Sony Tap 20 Oversized Home Tablet Hands-On

Is 20-inches too much for you? Sony thinks every home doesn't just need a coffee table tablet, but a tablet scaled more like a coffee table: the Tap 20 takes Windows 8 and touch to all-in-one PC levels. In fact, the 20-inch device sits somewhere in-between AIO and tablet, offering 10-finger multitouch control of Microsoft's new OS for something targeted at browsing, casual gaming and multimedia.

Up front is a 1600 x 900 display, short of Full HD but still good enough to do duty for video playback in your kitchen or den. You needn't settle on just one location, either; Sony has equipped the Tap 20 with a rudimentary battery, enough to keep it powered up while you move from room to room.

Ports are arrayed along the edge, including audio in/out and USB, and there's a front-facing webcam for video calls. Support is from a single metal stand that allows for tilt adjustment, though as you'd expect Sony has had to make it on the stiff side so as to support the chunky upper section.

Sony Tap 20 10-finger Fruit Ninja multitouch demo:

We scoffed at first, but after a while stabbing, slashing, and swiping with all fingers on Fruit Ninja on a huge display, the Tap 20 begins to shine. As it's a full Windows PC, of course, you can plug in a keyboard and mouse and do "proper" work with it, should you need to.

Sony hasn't finalized the design yet, so pricing isn't settled, but that's likely to be the deciding factor for most homes. If Sony can undercut the smaller all-in-one PCs – think along the lines of ASUS' Eee Tops from a few years back – then it may not be quite as ridiculous as it first seems.