Xoom2 Specs
Motorola XOOM2 MZ616 32GB / XOOM 2 Specs
| Motorola Xoom 2 | |
| Datasheet;State: | Preliminary specifications |
| Release:Date: | December, 2011 |
| Dimensions: | 253.9 x 173.6 x 8.8 millimetres |
| Mass: | 603 grams (battery included) |
Xoom2 Software;Environment |
|
| Embedded;Operating+System: | Google Android 3.2 Browse devices running this OS |
Xoom2 Microprocessor,+Chipset |
|
| CPU:Clock: | 1200 MHz |
| CPU: | Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 Browse devices based on this microprocessor |
Xoom2 Memory,+Storage;capacity |
|
| RAM_capacity: | 1 GiB |
| ROM+capacity: | 29.8 GiB |
Xoom2 Display |
|
| Display_Type: | color IPS TFT , 16777216 scales |
| Display-Diagonal: | 10.1 “ |
| Display-Resolution: | 1280 x 800 |
| Video:out: | 1920×1080 (1080p) resolution |
Xoom2 Sound |
|
| Microphone(s): | mono |
| Loudspeaker(s): | stereo |
| Audio:Output: | 3.5mm |
Xoom2 Cellular_Phone |
|
| Cellular+Networks: | GSM850, GSM900, GSM1800, GSM1900, UMTS850 (B5), UMTS900 (B8), UMTS1900 (B2), UMTS2100 (B1) |
| Cellular;Data-Links: | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+ |
Xoom2 Control:Peripherals |
|
| Positioning:Device: | Multi-touch screen |
| Primary:Keyboard: | Not supported |
| Directional+Pad: | Not supported |
| Scroll_Wheel: | Not supported |
Xoom2 Interfaces |
|
| Expansion-Slots: | Not supported |
| USB: | USB 2.0 client, 480Mbit/s micro-USB |
| Bluetooth: | Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR |
| Wireless;LAN: | 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n |
| Infrared;Gate: | Not supported |
Xoom2 Multimedia+Telecommunication |
|
| Analog;Radio:Receiver: | Not supported |
| Digital:Media-Broadcast;Tuner: | Not supported |
Satellite-Navigation |
|
| Built-in;GPS;module: | Supported |
| Complementary_GPS:Services: | Not supported |
Built-in-Digital;Camera |
|
| Main:Camera: | 4.9 MP |
| Autofocus:(AF): | Supported |
| Optical+Zoom: | 1 x |
| Macro_Mode: | Supported |
| Built-in:Flash: | mobile light (LED) |
| Secondary+Camera: | 1.3 MP |
Additional;Details |
|
| Built-in:accelerometer: | Supported |
| Battery: | built-in |
| Battery:Capacity: | 7000 mAh |
Motorola Xoom 2
Motorola’s Xoom 2 arrives at a point where Apple’s iPad (first- or second-generation…) still dominates the tablet market. The original Xoom was the first tablet to arrive with Android Honeycomb, an OS dedicated to the tablet form. In the months since we gave it a middling review, plenty more tablets arrived, faster, thinner, and more longevous (like the Galaxy Tab 10.1).
Xoom 2 Break Down
So what now? Well, Motorola has recast its Xoom: it’s made it faster, slimmer and lighter. Xoom 2 Break Down
They’ve beefed up the disappointing screen found on the original, it’s now a Gorilla Glass-coated IPS screen that promises 178-degree viewing angles. But Motorola has also cut more corners than the four you see before you — ones that it hopes customers won’t miss.
Xoom 2 Break Down
However, with a certain quad-cored, ICS-imminent transforming tablet already stealing the hearts of many an Engadget reader (and editor), does this slimline sequel do enough to make up for its past mistakes? Is there now enough in the Android market to make Google-powered tablets a viable alternative to the iPad? Is £396 ($620) now too much to pay for a 16GB Android tablet that’s merelydual-core? We’ll be sure to try and answer all these right after the break.
Hardware Xoom 2 Break Down
Do you remember the old Xoom? Perhaps it’s best described as a slab; half an inch thick, it weighed in at a pound and a half. Well, the Xoom 2 has certainly gone lean, it’s now 0.22 pounds lighter, and honed to mere 8.8mm thick. Those corners, apparently “strategically designed” to make the tablet easier to handle do exactly what they’re meant to do. We suffered a lot less “tablet palm” from extended gaming and video-watching sessions, although we’re not sure why the curves aren’t reversed. As it is, the Xoom 2 is super comfortable in portrait mode, but less so in landscape. Xoom 2 Break Down
The tablet does, however, feel reassuringly rigid. Although it may lack the shiny concentric stylings of the Transformer Prime, there’s no wobble in its aluminum-framed build. The tablet has also been given an all-over water resistant coating, similar to what you’ll find on the Droid RAZR. The front of the tablet has a bezel that’s slightly less substantial than its Android competition, around 13mm on the vertical sides, and just under 20mm on the horizontal borders. It’s marginal– we’re talking fractions of a millimeter less than both the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Transformer Prime, but comparing it to tablets from the first half of this year is a testament to how far Android tablets have come. Xoom 2 Break Down
The first Xoom’s comedic digital camera stylings on the back are now, thankfully, gone. A soft plastic edge runs around the tablet’s lower edge and sides, surrounding a gun metal-colored panel. A rubbery power button, now accompanied by the volume rocker, is located on the back. These are accessible by your right hand when held in landscape, and are resistant enough to ignore when you accidentally brush over them to hold the tablet. Xoom 2 Break Down
Two stereo speakers are located at the top, away from the softer edge, and thus less likely to be covered while you hold the device. At the top of the rear, a five megapixel camera is now placed (more logically) in the center, with an LED flash alongside it. On the top edge, there’s the customary headphone jack which is accompanied by something a little more exotic — an IR emitter. We managed to get this easily working with Dijit, and also its broad list of compatible TVs and devices.
Along the base of the device, ports include a micro-HDMI and micro-USB port that deals with both data and charging. Yes, Motorola has retired the dedicated AC pin, although you’ll probably want to stick to the meatier in-box charger rather than attempt to eke out a charge from phone adapters or, dare we say it, a USB cable. Xoom 2 Break Down
Our review model packs the bare minimum of what we’d allow storage-wise on a tablet: 16GB. Despite this, there are also no expansion options – no microSD slot, let alone SD. Granted, there’s a very strong trend towards cloud-based music collections, but we’ll be clutching to our files until the revolution truly takes off. Xoom 2 Break Down
There doesn’t appear to be any 32 or 64GB models of the ten-inch tablet incoming, so it’s something to be aware of. What’s even odder is that there’s a hatch along the bottom edge that could certainly receive either a SIM, if not some form of removable storage. We’ve been in contact with Motorola to confirm exact what it’s all about, and will update this review when they get back to us.
Screen Xoom 2 Break Down
Motorola has made a conscious effort with the Xoom 2 screen. Sure, it’s the same 1200 x 800 resolution, but it’s now an IPS panel. Viewing angles approach the stated 178 degree mark, although you’d be hard-pressed to see much from there. The upgraded IPS TFT display makes pictures, video and, well, everything, far more vibrant. The latest Motorola tablet does, however, still have issues with bright and outdoor lighting. The screen also seems to be more hungry for fingerprints and smudges than anything we’ve seen before. We’re talking original iPhone-levels of fingerprint magnetism: be prepared to carry a microfiber cloth, or wear long sleeves.
Camera Xoom 2 Break Down
While it may not be a core feature for many users, the Xoom 2 still has a five megapixel auto-focus shooter. We found stills we’re generally good quality, although colors were often slightly muted. One plus of photography on tablets of this size is the ability to view your shots, full-screen immediately.
Unfortunately, given the greater degree of control available on a 10.1-inch screen, there’s no touch to focus feature. Instead, the Xoom 2 attempts to concentrate on what it thinks you want focused. Photography options consist of a few preset modes, color effects, exposure settings, size, quality and the ability to switch between macro, infinity and auto focus. The front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera is still here. Fortunately, nine months since we first saw the Xoom, Honeycomb’s app offering has expanded and compatible voice-call services (did someone mention Skype?) make this a far more valid addition than it did on the first Honeycomb tablet. Xoom 2 Break Down
Video capture is capped at 7 20p at 30fps, and the results are pretty sub-par, largely due to the poor, slow autofocus. Recording moving subjects results in some pretty hazy footage. You’ll find that video recording — and playback — will suffer from some very pronounced clipping if you have a handful of apps running at the same time, so it’s worth restarting or doing some task management before you hit record. Xoom 2 Break Down
Performance and battery life
| Motorola Xoom 2 | Galaxy Tab 10.1 | Motorola Xoom | Transformer Prime | |
| Quadrant | 1,841 | 2,083 | 1,745 | 3,023 |
| Linpack (single-thread) | 45.51 MFLOPS | 16.9 MFLOPS | 32.5 MFLOPS | 43.35 MFLOPS |
| Linpack (multi-thread) | 68.87 MFLOPS | 36.7 MFLOPS | 59.8 MFLOPS | 67.05 MFLOPS |
| Nenamark1 | 20.1 fps | 42.5 fps | 30.5 fps | 60.1 fps |
| Nenamark2 | 19.6 fps | 18.6 fps | 19.3 fps | 46.1 fps |
| Vellamo | 1,060 | 886 | 923 | 953 |
| Sunspider 0.9.1 | 2,229ms | 2,200ms | 2,192.7ms | 1,861ms |
The Xoom 2 manages to squeeze in an ARM 1.2GHz dual-core processor alongside 1GB of RAM, giving noticeable improvements in both the benchmark scores and daily use when compared to the original Xoom. Whether that’s the 20 percent processor improvement, or testament to the Google and Moto’s special relation, we don’t know, but the old guard is unsurprisingly beaten across all bar one of our benchmarks. But it makes more sense to compare the sequel against its main tablet competitors. Xoom 2 Break Down
Admittedly, the quad-core Transformer Prime has a bit more under the hood, but the Xoom 2 seems to jump through the technical hoops better than the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a similarly sized and specced dual-core tablet. It’s worth noting that the Xoom 2 seems to offer up some very strong Vellamo web browsing scores, besting even the Transformer Prime. Number-crunching aside, the tablet runs smoothly, able to load up graphically intensive apps and websites without much of a struggle, though it’s still suffering a Honeycomb hangover of occasional stutters, and random app crashes.
Despite the slimmer style, the battery still manages to outperform its older brother. The IPS screen doesn’t seem to take much toll either; with almost nine hours of continuous video playback from a full charge, running on 50 percent brightness, WiFi enabled. It’s a strong performance, but the competition is stronger. On day-to-day use, it’s more frugal; we got a good day and a half of casual use, with Twitter and email notifications throughout the day, and a heavy dose of Shadowgun action at lunch.
Conclusion Xoom 2 Break Down
The Xoom 2 is a stylish successor to the original Honeycomb tablet. The build quality is much improved, and Motorola is on the right track with those oddly shaped corners and built-in IR emitter. There has been an explosion in Honeycomb tablets since the first Xoom launched, and while the sequel does plenty right, it isn’t enough to claim the head seat at the Android tablet family table. Fortunately, the Xoom 2 has bypassed Moto’s tendency to over-tinker with the core Android experience on its phones, resulting in a pretty reliable tablet, although it still behaved erratically with video content. Xoom 2 Break Down
While camera shortcomings on a tablet may not be a massive deal-breaker, lack of tap to focus and poor auto-focus on the video camera are frustrating. Because of a lack of expandable storage (and beefier models), users will be drawn into the world of cloud media management, whether they want to or not. It’s telling that the Google Music app comes preinstalled on this UK review model — somewhere the beta isn’t yet available. While the Xoom was — for a time — the best Honeycomb tablet, it was also the only Honeycomb tablet. But competition’s a lot tougher, and while Motorola’s upped its game, it’s not by enough to come out on top.
Xoom 2 Break Down
Find out how the Motorola XOOM 2 10.1 inch tablet computer shapes up against the rest of its portable rivals including the Apple iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Xoom 2
In a world where the Apple iPad rules the roost in the tablet computer stakes, its rivals have a tough task to take a byte out of their success.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab has enjoyed some success while the BlackBerry PlayBook has proved less popular.
But the Motorola XOOM 2 10.1 inch could certainly be a contender when it comes to portable computing power and having spent some quality time with it, you soon find it’s capable of everything the iPad 2 can do and a little bit more.
Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
For a start, it has a beautiful web browsing experience that doesn’t stop when it encounters a bit of Flash. Ok, there have only been limited moments with my iPad when I’ve hit a wall due to the lack of Flash access but it’s still very much a force in cyberspace and the addition of Adobe Flash Player is a benefit.
This larger XOOM 2 - I’ve also checked out the smaller 8.2 inch version - runs on the latest Android Honeycomb 3,2 operating system and at its heart is Google’s whole suite of offerings. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
From Gmail email to Maps to YouTube to Google Talk for voice or video chat, you won’t be disappointed by the amount of pre-loaded content on board. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
Everything you need to get going as soon as you open the box is included and it’s simple to set up and then very intuitive to use with simple menus, plenty of icons and a well thought-out interface. There are very few buttons to push so everything is controlled through the screen, which increases its usability and the whole fun of the tablet experience. You can also customise five different home screens. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
Web browsing is a breeze with tabs to collate your pages and Flash built-in to ensure the experience is never stalled by a site that can’t be displayed on the screen. There’s pinch to zoom, both portrait and landscape virtual keyboards and the screen responds well in different lighting conditions. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
The XOOM is blisteringly fast. It features a speedy dual-core 1.2GHz processor and is 20% quicker than the original. It also has 1GB of RAM for multi-tasking, preventing it from freezing and crashing when you’re running apps, programs and email at once.
It is also 10% lighter and a third thinner than its predecessor and has a nifty splash-coating, it claims will protect it from unexpected spills and rain showers.
What strikes you though instantly with the Motorola XOOM 2 is the screen. The high-definition display is beautiful to look at, with vivid colours, sharp blacks and extreme clarity. It feels brighter than many rivals and copes well in different lighting conditions.
Of course, the New Apple iPad 3 with its Retina display and quad-core graphics instantly outshines the competition.
The Android OS gives you access to a the Android Market for downloading apps but be prepared to find only a small number available for the Android tablet range compared to those readily out there for the iPad. Much of the Android app development is still currently concentrated around its handset range. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
Other highlights include plenty of support for a wide range of media files, an HDMI output to connect straight to your TV (without needing an extra bit of kit like on the iPad) and two cameras on board.
The 5 megapixel rear lens can capture high-definition video at 1080p while the LED flash is competent. The front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera is simply there to video chat with so that’s plenty for appearing live on screen to your friends. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
Overall, the Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review is one of the most capable tablet computers on the market right now. It doesn’t have the hype and status of the Apple iPad, and its lacking in apps, which for some will limit how fully it can be used day-to-day.
Like with any gadget purchase though, especially one that’s this expensive, go into a store and have a play with one and with its rivals to judge exactly what tablet is your best medicine. Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
For Xoom 2 discussion and support visit http://www.xoomcommunity.com/
Motorola Xoom 2 Tablet Review
It’s hard to believe that 10 months ago there were just a handful of tablets to choose from – especially if you were after a bigger model such as the iPad. However, Motorola was the first to launch an Android tablet using the Honeycomb platform that is specially designed to be run on tablets, rather than smartphones. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Now Motorola has come up with a new device to challenge Apple’s hold on the tablet market – but has it managed to come up with an iPad killer this time? Xoom 2 Review And Specs
The device is nice to hold in the hand – its back is flat and slightly tapered, and there are rubbery sides that make it easy to grip onto –unlike the slippery metal body of the iPad 2. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
With its angled corners, there’s no chance you’ll mistake the Xoom 2 for the original – or indeed for any other tablet. While the corners do have a slightly rounded edge, only the long sides of the device are straight – the shorter sides also have a slight curve to them.
Powered from behind
One thing we don’t like about the tablet is that the power button is on the back of the device – it’s closer to the edge than it was on the original and does tend to sit under the right index finger, but nevertheless we found it was far too easy to nudge the volume rocker that is positioned below it instead. What makes it even worse is that the lag between pressing the button and the screen waking up means that you can be continually hitting what you think is the power button while you’re actually altering the volume! We’d much rather see the button on the edge or preferably on the front of the device as it is on the iPad.
The Xoom 2 is far lighter than its predecessor – its 130g lighter than the original at 599g – it’s even less weighty than the iPad 2. It’s also incredibly slim – measuring 8.8mm (about the same as the iPad 2). Xoom 2 Review And Specs
The Xoom 2 runs on the latest version of Android Honeycomb, version 3.2. This time around, Motorola has added its own stamp to the OS. However, there’s no MOTOBLUR, which was a great social networking aggregator when it was first launched but is less cutting edge now, and only features on a few new phones. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
The new display is claimed to be splashproof. We cautiously put this to the test – we were concerned that water could creep in through the micro USB port or 3.5mm audio jack. But we noticed that water did indeed fail to cling onto the screen.
Sweet streams
The big news on the Motorola Xoom 2 is the music, photo and video streaming service MotoCast. You can even use it to move documents from your Mac or PC to the tablet. It’s simple to set up – just attach the tablet to the computer using a USB cable and the Xoom 2 will transfer the right software onto your chosen Mac or PC. The software can also be downloaded if you prefer (or can’t find a USB cable). Create your account, choose the files you want your tablet or phone to access and you should be away. However, we encountered a couple of false starts, but once we got it working it was a simple process.
Launch MotoCast and you’ll see a screen that shows all your streamable media. Hit play and your chosen file will play – it all ran smoothly. Video took a tad longer to buffer but really shone on the 10.1in display. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Security-wise, this is a safe procedure because the data is streamed straight from a computer, rather being uploaded elsewhere first. Mind you, it does mean you have to have the computer turned on and online for the process to work. Should you not have your tablet or phone with you and you’re at a mate’s home, for instance, simply log on to mymotocast.com and you’ll be able to access files and music on a friend’s computer – a really handy facility. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Downloading tracks is a breeze too – hit the triangle below the album art and select download. It’s that easy – but remember you only have 16GB of storage onboard. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Looks familiar
A lot has remained the same from the original Xoom – so you have the 10.1in display with 1280×800 resolution, 1Gb operating memory and a five-megapixel snapper. We’d have liked to see an improved display resolution – while at the moment its 149ppi beats the iPad 2, when Apple announces its next upgrade, the Xoom 2 might be left behind again. You also get 3D virtual surround sound.
However, along with some upgrades, there are two downgrades. A 1.3-megapixel model has replaced the two-megapixel front-facing snapper and there is now no SD card slot – which means you’re lumbered with 16Gb of onboard storage. Mind you, with the streaming service of MotoCast on offer, it’s not quite the problem it could have been. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
On the upside, the double-core chip is now 1.2GHz (from 1GHz). This won’t make huge amounts of difference in performance although we found everything ran along quite nicely – and email and net surfing worked slightly better than on the original.
Sticky OS
The Xoom 2 runs on the latest version of Honeycomb, which works really smoothly – it’s a shame it doesn’t have the very latest version – Ice Cream Sandwich – but that will come. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Of course all systems will be compared with Apple’s iOS, and while Android is less user friendly, it does have more in the way of interactions and we like the Recent Applications virtual key that sits at the bottom of the display along with the Home and Back keys.
Shortcut icons are not as sleek as those on Apple’s system, but they can be placed where you want them – which is an improvement on iOS. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
We got the power
Battery life is good and the rear camera is just as it was on the last Xoom – however, the speedier chip means that the shutter has got faster – although we didn’t really notice any difference in practice. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
The verdict
While the Xoom 2 looks better than its predecessor and proves speedier in performance, we’re still bugged by that oddly placed power button. While Motorola has managed to bring the tablet’s hardware into line with the iPad, it means the software is the deciding factor. So when the Xoom 2 gets an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade it will definitely be a far more attractive option for anyone looking to enter the tablet market. Xoom 2 Review And Specs
Motorola XOOM 2 Specification
|
Type of phone: |
N/A |
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Style: |
N/A |
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Size: |
253.9×173.6×8.8mm |
|
Weight: |
599 g |
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Display: |
16 million colours |
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Resolution: |
480×800 |
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Camera: |
5 megapixels, 1.3 megapixel front-facing |
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Special Camera features: |
LED flash, auto focus |
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Video recording: |
Yes |
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Video playback: |
Yes |
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Video calling: |
No |
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Video streaming: |
Yes |
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Music formats played: |
AAC+, WMA, WAV, MP3 |
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3.5mm jack port: |
Yes |
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Handsfree speakerphone: |
No |
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Voice Control: |
No |
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Voice Dialling: |
No |
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Call records: |
N/A |
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Phonebook: |
N/A |
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Ringtones customization: |
N/A |
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Display description: |
TFT capacitive touch-screen |
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Website: |
www.motorola.co.uk |
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SAR: |
N/A |
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Portfolio: |
N/A |
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Standard color: |
Black |
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Launch Status: |
Available |
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Ringtones: |
N/A |
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Radio: |
No |
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Operating system: |
Android |
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Connectivity: |
Wi-Fi, TV out, WLAN, Bluetooth |
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Announced date: |
October 2011 |
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What’s in the Box: |
N/A |
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RAM: |
1GB RAM |
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International launch date: |
November 2011 |
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Battery life when playing multimedia: |
N/A |
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CPU: |
Dual-core 1.2 GHz cortex-A9 |
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FM Radio Description: |
N/A |
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Internal memory: |
16GB storage, 1 GB RAM |
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Memory Card Slot: |
N/A |
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Messaging: |
|
|
Internet Browser: |
HTML |
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E-mail client: |
Push email |
|
GPS: |
A-GPS |
|
Java: |
Yes |
|
Games: |
Yes |
|
Data speed: |
N/A |
|
Frequency: |
N/A |
|
Talktime: |
N/A |
|
Standby: |
Not specified |
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Display size: |
N/A |
|
Keypad: |
QWERTY |
|
Audio recording: |
Yes |
A compilation of comprehensive reviews of the New Xoom 2
Click here for Xoom2 Reviews
Motorola Xoom 2
A comprehensive review of The Xoom 2
Xoom 2 Review
Are there enough changes to make the Xoom 2 more appealing than the original? Certainly. But is there enough of a change to make this tablet more appealing than it’s rivals from the likes of Asus or Samsung?
Xoom 2 Design
The look and feel of the tablet is one of the biggest changes. Clipped corners, tactile edging and a slimmer design set the Xoom 2 up for the future. We weren’t sure that this would be enough of a change when the tablet was launched, but having lived with and used the tablet in place of the original, it’s a welcome relief. Xoom 2 Review
Where the Samsung exhibits sleek, if perhaps copycat lines, the Xoom 2 does look different. It’s futuristic to a degree, an aggressive design where the iPad 2 is softer, sleek and slimline. It’s masculine, with it’s two-tone black and grey finish and looks rather more like a rugged tablet, albeit without the additional bulk. Xoom 2 Review
But it succeeds in feeling good in the hands. The slimmer profile is easy to grip and that extra dab of rubberised finish makes it nice and secure when you do. The weight of 599g makes it the same weight as the iPad 2, the thickness matches at 8.8mm. To an extent, this has been designed to compete on the spec sheet and the results are rather good.
Motorola has kept the buttons on the rear, with both the standby and the volume accessed by the right fingers. There is just about enough of a difference between the adjacent controls to press the right button without looking, but it does take a while to make it second nature. Xoom 2 Review
Visit Xoom Community for Xoom 2 discussion and support.
The top of the device sees a 3.5mm headphone jack along with the IR port. The bottom sees the Micro-USB and micro HDMI ports. The separate DC input has now gone, so you can charge the Xoom 2 using a regular charger – one less thing to put in your travel bag.
On the bottom edge of the Xoom 2 there is still a flap which opens to reveal where you could have expansion slots. On the preproduction model we spotted SIM and microSD ports here. The microSD slot is physically blocked now; the SIM card slot appears to be covered with a foam barrier, but we’ll bet that 3G versions will appear in some territories. Xoom 2 Review
The first run of Android tablets leapt on the Nvidia Tegra 2 platform, but the next generation sees differentiation. While the recently announced Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime takes the quad-core Tegra 3, Motorola has opted for a Texas Instruments OMAP4430, clocked at 1.2GHz. You’ll find 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, although only about 12GB is available to use. Xoom 2 Review
It’s a specification that makes for a capable tablet: it’s noticeably snappier in day-to-day operation that it’s predecessor. The start-up time has been much reduced – should you ever turn the thing off – and generally apps open and run quickly with little sign of lag.
Xoom 2 Review
Xoom 2 Engine
The new 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display is brighter and more vibrant than the previous version and offers better viewing angles too, thanks to it being an IPS display. The result is that you get a slightly warmer rendering of colours, but they maintain their fidelity from angles where some tablets start to fade or change colour. Xoom 2 Review
There is a problem though, which perhaps can’t be directed solely at Motorola. First of all, we found that not all apps were available, for example the current Pocket-lint game du jour Tiny Tower. The app runs perfectly well if you manually install it, but Android Market refuses to accept that it is compatible. This is just one example, but could prove to be something of a problem if you can’t access all the apps you expect. Xoom 2 Review
We also had some initial problems with Flash, with no video displaying. This was solved by a complete wipe and restart – something to watch out for. Xoom 2 Review
Software and MotoCast
With the Motorola Xoom being the launch device for Honeycomb, it was very much unfettered, using plain, stock Android. Honeycomb tablets haven’t shown the degree of customisation that Gingerbread handsets did, but the Xoom 2 now has a few tweaks to bring Motorola to the fore. Xoom 2 Review
In some ways, this is Motorola’s first chance to put its stamp on the software in same way as rivals have. As such, you’ll find a number of Moto apps that offer additional services. As we’ve seen with Honeycomb, differentiation comes very much in bundled software or services, rather than huge differences in power, performance or specs. Xoom 2 Review
Motorola has, elsewhere, tweaked things visually. The icons are slightly altered, but otherwise the Xoom 2 is much like stock Honeycomb. Some bundled apps add interest, but things like Skitch are free anyway, but you also get Citrix and Fuze Meeting ready to connect you with your business. Xoom 2 Review
Note taking has also made it on to the agenda, with Evernote and Floating Notes finding their way onto the system bar at the bottom. This plays to the stylus accessory that Motorola offers and it all seemed to work well enough, even if the inclusion here is a little over the top: a simple desktop shortcut would suffice. Xoom 2 Review
Xoom 2 Review - Before you panic, there is no sign of Motoblur, something that Motorola is moving away from. You’ll find obscure references to Motoblur – in device versions and support pages, for example, but nothing like on previous Motorola handsets. What you will find, however, is MotoCast, a remote access client that will let you access the content of your PC from a remote location via the Internet.
You need to install the MotoCast software on your PC or Mac first, then set-up what you want to access. You’ll then get remote access both from compatible Motorola devices and through the website at mymotocast.com. Content is principally divided into media categories, but you do get a straight file/folder tree to navigate to locate things like documents. Xoom 2 Review
Of course, to make this work your PC will have to remain on, and remember that this service is operating via the Internet, so if you have a cap on your home broadband, then you might want to consider other methods when it comes to streaming media around the home. But we found it worked well, and we like the fact you can download anything you want to your tablet, so if you forget a document, or want that album or movie for a flight, it isn’t a problem. Xoom 2 Review
MotoCast is also the name applied to Motorola’s new syncing software – MotoCast USB, derived from Mark/Space which some Android users may be familiar with. This is also fairly clever, as syncing is something that Android can often neglect. Plug your Xoom 2 in (in our case to a Mac) and rather than the normal Android file transfer app, it will fire up MotoCast USB.
This will allow you to set syncing for different types of media. It automatically selected default Mac folders for us, but you can select any folder you want. For example, we pointed it to a network folder for video syncing, which couldn’t have been simpler.
It also contains conversion software, so if you select a file to sync that the Xoom 2 doesn’t support, it will convert it. We found our DivX HD, AVI and MOV test files all converted. It’s a somewhat slow process, but it does mean that you can stick with the default media player, rather than having to download another from Android Market. Xoom 2 Review
However this is a double-edged sword, as nowhere in MotoCast USB is the option to manually add an individual file. Want to add a single video? You can’t, you have to go through the same route of nominating a folder to sync. At the same time, Android file transfer is disabled, it won’t detect the Xoom 2 so that avenue is closed. For individual files, downloading via MotoCast (the non USB part) might be the simpler option. Xoom 2 Review
Mighty Moto media?
There are two versions of the Motorola Xoom 2. This larger, 10.1-inch model and the smaller 8.2-inch version dubbed the “Media Edition”. Motorola made it clear to us that they see this version very much as the home tablet, so likely to be your sofa companion. Xoom 2 Review
With that in mind, Motorola has added an IR transmitter, like the Sony Tablet S. This works in cahoots with the pre-installed Dijit app. Dijit was originally designed for use with the Griffin Beacon, but worked without fault on the Xoom 2.
You can program in your controllers for various devices, but the interface and the process isn’t as advanced as Sony’s solution, which has a dab more polish and is easier to set-up.
There is also no integrated provision for media streaming, other than using MotoCast. We turned to our perennial favourite Skifta which worked well enough, although we found that it wouldn’t play in the correct aspect ratio through the Gallery video player, either streaming or from the internal memory. Video does look fantastic on that screen however. Xoom 2 Review
There is also a micro HDMI on the bottom of the Xoom 2 that will mirror the display when connected to a larger screen, so you can play back your movies on your TV. Xoom 2 Review
The speakers are rear mounted near the top of the device. They are a little tinny but that’s not unusual in a tablet. Their location makes them perform better when placed flat down on a surface, but they will get muffled when propped up on your knees in bed, for example. You also get audio controls, so you can change the sound profile to better suit your preference and there is an impressive range of options. They only really work with headphones, but you can widen the sound stage and opt to have the bass really fierce, or under control, to better suit what you’re listening to.
Final points
The camera interface is standard Honeycomb, and there is little in here to get too excited about. We’re not so bothered about camera performance or tweaks on tablets because we think you’re much more likely to use your phone than hold up a 10-inch tablet to snap a shot.
Xoom 2 Review
Like most tablets, there’s nothing to get too excited about when it comes to the performance either. There is little grasp on colour or definition, but as we said, we’re not too worried about that. Video offers two resolutions, “high” is 1280 x 720, but again, it’s not the best HD video we’ve seen coming out of a mobile device.
On the battery front we found that it lasted well and have nothing to complain about when it comes to longevity. Motorola’s cited 10+ hours, plus respectable standby time rings true, and with daily use during the past week, battery hasn’t been a worry.
