Sony will release on September 7 the new "Xperia Tablet S" tablet in the U.S., as the company pursues Android rival Samsung and possibly Apple.

The 16GB version will sell for $399 - the same price charged by Samsung for its equivalent model with the same screen resolution. Apple's 16GB iPad 2 also retails for the same price, with its latest high resolution model starting at $100 more. The Sony Xperia will also compete for consumer attention against cheaper tablets, including Amazon's $199 Kindle Fire, Google's Nexus 7 and Barnes & Nobles' Nook Tablet, all selling for $199.

The tablet runs on Google's t Android 4.0 OS. It combines splash proof body with high quality sound and a thinner design than its predecessor. It also offers a new app called 'Socialife' which enables users to enjoy SNS and news feeds in one viewer with a magazine-like layout.

Featuring a 9.4 inch screen, the Xperia is the second tablet from Sony, which released its first models in April last year. It is running a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor and Android 4.0.3 platform.



The device also includes a full-sized SD card slot for expanded storage and HDMI connectivity with optional HDMI adapter cable.

Preloaded onto the device are the Sony Entertainment Network Services, giving users access to their favorite songs, movies and TV shows with a single sign on.

Xperia Tablet S key features:

- Slim new aluminium body and splash-proof design
- 9.4" HD display with OptiContrast Panel with low-friction coating
- NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor and Android 4.0.3 operating system
- Various experiences with original applications and Sony's network services