Xoom Review Shows Promise

[Craig Horlacher]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/23/6118906-motorola-xoom-review-ipad-finally-has-competition' target='_blank'>http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_new...has-competition</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The Android tablets out on the market have been weak in the face of the iPad. But after testing out Motorola's Xoom, it's clear the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet has what it takes to compete head to head. Though it's got some growing pains ahead, the young tablet is already a contender. All that's needed before it can really gain momentum is a lineup of killer apps &mdash; and a better price."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/adt/auto/1298635163.usr309.jpg" style="border: 0;" /></p><p>I think this is a very well rounded and fair review.&nbsp; I still don't understand why a device that doubles, or more, all hardware of the iPad is "over-priced" when it's only $100 more at worst and the OS is much better tailored to a tablet form factor.&nbsp; Anyway, check out this review and give us your thoughts!&nbsp; Did you buy a Xoom?&nbsp; Tell us what you think of it so far.&nbsp; I've seen some reports of it freezing fairly often.&nbsp; If that's the case it will have a hard time catching the iPad.</p>

[Rob Alexander]

It's not $100 more at worst; it's $300 more at worst. It's $80 more at best. For most who are criticizing the price, the issue is that there are no options below the $800 mark, while the iPad has multiple entry prices, starting at $499. You're basically saying the most expensive iPad is almost as much as the most expensive Xoom. The others are saying the least expensive iPad is hundreds of dollars less than the least expensive Xoom. Both are correct, of course, but are they both relevant? I don't know the numbers, but I would bet that most iPad users have one of the less expensive models and that the latter is the more relevant way of looking at it. The implication is that they may not sell well enough to seriously challenge the iPad and that would be a shame. This market needs some competition.