Sony is getting into the tablet market with the unveiling of the S1 and S2 Android-based tablets. More specifically, the tablets run Honeycomb, Android 3.0 which is optimized for tablet devices. The two tablets will be the first devices released by Sony to somewhat compete with the iPad.
The Sony S1 contains a 9.4-inch screen that has a similar design to the Macbook Air where one edge is thicker and it tapers to the other edge. The S1 also features a Tegra 2 chip, both front and rear cameras as well as a slightly off-center of gravity that is designed to provide a better grip.
The Sony S2 has a completely different form factor. It has a clamshell design that has two 5.5-inch screens, one on the top and one on the bottom, much like the Nintendo DS line. The two screens can be used in tandem or separately depending on your needs at the moment. For instance, you can view an entire webpage on both screens, or you can have a Macgasm Video podcast running on the top screen while you’re browsing the Macgasm site on the bottom. (Okay, we know you’re going to be playing Angry Birds on one and looking at your twitter feed on the other, but we can dream).
Both the S1 and S2 will come with Wi-Fi as well as a 3G/4G connection. The tablets can also be used as universal remotes through their infrared ports. The tablets are both DLNA compatible, so you can stream media content from your tablet to your TV or wireless speakers.
The biggest feature for gamers is that both the S1 and S2 will have access to the Playstation Suite. Playstation Suite is a service where you can play original Playstation titles right from your device. The first mobile device to have this functionality was the Xperia Play phone.
I think Sony is making the right move by not pumping out a tablet that will get lost in a mass of similar tablets. The addition of the Playstation Suite, and to a lesser extent DLNA, allows Sony to bring some unique value to any tablet that they will release. Many die-hard Playstation fans will be sure to give Sony’s S1 and S2 a long hard look if they are in the market for a tablet device. They may ultimately choose the iPad, but I’m sure a significant portion will choose a device by Sony, solely based on the Playstation Suite feature.
Article Via Joystiq
