Sony has refreshed its Tablet S, unveiling the new model here at the IFA electronics show in Berlin and, as with its new range of smartphones such as the Xperia T, making it part of the Xperia range of portable devices.
The Tegra 3-powered slate retains the "magazine-style" fold of its Tablet S predecessor – albeit flattened down for a slimmer profile. Inside it contains the aforementioned quad-core Tegra 3 processor along with 1GB of RAM.
The Sony tablet's 9.4in screen has a resolution of 1280x800, while there's an 8MP rear camera and 1MP front camera for image capture. You also get the same IR blaster as seen on the Tablet S for controlling your TV and other AV kit.
Connectivity options include USB and HDMI (via a dongle), plus Bluetooth 3.0 and an SD card slot.
The Xperia Tablet S will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich at launch, while Sony's included its own Sony Entertainment Network Services software on board. Plus you get the obligatory PlayStation certification for gaming.
What's more, the Xperia Tablet S features a splash-resistant coating – and for extra protection you can pick up a separate keyboard cover (not unlike the Microsoft Surface cover) for US$100.
A 16GB Xperia Tablet S will cost US$400, while the 32GB and 64GB versions will cost US$500 and US$600, respectively.
The Xperia Tablet S will be available from September 7th in the US, while here in the UK we can expect to see it land some time later in September.
