Sony has announced a new premium device, known as the Xperia Tablet Z. Unveiled on the company's Japanese mobile site early this morning, the tablet features a number of high-end specs and, like its namesake Xperia Z smartphone, is fully waterproof.
The 10.1-inch tablet runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), and features a 1920 x 1200 display with Mobile Bravia Engine 2. The device is powered by a hefty Qualcomm 1.5GHz quad-core APQ8064 CPU, with 2 GB RAM, 32 GB of internal storage and a 6,000 mAh battery. Both NFC and LTE tech is included, as well as an 8.1-megapixel camera, a microSD card slot and Sony's “S-Force” virtual surround sound technology.
Similar to Sony's Xperia Z smartphone, the device features a slick, clean aesthetic and comes in a choice of black or white. The new tablet is also both waterproof and dustproof, giving it some serious durability credentials. There's currently no confirmed pricing or release date, but the device is expected to land in Japan in the spring.
From looks to internals, Sony's new tablet seems significantly more premium than its predecessor, and in a lot of areas, it comes out ahead of the competition. Though its display doesn't quite reach the heady heights of the Google Nexus 10's 2560 x 1600 offering, it is set to take the title of the world's thinnest and lightest 10-inch tablet, at 6.9 mm (0.26 inches) thick and weighing in at 495 g (1.09 lbs).
