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Sony names devices that will (eventually) see Android 4.3
With Android 4.3 being less than 24 hours old, it's nice to see manufacturers already addressing concerns about whether all those under-the-hood tweaks will reach their devices. On Sony Mobile's website, the company confirms that the Xperia Z, Xperia ZL, Xperia ZR, Xperia Tablet Z, Xperia SP and Xperia Z Ultra will get Android 4.3, though a concrete timetable hasn't been provided. Furthermore, if you own an Xperia ZR or Tablet Z, then consider yourself lucky, because you'll see Android 4.2 hit your device next month, making the wait for 4.3 that much more bearable. So yes, a Nexus might get its updates quicker, but can it receive them in the bath?
The Weekly Roundup for 05.27.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Sony Xperia Tablet Z review: the company's best Android tablet yet
It wasn't all that long ago that every month offered up yet another Android tablet for review. While Samsung is still producing plenty, the output of Google-powered slabs has generally slowed, replaced by a steady stream of Windows 8 / RT hardware often from the very same manufacturers that were once all about Android. Sony continues to be pretty discriminating with its launches, however: until now it's released only three Google-powered tablets. The first was the Tablet S, followed by the clamshell Tablet P and the Xperia Tablet S, which improved on the original with a thinner build and improved specifications. More Info Sony Xperia Tablet Z announced Sony Xperia Tablet Z preview Sony Xperia Z review Then there's this, the Xperia Tablet Z. It arrives with a completely new design, although it should be familiar to anyone who's already seen Sony's Xperia Z smartphone. It features the same "OmniBalance" look, uniform thickness and straight edges. The display's resolution has been bumped up to 1,920 x 1,200, while the tablet runs Android 4.1.2 on a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro, with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage -- all the while weighing in below 18 ounces (1.13 pounds). Like the Sony Xperia Z smartphone, there's also water and dust protection, which makes it a relatively unique property in the tablet market. But priced at $499 and up against the iPad and the pin-sharp Nexus 10, is there enough here to protect itself against the tablet competition? Join us after the break to find out.%Gallery-189465%
Sony ruthlessly guts an Xperia Tablet Z for your viewing pleasure (video)
It's not unusual to see products helplessly dismantled by the likes of iFixit and the FCC, but on rare occasions, companies sacrifice their own creations for our twisted enjoyment. This particular teardown is one of those instances, as Sony employed the skills of one "badass engineer" to reduce an Xperia Tablet Z to nothing but parts. There isn't much to learn from the accompanying gadget snuff movie aside from the cold speed at which said badass accomplishes the task -- inside the slate is a bundle of known components held together by a mixture of screws, tape and glue. The clip's narrator specifies the Tablet Z will be available sometime in May, but check out the video below if you'd like to get thoroughly acquainted beforehand. And don't worry about the poor unit's fate. Sony is just as adept at putting things back together.
Sony Xperia Tablet Z preview: a thin and light 10-inch Android Jelly Bean tablet
Notice the family resemblance? For Sony's latest Android tablet take, its Xperia Tablet Z, the company's extending the austere, omnibalance design (focus on all around symmetry and reflective surfaces) and waterproof certification of the Xperia Z to a 10.1-inch footprint and higher 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. Which means the unique, highly polarizing magazine-like fold of its predecessor, the Xperia Tablet S, has fallen by the wayside and, according to Sony, it's not likely to ever make a comeback. But a cosmetic evolution isn't all that's propping up the Xperia Tablet Z; its lightly-skinned Jelly Bean OS, quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and 2GB of RAM ensure above average performance for this Sony tab. So how does this Z of another frame fare? Follow on, as we take it for a brief test run. %Gallery-178902%
NTT DoCoMo suggests Sony Xperia Tablet Z in the works, will get early reveal in Japan later this month
Sony had no shortage of devices to show off at CES last week, but there might be more on the way -- before Mobile World Congress has even begun. NTT DoCoMo has let slip that it'll be showing off an "Xperia Tablet Z" alongside the previously announced Xperia Z at a preview event next week. The page in question has already been pulled, and may only be an announcement mishap -- if there was an L in there, we'd reconsider -- however, it's highly likely the phone network knows exactly what's in store from the electronics maker. We've also heard from our sources that Sony's new Exmor RS camera sensor will make its way into a new tablet, although the exact sensor specifications are likely to be different from the 2013 Xperia devices seen at CES. A slightly suspicious spec list has also found its way on to Twitter, suggesting a familiar 10.1-inch form factor and a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, but we're waiting to hear more directly from the Japanese carrier (or perhaps Sony) sometime next week.
