Sony was once where Apple is today, the epitome of cool in consumer electronics, the company that could charge more for a product with the same features.
From the Vaio computers to the Walkman to the PlayStation, Sony’s gadgets were sleeker and higher quality (at least perceived to be) than everyone else’s. Even Apple co-founder Steve Jobs scoped out Sony’s signature style early in his career when the companies had offices in the same building, according to his biographer.
Now, with the release of the Sony Tablet S, the electronics maker is playing catch-up in a market dominated by Apple’s iPad.
Sony succeeds in offering a device that is clearly distinguishable from the market leader as well as the bevy of other Android-based tablets that have flooded store shelves since Apple reinvented tablet computers with the original iPad in 2010.
The Tablet S features an attractive design that is unlike any other tablet. Its thickness is not uniform. The body’s casing wraps around from the front to cover about 80 percent of the back, creating an uneven finish.
That’s the first thing most people point out when they see the device, before asking “What’s that for?”
As far as I can tell, it’s largely for looks, though the setup does clearly establish the only way the tablet can be held in landscape mode, both ergonomically and functionally (the screen rotates in just one direction in landscape, as opposed to the iPad and other tablets that rotate in either position).
I like the device’s 9.4-inch screen size. It is slightly smaller than the iPad’s 9.7-inch display, but doesn’t lose any functionality. Web browsing on both devices is almost identical (in terms of what you can see without having to zoom in).
The Tablet S comes preloaded with a universal remote control, a handy software feature. The remote was easy to set up with my Comcast cable box and worked seamlessly. For channel surfing, it’s far better than Comcast’s iPad app, which has a one- or two-second delay before the channel actually changes.
Another advantage the Tablet S has over the iPad is the SD card slot, which can be used to transfer photos and other files from an SD card. To do the same with the iPad, you need to buy a connection kit that Apple sells for $29.
Overall, is the Tablet S better than the iPad 2? No, but that’s largely due to an operating system that Sony doesn’t have complete control over, unlike Apple with iOS.
Powered by Google’s Android Honeycomb platform, everything just runs slightly slower on the Tablet S even though it features a dual-core processor and 1 gigabyte of RAM, which is double the memory that’s reportedly included in the iPad 2.
Web pages often lagged when scrolling, and switching programs isn’t as smooth as it is on the iPad. And of course, there’s still a wide gap between the number of apps available and designed specifically for the iPad and Android-based tablets.
Sony said the Tablet S offers up to 8 hours of battery life. I was able to put the device through average use and standby for about one and a half days between charges.
A Tablet S with 16 GB of storage retails for $500, the same price as the entry-level iPad 2 with the same amount of memory. Sony hasn’t partnered with a U.S. wireless carrier, so the Tablet S is a Wi-Fi-only device.
Though I still prefer the iPad 2, the Tablet S is worth a look for its signature design, slightly smaller size and features such as the universal remote.
Andy Vuong: 303-954-1209, avuong@denverpost.com or
