Sony Tablet P Comprehensive Review of Features Pricing Pros & Cons

Introduction to Sony Tablet P

The Sony Tablet P was a unique and innovative device when it was announced in early 2012. It stood out in the burgeoning tablet market due to its dual-screen design, setting it apart from traditional tablets. Despite its discontinuation, the Sony Tablet P remains an interesting case study in design choices and technological integration from Sony.

Design and Build

The Sony Tablet P featured a distinctive clamshell design, making it highly portable compared to its competitors. When closed, the device measured 180 x 79 x 28 mm, and when opened, it extended to 180 x 158 x 14 mm. The weight of 372 grams provided a comfortable balance between portability and solid build. The device was equipped with dual 5.5-inch TFT screens, offering a total screen real estate that could function either as an extended display or for multi-tasking purposes.

Display Features

Each of the two screens had a resolution of 1024 x 480 pixels, with a pixel density of approximately 206 ppi. While not groundbreaking, this display spec was decent for its time, facilitating adequate multimedia experiences and web browsing. The primary challenge with the dual-screen setup was the gap between the screens, which made certain applications and media content less seamless.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the Sony Tablet P was powered by an Nvidia Tegra 2 T20 chipset featuring a dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU and a ULP GeForce GPU. This combination ensured reasonable performance for basic tasks, including browsing, media playback, and general applications. The device came with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, expandable through a microSDHC slot, allowing users to store additional apps, music, and other media files.

Operating System and Interface

The tablet launched with Android 3.2 Honeycomb and was upgradable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. These versions of Android were tailored for larger screens and provided functionalities specific to tablets. The interface on the Tablet P was customized by Sony to take advantage of the dual-screen setup, supporting multi-tasking and app optimization for improved usability.

Camera Capabilities

The Sony Tablet P featured a 5 MP rear camera, capable of capturing video at 720p at 30 frames per second. While not designed to replace dedicated cameras, this feature allowed for basic photography and video capture. The device also included a VGA front-facing camera, catering to video calls and selfies, albeit with modest quality.

Connectivity Options

The device supported GSM network technology, featuring a Mini-SIM slot, and was equipped with Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity, along with DLNA support for media sharing. Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP was included for wireless audio and peripheral connectivity. The presence of GPS enabled it to serve as a navigation device. However, it lacked support for GPRS and EDGE, limiting its cellular connectivity options.

Audio and Multimedia

The Sony Tablet P came with stereo speakers, providing a decent audio experience for a tablet of its size. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack allowed users to connect headphones for private listening. As a multimedia device, it supported various audio and video formats, though its appeal was somewhat limited by the screen gap.

Battery Life and Power Management

The non-removable Li-Ion 3080 mAh battery provided a standby time of up to 120 hours and up to 17 hours of music playback. While these metrics were satisfactory for casual use, power management could become an issue during intensive multi-screen usage or prolonged applications.

Sensors and Additional Features

The device was equipped with an accelerometer, gyro, and compass, enhancing its functionality for various applications, including gaming and navigation. However, it lacked a radio feature, which was a common absence in tablet devices.

Market Position and Legacy

The Sony Tablet P was launched at approximately 210 EUR, positioning it in the mid-range tablet market. Despite its innovative design and attempts to differentiate itself with unique features, consumer reception was mixed due to the impracticalities and limitations of the dual-screen format. Its discontinuation reflected these challenges, yet it remains a testament to Sony's willingness to experiment with new form factors in the pursuit of multifunctional, portable technology.

Conclusion

The Sony Tablet P represents an ambitious attempt by Sony to revolutionize tablet design. While not achieving mass success, it paved the way for future innovations in mobile device form factors. As technology continues to evolve, the influence of such pioneering designs will likely be seen in future iterations of portable computing devices.