The Sony Xperia Z Tablet is finally available for pre-order in the United States, though the release date is a month away; devices begin shipping May 24.
The Xperia Tablet Z is an impressive piece of technology, more rugged than its thin profile and glass enclosure indicate, but it's not cheap. The 16GB version comes in at $499.99 and the 32GB version costs $599.99, though the pre-orders of the latter model also get a docking cradle and free shipping.
The 16GB Xperia Tablet Z comes in black, while those who spring for the 32GB model can also choose a white casing. Neither version has an SD card slot, so choose your storage wisely. Both models are Wi-Fi only, and there's no word yet on when the 4G LTE-enabled version of the Xperia Tablet Z will be available. Judging from U.K. stores, though, it will only come with 16GB of storage and will cost about $100 more than the 32GB Wi-Fi version.
Perhaps the most famous feature of the Xperia Z line is the waterproof enclosure. While touchscreens can't yet be used underwater, the tablet can be used in the bath without risk of damage or shock, and it's much less dangerous to bring into the kitchen to check a recipe of continue a Skype call.
The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is one of the world's thinnest and lightest Android tablets, weighing just 1.09 pounds and measuring just over a quarter inch thick. It features a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, a 10-inch 1900x1200 display, an 8-megapixel camera and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, though Sony has promised a quick upgrade to 4.2. It is waterproof down to a meter in depth for up to half an hour.
Check back for the latest information on the Xperia Z tablet as it becomes available.