By The Motorola Atrix and Motorola XOOM were announced and displayed at CES last month, but I still took a few minutes to get full demos on each. Why? First of all, I played with the LG Optimus Pad and Galaxy Tab 10.1 and wanted a frame of reference for comparing the XOOM.
At CES the XOOM software wasn’t yet ready and I didn’t personally attend the Honeycomb event so this was my first full experience with the XOOM. The build quality of Motorola’s tablet definitely seems more sturdy and superior to the competitors although the software seemed a bit behind (all 3 run stock Honeycomb).
I also took some time with the Atrix and accessories: the product manager was on-site – who better to give a demonstration of the device and components?
Wonderful demo, great product concept, great execution, now we just need to do a little work on the price. No specific dates have been set for a US launch but we’re eager anticipating the debut. I’m curious to see how the various accessories perform – they are SO original that I think they may have a hard time breaking through, but I’d be willing to bet we’ll see a LOT more accessories like the laptop in the future. If you’ve already got a device with a CPU and internals to power a laptop, why pay for it again with a full laptop?
That’s Motorola at MWC… stay tuned for more coverage!
wow, i’m impressed! they’d need to do sth about the looks of the lapdock as well, to make it somewhat more appealing to the eye.
Atrix ftw! Want it badly!
Since a lot of peoples said that the 10.1 feels faster and smoother than Xoom, did you looked at the software version of both devices? Maybe the 10.1 runs a newer version of Honeycomb which, we know, is still under development and being refined.
Since hardware wise they are the same, i guess it’s just a matter of SW. Nothing more.
i hope they bring the atrix to germany somehow .. soon :)
That is by far the most impressive phone to date. And whats funny is we’re not even see demo’s of what the phone does in the actual phone. That REALLY is a good alternative to a laptop but unfortunately the “Lapdock” is priced like a real laptop. Bad move Moto.
If the Atrix had Stock then it would be game over for a lot of phones for a while.
@Rob Jackson Did they say when the awesome Atrix will get 2.3?
Where is my note-taking app folks? All of these tabs are just laptops that are more expensive and have less stable software.
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Give me something I can’t do on a laptop (e.g. taking notes like in a paper notebook)and I will buy one.
As far as tabs go…
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Give me something I can’t do on a laptop (e.g. taking notes like in a paper notebook)and I will buy one.
…having issues. sorry folks.
Are people still honestly thinking that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is going to be cheaper than the XOOM? Don’t you think Samsung would have announced the price if that were the case? How else would you compete with a product that’s going to be out in 10 days?
can you ask them when they are releasing the US wifi-only version? thanks!
i work at best buy and i couldnt belive we got 25 pre order just yersterday on thunderbolt
Sorry, but why that connectivity crap ? Im buying a mobile phone, not a laptop. I want to see how the screen is, how the phone feels etc…If i want to sit with a mouse and keyboard, ill go to my pc, or use the laptop…..
Please, please check the breakdown of that 32GB internal memory. How much space for “apps” and how much space for “storage”.
Please, please if someone can take a look about the 32 GB storage breakdown.
How big is it for “apps”? And how big is it for “storage”?
idk i was a atrix fan but then i saw the optimus 3d no locked bootloader i think i just had a change of heart im sure i can get it on att it has the same bands and is coming out for vodafone att fudged up with the extra data plan with the laptop and the laptop is 500 come on optimus 3d here i come
Having a hard time believing that the software on the Xoom isn’t as fast as the others since Google developed honeycomb hand in hand with Moto for the Xoom apparently.
So, will all of the honeycomb tablets coming out be stock android tablets? I would want to get vanilla android and it sounds like at least for right now all of the upcoming tablets will be stock – is that right? Also, is google going to have a “Nexus” of a tablet when manufacturers start adding their own software to these tablets?
Cpt Mike Beard
I would say that if you want a pen and paper experience on a tablet the best option is Penultimate on the iPad, especially using a capacitive stylus.
Simple and works well.
Please tell me motorola (and the other android tablet manufacturers) are going to take their logo off of the front of these tablets…? It messes up the whole look, put something simple on the back, but not on the front. Take a que from Apple on this, can’t imagine the iPad with “Apple” across the top or even the logo. If your product is good, everyone is going to know what it is, without you having to scream it with your logo written on the front.
Xoom is sooooo great! Want!!!
Xoom is rumored to be $1200 off contract now also.
@treefq
Where did you get your info? Link?
@treefq – Try to keep up with the news. First of all, there is no “on contract price” for the XOOM, so there can’t be an “off conract price”. The $1,199 price was a placeholder on the website, and has already been removed. It will be $799.99, with month-to-month data, cancel at anytime, including 2 minutes after you walk out the door.
I thought the Atrix launch date has pretty much already happened, with “by Mar 6th deliveries ? .. or did you mean Europe launch ?
So if I’m understanding this correctly… all you need is the Multimedia Dock–not the Laptock Dock–to mirror Android from the Atrix. That’s a difference of $450 dollars ($500-$50). This means the cry baby comments comparing the Laptop Dock to a netbook should stop appearing on this forum. Keep your damn netbook and buy a 50 dollar multimedia dock. Unless 50 dollars is still to expensive–if so you’re one cheap SOB!
@jmax
no..the phone is $199 by itself.. $499 with laptop dock, or $199 and then another $299 if you get the laptop dock later (although it was said to be $499 if purchased after, don’t know yet).. The Multimedia dock is $129.99 not $50
@Dennis
I didn’t intend to include the price of the Atrix. My comment was directed at people who insist on comparing the Laptop Dock to a Netbook, which IMO, isn’t a valid comparison considering the Laptop Dock offers both Windows and Android. Even if the price is $150, it’s a more affordable option which allows people to keep their netbook. Again the price of the phone has no relevance to my argument. I’m just sick of people complaining about price. It’s going to be funny when people discover the GSlate and 10.1 are in the same price bracket as the Xoom.
@Dennis
http://www.mobilecityonline.com/wireless/store/productdetail.asp?productid=27393&refid=froogle&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_term=ATRIXMMDOCK&utm_campaign=froogle
@jmax
I agree with you.. if (if) I decide to go with the Atrix, I would go for the multimedia dock, and hook it up to my PC monitor and keyboard, and use Webtop that way first. You are also right in that the comparisons of the laptop dock to a laptop are not valid. If people are able to tether, that is one thing, but they will not be able to run their Android apps from their phone on their laptop, and they won’t have a fully charged phone after browsing the web for a period of time. If you consider the trifecta (or fourfecta if you go TV) of having desktop, laptop, and phone data access and editing.. it’s pretty sweet.
@ckeegan
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I’ve noticed that on several gadget blogs, you are the predominate Motorola Xoom apologist. Why is that?
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Also, the gist of your snotty tone seems to be “It’s not too expensive” because you “can afford it”, every one is just being “cheap” blah blah. You’re missing the point. It’s not entirely about the money. It’s about the value proposition compared to the iPad. As an Android/Linux enthusiast, I want a competitor to the iPad that most people buy (WiFi only). NOT the 3G version that less than 20% of consumers purchase.
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I can afford the Xoom as well. I think it’s better than the iPad 1. As for the iPad 2, well, it will be here soon and you’d be a fool to believe that the specs won’t be similar at the same -much lower- price points. Don’t even get me started on the extortion that is the required “1 month of data” for a feature most people don’t even want.
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It’s not about people being cheap, or having unreasonable expectations as you keep trying to spin it. It’s about wanting something that will ultimately be a true competitor to the iPad(1 and 2). More than anything, it’s about not being a fucking sap.
They’ve already said there would be a wifi-only version. Only if you can’t wait that long will you be stuck with paying for a month of data you don’t want to use.
I personally can’t wait for dual cores to drop , they will be taken advantage of soon and I fucked up my android phone(fascinate) suck ass galaxy s, sold my Dinc , and hate my x, so I’m just gonna use a dn dumbPhobe iPhone4 til a dual core of drops on Verizon with a unlocked boooader and 1 gig of RAM. til then can’t wait to be back with android!!
I just realized something. There’s really no use for webtop if you’re only using the HD dock and your computer. I assume everything would already be available on your PC like MS Word, Excel, browser etc. Therefore the real purpose is only for the laptop dock which I guess is why AT&T is charging a ridiculous tethering fee to use it.
Guys, I’m getting really sick of people who keep harping on the “stuck with paying for a month of data” thing, because if you think that then you obviously haven’t read Verizon’s cancellation policy. I don’t have the link handy, but it would be easy to find. The gist of it is that if you cancel the data plan *within 3 days*, not only will you not get charged by Verizon for a month of data (just a prorated amount if in fact you used any data), you will also have the $35 activation fee WAIVED. Don’t take my word for it, look it up, or better yet give Verizon a call or as a representative at a store. ENOUGH ABOUT THE MONTH OF DATA/ACTIVATION FEES!
Its not about whether you can get out of the data plan or not. The simple fact that you have to try it to buy the device is bullshit, and people hate it. Dont defend this kind of behavior form any sevice provider or company. Its there way of making unsuspecting people pay for shit they dont want or need and that wrong. Not everyone researches the terms of the contracts they sign, and alot of people that dont will get fucked.
Even if I can cancel out of that first month of data, i’d still prefer a wifi only xoom that costs less (keywords here are “costs less”)
the guy doing the demo is a moron – it doesnt have ‘2 gig’ of processing power. firefox is never ‘virtualised’ – its just a slimmed down version on other phones. and citrix is not like booting up your windows pc, its not a virtual windows desktop built in to the device, nor do you have as much hard drive space as you want depending on your agreement. this guy has barely any idea about what he is trying to sell AT ALL.