Was just about to splurge on an iPad2, then I spotted the Motorola Xoom. Anyone used/seen one of these yet? I’m not the most techy of people, but I know I want to be able to play some games, watch some films, surf some interwebz and (perhaps crucially) have the easiest possible way of dragging/dropping my music collection in and out (all music saved in MP3 type formats).

So, anyone got any opinions on the Xoom?

I’ve not seen it first hand yet, but it’s supposed to be the wasp’s nipples by all accounts.

If the Android vs iOS phone experience is anything to go by, I’d go with the Xoom. But that’s just me. I like tinkering.

Wasps have nipples? How the hell do you milk a wasp?

Tinkering appeals….Not sure I want to be “tied in” to any particular way of doing things.

How the hell do you milk a wasp?

Carefully!

You have to *really* not want an Apple device to spring for one IMO.

This is probably the fairest of the reviews I’ve seen: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/tablets/366793/motorola-xoom – and they point out the biggest problem: lack of apps that are designed for tablet resolutions.

You’re essentially buying one of the first “proper” android tablets, that has an OS designed for bigger screens. Apple’s offering is far more polished, and their developers have had over a year to write all sorts of tablet-specific apps for it.

Tinkering appeals….Not sure I want to be “tied in” to any particular way of doing things.

That’s why I get on with my phone so much better than my old iPhone. In the last 6 months, I’ve had 3 different custom ROMs running on it. They’re really easy to install, easy to customise, and every time I get bored I just flash a new one and it’s like a new phone.

Granted, the Xoom won’t have any custom ROMs around yet, and the issue with the current lack of tablet-specific apps are things to consider, but look at it this way:-

Buy an iPad and 6 months down the line you’ll have exhausted it in terms of how new and shiny and swish it is. It’ll still work perfectly well, and you’ll not have had to tinker with it, but it’ll just be your old iPad.

Buy a Xoom and 6 months down the line you can change the homescreen, the theme, and generally give it a bit of spit and polish, and the new and shiny and swish feeling might just last a bit longer. And there will probably be a few more apps built for it and maybe a custom ROM or two. Bit more faff, but to me it’s worth it.

All depends on what you want out of the tablet experience.

Jailbreak any iOS device and you can do all that stuff too. If tinkering around with embedded operating systems is what you enjoy spending your time doing.

From my days with Windows Mobile devices, faffing about with aftermarket ROMs and the like was the only way to get the kind of speed, stability and functionality out of them that they should have had from the start. Have had an iPhone for nearly 3 years now and not felt the need to do anything like that. Have jailbroken it twice, had a quick look and things I *could* do and just not felt the need for any of it.

Speaking purely personally, I wouldn’t have one myself. Largely, because I don’t have a requirement for one (and I don’t get the excitement – it’s a laptop without a keyboard, woo!)

If I was in the market for a tablet, I’d be going the Android route no question. A few months ago I’d have said that neither the hardware nor the software are ‘there’ yet. With the Xoom I think we’ve got the hardware finally, now we just need the software to catch up. And it is getting there, more and more apps are being updated for the larger screens.

I’ve said this before, but the pinnacle of truly portable computing for me was the old Psion 5; the form factor was perfection. If I could get a modern version of that, something the size of a paperback book with a high-res screen and a proper type-on-able keyboard, I’d be all over it.

I had a look at one in PC World a few days ago. It took a while to find as it was just shoved on a shelf with all the cheapo tablets and did not have full connectivity to the Internet so could not really trial it fully – very poor marketing compared to a visit to an Apple store.

TBH I wanted to love the Xoom but was very disappointed with it. Compared to the iPad2 is seems physically clunky and the OS did not really blow me away. £480 for a WiFi version seems very steep too.

I am an Android fan and have the original G1 which I have updated to Froyo but if I were a non-techy user who just wants something that works my money would be going to Apple.

Jailbreak any iOS device and you can do all that stuff too.
…
From my days with Windows Mobile devices,

I think comparing Android to either a jailbroken iPhone or an old WinMo device is a little unfair, TBH.

Jailbreaking gives you some control but credit where it’s due, it’s one area where Android murders iOS.

As for WinMo, I’ve had a few v5 and v6 devices and I’d completely agree with your observations, but I’d suggest that “Android is the same as WinMo” is a false assumption based on never using it in anger.

I don’t want to turn this into yet another Apple vs The World argument; there are some things the iPhone does better than Android and vice versa. I just think from your comments that it sounds like you’re judging something that you’ve not had a lot of experience of.

Cougar, you really need a Vaio P series!

Surely you don’t buy a tablet to tinker though? They are to bridge the gap between sitting at a desk ‘working’ and sitting on your sofa browsing. I use my phone lots for browsing and can see the benefit of having something with a larger screen to make the experience a bit more easy on the eye.

I have never felt the need to tinker with it.

Cougar, you really need a Vaio P series!

Yeah, they’re getting there. Still a bit big though, I’m looking for something coat-pocketable (think Dell Streak). It’s a full PC too, rather than instant-on PDA functionality.

Surely you don’t buy a tablet to tinker though?

You might not, doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t?

They are to bridge the gap between sitting at a desk ‘working’ and sitting on your sofa browsing

Netbook, then?

I think for me, part of the problem is that I’m a dyed-in-the-wool keyboard junkie. If I’ve to pick up a mouse for anything other than selecting things then the UI has failed. I concede therefore that my requirements are perhaps a little atypical.

I have played with the Xoom – nice piece of kit and very capable of a lot.

As always I recommend android for those people who want to tinker around and iOS for those who want something that that works very well within its limitations.

I personally bought an ipad as I love the hassle free life! But then I ride singlespeed too 😉

You might not, doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t?

Well no, but the argument would be that they are not designed to be tinkered with as it isn’t their place in the marketplace.

But of course if you do want to tinker then the Android platform is the only way forward.

re not designed to be tinkered

designed and can are very different things!

the argument would be that they are not designed to be tinkered with as it isn’t their place in the marketplace.

Well, yes and no.

The ‘closed’ nature of Apple products is both their primary strength and their main weakness, depending on your point of view. I’m not sure as “marketplace” is the correct word though; the ‘tablet’ marketplace contains very different audiences with very different requirements and wants.

It’s the old Windows / Mac / Linux argument all over again. Ultimately these are all the same marketplace, “I want a computer,” however the various strengths and weaknesses of each platform will appeal to a different subset of people within that marketplace.

It’s a full PC too, rather than instant-on PDA functionality

True. It is pocketable though, in a jacket inside pocket.

There is a supposedly instant on function which lets you web browse, but it’s rubbish (on ours at least, the earlier version of it). However it’s a Linux dual boot installation, so can be readily tinkered with I feel 🙂

I really wish ours had a SSD like the newer ones do.

Okay in ‘their’ marketplace.
😕

It cannot be claimed that it is a failing of the system that it can’t be tinkered with when they deliberately locked it down so it can’t be tinkered with. People who use iPhones and iPads just want it to ‘do stuff’, not to ‘do stuff with it’.

Spotted this a couple of hours ago:-
http://www.coolsmartphone.com/2011/04/19/motorola-xoom-wifi-uk-a-quick-look/

The iPad isn’t designed to be tinkered with because it could risk compromising other areas; slowing it down, affecting stability perhaps. For Apple this is unacceptable so they lock it down, and the end user gets a more robust platform as a result.

Outside of the Apple arena (be that Windows or Android), people are more at liberty to do what the hell they like. For some people that freedom is critical, for some it’s simply enough rope to hang themselves.

Different approaches, different target audiences. It’s why I get so frustrated by people who have a cavalier one-size-fits-all attitude every time a question crops up about a platform that isn’t theirs.

It cannot be claimed that it is a failing of the system that it can’t be tinkered with when they deliberately locked it down so it can’t be tinkered with. People who use iPhones and iPads just want it to ‘do stuff’, not to ‘do stuff with it’.

This, exactly, yes. For people who like it, it’s a feature to be applauded, not a failing. Though personally, I’m not one of those people, so for me it’s a negative point. But it’s not a failing of the system, it’s simply a shortcoming for me.

True. It is pocketable though, in a jacket inside pocket.

Either it’s smaller than I thought, or you have a poacher’s jacket.

It is narrower and shallower than a paperback, just longer.

Fair enough Cougar.

It is just that every time the Apple v Android argument comes up, the same lines are trotted out.

It is just that every time the Apple v Android argument comes up, the same lines are trotted out.

Annoying, isn’t it. (-:

molgrips > that second picture is an optical illusion. If you stare at it for five minutes or so, you suddenly start to see a small netbook computer.

There is a new Asus tablet Eee Pad as well, seems like a nice thing, Android 3.0 on it as well. You can have a additional keyboard to plug it in and make it a netbook and that doubles the battery life from 8 to 16 hours.

Dell also released a new Streak 7″ tablet thingy but without 3G.

Plus if anyone wants a cheap Dell Streak then Tesco was doing them for £199, sold out online, but You might get one in store. Runs on Android 2.2 and apparently much better then on 1.6.

Motorola really bigged up the game now with quality, I have a fairly low model the Dext, my brother put Android 2.1 on it and I’m really really happy with the phone and the quality of it. My brothers Samsung Galaxy Portal feels flimsy and cheap compared to my Motorola. Not the quickest but I think I’ll be getting another Motorola once this one dies. Probably the newer Milestone or the Dext 2.

Just demonstrating that it can technically go in a pocket.. even one stretched over a taut bottom.

I plunged on both the V1 ipad on release and sold it after a few months. I have literally just now got the V2. Sold the V1 as found that I would reach for my phone if I wanted to do something quickly, or the laptop if it was something more in-depth.

Since selling the V1 I have gone completely paperless with my magazines, relying on Zinio instead (while not perfect its better than a 10 foot high pile of magazines in corner).

The hassle with the laptop (17″ macbook) is mainly the heat, and partially the portability. Its hard to sit on the throne balancing a laptop (where is where all good reading is done).

This coupled with the improved media streaming functions plus movie availability which I can incorporate with the Apple TV as well as improvements to dropbox and similar functions for work use makes for a (semi) reliable closed system.

Hence the return to the V2 Ipad. I also looked very closely at the Xoom, but it just wasn’t as polished as the Apple system / infrastructure. Im sure very soon it will be in which case Apple will have a fight on its hands, at which time I can sell the Ipad for a 30% loss and buy again if need be.

Regards the “which one” question you are ALWAYS going to wish what ever one you go for did “X” like “Y” does, thats why i’m sure most of us have n+1 bikes (bloody marketing people) but unless you take the plunge you’re never going to know. Like the add says … just bloody do it already!

Well, it’s very good so far!

Typed on my new Xoom!

flash

You called?

All well, Kato? Busy day at work?

I’ve avoided it Flash. They don’t like paying the double time!

All good here though old chap

Typing this on the Advent Vega tab. I like to tinker too and have put a couple of new ROMS on it. Both make it a great device. Hardly ever use my desktop pc now. Other than the poor viewing angle it does most things as well as my HTC Desire. Most apps work fine from Market.

No lag with the custom ROMS I have used. Flash works very well for iplayer etc. Works with 3g dongles.

Cheaper than the Xoom.

Regards

Kato, YGM

Happy new Xoom.

We now have an iPad 2 in the house. Whilst I stand by my comments that I don’t really ‘get’ why, there’s no denying that it’s an inordinately shiny piece of kit.