Sony SGPT111US/S Wi-Fi Tablet (16GB)

UPDATE AFTER ALMOST 5 MONTHS OF USEWith the latest Sony firmware update (middle of December) and after extensive testing, all battery drain issues have disappeared. it is now on a par, if not better, at keeping charge in standby mode, than any other tablet apart from the IPAD. Also I have remedied the wi-fi connection issue, but had to upgrade my cable HISPEED internet-now paying about $60.00 per month. The Sony S Tablet id not play nice with my former speeds-though 3-4 MBPS is not exactly slow. Now that I have almost doubled or tripled this, I do not get ANY dropped wifi connections after 2 minutes. I do have to say that my reason for changing to a more expensive internet plan was affected by my girlfriend's two teen boys who have a voracious online gaming habits of course (don't they all now?) Otherwise I would not have upgraded. I must mention, that this is more a recent development, and my previous testing of the wifi connection was done sans teenagers. Because of this I can still only give it 4 stars. I am very disappointed that there has not been more integration with the Playstaion store and more games available. I am also disappointed in the limited usability of the SD card. No matter which file browser is used it ids a pain in the rear to load and transfer movies to free up space in main tablet storage. Also, no matter what, finding the movies is an issue since the ones stored on the SD card do NOT show up in Sony's video application along with other videos purchased from Sony Video Unlimited. I have yet to find a File viewer that can show the files on the sd card and tablet in one view, from which you can also seamlessly play all files and have all the other features of regular video players that most other tablets have-recognizing and showing the movie names that I established for my ripped files on the desktop. Transferring video files to the sd card should not require me to transfer and then delete the original file from the Tablet. Transfer should mean just that-not copy instead. for that reason I upgrade my review 3.5 stars stars(if i could give half stars), since these problems still exist, though there have been improvements such as battery life.UPDATE AFTER 1 MONTH OF USE: (PREVIOUS POSITIVE BATTERY LIFE COMMENTS FROM INITIAL REVIEW HAVE NOT HELD UP)Due to the severe battery drain when on standby, I have stopped using this device for the time being. I am going to wait until a software update comes out to solve this issue, and until the Official Skinny Case from Sony arrives. That way I do not have to remove the tablet from a pouch and not worry that the battery will be down to 20 % after 8 hours of standby and with only 4 hours of use(reading, browsing and playing Fish Tycoon). My new Galaxy Tab 8.9 has a M-Edge case that does this and gives me 60% battery life at the end of the day(under the same usage) rather than just 20%-big difference. I love the heft and feel of the Sony, but cannot justify using it because of the battery drain issue. My initial review of battery life was good, but having installed exactly the same apps as on my other test tablets, the battery life and drain have worsened significantly. It is definitely something specific to the Sony Tablet/software.I am also somewhat pessimistic now, since Sony has delayed shipping on the case 6 times in 6 weeks. Also, as of now there is no news on a Software update release. That's fairly understandable though, since the tablet is still within 60 days of initial release. I would definitely NOT recommend this tablet to anyone who is going to be out and about-not unless you completely switch it off each time. This becomes annoying, since the Sony is not the fastest tablet to boot up. Oh and another annoying thing, is that any video which you transfer to the Tab, skips and stutters when screen orientation is changed. If you are just going to use this to browse the web and read ebooks-and are willing to shut the tablet down completely after each use, then this is the best tablet out there. IMHO however if you can wait a couple of months to see how Sony handles these issues with a software update, then go ahead. Sony has the potential to be the best tablet period(unless you like having hundreds of thousands of useless apps,no decent way to organize or close them, no widgets, no true multitasking and being tied into a proprietary ecosystem that makes converting movies a nightmare if virtually impracticable with lousy music and video quality).UPDATE AFTER 2 WEEKS WORTH OF USE:I regrettably have to drop my rating to 3 stars from 5. This is not just because the Video Unlimited or Music Unlimited apps are not ready or working properly-the Sony is new and that is expected. The problem I am seeing, and which other colleagues are experiencing, is severe battery drain when left on standby.About 3% drain per hour. This is unacceptable when not in use. It should not be happening since the specs are pretty identical to other similar Tegra driven tablets, so it most be a software leak. Where, I cannot say exactly, but bearing in mind that Sony has included dozens of proprietary programs, not on other tablets, including Crash Bandicoot and Pinball, as well as the Sony Video and Reader Apps, then I have to say that some of these may be poorly coded for the tablet, causing a battery drain, even when the programs are supposedly shut down. This CAN be fixed with a software update however. The other issue I have had is streaming and downloading of video. It just times out after about a couple of minutes and I have to keep refreshing the download-what should be a 45 min download can take hours as a result. Forget about streaming a movie of course. Before anyone says it is my wifi connection-since I have an abundance of various tablets at any given time, I know this issue is not specific to my wifi connection of course. I did contact Sony Customer support, but their only advice was to do what I already had, factory reset and update Adobe Flash. Again, I think that this issue could also be fixed with a software upgrade, but that had better happen very quickly, or else folks have many other avenues where they can channel hard earned cash. Especially in the next couple of months. I hope I can come back to you soon and go back to a 5 star rating. Sony, are you listening?UPDATE AFTER 1 WEEK OF INTENSIVE USE:Still a great device. I have been trying out the video and movie applications. The best way to play video is definitely through the gallery function. Though the movie files are not fully labeled as they would be in a custom Video Playing app, the files run smoothly and transition well when orientation changes. Using the built in video player...that needs some work-it is great until you decide to switch orientation or move the device by accident-then it either freezes or you have to restart. Not a dealbreaker since I know that the Video app will be updated.Crackle..free movies etc....sucks and I reported it...my wifi connection is broadband based and great for any other device, but not good for watching movies. It is another free app so i do not feel as though I am losing out too much, especially since i never planned to watch feature length movies streaming from wifi.Too much battery drain for ANY device, and they, of course, cannot let you download. Sony's Video Unlimited Store-which is not up and running as of yesterday yet-had better be a lot more wifi friendly for downloading. That is an interesting topic actually, since my HTC Flyer with the HTC Movie store(very limited on choice though) can be set to not have the screen go to sleep, then downloads are not interrupted with wifi cutting out-just leave it plugged in overnight is all. The Sony Tablet does not give you an option for"never turn screen off': just keep on for max of 30 mins. That is not good if the Sony Unlimited Video store app cannot download content if screen goes to sleep. That really would be an issue. Of course you could hook up to the laptop/desktop via a micro usb(provide your own) and download from saved files on your computer....However you have to download from the Sony site first then wait and then download to the tablet. So I much prefer the other option directly to tablet. We will see if Sony respond to this issue rapidly. The Sony Bookstore is great, let us see if the Video and Music Store, when fully operational, can match it.Apart from that no other issues of note: The Playstation games-pinball and Bandicoot are superb...cannot wait for the full Playstation experience and access to thousands, or at least hundreds of other titles initially! Also, cannot wait to get a proper portfolio case, so I can make the device more portable....really guys...don't spend 70 or 100 bucks on the Sony leather slip pouch...not worth it trust me. Just go for a generic tablet pouch for 10 bucks or so, until the STM Skinny for Sony Tablet S comes out-custom case so you can use/charge while protecting etc. It's a $500 piece of kit, so I do not want to keep taking it out of a case all the time to use it. You cannot get an Amazon yet, so order from the Sony Store-back ordered and mine will ship on the 14th of Oct...hopefully. Will keep you posted on developments!INITIAL IMPRESSIONS AFTER 2-3 DAYSI test tablets and write about them as a hobby. The money, from the reviews I write, pretty much indulges my geeky hobby.I currently own 10 different tablets and have just sold 4 this year. These 14 tablets cover virtually every reputable tablet out there. Creative Ziio,Samsung 7 and 10 inch, Acer 7 and 10 inch, iPad 1 and 2,HTC Flyer Toshiba Thrive(weighs a tonne), Motorola Zoom(given to my GF),HP Touchpad, Vizio 8 inch, Blackberry Playbook and now the Sony S Tablet. Asus Transformer just was a pointless proposition since I was not interested in a full keyboard-just Tablets and Portability.Same thing goes for the Slider really.I look for portability,battery life, raw power,great screen,great layout/icons, compatability with Video/audio codecs reliability, great cases and accessories,sturdiness, large # of apps and a decent price bearing these attributes in mind.Apple has battery life, raw power, sturdiness, large number of apps, great accessories and a decent price.It has awful screen resolution,video looks crappy on it when compared to others. Proprietary formatting through iTunes. iTunes itself is great for the masses, but not if you want things your way. Cannot even have your icons where you want them on your screen and space them conveniently! horrible sound quality through speakers as well-low volume output. It does have every App known to man on it however and you can watch any video ever made on it. The quality and sound, for those of us who actually notice and care, is horrible.The Acer 7 inch has a horrible battery life,spotty wi-fi connection, few case options but everything else is really great.the Thrive has a lot going for it, but seriously it weighs a tonne and not that great looking either. Screen is not that fantastic compared to others too. Decent price though.The Vizio...is unfinished, but a great eBook reader-better than Nook Color and will rival anything that the Kindle eggheads will come up with...unless Amazon can design a better color screen version,max out battery life to about 20 hours and price it for $250 or under. i am pretty sure this will happen in the next 2 months or so.The HTC Flyer is the best 7 inch in my opinion since it can do pretty much everything and has really good battery life. The other closest 7 inch is the Galaxy tab-both pretty comparable, but i find Flyer gives me better battery life for reading and browsing-which is pretty much what I do on a 7 inch tablet.The playbook-well it has the potential to be the best of them all...but RIM has just messed this product up and even with the 2.0 OS being promised forever, I think that the ship has sailed. IF they do bring out 2.0 and Android market compatability with native email-then it will be the best portable tablet out there. Until then........Sony,has it just right with even greater potential for the future.The Sony S tablet is the only tablet that you can hold in your hands, even one handed and browse for hours as you could a paperback. Only you can do one heck of a lot more with this Android tablet than a paperback....Sony got the right sized tablet for browsing AND playing Playstation games. Screen quality is great and so is the battery life. You feel you are holding a 7 inch tablet when in fact you are holding one about 40% bigger. The ergonomically weighted design is a genius of an idea. The screen icons look 10 times better than the regular Android icons and the battery life rivals the ipad quite easily. Close enough and within 10% anyway. I will take that for fantastic video and sound quality in exchange..Other reviewers have complained about the SD card and plastic feel and what happens if you drop it. Well, what happens if you drop ANY tablet eh? It is not good. Drop the steel and glass iPad: sturdy in hand = increased downforce and hence more damage. The Sony is light-very light in your hands. Even though the the actual weight is comparable to the iPad. It is the easiest tablet to hold, hence the least likely to be dropped. End of that particular topic. The SD card... works perfectly, just download another video and music player from Android Market. Sony will provide support in the future no doubt for their own Media players.You can play awesome looking Playstation games on the Sony S. 2 are included and they take you into a different world of gaming on a tablet that is the perfect size. Thousands of more games are only a few weeks/months away at most. No other tablet can do that.The Sony eReader is the best implemented digital reader implemented on the tablet. Sony tablet, Sony ebook store-just like Amazon and Kindle.....but in color/backlit of course. Kobo and RIM Playbook combination sucks and all other Android devices have various degrees of success with font and formatting issues ref Kindle/Nook. But Sony has it virtually perfect out of the box. Always room for improvement though...better font choices,border spacing etc.All of this i have discovered in just 2 days. I will keep you posted as time goes on, but hope this helps any potential seekers of tablets.

First off I have to say this. There has never been a tablet that feels this natural to hold. I can use this thing all day and not once will my hands hurt from holding it. The wedge design is not only a winner in my book. It is the champion.Apps: The universal remote is pretty much worth it's weight in gold as it can control everything in my house. Having that kind of control in a tablet is just awesome. Never have to worry about losing your remote control again! To set up a new device all you have to do is select the device you want to control, select the manufacturer, try a few codes the tablet S has stored for that manufactuer, and then you are off. Most of the time the first code works for me, but there are more for different products. Anytime I have something that can be controlled by an IR remote I set it up on this tablet because it's so easy and I never know when I might need it! I use the gallery, music, and video apps a pretty good bit. One problem the tablet S had before the upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich was that the SD card could not be used as a media card for more space. It was only for file transfers. Now the gallery, music, and video apps all recognize the files on the media card and will play directly from it. No need to transfer those files to the tablet (Although I have the 32 gb version so space really isn't an issue.) However, the SD card is still not a fully functioning media card. It's locked down tight. If you try to create files or move files on the SD card with a file manager from Google Play (Android Market) it will give you an error. Somehow the permissions are set up so that you do not have write permissions to the card. Therefore you can only copy files from the card and open files from it. To move and delete files you have to use Sony's built in File Transfer app. This app works well enough but it's not a replacement for a purpose built file manager. Hopefully in the future Sony will fix this issue, but for now using the File Transfer app works just fine. With the Ice Cream Sandwich Update Sony included two small buttons on the bottom of the screen. One is for the browser and when pressed it opens a small browser window so that you can surf the web without fully leaving the app you are working in. The other button let's you choose three other supported apps to do this with such as the remote control and a calculator. Nice touch Sony.Connectivity: We all know that the most important thing on a tablet is the Wi-fi connection. Without it you are up a creek without a paddle, or a boat. The tablet s' wi-fi works well most of the time. Occasionally it will drop connection but connecting back is not an issue. It happens pretty infrequently and all tablets are going to have a few hiccups now and then. I never think another thing about it. Another nice thing the Tablet S has is a micro-USB port. The only thing about that is you have to buy an adapter to use it. There may be others available but I went ahead and bought the one from Sony to be on the safe side. Being able to plug in a USB hub and connecting a mouse and keyboard to it is pretty awesome. It turns the tablet basically into a netbook. In fact I'm typing this whole review on my tablet S with a keyboard attached to it.Playstation Certified: The Tablet S is the first playstation certified Tablet available on the market (Can't imagine why.........) and it does come pre installed with the playstation store app. Support has been added so that you can use a playstation three bluetooth controller with the tablet S (However I believe this can only be done if you purchase the micro Usb adapter I mentioned earlier.) The only thing is the selection of games really isn't that great. I'm hoping sony will add more hit playstation one games in the future, and they say that they will. Only time will tell.Power:As many have already mentioned the Tablet S uses a proprietary charger. Why didn't they go with a micro usb charger? I have no idea. It is a little annoying because the charger is a little bulky to be carrying around everywhere you take your tablet. However the only thing that I really don't care for in the Tablet S is the battery life. In the world of tablets the battery life is at best, average. Works ok for me, but if you need to use a tablet all day every day the battery life would really be an issue for you.Screen:Here is where Sony really shines. In the tablet S they used the knowledge they have from making their Bravia TV's and put it into the Tablet S. The screen is great. Contrast is very good, brightness is very good. Overall it just looks good. Deep and rich colors.Overall this tablet is wonderful. I love it. If you are in the market for a good android tablet with a form factor better than all others then look no further. You found it right here.****Update****Well, Sony happily fixed the issue with the SD card and the third party file managers work perfectly again! Also, turning off some of the widgets I had running helped with the battery life issue. The SD card fix again makes this tablet a winner in my book