Sony shows off 'world's thinnest' Xperia Z tablet at MWC 2013

At  the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Sony has announced the launch of its new Xperia Tablet Z, which is a 10.1-inch Android tablet and the world’s thinnest. Like the Xperia Z smartphone, the tablet is also water-proof and the dust-proof. The device is only 6.9 mm thick and weighs 495 grams only. “Xperia Tablet Z sets new standards in entertainment by matching premium specifications and Sony technology with cross-device connectivity and a consistent user-experience,” said Kaz Tajima, corporate vice president, head of UX creative design and planning, at Sony Mobile Communications. “The Xperia Tablet Z reinforces our intention to be a leading player in the premium Android device market, by building on the principles established by Xperia Z and perfectly optimizing them for the tablet form factor.” [caption id=“attachment_640452” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sony’s Xperia Z tablet. Reuters[/caption] The tablet has a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro asynchronous quad core processor. Sony also states that the tablet has the highest levels of water resistance making it immersible in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. (However all ports and covers have to be firmly closed) It has 10.1-inch full-HD Reality Display, an 8MP HD rear camera featuring the Exmor® R for Mobile image sensor and a 2 MP HD front-facing camera. Sony’s S-Force Front Surround 3D provides superior audio performance while Sony’s Clear Audio+ mode and the innovative use of two built-in speakers with four ‘speaker halls’ on the left and right corners help the tablet deliver amazing sound no matter how it is held. The Xperia Tablet Z also offers a microSD card slot for up to 64GB of expandable storage. Xperia Tablet Z will launch on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and is upgradable to 4.2 after launch. However this doesn’t come with a standard experience and Sony has added a bunch of its own apps such as Walkman App, Sideview, etc. The device has 2GB RAM and will come in 16 GB and 32 GB version. The device is currently available only in black. The tablet supports WiFi, has NFC capabilities and a built-in universal IR remote control which can control Sony and other manufacturers’ consumer electronic devices. The Xperia Tablet Z is available in black and white (white only in Sony Stores and online) and cost $499 and $599 in the US. The tablet will be out in May in the US. Watch video