Xoom-Questions - Xoom General

I picked up a Xoom yesterday from Best Buy. I figured I would try it for 14 days, or 45 days (silver rewards) without a verizon service. I can live with WIFI only for a trial period.
I have had an iPad since last April. It's been a good device, the OS is simple. Maybe too simple for me. I like the freedom, and the ability to tweak and hack a little.
I used a Galaxy Tab between November and January, but I found the OS to be laggy, and just not very polished. I was also disappointed in the lack of OS updates for the Tab. I was also surprised to hear how poorly Samsung supported their devices. Not much time passed from getting a Tab, to hearing about a Tab 2. The Tab also seemed to have a poor customer base.
Now onto the Xoom, having played with it for several hours yesterday I am general pleased, it's noticeably faster, the graphics render much quicker than the iPad or the Tab did, the form factor is nice, but I noticed immediately that there is a major issue with Lag on certain web sites. Scrolling can be jerky and laggy at times, and especially when you are trying to type a comment into a forum. It's painfully laggy. I guess my concern is if Motorola/Google are going to support this device with updates, or are we going to see a product like the Tab that basically gets kicked to the curb. I am all in if M/G support the product, as I can deal being an early adaptor. But without some support, it isn't much fun paying $800 for an unsupported product.
Regarding the lack of apps, I don't see that as being a big deal as I am sure that will change quickly, plus existing apps for Android will be updated for Honeycomb soon. Again, this is part of being an early adaptor.
I am just looking for some thoughts or suggestions on what others feel will be the support level of the Xoom via Motorola and Google.
Thanks in advance
JOHN

JOHNGAETANO said:
I picked up a Xoom yesterday from Best Buy. I figured I would try it for 14 days, or 45 days (silver rewards) without a verizon service. I can live with WIFI only for a trial period.
I have had an iPad since last April. It's been a good device, the OS is simple. Maybe too simple for me. I like the freedom, and the ability to tweak and hack a little.
I used a Galaxy Tab between November and January, but I found the OS to be laggy, and just not very polished. I was also disappointed in the lack of OS updates for the Tab. I was also surprised to hear how poorly Samsung supported their devices. Not much time passed from getting a Tab, to hearing about a Tab 2. The Tab also seemed to have a poor customer base.
Now onto the Xoom, having played with it for several hours yesterday I am general pleased, it's noticeably faster, the graphics render much quicker than the iPad or the Tab did, the form factor is nice, but I noticed immediately that there is a major issue with Lag on certain web sites. Scrolling can be jerky and laggy at times, and especially when you are trying to type a comment into a forum. It's painfully laggy. I guess my concern is if Motorola/Google are going to support this device with updates, or are we going to see a product like the Tab that basically gets kicked to the curb. I am all in if M/G support the product, as I can deal being an early adaptor. But without some support, it isn't much fun paying $800 for an unsupported product.
Regarding the lack of apps, I don't see that as being a big deal as I am sure that will change quickly, plus existing apps for Android will be updated for Honeycomb soon. Again, this is part of being an early adaptor.
I am just looking for some thoughts or suggestions on what others feel will be the support level of the Xoom via Motorola and Google.
Thanks in advance
JOHN
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Its google experience with a new OS... all eyes on xoom/ any new honeycomb tablet.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App

As it's a pure device (not skinned) updates will hopefully pop alone quickly also. I've read that dolphin HD browser (free from the market) is lag free
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

I'm really, REALLY hoping support starts popping up quickly, especially from the app developer side of things.
A lot of the apps I use everyday on my Droid are not (yet) supported in Honeycomb. They either flat out don't work (constant force closures) or certain features are limited.

ChongoDroid said:
Its google experience with a new OS... all eyes on xoom/ any new honeycomb tablet.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
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Can you clarify what you are saying?

JOHNGAETANO said:
Can you clarify what you are saying?
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I believe that with the xoom being a Google experience device, it isn't subject to the same update game most devices that are tied to a carrier and/or manufacturers are. Meaning more updates should be seen and quicker since they should in theory come from Google. The device isn't locked down. Hell it was rooted before it was officially launched, AND Motorola is fine with the unlocking/rooting. It's a much more open device than many others before it.

if it's anything like the Nexus One/S line, i hope the updates are directed by Google. That's is perhaps the best best solution for Android Tablets to stay competitive with the ipad. all last year all i heard was people complaining about the lack of updates for their android phones. you know, because these manufactures want to be unique.
If motorola wants users to experience their customized skins, they should just open put their app on the market and let the user decide to install them. i bet some users will. anyway, motorola needs to get away from designing customized android OS experience and perhaps think about making some Motorola Only customized apps.

Related

Being the first Honeycomb Tablet - Xoom - Worth the rush

I used to be with a lot of critics largely on why Moto has to rush such a potentially great product to the market just almost for the sake of being the "first honeycomb tablet", even with "Honeycomb" is not at that time a well tested or used OS.
And now I think I got it. Despite of all these good/bad issues around Xoom, I think this move from Moto is pretty good move.
The advantage of being in the market available earlier than the rest of the pack did make a difference. Just judging from
1. the Dev's attention (Kernels coming and 44 threads in xda dev section even before Honeycomb source code is published). Look, the Dev community are group of Tech enthusiasts who are mostly early adopters. This product carried the new OS to the market, this fact alone will draw strong attention and millions apps developer, who sees Android as future OS of the tablet market , want to get it as soon as possible so that their apps will come out much earlier to the market.
2. Peripheral accessories' manufacturers' attention: If you search in Amazon or online, many case / screen protector / charger/ dock / speaker manufacturer already use Xoom to represent almost entire 10.1 inch tablet market. They did not include "Transformer" in their product name (no offense, but really to my best knowledge, nor A500)
3. Average consumers they can't remember and tell the differences of all those specs, but they only know one name: Xoom. Anecdotally, my manager, who spends life in Finance industry and has not much idea of what is different between Ram and Harddisk etc, asked my the VERY CORRECT question" Is that a Xoom?" God bless him he did not ask "is that an iPad". ^^
This is not statistical proof but rather anecdotal ones, my friends around now all know that Xoom is a contender to iPad and LOOKS COOL &FEELS SOLID.
I guess if a Tablet is drawn in the waves of tablets launching events, the tablet can't really be remembered then. Evidence being almost bestbuy staff can't tell Acer or ASUS (by the way, this two pronounce too similar to each other)
So much for my saturday night chitchat.
Xoom is a solid piece of product with both Moto's hardware and Dev's contribution =)
It was worth it to rush to be the first Honeycomb Tablet, I think.
+1
Sent from my Xoom the way it should be, rooted and with SD card.
+1 more
I was pretty skeptical about this purchase but this little thing is growing on me the more I use it
I was torn between this and an actual computer but Im realizing how VERY much I use my phone.. this tab does everything my evo does and does almost all of it better. Much better.
edit- some have criticized the power button placement, I really like it. It is unique and convenient.
And the wave is starting to grow and gain momentum quietly reaching #1 bestseller and #2 Top rated tablet on Amazon - http://www.topcomputertablets.com/m...nd-2-top-rated-tablet-ranks-on-amazon/224151/
+1 more<br />
<br />
I was pretty skeptical about this purchase but this little thing is growing on me the more I use it <br />
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Ditto, I almost sent mine back. God knows why but it seems to have a 'breaking in period', it was uber slow and crappy, FCs here there and eveywhere when first got it. But now it's settled down, albeit still stock, for now, I absolutely love it. :-D
Sent from my XOOM using XDA Premium App
I was also skeptical after the first week but I'm loving my Xoom. It sits well between my notebooks and my EVO, but I find it displaces my EVO usage more than my notebook. Just like when I picked up the HTC Hero when it launched, there are issues but nothing breaking.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
I believe the Xoom will have the same impact as the original Droid. People swear by the OD and my son uses mine to this day. I asked him if he wanted a new Droid X he said he wanted something sexy looking like the OD. Go figure!
Yeah I was skeptical too, my friend said I would regret it. I haven't, I know I can trust in Google at least to make the software stable. As for some of the hardware issues or problems ( HDMI, bluetooth, etc.) I don't mind it too much, I am getting a micro HDMI cable and I would probably never use it too much, I don't use a keyboard or a mouse ( that would ruin the point of this being touch screen). Still being one of the few with a Honeycomb tablet is exciting, you get to start the future of Honeycomb. I gave some advice and some feedback for the Droid Reader Tablet Edition, and when I see the update show up on the market, I downloaded it and saw that some of the advice that I have given to the dev was implemented, which is pretty cool, considering one day thousands of millions of people will be downloading it and running it, and I will know that I have helped them in a way. Sounds stupid I guess, but still just very excited to help out with software and stuff.
Sent from my Xoom
i have to say that the zoom is simply awesome. I played around with all the available tablets on the market for about a month and easily settled on the zoom. I love honeycomb, even though it has a few shortcomings at the moment which should get fixed up. Once Google fixes some bugs and adds some much needed features. I've been using my laptop much less now, as well as my phone (hotspot aside). I'm not going to complain much about the limitations and bugs since I know they'll get worked out, but my one big worry is if Google decides to launch its own nexus tablet this summer as well as the speed in which mobile hardware is evolving right now. Anyhow, just my 2cents
I don't think I can take another “is that the new ipad? ” comment at work...
The Xoom IMHO is worth every penny. When you tie in the amazing hardware with Honeycomb and then the amazing features provided by XDA devs, it is beyond any doubt worth it.
I use my Xoom everyday, and for the most part I have absolutely no regrets.
I might add, just consider the screw job Samsung did with the Galaxy Tab by not providing a Honeycomb update on a device that was barely 4 months old at the time in which Xoom RTM.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
well...
In the last few days I've gone from "looks promising, glad I have two weeks to decide" to "pry this thing from my hands, I dare you.."
Still completely stock and I am blown away
Between Google Body, YouTube and some network maintenance I did today I couldn't help thinking "this is some star-trek-shiz, man"
I was thinking of buying the iPad 2 here in Oz (I do have an iPad), then decided that I had enough of the no flash support, and to be honest, got bored playing games on it.
I bought my Xoom from the US through Amazon, when I received it, I was like a little kid in a candy store! After a few days, I got bored of it. No SDcard support, no flash, no ad-hoc wifi.....then I cam across these forums....well...let's just say, I sleep with my Xoom under my pillow now. Kidding.
I'm only a newby when it comes to Android, and you can tell, it has so much potential.

[INFO] Asus could have an ipad killer here

If Asus can keep up the speed they're showing so far in addressing issues, smoothing out bugs and adding new features. I do belive Transformer can grab a lot of money out of Apple's hands.Even my ipad devotee friends are seriously impressed with the kind of support Asus is throwing down here, truly raising the bar.
I dont know. First off, they gotta actually make enough tablets to sell. Second, the ipad has sold millions. The xoom about 200k... that's a pretty big gap.
Its quite possible but Asus must get serious about quality control.
Raised the bar?
Raised the bar on support? I think that's being very generous to them. So far, I've been using a product where half of it doesn't work at all, and the other half crashes every half an hour or so.
This was absolutely unfit to be released and makes me wish I'd gone with a windows tablet instead. The drivers provided by asus are so far terrible and the software provided by google is immature.
The only reason I'm sticking with it is that Asus has a good attitude toward their customers and I'm confident they will resolve the issue quickly. As it stands I'm embarassed to show this product to anyone.
My 2 cents is the iPad sales will be impacted not by a particular Android table, but by the fleet of Android tablets coming to market. This how Android overtook Apple in the cell phone market. While there are certain people that will always buy the Apple product, when there a dozen other models in different sizes and with unique features (like the docking ability of the transformer) it becomes hard to settle for the iPad.
With that said, it would be great to see Apple come out with a docking station for the iPad. That would validate the concept and create other tablet/notebook combos in the Android space.
midimaker said:
Raised the bar on support? I think that's being very generous to them. So far, I've been using a product where half of it doesn't work at all, and the other half crashes every half an hour or so.
This was absolutely unfit to be released and makes me wish I'd gone with a windows tablet instead. The drivers provided by asus are so far terrible and the software provided by google is immature.
The only reason I'm sticking with it is that Asus has a good attitude toward their customers and I'm confident they will resolve the issue quickly. As it stands I'm embarassed to show this product to anyone.
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i'd think embarassed is a bit of a stretch.....
midimaker said:
Raised the bar on support? I think that's being very generous to them. So far, I've been using a product where half of it doesn't work at all, and the other half crashes every half an hour or so.
This was absolutely unfit to be released and makes me wish I'd gone with a windows tablet instead. The drivers provided by asus are so far terrible and the software provided by google is immature.
The only reason I'm sticking with it is that Asus has a good attitude toward their customers and I'm confident they will resolve the issue quickly. As it stands I'm embarassed to show this product to anyone.
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Have you updated your firmware yet? The latest FOTA has fixed issues for many people.
Folks who buy 1st release hardware have to have a lot of patience as early adopters are guinea pigs, we spot all the problems so that the OEM can fix them. In return we get the joy of having the hardware first, of getting to know it inside and out and the pride of knowing that we've hopefully contributed to making it a better product for untold numbers of fellow consumers.
Also, how much research did you do before you bought? What are your portable system needs? If in fact your needs would have been served better by a Windows tablet why did you chose one running the Honeycomb OS which is acknowledged by all to be in its infancy?
Thus far, Asus has been listening ,communicating with members here,firmware updates are being rolled out pretty quickly to fix issues.
I'm very pleased with my purchase & proud of my new tablet
midimaker said:
As it stands I'm embarassed to show this product to anyone.
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Wow, I'd never be embarrassed to show a product to someone. Honestly, I couldn't care less what other people think about my purchases. If I like it, that's good enough for me.
Oh, and I love my TF, so...
Geekbabe said:
Thus far, Asus has been listening ,communicating with members here,firmware updates are being rolled out pretty quickly to fix issues.
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Absolutely. The Xoom still doesn't have a functioning microSD card slot, even though they're the Google Experience device (perhaps informally at this point). Sure, they got 3.1, but that's only because Motorola was first--which they achieved by putting out a tablet with far less functionality than the TF.
My Xoom will be going back to Costco soon, and one of the biggest reasons is that Motorola has been sooooo slow in updating it.
Asus updates are great but its still falls well short of the ipad perfected UI.
Once Tegra 3 hits things should start to even out.
Completely agree about Motorola being slow to update. In general I have a Droid X, i am super unsatisfied with the quality of their software. Thats one of the reasons I sterred clear of the Xoom. There are many ther reasons as well, but thats a big one.
I really don't think it's unreasonable as a customer to buy a computer with a keyboard and expect it to work
I researched this a lot. The lack of bloat on android as opposed to windows makes for a good platform with good battery life and it runs citrix really nicely which is great for work. The reviews were positive and sure any niggles would be resolved by launch. Great I thought.
Sadly it wasn't to be. I've updated to the latest website ww. Firmware but no ota as yet
SonicTab said:
Asus updates are great but its still falls well short of the ipad perfected UI.
Once Tegra 3 hits things should start to even out.
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You do realize that Apple has had like 4 years to perfect iOS, right? This is the first iteration of Honeycomb, and it's much more an OS issue (Google) than it is a hardware issue (Tegra 2/Asus).
SonicTab said:
Asus updates are great but its still falls well short of the ipad perfected UI.
Once Tegra 3 hits things should start to even out.
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Click to collapse
A Processor/Graphics chipset doesn't = perfected UI. Honestly I prefer the UI of Android to iOS because it is customiseable. To me Android 3.0 has exceeded iOS in terms of ease of use and more. My biggest gripe with iOS is that it is so simple it can be difficult. Settings and tricks are hidden from the average user and aren't that easy to use, like the Multitasking. To close an open program/switch to one fast it isn't easy like it is on Android.
Either way Tegra 3 just means more power for games and more, not a perfect UI.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App
SonicTab said:
Asus updates are great but its still falls well short of the ipad perfected UI.
Once Tegra 3 hits things should start to even out.
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Until Hardware acceleration is implemented in all parts of the UI you will not have a completely silky smooth experience unless you throw lots of horsepower at it, which just equals wasted battery. It's the software that needs to be updated. Android 3.1 is supposed to bring video acceleration which is needed to get the most out of the newest flash updates. From the reviews it also sounds like hardware acceleration was implemented in the launcher as well.
midimaker said:
I really don't think it's unreasonable as a customer to buy a computer with a keyboard and expect it to work
I researched this a lot. The lack of bloat on android as opposed to windows makes for a good platform with good battery life and it runs citrix really nicely which is great for work. The reviews were positive and sure any niggles would be resolved by launch. Great I thought.
Sadly it wasn't to be. I've updated to the latest website ww. Firmware but no ota as yet
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My point to you is this, why would you chose to buy a 1st release piece of hardware running an OS that's still under development if you needed a rock solid,proven stable system for work? The fact that Honeycomb is still lacking is pretty well known, even the most casual of Google searches turns up tons of reviews complaining about how undeveloped the OS is.It would stand to reason that ANY tablet running this OS is going to be subject to it's limitations at this point and the bugs that go along with it.
I'm sorry for your troubles and hope the OTA update fixes your issues or that you'll be able to return your TF for a full refund and be able to get the windows tablet that will better serve your immediate needs.
No way is this close to an apple killer. Neither is all of the android tablets combined. Apple is the king of the tablet marketplace and android is the queen. Good thing they are both at the top though. Oh...i have a TF on the way and cant wait...not too impressed with ipads.
cochese135 said:
No way is this close to an apple killer. Neither is all of the android tablets combined. Apple is the king of the tablet marketplace and android is the queen. Good thing they are both at the top though. Oh...i have a TF on the way and cant wait...not too impressed with ipads.
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I'd agree, the TF isn't an iPad killer. What Apple excels at making are "stupid-proof" consumer electronics. They are designed to be easy to use and stable. This stability comes at a cost, however. Apple products are locked down primarily to provide this stability. There is a solid market for Apple's equipment. If you were buying a tablet or smart phone for your elderly mother/father or recommending something for technologically challenged boss, iPad or iPhone is a great choice because it will just work.
Personally, I prefer the Android tablet because it doesn't have the lock down and is what I consider more "open". I have the TF and love it. I love that I don't have to use iTunes and I love that I can plug in a micro SD card if I want. I love that I can plug it in and actually access the data via computer and I love the form factor of the device. Oh, I also love the money I saved!! I'd put it up against an iPad any day for someone who understands the occasional FC and someone who has the patience to understand what we're dealing with. It's faster, more powerful and has the potential to do MORE than the iPad will ever be able to do.
iPad killer? Not likely. Solid competitor? ABSOLUTELY! Options are a wonderful thing.
cochese135 said:
No way is this close to an apple killer. Neither is all of the android tablets combined. Apple is the king of the tablet marketplace and android is the queen. Good thing they are both at the top though. Oh...i have a TF on the way and cant wait...not too impressed with ipads.
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Apple is sumed up in these words brilliant marketing average product
sent from my LEE Pad Transformer........I wish
midimaker said:
As it stands I'm embarassed to show this product to anyone.
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After reading that i couldn't help but laugh, i was buying an SD card for it and the guy at the store wanted to know what i was using it on. When i told him, he asked if i had it with me and if he could try it out; another employee came over right away to see.

I'm happy with my Xoom and with motorola

Hi. Just wanted to start a thread to counter all those complaint threads about not having everything we want from the xoom. It seems that about half of the Xoom threads on this site degrade after a page or two of posts into complaints about how either motorola or google is failing their customers. I for one am pretty happy with my xoom. I understood when I got it that this is an early adopter situation, and that the kinks are being worked out. I don't mind not having 4g yet; most cities don't have it either and, really, I can't think of anything that I need it for (that 3g isn't sufficiently quick enough to handle). I don't mind not having an SD card since I really don't want to spend the money on one that will significantly increase the 32g that's already in my xoom. I don't mind that motorola missed their deadline; kind of hoping they'll put together some package to thank users, like a free peripheral or some kind of upgrade discount to the xoom 2. I like my xoom, even though I still use my laptop more. I don't think the 3.1 update was that great, so I'm not sure I get all the non-US users freaking out about not having it. I just think we need to calm down, take a deep breath, and enjoy this new tablet experience. This tech stuff moves pretty quick; but our collective ADD is going a bit crazy with expecting a seven-month-old tech to be everything we want and more; getting angry that there's new things out that cost less (really? suprised that the first one cost more? come on now...); flipping out over not having perfected hardware.
If you agree that the Xoom is a great piece of tech, comment below. Please don't comment if all you want to do is complain about motorola or google. There's plenty of other threads for complaining.
Me too!
10char
I completely agree. There is always a cost for being an early adopter and there will always be something newer, cheaper, etc. on the horizon. I am very happy with my Xoom and am using it more and more each day. I hardly ever turn my laptop on at home anymore.
You post on xda and still don't have a working SD card reader?
well, his nickname suggests he's a slacker. lol. just joking.
but slack, I'm glad you loved your xoom. as do I. but I recommend rooting so that you can at least work around some of the issues.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk
Agreed. There is nothing my xoom can't do that I expected it too when I shelled out for it.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Sure the Xoom has its shortcomings, but doesn't almost every device?
The fact that it's a Google Experience device keeps it at the head of the pack for me, honestly. I just wish we had more correspondence from Motorola updating about the LTE and microSD card updates.
Then again, now with Google Music and Plex, I really don't need that much local storage, so the microSD card affects me less today than it did before Google Music.
I have since sold my MacBook and use my tablet for browsing on the couch or bed. Sure, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks great, but it has Touch Wiz, and it came out 4-5 months later.
Thanks for this thread. It's nice to read positive comments with all of the complaining going on. I've been happily surprised by the Xoom...the build quality and hardware potential, the OS and the smoothness of use, the the apps, the wonderful kernels and roms from our developers, all have contributed to a great experience. I do wish that some of the apps that were available for the Xoom before would be available again. The Xoom has replaced my laptop and I use it all the time.
the only things i really want are a bluetooth + keyboard compatability fix, and netflix.
I am quite content with my xoom as well. I agree with pekosROB that Motorola could communicate with their customers better but that is my main criticism. (In reality I can't think of any android manufacturer who communicates with their customers as clearly as I would like. Ah well)
Cheers
Well lets see, 3.1 adds support for a bluetooth mouse and USB host capability. Those two things alone make the update nessescary. Theres rumours of 3.2 coming out within the next few days and the rest of the world doesnt even have 3.1. Since your in the states you have the 3.1 update and soon to have 3.2 so you don't really see the point of everyones argument that doesn't have the update, all we get is a *soon*
I love my Xoom as well and yes I knew what I was buying, the problem I have with Motorola and as many many others have is they announced an update to 3.1 soon , In Canada that was over 2 months ago, then rumors of Xoom 2 start, then 3.2 is mentioned it could be here within days and the world outside the USA doe not even have 3.1 yet, then the 3.1 roll out starts but very slow and it starts in Asia, so yes many people ticked at Motorola, and yes I still love my Xoom, even though it cant do yet what it was promised it would or could do.
slack04 said:
Hi. Just wanted to start a thread to counter all those complaint threads about not having everything we want from the xoom.
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Hail Motorola! You can do no wrong. And even if you do wrong, I'll make believe that it's greatest thing since the invention of breast implants.
By the way, I like my Xoom, I just will never by another Motorola product again, because Motorola's support of their work-in-progress Xoom has been incompetent bordering on negligent.
After releasing their incomplete Xoom 4 and a half months ago, to beat the iPad 2 to market, completing the Xoom should have been Motorola's first support priority.
To me, lack of actions speak louder than excuses.
It's over 4 months now, and all we have to show for our wait is nothing, nada, zilch!
And that's also describes the future relationship between me and Motorola....nothing, nada, zilch!
Sent from my Bolt
I'm also happy with my Xoom 3G.
I am pretty happy with the Xoom as well. I rooted mine minutes after buying and haven't looked back. I have SDCard support and can't recall ever really using it outside of flashing ROMS. I don't see what the big deal is about a SDCard when you have Google Music, Dropbox and Plex. 32GB of storage is more than enough for books, magazines, apps and games. I think when Moto does release the SDcard update, people will realize on a tablet with 32gb of storage, SDcards aren't really needed.
My only gripe is that Google and Moto have not done enough to get app developers on board with Honeycomb. Google has a great platform to build on. We need a bigger selection of Honeycomb apps. I don't think simply dropping the SDK and saying "Here you go guys", in a keynote is going to bring on the Android adoption. Google may want to start adding some financial incentive to some of the really talented iOS devs. Hardware alone won't sell these tablets. Great apps are what draw people from one device to the next.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
I'm very happy with mine. It does everything I need it to do. It has offloaded a great deal of work from my work laptop. I now do personal travel only with my Xoom rather than carrying the laptop and all those peripherals.
I will be happier when I can use my SD cards. I will be happier when we go to 4G. However, I am not going to dis the Xoom or Motorola for my buying a product that many of you consider defective. I did my research and knew what I was getting.
I love my Xoom, nothing is wrong with it. However, Motorola really needs to get in gear. I understand early adopting, but promises shouldn't be broken, whether 4g lte is a necissary upgrade or not, after the 90 day promise we should have been greater not only with a reason for the failure, but also an expected timeframe. We are just left to sit and wonder. Its not even like i feel like sending my xoom in for a business week, but its something they used to advertise the tablet with, which means it should have just happened when it was suppose too. I dont know if it didnt because of 4g radio shortages or because motorola decided to put the time and effort into more money making products, and thats the problem i have, i dont know why i didnt get it. And about the SD card, I think we all know that won't be fixed till icecream sandwich, so whatever.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
agree too. but for me 3.1 was a big improvement.. atleast for speed n browser... no more fc
Me tooo...of all the android tabs out there as far as build quality goes xoom is on par with apple thing is bulletproof. Also that fact that moto hasnt released 100 different verisons of its tablet says a lot about the company Xoom is there main tablet focus until the new stuff comes out. Not like the other that have a 10 7 9 5 inch tablet. I think some folks complain to complain. No device is perfect but xoom is pretty damn close. Only thing missing are a few more local case choices.
my xoom has replaced my laptop for most everything, besides the most power hungry tasks. While I'm in Canada and still don't have an official 3.1 update, lets be honest here..... who hasn't impatienty waited for official android updates in the past? Waited for close to a year for my hero to be upgraded, my liquid e was 8 months, oh and my galaxy s? That took forever too. I think all we can do is thank our lucky stars that sites like xda exist, and that such talented devs work so hard to bring us all the roms and upgrades we need before even the manufacturers can

Xoom Gets a Bad Rap?

I've had multiple tabs; Viewsonic, Asus, Acer and now the Xoom. While I'm not rich I can have almost any tab I want and of all the ones I've owned I greatly prefer my wifi Xoom. The screen isn't as good as the Asus but the build quality is excellent and the updates have been great being an Android experience tablet. I knew about the sd card going in but knew it could be fxed with rooting and figured an official update would eventually come. I actually thought the 599 price I paid for it was fair considering the price of other 32gb tabs. While the Asus has the dock, the Xoom has a ton of accessories and frankly I dont need another notebook, in fact that's what I was trying to get away from. So why all the hate for the Xoom? Is it mainly geared toward the 3g version and lack of 4g yet? Is Verizon partly to blame? I just don't see why there's so much disdain for this tablet. Not looking for flamers just point of views.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
I have to say, I'm in the same boat as you...... I just can't understand why some people have such a hate on for this device. I've owned every tab but the 10.1 and I have to say I think the zoom is best all around. It got ports, accessories, and fantastic build quality..... great device here's hoping it gets a little more love in the future
Glad I'm not alone. If I had to buy a tablet over, it would still be this one.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
I agree, I mean, it's not to thin to the point where you think your gonna break it, and it doesn't feel so cheap that it is just gonna fall appart, and it is 100% Android with no extra whatnot.
The one thing that beats out other tablets is that we are basically spoon fed from google. I dont trust ASUS/ACER/Samsung to update their tablets after newer models come out a year later compared to google. Samsung only updates their galaxy S line of phones in a timely matter while my low end intercept is still on 2.2. I'm sure samsung will probably slowdown with updates once the newer models come out. I was considering waiting for the 10.1 but NO I wanted a google experience device.
I Also Had Them All...
and the build quality of the Xoom is far superior to Acer, Asus and even the Samsung. Then too, even though some are ranting about Motorola, my personal experience with Acer and Asus tech service (totally clueless) makes me like the Xoom all the more - hell, Acer can't even get an update out and the build quality of the Asus tab is pathetic.
Kippui said:
The one thing that beats out other tablets is that we are basically spoon fed from google. I dont trust ASUS/ACER/Samsung to update their tablets after newer models come out a year later compared to google. Samsung only updates their galaxy S line of phones in a timely matter while my low end intercept is still on 2.2. I'm sure samsung will probably slowdown with updates once the newer models come out. I was considering waiting for the 10.1 but NO I wanted a google experience device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a biggie for me, I don't have to be rooted to get the latest and greatest.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
I'm with all of you...I love my Xoom!
The Xoom was released too early, hell, Android 3.0 was released too early.
I did my share of working-around, and bug reporting.
Nonetheless, I love this thing. I really do.
Every update makes it better, too.
It's solid as a brick, has kickass battery life, really good audio output.
(I use it as a Google Music player sometimes)
The Xoom let me detach my media consumption/remote work from my phone: was able to ditch the Droid 2 and get a Nexus S 4g, which is a sexy beast itself.
I use my Xoom way more than my cr-48 netbook (even though it's faster to type on) because the Xoom is actually more responsive and adept at multimedia and work. (That being said the cr48 is better as a browser. Closer to desktop. But flash is better on the Xoom)
I read on the Xoom, watch movies, youtube, play games, connectbot, google docs, set up torrents to download TV shows at home. I absolutely love reading comics on it. (Have over 8GB of comics alone)
It's my go-to Honeycomb development test device. The emulator is too slow to be useful, so my Xoom sits on my desktop in debug mode a lot.
It's so integral to my day that giving it up for Moto to do the LTE upgrade is going to be like giving up a limb.
okantomi said:
I'm with all of you...I love my Xoom!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here.
+1
I own the VS GTab, Asus TF and now the Xoom. I agree with earlier posts about the Asus, a true POS. I am on my second one now and it is no better than the first one, maybe worse. My first TF was a B5 build and the B6 build changed the screen color/temperature so the screen isn't as sharp as the B5. That being said, I don't think the screen is any better on the TF now. With all the screen light leaks around the edges, the battery draining on the dock and the poor video playback on Flash 10.3 (6 frames/second) at 720P, the Xoom is definately a better product. The build quality is far superior to the Asus. I think the build quality on my Viewsonic GTab is better than the Asus... I am all about the Xoom now, we'll see what comes out in the future...
I will always love my Xoom, only android Motorola thing i own and i enjoy it. Its just that people that enjoy the Xoom don't come and say how much they love it as appose to the people that find every little problems to whine.
i love my xoom too. but It wans't always that way. I had to void the warentee by flashing a US ROM. problem is motorola customer support outside US is dreadfull. Pity really cos i always wanted a device to rival ipad internationally. this only seems to be the case within the US.
I love my Xoom too. Still waiting on the 3.2 update, but I'm pretty happy with 3.1.
Build quality of Xoom seems good to me, although, I have not used any other tablet. Screen is just fine. Works great as an ebook. And 3G is plenty fast so I'm in no hurry for the LTE upgrade. But I do understand those who are angry about it since it was one of the features that was prominently advertised when it first came out in February.
Agreed my xoom is awesome...I do everything on it...a lot of people never owned or touched one but seem to have a lot of negativity to say about it....I don't think you can judge it unless you used it for a solid month
bronxknight28 said:
...people that enjoy the Xoom don't come and say how much they love it as appose to the people that find every little problems to whine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True indeed!
binglut9 said:
Agreed my xoom is awesome...I do everything on it...a lot of people never owned or touched one but seem to have a lot of negativity to say about it....I don't think you can judge it unless you used it for a solid month
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed, most posts on these forums are about speculation about stuff.
We have nothing hardware/battery life/build quality wise to complain about except maybe the screen.
Mine took effort to make it right (US ROM on UK model), but there is a way to go just yet. Especially the tablet apps section on the market, which seems rather odd to leave out. However, it was money well spent.
I love my Xoom and Honeycomb. I even sleep with it.
I am a little disappointing with Moto's/Google's communication skills.
Love, love, love, my Xoom.
I own the Xoom and yes I do love it as well, (yes it sleeps beside me as well) Hardware wise for me its second to none very well built system, as for updates In the USA you have little to complain as Google is the one that releases the updates, but outside the US its Motorola who releases the updates and they have really made a mess of the communication with updates and so forth, they only released in China and Japan, Australia been pulled due to numerous issues with it, then Google releases 3.2 and most people don’t even have 3.1 yet. Al Motorola has to do is come out say something ,anything, they come out once in Canada and say the release update will be “soon” that was over two months ago, how soon is soon ? To me it sure is allot less than two months, I am sure some people will have issues with the Xoom and that is the nature of business not everything is perfect, but for the most part most complaints are against Motorola and their lack of communication and updates, to me it looks like their house is a mess they don’t know what they are doing , and have ignored their customer base outside of the USA if Samsung, Asus, Acer etc. can release 3.1 why not Motorola, why are they being so quiet what’s going on ? I paid good money for this device, I was told an update will be coming soon, I would like some answers.

Reluctant Return

My xformer tablet has a speaker problem. The RIGHT hand speaker is just intermittent.
Damn.
I hope my retail has some newer stock. I am tempted to go to the iPad 2. Love the Asus, but not being able to get hold of a dock, there has been very little to differentiate between my wifes ipad 1.
JJ
Its all up to you. I've had no problem with my tf and it's the first gen if you want an ipad get one like every other person who thinks they are good when the tf can do the same thing Plus more for 200 less
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Not sure where you live, but the Fry's here in Woodland Hills, California has a boat load of docks, I know because I just bought mine yesterday for $162.04, tax included. They are 'B60K" versions.
I had to send mine in because both speakers stopped working. I got it back with worse light bleed than before... And it cost me $20 to ship.
I hate the fact that it's a gamble to send a tablet in for repair, but it was the case for me.
With the trouble I've had with the 3.2 update and the dimmed screen bug when sharing stuff or opening links/files, I'm glad I have an iPad as a backup. My useful transformer is quickly becoming the source of all my frustration lately.
doublej said:
I am tempted to go to the iPad 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, go on then, be my guest, everyone I know is ditching Apple products because buying anything for them locks you into their products forever, as nobody wants to throw away app purchases and content.
Android is clearly the future for anyone with a brain. You buy an Android device, and your apps work on any Android device, you want to switch from a Asus Tablet to a Samsung one a few years time? No Problemo... Want to use a HTC phone rather than a Motorola? No Problemo....
CrazyPeter said:
Android is clearly the future for anyone with a brain. You buy an Android device, and your apps work on any Android device, you want to switch from a Asus Tablet to a Samsung one a few years time? No Problemo... Want to use a HTC phone rather than a Motorola? No Problemo....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your kidding right? How many gameloft games work with our Android devices? Depends on which device you have. I bought a few EA games for my phone and tablet and now neither work. Got a new Samsung phone, well you're out of luck because many apps won't work with it. How's netflix running? Right... it doesn't unless you hack your transformer....
At least with apple, you buy ANY app and it will work - regardless of what you have. When they say the ipad "just works", they weren't kidding. I have no hassles at all with my ipad 2. My transformer on the other hand force closes, randomly reboots, has battery drain issues,etc. And I'm not the only one! Quality control from ASUS has been dismal and you really can't deny that.
I love my Android phone and tablet, but I'm VERY impressed at what Apple has done and the quality of apps available for their devices - something that Android has years to catch up to.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
If all you do is focus on the bad to worse parts of the tf than okay, it is a worthless piece of technology..!
But if you focus on the good points, the selling points like the dock then it's an awesome piece of technology. Apple products are being designed to be fool proof, something that android can't garantue because on android we experiment with different ideas. We're not limited to what apple wants us to do or wants us to make, we're free. We're allowed to customize our devices the way we want, and sure that will bring some fc's from time to time but hey? that's life!
I do aknowledge that the battery drain problem shouldn't have excisted and that it is a sloppy error in the device, but asus has been trying to fix it (I don't know if it has been fixed though..) while when I had an apple product they would just say, well just wait for the next Iphone, then it'll be fixed!
No apple, that is not how you treat your customers!
And no asus you shouldn't have released this product with a bit more testing.
But who cares? It is a great piece of technology and if you want to switch to apple I say go ahead, nobody will stop you.
It will be fool proof, it will work but with every positif thing there must be something negatif to come with it. And that is the restrictions you get from apple.
The random reboot problem has been a standard android issue for awhile now, I've seen it on my cappy too! the random fc's well.. just compare them to the ipad games when they freeze.. and the random shutdowns? well whenever your ipad stops working and freezes you need to push hella lots of buttons to reset it! Be happy android kills itself first ^^"
What I'm trying to say is,
Both platforms have their cons and pros and you need to be aware of both before buying. I'm sorry for your problems you're having with your tf and hope that if you do change to apple you won't experience them with your ipad. (my god I sound like a support centre -.-").
Don't flame me, Im just trying to reason in this thread ! ^^
CrazyPeter said:
LOL, go on then, be my guest, everyone I know is ditching Apple products because buying anything for them locks you into their products forever, as nobody wants to throw away app purchases and content.
Android is clearly the future for anyone with a brain. You buy an Android device, and your apps work on any Android device, you want to switch from a Asus Tablet to a Samsung one a few years time? No Problemo... Want to use a HTC phone rather than a Motorola? No Problemo....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
> Android is clearly the future for anyone with a brain.
Quite the opposite - the next release (ICS) is make or break. Fragmentation almost killed it before it got going...
. but don't get me wrong - It wasn't an accident that I got the Asus & Honeycomb - the transformer is the first device that ticks all boxes - PLUS has the nifty dock..
I'm just saying - that when apple released the ipad 1, they set the standard for screen quality, build quality, battery life etc etc and even 12-18 months down the road, other manufacturers are struggling to meet that - and the android eco system is similarly playing a little bit of catch up.e
Of course we may say, it's cheaper, it;s open, etc etc and those things are all great, but it means nothing if many of the devlices fall below a certain quality & usability standard that the market already set.
EP2008 said:
Quality control from ASUS has been dismal and you really can't deny that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can. Whilst I do have the battery drain issue, and my dock is away for RMA, I don't have any of those other issues, never had a FC, never had a reboot, don't have any build quality issues at all, and I don't have light-bleed. There is definitely a very small vocal minority making alot of noise about some very minor issues.
You sometimes have to wonder if it's not some viral marketing scam, and if they are actually TF101 owners....
doublej said:
> Android is clearly the future for anyone with a brain.
Quite the opposite - the next release (ICS) is make or break. Fragmentation almost killed it before it got going...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple's fragmentation is MUCH worse than Android, of course Steve Jobs marketing machine ensures anything that suggests otherwise quickly gets burried or bought out...
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/0...ood-still-much-better-than-ios-fragmentation/
> You sometimes have to wonder if it's not some viral marketing scam, and if they are actually TF101 owners...
at least I know what I'm dealing with now. You put the Crazy in CrazyPeter.
Have a great day.
CrazyPeter said:
I can. Whilst I do have the battery drain issue, and my dock is away for RMA, I don't have any of those other issues, never had a FC, never had a reboot, don't have any build quality issues at all, and I don't have light-bleed. There is definitely a very small vocal minority making alot of noise about some very minor issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to get that Transformer up on the news! There are some users who have tested 3,4, 5 units and they all have QC issues - my lightbleed issue went from bad to really bad after sending it in for repair; my speakers totally died; other people report only of of their speakers working or uneven volume; lots of reports of "creaking"; some users have bezels on their units that don't even look finished from the factory; some users have broken power buttons; "early builds" of docks don't even work with the power save mode; users have reported the paint coming off their Transformers; etc., etc., I'm not saying that all units are bad, but I've had many tablets and this one is the only one with build quality issues. Even the $150, Coby tablet I had was much better built than the TF is; don't even get me started with comparing it to the ipad...
When people pay for a product, no matter how cheap or expensive, the product should not be defective. For most, build quality issues are defects.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
doublej said:
> You sometimes have to wonder if it's not some viral marketing scam, and if they are actually TF101 owners...
at least I know what I'm dealing with now. You put the Crazy in CrazyPeter.
Have a great day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Come on, most people these days know how many people and how much money both Microsoft and Apple spend on viral marketing, astro-turfing and keeping their Internet image spotless and ensuring their less than spectacular products always appear to have a loyal fanbase, which in turn builds a loyal fanbase (as nobody likes to be left out...).
Just look at the endless Windows Phone 7 posts about how wonderful it is, when anyone with half a brain knows it's a turd. It's like the Xbox 360 launch all over again... with a pre-built fanbase of employed astro-turfers.
Part of the problem of course is that this is so rife in the US, that Americans can't even see how they are being manipulated on such a large scale by companies like MS and Apple, with bottomless marketing budgets. You have to be an outsider looking in to be able to see that.
I am certainly not going to say that Android and the phones that go with it, are all wonderful and great things. I will say that as a platform, Android far exceeds what iOS brings to the table. Don't get me wrong, Apple makes a simple, easy to use product that works consistently. But there is so much you lose in that process. Lack of widgets, need to open an application to find out what notices it is sending you, rigid screen setup, need for a Mac or PC to update the OS (although I hear this may finally go away), silly applet management model (if you do an update it backs up the applets themselves to your desktop rather than just redownloading the latest version from the app store).
I haven't had any major issues with any of my Android devices that could be pointed back to the OS. I have had some hardware build issues and that goes to my choice to buy now rather than to wait for a well designed well built product. ASUS did a fair job with this but honestly I should have waited for the Thinkpad since I just feel that Lenovo works much harder at quality control especially for the Thinkpad brand. That being said, now that I have the ASUS (even though I still have a week to return it), I can't imagine giving it up for any other tablet.
So for me it was a matter of tradeoffs, I wanted Android because the tradeoffs favored it rather than iOS. But I have to give it to Apple on general hardware quality, this partially goes to there being no competition in their space though. If the iOS 5 device is late, only Apple knows it. There aren't 5 other vendors who will flood the market with iOS 5 devices.
captmiddy said:
I am certainly not going to say that Android and the phones that go with it, are all wonderful and great things. I will say that as a platform, Android far exceeds what iOS brings to the table. Don't get me wrong, Apple makes a simple, easy to use product that works consistently. But there is so much you lose in that process. Lack of widgets, need to open an application to find out what notices it is sending you, rigid screen setup, need for a Mac or PC to update the OS (although I hear this may finally go away), silly applet management model (if you do an update it backs up the applets themselves to your desktop rather than just redownloading the latest version from the app store).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My brother's been testing ios 5 (he's a developer) and from the sound of it, Android has a lot to be worried about. All of the major complaints will go away and some of the new features will crush Android (e.g. app data in ios 5 is backed up to the cloud, so reinstalling an app will give you the option to restore app data - no rooting, titanium backup nonsense needed). The notification system will actually be better than what android offers and you will no longer need a computer to setup/update an ios device. It won't allow users all the freedom that Android offers, but it will be stable and will not induce late-night headaches either
Of course, both os's offer different flavors of usability, but I have a feeling that ios 5 will make the ipad an untouchable force in the tablet world - that is until Android becomes STABLE and can offer 100,000+ tablet apps, but I don't see that happening for many years.
I'm a happy camper because I have both devices, so I don't have to be a fanboy of either - I use what works for the task at hand and both the Transformer and Ipad 2 offer their own strenghts depending on what you're doing at the moment.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
EP2008 said:
Your kidding right? How many gameloft games work with our Android devices? Depends on which device you have. I bought a few EA games for my phone and tablet and now neither work. Got a new Samsung phone, well you're out of luck because many apps won't work with it. How's netflix running? Right... it doesn't unless you hack your transformer....
At least with apple, you buy ANY app and it will work - regardless of what you have. When they say the ipad "just works", they weren't kidding. I have no hassles at all with my ipad 2. My transformer on the other hand force closes, randomly reboots, has battery drain issues,etc. And I'm not the only one! Quality control from ASUS has been dismal and you really can't deny that.
I love my Android phone and tablet, but I'm VERY impressed at what Apple has done and the quality of apps available for their devices - something that Android has years to catch up to.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Despite all of this...his main point was that you can transfer your purchased apps and games into any Android device you please. You aren't locked in to Asus...if you want to return and get a Samsung...you don't have to worry about having to buy a whole new set of apps.
Also, I don't really play games on Tablets...the current games are too "casual" for me and don't hold my attention.
EP2008 said:
My brother's been testing ios 5 (he's a developer) and from the sound of it, Android has a lot to be worried about. All of the major complaints will go away and some of the new features will crush Android (e.g. app data in ios 5 is backed up to the cloud, so reinstalling an app will give you the option to restore app data - no rooting, titanium backup nonsense needed). The notification system will actually be better than what android offers and you will no longer need a computer to setup/update an ios device. It won't allow users all the freedom that Android offers, but it will be stable and will not induce late-night headaches either
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's pretty cool...I wish I had an ability to do that with the TF (I don't want to root so Titanium is a no go for me), competition is not a bad thing.
newtybar said:
Despite all of this...his main point was that you can transfer your purchased apps and games into any Android device you please. You aren't locked in to Asus...if you want to return and get a Samsung...you don't have to worry about having to buy a whole new set of apps.
Also, I don't really play games on Tablets...the current games are too "casual" for me and don't hold my attention.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand. You get a new iproduct and you transfer your apps - easy as pie. The advantage of having only "one" ipad is that you get stability and consistancy. This could be considered the biggest selling point. With Android, you get a new device and maybe it doesn't root easily - so you lose all you root-specific apps. Maybe half the games you get aren't compatible with your new device. I've had these problems with the android devices i have. It's very frustrating.
Tablet games on ios are AMAZING my friend - Dead space, GTA, Real Racing, Marble Madness, etc. You can go ultra casual or console-quality - There isn't one game on Android that I "miss" on ios. I basically stopped buying games for my Transformer, I purchase only apps or use free ones.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

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