Motorola XOOM-Android Tablet

The Motorola Xoom is a 10.1-inch tablet which is slightly larger than the iPad. This is the first tablet running Android 3.0 "Honeycomb," the tablet-optimized version of Google's popular Android operating system. The Xoom's hardware is solid. This is truly the first real competitor to the Apple iPad. The Xoom has better specs all-around than the current iPad. The design is sober and discrete.
The hardware is sturdy and impressive. The Xoom weighs in at 730 grams and is 12.9 millimeters thick –almost identical to the iPad, the screen is wider, with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution. That gives the Xoom an edge when watching movies and browsing larger websites. The top quarter of the Xoom's rear is encased in a soft-touch plastic. There is no issue on touch screen responsiveness but it is somewhat a heavy device.
There is 32GB storage for apps, movies, music and photos. There’s a 2.0 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and a five-megapixel shooter on the back. The 5.0 mega pixel shooter on the back actually produces decent well-balanced pictures.
The Xoom speakers are worth further mention. They are loud and to the point that sound is distorted coming out them. But when things are at a more manageable level, the sound is great. Listening to podcasts and talk radio is without effort. You have the power button on the back and volume buttons on the left-hand bezel, and that is it.
The XOOM is vast on connectivity, with EVDO Rev.A, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and USB 2.0, along with a 4G LTE update in the pipeline, but it’s worth noting that it won’t make voice calls. If you want to actually talk with someone using the XOOM you’ll have to pick a VoIP client. With Skype, Fring, Qik and others in the Android Market, and Google Talk preinstalled in Honeycomb, most users should find something to fit that gap.
Much of the XOOM’s strength comes from Android 3.0 Honeycomb. 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. The XOOM may only be the first Honeycomb slate, but it’s a strong start to what’s going to be a fiercely competitive race.