Why do Sony do this? - Sony Tablet S

I have a house full of Sony products, I like the brand and build quality very much, but, with the Sony tablet, I cannot undersatnd why, they choose a 'special' impossibe to obtain plug, also, a charging voltage of 10.2v!
The internal battery inside the tablet is a standard 5v type, as are the workings I believe, so, it would very possible for them, to allow charging via micro USB at a standard +5v, as a lot of other tablets do.
The charger is £29+ to buy, nothing special, if I could get the plug, I'd knock one up for couple of £.
I also have a high end Sony 3D televison, that has facility for internet via USB, but, you can't use a standard USB wireless dongle unit, it has to be Sony, as they installed some data in the USB stick to stop you using cheaper USB dongles..... why?
Further, my Sony MP3 player NWZX1060, will not accept charge via any other, but Sony 5v power supply, the Sony ones are of course 5 times the price!
Don't get me wrong, I love Sony gear, but, feel slightly annoyed the way they do things, even more so with the Sony Tablet.
Anyone else with simialr feelings?

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Horse Trader said:
I cannot undersatnd why, they choose a 'special' impossibe to obtain plug, also, a charging voltage of 10.2v!
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I agree that Sony's plug selection was ludicrous; however, because most USB ports on computers and chargers cannot supply the 2.9 ampere charging current that the tablet requires, I believe Sony purposely selected to use a non-standard connector to help prevent their customers from damaging their computers, etc. And Sony using 10.5 VDC instead of 5 VDC decreases charging time (similar to the difference between quick-charge and trickle-charge of an automobile battery charger).

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I understand exactly what your saying, but, surly for sheer convenience, Sony could has incorparated a slow(er) charging facility from standard 5v supply, using computer USB or different lower current charger, most other portable devices allow this.
I love Sony stuff, but, they always seem to do things differently, nothing wrong with that of course, until it cost your more, sometimes unnessacery money! ..... maybe!

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Horse Trader said:
I also have a high end Sony 3D televison, that has facility for internet via USB, but, you can't use a standard USB wireless dongle unit, it has to be Sony, as they installed some data in the USB stick to stop you using cheaper USB dongles..... why?
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You know, I've heard this a lot, but I bought some nameless brand USB adapter plug on Amazon and it works just fine. Maybe I got lucky.
As for the power adapter, I always assumed it was a special port to accommodate their cradle and keep other tablets from taking advantage of it. Seeing as I don't care about the cradle and would love to charge this thing in a car, it's still awfully inconvenient.

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hogaburger said:
I bought some nameless brand USB adapter plug on Amazon and it works just fine.
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Please provide a link to the adapter you bought. Thanks.

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Horse Trader said:
Further, my Sony MP3 player NWZX1060, will not accept charge via any other, but Sony 5v power supply, the Sony ones are of course 5 times the price!
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I've not had any problems charging my NWZX1061 with my PC, USB hub, or Sony Ericsson EP800.

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Horse Trader said:
Further, my Sony MP3 player NWZX1060, will not accept charge via any other, but Sony 5v power supply, the Sony ones are of course 5 times the price!
?
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Sorry, but this is wrong! You shouldn't buy the cheapest China Crap charger but your x1060 works with non Sony chargers, too. I had a x1060 and it cod be charged through my Usb-chargers from Palm, Belkin, Blackberry etc. without problems!
On the rest you are right... but most companies do this!
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2

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Cat McGowan said:
I agree that Sony's plug selection was ludicrous; however, because most USB ports on computers and chargers cannot supply the 2.9 ampere charging current that the tablet requires, I believe Sony purposely selected to use a non-standard connector to help prevent their customers from damaging their computers, etc. And Sony using 10.5 VDC instead of 5 VDC decreases charging time (similar to the difference between quick-charge and trickle-charge of an automobile battery charger).
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Rapid charge thru higher amps lessens way battery life way faster and Sony know that but people want faster charging times
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using Tapatalk 2

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Cat McGowan said:
Please provide a link to the adapter you bought. Thanks.
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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0027YYMU6/
So far I've connected a keyboard, mouse, logitech usb gaming controller, and synced my PS3 controller with this adapter. I'm on stock ICS.
Sorry for the late reply. Just got a new phone and haven't made it back around to this part of the forums yet

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Feel like Ive been treated as a crash test dummy.
Wish I'de never bought this tablet, the main reason is the charging problem, I spend most of my life on the road with no respite until I get home in the evening and no access to the 240v needed for charging, with the occasional foray into work related periods during which time my tablet is important, so many times have i had to rely on paper and pencil until I got home because the tablet was dead, which defeats the whole idea of mobility.
And dont tell me about the tablet needs a certain amperage or voltage or charging time etc., other tablets manage without the stupid tethering to a socket and as for the ics fiasco for Uk users, what can I say.
As a product I like it, but its a bog standard operating system nothing to set it aside from the rest except its design, but the cons far outway the pros for me.
Mind you sony are not alone in there disregard for their user base, I started with HP ipaqs, until HP decide in there wisdom to stop supporting them, then there was the Dell streak episode (painful) Im still paying for a phone contract for a phone that I cant get repaired because the parts are no longer available, had about a years use out of it befor it broke, not good for a £400 + phone.
Im of an age that expects more out of my purchases than the shoddy service we get served up with by manufacturers that treat us with destain and use us as a beta testing ground with impunity when things go wrong.
Sorry about the rant, must have got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning, still its a thumbs down from me.

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Expectations and Reality
henly said:
Wish I'de never bought this tablet, the main reason is the charging problem.
And dont tell me about the tablet needs a certain amperage or voltage or charging time etc., other tablets manage without the stupid tethering
As a product I like it, but its a bog standard operating system nothing to set it aside from the rest except its design, but the cons far outway the pros for me.
Mind you sony are not alone in there disregard for their user base.
Im of an age that expects more out of my purchases than the shoddy service... and use as a beta testing ground
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I disagree with you here (respectfully, of course).
Battery:
Although other tablets can be charged off USB, they have sacrifices as well. Tablets chargable by USB will be much slower to charge and (theoretically) have shorter long-term lifespans. Sony decided that the 240v-only charing was a worthy tradeoff for the quick charging time and long battery lifespan.
Software:
This software is actually quite distinct from most other HC/ICS tablets. It is thankfully spared from the mess that is TouchWiz UX, and instead gets useful additions like Small Apps, the Favourites launcher, the three-icon dock, and heavily customised and highly versatile stock app inclusions. Although I like Acer's wheel launcher, the Sony is the best all-round software package I've seen from an Android tablet since my original Galaxy Tab.
Support lifespan:
I feel for you on this one as a previous owner of an original Galaxy Tab, the disregard for older devices is disheartening, but is to be expected in any dynamically developing field such as Android Tablets. It is simply not economical for companies to maintain full support for product lines that have been superseded, are getting old or simply don't have the users. It doesn't make business sense. In their defense, Sony support have been fantastic in my limited experience.
"Beta" nature:
It's unfortunately the nature of cutting-edge products that there will be unexpected quirks, but you should factor this into the buying decision. Long-established lines like Samsung's Galaxy Tab's are an obvious example of better-known, and more refined tablets. As an iPaq owner, you should remember that the original ipaq's were very quirky, buggy and generally lacking in refinement at the expense of their great functionality. The same is to be expected of this product, which you must remember is Sony's first foray into the Android Tablet market.
Anyway, sorry for the even longer rant, but I simply love my Tablet S and find that many users are maintaining some unreasonable expectations for this product and generally not thinking before they're buying in some cases.

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I agree with most of what you've said, but as a comsumer with no loyalty or affiliations to any one product I simply want what is best for me, and you know as well as I, that when you buy a product such as this, it is mainly bare bones for a while until the industry gets it act together and things like car chargers etc come along, and that is what I expected, I did'nt realise until much later that you couldnt charge through the usb port in fact there are still items being sold on ebay under the term Tablet S charger which appear to be just a standard usb lead.
I originally bought a Ipod 1, which I returned to the store because the salesman assured me that it would play flash vids which in fact it would not, (some problem with Adobe apparently, fixed now I believe in Ipod 2.) and the Tablet S was the next thing to be recomended and with the dearth of info on the net at that time, I didnt have much option.
As for software, the first thing most of us here on this forum do is to root, then rip out all the stock apps and Bloatware and replace with different UIs etc.
Support seems to be shoddy in the extreme (and I dont nesseccarily mean Sony here), but most like you (respectivly) seem to accept it, personaly I hate it, but I seem to be in the minortity, I would dearly love to go round to some of these companies with pitchforks and burning firebrands (joke, in case anyone takes me seriously), would you accept the same thing if it were a car you were buying or a house, just because a thing is only current today doesnt mean it should not be fit for purpose, it should have a life span of more than two weeks.
Economically viable, Ha, have a look at Sony share prices or any of the market leaders come to that.
I simply dont factor in quirks or anomallies into my buying decisions because I as a paying full price consumer, expect things to be fit for purpose, and, i reiterate, with a resonable life span, how can it be right that something you pay good money for be entirely unusable in the space of a few months.
Thats all I'll say on the matter, please dont regard this as a flame because it isnt meant as such, and im sure I must be breaking some forum rules ranting on, my appoligies if thats so.

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I can see what you're saying.
This is not specifically about you, more other users, is that everyone needs to remember to research before buying a product. In your case, a quick Google Search would reveal that no iOS products are capable of playing Flash content and never have been. WP7 is the same while Android can play it after installation. The same goes for the Tablet S in that anyone who posts about no hardware video out, a lack of custom ROM support, or simply the smaller screen size has obviously not done much research about what they're buying. Different devices have been designed for different purposes, and people are expected therefore to buy the right tool for the job.
As for Sony themselves, remember that this is their very first Android tablet and is a very small part of their business. Their tablet division, which hasn't sold amazing numbers, would be being helped along in terms of share price and revenue by Sony's other businesses including the highly successful BluRay, DLNA licensing, PlayStation, XPeria, Walkman, Sony Pictures, Sony Music BMG, CyberShot, and BRAVIA units. Compared to those, the Tablet S is a minor blip in the radar.
Although to me your expectations seem high, and references to two-week lifespans seem odd, thats obviously your opinion and you're entitled to it. Just trying to give any readers a clear picture of what to expect.

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.... Some very interesting replies in this thread, most, of which I agree with.
Sony, is now a massive company, huge, so, surly, theR & D departments would have given an indication of what people actually wanted in a tablet?
Another thing about Sony is, they seem to lock their (modofied Android) firmware down, such as the Sony Xperia S I bought a couple of months ago, this I discoverd some time later, has a locked bootloader, so, I can't put another (better?) firmware, I think it's simlar to the Sony S tablet?
Some people will say, it's to stop you messing and spoilng things?? if a person wants to change firmware etc., surly it's up to them, if they mess up, it's their fault, and, if neccessary, should pay to have it rectified (by Sony?)
I love Sony stuff, I have a house full of it, but, when you want to expand, use non Sony gear with it, change or, deviate from the norm, there is usually always a problem.
Is this all in Sony's interest to generate even more cash ......... I wonder?
Just my thoughts.

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Although cash is a bit of the process, its more to do with Sony's hardware and software philosophy. All of Sony's devices from the Xperia's to the Tablet's to the PlayStations rely on Sony's design which uses locked down software models to ensure that the device works as Sony designed it. They basically believe that a tradeoff in user customisation is worth the more polished experience. This does unfortunately mean that early products in a line (think early Ericsson-partnered Xperia's and the Tablet S) sometimes mess up the balance a little.
Sony, as a brand, often invests in its own proprietary formats, software and designs, and therefore tends to lock them down more than their more open brethren at other brands like Asus.
I agree with you about their R&D and I find it odd that in some respects they nailed it (I love that glorious curved design), but in other respects buggered it (battery,software tweaks). Meh, who knows??

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imho opinion the S is the best non-ipad tablet out there. If you think Sony lock the system down and control how you use the device you haven't experienced Apple products.
I'm happy with the S. The remote control, native DNLA and Flash support are the 3 things that sold it to me. Now upgraded to ICS It's not rooted and I can;t see a need to root it.
sure I;d like a better screen and a faster machine but who wouldn't.

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Hi ...
I echo what you, and the previous 'senior member' said, I too have no reason to root the Sony Tablet S, yes, it's a lovely machine, that's why I bought it, mine was the same price as the iPAd, but, I choose Sony, as, I'm sure lots of other people did too.
My gripe was directed at the Sony Xperia S mobile too, that firmware is locked down firmly too, and, being a fully qualifed electronics engineer, I cannot understand, why, the Sony S tablet, has a UK charger of 10.2v at 2.9A.
It would have been a great help, if a slow (emergency?) charge facility was available via the micro USB socket at 5 volts, although, your limited to 500mA on USB 2... more people now have USB3 which allows much higher charging current, so, in my opinon it's very possible.
Or, maybe 2 x USB leads, as on the Sony portable CD reader/writer, that uses 2 x USB plugs to deliver the extra current required.
The internal battery inside the Sony S tablet is actually 5 volts, so, it seems quite possible in theory, to allow a lower current charge at 5 volts, although will take a lot longer to charge up fully of course, maybe up to 10 times as long? ... B U T , it might just get some people out of a mess?
Also, the wierd plug Sony use for the Tablet DC power supply charger, if I could get a plug itself, I could build my own car charger, an easy task.... a 'standard' DC socket arrangement, would have been better, some tablets use this type already, they could even incorparate that into the dedicated Sony Cradle.
Just my opinion, Sony do things in strange ways ........
What does anyone else think?

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I totally agree that Sony does some strange stuff sometimes.
Still love the innovation that Sony brings to their products.

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Sony has a long history of doing things that make their consumers feel like they have gotten the finger. The company spent more see development time on the PSP blocking hacks rather than adding the features those hacks were being used to create. The same energy initially went into their music sales; anyone else remember the rootkits that came with their disks at one time? All of the proprietary things mentioned above fall into this category too.
That said, this tablet is yet another in a long line of successful products in terms of usability, ingenuity, and quality from the company. I have rooted, but for the most part Sony's product works well on its own. I'm overjoyed with the USB conversion dongle, and the tablet is nice to hold.
It's unfortunate that the company has so many low lights in its dealings with customers, but it's not like we should be surprised. Personally, i bought this tablet when i saw this board and knew that it would be another Sony product with side development for the dumb bugs. Now if i could just get plants vs zombies to work...
--Databoy2k