Sony sets price and release date for Tablet S
Sony tablet to launch in September with $499 and $599 models, Tablet P to follow in November
Sony has released pricing and launch information for its tablet device.
The Sony Tablet S will be released in the US in September, with prices starting at $499 - the same price-point as the iPad.
The Android 3.0-powered device was first revealed in February. It has a 9.4 inch touchscreen and an NVIDIA Tegra 2 graphics chip, and supports both Wi-Fi and 3G connections.
The form factor is a significant departure from the iPad: the device is wedge-shaped, tapering from left to right, to provide a more comfortable grip in portrait, and a natural tilt in landscape.
The unique design should also let Sony side-step the legal complications faced by Samsung's Galaxy tablet, which is currently locked in patent disputes in several countries over similarities to the iPad.
The Tablet S will be able to download and play games from the PlayStation library. It will also feature custom designed features for better gameplay, like the ability to choose the size and placement of on-screen controls.
"We want to prove it's not who makes it first that counts, but who makes it better," said Sony president Howard Stringer at the IFA conference in Berlin.
No pricing information was released for the smaller Sony Tablet P - which has two 5.5 inch touchscreens joined by a central hinge - but a November release date was confirmed.
Two models of the Tablet S will be available at launch: the $499 model will come with 16GB of memory, and a 32GB model will be priced at $599.