Sony unveils S1 and S2 Android tablets

Sony has entered the burgeoning tablet market with the S1 and S2, two Android Honeycomb devices that will go on sale in the autumn.

The S1, pictured above on the left, has a 9.4-inch screen and what Sony referred to in a statement as an "off-centre of gravity" design, which aims to offer an easy grip. The S2, to the right, is a foldable device with two 5.5-inch displays that make it possible to do things such as having email on one screen and a soft keyboard on the other.

Honeycomb is the name for Android 3.0, the first version of Google's mobile operating system to be optimised for tablets. Both 'S1' and 'S2' are codenames, and Sony has not yet said what the final naming for the devices will entail, nor what they will cost or precisely when they will go on sale.

Sony's infrared-equipped S1 tablet can be used as a remote control for devices such as Sony's Bravia TV sets.

It also includes DLNA functionality, for the wireless transmission of content to TV screens or audio systems.

Sony's new tablets include the company's Qriocity music and video services, along with the PlayStation Suite.

The suite allows some first-generation PlayStation games to be played on selected Sony Android devices, the first of which was the Xperia Play handset.

Sony will also be pre-installing its Reader e-book store on the tablets.