Sony Xperia tablet s. Experience using the Sony Tablet S tablet
A new offshoot from VAIO called Tablet could be an interesting project for Sony. The device with the letter S turned out to be unique, not without its shortcomings, but it has its own charm...
Design, construction
Sony compares the device to a rolled-up magazine; in my opinion, it’s 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. Thinness as a trend has not gone away; since the time of the RAZR, manufacturers have constantly used this technique, especially when introducing a continuation of a device. Suffice it to remember the iPad 2 and a lot of words about reducing the size.
However, Sony always goes its own way, as if not paying attention to the market as a whole. Then, however, it occurs to someone that something is wrong - and a new round begins. For example, I don't have much to say about the folding tablet called P. There's an old marketing rule that's been tried and tested over the years: people don't like pocket TVs. In the sense that the more exotic the device and the more phrases 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 anyone on the forums who says a word about two displays at once. As always.
We're dealing with a thick tablet that really looks like a rolled-up magazine. The stated dimensions are 174.3 x 10.1 x 241.2 mm, weight 598 grams. Apparently, the average thickness is indicated, because I myself measured the thickest place with a ruler, it’s about two centimeters. For comparison, iPad sizes 2 - 241.2 x 185.7 x 8.8 mm, weight 601 grams. The entire Tablet S is made of plastic; there are legs and bumps on the back, “rolled” side, making it comfortable to hold the tablet in your hand. Here I want to especially note that, despite the thickness, the Tablet S is really comfortable to hold in your hand. I can repeat it again. Especially by grasping the end where the thickening is with your left hand. Holding with two hands is not so great, typing on virtual keyboard Also, my thumbs can barely reach some keys. While there is only a black version, the display protection is glossy and quickly becomes covered with fingerprints. 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 side, under a plug, there is a slot for SD cards and a connector. USB micro-AB to connect the adapter.
The story is this: Sony believes that this is a very strong advantage, you connect the adapter to the tablet and then connect the flash drive to the adapter. Or a camera. Or something else. You need to buy the adapter yourself! This is a very sound idea. Of course, they are sold everywhere, in any stall.
Very strange. There is also a 3.5 mm jack at the same end. Camera lenses are on the front and back, there is a groove on the back for attaching a strap and 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 buttons, a power button, and a hidden reset button. Indicator light in Sony style, small, dim.
After three days of wearing it in the bag, no scratches or chips appeared. 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. Always.
Display
Display diagonal 9.4 inches, resolution 1280 x 800 pixels, LED lights, naturally, the screen is touch-sensitive (capacitive type). It leaves only positive impressions, I really like the brightness and the depiction of various new elements. As you can see, Sony has worked on the icons, reminiscent of PS3, PSP, Sony Ericsson and other products. My sample had only one branded background image; I didn’t find any original “live” wallpapers. Thanks to powerful processor The image on the display quickly turns upside down; when moving between desktops, the brakes are not felt. Viewing angles are good. I recommend using automatic brightness control to make the battery last longer.
All this is true if you don’t compare the screen with what’s on the iPad. Look at the photos. I would like to note that I will not burden you with a hundred 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 iPad screen 2, then you will immediately notice that the screen in the Tablet S turns yellow. And the black is not that black, more like a dark dark grey. And the brightness is not that great. All this is a given. At the presentation, many warm words were said about the tablet’s display. Look for yourself at the photos comparing the Tablet S and iPad 2. The brightness is the same. Oh, well, you can also watch the video, let me remind you once again. When using a browser, the difference in displays is especially noticeable; Sony's is a little cloudy.
Performance
It uses an NVIDIA Tegra 2, 1 GHz processor; it seems they have already written about the processor on our website.
Is Tablet S fast? Yes. Moreover, when comparing with the iPad 2, sometimes you don’t know which is faster. “Eska” programs launch 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, out of the blue, the connection to the access point drops, we’re talking about Wi-Fi. There is also an infrared port, but more on that in the next part.
We'll talk about Sony's additions to the interface, programs, and OS in the second part.
Modifications
On this moment There are two versions of the tablet available, the names, as always, are exotic - SGPT112RU and SGPT111RU, the differences are in memory, the younger model has 16 GB, the older one 32 GB. On the website Sonystyle.ru it is lovingly written “ HDD" Miracles of translation, as always.
Perhaps it’s worth mentioning the version with 3G; in Europe, sales of this model will begin closer to the New Year. I have nothing to add here, of course, a complete failure. Nowadays, many inexpensive tablets are equipped with 3G, this is the norm. You can’t help but focus on successful experiences iPad sales and Apple's various discoveries when it introduced both Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi connection+ 3G. 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, while in the city with the Tablet S, I greatly regretted the lack of 3G. Accordingly, it is completely unclear to me why Sony decided to act in such a strange way.
Accessories
While Russian consumers may not particularly scour the stores in search of original supplements, everything will happen, 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 installed in the cradle, it becomes even more like a photo frame.
Formats
People at Sony are strange after all. Look, there's 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 watching videos as comfortable as possible so that you can watch everything. Well, at least the usual “avishki”. Now, look at the screenshots, it shows in detail what the Sony Tablet S supports.
A little strange, in my opinion. For example, Samsung is trying to provide support for most formats in its tablets, and especially for video.
Nutrition
Well, is everyone ready to fly to the land of Sony? Then don't forget to take your original charger with you. And if you lose, then that’s it, kaput. Yes, yes, my favorite company is back at it again. It has its own charging connector. Small power supply with long cable, will take up quite a bit of space in your bag. Please note that the laptops had the same power supply Sony VAIO P, well, at least judging by the dimensions. Apparently, there were extra ones left, so Sony decided to add them. It takes about two and a half hours to fully charge; the official website says five hours, but don’t believe that. Or I had such a special, reactive pattern. The stated operating time is about 8 hours, but in reality the tablet works much less. For example, when watching the series “Dexter,” the Tablet S lasted less than four hours. When using a browser, email client, different programs- the usual daily regimen - enough from the morning (from ten) until the evening (until eight). Then the battery indicator remains almost empty. That is, the Tablet S is far from a champion in terms of operating time. And the powerful power supply sets you up for sad thoughts.
Conclusions on the first part
What's in front of us? Sexy toy from Sony? The tablet is comfortable to hold in your hands, but there is no metal, carbon, carbon fiber or other materials typical of the company. Or rather, typical for a number of devices. You can estimate the dimensions yourself, everything is individual here, but the thing turned out to be massive. Speed of work? Yes, the Tablet S is fast, there are no problems with videos or games, or with loading pages. The display seems nice until you pick up the iPad 2 (and you pick it up and feel the cold metal and all that). Working hours? On iPad 2 you can watch videos almost twice as long. Add to this a massive charger and its own connector. Android version? While I was using the device, version 3.2 arrived by air, was installed, everything is in order. Although there are not so many changes, and all of them cannot be said to significantly increase the functionality of the gadget.
In the next part we’ll talk about the Sony software suite, the camera, changes in the interface, the importance of Playstation certification and other things. While you may be thinking about buying a Sony Tablet S, prices range from 19,000 to 23,000 rubles. In principle, for 23,000 it’s 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.
It seems to me that we are seeing an attempt by Sony to get into the market, not noticing that in this china shop there is already a big, big elephant standing and flapping its eyes and ears in surprise, listening to stories about the concept of four screens, rolled up magazines, etc.
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Sergey Kuzmin ()
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. Screen protected tempered glass, so it is not easy to scratch it. 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.
It's interesting that I received the tablet 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 appliances, providing control from the 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, close 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 smartphone versions of Android, 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 access to the browser, email client, menu with a remote control and a reader. e-books. In the lower left corner there are virtual buttons “Back”, “Home” and a button for calling the latest 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 the standard design. The company added new themes, redrawn shortcuts, and introduced an updated installed applications screen. Looked much more impressive music player and video player, optimized built-in browser and on-screen keyboard.
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 integration multimedia services to 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. In terms of such an important parameter as price, the 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 large quantity versions available for sale - 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, of all the major manufacturers, was perhaps one of the last to release its own version of the tablet. A very interesting one came out already in March (though on a completely crude third version of Android, so initial sales were actually a failure), (a version for Android and Windows) came out a little later, in August Samsung company presented, which I currently think is actually best tablet for Android (at the same time emphasizing that it is most similar to the Apple iPad), and quite recently even “bookstores” 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 have waited for a tablet from Sony - Sony Tablet S. (There is also another, very exotic model - Sony Tablet P, but we will talk about it in another review.) The tablet is unusual in shape, with interesting content. But now we’ll see how it all works.
Sony Tablet S
First, as usual, 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, multi-touch, IPS matrix, LED backlight
RAM- 1 GB DDR2
Built-in storage- 16 (options - 32) GB
Ports- 3.5 mm 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 megapixels, on back cover 5 megapixels
Sensors- gyro sensor, light sensor, compass, 3-axis rotation sensor
Battery- 5000 mAh, non-removable
Size- 174 x 10 x 24.1 mm
Weight- 598 g Well, what do we have here? In general, the equipment is, let's say, almost standard, there are no surprises here. Compared to its closest competitor, the screen is slightly smaller (9.4" versus 10.1"), there are slightly fewer options for the size of the built-in storage (16 and 32 versus 16, 32 and 64 GB), this model does not have Mobile Internet, but Sony has a model with 3G support, a smaller battery capacity, but there is support for an SD card (this is already very good) and USB drives (though through a special adapter, which is not included in the package). Sony Tablet S is available in several modifications. There are simply models with Wi-Fi without 3G, differing in size 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 a specialized model - for example, SGPT112YOTA, designed for mobile access to the Internet via Yota 4G. Equipment
It comes in a box like this.
Package
Delivery set: device, special power adapter, some books, loop-holder.
Equipment
End view
By the way, this is not to say that the solution is unsuccessful - on the contrary, the tablet fits very comfortably in the hand. From the top cover it looks like a regular tablet, except with a thicker top bar.
Front part
Back cover
The tablet is entirely made of plastic, and I got the impression that top cover- 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 plug, and a slot for an SD(HC) card. Below is the left speaker and the squiggle for the loop.
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 relevant to connect something via USB. On the right side: power button, volume control, Reset and right speaker.
Right end
At the bottom left there is a special port power adapter, specific Sony, as in phones.
Power adapter port
A very strange and extremely inconvenient solution, especially since the adapter itself is hefty, and it looks like it was left over from unsold Sony Vaio stocks.
Adapter on a perfectly shading wooden surface
I don’t understand what prevented me from charging via microUSB using a regular small adapter, as is done in all other tablets. There is only one plus in this solution - the tablet conveniently fits into a special docking station, which can be purchased separately, and is charged through this port. But for the sake of this, it’s not too much to fence such an inconvenience good decision, In my opinion. Let's compare the tablet with its colleagues. First - with Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. (During filming, they almost came to blows.)
Sony Tablet S and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Then - with the iPad 2. (Everything went quietly 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 top end, it could simultaneously serve as a stand so as not to use any docking stations or special folders, but the devil is in two - 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. In principle, everything is fine with the display here: an IPS matrix with LED backlighting, a capacitive sensor - this is practically the best that is available at the moment. Excellent viewing angles (when rotated vertically or horizontally, the brightness and contrast drop very slightly), good brightness (Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 at full brightness is still noticeably brighter). In direct sunlight, the display is strongly “overexposed”, but this is a feature of absolutely all luminous displays: only electronic paper does not “overexpose” - 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 at the same time makes the shade warmer ". (The blue bias makes the image more “cold.”) The sensitivity of the display is very good, I didn’t notice any discomfort - it responds to single touches and to multi-touch - as expected. Device operation I have already talked about the new, purely tablet version of Android 3.0, so I will not repeat myself, describing the principles of constructing 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 of special applications from Sony, in the upper left corner there are also icons of special applications from Sony. (However, it later turned out that not all of them are special applications.) The remaining two desktops on the left and right already contain standard applications.
Desktop on the left
Desktop on the right
Here full list installed applications.
Installed applications
They scroll not across desktops, but from top to bottom. Moreover, this is done in a funny way - you can pull the list of applications down with your finger, as if on an elastic band, and then, when released, they smoothly return to the default position. If you press and hold the application icon, you will be prompted to add it to the home screen, delete it, or get all the information about it. Comfortable. The "Favorites" item is specific, not the usual android one. He also appears with a joyful Sonia-like scream.
Favorites
Otherwise, there are no special differences in the interface, everything is native, android. Next, in order not to violate my general approach to studying tablets, let's first look at how the solution to standard user tasks is implemented here, and then we will get acquainted with specific applications from Sony. Keyboard The keyboard is improved and comfortable. In the Russian language they have retained the period and comma (thank you very much!), the layout has left-right cursor keys - this is a very correct idea!
English layout
Russian layout
Wherever there is a gray arrow, a long press will open a window with additional symbols.
Additional symbols by point
It is also very convenient that when you enter the password entry field, an additional numeric dial appears on the right side of the keyboard. In general, I liked it. There is absolutely no desire to change it to something else. Internet The browser here is standard Android, nothing new.
Browser window
Browser menu
Browser Favorites
It scales well - smoothly and quickly. Work comfortably. Mail There is standard GMail mail, and there is also a special application in which you can configure any mail - including GMail. List of letters.
List of letters
Creating a new message - you can attach some files.
Creating a new letter
So, as you can see, everything is very, very simple. And in fact, it is no different at all from the 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 at the top with all the possibilities - any time point, random playback, looping, control - on the left - selection by album covers, favorites, library, SenseMe function.
Browse by album
Browse by songs with sorting
There are settings that include all sorts of 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 compositions, to classify them in 13 directions: Morning, Day, Evening, Night, Midnight, Energetic, 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 this is 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 the exotic FLAC, which is lossless. Here's the full list: AAC, mp3, WAV, WMA, WMA Pro, FLAC, MIDI, Ogg Vorbis. Photo It seems like a standard Android application. Gallery.
Gallery
View an enlarged image with scrolling preview icons.
Scrolling view
There is also a mode that allows you to increase the number of preview icons at the bottom.
Increased number of icons
Gallery menu items.
Gallery menu
Well, there is also an icon at the top - “Search for players”. It allows you to send media content from your tablet to external players. Video Videos can be played from the standard gallery, but this makes little sense - only the MP4 format is really understood. There is also a separate video player - as a player it is more advanced: it works only with videos (in the gallery they are mixed with images), during playback it rotates by chapter, by any time interval (seconds, minutes, and so on), and can transfer data to external players.
List of films
However, with formats, everything is very, very rotten. Apart from MP4, it only understands WMV, but you can say goodbye to all sorts of nesting dolls (H.264 in MKV) and even banal AVI (DiVX and XViD inside). However, WMV reproduces even 1080i without tension and brakes. This, of course, is not a problem - there are already many decent players for Android, for example, MX Video Player. I put it on and everything started playing as it should.
List of films
Play MKV 720p
Magazine in PDF and EPUB book
Opened the book in EPUB. There is a two-column mode. It seems to read fine.
Book in EPUB
Adjustable font size and brightness.
Font size
Calls up the table of contents, bookmarks and notes. Accordingly, you can make bookmarks (click on top corner pages) and notes. There is a text search.
Marking and searching text
In general, according to EPUB, it’s poor, but clean. I tested the PDF - generally very average. There is a two-column mode, notes in the text and bookmarks. However, what is strange is that when scaling there is a certain, and very small, limit to the increase, and even when increasing the quality for some reason sharply deteriorates, although it should remain normal. Here, for example, is the maximum magnification of a note in A5 format, given as is. It's impossible to read like that.
Enlarging a PDF page
Well, compare the same piece of the same file on the iPad, where you can enlarge it even to infinity.
On iPad
However, of course, this is not a property of the tablet, but of the program. It’s 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 most the best option For PDF reader- noticeably slows down 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, I couldn’t help but put on the game “The goose is not a friend to a pig, but a fierce enemy.”
Not comrades
Everything is fine: the birds fly high, the pigs grunt provocatively, there are no brakes. Specific Applications Now let's go through the 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, which 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 data for a standard device, you need to select a category and manufacturer. There are quite 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 considerable time.
Device registration
However, according to manufacturers, it is not good in all categories. For example, of the projectors in the standard database, only Sony is generally available. Next, select the type of control panel that is most suitable this device. There are 17 of these types in total.
Remote control type
Some types of commands can be adjusted using gestures (for example, volume and channel switching).
Setting up gestures
Configured devices appear in the list, after which they can be controlled directly from the tablet.
Configured devices
Sociorider
In this case, you can croak (in the sense, make a recording) on Twitter and Facebook at the same time. Using this is quite inconvenient; it is much easier to install two separate specialized clients. DLNA This useful application. DLNA - (Digital Living Network Alliance) is a standard that allows compatible devices to transmit and receive wireless home network various media content (images, music, videos), and also display it in real time. You launch the application, find devices on your home network that support this standard (server, NAS, media player), select the desired device and get access to its media data.
DLNA
Media Remote
Sony App
Subscription to Zinio
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 They don't see the memory card at all. That's why the only way get data from it - 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 was moving the camera. The application here is its own, but the most common one.
Camera app
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. It often misses focusing on close objects, like all other tablet phones, but I liked the fact that there is automatic white balance even in difficult conditions The shooting worked decently. Here are some frames without processing (clickable).
Pictures taken with a tablet
The video is taken lousy - it focuses poorly, there is a lot of “noise” in average lighting, the picture is very blurry when the camera moves. Built-in cameras work with Skype for Android. True, the front VGA camera provides adequate quality, but you can still live. Here is an example: large image - with front camera tablet, reduced - from the camera from almost the same point.
Picture in Skype
The pre-installed applications 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 one) - it
it seems to be more convenient, although I won’t lie - I haven’t tried using the tablet as a universal remote control: who knows, maybe you’ll like it.
What I especially liked was the keyboard - perhaps, of the pre-installed ones, it is the best I have ever seen.
In general, a tablet has a right to exist as an option, but I still expected Sony to come up with 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 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 outline 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 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. At the bottom there is a port for charger, 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: appearance The ease of holding the tablet in your hands is 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. On the Internet you can find many opinions that white color is Sony screen Tablet S has a yellowish tint. This is probably true, but it does not cause any obvious problems. Things aren't so good outside. 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 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 dark screen 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 shoot on the street with using Sony Tablet S is standing 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 is somewhat frustrating Flash technologies¸ You won’t be able to watch the video on a number of resources. On the other hand, it’s time to get used to it, because mobile Chrome will become a standard browser in Android in the future.
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, designed in the company’s corporate style. 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 program for controlling home appliances via an infrared port, or a 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. Just press the mentioned button, and a built-in browser window will open on half of the display, right on top 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. In the application for Sony cameras added a panoramic shooting mode. 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: mail client and a reader for Twitter and Facebook. They are quite usable.
By the way, next version 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 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, but 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, |
With Quad Core NVIDIA processor Tegra 3. This gadget does not differ in its high resolution or 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 become 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 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.
The power port is located at the bottom of the rear panel - own development Sony, 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 quality there can be no sound or speech.
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 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. These include Sony vision - for viewing photo albums, videos and e-books, Walkman (shows not only your files, but also the music 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 your photos and share them with friends online).
In addition, you will have the opportunity to connect to PlayStation Mobile and Xperia link. This way you are guaranteed to be part of 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 receive detailed media information about what you are looking at 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 standardized 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 tablet... Android based, then the Sony XPERIA Tablet S is not suitable 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.
