Latest quirky handset from Japan gets launched
Japan has had its fair share of unusual smartphones over the years and the Pantone 5 is no exception. The latest handset to be launched from Sharp, with carrier Softbank, the Pantone 5 offers a decent line-up of specs with the addition of one of the most unusual features in a smartphone yet, a radiation detector. While the detector may be a welcome bonus to radiation conscious users there are plenty of other features that should make this phone worth getting for anyone looking for a mid-range device.

Key specs include a 3.7" display, 1.4GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. In addition to this there's 4GB of internal memory, a rear-facing 4.9mp camera and front-facing VGA camera. As with many Japanese phones it's also going to be waterproof and is set to come with Android 4.0 installed. It's not exactly the thinnest handset out there at 12mm but will come in a range of eight funky colour options.

It's a fairly average lineup of features but the thing which sets it apart is obviously the radiation detector. The detector's app can be accessed by pressing a dedicated button on the front of the phone, which is the same colour as the back panel, and it takes ten seconds to get a reading. It can detect 0.05 - 9.99μSv of radiation but isn't recommended for use in obviously dangerous situations.

Whether it will put people's minds at ease or just make them worry more remains to be seen but either way it can at least have the honour of being the first Android device to feature a radiation detector, which should be enough to tempt anyone who collects unusual handsets.