Sony Tablet S Review: A sleek, smooth and speedy tablet

[siopao1984]

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Sony Tablet S Review: A sleek, smooth and speedy tablet

The tablet market is definitely heating up, as we see more companies hopping onto the bandwagon and producing their tablet devices based on Google Android platform. Sony Electronics Asia Pacific has recently launched their new Sony Tablet S, and we managed to get one in for this review.



What Sony is renowned for - technology packaged in squeaky clean lines and eye-pleasing aesthetic details; and the Japanese firm reaffirms this in their latest Sony Tablet S. Sony is finally catching up to the tablet market, and it may not be such a bad thing after all. Some say the company took its time to study the tablet’s predecessors to ensure the Sony brand of gadgets remain intact, while at the same time delivering the high-powered efficiency and multi-platform function that today’s tablet devices strive to offer not just the gadget gurus, but to the everyday consumer.

Tablets, in essence, have undoubtedly changed the world of computing altogether, combining high functionality with mobile intuition. The real question at hand is, “Who does it best?”. There is, of course, the reigning leader who first created and introduced the tablet and its wizardry to the world - ever since Apple shook the world with the first iPad in April 2010, every other player wanted a market share - a piece of the action, a finger in the deep-dish pie of consumer technology. We managed to get the Sony Tablet S in for this review, so here's the specifications:

Hardware Features

- TruBlack 1280 x 800 9.4-inch screen
- Nvidia Tegra 2 mobile processor
- 1GB RAM, up to 32GB storage
- Google Android 3.2 Honeycomb
- Camera : Front – 0.3 Megapixel Rear – 5.0 Megapixel
- Bluetooth version 2.1 +
- Wi-Fi : IEEE802.11b/g/n
- Full-size SD Card slot
- Internal, Monaural microphone
- Internal, Stereo speakers
- Universal IR remote/transmitter
- Battery Type : Li-Ion 5000mAh
+ Battery Life when browsing web with Wi-Fi- 6.2 hours
+ Battery charge time- 5.0 hours
- Dimensions: 241.3 x 174.5 x 20.8mm
- Weight: 586g

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Going under the hood, the first thing that sets the Sony Tablet S apart is its ergonomical design, which fits snugly in your hand during usage and bears a 4-degree inclined structure to allow better and more comfortable reading and visibility. This works great when it is laid flat horizontally, but not as wonderful a tactile experience when using it on a moving train upon trial.

Sony is always out to prove their products are dummy-friendly and attests to this consumer appeal by throwing in some built-in goodies to the mix. The headphone jack, USB port and memory card card reader are on the left, while the right holds the power button, volume controls and a reset pin-hole. On-screen, what we’d like to call “the escape route” is not as well thought-out as the eminent iPad proffers. Whether we can blame Sony and other tablets in the market for not coming up with something as intelligent as Apple’s symbolic “home” button is debatable, but certainly the power button on the inside flap at the top right-hand corner of the Tablet S (see what a mouthful that is already?) is a laudable effort.



The Sony signature - its camera capabilities - is one of the key features of the Tablet S. Despite not having a built-in flash, the camera boasts a 5 megapixel quality that manipulates sunlight or surrounding light (when indoors) to produce more-than-decent pictures.



The Tablet S arrives pristine in the box with built-in apps for an instant “wow” and, being Android 3.2 driven, gives instant access to Google and affiliated apps like Google Voice Search, Gmail, Places and 3D maps.

[siopao1984]

Further adding to its striking looks is its TruBlack display, which affords the user with vibrant colour and sharper image quality by balancing the refraction of light between the LCD and the actual screen. The Sony Tablet S acts as a Universal Remote that allows users to control any infra-red capable device, such as the television, Blu-Ray player or even cable box, though the certainty of its usage and compatibility with other brand devices is thin. On the plus side, this function means users can “dump” all media files to a central platform in the house for easy access and control. The Sony Tablet S is also DLNA-certified (Digital Living Network Alliance) and can wirelessly connects to DLNA compatible devices, including “BRAVIA” televisions. With the DLNA app, users can display their holiday photos and high definition videos to the big television screen with just a touch of a button.

Deeper exploration into the Tablet S promises top-of-the-line speedy browsing on its latest browsing technology. The device features a generous 23.8cm wide touch screen and is fitted with a 1GB RAM with up to 32GB of internal storage, Wi-Fi and optional 3G.



The lock-screen, on the other hand, is a feature that is somewhat reminiscent of the Sony Playstation interface- given, of course, the device also comes with a Playstation certification, attracting fans of the gaming console into using the Tablet S as an extension of gaming. A symbol depicting a padlock surrounded by a thin ring is illuminated upon activating the power button, after which a second ring takes place, prompting users to unlock the screen.





The company has included some games in the Sony Tablet S such as Crash Bandicoot and Pinball Heroes. For the PlayStation-certified games like Crash Bandicoot, the game provides onscreen Playstation virtual controls including L1, L2, R1, R2, start and select. However, the graphics isn't fantastic as the game is based on 32-bit polygonal graphics. There may be a high definition (HD) version optimized for the Tablet S, but no details on this at time of review. Of course, you can also download HD Android games from the Android Market. We also playback some HD trailers from YouTube and the videos showed great colors and details.

[siopao1984]

The Sony Tablet S, for the most part, clearly wins one over with its sleek design that almost forgives any flaws or missing elements that users may crave from, say, the Apple iPad. The device boasts a solid built and is, to a degree, thorough in its multimedia support and capability. (Perhaps almost trying to include every port in the book). While this may be a good thing for the user who packs every cable for connections to the tablet, it is questionable if this defeats the purpose of it being a mobile computing device for recreational usage.

Its unique size appears to be dedicated more to users who intend it more for gaming and media playing than for corporate use or work-akin to the comparison of an SUV to a stylish sports car, despite having the same capabilities. To some, it may even feel like a hardy extension of a PC than a lifestyle device. The Sony Tablet S wants to offer the world of possibilities, but shows a kind of pale confidence in its bravery to do so. However, for the price of S$668 for the 16GB model and S$798 for the 32GB model, discerning tablet users will find this an ample and sufficiently sturdy device to invest in.

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[toweweng]

+ Battery charge time- 5.0 hours

huh? lima pa ka oras ang charging? dugaya gud!