Softbank intros radiation-detecting smartphone

Yahoo News reports.

Parts of north-eastern Japan are still off-limits due to high radiation levels after the Fukushima nuclear plant was devastated by a huge earthquake and tsunami, triggering meltdowns and spewing radiation.

The Pantone 5 is a fairly middling device on paper, with a 3.7-inch 854x480 LCD screen, a 4MP camera and a 1.4GHz processor, along with the obligatory 1seg TV tuner, waterproofing and infrared data port, The Verge writes.

While it's a fairly unimpressive 12mm-thick, it feels well built and the design is very much in line with the pleasingly chunky nature of other Pantone phones. As for software, by default, it's running the same Sharp skin that was seen on KDDI's Aquos Phone Serie.

The radiation detector isn't exactly tucked away on the device itself; the Pantone 5 only has one physical button on its front, it's the same colour as the back of the device, and its sole function is to open the radiation detector app. The app itself is incredibly simple - press the button, wait 10 seconds for the detector to acquire a reading, and then see how many micro-sieverts are flying through the air. Softbank claims it will be accurate to within 20%, and doesn't recommend its use in critical situations. Still, it should be able to provide a ballpark figure for anyone concerned about their environments.

The Inquirer quotes Masayoshi Son, president of Softbank, as saying: "The threat from the nuclear accident cannot be seen by the human eye and continues to be a concern for many people, especially for mothers with small children."

Son did not disclose pricing for the Pantone 5.