Review: Motorola Xoom (Verizon) Tablet Review of Reviews

Motorola Xoom Rated 3.5 out of 5 by Wireless and Mobile News' Review of Reviews

All reviewers of the Motorola Xoom found it to be the best Android tablet with super-fast dual processors.  The best-liked feature found by reviewers was excellent video conversations with Google Talk (with the front-facing camera.)  They also noted that it is used best in landscape mode.

Reviewers compared the Motorola Xoom to the iPad and found that it has more power and features, but thought the iPad was easier to hold, easier to see in bright light and has many more apps.  Although the camera takes fine photos, it feels silly to use such a big piece of equipment as a main camera.
The new Android 3.0 Honeycomb software is much improved and more intuitive but does have a learning curve.  Some reviewers liked the fast browser that is like Chrome, but it doesn't have Flash-enabled, yet.  Battery life is considered excellent but didn't last as long as the iPad.

One reviewer liked that the Motorola Xoom will get a free upgrade in the future, making it future proof.  Another reviewer panned the fact that, although it will be Flash- and microSD-capable, it is shipping without those features.

The Motorola Xoom has a dual-core processor with each core running at 1GHz, and a 10.1-inch widescreen (1280x800) HD touchscreen.  It features a front-facing, 2-megapixel camera for video chats over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G LTE, a rear-facing, 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD, 32GB of storage, a microSD slot for card support (after a firmware update), and 1GB of DDR2 RAM.

Reviewers thought that the Motorola Xoom was over-priced but would be loved by Android enthusiasts and early adopters.  Some are waiting to see how the tablet space changes when the next iPad is announced.

The Motorola Xoom costs $599.99 with a two-year contract from Verizon Wireless, and data for 3G services is $20 a month for up to 1GB of 3G service.  It will be upgraded to 4G LTE in the next quarter but will need to be returned for a hardware upgrade.  It is priced at $799 without a contract.

Summaries of Reviews Reviewed:

If you want similar functionality, another option is docking a Motorola Atrix smartphone to a notebook dock.  Donald Bell at CNET rated the Motorola Xoom 3.5 out of 5 because it offers more power than the iPad and has the promise of 4G data from Verizon.  He found it to be too expensive and that new users may not take to OS right away.  The all-star cast of dual processors, dual cameras, and maxed-out ram are smoking fast and powerful.  The 1,280x800-pixel WXGA aspect ratio touchscreen is longer than the iPad and operates better in landscape mode.  It is harder to hold because it is heavier and has a smaller bezel than the iPad.  It's too big to use as a camera without feeling silly.  Honeycomb allows you to see a lot of information on the home screen, like a deck of cards.  The screen isn't as bright as the iPad.  There's no easy way to rent or download video/TV content.

Joshua Topolsky at Engadget rated the Motorola Xoom 7 out of 10, calling it a proper iPad competitor with its formidable hardware and is future-proof with a free hardware upgrade.  It is pricey but still the next stage of tablet evolution.  The Motorola Xoom is better used in landscape mode.  He had problems with the power button shutting it off by mistake.  Performance was brisk.  Sound quality was good until the volume was at high causing distortions.  Battery life was excellent but not as good as the iPad.  The Motorola Xoom is a bit large to use as a main camera and produced relatively good-looking photos.  Video turned out well.  The Android 3.0 user-interface is far more obvious for a novice user, but navigation requires a learning process.  It feels more like a netbook replacement.  He loved browsing that's more like Chrome.  Gmail has a big upgrade with too much information shown.  The music app is stunning.  He loved Google Talk for video conversations.  Movie Studio was less than thrilling.  He concludes by saying that buyers should wait and see how the tablet market develops.

Tim Gideon and PJ Jacobiwtz at PCMag rated the Motorola Xoom 3.5 out of 5, calling it fast, beautiful, a highly-responsive touchscreen, and HDMI output to a television or monitor.  They found the UI overcomplicated, Flash is not supported yet, and there are few apps.  It is the best Android Tablet yet, but it doesn't measure up to the iPad.  There is a power adapter connector on the side to charge the Motorola Xoom, which means you don't have to have it connected to a USB cable to charge.  It has a microSD slot, but you can't use a microSD card.  Google Talk worked like a charm.  The Motorola Xoom has tremendous potential but lacks key features and has room for improvement.