Sony makes a splash with waterproof Xperia Tablet Z

San Francisco: Once on the cutting edge of consumer electronics, Sony lost its mojo years ago. But every so often, it still comes up with something that reminds you of what it was, and maybe could be again.

Meet the new Xperia Tablet Z, the sleekest Android tablet ever. It’s ultra-thin, ultra-light, and it’s even waterproof.

Yes, waterproof. I left my test unit under a running faucet, dunked it in the sink and even watched a video in the shower. (Drawbacks: It was a little hard to hear the audio, and the touch screen sometimes interpreted splashes as finger swipes.) It came through with flying colors.

Now, the Xperia Z isn’t actually intended for underwater use, and neglecting to secure the tiny doors covering the power and memory-card ports could easily turn your expensive electronic bauble into a soggy, useless mess. (Sony takes pains to describe the Xperia only as “water-resistant.”) Still, it’s reassuring to know it will stand up to the occasional kitchen splash or spilled drink with no ill effects.