Thankfully, Sony has toned down the Android tablet skin used on its previous tablets. The new interface is a lot cleaner and more practical.
(Credit: Sony)When Sony introduced the Tablet S last year, it went above and beyond the typical Android tablet experience by delivering an ergonomic wedge design and an integrated IR universal remote control. It was pricey, sure, but it was unique.
So what happens when you take the Tablet S, slim it down a bit, add a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, get rid of its proprietary charging connection, and fold it into Sony's Xperia brand (previously reserved only for smartphones)?
Well, the answer is the Xperia Tablet S. Set for a September 7 release, Sony's latest tablet still isn't cheap, but it brings a load of TV-ready features and a revamped Android 4.0 skin. A few weeks ago I got some hands-on time with the tablet (though photography and video were, unfortunately, nixed by Sony reps at the time). What follows are my impressions.
Design and hardware
The original Tablet S stood out thanks to its unique "rolled-back magazine" wedge design. While the new tablet retains the magazine look, the wedge shape of the original is gone; the new tablet sports straighter lines and a more refined look. As a result, the Xperia Tablet S feels both lighter and thinner than the original and still has that magazine feel when I hold it in my hands.
The tablet features a 9.4-inch IPS screen with a 1,280x800-pixel resolution and uses Sony's TruBlack panel, which the company says provides more vibrant colors, deeper blacks, and minimal screen reflections.
The Xperia Tablet S' version of the quad-core Tegra 3 is clocked at 1.3GHz with two to four cores active and up to 1.4GHz in single-core operations. The tablet houses 1GB of RAM, comes in either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB storage sizes; and has 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support, Bluetooth 3.0, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer.
Connections include a full-size SD card slot and an HDMI input. You'll also find a headphone jack, volume rocker, and of course the power/sleep button. On the top side of the bezel is a 1-megapixel front camera and opposite it, on the back, is an 8-megapixel shooter.
Your tablet, your remote control
During my demo, Sony was really pushing Xperia Tablet S' remote control feature. As with the previous incarnation, the tablet includes an IR blaster that, coupled with the Sony-exclusive Watch Now software and its own remote control app, turns your tablet into a remote control and TV guide.
While Samsung and its recent tablet releases each make use of an IR blaster and Peel's Smart Remote software, the Xperia Tablet S goes one step further to include the ability to power on multiple devices from the tablet. These devices include your TV, Blu-ray player, and sound system, via one button press (once the compatible devices are configured properly) a la most standalone universal remotes.
Sony's remote control software looks pretty much as it did on the original Tablet S. Like before, I feel a less busy interface would have been ideal.
(Credit: Sony)Watch Now acts as a TV guide fueled by your own personal preferences as well as social-media trends. For example, if the latest episode of "Breaking Bad" blows up on Twitter, expect the app to recommend that you watch it (if it finds you aren't already). You'll also be able to use the app to post to Facebook, Twitter, and GetGlue about whichever show you're currently watching and, I assume, whatever else you'd like to post about. The Watch Now app will be available on the Google Play store exclusively for the Xperia Tablet S during launch.
While I still like the idea of tablet as a remote, the actual remote control software Sony uses still feels a bit too busy and could be confusing initially. Once I get a review unit in, I'll play around with it and see just how much it's changed from its previous incarnation.
Watch Now will act as a TV guide, showing you the current TV listings, but also suggesting new shows based on your preferences and other social trends.
(Credit: Sony)According to Sony, with its the multiport cover in place, the Xperia Tablet S is "splashproof" (but note that doesn't necessarily mean "waterproof") and its screen is purported to respond to touch gestures even with wet hands. Hopefully Sony is planning to send me two of these to test. You know, just in case one doesn't actually pass the splash test.
Software features
The tablet ships with the latest version of Android 4.0, but Sony says a 4.1 upgrade is in its very near future. The current interface looked like a less oppressive version of its tablet skin compared with the previous Tablet S.
Sony's media apps make their return with Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited, the latter of which adds the ability to cache playlists for offline listening. You can also share all your cloud photos and videos with any device through Sony's PlayMemories Online service, although I'm not yet certain exactly what "any device" actually means.
Sony's Video Unlimited app will hopefully provide access to more than only Columbia Pictures movies.
(Credit: Sony)Sony says we'll also see "dedicated" content from PlayStation Mobile on the tablet. Here's hoping. As a gamer this is an area in which I believe Sony really dropped the ball with its previous tablets. The Sony tablets should be full of the best in emulated PlayStation 1 and possibly (if the CPUs can handle them) PlayStation 2 games. It's disappointing this isn't currently the case.
Like Samsung TouchWiz's miniapps tray, the Xperia Tablet S will include support for "small apps." Small apps are, well, smaller apps such as calculators, timers, and recorders that are able to run concurrently with full-size apps. Of particular note is Scrapbook, which allows users to clip assets from Web sites or apps and share the images across multiple apps.
Guest Mode is essentially a simple way to set up user accounts with different levels of accessibility to apps.
(Credit: Sony)Guest Mode lets you make multiple personalized user accounts with customizable app accessibility, wallpaper, and widgets. For parents, this could be a great tool for limiting Junior's access to apps on your tablet, while still allowing him to play around with it. The Guest Mode interface felt simple to use and seemed to work as intended during the few minutes I had to play with it.
Finally, the tablet will come with a $45 credit to be used on Google Play toward three of 15 available movies. No word on which movies, but my guess is that they'll sport the Columbia Pictures logo.
The Xperia Tablet S, accessorized
Sony will be pushing accessories hard for the Xperia Tablet S; possibly the most interesting of these is the Cover with Keyboard. The cover assumes triple duty, acting as a cover, keyboard (no touch pad), and stand.
The keyboard reminded me a lot of the Touch Cover keyboard Microsoft showed off at its Surface event back in June with keys that sit flush to the cover and feel as if they're made of a soft, feltlike material. The Cover's lack of a touch pad was disappointing, and my admittedly larger-than-most hands did feel a bit cramped during the few seconds of play. The Cover with Keyboard will retail for $99.
The $99 Docking Stand features three USB ports and an HDMI out port.
(Credit: Sony)The Docking Stand ($99) is a stylish way to prop the tablet up and includes three USB ports and an HDMI port. This and other accessories will be available at launch.
First thoughts
The Xperia Tablet S launches September 7 in three different storage configurations: 16GB ($399), 32GB ($499), and 64GB ($599). While I'm excited to get my hands on the tablet, especially to try out the TV/remote control features, those prices don't exactly fill me with confidence.
I would have loved to see a clearer sign that Sony was really serious about competing in this space. While the prices are lower than what the Tablet S launched at last year, $400 is still a lot for a tablet; Sony needs to make a compelling case to keep consumers interested in its products. TV features are cool, but TV features and a $300-$350 starting price are much cooler.
Look for my full review at or around the September 7 launch.
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