| |
 | Last year, Sharp introduced the Digital New Life strategy aimed at creating new enjoyment through networks. Central to this strategy was the release of one-of-a-kind products like the 28-inch wide-screen LCD television, new Personal Information Tools, and PCs with voice recognition and Associative Retrieval searching technology. |
| This year, with huge improvements in the information infrastructure, like high-speed Internet access, next-generation mobile phones, and digital BS/CS broadcasting, the environment for networks will improve by leaps and bounds. Making the most of these improvements in network infrastructure will vastly change the lives of users. |
| This year, we introduce the Digital New Life 21 strategy, which boosts last year's efforts even further. Based on this, we plan to offer various networkable products. |
Digital New Life 21: Personal Entertainment & Communication
Just as the importance of the fixed-line phone used by an entire household is being replaced by individual mobile phones for each family member, lifestyles of the 21st century will shift to a new style of "Personal Entertainment and Communication" that matches the needs of individuals with enjoyment anytime and anywhere.
| 1) | Live commentary e-mail
With more high-speed Internet access thanks to ADSL and fiberoptic cable networks, you will, for example, be able to watch a sports match on the Internet while exchanging e-mail with your friend at the stadium commenting about the sports match. We call this live commentary e-mail. |
| 2) | Digital broadcast interactive services
With the start of digital CS broadcasting, we expect to see the full-fledged start of TV shopping and "T-commerce" in the autumn of 2001, made possible by digital televisions with interactive functions.
While watching a cooking program, you decide you want to try and make a certain dish yourself, so you call up the recipe on the screen and use the remote controller to order the hard-to-find ingredients over the Internet via your television. Interactive televisions will make things like Internet shopping possible with an easy-to-use remote controller. Sharp aims to introduce such televisions to coincide with the start of CS broadcasting. |
| 3) | Moving pictures on the Internet
With high-speed-communication-compatible personal information tools, live Internet broadcasts on the go will soon be a reality. The start of W-CDMA service will make this possible. |
| 4) | Live visual communication
When you reel in that big fish, take a video and send it over the Internet to your friend who couldn't come on the fishing trip with you. |
| 5) | Watch movie previews and reserve movie tickets
We'll soon to be able to enjoy video over the Internet wherever we are. It will become commonplace for people to be sitting somewhere passing the time looking at downloaded movie previews and then reserve tickets for a movie they decide they'd like to see. The Sharp Space Town on-line service already allows users to download such movie previews. |
| 6) | Mobile video
Last year, Sharp's Home Mobile Life strategy aimed to offer consumers the ability to record their favorite television programs and watch them anytime and anywhere on a high-resolution screen. High-capacity wireless transmission and large-volume storage media will make this a reality this year.
We've released a wireless infrared television, and in 2001 we will release an LCD television with high image quality and a wireless control system that allows you to send signals to another floor of the home. |
| 7) | Weekly TV program recording
A home server will allow you to record the television programs you like and then watch them at a convenient time. |
| 8) | Time-delayed video recording
With the MI-E1 Personal Information Tool released in late 2000, you can use the SD memory card to record a television program, such as a late-night live sports broadcast from overseas, and watch it the next morning on your way to work on the train. |
Making the most of our expertise in LCD, mobile networking, and user interfaces, we aim to introduce products that take advantage of developments in telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure and that offer users enjoyable and convenient lifestyles.
|
|
