Sony's flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z, now has a big brother - the Xperia Tablet Z. The device boasts much of what we have seen from its smartphone counterpart, just with a little extra real estate.
"Based on the success of the very popular Sony Xperia Z smartphone, which has received rave reviews around the world and has proved to be a top contender within the local smartphone market, we are very excited to launch the Xperia Tablet Z in South Africa," said Mark Fenzel, sales director for the Middle East and Africa at Sony Mobile Communications. "The Xperia Tablet Z emphasises our commitment to be a leader in the Android market, both locally and internationally, by building on the principles established by Xperia Z and perfectly optimising them for the tablet form factor."
Look and feel
What are most looking for from a tablet? The functionality of a PC or laptop in a compact package, which can be used anywhere, anytime. The Xperia Tablet Z delivers just that, in spades. Although I do hate to make comparisons, the Xperia Tablet Z's svelte size makes it stand out from its competitors. The 10.1-inch Xperia Tablet Z is a little wider than the average tablet, but at 6.9mm thick and weighing just 495g, is it far from bulky. To put this in perspective - while it is larger than an iPad, it weighs about 150g less than Apple's popular tablet.
As far as looks go, Sony has not disappointed - the all-black design, with a glass front and rubberised plastic back, makes for a distinctly sleek and aesthetically appealing device. With just a standby/power button and a volume rocker on the side, most of the navigation is done using the tablet's software buttons. The body features three distinct ports - a headphone jack, MHL connection, as well as a microSD port - all of which can be sealed with attached flaps.
Display, performance and usability
The device features a dust- and water-resistant durable glass HD 1 920x1 200 pixel WUXGA display. Unfortunately, it is rather prone to attracting fingerprints, which meant I was constantly wiping smears from the screen. But that is my only complaint when it comes to the tablet's screen.
The device is kitted out with Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine 2, which the brand says delivers TV-like viewing experience. I tend to agree. Colours are crisp and bright, with superb viewing angles. The display and marginally wider size, coupled with the Xperia Tablet Z's Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, with 1.5GHz asynchronous quad CPUs and 2GB RAM, make it ideal for gaming and movie enthusiasts. I didn't experience even the slightest stutter or lag while using the device for intensive tasks. Unsurprisingly, the powerful processor makes browsing on the device, via Chrome or Sony's own browser, a pleasure. The mobile device boasts LTE, 3G, WiFi and NFC connectivity options.
Running on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), the tablet is upgradeable to Android 4.2 after launch. The operating system is coupled with Sony's Timescape overlay, which is intuitive and offers various convenient shortcuts. From the lock screen, there are shortcuts to launch the camera or to play music. There are also customisable shortcuts on the home screen, including a Google search and voice command shortcut and an app drawer launcher.
Sony has also added easy access to various multitasking "small apps", which run in little windows on top of whatever you are currently doing. These include things like a calculator, notepad, timer, recorder and remote control.
Features and apps
One of the most-talked-about features of the Xperia Tablet Z is that it, like its smartphone sibling, is a waterproof device. This means users can ditch the toy submarine and rubber ducky and use the tablet for entertainment while soaking in the tub - because, you know, everyone wants to do that. I should probably point out that the touch-screen does not actually function underwater, but should you accidentally spill a cup of coffee on it or drop it in the bath, you won't be phoning your insurance provider for a replacement. In an attempt to conduct a comprehensive review - I tested this out by leaving the Xperia Tablet Z in a sink full of water for a while and had no problems using it afterwards.
The tablet is fitted with an 8MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP HD front camera. Both are ok, but not great. And who takes photos with a tablet anyway? If you do, shame on you.
Preloaded apps and fun gimmicks on this device are bountiful. The device really is built with music lovers in mind, with the Walkman music player and S-Force Front Surround 3D sound. The music application allows users to customise their music, changing the sound to suit their preferences.
Perhaps I am a sucker for gimmicks, but I had rather a lot of fun with the IR Blaster, which turns the tablet into a remote control. I couldn't help feeling a little like Tony Stark every time I used the tablet to control my TV or DVD player. The device is preloaded with a multitude of products, but if any of your electronics aren't on the list, you can add them manually.
As a journo, the voice recorder application really came in handy, allowing me to take notes and record accompanying audio. Here, the wider display also shines, as the keys are nicely spaced so I seldom pushed the wrong ones while typing. Users can align the keyboard to one side should they prefer a more compact experience.
I quite enjoyed the preloaded Temple Run 2 game. The powerful processor and crisp sound really brought the game to life. However, having played it for a few hours, I can safely say that Lara Croft's position as the ultimate tomb-raiding badass is secure, as I was rather awful at it.
Sony has equipped the device with a 6 000mAh battery, which is charged via a micro USB port. Like most tablets, the device handled a few days' of heavy use without needing to be charged. There is an option to switch the tablet to Stamina mode, which conserves battery life by turning off certain features. According to Sony, activating this mode will boost battery life by up to four times.
I did find, however, that it seemed to take quite a while to fully charge, so I'd advise you charge this one overnight.
In a nutshell
In the 1960s, Lesley Hornby, more commonly known as Twiggy, became the world's first supermodel, with a look that completely revolutionised the fashion industry. In my mind, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is the Twiggy of the tablet market - with its lithe body and sexy design having the potential to change what the world thinks a tablet should look and feel like.
The display is superb, the processor handles even the toughest tasks, and despite being wider than the average tablet, it is decidedly compact. The only downside is the price - at R9 000, the Xperia Tablet Z may just be beyond the reach of the average South African. That said, would I forgo a few luxuries for a couple of months to save for one? I just might.
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