Sony's gearing up to release yet another "PlayStation Certified" device by year end, Nikkei reports (via Bloomberg). Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer confirmed as much to the Japanese newspaper, saying that the Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) tablet will be available in unspecified territories by the end of the summer, with the US receiving the first batch.
Oddly, Sony later told Japanese site AV Watch that the tablet would arrive "before the end of this year" -- Engadget speculates that this could both be referring to the Japanese version's release or simply an attempt to muddle things after Stringer said something he shouldn't have.
Stringer unfortunately didn't specify if he was referring to the rumored "S1" tablet in development at Sony (mock-up seen above) or the clamshell resemblant "S2" model, both of which are said to feature Honeycomb and ... uh ... both of them are unreleased Sony tablets. Given how Sony handled its last PlayStation Certified device, though, we expect to hear much, much more as 2011 progresses.
Reader Comments (37)
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:17PM Shockwave said
It's so bitchin, it's as thin as paper!
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:17PM MLC said
Whatever!
Hey Sony, whenever this devices play PSP games then I'll buy 1. Until then, whatever!!!
Hey Sony, whenever this devices play PSP games then I'll buy 1. Until then, whatever!!!
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:24PM CaptainProtonX said
@MLC
I've said this too many times now.
PSP games are played by the PSP.
Everything else plays PSOne games.
Reply
I've said this too many times now.
PSP games are played by the PSP.
Everything else plays PSOne games.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:34PM MLC said
@CaptainProtonX
Well stop sayin it then, damnit!
We ALL know PSPs play PSP games. Whats wrong w/ wanting a phone or tablet to have the ability to play PSP games in addition to PS1 games and etc? I just want an all-in-1 handheld. Hell, if the PSPgo was a phone, I woulda bought 1 of those.
Come on, Sony! W/ the Xperia Play you were so close but still so far...
Reply
Well stop sayin it then, damnit!
We ALL know PSPs play PSP games. Whats wrong w/ wanting a phone or tablet to have the ability to play PSP games in addition to PS1 games and etc? I just want an all-in-1 handheld. Hell, if the PSPgo was a phone, I woulda bought 1 of those.
Come on, Sony! W/ the Xperia Play you were so close but still so far...
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:46PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said
@MLC
Its a Tablet....it doesnt need to play PSP games....
....that said the main thing I would like to see on a Sony tablet...the touchpad tech on the NGP....now it doesn't have to take up the ENTIRE back up the tablet...but putting it on 2-3" of the sides where your hands would hold it for extra widget, or shortcut control would be great
Reply
Its a Tablet....it doesnt need to play PSP games....
....that said the main thing I would like to see on a Sony tablet...the touchpad tech on the NGP....now it doesn't have to take up the ENTIRE back up the tablet...but putting it on 2-3" of the sides where your hands would hold it for extra widget, or shortcut control would be great
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 4:33PM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said
@Haggard Why do that and cannibalize PSP sales? Its one thing to do it for the PSOne games because those dont have a dedicated console out right now....the PSP does....I mean shit...the PS3 can play PSP game too....but they wont make it so it can...
Reply
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 6:43PM Lerkero said
@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
I see where you are coming from, but Sony has the opportunity to go beyond the PSP and make the games literally be "Playstation Portable"
You buy the games off PSN and you can play them on any Sony portable device be it tablet or phone (or even the proprietary card if it can work on multiple Sony devices).
With the way portable devices are headed these days, everything will be powerful enough to play the same games so I say Sony gives something like that a shot. They already botched Xperia play PSN compatibility.
Reply
I see where you are coming from, but Sony has the opportunity to go beyond the PSP and make the games literally be "Playstation Portable"
You buy the games off PSN and you can play them on any Sony portable device be it tablet or phone (or even the proprietary card if it can work on multiple Sony devices).
With the way portable devices are headed these days, everything will be powerful enough to play the same games so I say Sony gives something like that a shot. They already botched Xperia play PSN compatibility.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:23PM King Johngie the Fourth said
*Sigh* get ready for another bombardment of "leaks"
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:25PM CaptainProtonX said
@King Johngie the Fourth
You mean blurry photos, blurry audio clips, and finally a complete dismantling and unboxing of the retail product?
I'm sure all that's scheduled by the marketting deparment by now.
Reply
You mean blurry photos, blurry audio clips, and finally a complete dismantling and unboxing of the retail product?
I'm sure all that's scheduled by the marketting deparment by now.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:30PM King Johngie the Fourth said
@CaptainProtonX
Took the words right outta my mouth
Reply
Took the words right outta my mouth
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:24PM eat it said
Why is there a sketch of a money clip?
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:25PM MLS said
So a new PSP, a phone, and a tablet all in one year?
Sony must be going all or nothing because 2012 is around the corner.
Sony must be going all or nothing because 2012 is around the corner.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 8:34PM ChitownPnoy said
@MLS you forgot the new bravia and new sony alpha camera.Sony is an electronic company. Not a gaming company. That is why they they are releasing multiple item evey year.
Reply
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:26PM Schlecht said
At first I thought they meant they were making a Sony equivalent of the uDraw lol
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:31PM SpacePenguinBot said
I guess that would be a thing. I don't know how well the PlayStation brand will carry over to touch screen gaming. The form factor doesn't lend itself to existing PlayStation 1, 2 or 3 games, even if they slapped some buttons on it. Maybe you could use a PS3 controller with it.
Either way, if they had an existing library of touchscreen games this would be a lot more interesting. Now they will have to use the Xperia, the NGP, and this PS tablet to build up their touch library ASAP.
Either way, if they had an existing library of touchscreen games this would be a lot more interesting. Now they will have to use the Xperia, the NGP, and this PS tablet to build up their touch library ASAP.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 4:57PM mrantimatter said
@SpacePenguinBot
Remember PlayStation Suite? they already announced the initiative, this seems like a Tablet certified to work with it.
Reply
Remember PlayStation Suite? they already announced the initiative, this seems like a Tablet certified to work with it.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:33PM Red Deer said
Hmmm. They better hope this isn't a complete flop.
Personally; im not liking the spread of Playstation Certified Devices. I think its just me not wanting an oversaturated market of "Playstation" devices causing a degrading in the highly acclaimed Playstation brand.
Slapping your ever-so-sexy trademarked logo on everything you sell may help you with sales in the short term Sony; But once you damage that once-so-valued name it'll be alot harder to get it back to what it once meant to people.
But y'know... Im just one of those Pessamistic Paranoid people who often see change as a bad thing in some cases XD
Personally; im not liking the spread of Playstation Certified Devices. I think its just me not wanting an oversaturated market of "Playstation" devices causing a degrading in the highly acclaimed Playstation brand.
Slapping your ever-so-sexy trademarked logo on everything you sell may help you with sales in the short term Sony; But once you damage that once-so-valued name it'll be alot harder to get it back to what it once meant to people.
But y'know... Im just one of those Pessamistic Paranoid people who often see change as a bad thing in some cases XD
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:43PM The Only Girl said
@Red Deer
Yeah! How dare they use a working marketing gimmick!
Reply
Yeah! How dare they use a working marketing gimmick!
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:34PM Dance Mofo said
That tablet can be so much win if it can play PS2 games
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 3:43PM Prboi said
Eh, tablets are just a gimmick that will fade away soon when everyone & their mother's has a version of one. I really don't see the sense of getting one. Portability? There are phones that can do the same exact thing, & they're more portable. Big Screen? If I'm not mistaken, netbooks cost less & you can do mush much more & they have about the same screen size. Gaming? HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!! Reading? Ok, that's probably the only good thing tablets can do that something else can't besides maybe an actual book. Also that flexible screen is really cool and all but really, it'll be a pain to get it to stay straight so you can see what you're doing.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:01PM mrantimatter said
@Prboi
It's more about ease of use when it comes to consuming media. i'd much rather kick back and watch/read/surf the net on my couch with a tablet then I would a netbook. also better for casual gaming and app use.
Reply
It's more about ease of use when it comes to consuming media. i'd much rather kick back and watch/read/surf the net on my couch with a tablet then I would a netbook. also better for casual gaming and app use.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 4:00PM foofighting86 said
buttons = success
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 4:03PM Elranzer said
If tablets are meant for media consumption (Apple's philosophy) and not laptop replacements (Microsoft's philosophy), then a PlayStation tablet does kinda make sense.
Touch-centric PlayStation Minis (which would also work with the NGP) and the rest of Sony's potential game library can knock iOS out of the park.
This device *really* needs to be one of those Android devices that can support Netflix (with the hardware DRM), and then it will have much of the PS3's media functionality (sans Blu-Ray discs).
Since Android and the iPad are pretty much ying and yang as far as features (except that Netflix is only on iOS at the moment), Sony's games and Netflix ought to make this an easy sell over an iPad. They'd better not drop the ball on Netflix support, which is pretty much the only reason I would pick an iPad over an Android tablet (though I don't own either right now).
Touch-centric PlayStation Minis (which would also work with the NGP) and the rest of Sony's potential game library can knock iOS out of the park.
This device *really* needs to be one of those Android devices that can support Netflix (with the hardware DRM), and then it will have much of the PS3's media functionality (sans Blu-Ray discs).
Since Android and the iPad are pretty much ying and yang as far as features (except that Netflix is only on iOS at the moment), Sony's games and Netflix ought to make this an easy sell over an iPad. They'd better not drop the ball on Netflix support, which is pretty much the only reason I would pick an iPad over an Android tablet (though I don't own either right now).
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:32PM a falling stone said
I am excited about this! I hope it runs android in the background!
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 5:46PM KinseySS said
I'm pretty happy with my iPhone 4 to bother with the xperia play but I'm still trying to decide what kind of tablet to get. So I'm really hoping this thing will be top notch.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 10:07PM mguniverse said
If they are going to go down the touch screen route, they need a library of games that supports unique touch controls and gestures. They can't expect virtual thumbsticks and buttons to get them through this.
Posted: Apr 5th 2011 10:23PM MEGATOOL said
Dang. That's going to be one huge PSP.
Posted: Apr 6th 2011 2:03AM yoshi95 said
A clamshell tablet? So, it's like a laptop or something?
Posted: Apr 6th 2011 11:22AM TCJJ said
The Xperia Play has a newer versiOn of Andoroid than a fancy tablet? Wow...
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