On the XDA-Developers forum, someone posing as a Sony employee has revealed information on a supposed new tablet. The slides that were published on the forum reveal that the tablet will be part of the Xperia series and that it will be significantly thinner than its predecessor. Compared to the old 'Tablet S', the new model is 42% thinner. The specifications have also been updated, although not every component was changed.
Sony's new 'Xperia' Tablet S once again uses a 1280x800 pixel screen with a diagonal of 9.4 inches, resulting in both the width and length of the tablet remaining identical to the previous model. The processor has been upgraded from Nvidia's Tegra 2 dual-core to a Tegra 3 quad-core chip. The old Bluetooth receiver makes room for a new 3.0 version and the new WiFi interface is also 802.11ac compatible. Sony has also added a special 'ST Port' to the connectors and removed the 5 megapixel rear-facing camera in favour of an 8 MP one. The new tablet has a 1 megapixel camera on the front.
The 570 grams weight is only slightly lower than the 598 grams of the original Tablet S, which is explained by the bigger battery in the new model, boosting the battery life from 5 to 10 hours. It also shows that the device uses more efficient components, as the capacity of the new 6000 mAh battery is only 20% higher. The Sony Xperia Tablet S runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and features a motion sensor, compass, GPS, SD card reader, microphone, stereo speakers and a headphone jack. It will be available in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB models.
Sony's new tablet is compatible with the Playstation Network, has access to the Sony Entertainment Network and also offers support to DLNA. A special app is used to integrate the user's Facebook and Twitter accounts and with a special Guest account, private data and apps can be kept safe. Other software includes Sony Select, which helps users find the latest and best apps.
Several accessories will be available for the new tablet at launch, the most interesting of which is a cover that also functions as a keyboard when opened. Microsoft uses a similar technique with its Surface tablet, to which a thin and flexible keyboard can be attached. Other accessories include tablet stands, a speaker dock, seven different covers (two of which are made of leather), a screen protector and adaptors for HDMI and USB devices.
The new Sony Xperia Tablet will be released on September 3rd at a recommended price of $399.99 (£255) (16GB), $499.99 (£319) (32GB) en $599.99 (£382) (64GB). Prices for the accessories are outlined below:
- AC adapter: $34.99 (£22)
- Premium cover (leather): $79.99 (£51)
- Standard cover: $59.99 (£38)
- Luxurious docking stand: $99.99 (£63)
- Basic docking stand: $24.99 (£16)
- Cradle: $39.99 (£26)
- LCD screen protector: $19.99 (£13)
- Cover with integrated keyboard: $99.99 (£64)
- Dock speaker: $119.99 (£77)
Sony develops new Xperia Tablet S tablet based on Tegra 3 chip
