We’ve presented the Sony Dash desk tablet concept this year and now it’s time to take a look at the final device, that’s shipping right now on Amazon for 199$. As we’ve told you, Sony Dash is a sophisticated alarm clock with a large 7 inch capacitive screen and home screen widgets to stream data from the Internet cloud. Sony Dash ships with some interesting widgets like Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, Blue Octy Radio, Slacker, Pandora, Facebook and Twitter. Many others are available for you to download for the Chumby interface, a flash add-on that runs over Linux.

    Sony sees the Dash as a Personal Internet Viewer, a device you keep near the bed or in the kitchen and use it from time to time when doing other important things. It’s not a replacement for anything, like tablets want to be, but just a mere window into the services you use often, a kind of remote streaming monitor, if you like. Another thing, very important, that distinguishes Dash form ‘regular’ tablets is the fact that it has to be plugged at all times to work. Sony says they’re considering putting an internal battery into the next model, but for now you’re ‘wired’. Also there’s no way you can connect an USB peripheral to help you input text and you can’t stream data from your home computers, just over the Internet.

    Sony Dash looks interesting

    Sony Dash looks interesting

    I believe Sony Dash is an interesting concept, one that could catch up with people if streaming from the home network makes it into the next firmware and if an internal battery is fitted to the device. I don’t care much about writing text on a 7 inch screen (800 x 480 pixels), so the USB port is not a must for me. And for 199$ is a pretty cheap. If you want to know more Engadget reviewed it. If you want to get one you can get one from here.