Look out! Ipad2 v. Motorola Xoom

I use navigon as my navigation app!  It's reasonably priced as you can buy for just a single region or the entire US for a certain amount!  It's also universal so it is iPhone & iPad friendly!  I really like it...thumbs up from me!

Bob
 
The thing about the RIM Playbook that concerns me is that RIM is changing their software direction but they never outline a plan.  Even developers for the platform have no clue where RIM is going right now.  It looks too much like they'll put Playbook out and see how it does.  If it fares well, that may set their direction.  If it gets a cool reception or flops, they'll drop the Android side of their house.  I work with 3 Blackberry developers and even my company is taking a wait-n-see with Blackberry and Playbook because of this fuzzy stance.  If you think about it, if other RIM developers do the same, it means far fewer apps for Playbook at or near introduction, which can kill even a great platform.

I don't think any one Android tablet will dethrone iPad; there are just too many sold out there.  But the Android OS and apps are getting more mature.  To me it is the momentum building phase.  Once they get the right mix, it will be a very interesting market.  I also think Amazon's Android app marketplace will be significant.  Like it or not, they will institute the same prescreening Apple does for iPhone/iPad software.  Right now the complaint among all my Android friends is that there are too many marketplaces and literally they will sell any junk they get.  If Amazon does the prescreening correctly and doesn't take 30% of the sales or prohibit certain in-app sales, they'll be a huge factor.
 
PaulMarcel said:
The thing about the RIM Playbook that concerns me is that RIM is changing their software direction but they never outline a plan.  Even developers for the platform have no clue where RIM is going right now.
Click to expand...

RIM may not have had too may options. Consider that there's not a great number of apps available for the Playbook. RIM might be making the Playbook available and then letting the app developers and the apps they build, decide the direction for the Playbook.

Obviously, not too many Playbook apps are going to be developed without the Playbook being available. So, they've put it out there without a really specific software direction and then watching to see what happens.

Me? I'm waiting for the expanded memory and disk space Xoom to come out (Canadian market) before I decide on what and when to buy. If the Xoom doesn't meet my expectations, that there's a good chance I'll buy a Playbook.
 
The Xoom is a powerful and capable device, however it's release seems premature to say the least. I cant wait for functionality to be patched in or mail my device off at a later date for a "free upgrade". That just seems like poor marketing from my perspective. The tablet device I'm most looking forward to right now are the upcoming Samsungs. Thinner, lighter, more capable, Honeycomb os.
Fiddling around with an iPad 2 in the shops seemed like I was playing with a speak and spell, didn't like the flat outdated interface in the slightest.
 
Shane Holland said:
Upscale mentioned it already, but the Asus EEE Transformer will be the ticket. I've been waiting to take the tablet plunge and this may be the ticket for me. Great price and the option to dock into a notebook format with full keyboard. Starts at $400. Probably a better option than any of the current tablets as long as you're not married to Apple iOS devices.
Click to expand...

It also has the scratch resistant Gorilla glass which is something I was looking for on a tablet. Along with the Honeycomb OS, this may be the best tablet to buy.
 
The Ideal tablet for me would be Honeycomb based with an acurate stylus and a version of sketchup/layout compatible with the system. Also needs to be sturdy and affordable. That's a device I could put to work
 
I still think the Asus Transformer may be the best option for me. But, the Acer Iconia looks to be pretty nice too, and available in multiple profiles/configurations.

Anyone had their hands on one of Iconias?

http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/content/iconia-home

Thought the Asus unit would be available at BB on 4/26 but it's not in stock yet. The Acer is however. May have to head over to BB this weekend and check it out in person.
 
Shane Holland said:
I still think the Asus Transformer may be the best option for me. But, the Acer Iconia looks to be pretty nice too, and available in multiple profiles/configurations.

Anyone had their hands on one of Iconias?

http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/content/iconia-home

Thought the Asus unit would be available at BB on 4/26 but it's not in stock yet. The Acer is however. May have to head over to BB this weekend and check it out in person.
Click to expand...

Isn't the BB near the AS?  Just fold.  Save yourself some time and then work on that woodworking project you have been promising.  [big grin]  Shane says  [ban]

Peter
 
Ok, so... who's sprung for an Android tab? There's a surge in new models in the marketplace. The latest is the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 which looks good except the lack of a microSD slot. I'm still looking and waiting for the dust to settle before plunkin' down some bones on one.

Any feedback would be appreciated.
 
PaulMarcel said:
The thing about the RIM Playbook that concerns me is that RIM is changing their software direction but they never outline a plan.  Even developers for the platform have no clue where RIM is going right now.  It looks too much like they'll put Playbook out and see how it does.  If it fares well, that may set their direction.  If it gets a cool reception or flops, they'll drop the Android side of their house. 
Click to expand...
The Playbook runs QNX.  It can run (some) Android apps.  The Playbook will flop, perhaps the past tense is more appropriate here.  RIM has fallen out of touch so very quickly.

Right now the complaint among all my Android friends is that there are too many marketplaces and literally they will sell any junk they get.  If Amazon does the prescreening correctly and doesn't take 30% of the sales or prohibit certain in-app sales, they'll be a huge factor.
Click to expand...
I am not even aware of any other marketplace other than the one Google runs.  But I do love that on Android everything doesn't have to run through Apple. I am a huge fan of Apple's OS X, but I despise the way Apple tries to lock you into their ecosystem if you have an iPad or iPhone or iPod and the way everything on the computer side has to run through iTunes.  If Apple ever does force all software installs to go through their OS X App market, I will have a hard decision to make as to whether to dump it.

 
The lack of an internal micro sd slot on the galaxy tabs is a huge let down for me. you can use micro sd through a plug in attachment, which makes it somewhat of an external hard drive but I'm not sure how this will play out. I have to say that i never remove the micro sd in my android phone perhaps using sd cards in this external fashion may be a benefit of sorts in some weird way, for instance you could have several with different load outs on them, but I could be grasping at straws there. Regardless tablets are still not where i would like them to be yet and I have more FESTOOLs to buy.
 
GhostFist said:
Regardless tablets are still not where i would like them to be yet and I have more FESTOOLs to buy.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you there. One thing recently that caught my attention is Telus ads advertising Blackberry phones and a plan that lets them connect to a Playbook without having to purchase an additional plan. I'm not sure, or at least I haven't seen any other phone plans that offer the same thing. And referring to my list of wants below, a 10" Playbook isn't going to be available until close to year end.

But, just to quantify things, I've built a list of my wants when it comes to a tablet.

10" screen (means waiting maybe until year end or longer for many manufacturers)
SD slot
USB (I'd like USB3, but I'm probably being greedy )
USB rechargeable
Headphone jack
Android 3 (probably, but not absolute)
Flash
Gorilla glass (or maybe a competitor - dragontrail?)
64 Gig hard drive
4g or LTE (or upgradeable to it at least)

Lastly, a fairly decent amount of accessories. Please notice I haven't asked for an astoundingly low price. (Have to be realistic somewhere here. ) Anybody have any other wish list items?
 
I believe the xoom can do all those things now. As for tethering, this is a standard feature on all android phones it's your carriers that make you pay extra for this but you can root and activate it free of charge. Google syncs contact info and what not to the cloud as it as, google docs the same. I think most of what you want is happening
 
daves1996 said:
I got the Xoom and I love it. I didn't want the ipad for all of the forementioned reasons.
Click to expand...

Ok, answer some questions then please.
7" or 10"?
Hard drive size? Satisfied with that size?
Satisfied with the apps available for it?
Honeycomb OS? Like it? How would you improve it?
Opinions on games operation, watching movies?
What do you use it for mainly?
Have you tethered it to a cell phone at all?
What accessories have you bought or you'd recommend?
Any problems? Screen scratches, poor image in sunny conditions, etc?

Depending on your answers, I might be able to take that last step and pull the trigger.
Thanks.
 
I've been looking at the xoom again considering the galaxy doesn't hand an sd card slot. Was talking to a motorola rep about it yesterday, he stated that honeycomb does not yet support internal sd cards but the xoom is built for it when honeycomb is updated.

Is the xoom stock honeycomb as in no motorola overlay? If so this is also a benefit to the tablet as it will receive updates as soon as they're available as opposed to waiting for the manufacturer to update their android overlay. Xoom is looking attractive again
 
If you can hold off till November/December time you can get a much improved iPad 3.  Really.  By November there will also be big improvements to the Android tablets.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Warning: Woodpeckers Semble Clamps can Ruin Woodwork
Replies
5
Views
1K
leakyroof
leakyroof
Bob D.
Creating a Font of Your Own
Replies
1
Views
2K
mino
mino
Crazyraceguy
TS60 110volt in the US. Plug-it installed
2 3 4
Replies
63
Views
41K
mino
mino
woodbutcherbower
'Carpe Diem' = the 15-hour double bed ....
2
Replies
22
Views
10K
alltracman78
A
F
Atomic Ryan's BF/MFT Build Out
Replies
13
Views
6K
Michael Kellough
M
Back
Top