Consolidated Review: iPad 2 vs Motorola Xoom

As the rush to get hands on the iPad 2 starts, there are still some who want to make a decision based upon reviews and opinions before jumping for another Apple product. While their track record has been exceptional, it hasn’t been perfect and there are definitely competitors who may or may not be better buys.

The Motorola Xoom is one such competitor, one that many consider the only one around right now that could put a dent (even if only a minor one) in the iPad frenzy.

Below, you will find several videos and links to reviews on other high-quality tech sites. If you want to make the smartest decision, take the time to review all of them. While there is no consensus, there is some excellent information that you can pull from in all of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpPGsUFjcV8

The Specs: 4 Tablets

The Comparisons and Reviews

• Engadget
  “You might recall we ran this comparison about a month back when HP’s TouchPad was announced, but now we’re back with a full set of 2011 devices as Apple’s brand new iPad 2 has joined the fray. There’s no need for excessive introductions, really, just leap past the break to get swalloped up by an avalanche of next-generation tablet specs.”
• Know Your Mobile
  “The XOOM has certainly upped the ante in the tablet wars, with a very respectable first effort. The iPad 2 and Apple has had the benefit of being a second attempt at meeting consumer’s tablet needs. On some fronts, e.g. the number of cameras and processor, Apple has only managed to keep up with Motorola because the XOOM got there first.  It is an extremely close contest. Despite this, we cannot ignore the fact that the iPad 2 looks as though it will build on the success of the original iPad and improve on it, and probably sell more than the XOOM.”
• Digital Trends
  “There are a thousand ways we could reorganize this battle and give the trophy to Apple. The fact is that both of these tablets are extremely competitive and offer some unique benefits. Both claim a 10 hour battery life as well. However, despite the beautiful design of the iPad 2 and software and price advantage it currently has, we think Motorola’s Xoom is a healthy competitor and worthy of a look. If you’re an iPhone lover, chances are the iPad 2 will win your heart, but if you’re not, give them both a try. You may be surprised at some of the differences between the two units.”
• ZDNet
  “Let’s all collectively cross our fingers that Apple finally comes to its senses and includes a removable memory card slot and Micro USB port in the new iPad. Since it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see a removable battery from Apple again, SD and USB would be huge steps in the right direction.”
• Yahoo!
  “In the end, which one you like best might come down to which company’s approach you prefer … and which set of apps you like more.”
• Computer World
  “When you buy an iPad 2, you’ll be subject to the whims of what Apple wants you to download and doesn’t want you to download. Want to be able to get information from the WikiLeaks site using an app, for example? Don’t try doing it on your iPad 2 — Apple has banned any app from letting you do that. It bans plenty of other apps as well. With the Xoom, you can download and use any app you want.”
• Slashgear
  “One thing we should mention here is that neither of these devices are fully released just yet. There’s certainly testers out there for the XOOM, but the iPad 2 has been under HEAVY wraps for some time now. Once we get the chance to put the iPad 2 through the same hoops we’ve been pushing the XOOM through, we’ll know for sure who mister victorious is.”
• Conceivably Tech
  “So I call Apple first, HP second, and Motorola third in this initial matchup but marketing will play a huge role here and that part for all three players remains an unknown. We’ll revisit this and add other disruptive players like HTC, Dell, and Acer as more is known about their tablet offerings.   One question will be answered for sure and that is whether there really a Tablet market, or as we found with the iPod, only an iPad market.  We’ll know the answer to that shortly but this is likely to be the dustup of dustups regardless.

In the end, it always comes down to preference. Are you looking for the lightest, most compact, or are you looking for a bigger screen? Are you bettering on Android continuing to grow and compete with iOS or will Apple’s sheer bulk be able to keep the smartest developers in their corner? Is it for work, play, or both?

Regardless of which one you pick, it’s still amazing to see how far technology has come. It’s to the point where we can look at nuances and idiosyncrasies to make decisions rather than on overall, clear-cut hardware superiority.