Sony Xperia Z tablet launches globally

The world's thinnest 10-inch and currently world's most water-and-dust-resistant Android tablet is available to order now for June delivery.

The world's thinnest 10-inch and currently world's most water-and-dust-resistant Android tablet is available to order now for June delivery.

Powered by a quad-core processor, the long-awaited tablet -- it was unveiled in January but its official launch was initially delayed -- boasts 2GB of RAM, a full HD display and a MicroSD slot for internal storage expansion and is NFC and 4G LTE ready for making wireless payments and connecting to hi-speed mobile internet respectively.

Available in white or black, the tablet is the latest product to follow Sony's new more minimal design philosophy. Despite being lightweight (only 495g despite offering a 10.1-inch display) it feels sturdy in the hand and it has a very neat party trick: it can be submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes yet continue working.

Sony claims that the device has broken all in-house records for pre-orders since its existence was announced back at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show in January.

The company has not issued an official region-by-region price list for the product and is instead asking potential owners to log on to their regional Sony store for pricing and availability details. However, expect the 16GB version with wi-fi to retail for around €450 and the 32GB version to cost €550. The 16GB 4G/LTE version's eventual cost will be based on cellular network contracts and subsidies.