WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.
Sony will launch two Android-powered tablets by the end of the year, with the Tablet S due in September and Tablet P pencilled in for a November launch. The tablets – first unveiled in April – run on the Honeycomb version of the Android mobile OS and are the company’s first attempt at taking on Apple’s iPad.
The 598g Tablet S (pictured) is designed for rich media entertainment, featuring a 9.4 inch high-resolution screen and running on an NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor.
It will initially be available in Wi-Fi only form, although a version adding 3G will join the line-up in November. The Wi-Fi–only tablet runs Android Honeycomb 3.1 - which can be upgraded to 3.2 - while the 3G version will come with Android 3.2 already installed.
The Tablet S – which is available as a 16GB or 32GB version - features an asymmetric design which puts the screen at a slight angle when placed on a flat surface, intended to make it more comfortable to use.
The Sony Tablet P is more mobile focused, with a folding design and twin 5.5 inch touchscreens. The two screens can be used for different functions at the same time, such as watching video while checking email. They can also be used as a single screen for web browsing or reading an eBook.
The P is lighter than the S at 372g but uses the same NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processer and will feature Wi-Fi and 3G mobile connectivity at its launch.
Both tablets have front and rear-facing cameras for photos and video, a SD card slot and a USB 2.0 port and feature Sony’s TruBlack screen technology, which the company claims reduces reflection and glare from the sun or fluorescent light and improves high-contrast visibility.
The tablets will have access to the Sony Entertainment Network including Video Unlimited for downloading films and TV shows, Music Unlimited, which has a catalogue of 10 million songs, the eBook Reader Store and a cloud-based picture and video sharing application.
Pricing for the Tablet P hasn’t been announced but Tablet S will cost around US$499 for the 16GB version and US$599 for the 32GB version. Analysts warn that this pricing - on a par with Apple's iPad - will make Sony's efforts to challenge the market-leading tablet device even more challenging.
