Farewell Xoom

[anon(52425)]

I have the same puzzle,but did you get your full refund?

I received a full refund from Best Buy. No restocking fee.

 

[anon(52425)]

Just because you didn't have a problem doesn't mean others did not...obviously. If it's such a big deal where people have to buy a bumper case, then I'd say it wasn't "blown out of proportion". Just sayin'.

I like how this thread turned into a iPhone thread...

This thread has turned into an everything thread.

And in no way am I defending the "antenna gate" problem, but many of the tech sites reported that it wasnt as big of a deal as it was made to be. Apple did the right thing and offered up cases to people as a customer service. As many sites reported, every single phone made has some sort of similar antenna problem. With the 4, it was more apparent because of the design.

 

[anon(52425)]

Based on everything in the OP, it seems to me he doesn't need an iPad 2 either; by his own words, his original iPad did everything he needed it to, and did it very well. Methinks someone is just chasing the latest, hottest gadgets and suffering buyer's remorse. Can't say I blame him, as I'm fighting the same urge; but my Tab does everything I need right now, and neither the Xoom, or the iPad 2, or the upcoming Tab 2, have convinced me they're worth the upgrade money. Also battling the same issue with a prospective new car

You're right, about my first gen iPad doing everything I needed. HOWEVER, say I never bought I Xoom, I would still be planning on getting an iPad 2 after the announcement. As I said in my other posts, a big draw for me is having the camera with web cam functionality. The Xoom further stengthened my attitude toward having one in a tablet. I video chatted with my friends, co-workers and most importantly my family in Texas who only get to come out to Portland once a year IF even that.

The experience was simply fantastic. Cuddled up on the kids on the couch, dialed up the parents and there they were. I got up and headed to the kitchen where the wife was cooking dinner and showed her off. This feature was a lot of fun. I wasnt tied down to my Mac Pro, I was portable. That alone right there is enough for me to switch to the next generation.

 

[anon(52425)]

My thought exactly. I originally looked at how I would use a tablet, what I would use a tablet for, and what I NEEDED from a tablet to do that and I realized my usage I could get out of the iPad 16G wifi only. I could not justify $500 for that usage. I then saw that for half the price I could have a rooted Nook Color and it would do every thing I wanted/needed from a tablet (basically I am confident it does 95-98% of everything an iPad 16/32G wifi only will do), was half the price, and I personally prefer the 7in form factor. So yeah, doing the same thing with the info given in the OP I agree that a NC would have been sufficient for this user.

I also said earlier that Apps are also somthing important to me. Not huge but important. Being able to show my son movies on long car rides, facetiming (see above), there are lots of reasons for me. I gave the idea of a NC but after trying my co-workers, it was too laggy.

 

[Micaela Kline]

so i found this interesting review of the xoom and thought i'd share. check it out.

YouTube - Motorola Xoom Unboxing and Review in HD

 

[qnet]

I received a full refund from Best Buy. No restocking fee.

I received a full refund also and, canceled my Verizon account. I'm getting a 64GB wi-fi only Ipad 2. maybe in the future, when the bugs are worked out; I'll come back to Honeycomb.

 

[Tical]

This has been one of the more interesting threads I've seen in a while... and for the most part, civil too...great job @ OP for setting a good tone. I've read every post and agree with many. My thoughts are two fold:

Apple is a better COMPANY than Moto. Not just bigger, not just more popular, not just more profitable, but actually better at running a successful business than Moto. You can say what you want about how evil and greedy and whatever negative stereotype you want to throw in there. But I don't think anybody can say they don't develop a plan for a product, leverage existing assets (namely mindshare and brand loyalty), and execute their strategy well. Simply contrast the release of the Xoom vs. Ipad 2... It's like night and day... The Xoom launch just reeks of half-assedness. Sometimes this is a viable strategy, but not when you are trying to usurp a very popular #1. Moto needed near perfect execution, and it failed on several fronts on that part. It could just be me, but I can't think of ANY major product launch that involved you sending the product back to the company in the mail for advertised functionality.... And before the defenders of Moto go the route of "well the Ipad doesn't even have 4G no matter what" that brings me to my second thought.... posted below...

 

[watchout4d]

This has been one of the more interesting threads I've seen in a while... and for the most part, civil too...great job @ OP for setting a good tone. I've read every post and agree with many. My thoughts are two fold:

Apple is a better COMPANY than Moto. Not just bigger, not just more popular, not just more profitable, but actually better at running a successful business than Moto. You can say what you want about how evil and greedy and whatever negative stereotype you want to throw in there. But I don't think anybody can say they don't develop a plan for a product, leverage existing assets (namely mindshare and brand loyalty), and execute their strategy well. Simply contrast the release of the Xoom vs. Ipad 2... It's like night and day... The Xoom launch just reeks of half-assedness. Sometimes this is a viable strategy, but not when you are trying to usurp a very popular #1. Moto needed near perfect execution, and it failed on several fronts on that part. It could just be me, but I can't think of ANY major product launch that involved you sending the product back to the company in the mail for advertised functionality.... And before the defenders of Moto go the route of "well the Ipad doesn't even have 4G no matter what" that brings me to my second thought.... posted below...

Great write up. I have been saying from the start that Moto has no clue what they are doing. Look at Apple, announced the Ipad 2, gave price, release date, features, multiple versions, wifi, great price. Moto all but refused to talk about their product, waited weeks on end to announce the price, announced the release date 48 hrs before product launch, after almost two months of silence, no pr after CES for the product, no flash, no sd card, no wifi or info on wifi release, 4g strategy is laughable and unprofessional at best, and partnered with Verizon and forced customers to pay for activation to buy. Again, Apple releases iPad 2 they say nothing, no marketing no YouTube hands on, nothing. And the most expensive tablet on the market.

 

[Tical]

The Bubble

I think we on these forums forget we are a minority... we are NOT the average consumer. The average consumer, whether you like it or not, is not interested in what we are interested in. Most of us posting here are more technically inclined and informed than most of our neighbors, families and friends. We cite and compare and debate specs because we are interested in specs... You know what the average consumer is interested in? The EXPERIENCE. Oh, some of you are howling at that one... Let's face facts: Apple has their stuff together. Scream about a walled garden, inferior specs and draconian control all you want. At the end of the day, that is nearly imperceptible to the average user. You know what IS perceptible? Lack of apps... Being tied to a contract for a single cell phone company... Losing it for a week to send it back in... A SD slot on the side that "doesn't work"... "I thought this thing could do flash?"...Lowest cost of entry $300 more

There is a PERFECTLY reasonable explanation for every single one of them. At least they seem reasonable to us. But again, to my point above, we aren't the average consumer...

Case in point... My wife wants a tablet. She's not quite sure what she "needs" it for, but wants one, looks cool and convenient. If I suggested a xoom over the ipad, I'd have to explain, umm NO, this doesn't have netflix like the ipad... umm NO, it's not wifi, we'd have to get a contract with verizon, even if you just use it here at home... umm NO, it isn't cheaper, it's another few hundred $$.... Guess what she (avg consumer) is getting?

Now with all that said, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish rooting my Nook Color that I bought for myself. Just a little something to hold me over until an android based unit I can say YES to comes out...

 

[scorpiodsu]

I think we on these forums forget we are a minority... we are NOT the average consumer. The average consumer, whether you like it or not, is not interested in what we are interested in. Most of us posting here are more technically inclined and informed than most of our neighbors, families and friends. We cite and compare and debate specs because we are interested in specs... You know what the average consumer is interested in? The EXPERIENCE. Oh, some of you are howling at that one... Let's face facts: Apple has their stuff together. Scream about a walled garden, inferior specs and draconian control all you want. At the end of the day, that is nearly imperceptible to the average user. You know what IS perceptible? Lack of apps... Being tied to a contract for a single cell phone company... Losing it for a week to send it back in... A SD slot on the side that "doesn't work"... "I thought this thing could do flash?"...Lowest cost of entry $300 more

There is a PERFECTLY reasonable explanation for every single one of them. At least they seem reasonable to us. But again, to my point above, we aren't the average consumer...

Case in point... My wife wants a tablet. She's not quite sure what she "needs" it for, but wants one, looks cool and convenient. If I suggested a xoom over the ipad, I'd have to explain, umm NO, this doesn't have netflix like the ipad... umm NO, it's not wifi, we'd have to get a contract with verizon, even if you just use it here at home... umm NO, it isn't cheaper, it's another few hundred $$.... Guess what she (avg consumer) is getting?

Now with all that said, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish rooting my Nook Color that I bought for myself. Just a little something to hold me over until an android based unit I can say YES to comes out...

Well said. The problem with devices like this (and Motorola) is that it claims to be great. And while it probably is, they don't explain why and users have to explain to other users why it's great. With devices like the iPad, I don't have to explain it, I can just show you why it's great and works. And that's how you sell to the masses. More show.

 

[DRod]

I'll start off by clarifying that I am an Android fan, through and through.

That said, the XOOM is not getting the stellar reviews a flagship device should be getting. The general consensus has been "rushed to market."

Let's not deceive ourselves. Specs DO matter. As does polish. This is a product SOLD to consumers, not given. The pricetag alone should make that apparent to everyone's wallets. It is promoted as a high end device, with the expectation that it is a high end experience. The latter is simply not the case according to the average reviewer.

You can hate Apple and love Android, or vice versa, but at the end of the day consumer perception is the key. Motorola needed to launch a device that was unquestionably 5 star. Whether or not it's fair that Motorola be under such scrutiny doesn't matter for this discussion. It's the reality.

Apple has dominated the market brilliantly, whether you agree with them or not. To surpass such a company you must do better than them. Not subpar. Not even the same. Better.

On to the Xoom. Is it technically a superior device? In theory yes. However, that hasn't been realized yet with many key features disabled or simply unavailable at launch. This point cannot be ignored. Many of those features were tie breakers against the iPad. Not wise to cripple your horse out the gate.

Price: We can argue back and forth whether it seems reasonable or not. Personally, I find it unreasonable for the reasons mentioned above. Now, let's be wise about this. We would expect to pay more for a device from a well known and established company, verses a brand new obscure one. Think Motorola VS. Notion Ink. Namebrand in this case means alot and we pay more because of the perception that Motorola is a secure investment. We pay for that feeling of security. Apple is not Notion Ink. It is a powerhouse of a company with years of marketing and production experience. Apple provides warranties and services for its devices.

To pay more for less when a competitor provides the reverse, well. You're paying out of brand spite at that point. And we're all welcome to do so. I purchased a Nexus One against an iPhone for that reason, knowing that technically the Apple App store was far superior at the time. I support Android because I believe in it, and sometimes will spend more because of that. I don't get to just ignore the accomplishments of the "other guy."

The XOOM is not what it should be. At least not yet. And it is certainly no threat to Apple at this point. It is an expensive gadget for the devoted Android user. A new product will have to be launched that can be sold as a top notch, non-glitchy, polished device right at intial point of sale. Only this deserves the attention that Apple can take note of.

 

[original00]

Tical and Watchout4d-U guys hit the nail righ on the head.

Sometimes this stuff seems like common sense and you think that with as long as Apple has been operating like this and the constant positive results they continue to drive, someone would have learned or copied their strategy on how to have a successful product launch. Like Steve Jobs said yesterday "...they just don't get it!" Look at HP, they did the same thing, announced a product, no carriers, no price,no release date-right after their CEO said they would not do that going forward-they are not even aligned internally for how they plan to operate. The same can also be said for Rim, Samsung , HTC, Sony...

 

[abarron]

I 100% agree. The Xoom is half baked.
1. Image quality using the native image viewer has poor image quality this applies to viewing photos or on board camera images. Third party image viewers helps a lot.
2. HDMI clips tops and sides of the display (this isn't a TV problem).
3. Try to get a wallpaper to be the same as the image on the screen even Wallpaper Wizardrii doesn't help much.
4. The Android market is buggy. It is difficult to get the download and install without repeated attempts.
5. Very few APPS work without glitches (Force closes and screen formatting problems). Most problems seem centered around the display issues.

I have two Nexus ones and a Nexus S running Gingerbread and don't have the magnitude of problems with these devices as I have with Honeycomb. The Xoom is certainly no IPAD kill especially after the introduction of the stunning IPAD2.
I am a diehard Android fan but the Xoom seems to be a despariate attempt. I hope some updates will address these glairing problems.

 

[Tical]

I didn't get to much into this aspect, but it's worth noting: In an effort to build "hype" around a product, companies have started announcing things earlier and earlier, without any REAL information. That hurts them in the long run... part of it is that in this day and age, there is the perception (based somewhat on reality) that if you aren't in the news, you aren't innovating. But it also hurts your sales and reputation. Perfect example is RIM... Go over to Crackberry.com and you will see posts upon posts of people saying "I'm not going to get [currently available phone], because I heard they are going to release [mythical phone announced 4 months ago]" followed months later by "I can't believe [actually released phone] didn't/won't be coming out with [incredible previously unheard of but now necessary feature], I'm off to [other OS that has the same issues]". There is something to be said about the Apple strategy of releasing regular incremental updates, none of which officially communicated until the specifics are in place. Those that live off of rumor are satisfied, but rarely are people disgruntled. Not (wholly) out of ignorance, though there is some of that too, but because Apple never said what you were going to get in the first place. And when they do, they spell it out in simple, real life use examples, with a very short wait to purchase from that moment...

 

[scorpiodsu]

I didn't get to much into this aspect, but it's worth noting: In an effort to build "hype" around a product, companies have started announcing things earlier and earlier, without any REAL information. That hurts them in the long run... part of it is that in this day and age, there is the perception (based somewhat on reality) that if you aren't in the news, you aren't innovating. But it also hurts your sales and reputation. Perfect example is RIM... Go over to Crackberry.com and you will see posts upon posts of people saying "I'm not going to get [currently available phone], because I heard they are going to release [mythical phone announced 4 months ago]" followed months later by "I can't believe [actually released phone] didn't/won't be coming out with [incredible previously unheard of but now necessary feature], I'm off to [other OS that has the same issues]". There is something to be said about the Apple strategy of releasing regular incremental updates, none of which officially communicated until the specifics are in place. Those that live off of rumor are satisfied, but rarely are people disgruntled. Not (wholly) out of ignorance, though there is some of that too, but because Apple never said what you were going to get in the first place. And when they do, they spell it out in simple, real life use examples, with a very short wait to purchase from that moment...

Agreed. And that's the poor marketing of these companies. They try to create a buzz and anticipation. People don't want to know what you are releasing in 6 months without any information. People want to know when can they get one, where can they get one and how much it's going to cost me. And if it takes too long getting here and cost too much, I'm not interested anymore. Apple tells you what is coming, when it will be available and how much it's going to cost all at the same time and launches less than a month later.

 

[anon(52425)]

Excellent points guys. If I was not on my mobile id contribute some more.

 

[flashpiti]

Agreed. And that's the poor marketing of these companies. They try to create a buzz and anticipation. People don't want to know what you are releasing in 6 months without any information. People want to know when can they get one, where can they get one and how much it's going to cost me. And if it takes too long getting here and cost too much, I'm not interested anymore. Apple tells you what is coming, when it will be available and how much it's going to cost all at the same time and launches less than a month later.

The other big difference is that Apple actually shows you what the device can do, both in it's ads and in it's presentations. Google and moto have showed some of the Xoom's capabilities at the shows, but then for ads they give us this bull$sh!t spaceship crap. I live on the planet earth, I am not a spartan in halo, I like to see what my tablet can really do, not some fantasy fanboy world where my xoom is flying me to mars to battle aliens. Lame.

 

[anon(52425)]

The other big difference is that Apple actually shows you what the device can do, both in it's ads and in it's presentations. Google and moto have showed some of the Xoom's capabilities at the shows, but then for ads they give us this bull$sh!t spaceship crap. I live on the planet earth, I am not a spartan in halo, I like to see what my tablet can really do, not some fantasy fanboy world where my xoom is flying me to mars to battle aliens. Lame.

im I'm a boring meeting and this made me chuckle.

 

[scorpiodsu]

The other big difference is that Apple actually shows you what the device can do, both in it's ads and in it's presentations. Google and moto have showed some of the Xoom's capabilities at the shows, but then for ads they give us this bull$sh!t spaceship crap. I live on the planet earth, I am not a spartan in halo, I like to see what my tablet can really do, not some fantasy fanboy world where my xoom is flying me to mars to battle aliens. Lame.

Exactly. Apple always demos the device for everyone to see. Highlight the features and show us why they believe it's great. Not android stuff. They just tell us what it does (Droid Does?) with a bunch of robotic sounds and flash the name on the screen and that's it. Stop telling us what you do so much better than the competition AND SHOW US.

 

[anon(46240)]

I really am almost embarrassed at Motorola for their botched Xoom launch. This should have been HUGE! Instead, it launches without Flash (no big deal, but early adopters have to wait a month or so for the software), no LTE (bigger deal, requires user to mail back the unit, and do without it for a week), and generally a half baked user experience. They should have waited until all their pieces were in place before launching ANYTHING. They should have launched with wi-fi only version first, THEN the Verizon model with LTE already good to go out of the box.

As a side note, I am really concerned with the trend of all tablets being sold with 3G/4G wireless and data plans. Most of us already have smartphones, and the ability to tether wireless...why do these companies INSIST on trying to sell us yet another overpriced data plan??? I am quite happy with the connectivity I get with my Nook Color tethered to my Epic. I am also quite happy that I am not shelling out ANOTHER $50 a month for another data plan!