Preview of Sharp's 903SH / SX833 3.2MP Cameraphone

By guest contributor Samuel Chan

Sharp 903 / SX833

Sharp 903 / SX833

Sharp 903 / SX833

The Sharp 903 is exclusively sold by Vodafone in Europe and Japan. Smartone-Vodafone, the second largest mobile operator in Hong Kong, managed to secure another exclusive deal with Sharp to rebrand 903 as the SX833. At their press conference we only had an hour with the SX833, this report is only intended to serve as a preview primarily focusing on the differences between Vodafone and Smartone-Vodafone versions.

The SX833 Hardware

The SX833 is an upgrade of SX813, which was a rebranded version of the Sharp 902. The concept of the handset is basically the same: a folder with a rotatable screen. One of the first things you notice is the lack of an external display; instead the function is partly fulfilled by 2 LEDs, one on the side and the other that also serves as the camera assist lamp. They will indicate incoming calls, missed calls, and new messages.

From the numbers, a 29mm thickness would turn away a lot of people; but in reality it doesn't feel as thick as the S700i. The contours on the back have improved the ergonomics of the phone; it actually feels more handy than the 24mm thick SX813. It is still clumsy to flip open the phone with one hand, but it is easier to do than it was with the SX813.

Specifications for the Sharp 903 / SX833
Band	GSM 900/1800/1900Mhz, UMTS 2100Mhz
Data	GPRS/UMTS
Size	109mm x 50mm x 29mm (4.3" x 2.0" x 1.1")
Weight	148g (5.2oz)
Battery Life	300 hours standby time
	240/180 minutes talk time (GSM/UMTS)
Main Display	2.4" QVGA CG Silicon 262k color
Sub-Display	N/A
Camera	3.2MP, 2x Optical Zoom, Auto-Focus. VGA secondary camera
Video	QVGA capture/playback at 15fps with TV output
Messaging	MMS/EMS/SMS
Email	Yes (POP/SMTP)
Bluetooth	Yes
Infrared	Yes
Java	Yes (MIDP v2.0)
Polyphonics	Yes, 128 voice, stereo speakers
Memory	8MB, miniSD memory card slot
Availability	Now
Other	MP3/AAC/AAC+/MP4 playback, GSX game engine, flight mode, PDF and MS Office file viewing,

The battery cover on the back of the phone is made of rough plastic, giving the machine a "high quality artificial leather texture" as claimed by the Japanese company. The texture improves your grip of the rather large handset. The Smartone logo is printed at the far end, whereas the coverless camera and assist lamp are located closer to the hinge. The infrared port can be found on top of the hinge, similar to SX813. The top cover with the Vodafone logo engraved is shiny and attractive, but inevitably prone to fingerprints. The stereo speakers are located on both sides next to the display; the volume is louder than SX813, but still insufficient. At the left side of the keypad you find all of the ports: mini SD slot, hands-free, and TV-out. The SX833 supports the same optical line-in adaptor and LED display remote with microphone as does the Sharp 902. The right side is where you can find the usual shortcut keys: up/down, menu, shutter, and cancel buttons. The overall build quality of the device is solid and sturdy, and it feels less plastic-like than did the SX813.

The SX833 follows the exact same screen and key arrangements as the SX813. The 2.4" QVGA ASV screen is top of the class. My only complaint would be the lack of an anti-reflective coating. The keypad is unremarkable, but both the tactile feeling and the orange-red backlight are improved over the version in the SX813 and 902.

 

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