The xoom DOES have a wifi version!!

[ZBoater]

Yeah, for the few days I had the Xoom I noticed the battery wasn't that bad. The email client, zoom in browser, landscape only, low quality screen, no apps at all, were bad though. After I gave it back, I don't miss it at all.

Not sure what you mean by landscape only as i use mine in portrait al the time, and found the screen just as nice as my iPad side by side. And like the original iPad the application selection is thin but many of the phone apps work fine.

But if you don't miss it, then that worked out!

 

[nooaah]

I think zboater is a Google employee.

 

[spammerhamster]

Funny. I seem to recall a time when I couldn't even do copy and paste on an iOS device...

Funny. the ipad had copy and paste from the beginning.

 

[mdlooker]

???

It's quite simple to me ... you're intrigued by zoom so it should be easy for you; go and buy a zoom. Those that like iPad will buy iPad. Umm..okay problem solved.

 

[alent1234]

I wouldn't buy the Xoom. The reviewers are saying that allot of the apps force close and that also the internet browser crashes allot.

if it's anything like my HTC Inspire 4G then i wouldn't buy the Xoom either. but it's $20 at Costco now and i love the 4.3" screen compared to my iphone 3GS

android has a halo effect just like apple. once you use an android phone you don't buy another android device unless it's dirt cheap

 

[PhoneI]

Not sure what you mean by landscape only as i use mine in portrait al the time, and found the screen just as nice as my iPad side by side. And like the original iPad the application selection is thin but many of the phone apps work fine.

But if you don't miss it, then that worked out!

you sure about that? Now I doubt you have ever used this device if you think this device wasn't intended to be used in landscape mode 100 percent of the time. In the limited time I spent with my Xoom it just didn't feel like it did anything that special. Without any apps, it was kind of boring.

 

[spinedoc77]

a ton of people on this forum keep bringing up that the ipad starts at 500 and the xoom starts at 800. GUYS the xoom has a wifi version for 530! just saying, check your facts. get your noses out of the steve jobs bible

The xoom is more comparable to the 32gb 3g ipad, not sure why people are comparing the lowest ipad to the xoom. It's $729 for the ipad versus $800 for the xoom, and now you can add $599 32g wifi ipad versus $530 wifi xoom assuming the storage stays the same.

 

[Gix1k]

539 was a placeholder. Its 599

Source?

 

[iserian]

Yes - we know the Wifi only version will be released - $500 and some change or $599 we will not know until someone is actually able to buy one. I happen to love my xoom in Landscape mode - I feel the 16X9 form factor lends itself to this usage. I started off using my Ipad's in Landscape but now use them in portrait the majority of the time.

Trust me - if you have any interest in the xoom simply go and play with it at your local BB, Verizon etc... If you happen to like it and can swing the price get one -- if you can't swing the price Today give it a few weeks/month and pick up a less expensive Wifi Only model. Do your own review.

 

[fertilized-egg]

The xoom is more comparable to the 32gb 3g ipad, not sure why people are comparing the lowest ipad to the xoom.

Thing is, the 32GB 3G version is a high margin item for Apple because the 16GB does everything the more expensive ones do except 3G and the GPS. The true test of affordability is the price point of the lowest model and its capability.

Thus comparing the Xoom to a high margin iPad is missing the point. Motorola must beat the $499 price point if they really want to penetrate the market. Why would main stream consumers buy the Xoom if it's more expensive or even at the same price point? For better cameras? Because of the widgets? Because they can sideload APKs?

 

[azentropy]

Not sure what you mean by landscape only as i use mine in portrait al the time, And like the original iPad the application selection is thin but many of the phone apps work fine.

Sorry but the number of apps wasn't even close to comparable. The original iPad had 2000+ native applications at launch, 3500+ after one week and was up to 5000+ after a month. The Xoom had 100 at launch.

 

[Davichi]

No Thanks. 100 apps... It doesn't do flash and no one knows if it will be able to play flash well. Until these issues are answered, I won't even take a look at it.

One of the reason I got rid of my first ipad was because it was just too heavy. iPad 2 will solve this.

 

[foodle]

if it's anything like my HTC Inspire 4G then i wouldn't buy the Xoom either. but it's $20 at Costco now and i love the 4.3" screen compared to my iphone 3GS

Heh, I switched from a 3Gs to Inspire also. 4.3" screen is awesome and I like having widgets, but Android is twitchy and the Marketplace is a mess compared to the App Store.

 

[PhoneI]

The best reason to not even consider the Xoom is that its made by Motorola. Their support of their devices is awful. They have outright lied to its customers by promising OS updates (and then changing their mind), and their hardware quality leaves a lot to be desired.

I have been burned by Motorola too many times in the past to ever give them my dollars again. I was lucky that somebody game me a Xoom for 48 hours as a loaner.

 

[foodle]

Until I can buy a Xoom WiFi, it is irrelevant. From last April onward, you could buy a WiFi iPad for $500.

 

[xIGmanIx]

all they were are apps that didn't have the zoom button, almost all the apps you want to run on the xoom work and there is a growing handful of apps that are now 3.0 based. What apps are you having problems with or are you just counting 3.0 specific apps? or do you not even know what your talking about

Sorry but the number of apps wasn't even close to comparable. The original iPad had 2000+ native applications at launch, 3500+ after one week and was up to 5000+ after a month. The Xoom had 100 at launch.

 

[vrDrew]

Sorry but the number of apps wasn't even close to comparable..

There's something else to be considered: The QUALITY of the Apps available.

Its one thing for Google to talk about the "ever expanding Android Market." Its quite another when you actually go and see whats available there. The top paid "productivity" App on Android is a tool for rooting your device. There's also a File Manager and a Task Killer in the Top 10. There simply isn't anything comparable to Pages, Numbers, etc.

I'd bet that more than 80% of the Apps on Android Marketplace wouldn't be accepted in the Apple App Store. They either rip-off existing games; flagrantly infringe copyright and trademarks; or are of such limited utility/value as to scarcely warrant the name "App": There are almost one thousand different "coloring book" games for kids. Most of which make use of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, etc. characters. And we won't even get into the Apps that contain viruses or malware.

If Google was really serious about making a success of their Tablet App marketplace, they'd concentrate on getting developers to make a couple hundred really great Apps. And hire a couple of people to just say "No" to the junk.

 

[jclardy]

I'm guessing Verizon has some kind of exclusivity period where Samsung can't sell the Wifi version until a certain date. But no one knows when that is other than Samsung.

The $530 price is from Sam's Club which requires a paid membership so it is not the actual retail price.

 

[iserian]

Yep and all 2000+ native are real Gems. Quantity - Quality - Usefulness

Sorry but the number of apps wasn't even close to comparable. The original iPad had 2000+ native applications at launch, 3500+ after one week and was up to 5000+ after a month. The Xoom had 100 at launch.

 

[iserian]

Sub Moto for Samsung - and yes. I would suspect the Sam's price will be the street price.

I'm guessing Verizon has some kind of exclusivity period where Samsung can't sell the Wifi version until a certain date. But no one knows when that is other than Samsung.

The $530 price is from Sam's Club which requires a paid membership so it is not the actual retail price.

 

[AppleGoddess]

Yes they do, however if i want one would have bought it the second it came out. I even played with one for a hour and thought it was a nice tablet, but tomorrow i will buy a iPad2 for sure.

 

[alent1234]

There's something else to be considered: The QUALITY of the Apps available.

Its one thing for Google to talk about the "ever expanding Android Market." Its quite another when you actually go and see whats available there. The top paid "productivity" App on Android is a tool for rooting your device. There's also a File Manager and a Task Killer in the Top 10. There simply isn't anything comparable to Pages, Numbers, etc.

I'd bet that more than 80% of the Apps on Android Marketplace wouldn't be accepted in the Apple App Store. They either rip-off existing games; flagrantly infringe copyright and trademarks; or are of such limited utility/value as to scarcely warrant the name "App": There are almost one thousand different "coloring book" games for kids. Most of which make use of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, etc. characters. And we won't even get into the Apps that contain viruses or malware.

If Google was really serious about making a success of their Tablet App marketplace, they'd concentrate on getting developers to make a couple hundred really great Apps. And hire a couple of people to just say "No" to the junk.

first thing i noticed was all the wallpaper apps of strippers and hot chicks' asses

 

[einmusiker]

if I could get a xoom for 499 I wouldn't hesitate. I just returned one because of the price but it's much more productive to my uses than ios. For 599 i'd have to think about it

 

[TroyBoy30]

Unfortunately, unlike the iPad, there are all sorts of things people can do to a Honeycomb demo tablet to muck it up. That is good or bad depending on your point of view. Those demo units should be locked down.

I can assure you a clean, fresh install is very stable. Start loading apps designed for previous os versions and ymmv.

That must be why every review has mentioned built in apps constantly crashing! They didn't have a clean install!

 

[spinedoc77]

Thing is, the 32GB 3G version is a high margin item for Apple because the 16GB does everything the more expensive ones do except 3G and the GPS. The true test of affordability is the price point of the lowest model and its capability.

Thus comparing the Xoom to a high margin iPad is missing the point. Motorola must beat the $499 price point if they really want to penetrate the market. Why would main stream consumers buy the Xoom if it's more expensive or even at the same price point? For better cameras? Because of the widgets? Because they can sideload APKs?

The reason consumers would buy it if it's more expensive is the same exact reason they buy the ipad 32gb, it's got more memory (sorry tried not to be too obvious). It is still comparable IMO, one big reason is the different storages and prices are VERY in your face on Apple's side. You walk into an Apple store and it's pretty obvious that there are 3 models, they have all 3 of them laid out next to each other and they have all the signs and specs saying in big letters what the storage size is. The concept of a hard drive and how much space it holds has been ingrained into the typical joe schmoe consumer a long time ago, and I think they very well understand what it means. ie: they can see what 32gb versus 32gb means. The 3g is also pretty prominently marketed, although the gps chip really isn't.

I mean do you walk into a Toyota dealership wondering why a model with options costs more than a model without options? I hear what you are saying, and I do agree with you to some extent if the fact is that 16gb's make up a huge percentage of ipad sales, and they probably do. But I think you would be surprised how much of the 32gb and 64gb's are sold to non techie joe schmoe's who respond to the marketing of a larger hard drive.

I still think it's ONLY valid to compare the 32gb 3g ipad to the xoom. Yes the xoom is missing a lot of sales by not having a $499 model, and as I mentioned before this is definitely a valid point. Although I must say there's something about buying an Apple product which seems to attract a slightly higher tech consumer, even among regular joe schmoe's, especially with the way Apple staff is and how they really only concentrate on Apple products.