Database Users

Underwhelmed by the Xoom (a fair assessment imo)

Let me start off by saying that I am no 'company fanboy' of any sorts, but rather a 'gadget fanboy' who tries to assess devices as objectively as possible.
I am current owner of a rooted Droid X (running gingerbread theme, undervolted, overclocked, with sysctl enabled, ~ approx. 2 days batt life on extended)
No, I am not teed about the current lack of flash, sd card support. thats not my gripe.
* My main gripe is a hardware limitation. I just find it heavy to use after prolonged use (after 20 min of continuous usage).
* I find the screen to be subpar compared to its main competitor, the iPad, which uses a IPS display resulting in a higher contrast ratio, deeper blacks, wider viewing angles, and better color reproduction
Xoom, Viewsonic G-tablet, iPad1
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* I find holding the xoom to be an uncomfortable affair compared to the iPad1. Now, I am an iPad1 user as well. I'm starting to realize why iPad has a thicker bezel. It makes it easier on the user to hold and use.
* Native google apps are buggy. I wasn't able to play a lot of YouTube videos, and the Google Maps application with vector support was surprisingly choppy. Everyone zoom into San Francisco until the buildings show. Tilt it so you can see a lot of the buildings. Start scrolling. Its pretty choppy. For some this is barely an issue, to me, it irks me.
To those that are on the fence for a tablet, and are a current Android smartphone user, I would highly recommend the iPad2 as it is lighter, thinner, and cheaper than its main competitor, the Xoom. Not to mention the 100k+ native iPad application support. And whats wrong with diversifying your OS portfolio? If you think about it, who woulda thought that an Apple product would be cheaper than its main competitor?
I don't mean to knock on the Xoom, but its just not ready yet, and I'm extremely worried that tablet developer support on android will not be as successful as the iPad due to android tablet pricing ($800, no wifi confirmation yet, $539 pricing is still a rumor).
Personally, I'm on the fence with this device. All the Xoom needs is time, so that the bugs can be closed and application support increases. Not to mention the root community on the tablet will explode hopefully in the near future. To be honest, I would LOVE to have an undervolted, overclocked android tablet that can give me almost twice the batt life. I'm still deciding whether to return this and get the iPad2.
However, I do find the xoom's 1280 x 800 16:9 form factor to be superior than the iPad when it comes to web browsing. The web browsing experience on the xoom is phenomenal.

Insanely unnecessary thread. Threads like this have saturated this website. extremely redundant. come on

Opinions
Assholes

dudeimgeorge said:
Insanely unnecessary thread. Threads like this have saturated this website. extremely redundant. come on
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Click to collapse
its an opinion. so had i made a thread only praising the xoom would that be unnecessary as well?
you can easily not respond to it. the post was created in order to garner discussion. thats all.

iPad doesn't have 100k+ native apps, it has 65k... I think your preference on the thicker bezel is also just that, preference. I prefer the Xoom's smaller bezel. Viewing angles on the Xoom are an issue for you? I'm looking at might from an off-angle right this moment and can still read the screen fine. Also, what are you using to judge the color representation? Any kind of professional tools, or is this just your eyes, which are far from what I'd call accurate?

aohus said:
its an opinion. so had i made a thread only praising the xoom would that be unnecessary as well?
you can easily not respond to it. the post was created in order to garner discussion. thats all.
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Click to collapse
Yes, it would be unnecessary. People who like the Xoom like it, people who don't, don't. There's plenty of reviews out there on professional sites that people can go to.

I was with you for a minute, until your advertisement for the iPad 2.
The Honeycomb SDK has been out for LITERALLY LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. Developers couldn't really develop until they got their own hardware as the emulator sucks. There is one honeycomb device, do you think there will never be any others? I find the app argument really weak. Give it a couple of months and there will be several Honeycomb devices, probably a 3.0.1 or 3.1 android update.
Maybe you can live with the limitations of iOS, but I cannot. Those poor notifications send me into a rage.

Your assessment is just opinions how you feel about the device. When people are looking for an actual review they are going to read your crap and get a bad impression. The ipad cant really be classified as a tablet since there is no real difference between it and an iphone besides size. The only thing apple has is apps and a tablet should be about more than just apps. Android offers a different experience as a whole. But you just mention basically how much your hand hurts because you lack some muscle strength to hold something that weighs the same amount as the original ipad.

aohus said:
its an opinion. so had i made a thread only praising the xoom would that be unnecessary as well?
you can easily not respond to it. the post was created in order to garner discussion. thats all.
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Click to collapse
dude are you stupid? what you just said is exactly what i claimed as redundant. Had he written this days ago, specifically on the launch date, well this would be a great NEW THREAD. Opinions are great, but having multiple batches of the same crap bloats this forum and is just lazy. go out of your way and look for the countless people who are voicing their beautiful opinions on what they think about this product. all this is garnering is redundancy, and you are no better, hot shot

Elysian893 said:
iPad doesn't have 100k+ native apps, it has 65k... I think your preference on the thicker bezel is also just that, preference. I prefer the Xoom's smaller bezel. Viewing angles on the Xoom are an issue for you? I'm looking at might from an off-angle right this moment and can still read the screen fine. Also, what are you using to judge the color representation? Any kind of professional tools, or is this just your eyes, which are far from what I'd call accurate?
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Click to collapse
one can easily find the difference in display quality by the naked eye. If that isn't enough, there are multiple reviews stating the iPad's display is better in terms of contrast ratio, black levels, and color depth.
As for the bezel issue, thats a fair statement to make, its a user preference.
The viewing angles on the iPad IPS display is definitely wider than the Xoom's LCD display. But seriously, i wouldn't consider that a 'dealbreaker.'

Bauxite said:
The Honeycomb SDK has been out for LITERALLY LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. Developers couldn't really develop until they got their own hardware as the emulator sucks. There is one honeycomb device, do you think there will never be any others? I find the app argument really weak. Give it a couple of months and there will be several Honeycomb devices, probably a 3.0.1 or 3.1 android update.
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Click to collapse
Right, and this is what i stated in the OP
aohus said:
All the Xoom needs is time, so that the bugs can be closed and application support increases. Not to mention the root community on the tablet will explode hopefully in the near future. To be honest, I would LOVE to have an undervolted, overclocked android tablet that can give me almost twice the batt life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

dudeimgeorge said:
dude are you stupid? what you just said is exactly what i claimed as redundant. Had he written this days ago, specifically on the launch date, well this would be a great NEW THREAD. Opinions are great, but having multiple batches of the same crap bloats this forum and is just lazy. go out of your way and look for the countless people who are voicing their beautiful opinions on what they think about this product. all this is garnering is redundancy, and you are no better, hot shot
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Click to collapse
lets not engage in personal attacks here.
the vitriol and negative remarks is atrocious. I would have expected this kind of behavior from apple fanboys. seriously. do we have to be so insecure that we can't critically judge our own product? a shame really.
i'm anxiously awaiting LG, Samsung, and HTC to make its honeycomb debut. Already eyeing the 8.9 inch sammy tablet thats supposed to be very thin and light. we shall see

Xoom is way ahead of its time. The software stack it relies on is way to buggy. From various report on this forum, it can barely play any decent HD video clip and Netflix support is non-existent (probably will never arrive). Yes, over the time the software will improve and stablize. But at its current state (buggy software, no Flash and no microSD support), it is not worth the premium price it is asking for, IMO.

I have a Xoom and a SmartQ R10 (same IPS screen as the iPad). I did a comparison on Slatedroid: http://www.slatedroid.com/index.php?/topic/15865-screen-angles/
The IPS screen, imo, is better. I didn't use graphics and guides to figure this out - it was strictly with my naked eye.
As for the iPad(2), my biggest beef remains which is the walled garden approach to doing things that Apple forces on us. I am not a hater - I own MacOS SL and I love that OS - I personally think it's better than Windows 7. But iOS is a different animal, entirely.
I owned an iPad for a few days, so some examples of what I'm talking about:
- You can't even boot into the iPad until it's connected to iTunes. There's just something blatantly wrong with that way of thinking, imo. I need a desktop OS to use my tablet for the first time.... huh??
- Crippled audio and video support. No AVI, no FLAC, no Vorbis, no MKV etc etc. Yes, you can download (paid) apps to fix this, but why should I have to? Even MS started supporting Xvid AVI's in their Zune HD, last year - and this is MS we're talking about, the king of proprietary lock-down.
(Note: Before the reply of "that's because Apple doesn't support piracy", let me explain what I do. My purchased DVD's are ripped to Xvid AVI's as a standard, or MKV's if I need multiple audio tracks or subs. I made a decision years ago on these formats, as it offered the best compatibility at the time. As for music, I backup my CD's to FLAC and made the decision to use Vorbis as my Cowon music player supports it, it's easier to transcode because the codec is free to use, and it offers better quality than MP3's. But Apple thinks I'm a pirate because I don't use their codecs? I prefer freedom and choice).
- File sharing versus drag and drop. Seriously, why does Apple do this? It's my device, can't I just drop files into it? Are you so afraid that I might use it to play pirated videos that you have to lock this down?
- That HDMI dongle. Seriously, that's just pathetic. Why is so hard to just add a micro-HDMI connector to the iPad2?
- No Flash. EVER. Because Stevey-J has a problem with Adobe, his users pay for it. Don't tell me iPad users don't want it, because we all know that they would like support, deep down inside. Given the OPTION (and I stress that word) of having it if you wanted to, most would choose it. If you don't want Flash, then just don't install it. But give us the option of either / or.
- No external storage. Granted, the Xoom is missing this feature right now, but USB Host mode work (I just confirmed it) and the hardware is there. Apple doesn't add a microSD slot for two reasons - one, because they don't want you actually bypassing their draconian lock-down policies. And two, because no external storage = more money for them for their 32GB / 64GB devices.
The Xoom is FAR from perfect, don't get me wrong. But I suppose it all depends on how you plan to use your device. I tried the iPad1, and I hated it. But that's just me.

Dude who wrote this .....I agree with you
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

roebeet said:
As for the iPad(2), my biggest beef remains which is the walled garden approach to doing things that Apple forces on us. I am not a hater - I own MacOS SL and I love that OS - I personally think it's better than Windows 7. But iOS is a different animal, entirely.
I owned an iPad for a few days, so some examples of what I'm talking about:
- You can't even boot into the iPad until it's connected to iTunes. There's just something blatantly wrong with that way of thinking, imo. I need a desktop OS to use my tablet for the first time.... huh??
- Crippled audio and video support. No AVI, no FLAC, no Vorbis, no MKV etc etc. Yes, you can download (paid) apps to fix this, but why should I have to? Even MS started supporting Xvid AVI's in their Zune HD, last year - and this is MS we're talking about, the king of proprietary lock-down.
- File sharing versus drag and drop. Seriously, why does Apple do this? It's my device, can't I just drop files into it? Are you so afraid that I might use it to play pirated videos that you have to lock this down?
- That HDMI dongle. Seriously, that's just pathetic. Why is so hard to just add a micro-HDMI connector to the iPad2?
- No Flash. EVER. Because Stevey-J has a problem with Adobe, his users pay for it. Don't tell me iPad users don't want it, because we all know that they would like support, deep down inside. Given the OPTION (and I stress that word) of having it if you wanted to, most would choose it. If you don't want Flash, then just don't install it. But give us the option of either / or.
- No external storage. Granted, the Xoom is missing this feature right now, but USB Host mode work (I just confirmed it) and the hardware is there. Apple doesn't add a microSD slot for two reasons - one, because they don't want you actually bypassing their draconian lock-down policies. And two, because no external storage = more money for them for their 32GB / 64GB devices.
The Xoom is FAR from perfect, don't get me wrong. But I suppose it all depends on how you plan to use your device. I tried the iPad1, and I hated it. But that's just me.
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You have summarized this very consistently as opposed to the OP. It is getting really bad in this forum that I have to ask whether it is worth to visit.

knut150 said:
You have summarized this very consistently as opposed to the OP. It is getting really bad in this forum that I have to ask whether it is worth to visit.
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Click to collapse
some of his points are a little off. i agree with many, but as far as codec support goes, the xoom tablet does not have much codec support. you can't play FLAC, Vorbis, MKV's natively on the Xoom, so its the same for both iDevices and the Xoom tablet.
However, that being said, it doesn't mean its the fault of honeycomb, thats motorola's decision to not support various codecs.
i'm just trying to be rational. it really comes to this.
Either Wait, and see how the other honeycomb tablets turn out
OR, if you need to buy a tablet now, you essentially have two choices when it comes to premium tablets, the xoom or the iPad2.
so you have $800 vs $499 at the moment.
a device thats thinner and lighter, cheaper compared to a singular $800 tablet with a better OS (honeycomb).

aohus said:
so you have $800 vs $499 at the moment.
a device thats thinner and lighter, cheaper compared to a singular $800 tablet with a better OS (honeycomb).
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Wrong. $729 compared to $800. 3G vs 4G upgradable + expandable memory
The wifi Xoom isn't out yet so you can't compare a wifi only iPad 2 to the Xoom just yet.

Any post that starts off with "I am not a fanboy" is a really good warning that you're about to read a post by a fanboy who doesn't want to be thought of as a fanboy.
Heavy? Don't you find a hardback book to also be heavy if you're wasting energy trying to hold it up for 20 minutes? Get the motorola cover which has a built in stand and use it. or put a throw pillow on your lap and rest it there. The iPad 1 weighs 1.5lbs. The Xoom weighs 1.6lbs. You really think that additional ounce and a half makes more than a negligible difference? Any object of more than about 1/4 pound will start to feel heavy after 20 minutes. The product you're complaining about here is not the Xoom. You're complaining about gravity and your arms. There are multiple work-arounds available beyond those I mentioned above.
Judging from the screenshots you're primarily using your Xoom in Portrait mode, most likely because that's what your Portrait-centric iPad taught you to do. Your Xoom and Honeycomb are both Landscape-centric. Try to make the switch. You'll have a better experience.
"I would highly recommend the iPad2"
Why would anyone take advice about a product from someone who has never touched or used that product?
"I don't mean to knock on the Xoom"
Yes you do. That was the whole point of your post.

aohus said:
some of his points are a little off. i agree with many, but as far as codec support goes, the xoom tablet does not have much codec support. you can't play FLAC, Vorbis, MKV's natively on the Xoom, so its the same for both iDevices and the Xoom tablet.
However, that being said, it doesn't mean its the fault of honeycomb, thats motorola's decision to not support various codecs.
i'm just trying to be rational. it really comes to this.
Either Wait, and see how the other honeycomb tablets turn out
OR, if you need to buy a tablet now, you essentially have two choices when it comes to premium tablets, the xoom or the iPad2.
so you have $800 vs $499 at the moment.
a device thats thinner and lighter, cheaper compared to a singular $800 tablet with a better OS (honeycomb).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct - I was mixing my GTAB experience with my Xoom experience. After the fact I realized that the Xoom is actually more crippled codec-wise than my GTAB. That's a surprise.
Vorbis does play OOTB however, I'm a heavy Vorbis user. But the video support is bizarre - MKV works, but only to a point. Depends on the audio / video codec inside. And Xvid AVI's do NOT work, which is worse than my GTAB. FLAC doesn't have OOTB support but apps like Rockbox can fix that.
My bigger point is that the Xoom at least allows you to copy the files and then use an app, if available, to run the content. The iPad doesn't allow that - you have to have the app in advance (usually not free) and then use iTunes file sharing to move the content over. It's much less efficient.
I did do some audio / video testing on an iPad, so I know what was available and the cost for the apps. Vorbis, in particular, really annoyed me because that's my audio codec of choice. The Xoom actually sees Vorbis files, AND reads their tags. That's actually better than my GTAB.
Bad marks on Xvid AVI's, though - I hope that will be fixed. There's no WMA / WMV support either -- that could just be a build.prop change, however.

[Q] Motorola Xoom vs iPad 2, and Honeycomb Apps

I'm on fence on whether to buy a Motorola Xoom (32GB WiFi EU) or an iPad 2. In terms of price, here in Malta the Xoom seems more worth it as I can get it for 498 euro whilst the iPad 2 Wifi 32GB is at 609.
My main concerns are regarding software, and more importantly, apps availability. Now, before you bash my question, I've read a lot of reviews for both devices, and I've gone through lists for Honeycomb apps, but I'd like input from actual Xoom owners that are using it day to day.
Thanks in advance,
Emmanuel

well email and surfing is alot more fun and productive on a Xoom compare to an Ipad2 because of the integrated email and the flash enabled full size browser experience
but if you look at the build quality of them it sure looks like the Ipad2 went thought a lot more intensive QA then the Xoom since on the back of the xoom you kind of able to push in the plastic a bit.... thats makes me a sad panda
anyway comparing xoom vs ipad 2... there is only one logical answer
android =widgets
IOS = no widgets
and with widgets you get your information a lot faster like news, socks and twitter on one page... so yeah and i do use that alot
productivity = xoom
build quality = ipad2
that said i still think the ipad2 really rocks since it's a finished product but it does not have the widgets

I've owned an iPad and now I own a XOOM. For me personally, the ipad doesn't come close - the OS is far too restrictive and the dependency on iTunes was a killer for me (I use linux on all of my home machines, forcing me to run a windows virtual machine just to activate the damned thing).
With that said, the XOOM, or rather, Honeycomb doesn't even come close with regards to app availability. Even if you take the huge headstart that apple have (1 year+), the ipad has simply always been better marketed and there are a lot more apps available. Let's not even get started on the android market place; it's dire. The worst. And for some reason, it's even worse on honeycomb than it is on phones; no ability to rate apps, plenty of bugs (some of which have been addressed in 3.1), no ability to view only tablet apps, terrible filtering and search in general, etc. Apple's app store is how it should be done, the android market place has a long way to come.
The situation is improving for honeycomb and I personally wouldn't dream of going back to the ipad, but for friends and family who couldn't care less about the restrictive nature of iOS and the other things that I dislike, I would recommend the ipad.
With all that said, it looks really weird to see me almost recommending Apple, because I personally can't stand the software. Oh well...

Well, I've never owned an I pad but I have just purchased the xoom and I LOVE it!!!
Most comparisions regard the xoom better, but with the I pad having loads more apps - to some people, this is the deal breaker.
However, if you want a true tablet experience and not just an oversized iPod touch, then go for the xoom.
The xoom has better OS, greater browser and keyboard, better cameras and support flash, it is also not tied down to any PC software such as iTunes and includes more customization options such as widgits. (Android includes a free turn by turn navigation system too)
Oh and the maps and YouTube apps are better on the xoom and have more features (Google property pays off)
I made my decision and I'm happy with my xoom - but the choice is yours.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

I have to disagree. I think the xoom build quality is top notch and better than the iPad. It's just when I hold the iPad I feel like it will break... to thin for my liking.
Now applications look better in my opinion on the iPad. Like it was mentioned here the Apple eco system keeps me away.
Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

I have owned an iPad, and will likely own an iPad 2 when the current shortage lets up. There is very little left to say about the iPad (either version) that hasn't been said already. They are exceptional devices, gamechangers, perfectly designed to introduce mobile technology to mainstream users. Almost anyone can be up and running in 15 minutes with an iPad, even with no experience and iOS rewards those who embrace its deliberate limitations.
My first experience with Android was with an Archos 5 tablet, and then an Archos 101. I bought both as relatively inexpensive ways to get acquainted with Android. and both were very frustrating experiences in different ways. They really made me begin to view Android as a very niche market.
However, when I needed a new phone and decided that I couldn't wait for a Windows Phone 7 device to be offered here, and refused to get an iPhone, I opted for the Galaxy s and a whole world opened up to me...which then led me to my new Xoom.
I have been playing with it for about half a day now after doing a great deal of reading...I unlocked it, tried to root it and ran into the "stuck on the red M" problem, spent about 2 hours reading and sorting out how to get myself out of the trap via adb, rooted it at last, installed CWM then flashed the Tiamat kernel and finally began loading up my apps. Loved every moment of it. The build quality of the device, in my opinion, is excellent. It feels much better and more substantial in my hands than the iPad. The screen is top notch and I really like the honeycomb environment for work and play.
Most of all, I like the fact that Android is a living, breathing OS. SO much to explore and learn and investigate.
The iPad, for all it's many good points, as I said before rewards those who embrace its limitations. The Xoom rewards those who refuse limitations, who are willing to spend the time and effort to learn how it works and discover ways to do it better.
The iPad is the USS Enterprise...sleek and beautiful but cold and a bit sterile for all its power. What you see is what you get.
The Xoom is the Tardis...a hodgepodge of history and possibility, all wrapped in a shell of sweet wonder....and it is bigger on the inside.

With a Xoom I could have never ever owned a PC and set it up and get it working. It does not require you to hook it up to itunes first. With the iPad... yea I dont know about 15 minutes but after you hook it up to your computer to unlock it (lol) you can finally use it. In my house we have both, I like the Xoom better

you said
"The iPad, for all it's many good points, as I said before rewards those who embrace its limitations. The Xoom rewards those who refuse limitations, who are willing to spend the time and effort to learn how it works and discover ways to do it better."
I couldn't have said it better. The Xoom is my third Android tablet, my second Tegra2 tab, and the most hands-on and most rewarding and fun to own. I have never liked the Apple zeitgeist and have always avoided that product. I prefer the freedom to mess around, get into scrapes and come back from the brink with a better tab and a lot more knowledge. I think that as an open source, Android will continue to grow and evolve in wonderful ways and I want to be along for the ride.
Also, this thing is built like a tank.

rschenck said:
The iPad is the USS Enterprise...sleek and beautiful but cold and a bit sterile for all its power. What you see is what you get.
The Xoom is the Tardis...a hodgepodge of history and possibility, all wrapped in a shell of sweet wonder....and it is bigger on the inside.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That made me giggle . But I think the ipad are like the dalek. Cold personality and desire only perfection. seek only to dominate the world!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

inspiron41 said:
That made me giggle . But I think the ipad are like the dalek. Cold personality and desire only perfection. seek only to dominate the world!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Steve Jobs as Davros ...*shudder*
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App

i'll keep this short as can be...
iPad/iOs = Checkers.
Xoom/Honeycomb = Chess.

I have played around with both Ipad and Xoom. I currently own a Xoom. Ipad is probably fine if you want something simple with few options(not talking about apps).
The Xoom is pretty cool, and even cooler after unlock & root. The downside is app / game availability, but it's getting better every day.
The killer for me between the two is multitasking. The xoom has it, the ipad not so much.
And also, no itunes. The xoom works out of the box.
The Ipad on the other hand has more accessories, wee..

Keep in mind that these sorts of issues are ultimately a matter of taste, so the things I don't like the iPad may not bother you at all.
I bought an iPad2 and returned it within 48 hours. I really can't explain my utter contempt for that device, but I just hated everything about it. I'm not an Apple hater, mind you; I owned every iPhone through the 3GS and was one of those dorks standing in line on launch days. I really, really wanted to like the iPad 2, but after having owned two Android handsets (and being a big gadget whore) I couldn't stomach going back to an iOS product.
What I hated about the iPad 2:
-Screen resolution sucks
-Too thin and flimsy feeling
-Stock keyboard is HORRIBLE and there's no way to change it
-No widgets
-No UI customization, period
-Cameras suck
-"Notification system" is sort of a joke
-"Multi-tasking" is also sort of a joke
-Far higher cost for iPad apps vs. iPhone/iPod apps, developers nickel & dime you for every little thing (subscriptions, in-app purchases, etc) - seriously, the whole ecosystem was like a giant money sucking vacuum
-QA on my particular unit was terrible - massive light leaks around the edges of the screen and 3 stuck pixels within 1 day of use (and this is not an isolated issue, though Apple is replacing defective units but making sure to blame their supplier)
iOS is getting long in the tooth, and this is hugely magnified in tablet form, especially with the crappy-looking display. I felt like I was using old technology, despite the awesome internal specs. The best comparison I can come up with between Honeycomb and iOS on a tablet is something like Windows 7 compared to Windows 3.1.

hello,
i'm maltese too, on a xoom us wifi .. from amazon.com
worked out to 508 eu including hsbc's 'conversion charge' of 8 eu or so.
ipad vs xoom.. depends on what you need.
if you want a platform to play stuff from itunes.. ipad
if yiu want a portable computer you can meddle with.... xoom of course.
build quality, screen and battery life are excellent too.
cheers

btw where is that price from?
when i bought mine it was closer to 600eu for wifi eu
which is why i got the us one..

While I will state now I am no expert on iOS or the Ipad1/2 I will say this:
My Xoom has me constantly entertained and I've NEVER felt I needed an app that I didnt have at least 4 decent choices of. I have also never left limited on my Xoom for any tasks I wish to undertake, I stream all my media from my computer (via WiFi OR 3G) so everywhere I am I have access to all my media (and now thanks to Google Music moreso) and with Remote Desktop I have access to my Linux and Windows machines no matter where I am. The Xoom constantly feeds me information without having to do anything but look at my homescreens.
I have played with friends Ipad1/2's and while for the most part things seemed smooth and work well I always had this feeling of being lost when looking through the app screens, its like all the icons look the same (same size, many of them same colors) just felt very sterile and un-enjoyable and you get ZERO information without going from one app to another just felt like so much work for simple basic information readily available on my Xoom.
I've never been a fan of iOS or Apple's strategy towards their customers but I really tried to look at my 2 options without bias before choosing my Xoom. As several others are stated you really dont have any choices with Apple products, you take what your given and if you dont like your options you dont have any more to look at.
Android (despite its fragmentation in some areas and flaws, hiccups in others) is the best choice if you like options and a desire to learn more and have real options with your chosen device. If you want something simple that tells you what you want then Apple products are for you. If you dont mind a hiccup with something here and there and having the ultimate say in the apps and add-on parts for your device then I say without a doubt Android is the way to go. Widgets are the best thing to happen to phones/tablets as it gives you so much information without having to do anything to get it and you can always enter into that app for a more detailed look and more options.
As for the comment on Apple App Store having more options, maybe it does but judging by the amount the Android Market has grown over 1 year I highly doubt Apple will be able to say the same thing next year. More and more developers either jump ship from Apples restrictions in apps or choose to release their products on both Android and iOS platforms which means in many cases the Apple App Store is slowing down and stagnating in some areas due to the open nature of app development for Android OS, its infinitely easier to write and sell and app for Android than iOS.
As a side note a friend of mine and I compared apps, we both had some niche apps and some common ones... my total cost was about $40 (like I said I have some apps that cost about $15, my phone apps only had a grand total of like $10) but all in all his total for all similar (sometimes the same app) was about $200, that alone pushed my decision for another android device with the Xoom vs Ipad2.

If your cheap and want to hack get the Xoom. If you want to easily be able get VIDEOS to play fluently for rent or TV episodes get iPad. I got the ipad because it was so gay to get Videos on the thing. Having to convert then drag to device verse iTunes makes iTunes seem easier. Especially is JB.
Xoom =iPad none is clear winner
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

jamaicansolja said:
If your cheap and want to hack get the Xoom. If you want to easily be able get VIDEOS to play fluently for rent or TV episodes get iPad. I got the ipad because it was so gay to get Videos on the thing. Having to convert then drag to device verse iTunes makes iTunes seem easier. Especially is JB.
Xoom =iPad none is clear winner
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure I would call the Xoom cheap (not in build quality and certainly not in price) and I don't see what the sexual orientation of the iPad has to do with the issue.
I feel the video converting question is a non issue. For me, converting via iTunes or by a third party app is just as big a pain, and the iPad's native video app is even more limited codec-wise than the Android stock Video. Anyway, just use a player like MoboPlayer or VPlayer which can show pretty much anything, and you are golden.
However I agree that there is no real BEST TABLET...it is just a matter of personal preference.

jamaicansolja said:
If your cheap and want to hack get the Xoom. If you want to easily be able get VIDEOS to play fluently for rent or TV episodes get iPad. I got the ipad because it was so gay to get Videos on the thing. Having to convert then drag to device verse iTunes makes iTunes seem easier. Especially is JB.
Xoom =iPad none is clear winner
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So spend more money for the more restrictive device? Also, you don't have to hack the xoom. The Xoom has more option out of the box than the ipad.
You didn't manage to get gay videos on the Xoom?

Croolis said:
btw where is that price from?
when i bought mine it was closer to 600eu for wifi eu
which is why i got the us one..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's on www.expansys.com.mt, excluding VAT.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

10.1 vs Transformer vs Ipad2

After I could compare the Ipad2, 10.1 and Transformer for days now, I decided to go and buy an Ipad2. Yes, I turned my back on Android and here's why:
10.1:
Very nice lookings, high quality and hardware but there is a big problem: the colors. On some pictures the saturation is so high that it kills lots of details every time 2 similar colors are nearby. Here you can see what I mean, check the right circle where orange and red meets - if the orange circle would be more reddish, you could hardly tell there are 2 rings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1bkovoLXw4&feature=player_detailpage#t=208s
If you compare it to a perfect calibrated monitor, it looks like crap. Flashy, colorful and nice but details are gone. That's the one and only weaknes from what it offers. It's 16:9 display is a winner when it comes to videos but video playback is poor. Ipad2 is much better, even for flash, later more to come about it.
Another MAJOR problem is Samsung support. Android is a fresh system and needs tons of support. Samsung provides NONE. For EU, they still have no release dates or closer info about their device - just lol. For me, the 10.1 is just a step in the process to upgrade to Tegra3. They built the shell now and can use it for the next device to compete with Apple. Same like they did to the 10.1v - no support, they just forgot about it.
Transformer:
Diplay is pretty good but the build quality is crap. After I saw the Archos tablets with the bronze frame, I knew where Asus bought their stuff. Both have those sharp metal frames which are wrapped around the screen. TF and Archos have gaps between the frame and glas, with some kind of rubber to fill it. Asus tried to even out the sharp edges but you can see how cheap it is. Archos tablets can cut in your finger if you swipe around the edges ! For me: complete garbage quality, should cost 250$ max to satisfy the minimalist who just want's to read or something.
Ipad2:
This device is pretty awesome. First I thought the 4:3 diplay sucks for reading but after I measured books and calculated ratios, they were ALL closer to Ipad2 standards. That menas you will have less wasted space on Ipad. When surfing internet you will learn to love 4:3, everything fits perfectly while you feel how broken sites are on 16:9. The drawback are 16:9 movies without a border and the good about it, you have FULLSCREEN ! in emulators without scaling. There are also a lot of older movies/series with 4:3, which I prefer on travel anyway.
It is fluent everywhere and feels like my Galaxy S after getting the lagfix. Stock 3.1 is bull**** compared to it. The only point where it is superior, are widgets.
Root/Jailbreak/Flash:
Jailbreaking an Ipad is a piece of cake, visit a website, click on a button, your done. No bull**** to flash around or to risk your device. After that you have Cydia which is an alternative market. You can also add repos to it, so you gain access to apps of all kind, also the not so legal ones.
You can play Flash Videos on Ipad using Iswifter or other apps. Inconvinient sometimes but to my surprise, they are fluent on the Ipad - Androids are sluggish. The Ipad even played a movie fluent with 10 other flash animations around it !
The crappy part about the Ipad is itunes and the structure how app files are arranged. Every app has it's own folder, so if you use FTP or something to transfer via network, you have to put those files IN the app folder, so they can find it. Not a big deal, if the app folder wouln't be named like 429403290239203023948393. Android is way better, copy somewhere on SD and browse it. Sure you can use itunes to put everything together but Itunes won't work with Jailbroken apps from Cydia. This breaks the use of my NAS server at home, leaving me with ****ty USB-to-PC solutions if I want it the easy way. Music and Videos which are supported by NAS can be played over UPNP but I found more nice apps for that on Android as I could on Ipad.
Conclusion:
10.1 is a nice device but it's like to own a ferrari and only have crappy roads to drive on. Android kills the Tab, sadly. It's good for smartphones but not for tabs - it's worse as an alpha build of windows. Every manufactuerer does what he wants, there are no standards. Compatibility between Android versions are a joke - imagine you upgrade from win7 to win8 and everything stops working - arrrrrrrgh.
This may be fixed with 4.0 but it will take another 1-2 years for the software. Until then, there will be Win8, which could break Androids neck (if it's compatible to Win7 programms!). Also I can sell the Ipad2 for 200-300 bucks, even if Ipad3 is released, so screw it, will lose ~150-200€ to it. But it will buy me at least 6 months of fun.
The best is, I don't have to care about the future. There is no "will it work after OS upgrade" problem with Apple.

Wow there are so many problems with this post I don't even know where to begin. I think I will just address your last line:
The best is, I don't have to care about the future. There is no "will it work after OS upgrade" problem with Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try telling that to the iPhone 3G users who upgraded to ios4 and had a device that was next to worthless. Apple pushed that update out to ose iPhones knowing it would turn it into a piece of **** 100% of the time.

dcc22 said:
Root/Jailbreak/Flash:
Jailbreaking an Ipad is a piece of cake, visit a website, click on a button, your done. No bull**** to flash around or to risk your device. After that you have Cydia which is an alternative market. You can also add repos to it, so you gain access to apps of all kind, also the not so legal ones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having met way more people with iPodTouch4/IP4/IPad1&2 that do this than those who DO NOT do this, it makes me wonder if the ideology of app devs to take preference to iOS for financial considerations is not completely flawed.

....what is the point of this post?
your inability to play with android OS and tweak it is not an excuse for you to say that android is flawed..with that said, i agree some stuff need to be fix, but its minor stuff such as typing on the browser...and...well thats it for me.
if you want something that work out of the box, agreed pick ipad 2, but if your geeky or you like linux pick android, more custimization then IOS can ever dream of.

THE firmwares with ripped features for different devices, as they become incompatible with every next release the iphone 3g and now 3gs with ios5. Don't tell me jailbreak is easy, it took the developers 3 months to make a jailbreak for ipad 2 which is still raw with compatibility issues! If buying the idevice is an excuse for free apps...probably games in your case with a new handheld gaming device than off board ye pirate! People jailbreak the device for customisation which is the soul of android os (which is not fresh but time tested and evolving i need not wait a whole year for new features to sprout, mostly inspired and already popular in other os!).
Ever heard of DFU mode, recovery mode? Similar terms and combos are used here! Atleast in android thanks to diversity if one model ain't suitable there is a myriad to choose from! Compare two devices of same platform when making a point.

I agree with G1 and the person above but since you decided to share...let me take a turn.
Why you felt the need to justify your iPad 2 choice in an Android related forum is beyond me.
You either realize or fail to see that Apple purposefully limits their tech. Minimal upgrades between generations. Even the newest iPhone won't support 4G from what I have heard yet they want to use LTE patents against Google?
Your train of thought that the iPad 2 is perfect is already starting to form.
The iPad's dimensions do not in any way make it better for video, reading, and web surfing. I was just having a debate with a friend who started complaining about where the dock port was on my Galaxy Tab 10.1. He was quickly shut up when I pointed out that cell phones have the port at the bottom so our hands can grip the sides. However a tablet is meant to be held in LANDSCAPE...that's why sticking the port in a different place was a smart decision.
Point being...he turned into another person claiming everything is horrible with Android. Guess what? He never owned an Android device. He actually has a Touch Pro 2 right now. IGNORANCE!
Look I've had an iPad. I know that jailbreaking it is POINTLESS. Your battery dies out super fast, the app selection is fairly weak, and all of that jailbreaking does nothing but try to replicate an Android experience. But it fails.
Unlike you, I do care about the future. I don't want to live in a world where everybody has the same glossy tablet with a slippery back so you can drop the darn thing. I don't want to be told what I can and cannot do on my tablet. I do not want to support any company intent on holding back technological progress for the sake of money or who buys patents just to sue other companies out performing them.
You have EVERY right to buy an iPad 2 but just know that your choices and who you choose to support speaks volumes. I have friends just like you. One day they're talking about freedom and openness. The next day they're justifying EVERYTHING Apple does. Cool. As long as I have a choice too.
As for your claims about Windows 8, it only serves to buttress how you allowed us yourself to come to your decision.
"Ignorance is bliss." That should be Apple's new tagline.

I love the OP and how he compares the worst of Android tablets to the best of iPad2 lol
4:3 is perfect for reading books with less wasted screen space. Yay! Now try reading comics and watching WS movies You prefer 4:3 movies? Good for you
Jailbreaking is easy for the iPad2 NOW! But do you know how long it took for the jailbreak to come out? That's right, they've been working on it since the iPad2 was released in March. Four months for a jailbreak to give you the 3rd party features equivalent of... Android. Who knows how long it will be the next time a new iPad/iDevice comes out. Compares that to the usual quick turn-around of rooting an Android device.
I'm happy that you're happy with your iPad 2. It's a nice device. But it sounds like you're just an iOS fan who tried Android and didn't like it.

I'm so glad you guys posted such thorough responses, so now I don't have to. I particularly like the point about why an Apple Fanboy felt the need to post his decision in an Android forum was beyond sensible.

goalweiser said:
I agree with G1 and the person above but since you decided to share...let me take a turn.
Why you felt the need to justify your iPad 2 choice in an Android related forum is beyond me.
You either realize or fail to see that Apple purposefully limits their tech. Minimal upgrades between generations. Even the newest iPhone won't support 4G from what I have heard yet they want to use LTE patents against Google?
Your train of thought that the iPad 2 is perfect is already starting to form.
The iPad's dimensions do not in any way make it better for video, reading, and web surfing. I was just having a debate with a friend who started complaining about where the dock port was on my Galaxy Tab 10.1. He was quickly shut up when I pointed out that cell phones have the port at the bottom so our hands can grip the sides. However a tablet is meant to be held in LANDSCAPE...that's why sticking the port in a different place was a smart decision.
Point being...he turned into another person claiming everything is horrible with Android. Guess what? He never owned an Android device. He actually has a Touch Pro 2 right now. IGNORANCE!
Look I've had an iPad. I know that jailbreaking it is POINTLESS. Your battery dies out super fast, the app selection is fairly weak, and all of that jailbreaking does nothing but try to replicate an Android experience. But it fails.
Unlike you, I do care about the future. I don't want to live in a world where everybody has the same glossy tablet with a slippery back so you can drop the darn thing. I don't want to be told what I can and cannot do on my tablet. I do not want to support any company intent on holding back technological progress for the sake of money or who buys patents just to sue other companies out performing them.
You have EVERY right to buy an iPad 2 but just know that your choices and who you choose to support speaks volumes. I have friends just like you. One day they're talking about freedom and openness. The next day they're justifying EVERYTHING Apple does. Cool. As long as I have a choice too.
As for your claims about Windows 8, it only serves to buttress how you allowed us yourself to come to your decision.
"Ignorance is bliss." That should be Apple's new tagline.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
God, I really like this post. Spoke about everything I wanted to say.
I dont want to be told what I can or cannot do. I want to tweak, optimize and control every setting that I can. There are tons of problems with JB and everyone, even a non-apple user like me, knows it. And without JB youre just living in a matrix that Steve Jobs dictates.
I would really like to hear the OP thoughts on flash. My friend tried to buy something on the web and couldnt use her credit card on the iphone. in the end I bought it for her using-yes my samsung 10.1- and she wrote me a check. And Steve Jobs is saying people dont need/shouldnt use/ cannot use flash on their mobile device.
This kinda makes me think of how I am training my 2 year old son to use the potty.

hmmm
I just recently got a galaxy tab 10.1, after spending the last month using an ipad2, I need both tablets for an app i am building.
And I can tell you this much, anyone that has an iphone will love an ipad2. Anyone that uses an ipad2 will be very very very happy with it.
But trust me, use that device for a month, then switch to honeycomb..... and it will blow you away.

One think I can say about apple is so easy to use, than it becomes boring after a while.thats why I have the samsung galaxy tab.

evolishesh said:
One think I can say about apple is so easy to use, than it becomes boring after a while.thats why I have the samsung galaxy tab.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple's draw over its competitors has been its simplicity for years - well before Android. Back in the day it was Microsoft. The sad truth is that reduced functionality in a shinier package is what most people want. Thankfully for those of us with a bit more intelligence, we have products like Android to keep us entertained.

SolusCado said:
Apple's draw over its competitors has been its simplicity for years - well before Android. Back in the day it was Microsoft. The sad truth is that reduced functionality in a shinier package is what most people want. Thankfully for those of us with a bit more intelligence, we have products like Android to keep us entertained.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right. I love android and its platform

Um, wow. Glad everyone else said already literally everything I could think of responding to the OP with.
And personally, I will never buy a Win8 tablet until I can wipe it and install Android, Ubuntu or MeeGo on it.

Lorddeff07 said:
hmmm
I just recently got a galaxy tab 10.1, after spending the last month using an ipad2, I need both tablets for an app i am building.
And I can tell you this much, anyone that has an iphone will love an ipad2. Anyone that uses an ipad2 will be very very very happy with it.
But trust me, use that device for a month, then switch to honeycomb..... and it will blow you away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the non-ipad users, could you elaborate some points on that? I just want to know some actual comparisons aside from the well advertised facts, ex: flash.

All of these tablets have their quirks and flaws. Mostly with the software. I actually need to return my second 10.1 because it's been randomly turning off like my first. Must be due to heat.
In any case, I will wait for the next batch of tablets instead. Hopefully we start getting some stuff that's really spectacular. Like a processor that can handle the native resolution of HC and has more video codecs.

Colors are pretty drab on ipad and saturated on tab. Both screens need calibration.
Tabs screen is brighter and higher Res. Side by side with same pics regardless of source tab wins everytime. Anyone saying otherwise needs prescription checked.
There's a reason ipadhd is coming. Apple knows full well there display is now second rate.

dcc22 said:
After I could compare the Ipad2, 10.1 and Transformer for days now, I decided to go and buy an Ipad2. Yes, I turned my back on Android and here's why:
10.1:
Very nice lookings, high quality and hardware but there is a big problem: the colors. On some pictures the saturation is so high that it kills lots of details every time 2 similar colors are nearby. Here you can see what I mean, check the right circle where orange and red meets - if the orange circle would be more reddish, you could hardly tell there are 2 rings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1bkovoLXw4&feature=player_detailpage#t=208s
If you compare it to a perfect calibrated monitor, it looks like crap. Flashy, colorful and nice but details are gone. That's the one and only weaknes from what it offers. It's 16:9 display is a winner when it comes to videos but video playback is poor. Ipad2 is much better, even for flash, later more to come about it.
Another MAJOR problem is Samsung support. Android is a fresh system and needs tons of support. Samsung provides NONE. For EU, they still have no release dates or closer info about their device - just lol. For me, the 10.1 is just a step in the process to upgrade to Tegra3. They built the shell now and can use it for the next device to compete with Apple. Same like they did to the 10.1v - no support, they just forgot about it.
Transformer:
Diplay is pretty good but the build quality is crap. After I saw the Archos tablets with the bronze frame, I knew where Asus bought their stuff. Both have those sharp metal frames which are wrapped around the screen. TF and Archos have gaps between the frame and glas, with some kind of rubber to fill it. Asus tried to even out the sharp edges but you can see how cheap it is. Archos tablets can cut in your finger if you swipe around the edges ! For me: complete garbage quality, should cost 250$ max to satisfy the minimalist who just want's to read or something.
Ipad2:
This device is pretty awesome. First I thought the 4:3 diplay sucks for reading but after I measured books and calculated ratios, they were ALL closer to Ipad2 standards. That menas you will have less wasted space on Ipad. When surfing internet you will learn to love 4:3, everything fits perfectly while you feel how broken sites are on 16:9. The drawback are 16:9 movies without a border and the good about it, you have FULLSCREEN ! in emulators without scaling. There are also a lot of older movies/series with 4:3, which I prefer on travel anyway.
It is fluent everywhere and feels like my Galaxy S after getting the lagfix. Stock 3.1 is bull**** compared to it. The only point where it is superior, are widgets.
Root/Jailbreak/Flash:
Jailbreaking an Ipad is a piece of cake, visit a website, click on a button, your done. No bull**** to flash around or to risk your device. After that you have Cydia which is an alternative market. You can also add repos to it, so you gain access to apps of all kind, also the not so legal ones.
You can play Flash Videos on Ipad using Iswifter or other apps. Inconvinient sometimes but to my surprise, they are fluent on the Ipad - Androids are sluggish. The Ipad even played a movie fluent with 10 other flash animations around it !
The crappy part about the Ipad is itunes and the structure how app files are arranged. Every app has it's own folder, so if you use FTP or something to transfer via network, you have to put those files IN the app folder, so they can find it. Not a big deal, if the app folder wouln't be named like 429403290239203023948393. Android is way better, copy somewhere on SD and browse it. Sure you can use itunes to put everything together but Itunes won't work with Jailbroken apps from Cydia. This breaks the use of my NAS server at home, leaving me with ****ty USB-to-PC solutions if I want it the easy way. Music and Videos which are supported by NAS can be played over UPNP but I found more nice apps for that on Android as I could on Ipad.
Conclusion:
10.1 is a nice device but it's like to own a ferrari and only have crappy roads to drive on. Android kills the Tab, sadly. It's good for smartphones but not for tabs - it's worse as an alpha build of windows. Every manufactuerer does what he wants, there are no standards. Compatibility between Android versions are a joke - imagine you upgrade from win7 to win8 and everything stops working - arrrrrrrgh.
This may be fixed with 4.0 but it will take another 1-2 years for the software. Until then, there will be Win8, which could break Androids neck (if it's compatible to Win7 programms!). Also I can sell the Ipad2 for 200-300 bucks, even if Ipad3 is released, so screw it, will lose ~150-200€ to it. But it will buy me at least 6 months of fun.
The best is, I don't have to care about the future. There is no "will it work after OS upgrade" problem with Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did the same thing,I had the transformer for week return it and waited for the galaxy tab,I love the galaxy tab but too much force closes and app crashing.I exchange tab for ipad2 and jailbreak it.
I am very happy with the ipad,but I miss honeycomb,hope ice-cream sandwich and all manufactures they stop using nvidia Tegra

The hardware is there, and Google is revving up for Ice Cream Sandwich right now, which will hopefully bring some much needed changes to current Android
Tablets.
Sent from my Fascinate with MIUI Gingerbread

The fact that you're here means you don't mind getting your hands dirty.
So you have one simple choice - have your device running as you want it by managing the device yourself, loading ROMs from XDA - or not and wait until Apple decide to fix something.
XDA is fantastic - here there's talented bunch of guys & gals mixing & matching the best features from roms of different vendors into something unique.
There is no comparison between Apple & Android.

10 Reasons Tablets Could Just Be A Fad - I disagree

http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/Spotlight/10-Reasons-Tablets-Could-Just-Be-A-Fad-421110/
Here are their reasons and why I disagree with them.
Tablets mimic smartphones in several ways, but they fall short when compared to those mobile devices. Handsets have the same operating systems, more applications – and let you make phone calls. Smartphones have the luxury of lasting a long time, but tablets, who knows?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fall short, how? Lasting long time how? My tablet lasts a hell of a lot longer than most phones out there when it comes to battery life.
Tablets are designed to be travel companions, but exactly how mobile they really are is up for debate. Without the proper case, they can be damaged when dropped. And even though companies like Apple are slimming them down, they can’t be tossed into a pocket for easy access. The limits to tablet mobility could very well hurt them over the long-term.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anything can be damaged when dropped. What the hell kind of reason against tablets is this? Here's a picture I'd like to share with you on how mobile my tablet is.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Looks pretty mobile to me. Here's a thought for the writer. Would he rather carry around a laptop or would he rather carry around a tablet?
Laptops Are Still Ideal
When it comes to getting work done, there’s no reason to suggest the consumers or enterprise users should use a tablet over a laptop. Additional keyboard accessories are nice to help users type, but considering tablet software is underpowered and lack the programs found on traditional laptops, it’s hard to see how they would fare in the enterprise over the long haul.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The writer her mistakes different for underpowered. Laptops still have their uses. I agree. That said, I have not powered my laptop on for 3 months now. Everything I needed to do that I used to do with my laptop I can now do with my tablet.
Being different does not mean inferior. Heck, if different means inferior, then I could say that the laptop is inferior to the desktop, since you can't change in and out hardwares.
Do Customers Need A New One Each Year?
Right now, consumers are buying new tablets each year. But as major jumps in functionality start to slow, will consumers realize that they're happy with the tablet they already have? Apple certainly hopes that won’t happen, but considering how expensive slates can be, it might be only a matter of time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is this evidence against tablet being here to stay? For me, the iconia should last me at least a couple years before I start eyeing something else.
What About Ultrabooks?
Notebook makers aren’t sitting back and allowing tablets to steal their market share. In fact, Intel has created a category of computers – called Ultrabooks – that offer an ultra-slim design that combines the power of laptops with the tablet-like features consumers want. When those devices launch later this year, they could stymie tablet sales.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life, battery life, battery life, battery life. Until laptops can be as lite and lasts as long with a single battery charge as the tablets, I don't see much of a competition there.
Could Chromebooks Cannibalize Sales?
Chromebooks are not market leaders right now, but over the long-term, as Chrome OS becomes more popular, how might consumers respond to those products? After all, they’re lightweight, extremely mobile, and come with a unique operating system. If they catch on, they could seriously hurt tablet sales.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? Aren't chromebooks just another kind of laptop?
It Has Happened Before
The mobile-computing space is by no means a stranger to fads. First there were netbooks, now tablets are taking over. If netbooks, which seemingly had a bright future, can die, what makes anyone think that tablets are here to stay?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to have to borrow Steve Jobs' words here. Netbooks aren't better at anything. They are just underpowered, overpriced minilaptops. Their battery life don't last as long as well. My gf's transformer, combined the dock, lasts 16 hours.
My gf is a therapist. She incorporates her transformer into her daily work. She uses her transformer to do everything from signing contracts with new clients to writing reports on them to taking notes during her sessions. Not possible with a laptop or netbook.
The Economy Could Hurt Them
If the economy is going well, tablets will likely continue to succeed without much trouble. But if the economy continues to decline and takes a while to recover, consumers and enterprise users might balk at buying new slates for the sake of having them. There’s a gold rush for tablets right now, but that could soon come to an end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like everything else, the high demand for tablets will soon level off. So what? This happens with every new economic niche out there. How is this a reason why the tablets will die off?
Few Devices Succeed
Not everyone can be on top, and one can make the argument that only Apple’s iPad is a success in the tablet market so far. If that continues, it might not be long before other vendors abandon the tablet and the market contracts, causing all kinds of trouble for the space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And how likely do we think this will happen? Vendors abandoning the tablet just for the sake of abandoning it?
Early Success Isn't Predictive
When it’s all said and done, there’s no way to know for sure what will happen with tablets. But if anything is certain, it’s that early success does not necessarily mean that devices will be popular over the long-term. At this point, anything can happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with this one, actually. At this point, anything can happen. That said, the fact that I haven't brought along my laptop or even turned it on for 3 months should be telling. I have even used my tablet to type up a report a few times. Have also used it to create a powerpoint presentation.
All I can say is I have figured out a way to make my life easier with the tablet. And my laptop, which I previously carried with me everywhere, is now just sitting there collecting dust.

+10 (One + for each item)
I'll never buy another laptop. This tablet of mine has simply replaced the need for one. Ultra-compact, lightweight, portable, powerful enough to do everything I need it to do. As time passes, functionality can only improve.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I consider my tablet to be a laptop, but without the pesky keyboard (unless I want to use a keyboard, in which case I plug one in, and awayyyyy I gooooo)
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

Tablets with keyboard docks can easily replace laptops for most professionals, as they are much lighter and last much longer (and this will only go up). As for netbooks, their continued existence will rely heavily on whether Windows 8 will be optimised for them or for tablets. Either way, they will have to improve on weight, thinness and battery duration to effectively compete with tablets.
As for laptops, their main niche will be as a person's single computer, and in that aspect they compete more with desktops than with tablets. On the other hand, tablets will not be able to become someone's single computer for the majority, apart from those that only check facebook, emails and the occasional youtube video.

Boy, this person sure does seem to have an agenda against tablets! I'd say before you create an article like this, use a tablet for 2-3 weeks first!
Ted

HA i think his wife wouldent let him get one!!

To be fair, here is the reason why I think the tablet is not for everybody and that after the hype the number of users will level off.
I've been able to incorporate my tablet into my daily life. I take it with me to work everyday. I use autocad ws to quickly look up the specs at work. I can quickly check email, surf, etc. My girl friend likes to travel when we can, so I've been using the iconia as a video camera. I use it to document our travels. Look in the accessory forum for the thread I started on my own mount in the car.
But basically speaking, I have not turned on my laptop for 3 months now.
Some people have asked me how I can do more heavy duty work like autocad design and such and my answer to them is that's what my home desktop is for. The tablet was never designed to replace the desktop. But for me it has replaced my laptop completely. My laptop is now just sitting there collecting dust.
My gf is a therapist. She has the asus transformer with the dock. She has also incorporate that thing into her daily work. She uses her TF to sign contracts with her clients and then email the pdf right back to them. She uses the TF to take notes during sessions. She also uses it to write reports. Like my laptop, her laptop has been sitting there collecting dust. She's donating her laptop to her mom, which herself is considering buying a transformer before they go to Europe in a couple months.
You just have to be creative and adaptive to make full use of the tablet. I'm willing to bet most people who got a tablet are exactly the people who from time to time post threads asking "I've rooted my device, now what can I do with it?" People are nontechnical in general. I'm willing to bet the only reason these people got their ipad/tablet in the first place was because of the hype. And then once they couldn't figure out what the hell to do with their tablets, they start criticizing it saying it's useless.
I'm sure when the laptop first came out (a little before I was alive) there were people who bought the laptop for the sole purpose of the hype. Then after a couple years the number leveled off after most people realized they didn't know what the hell to do with it.
For me, I'm making full use of my iconia. Not anybody's fault if you can't figure out how to incorporate the tablet into your daily life.

Well said
I do a lot of travel - and my Iconia is *perfect* for this. In a small backpack I can fit my tablet, charger, external USB hdd full of movies and TV, Bluetooth keyboard / mouse combo, and everything I need.
I spend a lot of time in public locations with wifi hotspots - and unlike the average Laptop user I see - i can sit anywhere at the coffee shop, as my Iconia has a battery that actually can provide hours of heavy use without being plugged into the wall.
This article is pretty silly - the part about tablets being breakable if you drop them -- this is probably the best lol I have had in days. Drop a MacBook from 5 feet and see what happens. If anything, tablets should be more resistant to damage, as unlike the laptop - we don't have moving parts and sensitive hdd's that can be killed with nothing more then a good hard bump.

I hate to be the party pooper, but none of the current tablets can replace my laptop. As a disclaimer, it's an i7 with 8GB of RAM and a GTS 360M 1GB graphics card. Basically, a portable desktop.
This doesn't mean I agree with the writer that tablets are a fad though. It will be just like any new category of gadgets. Some people will jump on the bandwagon immediately. Some of those "jumpers" will like and use the new gadget to it's full potential. Some of those "jumpers" will hardly use it, but still think it's cool. The rest of the "jumpers" will be somewhere in between.
Then you will see other less agressive adopters buy this gadget. The same rules of use/not use will apply.
I honestly see tablets in it for the long haul. Even though it could never replace my laptop, I can see where it will do everything necessary for a lot of people. I need a serious computer for home, work, and school. I need to be able to run Microsoft Office (including Visio), Adobe Dreamweaver & Photoshop, and various other desktop class applications. This is why tablets will not replace my laptop. We will see what happens when Windows 8 comes around and is loaded on a tablet PC.
I also chose the Iconia for my tablet because of the full USB port and the working SD card slot. At the time of purchase, it was the only tablet with these options functional. I do not regret my purchase. I use the tablet regularly. It is especially handy when moving around the house, hanging out on the porch, laying in bed and trying to fall asleep, etc.

also
Check out the other articles by the author. I think we have one of two situations :
1) As has been already said, Don Reisinger's wife won't let him have a new tablet and he is sad.
2) Don Reisinger has no idea what he is talking about.

entropy.of.avarice said:
Check out the other articles by the author. I think we have one of two situations :
1) As has been already said, Don Reisinger's wife won't let him have a new tablet and he is sad.
2) Don Reisinger has no idea what he is talking about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I concur! I really wonder if he's ever picked up a tablet and tried it out!
I really shook my head at his 10 Reasons To Leave The Tablet At Home And Bring the PC On The Next Trip
http://mobile.channelinsider.com/c/...ome-And-Bring-the-PC-On-the-Next-Trip-272091/
I'm wondering... Anyone ever compiled a 10 Reasons Don Reisinger is a Douche list??
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using Tapatalk

i havent even seen a netbook ad in months i think they are dead, replaced by tablets

cordell507 said:
i havent even seen a netbook ad in months i think they are dead, replaced by tablets
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've seen them at Staples recently, but I'm in agreement... thinking they're heading to the dustbin of history! Tablets will only get better/stronger/faster with time.
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D using Tapatalk

goodintentions said:
To be fair, here is the reason why I think the tablet is not for everybody and that after the hype the number of users will level off.
I've been able to incorporate my tablet into my daily life. I take it with me to work everyday. I use autocad ws to quickly look up the specs at work. I can quickly check email, surf, etc. My girl friend likes to travel when we can, so I've been using the iconia as a video camera. I use it to document our travels. Look in the accessory forum for the thread I started on my own mount in the car.
But basically speaking, I have not turned on my laptop for 3 months now.
Some people have asked me how I can do more heavy duty work like autocad design and such and my answer to them is that's what my home desktop is for. The tablet was never designed to replace the desktop. But for me it has replaced my laptop completely. My laptop is now just sitting there collecting dust.
My gf is a therapist. She has the asus transformer with the dock. She has also incorporate that thing into her daily work. She uses her TF to sign contracts with her clients and then email the pdf right back to them. She uses the TF to take notes during sessions. She also uses it to write reports. Like my laptop, her laptop has been sitting there collecting dust. She's donating her laptop to her mom, which herself is considering buying a transformer before they go to Europe in a couple months.
You just have to be creative and adaptive to make full use of the tablet. I'm willing to bet most people who got a tablet are exactly the people who from time to time post threads asking "I've rooted my device, now what can I do with it?" People are nontechnical in general. I'm willing to bet the only reason these people got their ipad/tablet in the first place was because of the hype. And then once they couldn't figure out what the hell to do with their tablets, they start criticizing it saying it's useless.
I'm sure when the laptop first came out (a little before I was alive) there were people who bought the laptop for the sole purpose of the hype. Then after a couple years the number leveled off after most people realized they didn't know what the hell to do with it.
For me, I'm making full use of my iconia. Not anybody's fault if you can't figure out how to incorporate the tablet into your daily life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very well said, and my experience has been very similar to yours.

I just got an a500. Gave it to my wife. I currently rely on my android smartphone for everything besides graphic design work. I love the tablet but just like our previous ipad, its mostly a novelty for us(the ipad became our 5 year old daughters toy. So we ended up selling it).
I might be one of the few or maybe only one but, I'm in love with ultra portable laptops. Anything around 11.6 to the 13 inch laptops are these sexy powerful beasts that I can't seem to stop fantasizing about.
I can see myself using a tablet more once its more useful to me though. I was playing with that autodesk sketch app. Pretty impressive.
Anyways. I think when it comes to tablets, the ipad is the real fad. Just like android smartphones, I think the sale\adoption of android tablets will grow at a faster pace eventually. Compared to the ipad, android tablets seem like a true replacement to laptops especially netbooks.

Well ,I'll try using it exclusively with my business and accounting applications, we'll see how usefull the tablet can be , aside from everyday tasks ,i dont see it not taking over , of course for those of us who tinker this wont be enough !

Vintage144 said:
Well ,I'll try using it exclusively with my business and accounting applications, we'll see how usefull the tablet can be , aside from everyday tasks ,i dont see it not taking over , of course for those of us who tinker this wont be enough !
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Click to collapse
Well, the tablet isnt made to replace your desktop. If thats what you think, then youre in for disappointment.

Is the XOOM still relevant?

I'm in the market to get a new/first tablet. I've been looking around the web a bit. The new Asus transformer prime is sounding like a beast, but with the keyboard dock it will probably be fairly expensive and I'm not sure I really need that kind of power for my uses. Then I saw the new Xoom2 and I was intrigued but saw a lot of "it's barely an upgrade from the Xoom" kind of posts. After looking at the specs for Xoom and considering the fact that it will probably be significantly cheaper than the new gen of tablets, I'm possibly interested in it. Here's what I want from a tablet:
+Browsing - I want a tablet that is very capable of browsing the internet with ease and fluidity.
+Work/Note-taking/productivity - I want to be able to write articles and write down lecture notes very easily. How good is the typing experience on 10inch tablets with the virtual keyboard? There is always the bluetooth keyboard option I suppose.
+Movies/youtube - I want a tablet that's great for watching videos. How's the display on the Xoom?
+Front-facing camera - I need a tablet capable of doing video chat well. How good is the quality of the front facing camera and video chatting?
+Speed - I don't need a super-powered beast, but I need something that won't struggle on a day-to-day basis and that runs fast. How's the speed and fluidity on this tablet? With the Quad-core transformer prime coming, I want to know how this actually performs.
+Camcorder - In actuality I don't plan on using a tablet for its camera or camcorder, but I would have some use for good video recording on a tablet. Not really a factor in my decision, but how is the video recording quality on this thing?
+Design/styling - I've seen a lot of references to the thickness of the Xoom, but it does't look bad to me in pics/videos. How does this tablet actually look irl to you?
+Future Updates - I understand that this will be getting ICS. Not sure it will continue to get further updates. However, it is my belief that the original Xoom is bound to have probably the largest online community for a tablet for a while. That means that even if this doesn't get future updates, the community here will probably be able to support this tablet for quite a while (like the OG droid). Does that sound right?
+Pricing/availability - How much do new Xoom's tend to cost? Quick ebay search seemed to say around $450+ but that doesn't sound right. I suppose once the Xoom2 is released, motorola will reduce the price on their website.
+Your opinion - What is your overall opinion on the Xoom? Would you still recommend it?
Thanks

the browsing experience in xoom is fantastic
For me, typing is not too bad.. i nvr use a bt keyboard but a tablet stand with typing angle
The display quality of xoom is just normal.. anyway with good video player, the quality is still above average
Video chat works great on skype n gtalk
In stock 3.2, for me, with normal use, the speed is good enough. Anyway if u wan blazing fast u may root n flash custom roms n kernels .. n may overclock it too
Video recording is nice
For me the design is good n solid. Thickness of this device makes my fingers wont feel tired after a long use .. too slim may tired our finger

At this point in time the xoom is outdated. We all knew it would happen, hell every other month something new and shiny comes out.
Wait for the Transformer prime the first tegra 3 (quad core) tab.

tpham08901 said:
At this point in time the xoom is outdated. We all knew it would happen, hell every other month something new and shiny comes out.
Wait for the Transformer prime the first tegra 3 (quad core) tab.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know in comparison to what's coming, the specs of the XOOM seem outdated. However, I believe that the Transformer prime with the keyboard dock will be quite pricey (and who knows when it will get to Canada) whereas the XOOM shouldn't be. I want to know if the XOOM is right for my interests as mentioned in OP.

There is hardly any real difference between any of the "main" tablets out there right now. The hardware is essentially the same, the only real difference is with the types of ports the tablets have (USB, HDMI, microSD, etc). I chose the Xoom after the release of the Tab 10.1 because I hated how Samsung went with their proprietary dock for everything (like Apple does), and also the tab 10.1 feels like it would break easily. Yes, the Xoom is still very relevant, it has the same hardware as all of the other current tablets, has the best build quality, gets OS updates first, and has all of the ports you'll need. The only detractor is the LCD is not as bright as say the Tab 10.1. It's barely any thicker than the other tablets, but it is a bit heavier, mainly due to the fact that it isn't made out of thin plastic.

I too don't like the "plasticky" look and feel of the Galaxy tablets.
I was looking around and it seems that the Xoom has no haptic feedback? I find haptic feedback quite useful for touch typing. Has it been a drawback for your typing experience or does it make no difference?

syrenz said:
I too don't like the "plasticky" look and feel of the Galaxy tablets.
I was looking around and it seems that the Xoom has no haptic feedback? I find haptic feedback quite useful for touch typing. Has it been a drawback for your typing experience or does it make no difference?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haptic feedback is nice for devices with garbage touch screens, or when your fingers are ice cold and as dry as burnt toast... But for my uses, it hasn't been missed on my xoom.
Without having a quad core tablet to test and compare to, it is hard to say which will be better for cost vs. benefit. Just like PC's I expect that going from a dual core to a quad core CPU will make almost no difference for most users for the first few months or years- except for those users who know exactly why they want a quad. Just a guess, and a large part of why I bought a xoom a couple weeks ago.
Basically for me: The xoom is the best supported, best built tablet on the market, with specs equivalent to the other new shiny tablets. The screen is perfectly acceptable to me, the battery life is mind-blowing and browsing is far better than I thought possible on an Android device. Just don't expect HD flash content to work well in a browser. The unlockable bootloader was also a major consideration. I don't feel like there is any other tablet that compares currently, and I don't think I'd give up my bootloader for 4 cores... and if that is so important to me, I doubt the quad would be worth the difference in cash for me to be an early adopter. (I like being an early adopter too!)
Anyway, that's my 2¢.

Let's be realistic about what you are going to do with your tablet. Read email, browse the internet, watch some youtube videos, read a book. The Xoom does all of these things exceedingly well. I would even venture to say that it does them all just as good if not better than anything else on the market at the moment.
Being power hungry is awesome, and the newer 67-core processors are sweet but you aren't doing high end graphics or video editing on your tablet...so is it worth the extra money? Right now you can get brand new Xooms for like $350 in some places. I gladly shelled out $600 for mine at the time...so $350 for a new one is a damn good deal.
Also, there is something to be said for the AOSP experience. The Honeycomb featured on the Xoom isn't loaded with a bunch of UI layers to "enhance" the user experience. It's straight Android.
I'd also say it will get ICS before any of the other tablets do.

nooomoto;19106377Right now you can get brand new Xooms for like $350 in some places. [/QUOTE said:
Can you give some examples of where I could get that? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

syrenz said:
Can you give some examples of where I could get that? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1335020

Actually the prime will be 499 and the original TF will stay at 399

I think people pay too much attention to the hardware, when the software matters more, or even most.
Hardware-wise, as someone already said, things are pretty similar. All Teg2 tabs perform the same, and the OMAP4 is roughly equivalent. The one exception is video. OMAP4 is better on HD vids, so get that if watching vids is important to you.
Buyers all want "smoothness." That mostly depends on the OS and apps, and things like the Flash plugin. Honeycomb was kind of a beta in this respect, and hopefully ICS will bring more refinement. This aside, my opinion is that "smoothness" is mostly within the user's control. Watch what apps you run in the background, and don't load up on stuff like live wallpapers, etc.
Software always run at least one cycle behind the hardware. Most Android apps and games I've seen are still geared toward phones, although many will use the higher resolution if available. I've yet to see a game that really tax the Tegra2. The latest AAA shooter, Shadowgun, runs smoothly on a Nook Color, which has only a single-core A8. My takeaway is that current tablets should be fine for all the software for this and next year, at least until the next cycle when Jelly Belly appears.
>Can you give some examples of where I could get that?
WalMart currently sells refurb 32GB Xooms for $350. I'm fairly certain these are clearanced Xooms being rebranded. The only diff is that they may have a shorter warranty. You can find out your warranty period here,
https://motorola-global-portal.cust...i-fi---service:-frequently-asked-questions#w1
These shouldn't be confused with the newer Xoom Family Edition (FE), which is also around $350. I'd suggest against the FE despite its better screen, since it has no community support at the moment, and probably won't. Devs & enthusiasts will either hang onto their current Xoom, or upgrade to a newer tablet.
That said, the new Xoom2's aren't that much more. The 8.2" will be $400, and the 10" will likely be $450. New toys will always get better support--from both the vendor and the new community--than old toys.

e.mote said:
That said, the new Xoom2's aren't that much more. The 8.2" will be $400, and the 10" will likely be $450. New toys will always get better support--from both the vendor and the new community--than old toys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are? That's not bad at all. Thought they were both over $500. Are they going to come to America/Canada though?

syrenz said:
They are? That's not bad at all. Thought they were both over $500. Are they going to come to America/Canada though?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other question is whether the newer tablets (including Xoom two) will have unlockable bootloaders so they can be modded. The Xoom Family Media Edition doesn't, which is why there isn't any development for it.

Okay this is kind of mean to me... http://www.dailysteals.com/
I haven't had enough time to make my decision yet but this site wants to pressure me to get one within 22 hours and save... argh

Browsing - all 10,1" tablets available at REASONABLE price will perform similar
Work/Note-taking/productivity - you will not do that too often, trust me I use BT keyboard for longer cha...err... work, and Hacker's Keyboard (onscreen almost-real QWERTY keyboard) for quick texts.
Movies/youtube - I actualy re-discovered Youtube with my XOOM. You will need to buy Dice Player to enjoy full quality full length movies. XOOM's display is a little pale comparing to my SGS' sAMOLED screen. BUT it does not burn your eyes out.
Speed - like in every other IT field, the more crap you put, the less speed you get. You can always OC your tablet, but... what for?
Design/styling - XOOM looks like a heavy-duty device, while GT10.1 looks like a child's toy. Yes, aesthetics should not be discussed, since its interpretation is a matter of taste.
Future Updates - ICS for sure, who knows about the rest. As long as XDA Community exists, there is hope
Opinion - Well... I paid ~530$ last month for my second-hand XOOM 3G EU (yay, its good that all the people in Poland are sooooo wealthy that it makes no difference for us to pay much more for toys... ). And would pay it again if given another chance Played with Tab 10.1" - thin plastic didn't like that + the price? ~850$, geez... Thought about Transformer. Almost bought it, but with no keyboard dock and no 3G modem. ~530$. Docked and modem-ed? ~850$...
Well, you do not need a 16-core device to enjoy it, especially that there are no apps or games that could utilize all that power. I know, I know, some people buy themselves a Ferrari just to drive it slowly through the country, but... (well that was not a brilliant sentence).
Edited: one more thing - there ALWAYS is an upcoming, better-than-available device. You can wait forever.

Does the Xoom do what it did when it furst came out, yes, in which case to me it is still relivant.

>http://www.dailysteals.com/
They won't run out any time soon. The daily bargain sites rely on the classic buying button: a deal is more appealing when it's time-limited. "Hurry and buy now before it's gone!" Prices for Teg2 tabs will continue to drop. The Xoom will be $300 or less by Black Friday.
>there ALWAYS is an upcoming, better-than-available device. You can wait forever.
Tech toys and their pricing have cycles, and it's always better to buy at the start rather than the end of a cycle. You have more choices, and prices are lower (on the old toys). Moreover, the start of the tech toy cycle is timed to coincide with the holiday shopping season, which is when the best deals are to be had.
IOW, from now until the end of the year (any year) is the best time to buy new toys.
@OP
What's the "best" tab depends mostly on you and how you use one. The Xoom has many good qualities: high build quality, 32GB, good community support, available ports, dual-band wifi, etc. Its one notable drawback is that it's heavy.
Weight is a big deal if you plan to hold a tab unsupported for extended periods. It's not a big deal if you offset the weight with a supporting surface--your lap, a surface, etc. If your envisioned use is mostly while standing, then a lighter (or may be smaller) tablet is better.
More ergonomic stuff: I like the Xoom2's rubberized bezel (as opposed to edge-to-edge glass or plain plastic on most tablets). The more friction the bezel can provide, the lighter the needed handgrip, and the less hand fatigue.
OTOH, I don't pay much attention to the "thin-is-in" trend, although I understand it's necessary for marketing. A thinner tablet can actually be less comfortable to hold, if the edge is thin enough that it cuts into the palm of your holding hand. The tapered edge and smooth metal surfaces of the Asus TF Prime make it look very chic and sleek, but I wouldn't want to hold one for very long.
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syrenz said:
Okay this is kind of mean to me... http://www.dailysteals.com/
I haven't had enough time to make my decision yet but this site wants to pressure me to get one within 22 hours and save... argh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I saw this link, and instantly pulled out my credit card.
I'm getting a xoom

Im a little late on this debate and the opinions are all completely valid.. I have had a xoom since my joining date of xda, also last week I just purchased another xoom after a very disappointing experience with an acer a500 (that i got to further provide experience in the realm of android); i also found the dev scene in xda on the a500 was rude and not at all friendly; that is a big thing for me I havn't been an a-hole to anyone and help as much as I can, the xoom forums are awesome for that as well
Browsing - browsing has been really good, first off I have to say i was a app junkie and had always used an app for the browser, flash worked well on most of them for me, some sites were poops but hey i also have a laptop lol.. i then rediscovered the xoom stock browser and say I use it almost exclusively and love it
Work/Note-taking/productivity - you can do many things, however my personal opinion is your ability to do these things are limited to exactly what you want to do. there are good-ish apps for work related things with office typed products; however for my university work I have noticed that I cannot do much of the things I want and compatibility issues are still there like good powerpoint manipulation etc, this is not a problem of the xoom this is a problem for the apps so whether you have a new/old whatever tab the experience with this is limited to my previous comments. If you need to type just documents like memos, letters, etc you should be fine with the current state of affairs
Movies/youtube - I havnt actually watched many videos on my xoom, as I dont have any on it at the moment, I will be on holiday soon and will definitely be watching some on the plane and i already have dice player in anticipation, it plays them quite clearly and depending on the video parameters you should be quite happy. I have watched flashed based videos on websites and they play great and keep me entertained
Speed - even with stock rom i had good speed, no lags, no reboots, nothing i was so stoked with my xoom, compared to the a500 where it had lag like all hell and rebooted frequently on stock rom, was poop
Design/styling - the xoom is not a elegant device as many are aware, however, in all honesty the asthetics are frequently covered by things such as a case, screen protector, hands, etc so why do people place so much emphasis on this. I wanted functionality, the xoom was the best for this and I am still smiling at it
Future Updates - ICS will come as soon as source is released, I think this is why the devs here are a tad quiet, they are either working on something now, or waiting until source is released, and then it will explode with a whole new set of roms
Opinion - i love my xoom, sure I am thinking about the transformer prime however, the price may make my stay away mainly because I have a laptop that I payed a small car for in price, I don't need to pay for other crap... i would like the prime maybe down the track when price is lowered or the dev scene is bigger like 'tegra3 dedicated games' or something of the like but I will almost certainly have to get one from overseas, australia is the last place to get electronics and we pay a premium for outdated stuff from our local vendors the screw merchants and they wonder why the aussie people are all buying online... anyway I digress.. I say go to your local walmart (or your stores over there sorry for the generalisation) and ask to have a little play, then you will instantly see what we are all talking about... even jump to the other forums on xda and see how the dev scene is and see how people treat each other, if your gonna buy a device on here im sure your going to be a part of the relevant thread and if you recieve no help or are screwed over you will be annoyed and resent your device
sorry for the long post and I hope i have helped