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The main competitors have already brought their products to the market, and Sony waited until the fall of 2011 and only then announced its vision for this class of devices. Did Sony manage to surprise customers? Partly yes! Based on the totality of its characteristics, the tablet called Sony Tablet S turned out to be an interesting and original solution, although not ideal. On the other hand, are there many ideal devices today? IN this material I will try to describe my impressions of working with this tablet, which was purchased in March 2012. I'll make a note, screenshots and thoughts on performance will be based on Android 4.0. On May 31, Sony Tablet S owners had the opportunity to officially update the operating system. And this update brought with it several pleasant innovations. So, let's go!

Design and ergonomics

It is noticeable to the naked eye that Sony did not want to release another faceless device, which is a uniformly thin rectangle like what Samsung and Asus brought to the market. The designers of the Japanese manufacturer spent a lot of time thinking about how to highlight their creation on store shelves. And they succeeded! Sony Tablet S cannot be confused with any other tablet. The point is in its body shape: it is something similar to a magazine folded in half. The thickness of the case at the top of the tablet (just where your hands hold it) is significantly greater than the thickness at the bottom and is as much as 24 mm.

Due to this, a more confident grip is achieved when holding the device in weight. And this is important when you have to do something with the tablet while standing. Your hands get noticeably less tired. In this matter I can compare Sony Tablet S with Asus tablet Prime. The Taiwanese product is a simple metal rectangle, quite thin. This creates some inconvenience. The edges of the tablet noticeably cut into your palms, making it harder for your fingers to grip. So Sony designers not only managed to distinguish the Sony Tablet S from the crowd of competitors, but also significantly improved its ergonomics.

Moreover, the back surface of the tablet is made of rough plastic that does not slip under your fingers at all. There are also four plastic feet to prevent the Sony Tablet S from sliding on the table. This is also a big plus.

There are few interface connectors. There is a port for the charger at the bottom, and on the left side there is a 3.5 mm jack. There, under a beautiful flap, you can find slots for an SD memory card (which is a definite plus!) and for a SIM card (I have a version of the Sony Tablet S with 3G support). The microUSB connector for synchronization with a PC has also not gone away. You can also connect to the tablet via a special adapter external storage, so host mode is implemented. However, having a slot for full-size SD cards, I still couldn’t figure out why I would need to connect anything else via cable. You can charge the tablet only through the proprietary connector; charging does not come from a PC. The power supply is extremely similar to that of Sony netbooks; it is quite large by tablet standards.

Do you think I will only praise Sony in this section? No, I’ll tell you about the fly in the ointment. Or rather, there are two of them. The first is the screen covering and the front side of the device. They are terribly soiled and instantly stain your fingers. So every day the tablet can and should be wiped with wipes to clean the optics. And prints also interfere with working in sunlight, since the display is already glossy.

The second is the location of the three keys: power and volume control. They are located at the top on the right side, literally close to each other. Although they are embossed, they are too crowded, and there are rare erroneous clicks. However, I cannot help but note their pleasant movement and clear tactile feedback.

In the end, I can say this: the appearance and ease of holding the tablet in your hands are excellent. You won't find fault here at all. Sony managed to create a truly pleasant device, with minor exceptions.

Screen

It uses an IPS matrix with a diagonal of 9.4 inches and a resolution of 1280 by 800 pixels. Based on the experience of long-term use, I can safely say that when used indoors, the screen produces an exceptionally rosy impression. I would like to note good color rendition and equally good viewing angles. Perhaps someone will be somewhat upset by the imperfect black color. You can find many opinions on the Internet that the white color on the Sony Tablet S screen has a yellowish tint. This is probably true, but it does not cause any obvious problems. Things aren't so good outside. Maximum brightness under straight lines sun rays It’s not enough anymore, and it’s hard to read from the screen. Plus, the extremely high soiling of the display also does not improve readability. The screen coating is susceptible to scratches, so carry the device with caution.

So, when used at home, the screen on the Sony Tablet S is more than good, but outdoors there may be problems. There it is better to use Samsung AMOLED screens or Asus matrices with increased brightness.

Autonomy

Agree, this aspect is extremely important for any Android device. The Sony Tablet S is based on the Nvidia Tegra 2 chip (2 cores), which is moderately optimized in terms of energy saving. In addition, there is a feeling that something was done inside Sony when finalizing Android. But first things first.

Under the hood we have a 5000 mAh battery. It's sparse. Especially for Android, which is famous for its immodest appetite for battery resources. On the official website, the company declares 7 hours of battery life. In reality, this is what happens. If you turn on Wi-Fi and start browsing the web, the battery will last for 5.5-6 hours. The brightness was set to approximately 50% of maximum. I note that my tablet also supports 3G. So, when working through cellular network The battery was subjectively discharged less. If you watch a 2.2 GB DVDrip for 1.5 hours, approximately 25% of the total charge will be used up. That is, the tablet will be able to show video for 5-6 hours (but this depends on the resolution and bitrate). “Heavy” games will drain the battery in about 4 hours.

And now about the bad. Sony programmers, when writing proprietary gadgets for Android, did something that, even in standby mode with Wi-Fi turned off and the screen dark, the tablet loses 2.5-3% of battery charge per hour. That is, overnight you will miss about 15-20% of the charge! This is weird. It is worth considering that some software also significantly increases energy consumption. For example, HD Widgets spent another 2% of charge per hour when running. I had to remove them.

The tablet takes about two hours to charge. I advise you to buy a cradle, with its help you can charge your Sony Tablet S much more easily, and the tablet looks more elegant in such a stand. According to Sony, the Tablet S does not look like a strongman in terms of power consumption. In my opinion, Sony engineers made a mistake with the battery capacity; it should have been made more powerful. And so the Sony Tablet S is not a device with which you can safely leave home for 10 hours. It will not survive until the end of the working day if used heavily. This turns it into a bedside device. What makes the situation worse is that I couldn’t find it on sale. external batteries, having the ability to connect to the connector in the Sony Tablet S. You won’t be able to charge the device on the go.

As a result, power consumption is a serious disadvantage of the tablet. To some extent, we can hope for the upcoming update of Sony tablets in the fall, which will probably include models based on the Tegra 3 chip. Having an Asus tablet based on this solution, I can say that Tegra 3 actually consumes less energy in standby mode. So we wait.

Camera and multimedia

The tablet has 2 cameras: on the front with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels, and on the back with a resolution of 5 megapixels. You can use video calling. The rear camera is ordinary in capabilities, good photos You shouldn't expect anything from her. Rather, it is a kind of insurance when there is an urgent need to shoot something, regardless of the final quality, but there is nothing else at hand. Although I have already seen several times how people recorded videos on full-size 10-inch tablets. Personally, I find this a strange activity. By the way, the Sony Tablet S records video in 720p resolution (but the sound is very mediocre). The camera interface is quite convenient, settings are switched quickly. The speed of saving photos is high, there are no problems here. But everything is spoiled by the dim display, which is very difficult to read in the sun. So it’s worth shooting outside with the Sony Tablet S in cloudy weather.

If we talk about video playback, then Sony did not surprise us with anything. For example, Samsung has long been building support for all popular codecs and video formats into its tablets. Sony doesn’t like to do this, and therefore out of the box the tablet “eats” only WMV and MP4 videos. Yes, you can install some program for downloading videos from Youtube, and they will open perfectly on the device in resolutions up to 720p. But to watch movies obtained from torrents, I strongly recommend installing the free MX Player. Things are better with music. Sony not only built a branded and beautiful player, but also added support for audiophile formats FLAC and OGG to the tablet. The volume is enough, the quality is very, very good. Wanted good headphones, you shouldn’t limit yourself to simple plugs. Then you can enjoy lossless music. Sony Tablet S completely replaces the audio player in terms of quality, and you can safely listen to something instrumental while reading the news. Yes, and the stereo speakers in the tablet are very, very good! It's nice to listen to music through them. The photo gallery is simple and quite neat, with photo thumbnails loading quickly. Android 4.0 on Sony Tablet S On May 31, Sony released official update up to the fourth version of Android for Russian tablets. What did it really need? First, the built-in browser has become faster and more convenient. Added fine settings scaling and text size. You can quickly switch from mobile to desktop version of the site. Synchronization of bookmarks with desktop works Google Chrome. Flash support remains. Secondly, you can install mobile Google Chrome on the fourth Android. Externally, it practically copies the desktop version. The only pity is that there is no permanently visible bookmarks bar at the top of the browser. But the speed and design of the application are pleasing. The lack of support for Flash technology is somewhat frustrating; on a number of resources you won’t be able to watch the video. On the other hand, it's time to get used to it, because mobile chrome in the future it will become a standard browser in Android. Third, Sony programmers managed to achieve an important thing: smooth operation of the interface! And on Android devices this is a very big problem. It is not uncommon for 4-core flagships to stutter when scrolling through desktops. Sony Tablet S is exceptionally pleasant in this aspect. Fourth, the basis for working with files was a proprietary file manager, made in corporate style companies. The fact is that on Android 4, many third-party managers have somehow lost the ability to delete files from the memory card. You have to work through a regular one. Fifth, you can take a screenshot of the screen “without dancing with a tambourine.” To do this, press and hold the power and volume down buttons. But the same browser almost always, after being minimized, will begin to load previously opened pages again. Many games also do not like to be minimized to the background and crash. So, Sony decided to do something in this direction. Now at the bottom of the screen you always see a button that allows you to launch one of three mini-applications on top of any current application. This could be a browser, a control program home appliances via infrared or calculator. The last two options are not very interesting, but the browser is interesting. For example, you are reading a tweet feed in the same Twitcaster. And you want to quickly look something up on the Internet. Now you don't need to minimize the active application and launch a full-length web browser. All you have to do is press the mentioned button, and a built-in browser window will open on half of the display, right on top of the running application. You can move this mini-program to the edge of the display, and it will remain there waiting for a call, almost without interfering with the previous program. To some extent, this is similar to the opportunity from, when you can open two applications on the display at once, dividing the display between them. Sony has added a panorama mode to the camera app. This may be useful to someone, although I did not understand the meaning of this step. The photo gallery now has the ability to directly access a memory card and built-in photo processing tools. You can change their parameters as in a graphic editor. Branded programs from Sony have not gone away either: an email client and a reader for Twitter and Facebook. They are quite usable. Among the general pleasant features of the fourth Android, I’ll highlight the ability to delete unnecessary notifications by swiping, the function of creating folders for grouping applications and quick start cameras from the lock screen. By the way, the next version of Android is index 4.1, so there is a possibility of an update to it as well. But the fifth Android will most likely require the purchase of a more powerful tablet. conclusions I will not give lengthy recommendations on the selection of software, since everyone has different tasks, and the Google store has a wide selection of applications. I will limit myself to the most important programs. I advise you to install Google Chrome Mobile, Tweetcaster, MX Player, Kingsoft Office and some Task Manager. What can I say in the end? In terms of design and ergonomics, the Sony Tablet S turned out to be a very successful and original solution. Whatever one may say, the Japanese company managed to create not just another clone of competitors’ tablets, but something of its own that stands out from its analogues. We are pleased with the wide range of modifications. You can buy versions without 3G with 16 or 32 GB memory, or you can buy them with 3G. What does anyone like? The case does not shield anything, so we have a stable connection to Wi-Fi networks, and to satellites. The 3G module works perfectly, the sensitivity is high, on the Megafon network I received a download speed of about 6 Mbit per second. The screen's color reproduction is quite pleasant, but it lacks brightness outdoors. This is worth considering. Along with the display, energy consumption is the second main disadvantage of the device. It is best to use the Sony Tablet S in places where there is a power outlet nearby. But the power supply itself is rather large, and it’s inconvenient to carry it with you. So essentially we have a home tablet that you shouldn’t take with you on trips. In terms of multimedia, the tablet looks decent: it plays music perfectly (the speakers are very good!), it shows movies (via third-party video players), and it plays almost everything. Of course, games optimized for Tegra 3 will require a different device, but there are not very many such games. So, is the Sony Tablet S worth buying today? The prices, frankly speaking, remain inhumane (the 16 GB plus 3G version costs an average of 19 thousand, and without 3G - 16 thousand). There is a premium for the Sony brand. And that's the whole point! If you are a fan of “Sony style”, then there is plenty of it here. And we must take it. If you are indifferent to Sony equipment, then there are a fair number of cheaper analogues on the market with the same characteristics. And in this case, the Sony Tablet S is not the best option, and I cannot recommend it. By and large, we see a very typical situation: Sony has made another product “for its own”, who are willing to significantly overpay. The company does not look back at competitors and does not always set adequate prices for its solutions. This is bad. But so far I don’t see any changes in this situation. This does not mean that the product itself is unsuccessful; the Sony Tablet S is generally pleasant. But it should cost less. In the meantime, his purchase will be more emotional than pragmatic. This is truly a product “for our own people”. © Oleg Kravchenko,

Externally, the Sony Tablet S gives the impression of an expensive and reliable device. The only complaint, besides the questionable thickness, relates to the black glossy cover, which collects fingerprints very well and is likely to be scratched when using the tablet without a case. However, during testing no scratches appeared on it.

Screen

The tablet is equipped with a 9.4-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. The screen is protected by tempered glass, so it is not easy to scratch. The display diagonal of the Sony Tablet S is quite a bit inferior to the top models of its competitors, but subjectively the difference is almost invisible.

The image displayed by the Tablet S is distinguished by high viewing angles, which is primarily characteristic of IPS technology. In principle, we have a standard high-quality display that is no different from other products in the same price category. The picture is bright enough, the colors are saturated - there’s nothing to complain about.

As for cameras, in this regard the tablet from Sony also has nothing special to brag about. It seems that installing a 5-megapixel main and 0.3-megapixel front camera in such devices has become an unspoken rule. As is the case with other tablets, the Tablet S lacks stars in the sky, although in good lighting it takes good pictures. In any case, taking photographs with a tablet is somehow strange; it looks especially funny from the outside.

Hardware platform, autonomy

Like all current Android flagships, the Tablet S is built on NVIDIA Tegra 2 with a dual-core gigahertz chip. Other specs include 1GB random access memory, 16 or 32 GB storage depending on version, Bluetooth module.

Interestingly, the tablet has an infrared port, through which you can control home appliances. Let's pay tribute to Sony - equipment not only from this company is supported, but also from other manufacturers. If necessary, you can independently program Tablet S to control any TV and not just TV. You can pair your tablet with almost any household appliance that can be controlled from a remote control. It would be naive to think that this is any significant innovation. It was possible to control household appliances from the PDA on Windows based Mobile, but this option is not popular. Why? Probably because the remote control is still more familiar, even if a dozen remote controls for various devices accumulate at home.

I would like to note the high performance of the tablet when working with any applications. It’s comfortable to watch movies on the Tablet S, and games can be played without any problems, including those ported from the first generation PlayStation.

Sony Tablet S is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery. This is the average for models under Android control. One charge lasts for less than five hours of video viewing. In a more gentle mode, closer to everyday use, the tablet will last a working day, that is, about 8 hours.

Software

The tablet runs Android 3.2, which is much more stable and productive than the first editions of Honeycomb. Unlike smartphones Android versions, this platform is perfectly optimized for large screens.

The operating system interface is already well known to Ferra's readers. Before us is the main desktop and four additional ones, on which you can place various widgets and application icons. You can change the content of the screens by clicking on the “+” in the upper right corner of the screen. Nearby there is a button to go to all installed programs.

The Google search engine is located at the top left of the screen. Sony has made changes to the design of this element, adding four keys next to the search for quick call browser, mail client, menu with remote control and reading programs e-books. In the lower left corner are located virtual buttons“Back”, “Home” and recent button running programs. To the right, next to the clock, there is a notification panel and a menu with quick settings.

Sony has done a lot of work on the design of the user interface. The changes cannot be called global, but still they have significantly transformed standard design. The company added new themes, redrawn shortcuts, and introduced an updated screen installed applications. The music player and video player have become much more impressive, the built-in browser and on-screen keyboard have been optimized.

Both in the design and in the set of applications from Sony, one can feel the company’s desire to demonstrate the gaming orientation of the device. The tablet is certified to run games from the first generation PlayStation and PSP. An emulator for these consoles is included. By the way, a very convenient thing. Of course, it cannot be compared with analog gamepads, but today it is the best that can be implemented on touch screen. However, talking about some kind of unified ecosystem that would unite tablets, consoles and Sony smartphones, it is too early. Thematic design and several applications are not enough for this. One can only hope that the Japanese will not stop there and will continue to integrate multimedia services into different devices.

Competitors

Apple iPad 2 . Perhaps all manufacturers will have to get used to the idea that their most modern tablets will be compared primarily with the brainchild of Apple. According to this important parameter, the price, Tablet S and iPad 2 are similar, identifying a technological leader is also not easy. Both devices are convenient to use - subjectively, the Sony tablet is not inferior in performance to the American device. On the iPad 2 side there are a larger number of commercially available versions - here you have just Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi with 3G, and memory from 16 to 64 GB. Tablet S is available in only two versions - with a 16 and 32 GB drive. This is a significant drawback that limits the scope of application of the device. Still, 3G support guarantees much greater mobility than Wi-Fi.

Sony's first tablet, Tablet S, was released in September. More precisely, at the end of September a version of the Tablet S without 3G appeared on the shelves. The 3G version was released later - in December 2011. And today it remains a very attractive option for those buyers who are not chasing the latest technical innovations, but prefer an interesting design and a sonorous brand.

The designer finds don't end there. It is also worth noting the unusual “bumpy” coating of the rear “wrapping” surface.

Apparently, the designers here were not so much trying to achieve unusual tactile sensations as they were trying to avoid the tablet from slipping if the palm of the presenter, who holds the tablet with one hand during a presentation, becomes foggy.

Let's look at the location of the buttons and connectors. All connectors are located on the left side (although it is not entirely correct to call it a side: this is a rather large non-monolithic area).

In addition to the 3.5 mm headphone jack, there are lidded slots for an SD card and a SIM card (the latter is only available in the 3G version, of course), as well as Micro-USB for connecting to a computer. Please note that the Tablet S uses SD, not microSD (which, it would seem, has already become a de facto standard in tablets).

The buttons are located on the right side of the Tablet S. There are no surprises here: Power, volume up and down. Well, there is a Reset hole for emergencies.

To recharge the device, a very unusual (and, I admit, inconvenient to use) Dock connector is used. It is on the bottom (narrow) edge of the device.

There are no buttons or connectors on top. There is only a rounded surface made of the same material and the same texture as the back side (black pimply plastic).

In general, the design can be called... unusual. It is very difficult to evaluate - both from a visual and functional point of view. Probably, the lack of Mini- or Micro-HDMI can be considered a disadvantage (there would be a place for it here), as well as an inconvenient Dock connector (it takes a very long time to get used to exactly how to connect to it Charger). SD instead of microSD - everyone decides for themselves whether this is a plus or a minus. As for appearance- here, too, it is impossible to make an unambiguous assessment. Therefore, we recommend that before purchasing, be sure to twirl it in your hands and understand whether you personally like it or not. But as an absolute plus, we note that it stands out from the gray mass of iPad analogues. Sony Tablet S has its own face and style, and whether they are cute or not is a matter of personal taste.

Screen

A curious feature of the screen is its size: the diagonal is 9.4 inches. An atypical solution: the standard is 10.1 inches (ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, Acer Iconia Tab A500, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, etc.) or 9.7 inches (Apple iPad, HP TouchPad). At the same time, the resolution of the Sony Tablet S corresponds to 10-inch tablets. Consequently, the Tablet S's DPI density is slightly higher.

A detailed examination of the screen using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections, Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his conclusion.

The front surface of the tablet is covered with a transparent plastic plate (scratch-resistant) with a mirror-smooth surface. Judging by the reflection of bright light sources, there is no anti-glare filter. There is no special oleophobic coating on the outer surface of the screen, so fingerprints appear easily and are difficult to remove, but still the first is a little more difficult, and the second is a little easier than in the case of glass surfaces without an oleophobic coating.

With manual brightness control, its maximum value was 328 cd/m², the minimum was 8.2 cd/m². As a result, at maximum brightness in bright daylight you will be able to see something on the screen, and minimum brightness will allow you to comfortably use the tablet even in complete darkness. Automatic adjustment brightness works in the same strange way as in the case of the Sony Tablet P - in the “Auto” mode, in bright light the brightness increases to the maximum value, and in complete darkness it remains at the minimum level (which is too low). But the brightness can only increase - with a decrease in the level of external illumination, we did not see a corresponding decrease in screen brightness. However, if you put the tablet into sleep mode and turn it on again, the brightness will be set in accordance with the external light level. The light sensor is located to the right of the front camera. Brightness adjustment is carried out using pulse-width modulation with a high frequency of 209 Hz, so the flickering of the backlight at reduced brightness is not visible.

This tablet uses an IPS matrix, so the screen has very good viewing angles without inverting shades and without significant color shifts, even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen. True, as is typical for any IPS matrix, the black field becomes significantly lighter when deviated diagonally (but remains close to neutral gray). When viewed perpendicularly, black field uniformity, with the exception of a couple of local areas at the edge of the screen, is good. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 30 ms (16 ms on + 14 ms off). The transition between halftones of 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) takes a total of 46 ms. For a gamma curve constructed from 32 points, the index of the approximating power function was 2.08, which is slightly lower than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve coincides well with the power dependence.

The contrast is quite high - 820:1. The color gamut is noticeably narrower than sRGB:

The spectra are typical for LED backlighting:

Apparently, the matrix filters slightly mix the components with each other. This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for backlighting. The balance in color temperature is good - shades of gray have a color temperature of approximately 6000 K - but the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (delta E) is large (about 12) due to the excess of the green component. This also helps to increase brightness at the expense of some deterioration in color rendering.

However, color temperature and delta E are virtually unchanged throughout the relevant gray scale region, so visually the color balance is very good. Overall the screen is not bad, but nothing special stands out. Screens with similar characteristics can be found in other tablets.

The tablet supports multiple touches (multitouch), 10 touches are recognized simultaneously.

The exact dimensions of the usable screen area (according to our measurements): diagonal 23.9 cm (9.4 inches), wide side - 20.2 cm, narrow side - 12.6 cm.

Platform

The tablet runs NVIDIA Tegra 2 - a standard solution for 2011, but today it is no longer so relevant. The amount of RAM is 1 GB. It is clear that the performance of the Sony Tablet S does not promise us any big surprises (neither bad nor good), but nevertheless we carried out a basic set of tests.

In Quadrant Standard, the tablet still showed an insufficiently high result: 1785 points.

The Sony Tablet S ran the SunSpider 0.9.1 browser benchmark in 2227.1 ms, which is quite normal.

Note: the table shows the best results demonstrated by the tablets

The Sony Tablet S performed well in the Vellamo benchmark, which also focused on web content. With 1021 points, the tablet overtook Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and first ASUS Eee Pad Transformer.

In the Nenamark2 test, which measures the performance of the graphics subsystem, the tablet demonstrated results at the level of other tablets with Tegra 2 - 22.1 fps.

Now let's see how things are going with video playback. For some unknown reason, Dice Player - a player recommended by NVIDIA that uses hardware acceleration - worked completely incorrectly during testing on the Sony Tablet S (even though the paid version was used). Trying to launch any video file in most cases resulted in the application crashing. Therefore, we had to use MX Video Player, which can not use hardware acceleration very often. The results turned out to be identical to what we observed on another tablet with Tegra 2 - ASUS Eee Pad Slider (you can read a comparison of Slider with ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime in the field of video playback). So we state that a miracle did not happen. In this regard, the Sony tablet is no better or worse than competitors on the same platform.

Operating system and applications

We have already said that Sony has developed its own shell for Android Honeycomb. This manifested itself in the icons of the main applications that changed their appearance, the appearance of additional mini-icons (in the upper left part of the screen, near the line Google search) and cute effects.

The icons, redrawn by Sony, now look more uniform: they are all dark purple and strictly square. But for some reason, not all applications (even pre-installed ones) received updated icons. Therefore, there is still no general uniformity observed.

Among the applications, it is worth noting the interface design Music player. Here we see chaotically scattered albums, each of which can be moved away, turned over at any angle and, of course, started listening. Besides Music player There is also a standard Android application Music.

Application Sociorider is an aggregator of social network content. Unfortunately, only Facebook and Twitter are supported. Wi-Fi wire- a utility for checking a Wi-Fi connection and obtaining information about it.

A very interesting utility - Remote control. Let's talk about it in more detail. The app turns your tablet into a universal remote control remote control. This is possible due to the fact that Sony Tablet S has an infrared port.

The setup is simple: select the device type (TV, BD and DVD players, network media players, receivers, speakers, etc.), then select the device manufacturer.

In our case, we wanted to configure an LG TV and an Apple TV 2 network media player. Both were found among the proposed options. True, the application does not offer specific models to choose from (even when this model is obvious - as in the case of Apple TV 2).

And here the main difficulty awaits us. Once the device type and manufacturer are selected, you are prompted to select a remote control type. There are nine types in total, and you just need to search through them to find the one on which the buttons displayed on the tablet will work.

In our case, the TV “responded” when choosing the fifth type. Once this is done, all that remains is to configure the gesture controls (for example, by default, a swipe up increases the volume, and a swipe down lowers the volume). That's it, now the TV control is configured. It’s the same with Apple TV, only there we didn’t have to select the types of remote control - apparently, there were no options there. And indeed, everything worked fine. But in the case of Apple TV, one cannot help but find fault with the lack of an alphabetic keyboard. Users of this device (and others like it) know how tedious it can be to use the joystick to enter a search query into YouTube (typing one letter at a time). It would be very convenient if it were possible to do this using a tablet by simply typing on a virtual QWERTY keyboard.

Also from the applications we note DLNA(the ability to stream content from the tablet to DLNA-compatible devices) and Reader- analogue of iBooks. True, I didn’t find it very convenient or functional - free e-readers from Google Play Store(that's what it's called now Android Market) and the aforementioned iBooks on iOS is more convenient.

Among the pleasant little things - the application Watch. This is if you want to use the tablet as a photo frame.

More - Transfer files: A file manager that allows you to conveniently transfer data from an SD card to internal memory devices and vice versa.

As for games, here we are offered Pinball Heroes and the old Crash Bandicoot, developed for the first PlayStation and now available on the Sony Tablet S. The idea itself is interesting (a nostalgic dream!), but in fairness, we note that playing PSone games on the touch screen - very unusual, and not the same pleasure, of course.

In general, Sony did a very good job on the software. Yes, there are no serious software packages like Polaris Office (by the way, it’s a shame). But those applications that the developers have equipped the tablet with are really useful and pleasant; they expand the functionality of the device in unexpected ways (for example, in the case of Remote control). As the main disadvantage, we note the difficulty of obtaining root access (although, of course, you can find various instructions on the Internet) and problems with adb drivers (in order to connect the tablet to a PC). Accordingly, it will not be easy to get the opportunity to take screenshots, for example. But, we repeat, this problem can be solved. The proof of this is the screenshots in this article.

Connection

As already mentioned, starting from December 2011, Sony Tablet S is available in a version with a 3G module. 3G works correctly, we have no complaints. It is difficult to adequately test 3G speed, because, firstly, the operator and tariff can act as a limiter, and secondly, reception will not be equally reliable everywhere (in other words, on the ground floor and on the 15th floor of the same building, the speed may be different). But still, “to ease our conscience,” we launched the Speedtest.net utility (in the form of an application from Google Play Store).

In the screenshot above, you should pay attention only to the speed of receiving files, since when transferring files, the operator artificially reduced the speed due to excess traffic.

Another scenario for using the 3G module is sending SMS/MMS messages. Everything is standard here: Android Honeycomb has an application SMS/MMS, this tablet is no exception. Moreover, Sony did not change the design of the application.

Camera

The situation with cameras on the Sony Tablet S is the same as on the Sony Tablet P. There are two cameras: the front one (0.3 megapixels) allows for video communication, including via Skype. Rear (5 MP) - for taking photos and videos.

The shooting quality is acceptable, although the colors lack saturation and the image as a whole lacks detail. As advantages, we note a small amount of noise and artifacts (see fragment of the above frame below).

The tablet takes good photos of text, so you can take pictures of documents before leaving and then calmly study them on the road.

Video shooting is done in 720p resolution. The quality is not bad, the main complaint is the same as with the Tablet P: the bitrate could be higher. The 31-second video, shot with the rear camera of the Sony Tablet S, can be downloaded (MP4 format, size 24.9 MB).

Autonomous operation

Duration battery life We were not pleased. True, we cannot say that it completely disappointed us, but... If you play an SD-resolution movie (685 Kbps, 608×256, Xvid Advanced Simple@L5, Dice Player was used, hardware acceleration was used), set the brightness to the maximum, and make the volume so that it is comfortable to watch with headphones, then the battery will run out in about four and a half hours. It won't be enough. Of course, you can say that the brightness does not need to be turned up to maximum, but alas, with automatic brightness the image seems dark. Therefore, maximum brightness in this case is not a whim. Angry Birds Seasons can be played on a tablet for approximately five and a half hours. Also an average result.

conclusions

Sony Tablet S is an interesting tablet. Perhaps this is a reasonable compromise between originality and generally accepted standards. Everything seems to be “like people’s”, but not boring, but with a twist. The screen has a standard resolution for 10-inch tablets, but not 10 inches, but 9.4. The case seems to have standard dimensions and weight, but with an unusual asymmetry (thickening at the top, shifting the center of gravity). Same with the OS and applications. We especially note the presence of an infrared port and the ability to transfer media data to DLNA-compatible devices.

Yes, at the moment the Sony Tablet S (even with a 3G module) does not look so attractive against the backdrop of high-profile announcements from Apple, ASUS, Samsung and other competitors. But if you are not chasing the latest technical innovations and at the same time are partial to the Sony brand, then the Tablet S is an obvious and not bad choice at all. Sony Tablet P is still too extravagant, but Tablet S is quite mainstream. However, not banal, like most “iPad-like” products, but with its own face. And, by the way, at a quite reasonable price.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	239.8 mm (millimeters) 23.98 cm (centimeters) 0.79 ft (feet) 9.44 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	174.4 mm (millimeters) 17.44 cm (centimeters) 0.57 ft (feet) 6.87 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements.	8.8 mm (millimeters) 0.88 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.35 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	570 g (grams) 1.26 lbs (pounds) 20.11 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	368.03 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 22.35 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Silver
Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified.	IPX4

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Nvidia Tegra 3 T30L
Technological process Information about technological process, on which the chip is made. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	40 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A9
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have more high performance compared to 32-bit processors, which for their part are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster as system memory, and other levels of cache memory. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache memory is slower than L1, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing caching more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	5
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1300 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. IN mobile devices it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	ULP GeForce
Number of cores GPU Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications.	12
GPU clock speed Speed ​​of work is clock frequency GPU speed, which is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	416 MHz (megahertz)
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random Access Memory (RAM) in use operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	1 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	DDR3-L
Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means more high speeds data transmission.	Single channel
RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data.	1500 MHz (megahertz)
	8 pixel shaders 4 vertex shaders

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	TFT
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	9.4 in (inches) 238.76 mm (millimeters) 23.88 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	7.97 in (inches) 202.47 mm (millimeters) 20.25 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.98 in (inches) 126.54 mm (millimeters) 12.65 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.6:1 16:10
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	1280 x 800 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. More high density Allows you to display information on the screen with clearer details.	161 ppi (pixels per inch) 63 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	61.46% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch
	Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Sensor type Information about the camera sensor type. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc.	CMOS BSI (backside illumination)
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording speed (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera.	Autofocus Geographical tags

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

HDMI

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

With a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. This gadget is no different high resolution, nor the power from similar devices. But given the original shape of the device in the form of a magazine folded in half and its membership in the Sony ecosystem, the tablet will be an ideal choice for fans of this company.

Technical features

This tablet stands out for its unique design - when you look at it from behind, it resembles a closed book, there is no other device like it. Because of this shape, the sides of the tablet resemble pockets; on one side there is a microphone, indicator lights, power and volume control, and on the other there is a headphone jack and a full-size SD card slot. The top panel of the tablet is made of durable plastic with a 3D pattern, while the back is made of metal.

This is not the first time we have seen this gadget. It was introduced back in 2011, and just a few months later the tablet went into mass sales. The main thing we need to decide is whether Sony has managed to improve the tablet over all this time.

At the bottom of the rear panel there is a power port - Sony's own design, with which the device can easily be connected to the docking station. The tablet also has 2 speakers located at the back. They are powerful enough to please you with good sound, but if you place the gadget, for example, on your lap, then high sound quality is out of the question.

The rear panel houses an 8-megapixel camera that works great in ideal lighting conditions. Software The front and rear cameras of the tablet allow you to take photographs suitable for use, for example, on social networks, but if you want to print them, the quality will not please you.

Due to the fact that the device has an infrared port, you can connect it to your TV. Changing channels and adjusting volume is carried out using the remote control ( special program, which is included in the tablet's utility kit). Sony has done everything possible to ensure that this gadget is firmly established in your living room. The tablet can not only be a remote control, but also makes it possible to purchase branded Sony music and videos.

Software

You get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS along with Sony's user interface, complemented by Google's array of buttons and desktop shortcuts. At the bottom of the screen is a shortcut for the remote control, which opens like a window and sits on top of other applications you're working in. The same applies to the quick access panel to the left of the control panel, the use of which will lead you to a mini-version of the browser, calculator, notes, sound recording, again to the control panel and timer. In addition, the Clip shortcut allows you to take instant screenshots.

Sony has added a number of its own applications. Among them are Sony vision - for viewing photo albums, videos and e-books, Walkman (shows not only your files, but also music that you can buy), Sony Select ( fast access to the website) and Socialife (access to social networks). You can also connect to Sony's Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited and PlayMemories (create digital albums from your photos and share them with friends online).

In addition, you will have the opportunity to connect to PlayStation Mobile and Xperia link. Thus, you are guaranteed to become part of the Sony world, including the PlayStation ecosystem.

If you are a heavy user of Sony technology - paying for Music Unlimited and Movies Unlimited, playing on PlayStation and want to combine it all with a tablet, then you should buy the Sony Tablet S. There are also several Sony TVs, which this tablet can connect to, allowing you to get detailed media information about what you are watching on the big screen. So, you have all this - then this tablet will take you, as a user, to a whole new level.

Below you can see the results of standard tests, as well as battery checks. Like other devices on the market that come with a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, this tablet has fantastic standby performance thanks to the use of NVIDIA technologies 4-PLUS-1. By this we mean that the tablet has not even four, but five processor cores running on low-power tasks, and the display turns off while the gadget is not in use - as it should be!

Conclusion

If you're looking for an outstanding Android tablet, the Sony XPERIA Tablet S isn't for you. This model cannot be called ideal, and it does not pretend to be this role. Instead, you get the best of what Sony has to offer in a tablet form factor with support for a quad-core processor from NVIDIA. In addition, the gadget is compatible with other devices from this company, which makes its purchase even more profitable.