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Sharp launches the AQUOS R6 with a 1-inch camera sensor, Leica optics

It also has a super fluid 240Hz display

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Sharp offers a lot of products that are known by a lot of globally. While they may not be a popular smartphone brand, the AQUOS line is pretty big in Japan. In line with their existing AQUOS-branded smartphones, they unveiled the AQUOS R6. It may look like any other smartphone, but this is one of a kind.

1-inch Camera Sensor with Leica

2021 is a year where rear cameras multiplied in a lot of smartphones. But the Sharp AQUOS R6 only has one large 20MP 1-inch camera sensor. For an ideal comparison, that’s the same camera sensor size you’ll find on the Sony RX100 VII and the RX0 II. This means that there’s minimal crop when shooting photos and results to better image quality.

Let’s be clear. It’s actually not the first smartphone with a 1-inch camera sensor. In fact, Panasonic managed to put it in the Lumix DMC-CM1 way back in 2014 but it’s more of a smart camera rather than a smartphone with a large camera sensor. Currently, Xiaomi’s Mi 11 Ultra has the closest sensor size at 1/1.12-inches.

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With the recent news of Leica ending its partnership with Huawei, Sharp has managed to grab it with its new 7P (seven-element) Summicron lens. Not only does it have a wider f/1.9 aperture, it also features a 19mm focal length which is closer to an ultra-wide Field of View.

Other features worth noting are the lack of OIS as they rely on Sharp and Leica’s EIS technology as well as the inclusion of a ToF sensor and a flash module. For farther subjects, you need to rely on digital zoom instead.

Super Fluid 240Hz Display

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Another highlight of the AQUOS R6 is its super smooth and responsive 6.67-inch Pro IGZO Display with a 240Hz refresh rate — double than the usual 120Hz displays on most 2021 flagships. It’s not the first 240Hz smartphone display, rather Sharp’s AQUOS zero2 smartphone from May 2020.

Just like in Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series and OnePlus’ 9 Pro, it features a display with a variable refresh rate that goes as low as 1Hz to save battery power. But unlike their AMOLED displays, this one is based on OLED that lacks that extra thin layer of TFTs to achieve better colors.

It also has a WUXGA+ resolution of 2,730 x 1,260 pixels, a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1, as well as a max brightness of 2,000 nits — making it one of the most advanced smartphone displays ever made.

Beneath the display is where the under-display fingerprint sensor lies. It’s equipped with Qualcomm’s 3D Sonic Max ultrasonic fingerprint sensor which is the largest in the world and it’s 11 times larger than the conventional scanner.

Flagship-grade

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Just like any other 2021 flagship, Sharp’s AQUOS R6 offers the latest 2021 hardware in a smartphone. That includes the Snapdragon 888 chipset with 5G support, as well as 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a measly 128GB UFS 3.1 storage with an option to expand via a microSDXC card of up to 1TB.

If you always worry about battery, it has a large 5,000mAh battery that would be fine for a day. It also has an IPX8 certification which isn’t tested for dust resistance. Instead, it’s better than IP68 in terms of water resistance as it can be submerged into water deeper than 1 meter.

Image by GadgetMatch

There’s also a dedicated key for Google Assistant at the side of the phone so you don’t have to always say “Hey Google” and wait for the assistant to open.

Pricing and Availability

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The Sharp AQUOS R6 is offered only in two colors: black and white.

There’s currently no word about pricing and global availability but in Japan, the AQUOS R6 will be available in June 2021 through their popular carriers Softbank and NTT DoCoMo.

Enterprise

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang resigns after scandals

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NVIDIA’s week is finally and mercifully coming to an end. After being implicated in two extramarital affairs, now-former NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has resigned from his position.

It’s been a terrible week for Huang’s personal life. Last weekend, a bombshell report revealed that Huang engaged in an affair with Alice Huang, who is reportedly involved with Chinese intelligence. Quickly realizing the heaviness of the allegations, the CEO admitted quickly to the affair.

However, barely 24 hours ago, another report revealed that Huang had a second extramarital affair. Though he was clear of any more espionage allegations, his romantic affair of choice was another executive within the company. NVIDIA’s board of directors quickly debated whether Huang should be fired for his actions.

Now, Huang has voluntarily resigned from his position. The former CEO leaves behind his spot at the head of the table since cofounding NVIDIA in 1993.

In his stead, the board of directors have named incumbent CFO Colette Kress as the company’s interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. Despite her interim role, Kress will continue her duties as CFO.

Additionally, the board has named Harvey C. Jones, a member of board since its founding, as its first chair of the board.

Though the company will leave most of the controversy behind with Huang’s departure, its next chapter is about to begin. Will its new direction maintain the company’s tenuous balance between AI and gaming, or tip the scales towards one segment?

SEE ALSO: NVIDIA CEO admits to having an affair with alleged Chinese spy

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St. Peter reunited people with their deceased loved ones through tech

The new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign generates letters from the imagined perspectives of loved ones.

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Grieving can take many forms. Sometimes, it manifests through a desire to hear a loved one again. We look at their old clothing, a gust of wind, or a butterfly, and imagine them talking to us one more time. This year, St. Peter, through the power of technology, gave 11,000 people that chance through its new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign.

During St. Peter Deathcare Week, which ran from October 27 through November 2, the deathcare provider started the “If Heaven Could Write” campaign, an interactive digital experience that offered participants a chance to reunite with their deceased loved ones. It was available in 37 St. Peter Chapels and 76 cemeteries nationwide.

Upon scanning a QR code which took them to a portal, participants answered questions about their loved ones. Then, the portal generates a personal letter from the imagined perspective of the participant’s loved one, giving them one more chance to converse.

Of course, an imagined letter can’t replace someone who passed away. Still, the experience affords us a way to grieve and process the loss. No, the letter isn’t really from your loved one, but you can imagine what they would have said while reading through it. And sometimes, that’s all we need.

Though St. Peter Deathcare Week has already come and gone for the year, those interested can still participate in the campaign through its link.

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Next iPhone might get rid of the Action Button

Both functions will be in one button instead.

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In a world with a love-hate relationship with extra buttons on a phone, Apple has gone to the deeper end and included two buttons in the latest iPhones: the Action Button and the Camera Control. Next year, Apple might consolidate the two buttons into one, ridding itself of the Action Button.

According to a Weibo leak from Instant Digital, Apple will merge the two buttons starting with next year’s iPhones. Though technically a new button in itself, the merged version will, based on the leak, retain more Camera Control than the Action Button.

Of course, both functions can coexist in the same button. The Camera Control activates with a single press, while the Action Button needs a longer press. In the merged button, a single press can still open the camera and a longer press can activate whatever the user sets it to.

Both buttons have had a storied past. The Action Button came in 2023, replacing the Ring/Silent Switch. Meanwhile, the Camera Control debuted a year later, offering control over the camera with a capacitive button. The current iterations retain both buttons on the same phone.

Personally, as someone used to creating content, the Camera Control button is ultimately a boon to get those shots quickly while in the moment. Retaining that functionality is definitely worthwhile.

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