$799 for the xoom

[Maikai.Guy]

You also have to remember economies of scale here. Apple uses the SAME chip, Ram, etc across three major lines (iphone, ipad, ipod) which lowers unit costs considerably.

Your point about the comparison between the iPad and XOOM were good. People need to compare the value of the product as well as the prices.

But you left the field with the economies of scale. I'm in the semiconductor biz and once you clear the hurdle of 500K to 1M units annually, there is really no place left to go. Pricing goes almost flat, if not dead flat after those volumes.

That being said, the electronics component vendors are constantly refining their manufacturing processes for higher efficiencies. This results in about a 5% reduction in component costs each year.

But again, it doesn't matter if Apple made 5 million or 50 million iPhones. The cost per iPhone would be almost identical at those volumes.

 

[Maikai.Guy]

The average consumer doesn't care about 3G, 4G or how much storage is built-in. They care first and foremost about price, then about formfactor/size, weight, and # of available apps. A tablet is a luxury. I probably know a dozen or more people with iPads and they are ALL wi-fi models, with all but 1 or 2 being the 16gb version.

These people are not buying a tablet to replace a notebook. They basically buy it in lieu of a netbook to have something easier to handle to use around the house for Youtube, casual games, web browsing, and checking recipies, email, and stocks. And occasionally bring it to Starbucks. That's it. All tablets are present are purely luxury and convenience devices, not desktop or even real notebook replacements.

I think the part many of you are missing is this WILL be a notebook replacement. It's the natural progression of the technology. With apps and storage and just about everything else moving to the "cloud" (BTW, I HATE that term!!!), all you will need is a XOOM.

And we should stop comparing it to a 16GB iPad. It shouldn't even be compared to a 32GB iPad. The XOOM is way more capable. Being about $70 more than a 32GB iPad shouldn't shock anyone, considering the hardware on-board.

 

[tangomonky]

Im fairly sure they stated the Asus Transformer tabs were going to be priced starting at 499. Considering how similar to the Xoom that is, makes me think this is either hulabaloo, or them seriously overestimating their product.

 

[E_man]

I think the part many of you are missing is this WILL be a notebook replacement. It's the natural progression of the technology. With apps and storage and just about everything else moving to the "cloud" (BTW, I HATE that term!!!), all you will need is a XOOM.

And we should stop comparing it to a 16GB iPad. It shouldn't even be compared to a 32GB iPad. The XOOM is way more capable. Being about $70 more than a 32GB iPad shouldn't shock anyone, considering the hardware on-board.

Your forgetting something. The iPad 2 will have very similiar hardware to the XOOM, and will still undercut it in price supposedly. If true, and the difference between an iPad 2 and a XOOM comes to OS preference and an extra $70 for the XOOM, for a large amount of the market, the XOOM would lose. Not to mention no 16/32GB wifi options that I imagine are some of the better sellers.

Im fairly sure they stated the Asus Transformer tabs were going to be priced starting at 499. Considering how similar to the Xoom that is, makes me think this is either hulabaloo, or them seriously overestimating their product.

Even cheaper. The transform starts at $399, though that is probably without the optional dock (so basically a XOOM with asus skin). The most expensive version of their most expensive android tablet matches this XOOM price. If this is true, I'll go with the EEE slide or the Toshiba. The EEE might be skinned, but add a keyboard and drop the price $300 and it's sounding good to me. No word on the amazing toshiba tablets price, but it is wifi only, so that's good.

 

[Treknologist]

The Xoom is an impressive tablet; however, I think I'm going to wait to see what HTC has to offer before I decide on which tablet to get. The only decision I've made on the matter is that whatever tablet I get will be running Android and not that *OS thing. Rows and rows of icons are not what I consider a useful user interface.

Honeycomb looks impressive but HTC makes very good devices. Since I'm in no rush, I'll wait to see what they have to offer.

 

[Nitros7]

See the thing that gets me is they did say they would keep prices competitive and yes for the specs on the unit one could argue that it is. But to me when I hear competitively price as compared to Ipad ($600) and the Galaxy Tab ($400-600) I would hope that it would not go too much higher than $600.

 

[tntdroid]

If its released at $600 I will buy one the day it comes out. If its really 800 ill wait for Toshiba Acer and others to come out. I'm sure with more of them out it will drive the prices down. I just really want my xoom now.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Cyber Warrior]

Acer? LOL. I own an Acer monitor for my PC and you can call it the no frills of monitors but its cheap and holds up against any other expensive namebrand monitors that I've used. I think they're owned by Toshiba. From personal experience I can't complain. They're cheap but just as good.

 

[Nitros7]

Acer? LOL. I own an Acer monitor for my PC and you can call it the no frills of monitors but its cheap and holds up against any other expensive namebrand monitors that I've used. I think they're owned by Toshiba. From personal experience I can't complain. They're cheap but just as good.

There actually the same company as E Machines and Gateway the three companies merged 4-5 years ago... As for that there hardware is junk, there monitors are ok nothing special but they work and the price is right.

 

[quetzalcoatl]

I think the part many of you are missing is this WILL be a notebook replacement. It's the natural progression of the technology. With apps and storage and just about everything else moving to the "cloud" (BTW, I HATE that term!!!), all you will need is a XOOM.

And we should stop comparing it to a 16GB iPad. It shouldn't even be compared to a 32GB iPad. The XOOM is way more capable. Being about $70 more than a 32GB iPad shouldn't shock anyone, considering the hardware on-board.

Until the iPad 2 comes out in April shortly after the Xoom and has specs that are comprabable, which would not suprise me at all. Apple uses the same prices specs year after year so it would be a shock if they changed this time around. They also have a tendency to double the storage at that price as well. And the iPad is a 9 month old device right now.

It is all speculation right now but if only the storage doubles and they manage to do a retna type of display on the ipad2. And they add a dual cord processor. We are talking about a better display, a near equal processor and twice the onboard storage for $70 less and for $30 more 4X the storage. If the following is true and all of it is reasonable upgrades not our there stuff. . It was announced last year in Jan and went on sale first part of April. So the new specs could be know by the time the Xoom streets. And if true could make things very ugly very quick.

As to it being a notbook replacement that is yet to be seen.

 

[Joelist]

The Xoom pricing just shows shortsighted thinking.

The proper way to do it would have been to advertise it heavily and roll it out at a price point below the base iPad, or as low as they can price it and still make a small profit per unit. You rely on volume to give you the $$$, and build market share that way.

Possibly make less profit now in exchange for creating and building a market presence you can tap as time goes on (get the name "Xoom" branded with the public as "the tablet") and make profit off accessories, expansions and the inevitable "Xoom 2".

 

[Joelist]

Until the iPad 2 comes out in April shortly after the Xoom and has specs that are comprabable, which would not suprise me at all. Apple uses the same prices specs year after year so it would be a shock if they changed this time around. They also have a tendency to double the storage at that price as well. And the iPad is a 9 month old device right now.

It is all speculation right now but if only the storage doubles and they manage to do a retna type of display on the ipad2. And they add a dual cord processor. We are talking about a better display, a near equal processor and twice the onboard storage for $70 less and for $30 more 4X the storage. If the following is true and all of it is reasonable upgrades not our there stuff. . It was announced last year in Jan and went on sale first part of April. So the new specs could be know by the time the Xoom streets. And if true could make things very ugly very quick.

As to it being a notbook replacement that is yet to be seen.

First, you can be sure no "retina" display on iPad 2 (it isn't even that good on the iPhone 4 it's just marketing nonsense - I have put iPhone 4 next to the Fascinate and the Fascinate display looks a lot better).

Second, Apple uses proprietary processors (or at least they did, there are rumors about them going to Qualcomm). They do not have anything in the pipeline that compares to Tegra 2 and neither does Qualcomm (which is a big reason HTC has no dual core coming anytime soon).

Third, iOS is nowhere near being a notebook replacement - it really is a "phone type" OS and is not really super capable. Android on the other hand can operate as a notebook OS right now - it doesn't even really need Honeycomb for that. All the needed under the hood capabilities are there (full true multitaking, an actual file system that can be readily navigated, the hooks for native exchange support, etc.). Add Documents to Go and you're all set.

 

[qnet]

At first I didn't understand why many of you complained about the possible price but, you've made some good points.

I really want this tablet and will probably get it, even if it's priced at $799.00 but, I have to see it in action first.

I already have a Ipad and like it very much but, it's just a 16GB version. If I had a 32 or 64Gb version the decision to get a Xoom would be much harder. Having said that, the thought of having a tablet with Android is really exciting because, of what you can do, as far as customization.

I really hope this device does what it claims to do, on those videos. If it is only $500-600.00 like a lot of you want, I would surely get it no question.

 

[Kyle Gibb]

$800? BS. For a couple hundred more I can just buy a MacBook Air and get a device that is just as portable and even more useful.

WiFi-only version of this needs to be around $500 to compete with the iPad.

 

[dsignori]

First, you can be sure no "retina" display on iPad 2 (it isn't even that good on the iPhone 4 it's just marketing nonsense - I have put iPhone 4 next to the Fascinate and the Fascinate display looks a lot better).

Second, Apple uses proprietary processors (or at least they did, there are rumors about them going to Qualcomm). They do not have anything in the pipeline that compares to Tegra 2 and neither does Qualcomm (which is a big reason HTC has no dual core coming anytime soon).

Third, iOS is nowhere near being a notebook replacement - it really is a "phone type" OS and is not really super capable. Android on the other hand can operate as a notebook OS right now - it doesn't even really need Honeycomb for that. All the needed under the hood capabilities are there (full true multitaking, an actual file system that can be readily navigated, the hooks for native exchange support, etc.). Add Documents to Go and you're all set.

I have the Fascinate, my wife the iphone 4, and one is definitely not "a lot better" than the other. I like the colors and contrast on my Fascinate, but it is no way near as crisp is the iPhone's display. But again, it's just opinion after all.

That said, none of the specs comparison matters to 95% of the public. Specs can be argued all day long, but the public knows Apple, loves the iPad, and the public needs an INCENTIVE to go elsewhere. I don't mean for we Android geeks, I mean for the rest of the world. Better "specs" alone will not do it IMO, and I doubt the XOOM will have better specs than the iPad 2 anyway. Pricing is so very key. I'll reiterate a bit of my post earlier in this thread. "Keep in mind none of us really know how well Honeycomb will perform compared to iOS on the iPADs regarding smoothness, usability, lag, etc. I am excited and will be getting the XOOM, but even assuming it comes out of the gate smooth as butter on 3.0, it still has to compete with a established, polished tablet UI in the iPAD2. Pricing is very very key here, more than I think Moto realizes...." .. Moto is fighting an uphill battle before they even begin and everyone know's it.

 

[quetzalcoatl]

First, you can be sure no "retina" display on iPad 2 (it isn't even that good on the iPhone 4 it's just marketing nonsense - I have put iPhone 4 next to the Fascinate and the Fascinate display looks a lot better).

Second, Apple uses proprietary processors (or at least they did, there are rumors about them going to Qualcomm). They do not have anything in the pipeline that compares to Tegra 2 and neither does Qualcomm (which is a big reason HTC has no dual core coming anytime soon).

Third, iOS is nowhere near being a notebook replacement - it really is a "phone type" OS and is not really super capable. Android on the other hand can operate as a notebook OS right now - it doesn't even really need Honeycomb for that. All the needed under the hood capabilities are there (full true multitaking, an actual file system that can be readily navigated, the hooks for native exchange support, etc.). Add Documents to Go and you're all set.

The A4 was a version of the hummingbird that is in the Galaxy S line. And there is a dual core A9 chip that is already being shipped by Samsung. So they have a dual core that is avail and from someone they have already been workign with. So the iPad 2 being dual core is very likely. The qualcomm processors was for the cdma iPhone but nothing else has been confirmed.
Samsung Dual-Core A9 Enters Fray for Powerful Mobile Devices - PCWorld Business Center

Samsung Just Revealed Apple's Next iPhone Super-Chip | Fast Company

I agree that the retna display is marketing hocus pocus, but we are talking about the general public. And to say the Fascinate looks a lot better than the iPhone4 is looking through android colored eyes in my opinion.

 

[Joelist]

Actually it does look way better. The "retina" always looks a bit dim and the Fascinate is super vibrant.

Also, don't assume Apple gets all Samsung tech or that Orion is better than or even remotely equal to Tegra 2. Besides, I was speaking to which one is actually ready to be a notebook replacement, and the reality is iOs itself is nowhere near ready but Xoom could do it right now (as can the Tab or a reflashed gTab).

I also posted before that Motorola's pricing scheme here is short sighted. They should be pricing with the smallest profit margin per device possible to beat the iPad price wise and build market share. I would even think about taking a small loss per device to build share (for example if I were VZW offer the thing at a big discount bundled with LTE for a reduced rate). The point is to get your foot in the door.

 

[Baconator]

Going from price to display to processers............ ?? What are we talking about lol!

 

[PvilleComp]

For $800 you can get the nice HP Mini at VZW WITH a year of "unlimited" data, and have a real computer that you can do whatever you want with.

$800 for a tablet - PASS.

 

[Menno]

$800? BS. For a couple hundred more I can just buy a MacBook Air and get a device that is just as portable and even more useful.

WiFi-only version of this needs to be around $500 to compete with the iPad.

The wifi only 32GB ipad isn't 500. You can't compare this to the base model ipad. I know customers will, and if Moto was smart they would make a 16gb version as well, but we're the interwebs, we know better.