Sony on Wednesday unveiled several new devices at the IFA conference in Berlin, including two tablets, an updated Reader device, and a new addition to its Xperia smartphone lineup.
On the tablet front, Sony debuted the Sony Tablet S and Sony Tablet P, both of which run Android Honeycomb and are based on an Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset.
The Sony Tablet S (pictured) features a 9.4-inch, 1280-by-800 screen. It has a rounded top edge that narrows to a much flatter bottom, which Sony said makes it feel like you're holding a magazine that's been folded back, facilitating one-handed access. There's an infrared emitter, allowing users to turn the tablet into a programmable remote control for home electronics.
The Wi-Fi-only Sony Tablet S will be available in mid-September at $499 for a 16GB model and $599 for 32GB. A desk cradle will cost $39, and a dedicated Bluetooth keyboard $79. For more, see PCMag's full hands-on with the Tablet S.
The Tablet P is a dual-screen, folding Android tablet that includes two 5.5-inch, 1024-by-480 screens. It feature a 5-megapixel camera on the outside and a VGA camera inside for video chat. It has 4GB of internal memory, but includes a full-size SD Card slot. There's also a MicroUSB input. It will connect to AT&T's network with an HSPA modem. For more, see PCMag's full hands-on with the Tablet P and the slideshow below.
Sony also gave its Reader lineup a little attention (below), unveiling an update to its ebook reader that actually combines its three models into one. Gone are the Pocket, Touch, and Daily models, leaving only the Reader Wi-Fi. The new device has a 6-inch, touch-screen E Ink Pearl display, weighs 6 ounces, and is only 0.35 inches thick.It has Wi-Fi built in, along with 2GB of internal storage. There are hardware buttons for turning pages, or you can just swipe on the screen. The Sony Reader Wi-Fi will be available in October, in black, red, and white, for $149.
Sony's other ploy with the launch of the new Reader is its partnership with Pottermore, J.K. Rowling's new site dedicated to the Harry Potter ebooks. Sony will be offering a limited edition Potter-branded Reader Wi-Fi, which will come with a voucher letting buyers download the first Potter ebook when it becomes available.
Smartphones were not left in the dark at this morning's press conference. Sony Ericsson also unveiled the Xperia Arc S, which Sony said was the fastest and most entertaining smartphone in its Xperia line to date. The Arc S has a 1.4-GHz processor (compared to the 1-GHz in the original Xperia Arc) and runs Android 2.3.
The Xperia Arc S features a 4.2-inch, 854-by-480 touch screen. It has 1GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32GB. It will be available in pure white, gloss black, misty silver, midnight blue, or sakura pink.
Sascha Segan and David Pierce also contributed to this story.
Sony Tablet P
The new Sony Tablet P is an unusual dual-screen Android Honeycomb tablet, with two 5.5-inch, 1024-by-480 screens.
Sony Tablet P Closed
The Tablet P will run on AT&T's HSPA 21 network. There's a 5-megapixel camera on the front, and a VGA camera inside for video chatting.
Sony Tablet P Edge
The Tablet P has an unusual oval form when it's closed. On the left side you'll find the volume buttons, headphone jack, and power port.
Sony Tablet P Market
Sony has customized many of the apps on the Tablet P. This custom app market, for instance, shows a gallery of apps on the bottom screen and more details on the top.
Sony Tablet P Media Player
The media player on the Sony Tablet P shows your video on the top screen and the controls on the bottom screen.
Copyright © 2010 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc.
Source: Sony unveils two tablets, revamped Reader, Xperia smartphone
Continue the Sony Tablet P and S slideshow, on the next page…
Sony Tablet P Mail
The Sony Tablet P's custom mail app shows a full message on the top screen, and the index of messages on the bottom screen.
Sony Tablet P Mail Composer
When you start to write a new email, that changes: your message is on the top screen, and the whole bottom screen is a keyboard.
Sony Tablet P Calendar
The calendar app looks great on the dual screens, with a day laid out on the left and a full month, plus tasks, on the right.
Sony Tablet P PlayStation Game
The dual screens offer plenty of room for PlayStation controls when you're playing Crash Bandicoot or other classic games.
Sony Tablet P Gallery
Many apps on the Sony Tablet P simply span both screens, like the photo and video gallery app.
Sony Tablet P Geolocated Photo
Click on a photo in the gallery, and a very neat thing happens: on the bottom screen, you can pull up a map of where the photo was taken.
Sony Tablet P Game
Games on the Sony Tablet P can use both screens, and just span the bezel.
Sony Tablet P E-Reader
The e-reader app on the Tablet P really makes the tablet look like a book.
Sony Tablet P Memory
The Sony Tablet P runs Android 3.2, and it has about 2GB of free memory plus a memory card slot.
Sony Tablet S : Horizontal
The Sony Tablet S is Sony's first Android Honeycomb tablet, and it comes with a lot of proprietary Sony media apps.
Sony Tablet S : Vertical
The sleek, classy Tablet S also runs standard Android apps, of course; here it is enjoying a game of Cut the Rope. The unusual design is tapered on one side.
Sony Tablet S : Flat
You can more easily see the Tablet S's tapered edge in this shot. It looks like part of the body is folded back, but that's an optical illusion.
Sony Tablet S : Right
The power and volume buttons are on the right side of the Sony Tablet S.
Sony Tablet S : Left
On the left side of the sony Tablet S, there's a cover over a full-size SD Card slot. But the tablet doesn't seem to be able to access files directly on the card; you have to "import" them first
Copyright © 2010 Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc.
Follow Us
