PSP World

Sony Finally Enters Tablet Arena With PlayStation Power

Sony's serious arrival into the tablet market may mark 2011 as the year that tablets really gain mainstream acceptance. The commercial giant has had a previous foray with its internet device the Dash, but the introduction of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb powered S1 and S2 devices later this year, definitely shows Sony's long term commitment to the PlayStation brand and platform across its various media centric devices.

That said, both the Sony S1 and S2 tablets will be PlayStation certified and so provide support for Sony's Qriosity media service in addition to the PlayStation Suite allowing users to download first generation PlayStation titles. So yes, expect to see your old favourite Crash Bandicoot back again. Being Android powered, the S1 and S2 will obviously serve as excellent ebook reading devices.

Initial specs cite the larger Vaio-esque S1 to have a 9.4-inch display with unique wedge design. This will bring it into direct competition with Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Motorola Xoom and of course Apple's iPad 2.

The smaller S2 is more akin to the Nintendo DS or the overpriced and rare Toshiba Libretto W100, with two folding 5.5 inch displays allowing the display of continuous content such as a web page, or multi-tasking, and yes as a gaming device. Here the S2 obviously encroaches on the Sony PlayStation Portable's area and it will be interesting to see what future plans Sony holds for both devices. Will the S2 remain a generic media-centric device, thus allowing room for the games focused Sony PSP to evolve or will Sony decide to merge the two hardware platforms? Who knows, but if they pursued the latter, whilst some may welcome the advent of the new technology, am sure die-hard PSP fans would be up in arms.

How popular they will prove in the sales charts is yet to be seen, but Sony's arrival clearly marks more choice for the consumer, and increased competition will hopefully bring better prices.