Motorola Xoom Review Round Up

By Nicole Scott
24 Feb, 2011 3:15 pm

Looks like everyone’s got their hands on the Xoom, so we’ve decided to pull together some of our favourite site reviews all into one to give you an idea of what is being said about the Motorola Xoom. At the end you’ll also find the conclusions and final verdicts of: Engadget, SlashGear, cnet, LaptopMag & BGR. The general consensus is positive, however there are a few concerns, price & honeycomb not being complete. How these two obstacles fair against you opening you’re pocket book lets find out!

Anyone following mobile has to be curious about this review because in a way it kind of is the first Android tablet. It runs Google’s latest OS designed exclusively for tablets which according to all review is a completely different experience. We are actually going to start out with the conclusions or wrap ups, since we know that most of you are just looking for the point, so we’ll play along for this round up and give it to you. After the wrap-ups you’ll find a summary and consensus of each in: Hardware, Display, Battery Life, Performance, Camera & Software.

Engadget: “Despite the drawbacks that we’ve outlined in this review, there is actually a lot about the Xoom to like. Besides boasting what we consider to be the most complete and clearly functioning version of Android, the hardware which is packed inside Motorola’s tablet is really quite good. The tablet is fast and sleek, and while not exactly being really futureproof, the fact that you’ve got a path to a 4G upgrade is tremendous (and frankly, something no one else in the industry is offering).

The problem with the Xoom isn’t really about the core of the experience or the core of the hardware — it’s about the details. Too much in both the design (like those wonky buttons) or the software (like the feeling that this is all very much in beta) makes you wonder if this wasn’t rushed out to market in order to beat the next wave from Apple. Regardless, there isn’t much here for consumers right now. The Android Market is almost devoid of tablet applications, the OS feels buggy and unfinished, and the hardware has pain points that we find troubling. And that’s to say nothing of the pricing and carrier commitments being asked of first-time buyers.

Is the Xoom a real competitor to the iPad? Absolutely. In fact, it outclasses the iPad in many ways. Still, the end user experience isn’t nearly where it needs to be, and until Google paints its tablet strategy and software picture more clearly, we’d suggest a wait-and-see approach. Honeycomb and the Xoom are spectacular — unfortunately they’re a spectacular work in progress.”

SlashGear: “Despite the absence of Flash support and the absence of 4G, there’s a lot to like about the Motorola XOOM. It’s a solid, discretely handsome Slate, with strong battery life and whip-crack performance. Against it are the premium price tag and the ridiculous mandatory first-month data fee; frankly, Verizon have missed a trick by not giving buyers a free first month in the hope of getting them hooked to the convenience of 3G.

Much of the XOOM’s strength comes from Android 3.0 Honeycomb, and there’s little doubting that Google’s tablet-centric OS is the star of the show here. As we found in our full software review, it’s a convincing and polished platform, which brings a highly usable multitasking environment to the tablet marketplace, neatly distinct from the “oversized smartphone” accusations levied at previous Android slates.

Until Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and LG’s G-Slate reach shelves, the XOOM has the Honeycomb space all to itself. Still, neither Motorola nor Google can afford to rest on their respective laurels. The iPad 2 is expected to debut a mere week after the XOOM goes on sale, and considering the first-gen version is still the benchmark by which new tablets are measured, the second-gen model is only going to raise the table stakes.”

Cnet Reviews: “The good: With Google’s next generation of Android, Motorola’s knack for great hardware, and Verizon’s promise of 4G network compatibility, the Xoom tablet technically offers a more powerful, more capable alternative to Apple’s iPad.

The bad: It’s expensive, slightly heftier than the iPad, and novice users may balk at Android 3.0′s read-the-manual attitude. Adobe Flash not yet supported.

The bottom line: The Xoom’s spec sheet is enough to make any tablet tremble, but the price is high and Google still has some work to do before its tablet software experience is as fleshed out and intuitive as Apple’s.

For all our criticisms, we are thrilled that Motorola, Google, and Verizon have teamed up to deliver the Xoom. It is the best alternative to the iPad we’ve seen, and there’s every reason to believe it will get better over time with the addition of Adobe Flash support, 4G network compatibility, and refinements from Google. At its current price, we think the Xoom’s appeal will be limited to early adopters and Android loyalists. As prices inevitably come down (or contracts become more lenient), the Xoom will likely realize its true potential.”

SlashGear: “Despite the absence of Flash support and the absence of 4G, there’s a lot to like about the Motorola XOOM. It’s a solid, discretely handsome slate, with strong battery life and whip-crack performance. Against it are the premium price tag and the ridiculous mandatory first-month data fee; frankly, Verizon have missed a trick by not giving buyers a free first month in the hope of getting them hooked to the convenience of 3G.

Boy Genius Report: I’m not sure how much better an Android tablet can get right now — and this is the first one we’ve reviewed here at BGR. The Motorola XOOM packs a serious punch, and doesn’t have room to store an ice pack. I love that Motorola has been pushing forward with innovate ideas and concepts, most notably with the Atrix 4G, and the XOOM isn’t an exception. It features great hardware, impressive specifications, and the latest Android OS designed just for tablets. There are many things to rave about with the XOOM, though there were some annoyances and frustrations that stemmed from Google’s OS for the most part and not from Motorola’s hardware.

Tablets are the new craze, and while they are selling, I personally still don’t see a huge need to have a tablet. As a toy used to discover new and incredible apps, and to use for 20 or 30 minutes a day to read and catch up on Twitter or do some emailing, sure. But the XOOM definitely can’t replace a laptop. I think that the Motorola XOOM is a great product, I’m just not 100% sold on Honeycomb at this point as an operating system. I don’t believe it’s very innovative, and I don’t find it to be any better than alternatives in terms of ease of use, intuitiveness, or wide availability of apps. With that said, the Motorola XOOM goes on sale tomorrow in the U.S. for $599 with a two-year service agreement, and I’m sure plenty of people will thoroughly enjoy it despite the aforementioned shortcomings.

LaptopMag:
Pros
Innovative interface
Interactive widgets
Strong core Google apps
4G support coming soon
Google video chat works well
Loud speakers
Cons
Narrow viewing angles
Buggy software
Not a lot of compelling tablet-friendly apps
Power button on back
Fairly expensive
Bottom Line
The first Android 3.0 tablet features innovative software and 4G capability, but buggy performance and a limited number of compelling apps hold this slate back.

“In some ways, the Motorola Xoom is a bona fide next-generation tablet. Android 3.0 feels like a thoroughly modern and thoughtful OS, and the software and hardware work well together in certain respects, such as the high-quality video chats via the front-facing camera. On the other hand, this slate was surprisingly buggy in our testing, and the tablet app selection really pales in comparison to what you’ll find on the iPad. Then there’s the price: $599 is a lot to spend on a device that isn’t yet fully baked. Yes, Flash support will be added in a few weeks, but 4G won’t come until later. While you could say the Xoom is future-proof, we’d wait for all the pieces to fall into place–and for more stable software–before investing in this tablet. With the iPad 2 on the way, these improvements can’t come soon enough.”