Motorola Xoom

[PhaseDMA]

Grrrrrr

I want my Motorola Xoom! I have the cash to buy it. Now Motorola just needs to launch the Wi-Fi only version of the thing.

At this rate the Wi-Fi only version is going to have a price drop before it even launches - And frankly I'd rather pay $600 today then have to wait another month and only pay $500.

The thing is such a beast. I want it NOW!

[PhaseDMA]

Ask and you shall receive? http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/03/wifi ... -539-pric/

Now it just has to show up. Well and I need to get my friend to buy it since I obviously don't have a SAM's Club membership.

[cokalsM]

Can you explain why you picked the Xoom? Is it because there is nothing really else out, and/or that it will probably be better than any other tablet coming out?

My girlfriend wants a tablet and asked me to help her find the best one but I have a lot to learn about them myself.

[PhaseDMA]

There are a ton of Android tablets currently out, and a lot more in the pipeline.

Archos makes some good cheap tablets. But they are CHEAP. You pay $300 for a tablet, and your going to get a $300 tablet... And lets face it... Tablets are not cheap...

Of course there is also the Galaxy Tab. The Galaxy Tab is a great device if you don't mind having Android 2.2 on it, and it being a 7 inch screen (7 inches is the perfect size for a lot of people so I'm not knocking it).

I have two problems with 7 inch screens, but let me make it clear these are my problems, and are not negatives as a rule of thumb. The first problem is I have a 4.3 inch phone. That's a big screen (although after playing with the Atrix I can't see even going to 4 inches ever again), but the difference between 4.3 inches, and 7 inches at the end of the day isn't very much. If I'm going to own a large screen phone, and a tablet I want there to be a clear difference in certain apps. Obviously I can use most (if not all) apps on both, but certain things are going to make more sense on the phone (like navigation), and certain things are going to make more sense on the tablet (like long periods of browsing the internet). The second problem? I lost my train of thought, but there is a second reason.

The Xoom is the first tablet to run Android 3.0 which literally is Android torn down to the foundation, and rebuilt. My first reaction? Yeah right. My reaction after watching lots of videos? This is awesome. My reaction after spending all of 2 minutes in the Verizon store with it? Holy cow! The other thing is Android 3.0 requires certain hardware. All Honeycomb devices must have dual cores in them, and pretty much all screens must be in the 10 inch or larger category. Do you know what happens when Android comes out with a new version? Devices don't slow down... They speed up. You know what happens when your running a dual core processor? MAGIC!

There will be other Android 3.0 devices, but Motorola has managed to nab exclusive access to Honeycomb for a undefined amount of time. I doubt it will be any more then 2 months as these things seem to happen with past versions. Other known devices are the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the LG G-Slate and the Dell Streak 10... Among others.

Really it all comes down to one thing. How much patiences do you have? If you had none you got a Archos. If you had some you got a Galaxy Tab. If you could contain yourself but are bursting you (I) are going to get the Xoom. If you have some serious patience you will wait until at least the Spring, and allow prices to become a bit more manageable.

As far as waiting for the Spring and getting a Honeycomb device? It really is going to come down to playing with each one and deciding which one feels the best in your hand, because the biggest difference isn't going to be the processor and such, but rather the price, and feel in the hand.

Remember that Honeycomb keeps on the buttons inside the device, so there is no need for the home, menu, search, and back buttons - In fact Google doesn't want hardware buttons for those things on the Honeycomb devices. Also keep in mind that Google isn't going to allow people to screw around with Honeycomb with HTC Sense, or MotoBlur or such until Spring at the absolute earliest - Which is a GREAT thing. Android is best when it is left to look the way God... errr.... Google intended.

[bigcfk]

[quote=PhaseDMA] Android is best when it is left to look the way God... errr.... Google intended.[/quote]

Bold.

[ryn]

So is the xoom worth 600? I've got a G-tab and was going to pick up a xoom, but just cant justify the cost when basically my g-tab ($289 from sears outlet) has the same hardware just with a crap screen and no gps. So if honeycomb can run on a xoom it definitely should run on a g-tab with a slightly lower resolution, no?

I'm scared to go play with the xoom as I haven't had an impulse buy in a LONG time, and I might walk away with a verizon contract from that trip.

[PhaseDMA]

Is the Xoom worth $600?

My knee jerk reaction? No.

After thinking about it? How does it compare to this? http://www.amazon.com/T101MT-BU27-BK-10 ... =de_a_smtd

So for 400 Mhz faster, and a SSD drive, 1 less GB of RAM...

...A great touch screen compared to what has to be a inferior touch screen...

Better battery life...

A better camera. Err... Two better cameras...

A OS designed for tablets...

Ya I would say that the Xoom is worth $600. Or even more. Just don't tell Google Motorola that...

[PhaseDMA]

I'm of course using the argument that ASUS Eee PC's are generally accepted to be worth the money.

[cokalsM]

[quote=PhaseDMA]There are a ton of Android tablets currently out, and a lot more in the pipeline.[/quote]

I was unaware of this, although it's not shocking because school has consumed a great deal of my life and I haven't had time to keep up. I thought your tablet options were limited to iPad, Xoom, Galaxy Tab, and the Archos one.

I'm going to Best Buy this weekend so I'll check all them out.

I was also unaware that Motorola has an exclusivity deal with 3.0. I think that is a terrible move by Google. I don't care how much you are getting paid by Motorola, don't delay the release dates for other tablets that wish to release 3.0.

[PhaseDMA]

Giving Moto exclusivity is not a bad idea.

I can only imagine the headaches that Motorola has to deal with from Google. Motorola gives Google a reference device. Google gives Moto a month alone on the market. Really Moto gets the short end of the stick.

And Google does this all the time. Reference devices get priority. Nexus One. Nexus S. Now the Xoom.

It's a lot easier for Google to have one definitive device to get things working on before they try to tackle the hundred other devices running Android. In the long run it's good for the developer (Google). It's good for the manufacture (Motorola). And yes.... It's even good for the consumer who at the end of the day gets more polished products.

And these are not some random companies that pay top dollar and get to have reference devices because they paid for it. These are long term, and high profile Android partners. HTC - Motorola - Samsung. Good luck seeing a LG reference device (who has just as much money as the other 3).