What do we know about the Xoom Family Edition?

[freeky1]

I just saw it on Engadget, and wondered how different it was from the Xoom we all know and love.

Motorola Xoom Family Edition includes kid-friendly apps, will hit Best Buy Sunday for $379 -- Engadget

It looks like it has an IPS display!

Want the details? Here's a list of the facts:

Runs on Android 3.1, built specifically for tablets
1GHz dual-core processor for lightning-fast responsiveness
10.1" HS IPS HD screen display with capacitive multi-touch
5MP back camera with flash, with 720p video webcam
Preloaded with almost $40 worth of applications, plus Zoodles™, the award-winning Kid Mode application
Preloaded with MotoPack by Motorola XOOM (App Downloader by Motorola)
?Preloaded with Quickoffice™ Pro HD for seamless productivity at work
Preloaded with MotoPrint – the application that allows you to print straight from the Web browser
Preloaded with fun games like Asphalt 6 from Gameloft and SIM City Deluxe
16GB built-in memory
Battery lasts up to 10 hours for video playback and Web browsing
Access to more than 250,000 apps in Android Market™

Availability and Pricing

Motorola XOOM Family Edition will be available exclusively at all Best Buy stores nationwide and online at BestBuy.com for a limited time value price of $379 starting Oct. 16.

 

[ejz28]

i was thinking of picking up the flyer since they dropped it to $300, but the xoom at $380, seems like a great deal also? i must say i am a big htc fan and have a thunderbolt therefore wanted the flyer but the xoom will be tempting at this price...

 

[freeky1]

i was thinking of picking up the flyer since they dropped it to $300, but the xoom at $380, seems like a great deal also? i must say i am a big htc fan and have a thunderbolt therefore wanted the flyer but the xoom will be tempting at this price...

Plus I have about $60 in Best Buy Rewards, so that would bring the price down below $350 after taxes!

 

[hkklife]

Glancing at the specs, it appears this one has an IPS screen, is a bit lighter, is better looking (IMHO) with its aluminum back and has a very slightly larger battery. And of course, there's the "bundle" of software which may or not be a factor for most. Most significantly, it charges via microUSB which the OG Xoom definitely does not do.

Tradeoffs are 1/2 of the internal storage, more bloatware, and a worse front camera. As long as they don't cheapen the build quality too much, this thing could still be a solid little device for the money.

 

[Castorshells]

Its a stripped down version of the original xoom. Its inferior in every way, except maybe the usb charging.

Xoom+Root = Perfect Match

 

[erzhik]

Lighter, thinner, IPS screen, different camera location, different volume rocker location, different audio jack location...basically an evolved Xoom.

 

[Viventis]

Best Buy's on-line advertisement claims it runs Netflix! I wonder if has hardware DRM or if Netflix will become natively available to the rest of the Xooms.

 

[slwerner]

Its a stripped down version of the original xoom. Its inferior in every way, except maybe the usb charging.

Xoom+Root = Perfect Match

At first, I too had "issues" with the the 12v proprietary charging of the Xoom. But, I've since come to realize that it recharges way faster than my Droid X, my wife's Droid 2 or Samsung 7" tablet or iPod Touch, etc.

I think that Motorola made a big mistake with it's charging scheme...by not promoting it as the fast re-charging tablet. It's simple physics - 12v-1.5A is just going to be able to charge similarly sized batteries faster than 5.25v-0.5A.

I use my Xoom extensively through my typical day, and now with 4G running along-side both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (I typically leave them on full-time), I do tend to run down my Xoom's charge before the end of my workday. But, thanks to it's 12v-based recharging, it's less than a half hour from low battery to full charge. I have co-workers with iPads, so I know when they run theirs down, they are stuck hooked to their adapters for much longer to get a similar amount of recharging.

 

[slwerner]

Best Buy's on-line advertisement claims it runs Netflix! I wonder if has hardware DRM or if Netflix will become natively available to the rest of the Xooms.

I've been running Netflix on my Xoom for months. (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.netflix.mediaclient&feature=search_result)

 

[Viventis]

The link you sent contains the message (for me an my wi-fi Xoom):

"This app is incompatible with all of your devices."

I run Netflix also, with the special sdk found elsewhere in these forums. Unfortunately, the Xoom does not officially support Netflix, which is why the install app will not show up when you search with the Market or the Amazon App Store.

 

[slwerner]

The link you sent contains the message (for me an my wi-fi Xoom):

"This app is incompatible with all of your devices."

I run Netflix also, with the special sdk found elsewhere in these forums. Unfortunately, the Xoom does not officially support Netflix, which is why the install app will not show up when you search with the Market or the Amazon App Store.

Come to think of it, I believe that I too got the Netflix sdk via a link for this forum.

Still, it runs just fine on my Xoom, so it may be worthwhile for someone who knows where it can be found to post a link for those who would like to be able to use it.

 

[ejz28]

does anyone know if you could use a USB verizon modem on the xoom wifi version? i assume there is a micro usb to usb adapter i could get to plug into the xoom, but would the software take??

 

[ejz28]

also is this stock honeycomb or does moto have a skin on it