T is for tablets Sony's Xperia Tablet S stands alone in the living room. Molouk Y. Ba-Isa Saudi Gazette First there was the iPad and that was all there was. But many vendors have now embraced the tablet computing form factor. It seems that every week another new tablet is announced. Many of these offer software and accessories that make them attractive to a wider range of users. From Toshiba comes the Satellite U925t, a computing device where tablet meets Ultrabook. The Satellite U925t Ultrabook Convertible can be used in two modes: as a tablet or as an Ultrabook, made possible by its unique sliding hinge. From tablet mode, users can slide the display back and tilt it up to reveal an LED backlit raised tile keyboard and Synaptics ClickPad with Windows 8 gesture support and use the device like a traditional Ultrabook. The Satellite U925t is just over 2 centimeters thick and weighs 1.45 kg. It features a 12.5-inch diagonal HD touchscreen display, 128GB solid state drive and Intel Core i5 processor. In addition, it's packed with ports, connectivity options, a full range of sensors, GPS and near-field communication (NFC). The Satellite U925t goes from work to play effortlessly. If you're a content creator but want your computing device to run on Android, then seriously consider the ARCHOS 101 XS. This 10.1-inch tablet is incredibly light – just 0.6 kgs - and it's only .07 cm thick. The 101 XS pushes the technological boundaries with its innovative Coverboard, a unique magnetic full-size QWERTY keyboard that offers protection, a kickstand, docking and easy typing. It comes with Android 4.0 and allows full access to Google Play featuring over 600,000 apps. The table will upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in Q4 2012. ARCHOS will be making this tablet available in November with an Arabic keyboard and interface. In a world of black tablets, this one is white, light and fits into a handbag with ease. It's a delight to take everywhere. Sony fans in the Kingdom are sure to be interested in the Japanese company's new tablet which joins Sony's smartphones under the Xperia sub-brand. The Xperia Tablet S, running Android 4.0, is filled with original applications and Sony exclusive features. This tablet offers an aluminum body and power from a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. Its screen is outstanding, offering very crisp images with bright colors. And this tablet has loads of nice accessories – cover with keyboard, docking stand, simple stand, carrying cover, charging cradle and dock speaker. The stands are especially nice when using the Xperia Tablet S to “control the living room" as a universal remote control. For instance, just program in the sequence required to get a movie onto the TV from the DVD player. Then in the future access entertainment with just one touch on the tablet screen. The tablet also allows easy sharing of the device, coupled with parental controls. The last new tablet to consider today is the HP ElitePad 900, which HP is calling “a true tablet for business." Designed for business and government, it features HP ElitePad Smart Jackets, which add connectivity options and an additional ultra-slim battery for longer runtime, along with specific add-ons that customize the tablet for specialized uses. It's designed for Windows 8 to keep IT managers happy and it offers the full serviceability, enhanced security and manageability found in HP Elite PCs, and military-grade durability for drops, vibration, dust, temperature extremes and high altitude. The device has a 10.1-inch diagonal display, weighs just 0.68 kg and is crafted from materials such as CNC-machined aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass 2. It supports touch-, pen- or voice-based input. By purchasing external “jackets," keyboards, ports, USB, HDMI and other technology options can be added only if required, giving businesses tight control on data and device usage. The HP ElitePad 900 offers corporate staff a modern tablet experience coupled with the features corporate IT governance requires.
