Today is the first day consumers can buy the uber-tablet Xoom from Motorola. It is also the first piece of hardware to hit shelves with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, an operating system optimized for tablets.
The 1GHz powered Motorola Xoom is $599.99 with a two-year contract with Verizon, or $799.99 without a contract.
Verizon Wireless 3G data service for the Motorola XOOM starts at $20 monthly access for 1GB. The Motorola XOOM will be upgradeable to 4G LTE service at no additional charge in the second quarter of 2011.
Among iPad trumping features are an HDMI-mini output, 2-megapixel camera, a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD, and MicroSD Card slot for additional storage. The device should also be Adobe Flash 10.2 player capable.
The Xoom is widely regarded as the most polished Android tablet available.
Matthew Fortner has been at The News & Observer since 2002. He has a passion for gadgets, cutting-edge technology and all things geek.
Comments
It does have Wi-Fi, but as
Thu, 02/24/2011 - 13:16 — matthewfortner (author)It does have Wi-Fi, but as of now there is no Wi-Fi only version as there is with the iPad.
3G or Wi-Fi only?
Thu, 02/24/2011 - 09:57 — coughlin_jakeI assume it has Wi-Fi capability.
One of the questions I keep asking myself is whether I could be perfectly happy without the 3G/4G. My Kindle uses 3G, but the cost is built into the cost of the books so there's no contract and no extra fees.
Being impulsive, I really appreciate the capability to browse, purchase and download books regardless of where I am [on an Amtrak train, airport, city bus, travelling on route 40], but since my Kindle lacks Wi-Fi, I don't really have any appreciation for whether Wi-Fi only would cramp my style enough that I'd consider an extra $200 or an extra $20 * 24 dollars worth the expense.