What NZ News on Motorola's Xoom please....

Forums › Android › What NZ News on Motorola's Xoom please....

MorrisTheCat

84 posts

Master Geek

#79500 18-Mar-2011 06:14

Have searched and Scroogled to death but have found little News to say the unit will be sold in NZ and a when. I am a Mac user with a iPhone4 and of course an iPad (Ver1) owner so know my way around them but as i work in the Engineering side of electronics i use Windows based machines daily so have a couple of Acer Netbooks amongst the junk at home to run things under Linux or Windows like my SDR-IQ software defined radio.... (but that's a whole different story).

A big hole is present in my knowledge and Geekness though and it is Android. I need to catchup.... What better than Motorola's Xoom running Honeycomb which going by Youtube demos seems to be a way more technical OS suited to an technical person...

So my question, who knows when, if and will the Xoom be here and of course will the iPad2 price beat it?

Thanks...

NZtechfreak

4649 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#449461 18-Mar-2011 08:18

No idea about NZ release date, but its likely to be cheaper to buy from the States in any case. I may very well be getting one after the 27th March, when the WiFi-only model comes out. Its priced at $100 more than the cheapest iPad2 ($599US), but it has more storage etc than that model, compared to a more similarly specced iPad2 pricing is reasonably commensurate.

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

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athor

123 posts

Master Geek

#449466 18-Mar-2011 08:39

Maybe keep an eye on this page :

http://www.mobicity.co.nz/motorola-xoom.html

semigeek

1604 posts

Uber Geek

#449478 18-Mar-2011 09:14

How is pronounced anyway? is it oom with a silent X or Zoom?

But anyway, also very interested to know when they hit NZ

pominnz

36 posts

Geek

#458723 14-Apr-2011 13:32

Forget about the Xoom. Motorola appear to have no intention of releasing it in NZ, and have missed the boat as far as I'm concerned.

But... the Acer Iconia Pad A500 is being released next week and has pretty much the same specifications as the Xoom.

16GB - $799
32GB - $949

Wifi only.

Kiwi1971

693 posts

Ultimate Geek

#458750 14-Apr-2011 14:22

pominnz: Forget about the Xoom. Motorola appear to have no intention of releasing it in NZ, and have missed the boat as far as I'm concerned.

But... the Acer Iconia Pad A500 is being released next week and has pretty much the same specifications as the Xoom.

16GB - $799
32GB - $949

Wifi only.

I am sorely tempted by the Iconia: I could get the 16GB and triple the storage to 48GB for the price of a
32GB MicroSD card which is about $120 - $130, less than the $150 difference for the additional 16GB storage on the 32GB model.
But then storage isn't such an issue, even on my netbook I store most of what I need off the HDD and access it over a network.

My main uses for my netbook which the tablet would effectively replace are
Web surfing/Web Video/Web Email - Check/
Home Network Browsing, Media Streaming - any idea how easily and good this is on an android tablet?
Torrent downloading TV mainly - Same question as above. Although with the new law just rushed through, I don't know how long this will be worth it. Way to lose my vote Nat/Labour.

DLS

pih

558 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#458770 14-Apr-2011 15:26

Kiwi1971:
pominnz: Forget about the Xoom. Motorola appear to have no intention of releasing it in NZ, and have missed the boat as far as I'm concerned.

But... the Acer Iconia Pad A500 is being released next week and has pretty much the same specifications as the Xoom.

16GB - $799
32GB - $949

Wifi only.

I am sorely tempted by the Iconia: I could get the 16GB and triple the storage to 48GB for the price of a
32GB MicroSD card which is about $120 - $130, less than the $150 difference for the additional 16GB storage on the 32GB model.
But then storage isn't such an issue, even on my netbook I store most of what I need off the HDD and access it over a network.

My main uses for my netbook which the tablet would effectively replace are
Web surfing/Web Video/Web Email - Check/
Home Network Browsing, Media Streaming - any idea how easily and good this is on an android tablet?
Torrent downloading TV mainly - Same question as above. Although with the new law just rushed through, I don't know how long this will be worth it. Way to lose my vote Nat/Labour.

DLS

Had a play with a pre-release A500 last week (I'm sure Acer won't mind me saying this), and from about 10 minutes of playing it seemed VERY nice. Serious contender with the iPad2 and the Xoom (though I've yet to see the Xoom in person). If you want a good Android tablet now, check it out. If you want a good one in the next 6 months or so, wait a while and you'll have a plethora to choose from, even if Motorola don't want to join the party downunder. (Disclosure: No affiliation with Acer, have even been slightly anti-Acer in the past, but the A500 has really changed my image of them. Check it out.)

pih

558 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#458775 14-Apr-2011 15:32

Should have mentioned the only downside in my opinion was the weight - 730g - I thought it was a little on the hefty side for a tablet, but very solidly built and it felt good in the hands. I just wouldn't want to be reading e-books on the couch with it for long, that's all.

pominnz

36 posts

Geek

#460857 20-Apr-2011 10:31

Bad news!!!

The Iconia A500 hasn't even arrived in NZ yet.

Now looking at a release date of next Thursday 28th

Hurls

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#477375 3-Jun-2011 12:22

Not sure if this discussion is over now but to add my 2 cents in, I have a Xoom and am NZ based. I am a reseller of them in AUS and was able to get them a few weeks back.
Given I am based here i have been able to use it here with no issues, the interesting thing is that it has a NZ warranty card included as well as the AUS one....

Contact me if you want any more info, happy to give yo my feedback on the device.

athor

123 posts

Master Geek

#477378 3-Jun-2011 12:33

Are these the 3g model or wifi? And if 3g, whats the supported frequencies?

Hurls

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#477380 3-Jun-2011 12:41

I have the 3G Model but I may have been a bit premature in replying. I have been using it by wireless tether to my HTC Desire on the 2 Degrees network(wifi mode) or via my home wireless. This is also how I use it in AUS. I don't see the point in purchasing 2 data packs. I guess I should switch the SIM to make sure it works. Cant see why it wouldn't though.

As for Freqs, I am not sure mate. How would I find out?

Hurls

Wait, just rebooted with the 2Degree SIM in it and it works fine. What else can I tell you?

athor

123 posts

Master Geek

#477401 3-Jun-2011 13:25

If you could find a model number somewhere on the device there should be specs online for it. Would be useful to know the frequencies to see what networks in nz it would and wouldnt work on.

And do you have a price?

Hurls

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#477432 3-Jun-2011 14:32

I suspect it would work on all NZ networks but checking out the specs would be worthwhile.
It is an MZ601
Price would be $786 AUS

General 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900,3G Network HSDPA 2100