Sony tablet queries from interested buyer

[gino_76ph]

Hi there!

I plan to buy a Sony Tablet and so far i am impressed by it...the features, specs, looks, etc.

But i have a technical qustion as regards wifi and connecting to another device.

My Nokia E5 phone uses a premium paid app that makes my phone as a wireless hotspot. basing on that description/circumstance i believe that makes my wifi as an "adhoc" one. am i right?

Now, i rung Sony (UK) this afternoon and i was told the tablet can connect to both adhoc and fixed one. but it didn't saw my E5. (the tablet was in-store in a high-street Currys branch when i tried it)

is there something wrong in here?

its either  something is wrong with my E5 and the app (which i doubt because i tried it with an ipad 2 and it did found my phone) or Android Honeycomb (or the Sony tablet itself) isn't designed to connect to adhoc.

please advice and enlighten me...

Thanks.

[Watashiwateshdes]

Hi

Welcome to the Sony forum.

I tried this out using a HTC Wildfire and a Samsung Galaxy running their built in wifi hotspot facility and both worked well so I am not sure how the app on the E5 differs unless it only supports certain devices (which I do not think that to be the case).

On the phones I used, there is a limit on how many devices which can be connected at one time so possibly some settings on your app itself? The fact it does work with an iPad 2 does show its running fine. To eliminate other possibilities, I would maybe visit a shop which has other Honeycomb based tablets around for you to try and see what happens.

I cannot see the store having a pre-sales model which may not have the full capability as a final realse model but that could have been the case also.

[gino_76ph]

When i went to the Currys Digital shop it found the iPad 2, Playbook, Tab 7", Tab 10.1", Acer Iconia, Acer Transformer, Advent Vega, Motorola Xoom and the Sony Tablet.

You are right that the fact the iPad 2 can "see" my Nokia E5 that means 1. the iPad 2's software is of the latest one and 2. my Joukuspot app is working perfectly.

i have tried ALL of the Honeycomb tablets (amongst the ones i mentioned above) and they can NOT see my E5 which leads me to my question...why?

Is my app acting as an adhoc? does Honeycomb tablets (inlcuding the Sony's) generally can connect to an adhoc wifi, a fixed wifi and one from a 2.3 phone that acts (on its own without the use of an app) as a wifi hotspot?

those are the questions i would like to establish and find answers.....

[--steve--]

I just tried connecting my tablet to my three mifi dongle and it worked fine. I have updated my tablet to version 3.2 of honeycomb which perhaps comet have not done, although I doubt this would be the reason.

were other wifi connections available to select - it wasnt just a simple case that the device was in flight mode or the wifi was switched off?

you may also be able to tether via bluetooth to the tablet, im new to android though, so not 100% sure how this would work, just food for thought really.

Steve

[gino_76ph]

I have decided NOT to buy the Sony tablet this time. for now. my reasons:

as shallow/petty as it sounds

1. not enough accesories available yet on the market (for obvious reasons) like screen protectors and cases (or if yes then they would still be very expensive)

2. the person in Sony Customer Services isn't giving me a definitive answer wether the tablet can connect to adhoc or to a phone acting as a wifi hotspot on its own.

and

3. cheaper alternatives that can be as good as a Honeycomb tab (like the HTC Flyer) and yet do roughly the same job

what say you Sony?

any comments?