Sony Unveils S1 And S2 Android Tablets

Electronics manufacturer Sony unveiled its first two tablet PCs at a press event in Tokyo today, announcing its intention to bring the devices to market in the autumn of 2011.

The tablets, dubbed S1 and S2, will run Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and have both Wi-Fi and WAN (3G/4G) compatibility. The more conventional S1 has a 9.4-inch display, making it only slightly smaller than Apple’s iPad 2. However, it is shaped like a wedge, making it easier to hold and improving stability, according to Sony.

The S1 ‘Sony tablet’ has a built-in infra-red transmitter, which acts as a universal remote control and can be used to turn on a television, change the channel and adjust the volume. It also has DLNA functionality, allowing users to stream video and audio on the device, and “throw” this content onto a TV or stereo over Wi-Fi.

Meanwhile, the clamshell-shaped S2 has two 5.5-inch displays that fold closed, making it small enough to fit into the inside pocket of a man’s jacket. The two screens can either be used together as one large screen or separately, allowing users to watch a video on one screen and input commands on the other, or check email on one screen and use the other as a soft keyboard.

Rich entertainment experience

The S2 will also be PlayStation-certified, meaning it will be able to run a new generation of Android-based software from Sony. When gaming, the top screen will show the game and the bottom screen will have touch-sensitive controls, offering a user experience akin to the Nintendo 3DS.

“Sony Tablet delivers an entertainment experience where users can enjoy cloud-based services on-the-go at any time,” said Kunimasa Suzuki, Sony’s computer division head. “We’re aiming to create a new lifestyle by integrating consumer hardware, including Sony Tablet, with content and network.”

Sony emphasised that the tablets are not intended to be laptop replacements, and that that the company will “remain committed to strengthening its VAIO brand”.

Sony’s tablets will join the ever-expanding array of Android-based devices jostling for attention. However, the company has already expressed its determination to take the tablet market by storm.

“For sure iPad is the king of tablets. But what is the second, what is the third? Who is taking the second position? That is our focus,” Suzuki told Reuters back in January. “We would like to really take the number two position in a year.”

Stiff competition

As well as Apple, Sony will have to compete against the likes of Motorola’s Xoom tablet, Acer’s Iconia Tabs, Asus’s Eee Pad Transformer and HP’s webOS-based TouchPad, scheduled for release in June. However, many are predicting that the biggest competition will come from Samsung’s range of Galaxy Tabs.

“I think that Samsung, as a result of its scale and its strong distribution channels and mobile operator relationships, will become the leading tablet manufacturer going forward,” Technology Business Research analyst Ken Hyers told eWEEK earlier this year. “That means that Sony, in order to achieve second place, will have to dethrone either Apple or Samsung, which would be a very tall order.

“Unlike Apple and Samsung, Sony doesn’t have a thriving mobile phone business, which I think will be key in developing the software ecosystem that will allow those tablet manufacturers to differentiate beyond hardware options and pricing,” added Hyers.