xoom

Prizefight: Motorola Xoom vs. Apple iPad 2

We know this will only end in nasty, partisan comments, but we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't put the Motorola Xoom and Apple iPad 2 in the ring for an official CNET Prizefight.

Out of the gate, you guys can probably guess my feelings on these two tablets. I wrote CNET's rated reviews for both devices, and although I was optimistic enough about the Xoom to nominate it for CNET's Best of CES, the iPad 2 ultimately received my Editors' Choice.

The wild cards in this Prizefight are the other two judges. Eric … Read more

Production of first Xoom model to end?

Update at 8:39 a.m. PT: Motorola Mobility denies the DigiTimes report and says it will not cease Xoom production after June.

Motorola Mobility plans to stop producing the Xoom by the end of June, a report claims.

Taiwan-based DigiTimes, which cited unnamed "upstream suppliers," reported yesterday that Motorola Mobility will meet its suppliers' forecast of ordering 700,000 to 800,000 Xoom units during the first quarter.

But over the next three months, the publication's sources say that Motorola Mobility will request fewer and fewer Xoom units. DigiTimes contends that the company will order 300,… Read more

Moto to bring Xoom Wi-Fi to Canada

We still don't know what Motorola will be announcing at CTIA 2011, but the company announced today that it will bring the Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi tablet to Canada next month.

The Xoom, which won CNET's Best of CES award earlier this year, runs on Android's Honeycomb OS. Features include a 10.1-inch wide-screen HD display, a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM, the usual suite of Google maps and applications, and HTML Web browser with Adobe Flash Player, a 5-megapixel camera, a front-facing 2-megapixel camera, a microSD card slot, and Bluetooth.

The device will cost $… Read more

Flash 10.2 addresses shortcomings on Android

Adobe Systems has released version 10.2 of Flash Player for mobile devices, which addresses several shortcomings in the inaugural 10.1 incarnation.

Among the features in the new software, according to an Adobe blog post, are these:

Integration with the browser on Android 3.0.1, aka Honeycomb, so Flash content is treated "as part of the Web page instead of as a separate 'overlay.'" That pages scroll better and look closer to how Web page designers intended.

The ability to take advantage of better hardware in some devices with graphics chips and dual-core processors--Motorola's Atrix … Read more

Yes, there are iPad alternatives

A week ago, just after Donald Bell posted his positive review of the iPad 2, I posted a list of tablet alternatives to Apple's device. My intention was to show CNET readers the broad availability of tablets on the market, and to demonstrate what promising products are still to come. At the time I considered it a pretty innocuous post, but I should have known better when an Apple product is involved.

Over the weekend I began to receive reader e-mails asking me what the point of such a list was. The iPad was the best, of course, so … Read more

Sprint-branded Xoom spotted online

It appears that Verizon Wireless won't be retaining exclusive rights to the Xoom for very long. Late yesterday an image of a Sprint-branded version of the tablet landed in an online forum.

Presumably, the device will be largely the same as the Verizon model, but it's unknown whether this edition will be ready to support Sprint's WiMax network out of the box. Sources close to site Android and Me have indicated that the Sprint model may come WiMax-equipped from the beginning.

The Verizon Xoom currently features 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity options with an option for users to … Read more

Impressions: Flash 10.2 Beta on Xoom

One of the advantages the Xoom purportedly has over the iPad is its support for Flash. Unfortunately, Flash wasn't available for the Xoom at its release, but as of today it is. We've taken the Flash 10.2 Beta for Xoom for a spin and have lived to tell the tale.

The full Web (?) Motorola states that this update brings "a full Web browsing experience" with it and for the most part that's true, but it really depends on how a full Web browsing experience is defined.

Yes, Flash on the Xoom does offer support … Read more

YouTube's spin on 'American Idol'

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Motorola will sell the Wi-Fi-only Xoom for $599.

YouTube announces YouTube Next Up, its spin on "American Idol" for the Web.

The European Union is going to revamp its 16-year-old online privacy laws.

Apple changes in-app purchase protocol so that any additional purchases require a password.

Samsung releases a new line of laptops for students and office workers.

Google updates collaboration messaging within Google Docs.

Mozilla announces that Firefox 4 will be available for download next week on March 22.

Wi-Fi-only Xoom launching March 27 for $599

It took a while for Motorola Mobility to confirm it, but the Wi-Fi-only Xoom is now official.

On March 27, the tablet will launch in the U.S. for $599, Motorola Mobility announced today. The device will feature the same 10.1-inch display as its 3G-equipped counterpart. It will also come with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, 32GB of onboard storage, and a 1GHz dual-core processor.

Motorola Mobility currently offers a 3G version of the Xoom that retails for $799.99 without a contract and $599.99 with a two-year commitment with Verizon Wireless.

With the upcoming launch of the Wi-Fi-only … Read more

Site-loading speed battle 2: Motorola Xoom vs. Apple iPad 2

A couple of weeks back we put the original iPad up against the Xoom in a site-loading speed battle. While most of the feedback was positive, a few commenters expressed their disappointment that we used the original iPad instead of the iPad 2. Well, now that the iPad 2 has been released, we can in fact post the story you've been waiting for. One that will no doubt completely satisfy everyone.

So, let's get right to it.

Testing Site-loading speed is one of the simplest things to test, and it's a test many users can immediately relate … Read more