Sony Considers Tablet to Duke it Out with iPad

[Michael Essany]

Between the announcement of the iPad and its subsequent arrival, the thunderous headlines pronouncing a flurry of forthcoming competitive tablets has dwindled to an occasional blurb about the "possibility" of other tech giants rolling out their own iPad rival - but at no time soon. And while talk of potential iPad "killers" still lingers, it doesn't seem as though any competing device will soon knock the iPad from its dominant perch.

Yet, today, news has broken that Sony is tinkering with the idea of jumping head first into the tablet pool to mix things up with Apple.

According to a Bloomberg/Newsweek report, Sony has the passion and ability to develop a rival tablet computer, but it must first determine if there is adequate consumer interest to make such a venture worthwhile.

Mike Abary, senior VP of Sony’s Information Technology Products unit, says: “We have been taking a deep look at developing a tablet for a number of years, not just because of Apple but because it creates some interesting opportunities.”

Naturally, although Sony is downplaying the impact of Apple's tablet on the marketplace, the consumer electronics giant has clearly been inspired to begin speaking publicly about the possibility of its own tablet as a result of Apple selling better than one million iPads during its first full month of release. “The iPad has created a new opportunity,” Abary added. “Now we can get a good judgment as to whether the market is truly accepting of it.”

With gaming becoming such a central focus of iPad users, Sony - a company that know a thing or two about targeting avid video gamers - would likely stress gaming friendliness in the development and launch of a rival tablet. But, ultimately, talk is cheap. And if Sony wants to cut into Apple's market share, it will need to do so before virtually everyone who wants a tablet owns an iPad.

[jeffhuys]

I'm eager to know the specs! :-)
Also eager to know how many people will talk about an iPad when they see a tablet from now on...

[extremzocker]

competition is healthy

[billmilo]

I'm growing weary of these companies announcing something they have yet to do, and later stop doing it anyway. Kind of like Jay Leno saying five years ago he'd retire, and didn't retire at all.

How about the companies, make the product then announce what it is.

Andorid has pushed Apple recently, with small sales numbers, and Apple is responding back like a mad man. Nothing can compete with the iPhone and ipad for what they do. All of us who complain about the iphone being so closed, will buy a new one as soon as 4.0 comes out.

[lolcats1]

Been hearing the same claims and arguments for so long now.

Will nothing new happen? Are we stuck in a cycle?

[Poseidon79]

Hey look! It's another "what if" idea! These are getting so old... until a product is ACTUALLY developed and there's a WORKING prototype it's all pipe dreams.

[clarky8]

Sony is the one company who could actually compete with apple

[zozodouce]

everybody and their mother is Considers a Tablet to Duke it Out with the iPad, even my mother is making a tablet too lol.

[TooSlo]

Vaporware imo.

I really wish I could say that I'd anticipate some competition in the tablet market, it just seems like nobody is willing to build a device at the same pricepoints as the ipad, which would give it far superior specs.

I guess with netbooks around, people are unwilling to drop 600-800 on a high quality slate/tablet device.

[billmilo]

Sony is the one company who could actually compete with apple

Hmmm really? They lost to Nintendo against the Wii, and against the xbox.

Sony has stopped being innovative and relevant a long time ago. They so make however, overpriced TV's.

[tudtran]

I got a sony notebook before I switched to Apple. It's not the same. Sony WAS history for me after that.

[punjabi212]

Hmmm really? They lost to Nintendo against the Wii, and against the xbox.

Sony has stopped being innovative and relevant a long time ago. They so make however, overpriced TV's.

ps3>xbox. Wii is not even in their class.

[MetallicaFan1991]

Hmmm really? They lost to Nintendo against the Wii, and against the xbox.

Sony has stopped being innovative and relevant a long time ago. They so make however, overpriced TV's.

Sony are awesome and no they didn't lose to Nintendo, erm the PS2, the best selling console of all time.

PS3=Xbox 360 at the moment and Wii is not for proper gaming.

Sony's tablet will be overpriced like the iPad aswell, paying for the brand...
Tablets suck I think.

[PuppyPR]

Hmmm really? They lost to Nintendo against the Wii, and against the xbox.

Sony has stopped being innovative and relevant a long time ago. They so make however, overpriced TV's.

I don't agree. Xbox is under PS3, I don't know from were you got that. Also, Wii is not at the same level of the PS3 so they are not even in the same category. Obviously, Nintendo DS are selling much better than the PSP, but that is it.

Also, you are missing the point of the PS3, the PS3 was a strategy to push the BluRay disc into the HD video market, obliterating the HD DVD format. (HD DVD was much cheaper to manufacture, just minor changed to the actual DVD manufacturing lines).

[whereswaldo]

just when u thought everyone had given up on an iPad killer, BAM!

[adp]

Hmmm really? They lost to Nintendo against the Wii, and against the xbox.

Sony has stopped being innovative and relevant a long time ago. They so make however, overpriced TV's.

LOL just because a staff writer posts it you believe it? Sony never lost against Wii. Unless you're a 9 year old who prefers Mario over quality games like Call of Duty MW or Battlefield BC. Sony TV's are in the same price range as LG's and Panasonics. I bought a Sony TV in 1999 and lasted until recently. I've owned Sony hardware for years and never had any issues.

[stfudvs]

+1 on compition being healthy

but the whole " i killer " crap isn't. I wish they would stop bashing the compition and start making competitive products.

[awesomeSlayer]

Oh boy! Sony is making a...PSTablet!

Who cares which console is better? Damn you, 360 and PS3 fanboys!

[chriskaraokeman]

I have got a top of the range sony vaio laptop, 3 years old now , carbon fibre and magnesium chassis , HD,Bluray Writer!! A month ago, the video card blew on it. I rang Sony customer support,they said they would send a courier to pick it up.They rang me 3 days later , my vaio was on its way back, they had fitted a new motherboard, FOC as an act of goodwill.
Like to hear the same story about Apple !

[creasy425]

I'm all for healthy competition, but Id rather piss glass than buy anything sony made.