Anyone seen news for JB on the 4G
My next tablet will be WiFI only. I am really tired of waiting around for updates.
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Jellybean rollingout for the Xoom WiFi
After reports that the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update for the Motorola Xoom (WiFi) may have been delayed, it looks like everything checked out with that soak test we heard about, as Motorola has just begun pushing out the over-the-air update to users tonight.
No, these aren’t soak testers part of a secret Motorola forum. We grabbed a quick screenshot from one of our reader’s Xooms here on the west coast showing the updated JRO03H build number, along with Android 4.1.1. firmware. This makes the Xoom the first 10-inch Android tablet to receive Jelly Bean and an honorary almost-Nexus device.
Phandroid
Jellybean rollingout for the Xoom WiFi
After reports that the Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update for the Motorola Xoom (WiFi) may have been delayed, it looks like everything checked out with that soak test we heard about, as Motorola has just begun pushing out the over-the-air update to users tonight.
No, these aren’t soak testers part of a secret Motorola forum. We grabbed a quick screenshot from one of our reader’s Xooms here on the west coast showing the updated JRO03H build number, along with Android 4.1.1. firmware. This makes the Xoom the first 10-inch Android tablet to receive Jelly Bean and an honorary almost-Nexus device.
Phandroid
Ice Cream Sandwich for the 4G is FINALLY rolling out
Yes finally after months of watching the WiFi Xoom owners enjoy their ICS us 4G owners are finally getting the real McCoy! Start spamming "System > Update" tomorrow June 4th.
Ice Cream sandwich looks to be rolling out for the Xoom
Looks like a select group of Xoom owner have already received their Ice Cream Sandwich update and you could see you as soon as this weekend! Or so says the Engadget tipsters
Get a new 4G Xoom for $200 - Black Friday only
The Xoom 2's are here
Looks like there are (2) version a 10-inch Xoom 2 with built-in options for business users and an 8.2-inch Xoom 2 Media Edition. Both are powered by dual-core 1.2 GHz processors, run Android 3.2 Honeycomb, and have Wi-Fi connectivity. Both also have a 1.3 megapixel camera in front and a 5 MP camera on the back, both with digital zoom, auto focus, and LED flash. Both come with 1 gigabyte of RAM and 16 GB of storage. They are also supposed to be thinner and lighter than the original Xoom.
The smaller Xoom 2 Media Edition is geared more toward entertainment. The screen offers a 178 degree viewing angle to let more than one person watch movies or videos at the same time. Motorola claims a 20 percent improvement in graphics performance and has added virtual surround sound, turning the Media Edition into a gaming device. This model can also double as a remote control for TVs and other equipment courtesy of a pre-loaded remote control app. Battery life is rated at only around six hours per charge.
Got root on your 4G Xoom yet? I do
I will have to give it to Motorola I did get my Xoom back in 6 business days and it came back cleaner than it left. They also threw in a FREE docking station which is supposed to make up for the delay in getting the 4G upgrade out there I guess.
Anyway... after reading a few horror stories about folks rooting their new 4G Xoom in to a brick, some of the smart people over on the Xoom forums pointed to they fact that they were doing it wrong. You cannot use the old method. If you have the 4G upgrade with the new bootloader you need to do it this exact way with these exact files until the devs figure out to make it a bit cleaner.
Also for now, don't flash any other ROMs or kernels. If you flash anything else you might lose WiFi, 3G or 4G. Just sit tight for a few days while the devs get it straight.
Rooting and getting AdFree and Titanium Backup running is enough for me. Makes me happy to get all my old apps back just the way I left them. ;-)
What is really in the Xoom 4G upgrade
Click above image for official notes from Verizon but basically:
- Market update
- Fix for SIM card in Airplane mode
- OTA (Over The Air) upgrades do not break the market
- Book app upgraded
- Market Text now easier to read
- Market will update itself from now on
- Improvements in browser security
- Enhanced 3G/4G connectivity to help prevent stalls
Now that is the official line. Call me a sceptic but... I have a hard time believing that was it.
4G upgrade is more than that
Well it took me a while to get my box to send my Xoom back in for the 4G upgrade. I signed up first day but just got me upgrade box like 3 days ago. I still have 5 business days to wait. But anyway... Engadget is reporting that the lucky folks that did get them back are finding some extras.
What do you get? An upgrade to version 3.2.2 of Honeycomb, a FULLY functional SD card (full read/write access), and new firmware. What else, if anything, they snuck in there is unknown.
Motorola XOOM 4G LTE Upgrade request complete
And people thought this day would never come. I just logged in to this Verizon site. Punched in my MEID (located in Settings -> About Tablet -> Status) and they are sending my upgrade kit.
Edit: FedEx sent the confirmation almost right way!
Dear Valued Customer,
You have successfully submitted an online request to upgrade your Motorola XOOM to 4G LTE. Prior to shipping your device to Motorola for the upgrade, please carefully read the information below.
Your upgrade request has been placed under Tracking (RMA) Number XXXXXXXXXXX. Please keep this number for future reference.
Within a couple of days, you will receive a package containing the following material: - Getting Started Guide with step-by-step instructions for backing up and properly shipping your device - Federal Express Box with pre-paid shipping label sealed on the box and all necessary packing materials for you to securely ship your device back for the upgrade.
Carefully follow the instructions in the Getting Started Guide. Back-up all personal data on your device prior to sending it in for the upgrade, and follow the packing instructions to ensure your Motorola XOOM remains safe in transit. You will be without your device for approximately 5 business days from the time you ship your Motorola XOOM.
Kindle Fire
Want a dual core Android device/tablet that you can watch movies, read books, run apps, and browse the web on WiFi? Do not really need a camera, microphone, or 3G but is only $200? Here you go!
Not a bad deal really but... I will not be trading in my Xoom just yet ;-)
More Xoom 2 spy shots released
Looks like it will be about as thin as an iPhone, with more rounded corners, centered camera, better controls, and rumored to have 1.2 Ghz dual core processor, 1GB RAM, and enable 1080p video recording.
-Engadget
4G for the Xoom finally starting?
Droid Life is reporting that government and business Xoom customers are preparing for the upgrade.
This is kind of funny since I just wiped my Xoom this morning in order to will the 4G GODS to be ready to receive my unrooted and locked Xoom. I just had a feeling that this upgrade would be getting close. I you have a 3G Xoom and want the 4G upgrade be sure and sign up to be notified. I will of course post when I get notification here but only after I ship mine. The turn around will be about a week.
Click to expand:
This is kind of funny since I just wiped my Xoom this morning in order to will the 4G GODS to be ready to receive my unrooted and locked Xoom. I just had a feeling that this upgrade would be getting close. I you have a 3G Xoom and want the 4G upgrade be sure and sign up to be notified. I will of course post when I get notification here but only after I ship mine. The turn around will be about a week.
Click to expand:
3.2 upgrade coming out for the 4G model
Verizon Wireless has released the details for an update named HTJ85 that the carrier will be pushing out to 3G Motorola XOOM customers. The update details (PDF) show that the HTJ85 update really is the Android 3.2 Honeycomb update that 3G XOOM’s have been without waiting for, Android 3.2 will make the SD card slot that ships with the XOOM function.
Google originally released Android 3.2 to the public in late July, but only Wi-Fi Motorola XOOM’s in the U.S. have been able to enjoy the update thus far, as far as Motorola tablets are concerned.
In Google’s user features list for Android 3.2 there are only three major things that users will notice with 3.2 over 3.1 or 3.0. The new user features include better optimization for a wider range of tablets (screen sizes), media sync from an SD card is now supported, and there is a new Zoom to fill function that allows phone apps to be zoomed to fit a large tablet display.
Verizon Wireless will be adding same functionality of their own for their 3G XOOM customers. The HTJ85 update will bring the following:
- Adaptive streaming support which adjusts the bit rate of streaming video to perform better with various amounts of bandwidth.
- In rented movies the stability has been improved, and if users are viewing a movie on an external display over a HDMI connection the picture will automatically resize to fit the display better.
- There is a new Enterprise Authentication Service (EAS) policy option for password recovery.
- There have been improvements in Exchange ActiveSync and security.
As to when you (Verizon 3G Motorola XOOM owner) can expect to receive the HTJ85 update on your tablet Droid-Life says, “Our sources are under the impression that the update should start rolling out tomorrow, so Verizon XOOM owners will want to check in Settings>About tablet>System updates quite regularly over the next few days”.
Another 4G upgrade date for the Xoom
Be on the lookout at the end of summer for an email with information about how to upgrade your Motorola XOOM to speeds up to 10X faster than 3G. In the meantime, learn more about what you can do to prepare for the 4G LTE upgrade to your Motorola XOOM by backing up data, encrypting, or resetting your Motorola XOOM tablet.
4G LTE is now available to more than 110 million people across the country and coverage is expanding every day.
Xoom upgrade to 3.2 - SD card support!
So you’ve got a Wi-Fi only XOOM? Yes? You’re in luck! It appears that the shortly-awaited Android version 3.2 Honeycomb (one after the 3.1 that was pushed out right after this year’s Google I/O, that is,) is pushing out to Wi-Fi only XOOM owners now. This build code is HTJ85B, and you’ll have to go through the normal settings check to see if the update is available to you or not right this very moment!
From the emails we’ve received, it appears that the update is sweeping across the nation in no pattern whatsoever, instead hitting basically random ladies and gentlemen in the face with all the newest Android 3.2 features. These features include, as previously stated, the Zoom to fill screen function that we’re sure a lot of Android developers will be taking advantage of soon AND, yes, yes indeed, the longest awaited hardware activation of basically all time: SD card support!
It’s a celebration! Get out and click down into your settings and check for some hardware updates, ladies and gentlemen, because it’s a party over hear and 3.2 taking’ over this XOOM, you know what I’m saying?
For everyone that needs a refresher, head all the way back to our review of the original Android 3.0 Honeycomb, aka the first Android optimized for tablets. Then take a look at what we got to see in Android 3.1 Honeycomb in another full review. This is the sort of stuff you’ll be seeing on all Android tablets (the good ones, at least) until later this year when Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is released, a new Android for all devices, not just handsets and not just tablets. Joy!
Source: Android Community
From the emails we’ve received, it appears that the update is sweeping across the nation in no pattern whatsoever, instead hitting basically random ladies and gentlemen in the face with all the newest Android 3.2 features. These features include, as previously stated, the Zoom to fill screen function that we’re sure a lot of Android developers will be taking advantage of soon AND, yes, yes indeed, the longest awaited hardware activation of basically all time: SD card support!
It’s a celebration! Get out and click down into your settings and check for some hardware updates, ladies and gentlemen, because it’s a party over hear and 3.2 taking’ over this XOOM, you know what I’m saying?
For everyone that needs a refresher, head all the way back to our review of the original Android 3.0 Honeycomb, aka the first Android optimized for tablets. Then take a look at what we got to see in Android 3.1 Honeycomb in another full review. This is the sort of stuff you’ll be seeing on all Android tablets (the good ones, at least) until later this year when Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is released, a new Android for all devices, not just handsets and not just tablets. Joy!
Source: Android Community
New tired data plans
Not really Xoom specific but if you are an Android owner you will be very interested in the new data new tiered data plans coming from Verizon. Looks like they take effect very soon. Like in 2 days!
True SD card support is here
True SD card support is here... but only in Europe. :( I would love to know why on earth this is taking so long to come to the US build! I am still waiting on my 4G upgrade. That was supposed to be at the end of May. I guess it is the price you pay for having the 1st Android 3.x tablet.
Full Xoom ROM released (not from Motorola)
What does this mean for you? Basically a "pure" and "clean" install for you Xoom that allows for Hulu, USB Mass Storage, the SDcard and a host of other things that make the Xoom run as envisioned.
ROM Features:
- Packed with Tiamat 1.4.4 stock GPU. Flash overclocked GPU version is you wish.
- Rooted with SU and superuser, of course
- Desktop UA string, CRT Screen Off Animation, Call setting with SIP, and SMS capable enabled.
- Supercircle 100 point battery mod! thanks Jewremy
- Wifi Ad-Hoc mod enabled! thanks Kelvie
- USB Mass Storage Enabled. Use Dinomight's Mass Storage Tool or activity manager script.
- Init.d boot scripts enabled. Thanks Steady Hawkin!
- Busybox built in
- local.init.rc enabled in system/etc
- openVPN binary and script from CyanogenMod. untested but with tun.ko included, should win. Also grabbed Wireless Toolkit binary with built in symlinks from CyanogenMod
- added Quickboot, Estrongs File Explorer, and Flash Player hulufied brdizzled in data/apps. This was included so users coming from full wipe can be up and running. Feel free to remove from zip before flashing.
See link for details
Xoom 2 - Coming soon?
Rounded corners is about the only thing we can see and there is little information on it but a Xoom 2 delivery may be closer than we think.
Read more at the Android Police
I upgraded to the new 3.1 with root and SD card support
Thanks to BigRushDog for my upgrade to Android 3.1 from the Tiamat Kernel. It was pretty painless. All I had to do was:
- Download 4 files
- Flash the new Recovery (Flash meaning install the recovery ZIP file from the Recovery menu)
- Reboot back in to Recovery (an option in the recovery menu)
- Flash the next 3 files, in order
- Wipe the data partition (factory reset - again an option in the recovery menu)
- Done!
Downside: I did lose all my user apps and am having an issue restoring my programs via Titanium backup. Something has changed and it gets into a search loop when trying to track down all the known directories. This is also true for Root Explorer so it must be something new to 3.1. I have a note out to the developers of the two programs.
On the flip side I still have root and access to my Micro SD card so all and all I am pretty happy. I am sure once I correct the Titanium Backup issue I will be able to restore all my applications.
If you are still on Tiamat or any other version of the Xoom tablet this will get you to 3.1
What's New in Android 3.1
UI refinements - The Launcher animation is optimized for faster, smoother transition to and from the Apps list. Adjustments in color, positioning, and text make UI elements easier to see, understand, and use. Navigation to and from the five home screens is now easier — touching the Home button in the system bar now takes you to the home screen most recently used. Settings offers an improved view of internal storage, showing the storage used by a larger set of file types.
Connectivity for USB accessories - Android 3.1 adds broad platform support for a variety of USB-connected peripherals and accessories. Users can attach many types of input devices (keyboards, mice, game controllers) and digital cameras. Applications can build on the platform’s USB support to extend connectivity to almost any type of USB device.
Expanded Recent Apps list - For improved multitasking and instant visual access to a much larger number of apps, the Recent Apps list is now expandable. Users can now scroll the list of recent apps vertically to see thumbnail images all of the tasks in progress and recently used apps, then touch a thumbnail to jump back into that task.
Resizeable Home screen widgets - For more flexible Home screen customization, users can now resize their Home screen widgets using drag bars provided by the system. Users can expand widgets both horizontally and/or vertically to include more content, where supported by each widget.
Support for external keyboards and pointing devices - Users can now attach almost any type of external keyboard or mouse to their Android-powered devices, to create a familiar environment and work more efficiently. One or more input devices can be attached to the system simultaneously over USB and/or Bluetooth HID, in any combination. For pointing devices, the platform supports most types of mouse with a single button and optionally a scroll wheel, as well as similar devices such as trackballs. When these are connected, users can interact with the UI using point, select, drag, scroll, hover, and other standard actions.
Support for joysticks and gamepads - To make the platform even better for gaming, Android 3.1 adds support for most PC joysticks and gamepads that are connected over USB or Bluetooth HID.
Robust Wi-Fi networking - A new high-performance Wi-Fi lock lets applications maintain high-performance Wi-Fi connections even when the device screen is off. Users can take advantage of this to play continuous streamed music, video, and voice services for long periods, even when the device is otherwise idle and the screen is off.
Enterprise support - Users can now configure an HTTP proxy for each connected Wi-Fi access point. This lets administrators work with users to set a proxy hostname, port, and any bypass subdomains. This proxy configuration is automatically used by the Browser when the Wi-Fi access point is connected, and may optionally be used by other apps. The proxy and IP configuration is now backed up and restored across system updates and resets. To meet the needs of tablet users, the platform now allows a "encrypted storage card" device policy to be accepted on devices with emulated storage cards and encrypted primary storage.
Apps
Gallery
The Gallery app now supports Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP), so that users can connect their cameras over USB and import their pictures to Gallery with a single touch. The app also copies the pictures to local storage and provides an indicator to let users see how much space is available.
Calendar
Calendar grids are larger, for better readability and more accurate touch-targeting. Additionally, users can create a larger viewing area for grids by hiding the calendar list controls. Controls in the date picker are redesigned, making them easier to see and use.
Contacts
The Contacts app now lets you locate contacts more easily using full text search. Search returns matching results from all fields that are stored for a contact.
When replying or forwarding an HTML message, The Email app now sends both plain text and HTML bodies as a multi-part mime message. This ensures that the message will be formatted properly for all recipients. Folder prefixes for IMAP accounts are now easier to define and manage. To conserve battery power and minimize cell data usage, the application now prefetches email from the server only when the device is connected to a Wi-Fi access point.
An updated Home screen widget give users quick access to more email. Users can touch Email icon at the top of the widget to cycle through labels such as Inbox, Unread, and Starred. The widget itself is now resizable, both horizontally and vertically.
This is a summary of the full list that can be found here.
Android 3.1 "soon" if not today
The folks at Google have just announced Android 3.1, the first major upgrade to the tablet-specific OS since its it was released. What has changed? You can now resize widgets and have USB connectivity/host support, meaning you can use your keyboards, mice, gaming controllers, import media from your camera, etc.
Also be on the lookout for a new Movie feature from Google.
USB Camera Connection Kit
Soon you'll be able to transfer photos from your digital camera straight to your Xoom. That's right, for just $20 the Xoom Camera Connection Kit (item number MOTMZ600ADPKIT) will have you a USB port. It is not available online but the word is if you call and ask for this cable kit they will send it to you. Now you will be ready for that update that was due a few days back. It is coming they say.... it is coming.
Xoom updates - The good news and the bad
There has been a flurry of updates some confirmed and others a bit pre-mature. If you look above it was rumored we would be getting an update starting yesterday. While I believe this is real I have not seen it as of yet. Insiders says was it was pulled for some technical reason but will be out shortly. Now the BAD news. The LTE/4G upgrade has been pushed off for a few months. We won't be seeing it until summer according to Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha.
Flash was updated and is supposed to make better use of your video card so it you have not hit the app market in the last day or two you will want to update.
For those looking to annoy their Apple lover friends you can remind them that there is, already, more FREE apps that run on your Android OS than do on iOS.
Motorola sells over 250,000 Xooms. NOT 25,000. Haters. I am not sure why the iPad fan boys care how many Xooms sell but if you feel like knocking their smugness down a peg, the stories of the Xoom being a total failure were a total fabrication. So it was nice to see this story detailing the sales. Now we can be sure we get our fair share of apps and accessories.
One step closer to Facetime with our Apple friends
Qik Video Connect now works with many devices running Android 2.1 and up, iPhones, iPad 2s and any iPod Touch with a camera Apple owners and Android lovers speak face to face over 3G, 4G, and WiFi with the device of their choosing. Now do not get too exited today as the app will just force close on you if you load it on your Xoom but, we are one step closer to being able to video chat with almost anyone on the planet.
Skype for Android vulnerable to hack
Skype for Android vulnerable to hacking? In simple terms Skype forgot to encrypt the files and enforce permissions on the internal database. The folks over at Android Police built a "proof of concept" app that reads in all the personal information stored in the database maintained by the Skype program. What can you do about it besides NOT run Skype? Not much.
If you are a reader of this blog this go back to what I have talked about a few times. If and when your Android gets hacked it will because of a shortsighted programmer or a flaw left in some monster program like Flash where they find vulnerabilities almost monthly not some rogue program you downloaded off the Market or from some Chinese hacker (not that it can't happen I am talking likelihood of it occuring). Again for this Skype exploit an anti-virus program is NOT going to help you. So please do not think you are covered by the various AV apps out there if the program is "playing by the rules".
I guess this in more of a plea to the Android developers out there to stay vigilant and for you, the user, to stay informed about your device. What makes Android great is also possibly it greatest downfall - The ability to quickly deploy programs and the option to run any program you want by clicking "Allow unknown sources".
Just a reminder I will be out there watching for issues and exploits that could effect your Xoom so if you are on Facebook or Twitter you may want to click ton he buttons over to the right and "Like" the FAQ or add the FAQ as a Twitter friend because the only thing we do here is talk about the Xoom and the apps that run on it
More @ Android Police
16GB Xoom on the way?
Some fresh Xoom news hit the wire today. According to a tipster for Droid Life, it appears that Verizon is preparing to sell a 16GB Motorola Xoom. With so many lower priced tablets prepared to hit the market this summer, you had to know it was only a matter of time before Motorola broke into this segment. For now, all that seems to be "confirmed" is a 3G/4G variant, hopefully a WiFi variant will hit the market as well.
Photo credit to Droid Life.
This is clearly a solid move by Motorola if everything comes to fruition. As Debian discussed below, there have been numerous reviews complaining how expensive the Xoom is. Valid argument or not, this move should silence the price critics. While no official pricing or release dates have been leaked, I have my fingers crossed for a sub $600 3G/4G Xoom. With some luck, maybe we will see a sub $500 WiFi version? Something close to those wishes would certainly put the Xoom well under the iPad in the storage per dollar category, might even give any Acer and Asus tablets a run for their money. For now though, all we can do is speculate until we see some official news but this is certainly an exciting time in the Xoom world.
Photo credit to Droid Life.
This is clearly a solid move by Motorola if everything comes to fruition. As Debian discussed below, there have been numerous reviews complaining how expensive the Xoom is. Valid argument or not, this move should silence the price critics. While no official pricing or release dates have been leaked, I have my fingers crossed for a sub $600 3G/4G Xoom. With some luck, maybe we will see a sub $500 WiFi version? Something close to those wishes would certainly put the Xoom well under the iPad in the storage per dollar category, might even give any Acer and Asus tablets a run for their money. For now though, all we can do is speculate until we see some official news but this is certainly an exciting time in the Xoom world.
Free 20GB of Cloud Storage is only for a year
Just an FYI. Amazons Cloud Storage does do what it says, does work on your Xoom and if you buy one album you do get 20GB of storage. Unfortunately that storage only lasts for one year.
Now you know.
Now you know.
Looking for Xoom sized Wallpapers?
While you can use any of your own wallpaper the ones you find on Zedge and other such apps are too small and look a bit pixilated. Well have no fear there are BIG ones here. Free too. WallpaperCASA.com
Cloud Storage get 5GB free 20GB if you buy 1 Album
You might be asking yourself "What is a cloud?" Well to paraphrase Larry Ellison, "The cloud is nothing more than the internet, servers, hard disk storage, and databases." There is nothing new or special about "The Cloud" other than companies made it super easy for you to store and access your files that is music, videos, office docs, everything you may need, from anywhere! Of course with the caveat... As long as you have a connection to the internet.
Introducing the Amazon Cloud Drive
What you will need:
- An Amazon Account
- The Amazon Market App
- The Amazon Cloud/MP3 player
Sign In
Upload you own files or play MP3 purchased from Amazon (Note: I had to "buy" a FREE song in order to get the cloud to sync with my Xoom)
Buy just one album upgrade 20GB!
Click here to see the 20GB deal
Introducing the Amazon Cloud Drive
What you will need:
- An Amazon Account
- The Amazon Market App
- The Amazon Cloud/MP3 player
Sign In
Upload you own files or play MP3 purchased from Amazon (Note: I had to "buy" a FREE song in order to get the cloud to sync with my Xoom)
Buy just one album upgrade 20GB!
Click here to see the 20GB deal
Wifi Xoom rooted Day 1
Well it looks like the devs over at XDA have done it again! The Wifi version of the Xoom (MZ604) has root. I will be updating the XoomFAQ Hacking page with the instructions and appropriate downloads once we verify that it works as advertised.
It is Wifi Xoom day but do not BRICK it!
I see folks are piling in to Staples, CostCo and Sams Club today happily posting about their new Xoom. I have not read one anyone rooting the device, as there is no IMG file for it yet. So...
Just FYI: The instructions you see, here or around the internet, is for the 3G version only. If you try to root your WiFi xoom with the 3G boot image you will soft "brick" your Xoom. You will be stuck with it in that condition (Unusable) till the image file comes out as stores have ben instructed NOT to take the device back in this condition.
Check back here in a day or two and I am sure "someone" will have done it by then.
Google Holds Honeycomb Tight
Angry Nerds! Wondering where all the Xoom hacks are? Me too. Looks like it is going to be a while. Google is holding on to Honeycomb code "for the foreseeable future"
Read more @ BusinessWeek
Read more @ BusinessWeek
Wifi Xoom in CostCo Sunday the 25th
If you are a CostCo member you might not be able to pick your Xoom up today but you can order one, get $10 off, and a "free" gel case. If you walk in to the store on Sunday, no discount, but you will have one in your hands!
Motorola still making Xooms
UPDATE: Following the publication of this post, Motorola supplied BGR with a comment via email. The company states that DigiTimes’ report is not accurate, and Motorola will continue to manufacture the Motorola XOOM.
Read more @ BRG
For all the people going on and on about this... good grief! Either you want the tablet or you don’t. You still will have 4G, an SD card, and they Honeycomb OS. If they make 3 million or 5 million the device does not change.
Not everyone has a Corvette ZR-1 but if you heard they cut production on them would it make you NOT want one? I would :)
Read more @ BRG
For all the people going on and on about this... good grief! Either you want the tablet or you don’t. You still will have 4G, an SD card, and they Honeycomb OS. If they make 3 million or 5 million the device does not change.
Not everyone has a Corvette ZR-1 but if you heard they cut production on them would it make you NOT want one? I would :)
4G in 145 cities by the end of 2011
If you are like myself with a 4G capable Xoom, Verizon just announced that it will be in 145 cities by the end of 2011. Great news! But if you are like myself it is not coming to my home town :( Oh well there is always 2012. If you want to see the full size map click here.
50% off Xooms charging cord @ VZ
Cheap - WiFi Xoom at Amazon
Motorola Xoom Review for the Droid Forums
I wrote this a few weeks back and since then Motorola did come out and say that they will support “rooted” devices and yes for those of you that mention that you can’t get a 64 GB Micro SD card today you are correct but the Xoom supports it.
Motorola Xoom Review - by Daniel C. Slagle (Keeper of the XoomFAQ.com)
I would like to begin my review by sharing that I had a personal bias against tablets before this review. When the idea of tablets came out a few years back I was very skeptical of the "tablet format". I figured I could either use my laptop or suffer with the limitations of my phone. Now that I have a tablet in hand, I understand the allure. Watching movies on a larger screen without having 3 pounds on my lap is a big plus. Also, browsing on a tablet is much easier than on your smartphone, without having to zoom in or scroll side to side. Now I get it.
The Hardware-
The Xoom is equipped with an NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core CPU with video chip, 1GB of internal RAM, and 32GB of on-board storage. It also has a microSD slot, but is not currently enabled. A future software update should give you up to 64 more gigs of storage (depending on which SD card you choose to buy).
There are two cameras; a rear 5MP with dual LED flash and a Front 2MP. From within the Camera/Video app it is simple to choose what camera and what mode you would like to be in. It also records 720p HD video using the H.264 codec. Both picture and video quality are on par with newer smartphones out today. In addition to recording in HD, the Xoom will playback 1080p HD videos (up to 20Mbps. Anything over that bitrate and Motorola says you will see stuttering). There is an HDMI port on the bottom that allows you to connect to the HDMI port of your television with the correct cable (Mirco HDMI to HDMI). I did not go too in-depth into the HDMI, except to see that it does work and there does not seem to be any limitations on the HDMI port like you would find on say the Droid X. Anything that is displayed on the Xoom is also displayed on your HDTV via the HDMI port, like a secondary display. This was a nice feature!
Next to the HDMI port, you will find a micro USB that you can use to transfer files to and from the device and charging port. (Note: the tablet will NOT charge by way of the USB port. There are two (2) large 3250 mAH batteries and USB just cannot push enough amps to charge the Xoom). There are also charger contacts on the bottom of the device to work in conjunction with a charging dock.
The only physical buttons on the Xoom are the volume rockers on the side and power-unlock button on the back, next to the camera. All of the other the controls for the device reside on the screen and will appear, as needed, for the use of the particular app you are using. Also, the controls will disappear in certain instances, like when you are watching a video.
The Xoom is 4G capable, but not out of the box. Motorola will be sending out e-mails when it is available for upgrade. This is not a software update but a hardware one. Yes, you have to box it up and ship it off to Verizon and they estimate a 6 business day turn around time.
Physically, the Xoom is not much bigger than an iPad. Where it excels is its ability to show wide-screen content at a high resolution with very little cropping (black bars at to top or sides). It, however, does not conform to true HD dimensions so there is a bit of cropping.
The Software-
Android 3.0 a.k.a. "Honeycomb" is a brand new operating system (OS), that has proven to be a double-edged sword so far. Here's "the good". Applications that are designed to work on 3.0, are smooth, fast and functional. Those familiar with how android phones work, will find the interface very familiar and easy to use.
Here's "the bad". There are very few tablet apps out right now. At the time of this writing I count about twenty. Yes, that's right. Only... Two. Zero. So, for those of you thinking about dropping your iPad for this device, you might want to check to see in what stage your favorite programs are in Android development, or if they are even being ported.
Here's "the Ugly". Many of the "old" phone apps will work. However, because of the screen resolution, or how the app was designed, it will force some oddities. For example, you may have a password field that takes up half the screen, or applications that demand to be used in portrait mode. Again, as time progresses and developers modify their apps to account for these new resolutions, I am sure these oddball problems will be resolved.
In regards to the hacker aspect of the device, I do expect the Xoom to be 'the de facto standard', if, Verizon or Motorola does not lock it down somehow. Only time will tell. Admin or root access has already been achieved with the Xoom, but Verizon has made it clear they will not touch the device for upgrade it if you have "unlocked" it.
The "Book App" is simple and slick. Google probably has the largest collection of free books on the planet. I have downloaded a few to check out, and was initially miffed that I was forced to be "online" to read them. Later, I found out there is an option in the settings to download the book in its entirety. I assume they default to this to save space, because when selecting the full download option, a "Space Left on Device" meter comes up.
The "Movie Editor"
This a fairly straight-forward and simple application. The circle looking control will let you alter the timeline view. You also have elementary controls to add transitions and export out 720P HD video. Once your masterpiece is complete you can bring it up in the Gallery app, and easily export it to any of your configured services (Youtube, Dropbox, etc). I noticed that the timestamp on the export is not correct and defaults to the Unix epoch date. This brings me to my conclusion.
My biggest complaint with the Xoom is "lack of polish". I do think this device is great! For now, it is just missing some attention to detail. I do think that in the near future, Google will update and correct some of these issues. As a matter of fact, they just announced at the developers conference today that there is an iPad to Android conversion tool to help get tablet apps to the Android Market faster. But, at the time of this review, I find the Xoom... a tad bit lacking.
However, when this device is fully functional, on 4G, running Flash, with 32GB + an extra 64GB SD Card of storage, it is going to be a force to be reckoned with! For now, you will have to wait just a bit for that reality.
The Motorola Xoom tablet is available now through Verizon Wireless or an authorized retailer. You can purchase it for $599.99, with a new two-year contract, or $799.99, without a contract. Data plan options are 1GB/$20, 3GB/$35, 5GB/$50, and 10GB/$80. 4G pricing is not known at the time of this review.
You can discuss this review at our several sister-site threads below:
XoomForums.com
AndroidTablets.net
DroidForums.net
XoomFAQ.com
by Daniel C. Slagle (Keeper of the XoomFAQ.com)
Edited by dgstorm
Motorola Xoom Review - by Daniel C. Slagle (Keeper of the XoomFAQ.com)
I would like to begin my review by sharing that I had a personal bias against tablets before this review. When the idea of tablets came out a few years back I was very skeptical of the "tablet format". I figured I could either use my laptop or suffer with the limitations of my phone. Now that I have a tablet in hand, I understand the allure. Watching movies on a larger screen without having 3 pounds on my lap is a big plus. Also, browsing on a tablet is much easier than on your smartphone, without having to zoom in or scroll side to side. Now I get it.
The Hardware-
The Xoom is equipped with an NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core CPU with video chip, 1GB of internal RAM, and 32GB of on-board storage. It also has a microSD slot, but is not currently enabled. A future software update should give you up to 64 more gigs of storage (depending on which SD card you choose to buy).
There are two cameras; a rear 5MP with dual LED flash and a Front 2MP. From within the Camera/Video app it is simple to choose what camera and what mode you would like to be in. It also records 720p HD video using the H.264 codec. Both picture and video quality are on par with newer smartphones out today. In addition to recording in HD, the Xoom will playback 1080p HD videos (up to 20Mbps. Anything over that bitrate and Motorola says you will see stuttering). There is an HDMI port on the bottom that allows you to connect to the HDMI port of your television with the correct cable (Mirco HDMI to HDMI). I did not go too in-depth into the HDMI, except to see that it does work and there does not seem to be any limitations on the HDMI port like you would find on say the Droid X. Anything that is displayed on the Xoom is also displayed on your HDTV via the HDMI port, like a secondary display. This was a nice feature!
Next to the HDMI port, you will find a micro USB that you can use to transfer files to and from the device and charging port. (Note: the tablet will NOT charge by way of the USB port. There are two (2) large 3250 mAH batteries and USB just cannot push enough amps to charge the Xoom). There are also charger contacts on the bottom of the device to work in conjunction with a charging dock.
The only physical buttons on the Xoom are the volume rockers on the side and power-unlock button on the back, next to the camera. All of the other the controls for the device reside on the screen and will appear, as needed, for the use of the particular app you are using. Also, the controls will disappear in certain instances, like when you are watching a video.
The Xoom is 4G capable, but not out of the box. Motorola will be sending out e-mails when it is available for upgrade. This is not a software update but a hardware one. Yes, you have to box it up and ship it off to Verizon and they estimate a 6 business day turn around time.
Physically, the Xoom is not much bigger than an iPad. Where it excels is its ability to show wide-screen content at a high resolution with very little cropping (black bars at to top or sides). It, however, does not conform to true HD dimensions so there is a bit of cropping.
The Software-
Android 3.0 a.k.a. "Honeycomb" is a brand new operating system (OS), that has proven to be a double-edged sword so far. Here's "the good". Applications that are designed to work on 3.0, are smooth, fast and functional. Those familiar with how android phones work, will find the interface very familiar and easy to use.
Here's "the bad". There are very few tablet apps out right now. At the time of this writing I count about twenty. Yes, that's right. Only... Two. Zero. So, for those of you thinking about dropping your iPad for this device, you might want to check to see in what stage your favorite programs are in Android development, or if they are even being ported.
Here's "the Ugly". Many of the "old" phone apps will work. However, because of the screen resolution, or how the app was designed, it will force some oddities. For example, you may have a password field that takes up half the screen, or applications that demand to be used in portrait mode. Again, as time progresses and developers modify their apps to account for these new resolutions, I am sure these oddball problems will be resolved.
In regards to the hacker aspect of the device, I do expect the Xoom to be 'the de facto standard', if, Verizon or Motorola does not lock it down somehow. Only time will tell. Admin or root access has already been achieved with the Xoom, but Verizon has made it clear they will not touch the device for upgrade it if you have "unlocked" it.
The "Book App" is simple and slick. Google probably has the largest collection of free books on the planet. I have downloaded a few to check out, and was initially miffed that I was forced to be "online" to read them. Later, I found out there is an option in the settings to download the book in its entirety. I assume they default to this to save space, because when selecting the full download option, a "Space Left on Device" meter comes up.
The "Movie Editor"
This a fairly straight-forward and simple application. The circle looking control will let you alter the timeline view. You also have elementary controls to add transitions and export out 720P HD video. Once your masterpiece is complete you can bring it up in the Gallery app, and easily export it to any of your configured services (Youtube, Dropbox, etc). I noticed that the timestamp on the export is not correct and defaults to the Unix epoch date. This brings me to my conclusion.
My biggest complaint with the Xoom is "lack of polish". I do think this device is great! For now, it is just missing some attention to detail. I do think that in the near future, Google will update and correct some of these issues. As a matter of fact, they just announced at the developers conference today that there is an iPad to Android conversion tool to help get tablet apps to the Android Market faster. But, at the time of this review, I find the Xoom... a tad bit lacking.
However, when this device is fully functional, on 4G, running Flash, with 32GB + an extra 64GB SD Card of storage, it is going to be a force to be reckoned with! For now, you will have to wait just a bit for that reality.
The Motorola Xoom tablet is available now through Verizon Wireless or an authorized retailer. You can purchase it for $599.99, with a new two-year contract, or $799.99, without a contract. Data plan options are 1GB/$20, 3GB/$35, 5GB/$50, and 10GB/$80. 4G pricing is not known at the time of this review.
You can discuss this review at our several sister-site threads below:
XoomForums.com
AndroidTablets.net
DroidForums.net
XoomFAQ.com
by Daniel C. Slagle (Keeper of the XoomFAQ.com)
Edited by dgstorm
WiFi only Xoom at Staples
Droid Life has a leaked picture of the Xoom ad they plan on running. Should be in stores March 27th. If I was going to get the WiFi version I would probably head on over to Sams Club since they will be selling them for $539. You could get a Xoom and a Sams Club membership for less than Staples is advertising.
Flash leaked. Download Now!
We got a "gift" from Adobe. Flash! You want it too? Download here.
Then check your Version running here
Swype tablet fail
I do love Swype on my Droid X phone but the new beta fails to deliver on the Xoom tablet :(
3.01 Update is out
As you may have heard by now the 1st Honeycomb upgrade is out. The new version is 3.0.1. There are (2) ways to get this upgrade for you Xoom:
Note: If you lose root after the upgrade. In the terminal type
- If you are not rooted simply go to About > Tablet and hit 'System Upgrades'
- If you are rooted, like myself, Koush was nice enough to make an update.zip file that I have tested and these instructions work
Note: If you lose root after the upgrade. In the terminal type
- adb remount
- adb shell chmod 4755 /system/bin/su
Moto releases Flash Boot for Xoom
If you would have told me this yesterday, I would have never believed it but... here it is! Motorola released the device software image for the Xoom.
4G upgrade. Be the 1st to know
If you are chomping at the bit to get your 4G/LTE upgrade over and done with. Sign up on Verizon's 4G upgrade list and they will let you know when it is available to you.
Xoom Helper App from Moto
Want Xoom Help right from the "horse's mouth"? Go to www.motorola.com/xoomhelp on your Xoom and Download the app. Be sure to allow "Unknown Sources". Not sure why it is not on the Market.
WiFi only Xoom at Sams $539
If you are waiting for that WiFi model and have a Sams club membership you might want to swing over there before purchasing it online.
Xoom $100 off Coupon code
Swiftkey keyboard tablet beta
SwiftKey was selected by a panel of expert judges as Best App of the Year at MWC's Mobile Premier Awards in Barcelona.
The app won after live pitches from 20 finalists in Barcelona. Find out why SwiftKey is winning awards
Tablet Beta coming soon!
Alternate Launchers Work
I downloaded Launcher Pro from their website. Set it to 8 wide columns and everything seems to work. No crashes as of yet.
Why you may not want an iPad2
For those of you that know me you know I am a total Mac bigot. I love the Apple products, the OS, and I only run Windows when I have no other choice. Given all that, here are a few reasons you may not want the iPad 2 over the Xoom:
- Xoom is as fast, if not faster
- You will get Flash support (in a week or two)
- It has a larger higher resolution widescreen
- It has an SD card slot
- It has a more developer friendly OS (easier to hack)
- It has better multi-tasking
- It has FULL video mirroring (it does not authenticate what is using the HDMI port)
- Built-in HDMI that does not require a $40 cable
- It is upgradable to 4G
Xoom Overclocked to 1.5 Ghz
- Well now that folks have root on the device it was an obvious next step to over clock it.
Instructions:
1. Make sure you've unlocked your Xoom's bootloader for flashing first, then root it.
2. Grab this zip and extract it. It includes a boot.img with the overclocked kernel and a corresponding wifi module: http://www.setcpu.com/files/xoom_ocboot.zip. Thanks to Koush for the rooted ramdisk in this boot.img!
3. Reboot into the bootloader by running:
adb reboot bootloader
4. Flash the boot image to your boot partition by running:
fastboot flash boot xoom_ocboot.img
5. Push the bcm4329.ko to your /system/lib/modules folder and reboot to re-enable wifi:
adb remount
adb push bcm4329.ko /system/lib/modules/bcm4329.ko
adb reboot
"The kernel defaults to 1GHz max for safety, and also includes 1.2GHz and 1.4GHz steps in addition to the 1.504GHz step. I've also updated SetCPU to support the Xoom, so grab that (I know the interface currently looks bad on the Xoom; a tablet optimized interface is coming soon!). SetCPU versions prior to 2.1.1 will not work for setting speeds on the Xoom. "
Xoom rooted day 1
That is right. After not even a day the Xoom has been rooted. What does that mean for you? Well... in "Windows terms" you will have Administrator rights on your Xoom. Why would you want to do this? In the future you will be able to backup and restore your device to a "known" state (Kind of like Norton Ghost, if you are fimilar with that), you will be able to add or remove any programs you wish to, re theme your Xoom, you will be able load alternate OSes, and goodness knows what else.For those of you that do not know Kouch is an Android developer that has been instrumental in the Android community. Stay tuned on this one.
