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iPad2 tomorrow. Who's on the fence?

I know I am.
We can debate about it till the end of time and end of day, it's just preference. I dislike the Apple arrogance, but they make a kick ass piece of hardware. To do what it can do on lesser hardware specs (CPU) is an amazing accomplishment. Once you get into an app on either platform, it's pretty much the same thing.
However, I am in the Android ecosystem and I dig it. I am a tinkerer, so it's definitely for me since I love the customization. But I am also a cheap bastard, and price could win this war for me.
The XOOM is expensive, even with the 25% coupon.
Here's where I jump ship to iPad vs. XOOM (which I do have on order and is shipping)
- Lower iPad entry price. 400 - 450 for a 16gb iPad2 is killer. However, it would have to be closer to 400. At 450, it's 150 away from full flash, higher resolution, more capacity and expandability... etc etc...
- Higher resolution screen. This is huge. I want to be able to paint with sketchbook and already believe 4:3 is better than 16:10 for this, but even a 16:10 1280 x 800 is already better than iPad 1's 1024 x 768. A higher res screen would likely be 1280 x 1024.
If they get both of these, price and screen, I am not leaving Android, but I will leave the XOOM behind. And not just as an in comparison vs. iPad stance, but lets look at 2011. Almost every Android pad coming out has similar to same specs as XOOM. We all knew we were paying the premium for first adopter syndrome, but at some point, I need to be smart about all this.
Thoughts?

DatterBoy said:
I know I am.
We can debate about it till the end of time and end of day, it's just preference. I dislike the Apple arrogance, but they make a kick ass piece of hardware. To do what it can do on lesser hardware specs (CPU) is an amazing accomplishment. Once you get into an app on either platform, it's pretty much the same thing.
However, I am in the Android ecosystem and I dig it. I am a tinkerer, so it's definitely for me since I love the customization. But I am also a cheap bastard, and price could win this war for me.
The XOOM is expensive, even with the 25% coupon.
Here's where I jump ship to iPad vs. XOOM (which I do have on order and is shipping)
- Lower iPad entry price. 400 - 450 for a 16gb iPad2 is killer. However, it would have to be closer to 400. At 450, it's 150 away from full flash, higher resolution, more capacity and expandability... etc etc...
- Higher resolution screen. This is huge. I want to be able to paint with sketchbook and already believe 4:3 is better than 16:10 for this, but even a 16:10 1280 x 800 is already better than iPad 1's 1024 x 768. A higher res screen would likely be 1280 x 1024.
If they get both of these, price and screen, I am not leaving Android, but I will leave the XOOM behind. And not just as an in comparison vs. iPad stance, but lets look at 2011. Almost every Android pad coming out has similar to same specs as XOOM. We all knew we were paying the premium for first adopter syndrome, but at some point, I need to be smart about all this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sources in the media say the higher res screen is not going to happen because it would cause more power drain. They are going to make a thinner screen, though, allowing the device to be thinner.
I can never get an iPad because iOS is pathetic for a tablet OS. Not near enough functionality for my tastes. It's just an app delivery system.
Unfortunately, this leaves me still waiting for a tablet that fits my needs (Toshiba? LG?). My Xoom is going back, I'm too bothered by the power button and speaker placement, especially considering the price.

They aren't going to lower the price and they aren't bumping the screen specs up. So your decision is already made. Apple hits the same price point every year, they aren't going to lower it when they are already below all relevant competition. They have already confirmed that the screen is the same resolution as well.
What will change I think is that Apple will be running a dual core TI OMAP4430 processor with the Imagination Technologies Powervr SGX540 clocked at 300mhz. The reason I think this is what they will use is that Apple owns a significant stake in Imaginations Technology, they might even outright own it at this point, and they have used their technology in past iphones and ipads.
If they do use this SoC, then the iPad will have SIGNIFICANTLY higher graphics processing power than the Xoom and other Tegra 2 tablets. Also, Apple won't support it, but it would be capable of playing back 1080p high profile content flawlessly. Maybe once its jailbroken and XBMC is installed . . . . .

I'm not really on the fence, as I will get a Xoom eventually. But I do think that the pricing of the Xoom is ridiculous, and I do think that this will change once the iPad 2 is announced.
Motorola justified the premium price by saying it has many features that the iPad doesn't have. This is stupid. First, 4G and Flash are not available on it, yet. Second, the product that the Xoom should really be compared to is the iPad 2, not the original iPad. Flash can certainly be ruled out for the iPad 2, given Steve Jobs' stance on it. But how come Motorola is so certain that iPad 2 won't get 4G support? And front+rear cameras support, and faster CPU, are unlikely to be missing on the iPad 2.
I do think that Motorola will change the pricing on the Xoom once the iPad 2 is out there. This is probably why they don't say anything about the price of the wifi-only version yet (except informally said to be around $600, not saying anything about the capacity). The official price of the current 3G+wifi model probably won't change, but I'm sure they will do some coupon or mail-in rebate to effectively lower its price, and then introduce a range of lower capacity and wifi-only model to try to match iPad's pricing.
Apple probably will lower the prices with the new iPad. They typically cut the price of the same capacity model (due to flash memory price dropping like crazy all the time?) when they introduce a new generation of products every year (see iPod Touch). I highly doubt they can do much lower than $499 for the cheapest model though, because honestly that's already shockingly cheap when it was introduced last year. My guess is the starting price will still be around $499, maybe $450 but not any lower. Maybe they will retain the current generation 16GB iPad and slash its price, just like what they did with the iPhone 3GS. But the prices of the newer higher capacity models should be lower than what they are now.

tsekh501 said:
I'm not really on the fence, as I will get a Xoom eventually. But I do think that the pricing of the Xoom is ridiculous, and I do think that this will change once the iPad 2 is announced.
Motorola justified the premium price by saying it has many features that the iPad doesn't have. This is stupid. First, 4G and Flash are not available on it, yet. Second, the product that the Xoom should really be compared to is the iPad 2, not the original iPad. Flash can certainly be ruled out for the iPad 2, given Steve Jobs' stance on it. But how come Motorola is so certain that iPad 2 won't get 4G support? And front+rear cameras support, and faster CPU, are unlikely to be missing on the iPad 2.
I do think that Motorola will change the pricing on the Xoom once the iPad 2 is out there. This is probably why they don't say anything about the price of the wifi-only version yet (except informally said to be around $600, not saying anything about the capacity). The official price of the current 3G+wifi model probably won't change, but I'm sure they will do some coupon or mail-in rebate to effectively lower its price, and then introduce a range of lower capacity and wifi-only model to try to match iPad's pricing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think flash can be ruled out. They could easily just say that it wasn't ready to run as smooth as they require, but now with the new hardware it does. They have reversed themselves on dozens of things as vehemently rejected as Flash in the past. That would be a major coup against Android too.

There is no on the fence for me, Honeycomb compared to the sorry excuse for a tablet OS they call iOS is a no brainer.

DatterBoy said:
I know I am.
We can debate about it till the end of time and end of day, it's just preference. I dislike the Apple arrogance, but they make a kick ass piece of hardware. To do what it can do on lesser hardware specs (CPU) is an amazing accomplishment. Once you get into an app on either platform, it's pretty much the same thing.
However, I am in the Android ecosystem and I dig it. I am a tinkerer, so it's definitely for me since I love the customization. But I am also a cheap bastard, and price could win this war for me.
The XOOM is expensive, even with the 25% coupon.
Here's where I jump ship to iPad vs. XOOM (which I do have on order and is shipping)
- Lower iPad entry price. 400 - 450 for a 16gb iPad2 is killer. However, it would have to be closer to 400. At 450, it's 150 away from full flash, higher resolution, more capacity and expandability... etc etc...
- Higher resolution screen. This is huge. I want to be able to paint with sketchbook and already believe 4:3 is better than 16:10 for this, but even a 16:10 1280 x 800 is already better than iPad 1's 1024 x 768. A higher res screen would likely be 1280 x 1024.
If they get both of these, price and screen, I am not leaving Android, but I will leave the XOOM behind. And not just as an in comparison vs. iPad stance, but lets look at 2011. Almost every Android pad coming out has similar to same specs as XOOM. We all knew we were paying the premium for first adopter syndrome, but at some point, I need to be smart about all this.
Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a big deal, the 32gb 3g I pad currently costs $729, the new I pad will be the same or more, I could careless about $70, also the xoom with no flash sucks balls, to be stuck with an iPad that will never get flash would be a travesty. Please hurry up adobe

I am on the fence. What I really need is a good tablet that will replace my notes at work as well as be a nice toy for my 2.5 year old to play with and learn on. We won't know everything until tomorrow, but I love how Android is an actual OS whereas iOS is an app launcher. The thing to realize, Apple is also going to show some stuff coming out in iOS5. Nobody knows what is in the new OS. For all we know, they completely revamped it to be more like a desktop experience. If this is the case, I think I am going to have to go with IPad. If this is not the case, I will probably stick with Android, maybe not the Xoom but the Samsung 10.1 or another one. The only part that I am wary about are the amount of apps. I know that android will be getting more apps as time goes by, but IPad already has those apps. Therefore there is no waiting at all for them. Ahh, it's going to be such a hard decision to make when it comes down to it.
Disclaimer: I have never owned a single piece of Apple hardware/software before. The only android hardware/software that I have used is my HTC Hero CDMA.

I am waiting the next Samsung 8.9" tablet that will be announced on March 22
Hoping it doesn't use Tegra 2, has nicer screen like super amoled and 64 gb model.
I might jump into iPad 2 if iOS5 is not just a launcher.
Xoom is nice, but too expensive for current state (dislike Tegra 2 performance, hate the screen, hate the power button).
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

I'm not seriously on the fence about an iPad2...not a big apple fan, but I may still return my Xoom and wait a few weeks given that the iPad2 can change pricing and speed up some of the missing features (ie flash).
I don't own (or ever have owned) an current generation Apple product. I did own a original Macintosh and Apple II GS. I do like their hardware though.
As an aside, I always thought Apple should start using other apple names besides macintosh. The iphone could've been the fiji and the ipad the granny smith.

I am also on the fence - and I am coming from the GTablet. Dont get me wrong the Tegra 2 is an awesome platform and have become very comfortable with the source strucutre (Froyo), etc. etc. BUT I hated the screen. I just could not get past how bad the screen was on the GTablet. This now brings me to a point where I am tablet-less. Since the iPAD 2 announcement is tomorrow I am definitely on the fence. Other than an iPOD I don't own any Apple equipment. Having a strong linux/java development background so I do gravitate towards the Google platform BUT as I see it for what I want it to do (Browsing, Playing Games, Email, Media, E-Reading, etc.) the IPAD 2 is just as good (if not better possibly). With the GTablet I LOVED the tinkering with the kernel, loading up different ROMs, creating FrankinROMs, the little development I did, etc. but honestly I have enough tech playing in my life/profession soo.. the net net is I just need something that works, has great support and most importantly a great screen.
NOW.... If Motorola was smarter the WIFI would be out by now; someone like me would have pulled the trigger already especially due to the fact the 3G version is utterly crazily priced!... Unfortunately for them I have now reserved my self to be on the fence... Stupid stupid Motorola... I suspect everyone who is on the fence is/was in the same position! Listen Motorla - you probably just lost many customers to the (right now) king of Tablets... I would love to know the strategy of these manufacturers... Apple was smart to wait till after ALL the tablet announcements... its like seeing a boxer throw punch after punch barely connecting, tiring out the opponent... By the time the IPAD 2 hits the shelves - Android 3.0 will be a whisper in the wind - unfortunately due to the fact XOOM hasnt had the glaring reviews we all suspected and all others delayed till end of April or beyond. I suspect Apple will announce the IPAD 2 will be released 1st week of April - killing a huge market share of potential Google purchasers (like me?). If I were Apple this is what I would do.
Anyway... fun to discuss, speculate, etc.

Count me in as being on the fence. I was really hyped on Xoom coming out but the price and lack of options has completely killed my desire for one.
The biggest complaint I have is the fact that there is no WiFi version available at this time. I really dont need another data contract, and with having a Evo I can thether for free and dont need an overpriced CDMA radio. Having played with a Xoom, I think its great device and would really like one, but it loses out to the iPad in the following:
1) No WiFi $500-600 version
2) No Apps. I know there will be apps, but if I pay $800 for a device, I expect strong app support.
3) Fully thought out & functional product. Xoom seems rushed with no flash, no SD memory card, and crappy video support. I dont mind that these things will be updated in the future, but at a $800 price point its utterly retarded that its not fully functional.
I think the biggest mistake Motorola made is not offering a WiFi only version and releasing sooo close to the iPad 2 launch.
I will likely buy a iPad 2, since it will be announced tomorrow, WiFi version will be available soon and has the better apps. Although iOS sucks balls, I would rather have a cheaper tablet that is comparable.

No Brainer
i have never connected this to my computer and have already 20 albums, 3 movies and all my contacts, calendar, bookmarks.
oh i also have :
my jobs wifi with password
my house wifi with password
and all my friends wifi with passwords....i didnt do anything besides sign in my google account.
4g connections...micro sd...flash..soon enough (complain all you want about that..early adopters are a rare breed)
heavy dev help on the way....massive google overhauls as well
you do the math...
if your cheap i can see the complaining. otherwise, nah bro

also forgot
apple Ram is being up'ed to only 512mb.
and they arent using a Micro sd card
and they arent using a hdmi port
and they arent using a micro usb cord
but its apple so it doesnt matter, right?

Bauxite said:
There is no on the fence for me, Honeycomb compared to the sorry excuse for a tablet OS they call iOS is a no brainer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
The few people I spoke to about this said they were waiting for an iPad 2 because they like the sleek UI - can't fault iPad/Phone/Pod for the simple, easy to use, non-breakable UI - but I'd feel trapped and even jailbroken - a broken man...
Xoom caught my eye in the end (was contemplating something like the HTC Flyer but think its too small for a home-wifi-only-tab) and I'm waiting for the £450 wifi version to hit the pre-order so I can pre-order!

Dude... I think your in the wrong thread... This is the iPAD2 on the fence thread... Not sure what your saying (my Chrome Translation feature is not working) but its not coming across.. you may need to resend the message or your in the wrong thread...
dudeimgeorge said:
i have never connected this to my computer and have already 20 albums, 3 movies and all my contacts, calendar, bookmarks.
oh i also have :
my jobs wifi with password
my house wifi with password
and all my friends wifi with passwords....i didnt do anything besides sign in my google account.
4g connections...micro sd...flash..soon enough (complain all you want about that..early adopters are a rare breed)
heavy dev help on the way....massive google overhauls as well
you do the math...
if your cheap i can see the complaining. otherwise, nah bro
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Lets not all forget about the horrible iTunes that is basically required to sync the iPad. Hrm. I've gone so long without ever needing to install that hunk of junk. That might be the main reason I pick Xoom at the end of the day.

cheebahawk said:
Count me in as being on the fence. I was really hyped on Xoom coming out but the price and lack of options has completely killed my desire for one.
The biggest complaint I have is the fact that there is no WiFi version available at this time. I really dont need another data contract, and with having a Evo I can thether for free and dont need an overpriced CDMA radio. Having played with a Xoom, I think its great device and would really like one, but it loses out to the iPad in the following:
1) No WiFi $500-600 version
2) No Apps. I know there will be apps, but if I pay $800 for a device, I expect strong app support.
3) Fully thought out & functional product. Xoom seems rushed with no flash, no SD memory card, and crappy video support. I dont mind that these things will be updated in the future, but at a $800 price point its utterly retarded that its not fully functional.
I think the biggest mistake Motorola made is not offering a WiFi only version and releasing sooo close to the iPad 2 launch.
I will likely buy a iPad 2, since it will be announced tomorrow, WiFi version will be available soon and has the better apps. Although iOS sucks balls, I would rather have a cheaper tablet that is comparable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a little confused, iPad will never have flash or SD support. The fact you have to wait a couple of weeks for flash means they should've delayed the project, your trippin. 1080p video when iPad doesn't have it isn't much of a comparison. When watching comcast on demand on my xoom everything looks a million times better then with my iPad. Everyoe is different and has different needs, but your points are mute except for price

First of all, a disclaimer, I own both ;-) I am a self proclaimed hardware whore. I currently use a nexus one but have owned 2 iphones in the past. I have a macbook pro as well as a dell xps, oh and I (or my kids) have an iPad.
Plain and simple, no one can knock apple for shaking up an industry. What they originally did for the phone scene and the eventual tablet scene was a well needed shot in the arm and they deserve the success they have received.
However, on a day to day basis do I use the iPad or iPhone? No. Why? Because while they do the basics very well they are certainly not flexible. Try to do something that Apple doesn't approve of and you'll quickly realize what I mean. While Jailbreaking is cool n' all that, I still prefer my functionality to be sanctioned by the manufacturer rather than hacked in.
As for the iPad2, my biggest complaint about the original iPad (and why my kids now exclusively use it) is browsing. Their browser is horribly slow, scrolling a page and waiting while the checkered pattern cleared up annoyed the crap out of me. And sure, flash sucks but it is a standard - and shame on you Apple for not embracing standards.
So, I genuinely don't care what the iPad2 has over the first generation if they don't fix the browser.
.... although I truly, truly miss Netflix

^^^^^^Amen!
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The ipad has nothing on the xoom and honeycomb.

I have had an ipad since release. We have used it for school, presentations, documents, email, etc. I can already say it is nothing compared to the xoom.
I've had it less than a day, and I have run into a few quirks. The ipad did too, like wifi dropping on me constantly on release. Anyhow, just sitting here chatting with a friend, browsing the market, internet, xda, etc, I can't help but notice how much better it is than my ipad. Quickly swapping between apps, voice input, etc. I can plug it into the TV and instantly show my wife an article I've found.
Sure the apps aren't there yet, but they will be. The quirks will be fixed, and it can only get better. For all the "I'm taking it back" threads I just don't get it. I'm hooked.
This is the tablet I was looking for.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App

i envy you. I originally was going to wait for the xoom but i got impatient and bought an ipad. Then xoom came out and i sold my ipad and bought it. First day amazed, second annoyed. Im getting ALOT of keyboard lag and I need a good pdf reader. The ones for the phone are not cutting it. Tried ez and repligo both lag like crazy.
Definitely returning this for the xoom for ipad 2. Ipad 2 will be my placeholder until Honeycomb gets more apps and bugs fixed.

iPad has nothing over the Xoom? Really? Not even a better screen (I would take IPS and much much better viewing angles and color reproduction over higher resolution)? Lighter weight? Thinner body? Better, more diverse accessories? And that's not even mentioning the better app store at launch which you just handwaved away but a lot of us consider to be pretty important.
It's one thing to be a fan of the Xoom (which I am). I'll even admit that I do have an anti-Apple bias and that I'll probably never purchase an Apple product. But it's another to completely toss all objectivity out the window and just become a cheerleader for a product that so obviously isn't perfect.
It's not as if the benefits I listed above are limited to Apple. Samsung's new Honeycomb tablet is taking care of 3, potentially 4, things from that list. It'll have a lighter weight than even the iPad 2, a thinner body than even the iPad 1 and Xoom, all while having pretty much the same internals as the Xoom. It also might have a better screen (still looking into this). And the delayed release of the product after the release of the SDK means launch customers will have a lot more apps available to them.
Liking a device doesn't mean you have to be blind to it's shortcomings.
EDIT: I just noticed that most of my recent posts are criticisms of the Xoom and I want to clarify. I'm not trying to bash the product. I just think we should be holding Honeycomb tablet makers to, at the bare minimum, the standards that Apple has set with its wildly successful iPad. Clearly that's being done with some factors. Xoom has more connectivity options, a higher resolution screen, an OS that's better suited for tablet work and productivity, etc. But it's obviously not being done with others, especially screen quality which is a huge HUGE deal with tablets, and I don't think Honeycomb tablet manufacturers should get a pass on that.

You plug your tablet into a tv to show her an article?

I own both as well and I love the potential here but wouldn't say that the I pad 1 has nothing on the xoom. The screen is better as mentioned before. Colors and viewing angles. Also overall OS smoothness. The ipad is silky smooth everywhere. The Xoom is smooth sometime then it gets choppy. Right now that is my biggest disappointment. I mean functionally it is fine the the chop gets a little annoying tbh.
On the ipad for example I neverrrrr had a case of music coming in and out while I surfed the web or download files using filer. On this device I randomly get delays in sound when I perform other tasks. Like ashura3 mentioned not to hate on the xoom after all I actually have one and I am going to keep it for sure but being objective the ipad is pretty slick in what it actually does. And insult to injury google and Motorola have had alot of time to look at what apple did before shipping this device. We are comparing the almost 1 year old device on top of that all the early reports and videos I watched and read about yesterday on the ipad show an extremely fast polished ipad2.
I understand its limited in certain aspect but take like functions or apps and compare how the work and objectively it is hard to say the I pad has nothing on the xoom.

ashura3 said:
It also might have a better screen (still looking into this). And the delayed release of the product after the release of the SDK means launch customers will have a lot more apps available to them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I supply is correct the display is a 16bit tft. That would explain the differences I see when looking at the two and comparing the IPS 32bit display on the ipad. All the other downsides of the Xoom can be easily addressed but like the lack of SD or 4g upgrade on the ipad, there is no way the xoom screen will be as nice unfortunately. It isn't a terrible screen but there is a difference and it is pretty obvious to everyone I nave showed both devices to.

But the iPad 2 has a magnetic dust cover!!!!
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I have an ipad and just got the Xoom. The Xoom is certainly a nice device, I don't think the screen is so bad but it isn't IPS.
I think Motorola blew it big time although I hope they do succeed. They should have released the wifi version before Apple announced the ipad 2 event. As a consumer that just wants a wifi tablet, are you really going to spend $800 on a Xoom or $500 (less for a ipad 1) for a ipad? Even if both are the same price, how many people do you think are going to buy the Xoom over an ipad? Let's hope the Xoom does better than the Zune.
The whole user experience of the Xoom isn't nearly as good as what iOS offers. I'm keeping my Xoom as I would rather have Android than Apple (sd slot, usb and I like the file system better for my field work). If Apple had released a 2x res screen with sd slot as some rumors had mentioned, I would have stuck with iOS.
Long term, Android has a good shot but I don't see the Xoom making a dent getting Apple's market share. The cost, hardware and software don't surpass the Apple user experience. There is no compelling reason to switch from iOS or choose Android unless you're a fan of the platform.
I don't have an iphone nor a Mac so no fanboy here but you can't beat the ipod and the ipad is getting to be just as iconic. Jha has done a good job but I think he completely underestimates what Apple is in the market to think that the Xoom is going to compete against the ipad at the same cost.

google voice... the ipad has it...

Ehhhh.... this is what were supposed to do. Early adopters are basically testers, if you guys see anything you don't like, email google and suggest them. You guys are doing a great job of testing out the device. Also, in order for android tablet apps to increase in numbers fast, there's gotta be customers for developers to sell to right? I purchased a xoom to fill my needs, it does get laggy sometimes but it isnt such a dealbreaker to me right now. Looking at the I pad 1 or 2 it doesn't matter. It's still the same ****ty grids of icons from page to page. But I,too, really think motorola should just release the damn wifi version before the I pad 2 takes a whole bunch of customers.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App

My emphasis was more on the software experience rather than hardware. I don't see how iOS is going to hold its own once Honeycomb has its kinks worked out. The user experience is just that superior to the iOS grid of icons.
The xoom isn't that special for hardware. Every few months something faster or thinner or brighter is going to come along, but I don't see Apple drastically changing their operating system anytime soon and I think Honeycomb itself is going to be the real threat.
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Sirchuk said:
My emphasis was more on the software experience rather than hardware...
The xoom isn't that special for hardware... but I don't see Apple drastically changing their operating system anytime soon and I think Honeycomb itself is going to be the real threat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AMEN to that! I was just thinking that this morning... This isn't really a "war" between Apple and non-Apple. It's about user experience, needs etc. Since hardware is always obsolete the moment you leave the store (or click check out) the software is the main determinant. Unfortunately, it looks bad right now for HC. But the more I see users post their homescreens with all the wild widgets and customization going on the more I feel "home". I LOVE the apps on the iPad and the screen (I'm playing with a coworker's iPad today) but the user experience is reminiscent of my iPhone...

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know what the Frequency Response is on the Xoom, I can't find it listed anywhere in the specifications. I know its listed for the iPad. I would like to know what it is on the Xoom though.
Anyone?

Being an owner of both, I have to say that the iPad has the luxury of being on the market for a whole year. Last April, iPad was in the same position as a Xoom is today with the uncertainty, bugs and the like. Compairing to Xoom today, its not really in that bad of a position. My Xoom has already replaced my ipad and I'm super excited to see where this thing can go.

I've had my Xoom since launch, and have not had a single issue of lag, or sound problems. Everything has ran very smoothly... Not a android or apple fanboy, I've used them all, i just like the notification system and widgets on honeycomb much better than the ipad.

Good article from Forbes: Apple Addicts Aside, Xoom Is Better Than Ipad

Last paragraph is the best:
"As to the utility of tablets in general, I found more and more uses for my iPad during the past year and have come to realize its value and versatility as a computing device. Having said that, it has only taken me two weeks to all but discarded it in favor of what I consider as the “Grown Up” new tablet for business: the Xoom."
http://blogs.forbes.com/marcwebertobias/2011/03/15/apple-addicts-aside-xoom-is-better-than-ipad/

Good find. I bet Steve Jobs would take issue with his conclusions.

It was very well written, I myself still think honeycomb has a way to go.

Thread title is paraphrased...

If you read Anandtech's review of the Xoom you will notice that he chooses the Xoom over the iPad simply because it's much better at multi-tasking and feels that the Honeycomb OS is actually better than the iOS in most things. Having a faster GPU doesn't mean much if the OS feels outdated and lacking unless you're into tablet gaming.

IMO, Google has always come to market with a product that isn't finished but has loads of potential while Apple comes in with the finished product and very minor updates down the road. The Xoom/Honeycomb OS is no different than Google Search, Gmail, Maps, Android, etc - it's another platform that isn't complete at launch, but clearly capable of growing into the most versatile option on the market.
Tobias has it right here. It's just a matter of time before the market realizes what Google is offering.

Apple doesn't always come to market with the so called finished product. Very simple examples of this are when the ipad launched it did not have multitasking. Copy and paste, folders for IOS.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

Stop hating on the iPad DAM. The Xoom IS not better and vice versa. They both are incredible devices and like windows /mac is all choice! iPad 2 with its specific refined OS can run better than an OS made for everytype of hardware. So, with that said you will ALWAYS see better specs from PC'S and such. But Apple user experience is amazing. Honeycomb is beautiful but will be mass produced and hard foe the average consumer to differentiate.
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Nobody in this thread is hating on the ipad.
Why don't you go and respond to your thread about returning and switching for video playback?
Or just keep trolling.
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albundy2010 said:
Nobody in this thread is hating on the ipad.
Why don't you go and respond to your thread about returning and switching for video playback?
Or just keep trolling.
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x2. this article just makes him regret his decision to return it LOL.

albundy2010 said:
Apple doesn't always come to market with the so called finished product. Very simple examples of this are when the ipad launched it did not have multitasking. Copy and paste, folders for IOS.
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Even though it was lacking some features, that doesn't mean that it wasn't finished. Apple regularly releases finished products that lack features for the reason of ease of use, etc.. There is a difference between unfinished and lacking features on purpose. Apple would rather release without features than tack them on without the individual features being implemented correctly.

Lack of features for ease of use is rubbish.
The ipad was unfinished when it launched to me period. An essential part of it was missing. If I recall correctly the ipad was the last device to get updated to support multitasking.
I am not hating or even making a argument against apple. Just saying they should not be put up some pedestal.
When they released iOS 4 it basically rendered the 3g useless. On a joking note their phones still screw up time changes.
Anyways I really don't want to talk about apple. Or participate in any this vs that crap. Just don't want to hear this apple can do no wrong type of fanboy crap.
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albundy2010 said:
Lack of features for ease of use is rubbish.
The ipad was unfinished when it launched to me period. An essential part of it was missing. If I recall correctly the ipad was the last device to get updated to support multitasking.
I am not hating or even making a argument against apple. Just saying they should not be put up some pedestal.
When they released iOS 4 it basically rendered the 3g useless. On a joking note their phones still screw up time changes.
Anyways I really don't want to talk about apple. Or participate in any this vs that crap. Just don't want to hear this apple can do no wrong type of fanboy crap.
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Sorry no it really isn't rubbish. The iPad 1 was plenty useful and extremely user friendly, even without multitasking. The same can be said for any iPhone up to the 3GS before the software update. Think whatever you want, but Apple waited until they could do a seamless user experience with what they called multitasking, whether it is true multitasking or not. When they rolled out iOS 4 and multitasking for the iPad, it only added to the usability of the device.
Stop being so negative and just get real with the device's strongpoints. I'm not of the mentality that "Apple can do no wrong", but I at least give credit when credit is due. Whether you like their product launch strategy or not, they've done very well with it and I don't see that changing any time soon.

I went back to read his part 1 of the article. And I had a big pause after reading a 2nd paragraph.
Before the iPad or the new iPad2, manufacturers attempts at a tablet PC were a dismal failure. The original tablets were too heavy, too slow, the displays were hard to read in portrait mode, and they had poor battery life.
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Too slow? Wow, does he even know what he is talking about? Unless he is talking about very very early tablets that run on pre-core CPU system, then I cannot believe he is saying Core 2 Duo is slower than A5 or Tegra 2. I mean, I got like a 3 years Fujitsu T4215 a 12" SXGA+ convertible tablet running Windows 7 running on a Core 2 Duo T7200 w/ 4GB or RAM. And yes, it boot into Windows slower than those two tablet booting iOS or Honeycomb. But as a business tool, I can use it as part of my workflow for RAW conversion. It still take hours on this unit, but if I had to do it on iPad2 or Xoom it probably take days if not weeks to finish RAW conversion. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the rest of the article probably good, didn't read that far yet. But I still couldn't believe he call those system slow, especially if compared to something like core i5 or i7 that was release in 2008-2009.

I haven't posted since I got it, so just a short note of my thoughts. Since this is a related thread, I'll put this here. First off, I'm an Android guy, I want an Android tablet. I wanted the Xoom but...
The biggest number one thing that sold me on the iPad 2 over the Xoom was the screen. I thought the screen was the Xoom's advantage with the better aspect ratio and higher pixel count, but the Xoom's screen seriously under performs. The thing I wanted a tablet for was casual web browsing, maybe reading some books, and some web browsing. The Xoom's screen has a very poor viewing angle and just didn't look as good as the iPad's. Being that I want it for nothing more than media and web browsing, the iPad works out for me. I would rather have Android, but I also don't know if Honeycomb is so great right now. To me this is the first big step for Android tablets. They can compete now, but I think we need to see a better overall package and a software update before Android tablets take a step ahead, especially at a higher price point.
I think the performance is comparable enough to make that a non-factor in purchasing. Both are very nice packages with dual core CPUs and nice GPUs. The software, like I said, I'd rather have Android, but I don't necessarily know if I'd rather have 3.0, though I'm sure a few updates and community support and it will work just fine.
I mean no disrespect for the Xoom, I'm a completely unbiased tech guy, I use what works best at the time, not what company I love more. If anyone wants to get mad at me for picking an iPad over the Xoom, I'm sorry. I just wanted to post my impressions of both since I hadn't posted since I had hands on with both.
Now, when Samsung gets a Super AMOLED Android tablet out, I'll buy it the day it comes out. I think the issue is that I'm spoiled with my SAMOLED on my Captivate, so the iPad is already a step down in a way.
I liked the Xoom though. I just want to give Android a little time to mature on tablets. It's definitely an iPad competitor, but I think Android can offer more and blow the iPad away by this time next year.
someone0 said:
I went back to read his part 1 of the article. And I had a big pause after reading a 2nd paragraph.
Too slow? Wow, does he even know what he is talking about? Unless he is talking about very very early tablets that run on pre-core CPU system, then I cannot believe he is saying Core 2 Duo is slower than A5 or Tegra 2. I mean, I got like a 3 years Fujitsu T4215 a 12" SXGA+ convertible tablet running Windows 7 running on a Core 2 Duo T7200 w/ 4GB or RAM. And yes, it boot into Windows slower than those two tablet booting iOS or Honeycomb. But as a business tool, I can use it as part of my workflow for RAW conversion. It still take hours on this unit, but if I had to do it on iPad2 or Xoom it probably take days if not weeks to finish RAW conversion. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the rest of the article probably good, didn't read that far yet. But I still couldn't believe he call those system slow, especially if compared to something like core i5 or i7 that was release in 2008-2009.
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I hardly think he's talking about convertible laptop/tablets as tablets. Other than the fact that you can make it be a touch screen on the top of the device, they hardly compare. You're talking about an entire PC. The only thing I can't think of is what else was available that you could consider a tablet back then, because that was pretty much it. The smaller thin tablets we have today aren't really even the same class of device as the old convertible tablets of previous years. I'm not sure what he's comparing to.

Now, when Samsung gets a Super AMOLED Android tablet out,
I can guarantee you this will never happen, atleast not anytime soon.

Eclair~ said:
Now, when Samsung gets a Super AMOLED Android tablet out,
I can guarantee you this will never happen, atleast not anytime soon.
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You can't guarantee anything unless you are the CEO of Samsung. It's already been rumored since last year and they've built concept devices. As time goes and production costs go down, it's only natural that we'd see Samsung put some type of SAMOLED screen in the tablets. I wouldn't be surprised if the next refresh of the Galaxy Tab line is SAMOLED. We're talking a year or so probably, but that's fine, I don't need to be in the market for a tablet now for another year or two.

AJerman said:
The biggest number one thing that sold me on the iPad 2 over the Xoom was the screen. I thought the screen was the Xoom's advantage with the better aspect ratio and higher pixel count, but the Xoom's screen seriously under performs.
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I agree but if you don't have the direct comparison every day you get used to the Xoom's inferior screen. Unfortunately in this ever-evolving tech world it is virtually impossible to get "the Perfect Product". Apple's products have the unique benefit of having everything originating from the same source: Apple. No guessing what hardware needs to be supported so the software is tailored to every hardware detail. For almost every other OS out there the software manufacturers can only have minimal and recommended specs but at the end everything needs to be pieced together. It's almost as if you compare a hand-made, tailored suit from a designer to something you buy at Men's warehouse.
I personally do not see myself moving away from the Xoom anytime soon. Not sure if a Samsung screen is worth switching. I am past the time of my life when I always have to have the top-of-the-line gadget

funnycreature said:
I agree but if you don't have the direct comparison every day you get used to the Xoom's inferior screen. Unfortunately in this ever-evolving tech world it is virtually impossible to get "the Perfect Product". Apple's products have the unique benefit of having everything originating from the same source: Apple. No guessing what hardware needs to be supported so the software is tailored to every hardware detail. For almost every other OS out there the software manufacturers can only have minimal and recommended specs but at the end everything needs to be pieced together. It's almost as if you compare a hand-made, tailored suit from a designer to something you buy at Men's warehouse.
I personally do not see myself moving away from the Xoom anytime soon. Not sure if a Samsung screen is worth switching. I am past the time of my life when I always have to have the top-of-the-line gadget
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Yeah, I thought about that too, I just think my SGS and perhaps my SGS 2 soon with an SAMOLED+ would make me sad to look at my Xoom every day, haha. You're right about it being impossible to have the perfect product. The cost of production would be too hard to recoup from regular consumers that don't care as much about top of the line. I hate to make it sound so nit picky to decide on a tablet for it's screen, but I have a limited use for a tablet, and with media and book reading, a screen is one of the most important features.
I need to stop reading the Xoom forum though before I end up with a Xoom and the iPad. I am jealous because I don't have Android, haha.

Interesting article. Author got flamed pretty bad in the comments though.

Used an iPad2 last night

I was using my friends iPad2 last night....
I've had my Xoom since they came out and I've never used an iPad (or any other tablet to be honest) before. I gotta be honest. I was seriously impressed and became immediately more dissatisfied with all the shortcomings of the Xoom. The browser experience was by far superior, as was UI Performance. That baby was silky smooth. Made my Xoom feel... weak?
Which really comes to my biggest complaint. The Xoom has superior hardware to the iPad2, right? So that must mean the Xoom has far inferior software. Get on the ball Google and get this **** working right. A good barometer of success would be getting Facebook to render properly in the browser. It just seems like google and moto aren't interested in gaining customers.
PS. I'm typing this on my xoom and hating the laggy interface.

*puts on flame retardant suit*
*hands OP a bucket of water* You'll need this.

chg ur xda to 'classic' on left bottom. i do used ipad 2 b4 n for me ipad 2 is really smoother than xoom, n the gesture controls r cool, too. but anyway, i enjoy my xoom much more than ipad 2.my xoom have no laggy at all, seriously.

Here's a thought, sell your Xoom and buy an ipad if that is what you like better.

apollyon0810 said:
Get on the ****ing ball Google and get this **** working right.
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I think it's painfuly obvious that Honeycomb has more potential than the pads iOS, mouse, keyboard, HDMI, the ability to hook up hard drives etc, but I would be inclined to agree with your statement. Gingerbread is uber laggy, after reading reviews I was surprised that more people didn't pick up on it when writing their reviews maybe the idea of the Tegra 2 blinded them? But then again it is a new OS, blah blah blah...
The OS will bed in and evolve, of course, I just hope we don't have to wait for the new incarnation of the Xoom to see it's full potential.

The Xoom has its problems, but being laggy isn't one of them.
I've been using Apple products pretty heavily for the last three years, and they are good but they get pretty boring after a while. Everything is the same and each upgrade brings minor changes to more of the same. I've already decided to return to Linux when I finally replace my Macbook. It's just so hard to get excited about anything Apple does anymore, and I think they're beginning to suffer from the same curse of ubiquity that plagued Microsoft for so long.
I bet that the Xoom and other Honeycomb tablets have less polish than iOS for the iPad, but Apple has also been at the tablet game for a year longer than Google, so I'm more than happy to give Google a bit more time to address these issues.
But the Xoom isn't laggy.

This is not the most appropriate way to vent your frustrations.
Thread closed. As others have stated, perhaps your best bet would be to sell your device and buy an iPad.

Convince me the iPhone 5 will bring nothing worthwhile...

So I can pick up my new S3.
I've been wanting to switch forever to Android, but to me the hardware wasn't always quite there. Now that phones have caught up, I'm itching to go upgrade. However, I know the iPhone 5 is being released in just a little bit, so I'm going to hate myself if I don't at least hear what the 5 is going to have. My guess is NFC and a larger screen, but I can't imagine what else they could bring hardware wise. I love my Iphone, don't get me wrong, but I'm guessing hardware will barely change and to me Ios6 doesn't look like it will bring a lot of innovation to the market.
I'm such a nerd though, I use to have an HTC with Windows Mobile and modded the hell out of that thing. It was the most fun I've ever had with a phone, but the camera on it was horrible, which is pretty important in my eyes.

Does this forum looks like Android-Buy-Me-Forum? Dude, make your own decisions...nobody, I mean nobody can tell or convince you which phones you prefers. Iphone has their own advantages so does Android.
Everyone using Android will say Android is better, so if you go to an Iphone forum, the same will happen. If you want to use a phone with stability, nothing changes over time, everything goes well everytime, go to the Iphone. If you are someone who likes to tweaks your phone, able to set your own personal ringtone without going to iTunes, go to Android. Simple as that

Camera on the SGS3 is awesome, it has NFC, Android has had turn by turn navigation for years, you can do anything with Android you want, the quad core CPU is awesome if you watch videos receive an email or text and just hit the pop out play button to watch the video and check the email or text.
You aren't bound to what a company says a phone should be able to do, you don't like the stock rom flash a custom rom. The UI looks different in different versions of Android. All share cast allows you to share whats on the screen with a TV whether its a slide show of holiday pics or a video.
Google now trumps siri in so many ways (when JB comes) you can just copy files to any PC, no installing iTunes on all PCs you want to share things with.
Any other reasons you need?

Well I certainly know the differences, but I thank everyone for their input. My thought process about the iPhone was always hardware as I stated before. I never really enjoyed iOS, at least when I purchased for4. For the first iPhone 3, I'm sure a lot of us could agree it was probably the best OS out at the time. When the 4 came out, it seemed like the best hardware compared to others as well, but iOS was falling behind.
But now, I don't know whats up Apples sleeve. I mean, what could they possible bring to the table that will provide the wow factor hardware wise? NFC won't do it, I even think wireless charging wouldn't do it. A slightly larger screen and maybe a better camera? 3d? All stuff is either standard now or a cheesy gimmick. That's why i love the S3, because it has the hardware, plus we all know Android is fantastic.

Punker1234 said:
Well I certainly know the differences, but I thank everyone for their input. My thought process about the iPhone was always hardware as I stated before. I never really enjoyed iOS, at least when I purchased for4. For the first iPhone 3, I'm sure a lot of us could agree it was probably the best OS out at the time. When the 4 came out, it seemed like the best hardware compared to others as well, but iOS was falling behind.
But now, I don't know whats up Apples sleeve. I mean, what could they possible bring to the table that will provide the wow factor hardware wise? NFC won't do it, I even think wireless charging wouldn't do it. A slightly larger screen and maybe a better camera? 3d? All stuff is either standard now or a cheesy gimmick. That's why i love the S3, because it has the hardware, plus we all know Android is fantastic.
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Iphone's screen will never compare to the GS3, better camera get the Nokia N8 with a 12MP camera, 3d get the LG Optimus 3d, these are already out there Apple will just be copying everyone implementing things we don't see in the SGS3.
Also lets not forget the hardware in the iPhone is all Samsung hardware, so iPhone is made by Samsung as well. Any hardware Apple could improve over SGS3 (CPU, GPU, screen) will drain your battery which you cannot replace. with the SGS3 if you need it you can carry a spare battery with you and just swap it over when the awesome hardware drains the battery.

Well first off, it's an iPhone... While they may be popular, Samsung has over thrown Apple's control of the market share."Everyone that's popular, cool, rich has to have one right???" No -_- the SGS3 cost more than the iPhone, so that marks off rich people. I am pretty da*n cool and popular, that marks the others off cuz I have an SGS3. It has a quad core while Apple is just now getting into the dual core waters. Battery life is amazing. GPU is the best around. Dev support, not locked down. Jelly bean smoothness on the way.
I mean c'mon if you seriously have doubts on getting an iDevice and becoming an iSheep, then leave XDA. Unless your job forces you (which I would still try my hardest to avoid) to have an iPhone, steer clear and enjoy your freedom.

I don't know why you say the iPhone had the best hardware, it wasn't hardware that made it smooth, it was software optimisation.
The 4S is using an underclocked dual core processor and it only has 512mb of ram.
Hardware has never been apples game, they just optimised the sh*t out of iOS.
Also objective C is faster than Java. (iOS and Android coding languages respectively)
Hardware was nearly always better on high end android handsets (no point comparing a 59.99 low end Android to a 700 quid iPhone, although most people that say Android is **** base their opinions on that.) Because it had to be, the os wasn't refined as much as iOS because there were so many oems, chip manufacturers etc. there were so many variables.
Now with JB Android has really found its feet, JB is the release that Android deserves as a platform, it is the one that will win non-technical people over with the ease of use and of course the fact that it oozes butter all over the place.
So to get to the point, iOS is dated, Android is growing better with every release. Vote Android.
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Punker1234 said:
Well I certainly know the differences, but I thank everyone for their input. My thought process about the iPhone was always hardware as I stated before. I never really enjoyed iOS, at least when I purchased for4. For the first iPhone 3, I'm sure a lot of us could agree it was probably the best OS out at the time. When the 4 came out, it seemed like the best hardware compared to others as well, but iOS was falling behind.
But now, I don't know whats up Apples sleeve. I mean, what could they possible bring to the table that will provide the wow factor hardware wise? NFC won't do it, I even think wireless charging wouldn't do it. A slightly larger screen and maybe a better camera? 3d? All stuff is either standard now or a cheesy gimmick. That's why i love the S3, because it has the hardware, plus we all know Android is fantastic.
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Well its possible for the iphone5 to be better spec wise (cpu, gpu). If you're into gaming, it seems developers always put out the best versions of their mobile games for apple's product so that could be a plus for you. Other than that, I don't think anyone knows what's going to be in it.

georaldc said:
Well its possible for the iphone5 to be better spec wise (cpu, gpu). If you're into gaming, it seems developers always put out the best versions of their mobile games for apple's product so that could be a plus for you. Other than that, I don't think anyone knows what's going to be in it.
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if he's into gaming then he should get a console or a PC.
to the OP, you said so, you want to change to android, sgs3 is a great way to make that change, the iphone 5 could be good but we don't know yet besides, if you like freedom then android is your choice.
my recommendation is, wait till the iphone release and pick one by then, if you come to our world you will enjoy it and never leave, trust me.

If he's in the us his gs3 won't be a quad core . But it will have 2 gigs of ram and be fast as hell. I'd go with the gs3. In fact I am going to the gs3 lol. I have the gs2 right now.
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Apple will never compete in hardware spec with Android because there are so many android devices come out every 4-6 months with higher spec. Apple will never catch up on that department.
Maybe there will be new softwares in Iphone5. But whatever software offered in Iphone5 will be available for Iphone4.
So basically, there is nothing, I mean really nothing worthwhile that Iphone5 will bring to you.
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Convince me that this thread was really needed? There are many people waiting for new iphone to come out so that they can compare it with GSIII and make their decision. What if everyone wants to be convinced?

I am in the US and i have the Quad core version....
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Is this some cheap way of getting the fanboys stocked up?!
Read how unimpressive IO6 with the features that are coming out and the compelling but unsiteresting hardware underneath it. Besides you know what your getting with apple tbh, there hardly surprising anyone as much as they used to these days, but incremental change has its merits.
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Does it still depend on itunes? Y/N?
If Y goto 10
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I have to admit something about those apples
I have repaires alot of samsungs and my first 4s a while ago
Build quality is something apple does better to my opinion
Not trying to hate on the plastic s3 that cracks when handled ruff
Just saying i prefer apples build quality (ill never get one tho) well if somebody gives me one sponsored i wont say no offcourse but purshasing it myself ?
I think for ppl that like apple build quality and dont like os from apple they can
Put android on it ? Lets face it this is XDA
Samsung need to notch up the build quality and then the phones would be ok
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Just wait and get your iPhone with NFC and everyone will think it will be the first phone to have it
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Anything Apple makes you a ***** to iTunes. End. Of. Sorry.
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That's why iPod 3rd gen has been sitting in a drawer for over a year. Itunes sucks.
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The Iphone(5) isn't out yet! besides, it sounds like you want a phone because it could be more popular not because of the functions. If you want a stylish phone have a look for the sony ericsson p900i