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We've clearly got a little bias on the subject, but Android has a long and storied history filled with its own triumphs and pitfalls. It's been well over a decade now since that first HTC G1 landed, the inaugural Android smartphone, and things have changed drastically since then. Being "first" might make you think the G1 was the most influential Android phone — but was it, really?
It takes a lot of applications to build an ecosystem. Google has all the essentials down — email, calendar, contacts, productivity applications, and so on — but the company has always struggled with creative tools. Most notably, Google is still lacking a proper video editor for its own operating systems, which is becoming even more of an issue as high-end Chromebooks gain momentum.
Although development of Android for tablets has largely stagnated, mid-range media consumption tablets are still cheaply produced. The AT&T Moto Tab (stylized as 'moto tab') is technically Motorola's first tablet since the Xoom 2 (known as the Xyboard in the United States), though the design strongly resembles that of the Lenovo Tab 4 10. You can now buy the Moto Tab from AT&T for $299.99 upfront, or for $15/month for 20 months. This is $120 more than the Lenovo-branded tablet, though the two share more similarities in appearance than power.
Well, that was fast. Android 4.1.2 was just released to AOSP last week, and Motorola has already started pushing the Wi-Fi XOOM's update out to soak testers. This isn't a huge jump in terms of functionality, and the incremental update will bump the XOOM from build JRO03H (4.1.1) to JZO54K (4.1.2).
After Google's Ice Cream Sandwich announcement, the obvious question on everyone's mind was will my device get it? Motorola has started to address that issue, albeit very slowly.
Motorola is resurrecting the world's first Honeycomb tablet one last time before the next generation of XOOM becomes available, but this time it has a family-friendly twist. It's called the XOOM Family Edition, and it's basically the same Wi-Fi XOOM that has been out for months now, but it's packing around $40 of additional games and other software specifically targeted at kids. Among the bundled software is Zoodles, an app that locks the home button and only grants access to user-defined apps, so you can keep those kiddos away from apps that you deem unfit.
Motorola's Xoom, the first Honeycomb tablet on the market, is still a powerful piece of technology, packing much of the same hardware we've come to love in other Honeycomb tablets. The Xoom's 32GB variant normally goes for a solid $499, but today 1saleaday.com is offering the original Honeycomb tablet for a discounted price of $399 with $5 in shipping charges.
Yesterday a German court sided with Apple against Samsung, disallowing the sale of Galaxy Tab 10.1 units in the European Union. Buried deep within this filing is mention of yet another complaint -- but this one is against Motorola, allegedly over the design of the XOOM.
While the US variant of the Motorola XOOM recently received Android 3.2, the European version has been patiently waiting to leave version 3.0.1. That wait is finally coming to its end, as the official Android 3.1 OTA has started rolling out in Europe, according to Motorola EU's Facebook page. Of course, this is a staged rollout, so it may be days - or even weeks - before some users actually see it hit their device.
Ah, the Motorola XOOM. What can we say about this tablet that you don't already know? Perhaps that you can get the 32GB Wi-Fi only model for $430 with free shipping from eBay Daily Deals for today only. Sure, it may not be the newest tablets on the market, but it is definitely still one of the most capable.
In the slowly unraveling drama that is the XOOM 4G LTE upgrade, another chapter has been put in place. Rumor has it that VZW XOOM owners may receive an email today letting them know the the upgrade will happen in September -- but we have no confirmation as of yet.
Here's an interesting tidbit of information for the XOOM owners out there: there may be a system update heading your way within the next few days that bumps you up to Android 3.2. Details are pretty scarce right now, but here's what we can tell you: in the comments of AOSP issue number 16992 - which is in regards to the lack of Exchange support post-3.1 update on the XOOM - one line stands out. The line simply states that "there should be a 3.2 update coming within days, and that should help those of you with Xoom [sic]." Now, while it may not be a lot to go on, and there is no confirmation of the source aside from the fact that s/he appears to be a Google employee - this is still quite promising information.
We've seen the XOOM hit some pretty low prices lately, but this one is rock-bottom. For a limited time, you can get the Wi-Fi version of the world's first Android Honeycomb tablet for a mere $450 from Staples when you use the attached coupon (see below). That's an insane deal for this tablet, as it's still one of the best Android tablets on the market:
According to the Motorola Europe Facebook page, the Android 3.1 update has started rolling out to the European variant of the XOOM. This update brings a several new features and improvements, including one feature that the US XOOM didn't get: SD card slot activation. This is, of course, due to the fact that the US XOOM is considered a "pure Google experience" device, so it's up to Google to push updates in the States - not Motorola.
Update: It looks like Moto killed this deal. The coupon code no longer works, and the form has been removed.
So, you've invested a chunk of change in a Motorola XOOM and you want to make sure that it stays in one piece, right? Otterbox has come to the rescue to fit that bill perfectly with the new Defender case for the XOOM. In typical Otterbox fashion, this case is made to protect your device from drops and other mishaps, while adding a bit of functionality and style. It features a "high quality polycarbonate shell" that snaps around the outside of the tablet, with a silicon skin that hugs the shell to absorb impacts.
In an effort to get XOOMs flying off the shelves for Father's Day and graduation time, Motorola is offering a pretty sweet deal: between now and June 14th, if you buy a XOOM directly from them, you'll get a free Bluetooth keyboard (valued at $69.99). If that deal isn't already sweet enough, though, you'll also get free 2-day shipping on the order.
When Google announced its highly anticipated Music beta service at I/O last week, we were told that, aside from I/O attendees, Verizon XOOM owners would be among the first to get to use the service. Holding true to that, Google has officially started sending out the invites this morning.
Yesterday Motorola officially announced that Android 3.1 would be hitting Verizon 3G XOOMs first, then WiFi and other variants "in the next several weeks." I'm not really sure how Motorola defines "several weeks," but it appears to be a little bit different than the rest of the world, as we're starting to see reports pop up all over the net that suggest the update may already be underway.