The Sony Tablet S

OK, I'm geeking out again. I rarely see a tablet that excites me enough to look up from my iPad, but the new Sony Tablet S is quite impressive. It packs so many features and custom software in a nice sleek device, it's easily the best Android tablet I've come across so far.

What I like:

• The crisp, clear 9.4" TruBlack display. This reminds you, "It's a Sony"
• Nice, responsive touch panel (very important)
• Great industrial and ergonomic design - it's shaped like a flipped magazine, with weight focused on one side, where you hold it (works for either hand)
• It's Playstation-certified, meaning you'll soon be able to play your favourite titles here. The tablet comes pre-installed with Crush Bandicoot and Pinball Heroes. I'm curious what the pricing will be like, given the very competitive pricing of apps on Android and iOS.
• Two cameras, front and back (5 megapixel rear camera)
• It's a universal remote for many devices, including non-Sony brands
• Full SD memory slot and micro USB slot 
• Great ways to organize your apps
• You can "throw" content (music, photos, videos, Internet content) to other DLNA entertainment devices. You can even stream stuff from one machine to another. Pick a movie from your laptop using the tablet and "throw" it up on the big screen. I can imagine my kids playing with this feature non-stop. Nadine can view rogue videos of Dora the Explorer being shot and killed to her heart's content. OK, kidding, I'm the one watching those.

What I'm not sure about:

• The lack of 3G. Yeah, it's Wi-Fi only for now. Personally I'm crippled without 3G if I'm moving around in Singapore. 
• Still feels a little heavy after a while, even though it's only 598g. But that could be me, because I don't usually use one hand to hold my tablet devices. 
• Graphics for the Playstation games are still a little too "classic" with obvious pixelation (but that retains original feel of the games). I'm also hoping the graphics for future games will catch up with the display capability of the machine.

Hand model credit: DK

The Sony Tablet S comes in 16GB and 32GB versions for S$668 and S$798 respectively. They will be available in Singapore end October, but you can pre-order from 30 September.

Definitely a gadget that will get people talking.


Top and Second Photo Credit: Sony