Meet RoboHon, Sharp's Newest Robot Smartphone

On the off chance you're deciding whether to purchase a robot or a smartphone, Sharp is offering both in one cute device.

Tomotaka Takahashi, as told by Gizmodo, is an engineer who rose to fame when he sent the first talking robot into space. Takahashi, apparently, was not kidding when he teased the public about a "humanoid phone" to be launched this year.

Engadget describes "RoBoHon" (pronounced as "robo-hoan"), a mish mash of "robot" and "phone", as a cute pocket-sized robot with a 2-inch touchscreen that can take calls, dance, project photos, and displays maps, among many more features.

While it is certainly unique in every way, the same blog fears that when this smartphone is put side by side with other smartphones in the market, it is not going to so much as dominate.

According to Engadget, RoBoHon runs on a special software built upon Android. With a touchscreen that allows space for only four but big icons, as well as bigger soft buttons, it is seen to perhaps cater to a specific but significant chunk of the Japanese smartphone market - the elderly.

The robot phone is pretty much equipped with the basics of a modern-day smartphone, as per Engadget - text and call capability, a camera, and 4G LTE.

However, Sharp's spokesman says that RoBoHon primarily functions by talking to it, therefore the touchscreen it has is only a secondary interface. The screen will be useful in confirming actions, taking calls, and perhaps in places where spoken commands are inconvenient.

Debuting in a meet and greet at CEATEC 2015 in Japan, Giz Mag further describes RoBoHon to be 19.5 cm (7.67 in) tall and 390 g (13.8 oz) heavy - quite the opposite of ideal when you evaluate based on a smartphone viewpoint.

This hybrid gadget can also stand, walk, and sit down much like what is expected of humanoid robots. Built mostly for entertainment purposes, RoBoHon can dance and wave its arms when it's talking. It also flashes light around its eyes when a message or call gets through.

Moreover, it moves around accompanied by sounds when an alarm goes off. The camera in its head, as per Giz Mag, can also project images on a flat surface like a projector. As a phone, RoBoHon curls on itself to imitate a handset. In addition to a 3G and LTE mobile connectivity, it has a 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi .

Specifications are still subject to change prior to RoBoHon's launch next year. As of now, no further details have been revealed. A booth representative told Gizmodo, however, that the revealed specs and features are unlikely to be amended when the device is produced. The same report says that there is no word yet regarding the price.

Check out RoBoHon's first promotional video here. 

Learn more about RoBoHon here.