Sony Xperia Tablet S features. Experience of operating the tablet Sony Tablet S
To say that the Sony Tablet S is fundamentally different from other tablets is a lie. It is, of course, rectangular, with a glossy frame around the 9.4-inch screen, the familiar Tegra 2 nests inside, and this is all running Android Honeycomb 3.2. Painfully familiar. However, hellish sotona the devil is in the details.
Magazine cover
There are still striking differences. For example, Sony did not pursue diminutiveness, as a result of which the tablet looks plump - 20.6 mm in the thickest part. But you can't confuse it with another Android tablet: from the side and back, it looks a bit like a folded magazine, unless you open it back. Such a clever shape allows you to comfortably hold the Sony Tablet S in your hands: in horizontal orientation it does not slip out of your hands, and in portrait orientation it fits perfectly into the palm of your hand with a "fold line". It's funny, though, that Sony in its specifications lists the "thickness" of the tablet and the dimensions of its "soft spot" separately. In parentheses, unobtrusively so.
The dimensions theoretically allow you to integrate more good and different connectors into the tablet. But in practice, Sony limited itself to one MicroUSB Host, one 3.5 mm mini-jack (which, by the way, is designed to connect a headset with a microphone) and, for which a special thanks to the Japanese, a full-size SD card reader. That is, the card from the camera can now be inserted directly into the tablet without hesitation. It would be nice to have a normal photo editing software for Android released ... Surprisingly, there is no support for Memory Stick. It seems like Sony has decided to change its standards in this regard.
All connectors are located on the left side, and the right one is left to the mercy of thin and not very convenient buttons - two for volume control and one for on / off. There is also a tiny hole with the inscription "Reset" - apparently, Honeycomb is not stable enough even in version 3.2. Before our eyes, the tablet never froze, so we can only guess about the usefulness of the button.
There is also a speaker on each side, and the last remaining connector is hidden on the bottom edge - this is a four-pin proprietary port for a docking station, charging and other accessories. For an unknown purpose, a lanyard attachment is provided on the case. We sympathize in advance with those who decide to hang this tablet around their neck ... It is, of course, relatively light - about 600 grams, but it is still not worth experimenting.
Judging by the amount of empty space on the side faces, the tablet could be loaded with connectors much denser. Since the designers still found somewhere to roam, it would be logical to place HDMI and a full-fledged USB here - or better, two at once. The interior space also seems to be underutilized. Judging by the numbers of time autonomous workAccording to Sony, the battery in the Tablet S has about the same capacity as the competition. About 6 hours of video viewing, about the same amount of web surfing - however, it is not specified at what level of display brightness such indicators are achieved.
By the way about the display. It is about as good as other Android tablets around 10 inches. High brightness, good viewing angles, rich colors. The technology is not specified in the declared characteristics, but in terms of image quality it looks like it is IPS. Only the proprietary TruBlack technology pumped up, which was supposed to make black very black - for some reason it turned out just the opposite.
The glass, which covers the display, has a decent strength - we could not scratch it with the keys. But the same cannot be said about the case, the back wall of the tablet is scratched without much effort. This is true for both the glossy black surface and the small silver insert at the bottom of the case. The glossy part, by the way, also successfully collects fingerprints. And the display collects them with a vengeance - no tablet "snaps" like the Sony Tablet S.
You can find fault with the sound volume of the built-in speakers - at the maximum, the two speakers of the Tablet S sound quieter than the only "buzzer" not the most musical smartphone in the world. But the sound quality of the tablet is much higher - there are noticeably more mid and low frequencies. You can watch movies at home, while in transport you will have to arm yourself with headphones.
There are two cameras in the novelty, as it should be - 5 megapixels in the back and 0.3 in the front. The rear one shoots mediocrely - as in most tablets. But it copes well with shooting in low light, and even does not give out any special noises - it seems that some kind of software noise reduction is working in the background. It is a pity, the flash is not provided. The front camera ... how to put it censored ... Well, what else to expect from a tiny matrix with VGA-resolution?
| Sony Tablet S specifications | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 9.4 ″ 1280x800 IPS LCD |
| CPU | NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual Core 1GHz |
| Video subsystem | NVIDIA GeForce ULP |
| Net | 3G (optional, no details) |
| Memory | Operational: 1 GB, Built-in: 16/32 GB NAND + SD slot |
| Camera | Primary: 5 MP Front: 0.3 MP |
| Data transfer | Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, microUSB 2.0 Host, infrared |
| Navigation | A-GPS |
| Dimensions and weight | 241.2x174.3x10.1-20.6 mm, 598 grams without 3G-module (625 g with 3G-module) |
| Battery | n.d. (Approximately 6 hours of life when playing music or surfing the web via Wi-Fi) |
| operating system | Android 3.2 Honeycomb |
⇡ Clothes for honeycomb
Sony likes to add a lot of proprietary software to the functionality of the operating system. The Tablet S was no exception. There are a lot of changes and additions: for example, the screen of installed applications is completely different from the standard one. There is also a proprietary on-screen keyboard - it looks more interesting than the usual Android one and is more pleasant to work with.
I liked it very much music player: Music folders in it are presented in the form of boxes with CDs that you can drag and drop on the "table". The only pity is that there is no zoom function. And there is not much space on the "table" - if you upload a music collection of decent size to the tablet, then all this can turn into a chaotic heap of small icons.
Judging by the set of preinstalled programs, the purpose of the tablet is mainly "home": it has, for example, a (terribly inconvenient) TV remote control. For his sake, by the way, the Infrared port was hidden somewhere in the Tablet S. Also, the tablet is capable of playing whatever your heart desires on a moderately remote TV via DLNA. If, of course, the TV or the set-top box connected to it allows it. This, by the way, to some extent compensates for the lack of HDMI.
Unlike other tablet manufacturers, Sony has a dozen trump cards up its sleeve: a long and successful presence in the gaming console and related content market. For example, the Tablet S is prudently uploaded with the childhood game Crash Bandicoot, and the PlayStation One emulator at the same time. It seems to be about the same as on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.
But if on a phone with a relatively low resolution of a relatively small screen, old games created for warm, tube TVs look fine, then on a tablet with a moderately high resolution, large interpolated pixels are clearly visible. Perhaps, for some it will add nostalgic sensations, but the PSX games look on the Tablet S is still doubtful.
But the on-screen version of the gamepad is not as scary as one might expect. The large size of the buttons allows you not to miss, so that the red-haired imp-bandicoot confidently runs forward, at the right moment it jumps and sends oncoming turtles and crabs into an unknown distance. Sony, of course, will not be limited to one game, but the rest - if you please download for the money.
Localization suffers a little in the current firmware version. Besides all the fun stuff like “Before. files "and" Help manual ... ", there are also untranslated pieces. For example, in the list of what can be done with a music file, there is a certain “Throw” among the translated items. Did you think that meant "Throw it away"? But no, it turns out, "throw" to the nearest DLNA device. In general, the firmware is not that crude, but certain improvements will not harm it.
⇡ Conclusion
The tablet market lacked variety, especially in Russia. We expected something unusual from Sony Tablet S: firstly, it's still Sony, and secondly, the company did not immediately enter this market, so it could well take into account the mistakes of competitors ... But nothing really outstanding was waiting for: a new product too similar to other tablets, it lacks something special - some zest.
On the other hand, if you make allowances for high expectations, then everything turned out not so bad at all - at least not worse than many. The Tablet S is convenient, fast, with a good screen and a decent set of additional software. And the appearance is quite interesting - at least it allows you to stand out from the crowd. What more could you want from a tablet?
Only the price is a little confusing: for the version with 16 GB of memory and without a 3G module in Russia, they will ask for 18,990 rubles. The iPad 2 costs the same in the same package. Having dumped another thousand four (and this is how much you will have to pay for a model with 32 GB of memory), you can take the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - thin and light, but, unfortunately, quite brooding. Another option is the ASUS Eee Pad Transfromer with a docking station - with a keyboard, a hefty battery and other delights. A technocrat's dream, but weighs almost as much as a real laptop. In a word, all existing alternatives do have some drawbacks, so the Tablet S has a very real chance to move the competitors a little. At least the strength of the brand.
With NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. This gadget does not differ in high resolution or power from similar devices. But given the original shape of the device in the form of a folded magazine in half and belonging to the Sony ecosystem, the tablet will be the perfect 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 similar device. 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 - headphone jack and full-size SD card slot. The top case 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 with which we must decide is whether Sony has managed to improve the tablet during all this time.
At the bottom of the rear panel there is a power port - Sony's own development, with which the device is easily connected to the docking station. Also, the tablet has 2 speakers located on the back. They are powerful enough to please you with good sound, but if you put the gadget, for example, on your lap, then oh high quality there can be no sound or speech.
On the back is an 8 megapixel camera that performs well in ideal lighting conditions. The front and rear camera software of the tablet allows you to take photos suitable for use, for example, on social networks, if you want to print them, then 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 the volume is carried out using the remote control (a special program that is included in the set of tablet utilities). Sony has gone to great lengths to ensure that this gadget is firmly established in your living room. The tablet can be not only a remote control, but also allows you to purchase branded music and Sony videos.
Software
You get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS along with a user interface from Sony, complete with a set of buttons and desktop shortcuts from Google. At the bottom of the screen is a shortcut to the remote control that opens as a window and sits on top of the other applications you are working in. The same goes for the quick access panel to the left of the remote control, using which will lead you to a mini-version of the browser, calculator, notes, sound recording, again to the remote control and timer. In addition, the Clip shortcut allows you to take instant screenshots.
Sony has added a number of proprietary apps. 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 (quick 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 photos and share them with your friends online).
In addition, you will have the opportunity to connect to PlayStation Mobile and Xperia link. This way, you are guaranteed to become a part of the Sony world, including the PlayStation ecosystem.
If you actively use Sony technology - pay for Music Unlimited and Movies Unlimited, play on the PlayStation and want to combine it all using a tablet, then you should get a Sony Tablet S. There are also several Sony TVs that this tablet can connect to, which will allow you receive detailed media information about what you are watching on the big screen. So, you have it all - then this tablet will take you as a user to a whole new level.
Below you can see the results of standard tests and battery tests. Like other devices on the market with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 4-core processor, this tablet has fantastic idle performance thanks to NVIDIA 4-PLUS-1 technology. This means that the tablet does not even have four, but five processor cores on low-power tasks, and the display turns off while the gadget is not in use - as it should be!
Conclusion
If you are looking for an outstanding tablet on android base, the Sony XPERIA Tablet S will not work for you. This model cannot be called ideal, and it does not claim this role. Instead, you get the best of what Sony has to offer in a tablet form factor with support for an NVIDIA quad-core processor. In addition, the gadget is compatible with other devices of this company, which makes its purchase even more profitable.
Of all the major manufacturers, Sony is perhaps one of the last to release its own version of the tablet. A very interesting one came out already in March (however, on a completely raw third version of Android, so the initial sales were actually disastrous), (the version for Android and for Windows) came out a little later, in August Samsung presented, which I currently consider in fact the best tablet for Android (while emphasizing that at the same time it is most similar to the Apple iPad), and quite recently even "scribes" like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, which produce readers, presented their tablets and - however, they are not on pure Android, but represent are specialized devices. Well, finally we got a tablet from Sony - Sony Tablet S. (There is also another very exotic model - Sony Tablet P, but we'll talk about it in another review.) The tablet is unusual in shape, with interesting content. And here's how it all works - we'll see now.
Sony Tablet S
First, as usual, the technical specifications. Specifications
CPU - Nvidia Tegra 2 1000 MHz dual core
operating system - Android 3.2.1 (Honeycomb)
Display - 9.4 inches, 1280x800 (WXGA), capacitive, multitouch, IPS-matrix, LED-backlight
RAM - 1 GB DDR2
Built-in storage - 16 (options - 32) GB
Ports - 3.5mm headphones, USB 2.0 micro A / B (host / client support)
Networks - Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi (802.11a / b / g / n)
3G - (in this model)
Card reader - SDHC cards (up to 32 GB)
GPS - there is
Webcam - above the screen 0.3 Mpix, on the back cover 5 Mpix
Sensors - gyro sensor, light sensor, compass, 3-axis rotation sensor
Battery - 5000 mAh, non-removable
The size - 174 x 10 x 24.1 mm
The weight - 598 g Well, what have we got here? In general, the package bundle is, let's say, almost standard, there are no surprises here. Compared to the closest competitor - a slightly smaller screen (9.4 "versus 10.1"), slightly less options for the size of the built-in storage (16 and 32 versus 16, 32 and 64 GB), this model is missing mobile Internet, but Sony has a model with 3G support, less battery capacity, but there is support for an SD card (which is already very good) and USB drives (though through a special adapter, which is not included in the kit). Sony Tablet S comes in several modifications. There are just models with Wi-Fi without 3G, differing in the size of the internal memory (16 or 32 GB). There are models with 3G, which also differ in the size of the internal memory (16 or 32 GB). Well, there is also a specialized model - for example, SGPT112YOTA, designed for mobile Internet access via Yota 4G. Equipment
It comes in a box like this.
Packaging
Delivery set: a device, a special power adapter, some books, an eyelet-holder.
Equipment
End view
By the way, not to say that the decision is unfortunate - on the contrary, the tablet is very comfortable in the hand. From the side of the top cover it looks like a regular tablet, except with a thickened top bar.
Front part
Back cover
The tablet is all made of plastic, and I got the impression that the top cover is also plastic, not glass. On the left side there is a 3.5 mm audio output, a slot with USB 2.0 micro A / B closed with a special cap and a slot for an SD (HC) card. Below is the left speaker and the eyelet squiggle.
Left end
The USB micro A / B port can be used to connect USB drives, but this requires a special, not often found adapter, which is not included here. However, if there is a slot for an SD card, it is no longer very important to connect something via USB. On the right side: the power button, volume control, Reset and the right speaker.
Right end
At the bottom left end there is a special port of the power adapter, a specific Sony one, like in phones.
Power adapter port
A very strange and extremely inconvenient decision, especially since the adapter itself is hefty, and it seems to be left from unsold Sony Vaio stocks.
Adapter on a perfectly matching wooden surface
What prevented me from charging via microUSB through an ordinary small adapter, as is done in all other tablets, I do not understand. There is only one plus in this solution - the tablet fits comfortably into a special docking station, which can be purchased separately, and charges through this port. But for the sake of this, blocking such an inconvenience is not a very good decision, in my opinion. Let's compare the tablet with colleagues. First - with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. (They nearly fought during the shoot.)
Sony Tablet S and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Then - with iPad 2. (Everything went quiet here - after all, different operating systems.)
Sony Tablet S and Apple iPad 2
By the way, at first I thought that since the tablet has such a thick upper end, it can simultaneously serve as a stand so as not to use any docking stations and special folders, but the best thing is, the end is rounded, so you can't put the tablet on it. In the same way, it is not placed on the left-right ends - they are also designed in such a way that they cannot serve as a stand. It's a pity. Display The display is a very important part of any tablet, so let's talk about it separately. With the display here, in principle, everything is fine: an IPS-matrix with LED-backlighting, a capacitive sensor - this is practically the best that is at the moment. Excellent viewing angles (when turning vertically or horizontally, the brightness and contrast fall very slightly), good brightness (Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is still noticeably brighter at full brightness). In the direct sun, the display is strongly "lit up", but this is a feature of absolutely all luminous displays: only electronic paper does not "light up" - due to the peculiarities of the technology. Compared to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad 2, it seemed to me that the Sony Tablet S has slightly less deep black tones (they are still closer to dark brown) and there is a slight bias towards the yellow part of the spectrum, although this simultaneously makes the shade "warmer" ". (The bias in blue-blueness makes the image "colder".) The sensitivity of the display is very good, I did not notice any discomfort - it reacts to single touches, or to multitouch - as expected. Device operation I've already talked about the new, purely tablet version of Android 3.0, so I won't repeat myself, describing the principles of building the interface, and so on. Let's talk about the features and specific applications of this particular tablet model on which it is installed android system 3.2.1. The main desktop looks like this.
Main desktop
The style of the icons is close to the Sony Playstation 3. At the bottom there are icons for special applications from Sony, in the upper left corner there are also icons for special applications from Sony. (However, later it turned out that not all of them are special applications.) The other two desktops on the left and right contain standard applications.
Desktop on the left
Desktop on the right
Here is a complete list of installed apps.
Installed Apps
They are scrolled not across desktops, but from top to bottom. And this is done in a funny way - you can drag down the list of applications with your finger like on a rubber band, and then, when released, they smoothly return to their default position. If you click on the application icon and hold it, then it will be offered to add to the main screen, delete or get all information about it. Conveniently. The "Favorites" item is specific, not the usual android. He also appears with a joyful cry from Sonia.
Item favorites
Otherwise, there are no special differences in the interface, everything is native, android. Further, in order not to violate my general approach to studying tablets, let's first see how the solution of standard user tasks is implemented here, and then we will get acquainted with specific applications from Sony. Keyboard The keyboard is modified, comfortable. In the Russian language they have kept the period and comma (thank you very much!), The layout has left-right arrow keys - this is a very correct idea!
English layout
Russian layout
Wherever there is a gray arrow, a long press brings up a window with additional symbols.
Additional symbols by point
It is also very convenient that when you enter the password entry field, an additional digital dialing appears on the right side of the keyboard. In general, I liked it. It does not at all pull her to change to something else. the Internet The browser here is standard Android, nothing new.
Browser window
Browser menu
Browser favorites
Scales well - smooth and fast. It's comfortable to work. mail There is a standard GMail mail, and there is also a special application in which you can set up any mail - including GMail. List of letters.
List of letters
Creating a new message - you can attach some files.
Create a new email
So, as you can see, everything is very, very simple. And in fact, it does not differ at all from a standard android application - that is, the GMail application is absolutely the same. Audio It has its own player - convenient and advanced, and the interface is well thought out. The player itself is on top with all the possibilities - any time point, random playback, looping, control - on the left - selection by album cover, favorites, library, SenseMe function.
Browse by Album
Browse by song, sorted
There are settings with the inclusion of any special functions and an equalizer.
Settings
The equalizer does not play a noticeable role when playing through the tablet's speakers, but when playing through headphones, the difference is already visible.
Equalizer
SenseMe is a special technology from Sony that allows, after analyzing the compositions, to distribute them in 13 directions: Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night, Midnight, Vigorous, Calming, Calm, Joyful, Emotional, Lounge, Dance and Extreme. By the way, the analysis takes quite a long time - it took her 11 minutes to analyze 5 songs. And here's the result.
SenseMe analysis result
By the way, in my opinion, it analyzes very, very well - the hit is almost one hundred percent. Many music formats are supported, including even exotic FLAC, which is losless. Here is the complete list: AAC, mp3, WAV, WMA, WMA Pro, FLAC, MIDI, Ogg Vorbis. A photo Kind of a standard android application. Gallery.
Gallery
View enlarged image with scrolling preview icons.
Scrolling view
There is also such a mode that allows you to increase the number of preview icons from below.
Increasing the number of icons
Gallery menu items.
Gallery menu
Well, there is also an icon on top - "Search for players". It allows you to send media content from your tablet to external players. Video The video can be played from the standard gallery, but this makes little sense - only the MP4 format really understands. There is also a separate video player - as a player it is more advanced: it works only with video (in the gallery they interfere with images), during playback it spins through chapters, at any time interval (seconds, minutes, etc.), and can transfer data to external players.
List of films
However, with formats - everything is very, very rotten. In addition to MP4, he understands only WMV, but with all sorts of nesting dolls (H.264 in MKV) and even with banal AVI (DiVX and XViD inside) - you can say goodbye. However, WMV reproduces even 1080i without stress and brakes. This, of course, is not a problem - there are already quite a few decent players for Android, for example, MX Video Player. I put it on - everything played as it should.
List of films
MKV 720p playback
Magazine in PDF and eBook EPUB
Opened the book in EPUB. There is a two-column mode. It seems to be read normally.
Book in EPUB
Font size and brightness are adjustable.
Font size
The table of contents, bookmarks and annotations are called. Accordingly, you can make bookmarks (click on the top corner of the page) and notes. There is a text search.
Markup and text search
In general, EPUB is poor, but clean. I tested PDF - generally very average. There is a two-column mode, text annotations and bookmarks. However, what is strange, when scaling, there is a certain, and very small, border of magnification, and even with increasing the quality for some reason sharply deteriorates, although it should remain normal. For example, here is the maximum magnification of a note in A5 format, shown as is. It's impossible to read like that.
Enlarge a page in PDF
Well, compare the same piece of the same file on the iPad, where you can enlarge it to infinity.
IPad
However, of course, this property is not a tablet, but a program. It is worth taking a normal program - for example, Aldiko Book Reader - and everything will be fine with scaling. Although, by the way, Aldiko is not the best option for reading PDF - it slows down noticeably with complex layout. I usually use ezPDF Reader to read PDF on android devices.
Enlarged page in Aldiko Book Reader
Crash Bandicoots
Pinball heroes
And, of course, he could not help putting on the game "The goose is not a pig, but a fierce enemy".
Not comrades
Everything is normal: birds fly high, pigs grunt fervently, no brakes. Specific applications Now let's go through specific applications and see what they are. Remote Control The tablet can be used as universal remote control a wide variety of home devices. It can be configured both for standard devices that are stored in the database of categories and manufacturers, and for any non-standard devices that have a remote control: the tablet simply learns commands from this remote control. When entering the data for the standard device, you must select the category and manufacturer. There are a lot of categories, there are a lot of manufacturers in some of them, and since there is no search here, but only a choice from a drop-down menu, searching for a specific company can take a significant amount of time.
Device registration
However, in terms of manufacturers, it is not good in all categories. For example, of the projectors in the standard base, there is generally only Sony. Next, select the type of control panel that is most suitable for this device. There are as many as 17 of these types.
Remote control type
Some kinds of commands can be adjusted using gestures (for example, volume and channel switching).
Customizing gestures
The configured devices appear in the list and can then be controlled directly from the tablet.
Configured devices
Sociorider
In this case, you can croak (in the sense, make a record) simultaneously on Twitter and Facebook. It is quite inconvenient to use this, it is much easier to install two separate specialized clients. DLNA This is a useful application. DLNA - (Digital Living Network Alliance) is a standard that allows compatible devices to transmit and receive various media content (images, music, video) over a home network, as well as display it in real time. Launch the application, find devices on your home network that support this standard (server, NAS, media player), select the desired device - you get access to its media data.
DLNA
Media Remote
Sony App
Zinio subscription
Reading a magazine
Addresses
Locator
Transfer from memory card to device
In general, the utility is very relevant. The fact is that many standard installed applications the memory card is not seen at all. Therefore, the only way to get data from it is to copy the files to the main memory of the tablet. However, all sorts of third-party applications, such as readers, players, and so on, can see the memory card. Camera I drove the camera. The application is its own, but the most common one.
Camera application
There is autofocus, so shooting any frame takes at least two seconds - you won't be able to shoot something quickly. However, the tablet is not really intended for this. On close subjects with focus, it often misses, like all other tablet phones, but I liked the fact that the automatic white balance worked decently even in difficult shooting conditions. Here are some frames without processing (clickable).
Tablet shots
Video shoots lousy - poorly focused, very strong "noise" in medium light, the picture is very blurry when the camera moves. Built-in cameras work with Skype for Android. True, the front VGA-camera provides the appropriate quality, but you can still live. Here's an example: a large image - from the front camera of the tablet, a zoomed one - from a camera from almost the same point.
Skype picture
The preinstalled apps are nothing special. Only standard android applications (browser, mail and others) look normal, and audio playback is well done. A utility for turning a tablet into a control panel - well, yes, it's funny, but for such purposes I still prefer
use a specialized universal remote control (I had it) - it
It seems to be more convenient, although I won't lie - I have not tried to use the tablet as a universal remote control: the devil only knows, maybe I will like it.
What I especially liked was the keyboard - perhaps the best pre-installed one I have ever seen.
In general, the tablet has the right to exist as an option, but I still expected Sony to give something more powerful. Although the design, and most importantly, the shape of the tablet is still good.
Content: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 of this class of devices. Has Sony managed to surprise customers? Partly yes! In terms of its characteristics, the tablet called Sony Tablet S turned out to be an interesting and distinctive solution, albeit not ideal. On the other hand, are there many ideal devices today? In this article, I will try to present my impressions of working with this tablet, which was purchased in March 2012. I will make a remark, screenshots and thoughts on performance will be based on Android 4.0 version. On May 31, Sony Tablet S owners were given the opportunity to officially update the operating system. And this update brings with it some nice innovations. So let's go!
Design and ergonomics
With the naked eye, it is noticeable that Sony did not want to release another faceless device, which is a uniformly thin rectangle like the one brought to the market by Samsung and Asus. The designers of the Japanese manufacturer pretty much wondered how to highlight their creation on store shelves. And they did it! The Sony Tablet S is not to be confused with any other tablet. The point is in its shape of the body: it is something like a magazine folded in half. The thickness of the case at the top of the tablet (just where the 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 while holding the device in weight. And this is important when standing up to do something with the tablet. The hands get tired much less. In this question, I can compare the Sony Tablet S with the Asus Prime tablet. The Taiwanese product is a simple metal rectangle, very thin. This creates some inconvenience. The edges of the tablet cut into the palm of your hand, 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. 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. Below is the port for the charger, and on the left side there is a 3.5 mm jack. There you can also find slots for an SD memory card (which is a definite plus!) And for a SIM card (I have a version of Sony Tablet S with 3G support) under a beautiful cap. The microUSB connector for synchronization with a PC has not gone anywhere either. And through a special adapter, you can connect an external drive to the tablet, so that the host mode is implemented. However, having a slot for full-size SD-cards, I still have not figured out why I still need to connect something via cable. You can charge the tablet only through the proprietary connector; charging does not go from the PC. The power supply is extremely similar to that of Sony netbooks, it is rather large for tablet standards.
Do you think I will only praise Sony in this section? No, I will say about a fly in the ointment. Rather, there are two of them. The first one is the screen cover and the front side of the device. They are monstrously easily soiled and instantly get smeared with your fingers. So every day the tablet can and should be wiped with optics cleaning napkins. And prints get in the way of sunlight, as the display is already glossy.
The second is the location of 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 presses. However, I cannot fail to note their pleasant move and clear tactile response.
In the end, I can say this: the tablet looks and feels great. You can't find fault here at all. Sony has managed to create a truly enjoyable 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. From the experience of long-term operation, I can safely say that when used indoors, the screen makes an exceptionally rosy impression. I would like to note good color rendering, no less good viewing angles. Perhaps someone will be a little upset by the imperfect black color. On the Internet, you can find many opinions that the white color on the Sony Tablet S screen has a yellowish tint. Probably, it is so, but it does not cause any obvious problems. Things are not so good on the street. The maximum brightness in direct sunlight is no longer enough, and it is difficult to read from the screen. Plus, the extremely high soiling of the display also does not improve readability. The screen coating is prone to scratches, so be careful when wearing the device.
So, when used at home, the screen in the Sony Tablet S is more than good, but outdoors can be a problem. There it is better to use Samsung AMOLED screens or Asus matrices with a high brightness function.
Autonomy
Agree, this aspect is extremely important for any Android device. At the heart of the Sony Tablet S is the Nvidia Tegra 2 (2 cores) chip, which is moderately optimized for energy efficiency. In addition, there is a feeling that something was tricky inside Sony when finalizing Android. But first things first.
We have a 5000mAh battery under the hood. 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 lasts for 5.5-6 hours. The brightness was set to about 50% of the maximum. Note that my tablet also supports 3G. So, when working via a cellular network, the battery was subjectively less discharged. If you watch a DVDrip with a volume of 2.2 GB and a duration of 1.5 hours, approximately 25% of the total charge will be used. That is, the tablet will be able to show video for 5-6 hours (but it depends on the resolution and bit rate). "Heavy" games will drain the battery in about 4 hours.
And now about the bad. Sony programmers, when writing proprietary lotions for Android, did something that makes the tablet lose 2.5-3% of the battery charge per hour even in standby mode with Wi-Fi off and a dark screen. That is, overnight you will miss about 15-20% of the charge! This is strange. It is worth considering that some software also noticeably increases power consumption. For example, HD Widgets spent an additional 2% of its charge per hour during their work. I had to delete them.
The tablet is charged for two hours. I advise you to buy a cradle, with its help you can charge Sony Tablet S far more than a grove, and the tablet looks more elegant in such a stand. According to the Sony Tablet S, it does not seem to be a strong man in terms of power consumption. In my opinion, Sony engineers made a mistake with the battery capacity, it had to be made more powerful. And so Sony Tablet S is not a variant of the device with which you can fearlessly leave the house for 10 hours. It will not live to the end of the working day with heavy use. This turns it into a bedside device. The situation is getting worse and what I could not find on sale external batteriesthat can connect to the connector in the Sony Tablet S. You cannot 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 forthcoming update of Sony tablets in the fall, which will probably include models based on the Tegra 3 chip. Having a tablet from Asus based on this solution, I can say that Tegra 3 does consume less power in standby mode. So we are waiting.
Camera and multimedia
The tablet has 2 cameras: the front has a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, and the back is 5 megapixels. You can use video communication. The rear camera is ordinary in features, good photos you shouldn't wait from her. Rather, it is some kind of insurance, when it is extremely urgent to take something off, regardless of the final quality, and nothing else is at hand. Although I have already seen people recording videos on full-size 10-inch tablets several times. Personally, I think this is a strange activity. By the way, Sony Tablet S writes video in 720p resolution (but the sound is rather mediocre). The camera interface is quite user-friendly, settings can be 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 outdoors 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 built support for all popular codecs and video formats into its tablets. Sony does not like to do this, and therefore the tablet "eats" only WMV and MP4 videos out of the box. Yes, you can put some kind of program for downloading videos from Youtube, and they will perfectly open the device in resolution up to 720p. But for watching movies received from torrents, I highly recommend installing the free MX Player. With music, things are better. Sony not only built a branded and beautiful player, but also added support for audiophile FLAC and OGG formats to the tablet. The volume is enough, the quality is very, very good. Required good headphones, you should not limit yourself to simple plugs. Then you can enjoy lossless music. Sony Tablet S completely replaces the audio player in 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 pretty neat, loading thumbnails of photos quickly. Android 4.0 on Sony Tablet S On May 31, Sony released an official update to the fourth version of Android for Russian tablets. What did it bring you really needed?
First, the built-in browser has become faster and more convenient. Added fine settings for scaling and text size. You can quickly switch from mobile to desktop version of the site. Synchronization of bookmarks with desktop Google Chrome works. Flash support remains.
Second, you can install mobile Google Chrome on the fourth Android. Outwardly, it practically copies the desktop version. The only pity is that there is no bar of always visible bookmarks at the top of the browser. But the speed and design of the application are pleasing. Somewhat frustrating is the lack of Flash technology support¸ on a number of resources, you will not be able to watch the video. On the other hand, it's time to get used to it, because mobile Chrome will become a standard Android browser in the future.
Third, Sony programmers have managed to achieve an important thing: smooth interface operation! And on Android devices, this is a very big problem. It is not uncommon for 4-year flagships to stumble when scrolling through desktops. The Sony Tablet S is exceptionally pleasant in this aspect. Fourth, the corporate file manager, made in the corporate style of the company, became the basis for working with files. The fact is that on the fourth Android, many third-party managers for some reason have lost the ability to delete files from the memory card. I 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 will almost always start loading the previously opened pages after being minimized. Many games also do not like to be minimized in 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 gadgets over any current application. This can be a browser, an infrared home control program, or a calculator. The last two options are not very interesting, but the browser is curious. For example, if you read the tweet feed on the same Twitcaster. And you want to quickly look at something on the Internet. Now there is no need to minimize the active application and launch a full-size web browser. Enough pressing the mentioned button, and a window of the built-in browser 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 stay there, waiting for a call, almost without interfering with the work with the previous program. To some extent, this looks like an opportunity when you can open two applications on the display at once, dividing the display between them. In the camera app, Sony has added a panorama mode. Someone may find this useful, although I did not understand the meaning of this step. The photo gallery has acquired the ability to directly access the memory card and built-in photo processing tools. You can change their parameters as in a graphical editor.
Sony's proprietary programs have not gone anywhere either: an email client and a reader for Twitter and Facebook. They are quite usable.
By the way, the next version of Android is indexed 4.1, so there is a possibility of an update to it. But the fifth Android will most likely require the purchase of a more powerful tablet. conclusions I will not give lengthy recommendations on a set of software, since everyone has different tasks, and the Google store has an extensive 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 distinctive solution. Whatever one may say, but the Japanese company managed to create not just another clone of competitors' tablets, but something of its own, which stands out against the background of analogues. The wide range of modifications is also pleasing. You can buy versions without 3G with 16 or 32 GB memory, you can buy with 3G. What does anyone like. The case does not shield anything, so we have a stable connection to both Wi-Fi networks and satellites. The 3G module works fine, the sensitivity is high, on the Megafon network I received a download speed of about 6 Mbit per second. The color reproduction of the screen is quite pleasant, but it lacks brightness outdoors. This is worth considering. Along with the display, power consumption is the second main disadvantage of the device. For good, you need to operate the Sony Tablet S in those places where there is an outlet nearby. But the power supply itself is rather big, it is inconvenient to carry it with you. So, in essence, we have a home tablet that should not be taken 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), games can handle almost everything. Of course, toys optimized for Tegra 3 will require a different device, but there are not very many such games. So, is it worth buying a Sony Tablet S 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 surcharge for the Sony brand. And that's the whole point! If you are a fan of "Sony-style", then here it is in abundance. And we must take. If you are indifferent to Sony equipment, then there are a fair number of cheaper analogs with the same characteristics on the market. And in this case, the Sony Tablet S is not the best option, and I cannot recommend it. By and large, we see a typical situation: Sony has made another product "for its own", who are ready 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 do not 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 be cheaper. In the meantime, buying it will be more emotional than pragmatic. This is really a product "for their own". © Oleg Kravchenko, |
A new offshoot from VAIO called Tablet could be an interesting project for Sony. The device with the letter S turned out to be peculiar, not without flaws, but it has its own charm ...
Design, construction
Sony compares the device to a folded magazine, in my opinion, it is hardly worth saying such things. Look at some glossy magazine, would you like to carry such a thing in your bag all the time, and even rolled up? I don’t know, I don’t. Subtlety as a trend has not gone anywhere, since the days of the RAZR, manufacturers have constantly used this technique, especially when they imagine a continuation of a device. Suffice it to recall the iPad 2 and a lot of words about size reduction.
However, Sony always go their own way, as if not paying attention to the market as a whole. Then, however, it occurs to someone - something is wrong - and a new round begins. For example, I don’t have much to say about the folding tablet named P. There is an old marketing rule that has been tested over the years, people don’t like pocket TVs. In the sense that the more exotic the device is and the more phrases are needed to justify the form factor, the less successful it will be. There will be, oh, there will be rabid fans who are ready to tear up on the forums of everyone who says a word about two displays at once. As always.
We are dealing with a thick tablet that really looks like a folded magazine. The declared dimensions are 174.3 x 10.1 x 241.2 mm, the weight is 598 grams. Apparently, the average thickness is indicated, because I myself measured the thickest place with a ruler, there is about two centimeters. For comparison, the dimensions of the iPad 2 are 241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm, and the weight is 601 grams. The entire Tablet S is made of plastic, on the back, "rolled" side there are legs and pimples, it is convenient to hold the tablet in your hand. This is where I want to emphasize, despite the thickness, Tablet S is really comfortable to hold in the hand. I can say it again. Especially grasping the end where the thickening is with your left hand. It's not so cool to hold with both hands, to type on the virtual keyboard too, thumbs barely reach some keys. While there is only a black version, the display protection is glossy, quickly covered with prints. It is difficult to remove them even with the help of a miracle rag. On the side there are inserts made of silver plastic, on the right end under the cover there is a slot for SD cards, a USB micro-AB connector for connecting an adapter.
The story is that Sony believes that this is a very strong advantage, you connect the adapter to the tablet and connect the USB flash drive to the adapter. Or a camera. Or something else. You need to buy the adapter yourself! This is a very sensible idea. Of course, they are sold everywhere, in any stall.
Very strange. There is also a 3.5 mm jack on the same end. Camera lenses on the front and back, there is a groove on the back for attaching a strap, speakers. The sound of the Tablet S is not bad, in principle, it can be used as a music box without any problems. On the right side there are volume control buttons, a power button, a hidden reset button. Sony style indicator light, small, dim.
For three days of wearing, no scratches or chips appeared in the bag. It seems to me that the lower part at the back is most susceptible to this, there is plastic with a silver coating. Pay attention to the proprietary connector for connecting the power supply, it is not covered by anything. Contacts should be periodically wiped with alcohol or Sasha cologne. Don't forget to do this. Is always.
Display
Display diagonal 9.4 inches, resolution 1280 x 800 pixels, LED backlight, of course, touch screen (capacitive type). It leaves only positive impressions, I really like the brightness, the drawing of various new elements. As you can see, Sony has worked on the icons, reminiscent of PS3, PSP, Sony Ericsson and other products. In my sample there was only one branded background image, I did not find any original "live" wallpapers. Thanks to the powerful processor, the image on the display flips quickly, you do not feel the brakes when switching between working tables. The viewing angles are good. I recommend using the automatic brightness control to keep the battery on longer.
All this is true, if you do not compare the screen with what is in the iPad. Look at the photos. I want to note that I will not load you with hundreds of screenshots, it will be easier to watch the video in the article, where I show the main programs and capabilities of the gadget. So, if you compare with the iPad 2 screen, then you will immediately notice that the screen turns yellow in the Tablet S. And black is not so black, rather dark dark gray. And the brightness isn't that great. All this is a given. At the presentation, many warm words were said about the tablet display. See for yourself a photo comparing Tablet S and iPad 2. Same brightness. And, well, you can also watch the video, let me remind you once again. When using a browser, the difference in displays is especially noticeable, with Sony everything is a little unclear.
Performance
It uses an NVIDIA Tegra 2, 1 GHz processor, it seems like we already wrote about the processor on our website.
Is the Tablet S fast? Yes. Moreover, when comparing with the iPad 2, sometimes you don't know which is faster. "Esca" programs start quickly, the browser quickly draws pages, games are played, mail arrives. What more could you want.
There is Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g / n), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, everything is typical here. Sometimes, all of a sudden, the connection to the access point falls off, it's about Wi-Fi. There is also an infrared port, but more on that in the next part.
Let's talk about additions from Sony to the interface, programs, OS in the second part.
Modifications
At the moment, two versions of the tablet are available, the names, as always, are exotic - SGPT112RU and SGPT111RU, the differences in memory, the younger model has 16 GB, the older one has 32 GB. The site Sonystyle.ru is fondly written “ hDD". Miracles of translation, as always.
Perhaps, right there it is worth mentioning the version with 3G, in Europe sales of such a model will begin closer to the New Year. I have nothing to add here, of course, a complete failure. Now many inexpensive tablets are equipped with 3G, this is the norm. One cannot but focus on the successful experience of iPad sales and various finds from Apple, when both devices with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G were presented. As practice shows, even the most economical users eventually agree that it would be better to buy a version with both. More than once or twice, being in the city with the Tablet S, I really regretted the lack of 3G. Accordingly, it is completely incomprehensible to me why Sony decided to act in such a strange way.
Accessories
While Russian consumers may not particularly scour the shops in search of original additions, everything will be, but later. There are three types of cases, among them there is a regular leather folder. There is also a stand, when the Tablet S is in the cradle, it becomes even more like a photo frame.
Formats
People at Sony are weird. Look, here is a tablet. Usually, people on tablets listen to videos more than they listen to music, right? That is, you can sacrifice support for formats for music, but make video viewing as comfortable as possible so that you can watch everything. Well, at least the usual "avishki". Now, look at the screenshots, here it is detailed what the Sony Tablet S supports.
A bit strange in my opinion. For example, Samsung is trying to provide support for most formats in their tablets, and especially for video.
Nutrition
So everyone is ready to fly to Sony country? Then don't forget to bring the original charger with you. And if you lose, then that's it, kaput. Yes, yes, my beloved firm again took up their own. There is a charging connector. A small power supply unit with a long cable will take up a lot of space in the bag. Pay attention, the same power supply was in the Sony VAIO P laptops, well, if only judging by the dimensions. Apparently, there were superfluous ones, so Sony decided to attach it. It takes about two and a half hours to fully charge, the official website says five hours, but you shouldn't believe it. Or I had such a special, reactive sample. The claimed battery life is about 8 hours, in fact the tablet works much less. For example, when watching Dexter, the Tablet S lasted less than four hours. When using a browser, mail client, various programs - the usual daytime mode is enough from morning (from ten) to evening (until eight). Then an almost empty battery indicator remains. That is, the Tablet S is far from a champion in terms of battery life. And the powerful power supply adjusts to sad thoughts.
Conclusions on the first part
What is in front of us? A sexy toy from Sony? The tablet is comfortable to hold in hand, but there is no metal, carbon fiber, carbon fiber or other materials typical of the company. Rather, typical for a number of devices. You can estimate the dimensions yourself, everything here is individual, but the thing turned out to be massive. Working speed? Yes, the Tablet S is fast, there are no problems with videos or games, with loading pages too. The display only feels nice until you pick up the iPad 2 (and you pick it up and feel the chill of metal and all). Working hours? On iPad 2, you can watch videos for almost twice as long. Add to that the massive charger and your plug. Android version? While I was using the device, version 3.2 arrived by air, it was installed, everything is in order. Although there are not so many changes, and all cannot be called increasing the functionality of the gadget at times.
In the next part, we'll talk about the Sony software suite, the camera, interface changes, the importance of Playstation certification and other things. While you can think about buying a Sony Tablet S, prices range from 19,000 to 23,000 rubles. In principle, for 23,000 it is quite possible to buy an iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G. Which would you choose? Although, wait, we'll talk about this after the release of the second part of the material.
I think we have an attempt sony to get into the market, not noticing that in this china shop there is already a big, very large elephant and flapping his eyes and ears in surprise, listening to stories about the concept of four screens, rolled magazines, etc.
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Sergey Kuzmin ()
