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i spent a hour playing with the xoom.
- Thread starter AppleGoddess
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I've looked at many products in the past and have liked them/been impressed with them and not pulled the trigger on the purchase for a variety of reasons.
There is nothing wrong with liking a product and not buying it. Just as there is nothing wrong with being impressed by the competition's product.
did you enjoy the 17 apps?
It's more than the hardware
Honeycomb SDK was released a couple weeks ago. Developers need time. Just like Android phones, the app store will come along and be viable.
If your main issue is apps, the XOOM is not a purchase for you.
But on its base, the hardware and the operating system *are* of good quality. And there is nothing wrong with that.
The Xoom's screen is 16:9 aspect ratio compared to the iPad's 4:3. So even though the diagonal measurement is nearly the same, the iPad's screen will be taller when in landscape orientation (and, of course, shorter when in portrait).
Video/Movies in proper format, without bits cut off, will be physically larger on the Xoom screen won't they?
Always seems a shame to lose so much screen to giant black bars top and bottom on the iPad, and only having about 500 pixels of vertical resolution for even a 16:9 movie, or even less pixels than that on other movies.
It's a trade-off, though. No black bars for movies, but awkwrd proportion when reading ebooks, web pages, and other documents. Which is more important to you is personl preference.
I have spent almost 4 days with the xoom and i am returning it today. This was my first tablet and i am not impressed. I have used an iPad for a few hours and liked the user friendly UI. I will be getting the iPad2 when it arrives.
Points i do not like about the xoom:
1) Weight - i thought it was on the heavy side
2) No Store - iTunes is still best for music, movies, and apps. Android does have a market but it is only for apps. If wanting music you have to use Amazon or rip your own. Movies are a rip only option.
3) Accessories - I know it is a new product but motorola/verizon did a poor job with this. There is a portfolio,docking station, speakers, and keyboard. All 4 are on the pricey side but expected from oem add-ons.
4) No HD video playback yet
5) SD Card slot still not activated
6) No flash (not a big deal)
7) Not user friendly like the iPad
8) Need android app for Mac (not a big issue)
9) Small volume buttons on side
10) Motorola should of waited on the release to tweak it more.
The Good:
1) Screen is nice
2) Expandable memory (when they activate it)
3) Speakers are loud
4) Build quality is nice
5) Gorilla glass
6) HDMI out
Points i do not like about the xoom:
1) Weight - i thought it was on the heavy side
2) No Store - iTunes is still best for music, movies, and apps. Android does have a market but it is only for apps. If wanting music you have to use Amazon or rip your own. Movies are a rip only option.
3) Accessories - I know it is a new product but motorola/verizon did a poor job with this. There is a portfolio,docking station, speakers, and keyboard. All 4 are on the pricey side but expected from oem add-ons.
4) No HD video playback yet
5) SD Card slot still not activated
6) No flash (not a big deal)
7) Not user friendly like the iPad
8) Need android app for Mac (not a big issue)
9) Small volume buttons on side
10) Motorola should of waited on the release to tweak it more.
The Good:
1) Screen is nice
2) Expandable memory (when they activate it)
3) Speakers are loud
4) Build quality is nice
5) Gorilla glass
6) HDMI out
I went and played with one for about an hour and a half at Best Buy LOL! I probably would have bought one if they weren't sold out.
Funny how people are saying it heavier than the Ipad when in fact it's the same weight..
If you compare the Xoom 3g model and the Ipad 3g model both are 1.6 pounds.
The SD card will be here very soon. (So no big deal.)
Flash will be here very soon as well.. (So no big deal.)
HD Video playback.. Again very soon..
As far as music and movie in the itunes store.. Allot of people don't buy movies twice.. I will get them on Bluray and just convert them to as format I can put on the Ipad or maybe soon the Xoom.
I bet you most of the music people have on there Ipad are not from the itunes store. If you want mp3 to put on your Ipad most of the time you can find it free in under 60secs..
Apps I agree with you but the flood gates ahve been opened up and expect many many cool apps in the next few months.
So 4 things out our your cons list is really null and void..
I am still waiting for March 2 to make my desicion thoght as I suspect many people are.
I went to BB yesterday to play with the Xoom, and they didn't have any in stock or on display. I didn't even see any promotional material for that matter. Also the first salesperson I asked about it had never heard of the Xoom and had to ask around before telling me they didn't have any.
Ok? Are you suggesting I move to where you are or something?
Wait the XOOM does playback 720p content what's this talk of HD Video Playback coming soon?
Really? All features they boast the Xoom have that the iPad doesn't... and they're "coming soon"?
Anyone see the irony in this?
You forgot to take weight distribution into account. The iPad is extremely balanced, weight is dead center. Combine that with a 4:3-ratio, and it feels lighter than a xoom, which is longer, hence feels heavier when you hold it at one end.
When someone can write something about a product whether it is an Apple product or something else objectively without being totally negative is being unbias. The OP said what he experience playing with the xoom without being negative about it. Something that seems to be rare in forums,etc these days.
I know, and I'd love to think I would be totally honest, as I would be about the mechanics.
If you like or dislike widgets, well that's personal, but other things are different.
I've seen the guy from Engadget play with one and the screen looks super fast and smooth, and he comments as such, then we get people here saying it was jerky and unresponsive.
It makes you wonder how honest and unbiased some are.
To be honest the screen was amazing for a touchscreen and loved the way pages loaded so fast.
I will wait to see the new ipad2 and I am almost sure i will buy it.
but for me this is a nice alternative.
I will wait to see the new ipad2 and I am almost sure i will buy it.
but for me this is a nice alternative.
Just take the SD card out of your Ipad... Oh wait
Wow that was such a great comment. Okay, it really wasn't.
But. What will you do if you feel ipad2 is not as quick as the Xoom?
Will you have a rethink or still go with the iPad?
BEING in the market for an iPad or a zoom or even a galaxy as my wife and I retire this year. When I saw the zoom I thought I will need to look at it with my wife. I made a note to point the commercial out to her and she also likes it. We have toyed around with the samsung galaxy and some iPads. We want the device to be a Gps net device for travel. I drive short trips for now and am old school for travel maps. Since I have used computers for 37 years and am well versed with them. I know having a navigator (the wife) with an iPad is better then a gps. So We will include the zoom on the short to buy? list.
iPad would win hands down but I want it to be a little smaller and of course more powerful. Note my house has been all mac forever. I have only owned mac desktops.