Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 Is the First to Bundle the New MHL 3.0 Standard

You might have keeping tabs on the developments at MWC 2014 last week, so you probably know Sony launched its next flagship tablet, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2, at the event.

But there’s an interesting detail that has been kept away from the spotlight. The Sony tablet is one of the first devices (along with Sony’s flagship Xperia Z2) to feature MHL 3.0 technology. For those who aren't familiar with what MHL 3.0 is, this is the newest standard which allows native 4K video output through a single cable, as well as the possibility to charge the device at the same time (up to 10W). Getting content from our smartphones or tablets can currently be done in a variety of ways. For example, most mobile devices currently have a physical HDMI output. There’s also the possibility of doing things wirelessly, though Miracast technology or a third-party accessory like Chromecast. But there’s certainly a lot of smartphones that use MHL technology to connect to the television sets. Now, the latest MHL 3.0 has made it into Sony’s latest flagship tablet model.

A highlight of the new standard is increased data bandwidth, a functionality that allows the coexistance of 4K video and high-speed peripheral support for mass storage and input devices, including touch screen, keyboard or mouse. MHL 3.0 is all about 4K, being able to display video with a resolution of 3840 x 2160, while MHL 2.0 only supported full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels). The new standard also brings support for new multi-channel audio formats plus the ability to stream content to multiple screens. The newest MHL 3.0 standard might be an extra bonus, for those thinking of picking up the Xperia Z2 Tablet. Sony markets the tablet as being the “world’s slimmest and lightest waterproof tablet,” which could in fact be true judging by is dimensions. The slate is only 6.9mm / 0.27 inches thick and weighs 426 g / 439 g – 0.93 / 0.96 lbs depending on whether we’re talking about the Wi-Fi or 3G/LTE model.

The new Xperia Z2 Tablet has a 10.1-inch screen with a 1920 x 1080 Triluminos display bundling Sony’s new Live color LED tech. This new system blends red and green phosphor with blue LEDs in order to produce a bright, uniform light. A 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor lies under the bonnet, combined with a hefty 3GB of RAM. All of the above sound like pretty good reasons to be picking up the new Sony slate and the addition of the new MHL 3.0 standard will only make it more attractive.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is among the first to support MHL 3.0
Image credits to BusinessInsider

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