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It takes its name from one of its founder's first inventions, the Ever-Ready Sharp mechanical pencil, which was invented by Hayakawa Tokuji in 1915 [1].
It introduced the world's first all- transistor desktop calculator in 1964, and the first LCD calculator in 1973. Core technologies are solar panels, audio-visual entertainment equipment, office copiers, LCD displays and Flash memory. Recent products include the ViewCam, the Ultra-Lite notebook PC, the Zaurus personal digital assistant, and the Aquos flat screen television.
Net sales for the year 2003/4 were $16.8 billion. The Corporation employs 46,600 staff, of which around half live outside Japan. It operates from 64 bases in 30 countries and its products are distributed in 164 countries worldwide. Many of its regional subsidiaries trade under the name "Sharp Electronics".