Sony S1&S2 Honeycomb tablets
Well, well. What have we got here? Another day another tablet is announced.
I’m talking about the new “Sony Tablet(s)” codenamed S1 and S2 that Japanese company unveiled today. Or should I say “previewed today”, since besides some cool Photoshop renderings and display size, Sony decided to keep most of the other details to themselves. Raising a ton of interesting questions about the whole thing.Let’s start with what we know.
We always knew that Sony can do great design and the new S1 and S2 tablets are no exception. They both look unusual, but very good, and will get you noticed anywhere.
The display size for S1 is 9.4”:
Sony says that both tablets will run on Android 3.0 Honeycomb, will have Wi-Fi and WAN (3G/4G) modems available, will support DLNA and act as a remote controls for other Sony A/V equipment. Where available, they will also run Sony cloud entertainment “Qriocity” service, and support the Playstation Network too. Here’s a promo video for new tablets:
That’s about all Sony decided to tell us about the new tablets. Which leaves us with more questions the we got answers today. Here are some of them:
*1. Why the heck did Sony even bother to announce these things today? The new tablets won’t be available until this fall. Which means we are probably at least 6 months away from launch. And the only thing you have to show us are some Photoshop renderings and some pretty vague specs. I know in gaming console biz things move slowly, and it’s business as usual to pre-announce new devices 6-12 months in advance. But in a fast paced tablet/smartphone/next gen mobile computing field? I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.
*2.And why Sony is making tablets in the first place? Aren’t smartphone makers supposed to be better equipped to do tablets? Why aren’t S1 and S2 done by Sony Ericsson? Especially when last January SE was strongly hinting that some very unique tablets are on the way. Did you take that Sony Ericsson project away from them? If yes, why? Is there something we should know about the Sony Ericsson future prospects? If, not and SE is also working on some sort of a tablet, will they compete with Sony?
*3 Are you serious about this Android 3.0 Honeycomb stuff, you say the new Sony Tablets will be running in fall 2011? The same old buggy Android 3.0 from early 2011, when Google starts shipping the next iteration Android 3.x this fall? Wasn’t Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 update debacle enough of a lesson last year?
Oh well, I guess we’ll have to wait until this fall and see what happens.
Stay tuned.
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