Sony launches Dash mini tablet

by Scott Bicheno on 12 January 2010, 02:01

Tags: Sony (NYSE:SNE)

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Stuck in the middle

The mini desktop/tablet/smart domestic remote control seems to be set for a deluge of new entrants this year, as low power processors enable computing in any number of sub-PC form factors.

Sony's contribution is called Dash. It's a seven inch screen that stands up by itself and is connected to the web via Wi-Fi (only b and g).  Sony is calling it a ‘personal application viewer' due to the fact that it offers free access to over 1,000 free Internet apps made by chumby. There's also content from Sony's Bravia Internet video platform, Pandora Internet radio and a NAVTEQ app for route planning.

Sony hasn't specified who makes the processor, but its probably an ARM based one as it clocks at 500 MHz. It has a WVGA touchscreen with 800x480 resolution, gesture support and an accelerometer to automatically realign the screen.

It's still not clear where the demand is for these devices that are neither mini PCs or handheld devices. Sony expects to be launching the Dash in the US in April for around $200, so it's almost in impulse purchase territory, but for the price of two of them you can get a full-blown mini PC or a smartphone.

 

 

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HEXUS Forums :: 8 Comments

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its probably an ARM based one as it clocks at 500 GHz

Woo…go ARM! ;)

Seriously, I agree I don't think there are a market for these. Anyone who would impulse buy this sort of thing is probably a serious gadget freak who already has a similarly spec'd smartphone.
I can see one place it would be very useful, assuming it has a HTML / CSS web browser: kitchen PC. I can see a lot of call for a device that would play music and video, tell you the time, *and* let you search the internet for a recipe to use up your leftovers :D I use recipes from the internet all the time, and have considered building a touchscreen kitchen PC several times: if this could provide all the functionality I'd want for significantly less than £200, than I'd say it's a great idea…
What's with the mahooooosive image on the hompage? Trying to show it full size to us readers were you?
scaryjim
I can see one place it would be very useful, assuming it has a HTML / CSS web browser: kitchen PC. I can see a lot of call for a device that would play music and video, tell you the time, *and* let you search the internet for a recipe to use up your leftovers :D I use recipes from the internet all the time, and have considered building a touchscreen kitchen PC several times: if this could provide all the functionality I'd want for significantly less than £200, than I'd say it's a great idea…
800x480 resolution, wouldn't work well for reading recipes off websites.
Also 7" screen is a bit too small for that, getting close thoe.

Again I don't see much market for it ether, net book for more power or smart phone for more function.
Anyone else reminded of O2's joggler?