Tablet S and Surface sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G...

[Mitlov]

What do you get when you take a Tablet S, make it thinner, aluminum, water-resistant, double the battery life, and add a Microsoft Surface-style keyboard cover?

The Sony Xperia Tablet.

Sony Xperia Tablet leaks: a Surface-style Android tablet for $449.99 | The Verge

For those who want an Android tablet as opposed to iOS or Windows RT, this looks pretty awesome.

[LandSurveyor]

It seems to be quite a premium item. I like the keyboard but would probably opt for a small laptop instead.

[Varjak]

I like the tablet; but I'm not sold on these keyboard/covers. Probably not much better than a virtual keyboard in feel (but I could be wrong, I'm just guessing, with little key travel). A docking solution like the Transformer would be preferable for me.

[LandSurveyor]

I agree that there's nothing better than a real keyboard but even chicklet keys would at least be tactile and let you know if your hands are on the home row.

[Mitlov]

I agree that there's nothing better than a real keyboard but even chicklet keys would at least be tactile and let you know if your hands are on the home row.

Microsoft offers that with the TypeCover (the other cover for the Surface besides the more-talked-about TouchCover). Physical chicklet keys, albeit with not much travel.

I personally think the advantages of a touch-cover keyboard over an on-screen keyboard are (1) not hiding half the screen while you're typing, and (2) not having what you're looking at having to be in the same plane as what you're typing on.

[chimeraX]

Touch cover keyboard is a good replacement for on-screen keyboard but not for real keyboard. I prefer real keyboard because I can feel the pressure when I touch the keys and it will be easy to type faster especially for me as I don't look at the keyboard while typing. It will take a long time for someone like me to adapt to touch cover keyboard. I have found on-screen keyboard useful on PC when my keyboard is not working. Gamers prefer real keyboards and I don’t think touch cover keyboard will give an advantage while playing computer games. Type cover keyboard is also good but it feels soft and I can’t recognize the wrong touch of a button while typing like in real keyboards.

[Mitlov]

Touch cover keyboard is a good replacement for on-screen keyboard but not for real keyboard. I prefer real keyboard because I can feel the pressure when I touch the keys and it will be easy to type faster especially for me as I don't look at the keyboard while typing. It will take a long time for someone like me to adapt to touch cover keyboard. I have found on-screen keyboard useful on PC when my keyboard is not working. Gamers prefer real keyboards and I don’t think touch cover keyboard will give an advantage while playing computer games. Type cover keyboard is also good but it feels soft and I can’t recognize the wrong touch of a button while typing like in real keyboards.

I don't anticipate anyone playing PC games with either a Microsoft Surface or an Xperia Tablet's touch cover...at least not games of the Crysis variety instead of the Angry Birds variety.

I thought Microsoft's plan of offering two keyboard-covers (one touch-based, one with low-travel physical chicklet keys) is a really smart one. Covers most of the market. I wonder if Sony will end up doing the same, or will just offer the touch keyboard.

[chimeraX]

But I like to play Crysis or Prince of Persia type games on PC.