At the beginning of September, during 2014's IFA event in Berlin, Sony unveiled the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact – a long-awaited addition to the Xperia Z tablet range. The Nexus 7 is much older than the Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact after launching in summer 2013 but still reigns our tablet chart. Here, we put the new 8in Sony tablet head-to-head with the year-old second-generation Nexus 7 in our Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact vs Nexus 7 comparison review. See also:The best tablets of 2014
Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact vs Nexus 7 comparison review: Price & availability
Sony has revealed that the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet will be launching this autumn with a price tag of £329. That's more expensive than the Nexus 7, which you'll find for under £200 if you shop around. Plus, the Nexus 7 is available now so if you want to go out and buy yourself a new 7in tablet tomorrow the Nexus 7 is the one you'll want.
Sony Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet Android 4.4.4 KitKat Update Certified: Going to release soon
Sony has focused to keep the promise to its Xperia Z2 users as the update firmware of Android 4.4.4 OTA (Over the Air) is coming soon. The company has not indicated any particular date about the latest firmware release but it might hit the notification bar of the devices very soon.
It is rumored that the new update will be ready to dispatch and available to install from somewhere between November. Question has risen in the conscious user's mind why they are being neglected as the old model phones from Sony have received the update already. However, Sony has responded to the issue by bringing the flashlight on the latest firmware update.
The latest operating system update has been certified already. The devices that have passed the certification are the Sony Xperia Z2 D6502, Xperia Z2 Tablet SGP521, the Xperia Z2 D6503, the Xperia Z2 L50w and the Xperia Z2 Tablet SGP541. New features are expected to come along with the updates. The certification process has gone through the PTCRB organization where the Android version 4.4.4 KitKat firmware carries the 23.0.1.a.0.167 build version. The build version has passed the certification process of three variants of Xperia Z2 and two variants of Xperia Z2 Tablet.
The new update will bring several new features like Android Runtime and Project Volta. Let's have a look what changes might occur with the new firmware settings.
The Google security will get an update. Improvement will also come with Google voice, Contacts list, music streaming pattern and Google+ application. Camera features will get updates for a better shooting experience. The power management system will also have additional updates with better background apps maintenance. So the battery performance is expected to get better.
Sony Mobile will bring updates for the bugs of the previous version and general features like Calendar, MMS, Wi-Fi, multimedia apps will be updated. To manually check the update user will be able to use the Update Center app. For Windows users there is provision for using Sony PC Companion and For Mac users Sony Bridge software will allow running the latest Android 4.4.4KitKat update.
Google's next Nexus tablet could be on the way soon.
Google may soon be expanding its Nexus family of mobile devices.
Preorders for the rumored HTC-built Nexus 9 tablet may start Wednesday, with broader sales beginning November 3, according to tech news blog Bright Side of News. The report, which cited anonymous sources, also said the Nexus 9 will sell for $399 and include Nvidia's Tegra K1 chip.
Separately, Taiwan-based news channel Focus Taiwan on Wednesday reported that HTC executive Jack Tong told a press briefing in New York that the Nexus 9 is expected to go on sale in Taiwan by the end of the year. While other tech-news sites have picked up this report directly from Focus Taiwan, it appears no other news organization published a similar report as an original source.
HTC spokesman Jeff Gordon said Friday the Focus Taiwan story is "incorrect," adding that Tong said HTC is committed to returning to the tablet market after a years-long absence but "never stated a product name or any other details."
"We believe the original journalist is conjecturing based on rumors floating around the Internet, and HTC doesn't comment on rumors or speculation," Gordon said, referring to the Bright Side of News report, as well.
Rumors have been swirling for months that Google and HTC, a Taiwan-based handset maker, are collaborating on a new Nexus tablet. For Google, the Nexus 9 rumors come at the same time as reports that the Internet-search giant is working on a new large-screen smartphone, as well.
Apple has announced that it will host an event Thursday, with the tech giant expected to unveil newiPad tablets and Mac computers, which would seemingly rule out a major, competing product event that same day.
For HTC, the Nexus 9 would be another bright spot for a company that has significantly slimmed down its product portfolio, with much of its hope riding on a few mass-market smartphones and its flagshipHTC One M8 phone. The company previously attempted to build a tablet, the Android-powered HTC Flyer, but failed to make a mark with consumers.
If HTC does have a big announcement next week it will prove to be a busy month for the handset maker. The company earlier this week unveiled the Desire Eye smartphone and Re handheld camera, continuing its focus on camera performance and features.
A Google representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
NEW YORK — One is never enough. Or two. Which is why Lenovo just unveiled three new tablets.
The Chinese electronics giant on Thursday unveiled its latest trifecta of tablet technology, in the form of the premium Yoga Tablet 2 Pro, and also the Yoga Tablet 2, which can run either Windows or Android.
The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro comes with a 13-inch form-factor QHD display, with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. The tablet comes with an Intel Atom processor and the Android operating system as standard. It also includes a kickstand to prop up the tablet in display mode.
The high-end tablet includes an 8-megapixel rear camera and 32GB internal storage, which can be expanded to 64GB with a microSD card. It also lasts for 15 hours on battery life, depending on whether you have the 4G model or not.
But what sets this apart is the embedded pico-processor that can project an image of up to 50-inches in size.
The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro will be available at Lenovo's online store in October, starting at $499.
But Lenovo didn't stop there.
Lenovo also dished the details on its next creation: a tablet you can have with either Windows or Android, depending on your requirements.
The Yoga Tablet 2 lands in two sizes, an 8-inch display model and a 10-inch display model. The company said the two tablets, which are nearly identical, land with Intel Atom processors, 2GB of memory, and 16GB in internal storage (up to 64GB with a microSD card).
Actor Ashton Kutcher is said to have been involved in the Yoga development process. (Image: Lenovo)
Also included is one micro-USB port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Each device comes with an 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus, and a 1.6-megapixel high-definition front camera for video calls. Users can expect up to 18 hours of battery power on a single charge.
The only major difference is the operating system.
The Windows version has twice the storage at 32GB, and ships with a free one-year subscription to Office 365. Also, the 10-inch Windows model includes a Bluetooth keyboard cover.
Lenovo's Yoga Tablet 2 running Android comes in at $249 for the 8-inch model, and $299 for the 10-inch model.
The Windows-based model is slightly pricier at $299 and $399 for the respectively sized models.
