Back in late March, Sony announced that it would indeed be bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to the Tablet S and the funky little Tablet P. True to its word, the rollout has already begun for the former.

The update brings several new features to the 9.4-inch slate:

  • Enhanced lock screen
    • Direct access to Notifications
    • Unlock direct to camera
  • New panoramic camera mode
  • Enhanced Gallery media viewer
    • Direct SD card access + photo editing tools
  • Exclusive “Small Apps’ for multi-tasking
    • Calculator, Browser, Remote Control
    • Move to screen edge for reduced clutter
  • New Home Screen actions
    • Drag icons together to create folders
    • Add names to folders
  • Enhanced web browser
    • Switch from mobile to desktop web sites
    • Save pages for offline viewing
  • Access files directly from SD card
  • Native screenshot capture
    • Press “power” and “Volume –“

With the release of ICS, Sony is also offering a $50 discount and a free desktop cradle to anyone who picks up a Tablet S between now and May 12. This brings the total price down to $350 for the 16GB version of the S, and $450 for the 32GB.

If you already own a Tablet S, however, you should be prompted to install the update as soon as you connect to Wi-Fi.

[Sony Blog]