The Vaio Tap 11 is Sony's latest Windows 8 tablet. Like the Microsoft Surface Pro, it comes with an Intel Core-i processor, digitizer stylus and keyboard cover. That said, it also comes with a number of features not found in the Microsoft tablet, including an adjustable stand and NFC support.
Microsoft Surface Pro (left) with the Sony Vaio Tap 11.Sony has brought the design language of its latest Xperia phones and tablets to the Tap 11. Viewing it from the sides, it looks like a huge Xperia Z Ultra, thanks to elements such as the curved corners and the round power button. Like the Xperia products, The Tap 11 also has a clean, flat design and measures just 9.9mm thick. It is correspondingly light at 780g without the keyboard attachment, which adds a further 320g to the weight.
Pictured with the Sony Xperia Z Ultra phablet.The 11-inch IPS panel on the Tap 11 has a native resolution of 1,920x1,080, and comes with the company's Triluminos technology used in its latest Bravia TVs and cameras, which is supposed to give it a wider color gamut. What I can see so far is that colors look vibrant on this screen and it has great viewing angles. However, the glass attracts fingerprint smudges easily, so have a microfiber cloth handy.
A wide bezel surrounds the screen, which makes sense since there needs to be space to hold the device when using it in tablet mode. A single Windows button is found on the front surface, while the volume control, power and a 3.5mm mic/headphone combination socket are on the right edge. You also get a microSD card slot, under a flap on the top. There seems to be a slot for a SIM card, though this was disabled on the test unit. 3G/4G versions of the Tap 11 will be available only for selected markets, and these do not include most Asia-Pacific countries.
Another flap on the left side of the unit hides a single USB 3.0 port and a micro-HDMI connector. Over this flap is where you put the holder for the stylus. This holder is very secure when attached to the tablet, and can't be easily removed. However, it moves out of the way quite effortlessly when you need to access the flap.
The stylus in its holder.If you would rather not use the holder, the stylus has a clip so you can carry it like a pen in your pocket or bag. It needs to be powered, and uses a single AAAA battery. Though this is not a very common type of battery, you probably won't need to replace it very often. Like graphics tablets, the touchscreen is pressure sensitive so it's suitable for sketching. However, Sony's default notetaking app doesn't support the feature, so artists will need to find their own third-party sketching app.
A single AAAA battery powers the digitizer stylus.A kickstand at the back lets you use the Tap 11 on a desk. Unlike the Microsoft Surface's stand, which puts the device at a fixed angle, you can adjust this Vaio's stand to an angle of your liking from 45 to about 65 degrees. The stand feels very sturdy and won't slip open when in use.
Keyboard coverThe keyboard, when used as a cover, attaches magnetically to the Tap 11. This is also when the keyboard's internal battery gets recharged, drawing power from the tablet's main battery. According to Sony, a full charge is good for a month of use. While that's good, it doesn't really matter since this keyboard will get recharged very often -- whenever the user uses it as a cover. When separated, the Tap 11 turns on automatically and communicates with the keyboard unit via RF. There is no dongle involved as the receiver is built into the tablet.
Raised bumps tell you where the trackpad on the keyboard cover is.The chiclet keys feel similar to those found on other Vaio notebooks, and they have a standard pitch and layout. The trackpad is marked out by raised bumps, and has a one-piece button that acts as both the left- and right click. This trackpad can be disabled using the keyboard's on/off switch. Because the keyboard is extremely thin and sits completely flat, some may find it uncomfortable to type on, especially those who are used to keyboards with raised feet so they are slightly angled.
A minor annoyance I found is if you don't use the keyboard for a few minutes, it goes to sleep. The first key pressed will serve only to wake it up, and you might find the first letter of your sentence missing when you start typing after a short break.
Performance specificationsOur Tap 11 has the 1.5GHz Intel Core i5-4210Y processor -- a 1.7GHz Core i7-4610Y option is also available. It has 4GB of RAM built in and a 128GB SSD. The test unit had 70GB of free space, though this may vary depending on the number of preloaded apps Sony decides to bundle in the final commercial unit.
Like most tablets, the battery on the Tap 11 is non-removable. According to Sony, it has an estimated life of 5 hours, which is quite short for a portable device. This is something we'll test out in a future review. The included power adapter is very similar to the one used with the Vaio Pro 11, and also comes with its own USB port so you can charge your phone without hogging the USB port on the tablet.
NFCAside from the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity options, the Tap 11 also comes with NFC for easier pairing of Bluetooth devices. Sony demonstrated how this could be used for pairing an NFC Bluetooth speaker, and to send a link from an Android phone to the tablet's browser. The usefulness of NFC is limited for now, but should increase as it becomes more common in mobile products.
The NFC logo tells you where to tap your phone or external Bluetooth speaker.
OutlookWith a larger screen, adjustable stand and lighter weight, the Sony Vaio Tap 11 has a slight edge over the Microsoft Surface Pro. But it's hard to say if these features alone will propel it to commercial success -- the Surface Pro struggled in the market and recently got a price cut. Sony has yet to reveal the price of the Tap 11, but we'll find out soon as it will start shipping (at least in Asia Pacific) starting end September.
The Vaio Tap 11 comes in black or white.additionals images
Sony Vaio Tap 11 and stylus
Sony Vaio Tap 11 bundled TV SideView app source:cnet
