Sony’s water-proof Xperia Z2 tablet launches for $500

After years of extensive testing, I have determined the perfect screen size for watching YouTube videos in bed. It’s just over 5 inches. Anything larger and you have to hold the device too far from that ideal chest-perching point, anything smaller and you might as well not bother. Obligingly, Sony has released a new phone designed specifically for my needs. The Xperia Z2 has a 5.2-inch screen, a fast processor, a long-lasting battery, and front-facing stereo speakers. That is, of course, hardly unique in the highly specced world of Android smartphones, and Sony itself will sell you a 10-inch version with the Z2 Tablet — should your screen-size needs be bigger than mine. So why should I make the Z2 my new go-to device for kicking back with Dota 2 VODs? And can a 10-inch Android tablet finally match the usability of smaller devices? The challenge that Sony is tackling with its new products is twofold: it wants to close one gap, that between smartphone and tablet, while opening up another, between its own hardware and the plethora of alternatives you can buy today.