Sony’s S1 and S2 Android tablets.

APRIL 26, 2011 • Sony Electronics will widen the field of tablet computers available this fall with two new units: codenamed S1 and S2. Both devices are slated to be built around Google’s Android operating system. Both tablets will feature 3G and 4G mobile Internet support, as well as WiFi connectivit. The S1 is a 9.4-inch model, while the S2 sports a clamshell design that comes with two 5.5-inch touch screens.

Impact: Rather than mimic the existing tablet form popularized by the iPad, Sony is going a different route with some innovative industrial design of its own. That distinction may be just the ticket to push Android to a higher stature in tablet computing. Sony has a good chance to carve out a respectable bit of market share if consumers take to these new tablets. But as the PlayStation Network hack has shown, working with a less secure platform like Android could also open up its own set of problems.