshiba Biblio handset
Toshiba has recently introduced a KDDI handset known as the biblio that, in addition to voice support, will double as an e-book reader as well. Instead of an electronic paper display like ones found in established e-book readers, such as Amazon's Kindle, the biblio makes do with a traditional 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen with an extra-long 480x960 resolution. The handset will have 7GB of internal memory for storing content that can be expanded thanks to microSDHC memory cards up to 8GB.
The QWERTY keyboard on the phone will revert to a keypad when the built-in accelerometer detects it has been tilted into a vertical position. Navigating through content is done via an EZ terminal interface. Books and other content can be downloaded thanks to a Wi-Fi connection. Opera Mobile 9.5 browser is preloaded onto the handset, which includes YouTube and Flash support, as well as AJAX scripting.
Otherwise, the biblio has a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with image stabilization, there is Bluetooth support, and 1Seg TV compatibility. Users can pay bills with the biblio as it has mobile wallet functionality. Smart Sports for Fitness and Golf software allows users to keep track of their body mass index and distance to the pin on most of Japan's golf courses.
The biblio will begin shipping in Japan on June 24th, though no pricing has been announced. [via Impress]
