Former iPad1 Owner to Xoom User Experience (iPad2 all the way)

[aohus]

So I've been using Xoom for the past full day or so. Here are some gripes about the xoom. Most of you all are pretty settled on the iPad2, and thats awesome.

Xoom is too heavy. This is a major gripe, but using it while holding is a bit of a mess. I find it hard to hold. No wonder why the iPad has a thicker bezel.

Too many bugs in honeycomb thus far. A lot of force closes, and the interaction with the software is a bit all over the place. The xoom was obviously rushed to retailers in order to sell as much before the iPad2 is out.

Lack of 3rd party applications. I'm starting to realize that the Android Marketplace is not as mature as the Apple App Store, even as Android plays catchup.

My main gripe, however, as stated earlier, is the weight. Its just too heavy and uncomfortable to use.

My advice to those that are on the fence between an android tablet or iPad2, you'd have to be NUTS to NOT go with iPad2. You're getting a cheaper, lighter, thinner, device with more application support than its competitors

Also, xoom uses LCD screen whereas the iPad is using a IPS display. See for yourself the difference. (Xoom on left, ViewSonic G-Tablet, iPad1)

However, the xoom is an awesome web browsing machine. The higher resolution (1280 x 800) thereby 16:9 form factor definitely gives a better web browsing experience

 

[Mattstkc]

so are you going to get rid of the xoom (return/sell) and get an iPad 2 yourself?

Good to see honest feedback about the Xoom and not just mindless bashing

 

[maflynn]

One suggestion,
please use the timg image tag instead of the img tag. The images are too big and killing my bandwidth.

 

[53x12]

The images are too big and killing my bandwidth.

Seriously? Don't you have broadband?

 

[maflynn]

Seriously? Don't you have broadband?

That's immaterial, as the images are too large.

 

[thedarkhorse]

yeah I think the full size pics are proper because they show us how the xoom displays a webpage pixel to pixel. If it's killing your bandwidth then your isp might be the issue here, it's 2011 come on already.

 

[53x12]

You said "it is killing my bandwidth" as if it is some 1 gig file.

 

[Mattstkc]

yeah I think the full size pics are proper because they show us how the xoom displays a webpage pixel to pixel. If it's killing your bandwidth then your isp might be the issue here, it's 2011 come on already.

so this entire thread is going to be used to bitch about the OP's image size? LOCK PLEASE

 

[xUKHCx]

One suggestion,
please use the timg image tag instead of the img tag. The images are too big and killing my bandwidth.

TIMG tags do not downsize the size of the image, the same image is still loaded, it just shrinks the display of the image to fit in the forum better.

Therefore adding timg tags will do nothing to speed up the loading of the page.

 

[Sodner]

Change that to "less expensive" rather than "cheaper."

 

[ghostlyorb]

Yeah.. thanks for this!

 

[No1up]

"Lack of 3rd party applications. I'm starting to realize that the Android Marketplace is not as mature as the Apple App Store, even as Android plays catchup. "

Your "JUST NOW" starting to realize? lol

Good for you, I think android CAN be a good OS, but google just doesn't put in the effort. Here's looking at you WebOS,

 

[53x12]

LOCK PLEASE

Lock? Might as well lock all the multiple duplicate threads on color, 3G vs. wifi, 32gb vs. 64gb, att vs vzw, where to go Friday to get one, if they will sell out...etc. if you want to lock this. This is actually a good thread and I appreciate the high quality pictures that were used. I doubt the internet will run out of space because of this thread.

 

[aohus]

"Lack of 3rd party applications. I'm starting to realize that the Android Marketplace is not as mature as the Apple App Store, even as Android plays catchup. "

Your "JUST NOW" starting to realize? lol

Good for you, I think android CAN be a good OS, but google just doesn't put in the effort. Here's looking at you WebOS,

To be fair, lack of apps is not considered a dealbreaker for me. what IS a dealbreaker is a device thats too heavy and uncomfortable to use.

 

[Mattstkc]

Lock? Might as well lock all the multiple duplicate threads on color, 3G vs. wifi, 32gb vs. 64gb, att vs vzw, where to go Friday to get one, if they will sell out...etc. if you want to lock this. This is actually a good thread and I appreciate the high quality pictures that were used. I doubt the internet will run out of space because of this thread.

well now we're having an real discussion but if all this was going to be was bitching about image size it's not worth the tubes it travels through.

 

[neko girl]

I love the Tab key. Apple needs to improve its text navigation by key capabilities on iOS.

Aesthetically, that status bar, the clock font.. all ugly.

 

[kettlecorn]

To be fair, lack of apps is not considered a dealbreaker for me. what IS a dealbreaker is a device thats too heavy and uncomfortable to use.

But isn't it rated at 1.5 lbs? Isn't that lighter or the same as the ipad 1? I find the ipad 1 not that heavy but I haven't tried to hold it up ad read a book or anything.


I'm actually selling my ipad 1 to either get an ipad 2 or an android tablet. Honestly i prefer the xoom. The ipad 1 wasn't able to do what I needed it to but I freaking loved it just need something with more ram and multitasking ability but the app market of apple is really great.
What made the browser experience really good?

 

[iserian]

To the OP - Do you find the Ipad 1 a bit too heavy?

 

[Davichi]

Someone was stupid enough to pay 799 dollars for a xoom? Nice...

Apple sells refurbished MBA for 849 dollars.

 

[jdminpdx]

I returned my xoom after 4 days. It was buggy and awkward to hold.

 

[aohus]

But isn't it rated at 1.5 lbs? Isn't that lighter or the same as the ipad 1? I find the ipad 1 not that heavy but I haven't tried to hold it up ad read a book or anything.


I'm actually selling my ipad 1 to either get an ipad 2 or an android tablet. Honestly i prefer the xoom. The ipad 1 wasn't able to do what I needed it to but I freaking loved it just need something with more ram and multitasking ability but the app market of apple is really great.
What made the browser experience really good?

the browser experience on the xoom is phenomenal mainly because of the tabbed browsing support, the incoming flash support, as well as the 16:9 (1280 x 800) form factor. You can see full webpages clearly and legibly. Theres also a 'quickcontrol' support as shown in one the screenshots i posted. you swivel with your thumb on the side of the tablet and a control menu pops up. makes it more fluid to navigate than tapping away.

yes, the xoom is a tad bit heavier than the ipad1, but all im seeing is the xoom vs ipad2 perspective. the ipad2 is 1.3 lbs, might not be a lot, but it makes a difference.

if you're no fan of iOS, then i suppose honeycomb is the way to go. the notification system on honeycomb is excellent.

 

[aohus]

To the OP - Do you find the Ipad 1 a bit too heavy?

yes, I did find the iPad1 to be a bit heavy. I wasn't complaining though, as at the time, it was THE lightest tablet on the market.

i wasn't surprised to see that they made the ipad2 lighter. its just the natural progression of devices i suppose.

 

[xIGmanIx]

then the ipad is perfect for you, bigger and for the basic user, lack of 3rd party apps? what apps exactly couldn't you get to work on the xoom? That sound's more like user error than the OS, mine is overclocked to 1.5GHz and sips battery life. You make xoom owners look bad with your pitty party

I returned my xoom after 4 days. It was buggy and awkward to hold.

 

[biosci]

Well, iPad2 will be so light probably compared to iPad1. And as for the images, it loaded fine with my Clear wireless.

 

[aohus]

then the ipad is perfect for you, bigger and for the basic user, lack of 3rd party apps? what apps exactly couldn't you get to work on the xoom? That sound's more like user error than the OS, mine is overclocked to 1.5GHz and sips battery life. You make xoom owners look bad with your pitty party

i don't consider myself a basic user. i tend to root/jailbreak most devices i own.

theres a lot of apps that do not work. even basic apps like pandora, are not developed yet for android tablet use. CNN app is buggy, as it has force closed on me multiple times. Youtube app, a native application, cannot play certain videos. Additionally, youtube video takes a bit of time to load and start playing. I found the google maps application to be slow on a tegra2 device. I was expecting a fluid response when scrolling through the map, but this did not occur (tested with vector buildings included).

also, overclocking to 1.5 ghz is pointless. sure its faster, but I doubt you're getting that 10 hours of battery life anymore. once you can undervolt on the xoom, then i'll be really happy