Sony's Xperia Tablet Z is getting some second looks, with its slim-line
design and trove of advanced features -- not to mention its ability to
take a bathtub dunking in stride. It's a full-size tablet at 10.1
inches, but it's only a quarter inch thick and weighs just over a pound.
It's also PlayStation certified.
Sony introduced the Xperia Tablet Z on Monday, touting its thin form
factor and powerful components at the Mobile World Congress in
Barcelona. Sony has been in the tablet market since 2011, when it
introduced the Android-powered Tablet S, but the company now seems to be
making a more serious play.
The 10.1-inch Xperia Tablet Z, which features a sleek design and a
water-resistant case, is the world's thinnest tablet, according to Sony,
at just 6.9mm. It weighs 1.1 lbs.
Many companies -- including Apple -- have looked to slim down the
tablet form factor with 7-inch devices, but Sony is addressing what
could be the bigger issue -- namely weight.
"Don't write off the larger sized tablets at this point," said Rhoda Alexander, senior manager for monitors and tablets at IHS iSuppli.
"Companies will continue to address the issue of larger tablets, but
Sony has taken the lead notably with weight and thinness. It will all
come down to creating a durable product that won't break while you use
it," she added.
"It is a challenge at this point as to how you distinguish yourself
in this ever more-crowded space," Alexander told TechNewsWorld. "Sony
has kept an eye on industrial design -- and the fact that it is
dramatically lighter than the competition and water resistant will make
it stand out."
Features A to Tablet Z
The new Sony tablet is powered by Qualcomm's quad-core 1.5 GHz
Snapdragon S4 Pro with 2 GB of RAM. It runs Android Jelly Bean 4.1 and
will be upgradable to 4.2. It features a scratch resistant 1080p display
(1,920x1,200 pixel resolution) -- a plus for viewing full HD videos in
all their visual glory. It offers built-in Near Field Communication
(NFC) connectivity to other Sony products, including speakers, docks and
TVs.
The Xperia Tablet Z supports WiFi, Bluetooth and Mobile High
Definition Link (MHL). It includes a gyroscope, accelerometer and GPS.
It has a rear-facing 8-megapixel camera and a front-facing 2-megapixel
camera for HD video chats. The cameras utilize Sony's low-light
technology, Exmor R and Superior audio. Sony's camera app is reportedly
modeled on the interface for Sony's digital cameras.
This is tablet seems designed as much for use in the home -- notably
the living room -- as for on the go. It offers an infrared port that can
allow the Xperia Tablet Z to serve as a universal remote, and it
features TV SideView, the latest version of Sony's guide to TV shows
available on cable, Netflix and other content providers.
"From the looks of the Xperia Z, Sony may finally have gotten it
right on the full size tablet front," said Charles King, principal
analyst at Pund-IT. "The device is notably lighter and thinner than other tablets, including the iPad."
"Other features -- the waterproof case, SD Card expansion slot and Mini-USB port -- also set it apart from Apple," King told TechNewsWorld.
Targeting the High End
While other companies have catered to the low end of the market, it
seems that Sony is clearly aiming at the high end. The Xperia Tablet Z
is priced at US$499 for the 16-GB model and $599 for the 32-GB version,
which is available exclusively through Sony stores.
"It looks like a solid offering. People will like the thinness and
lightness, and it looks pretty well styled and tricked out for $499 and
$599," said Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates.
"The NFC is cool, and the cam is beefy enough," he continued. "The
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 is powerful, yet only sips power while delivering
LTE and other connectivity -- and lots of pixels on that screen.
Android is beginning to make inroads in tablets, and Sony benefits from
all development up to this point."
With its lightweight size and thin design, it could be one that makes
consumers consider the larger 10.1-inch models, even as Apple and
others target the 7-inch market.
"The price is a bit on the high side, but clearly Sony is playing up
their well deserved rep for premium-quality design and features being
worth extra," said King.
"So far as 10 inch tablets go, it's an area where the iPad remains
the clear leader," he acknowledged, "but given the increasing
aggressiveness of tablet vendors leveraging Android, the market will
become increasingly competitive. Overall, the Xperia Z could be the best
tablet Sony has built to date, and one of the best full-size tablets
currently available. It'll be interesting to see how the company fares
in the coming months."
