Sony S1 Android 3.0 Tablet

Posted on June 23, 2011 09:08 AM

When you have a product that’s a hit, everyone else wants to get a slice of the ‘cake’ you seem to have all to yourself. That’s how it is with Apple and its iPad, a phenomenal success worldwide. It seems that every week, a new rival is introduced and even Sony has jumped in with its new S1 Android tablet. With the field now so crowded with nearly every electronics and PC maker unveiling offerings of their own, Sony has set a more realistic goal of establishing itself as the number-two tablet maker after Apple in 2012.


Sony S1	Sony S2

The Sony S1 Android tablet focuses on delivering an entertainment experience where users can enjoy cloud-based services on-the-go at any time. “We’re aiming to create a new lifestyle by integrating consumer hardware, including ‘Sony Tablet’ with content and network,” said Kunimasa Suzuki, Corporate Executive, SVP, and Deputy President of Consumer Products & Services Group at Sony.

As with other Sony product, the S1 has a style that gives it a bit of uniqueness. The tablet has a raised top body with rubber material which could be one way to minimize damage in case it is accidentally dropped. An interesting design feature is how it’s been made to look like the front panel was folded, resembling a folded magazine.

The S1 has a 9.4-inch capacitive touch panel sporting a 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. The physical attributes make it stable and light, therefore adding comfort to use for an extended period of time.The keyboard arrangement is also optimized for the large screen, making email and SMS communication easy.

The S1 tablet has front and rear-facing cameras as well as a USB-A port that can hook up USB thumbdrives or other media devices, wireless connectivity through Wi-Fi 3G/4G services, Bluetooth, GPS connectivity and is PlayStation-certified(for first generation PlayStation titles). This means it will be compatible with PlayStation games available through the Android Market. So it’s like the Xperia Play but with a larger and better screen and no physical control.

The S1 also supports infrared transmissions which will enable users to control gadgets like a television (especially for Sony Bravia TVs and Blu ray players). The user can stream content from the tablet over Wi-Fi using the consumer electronics networking standard, DLNA.

Besides internet connectivity, there’s also access to other digital content including videos, games and books through Sony’s premium network services and more, on-the-go at any time.For stable connectivity, there is the option of an inbuilt 10/100 MB Ethernet LAN Port.

This tablet is powered by an Intel Dual-Core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor which is a dedicated high-performance processor for tablets. It runs the Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb platform that is specifically designed for tablet devices.

The S1 is expected to be available in some countries by the fourth quarter of this year. The price is presently rumoured to be in the region of US$599 (about RM 1,808). There is also a smaller S2 version which has a 5.5-inch dual display concept.[Rufaidah]

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