With Apple’s announcement of an iPad 2 launch earlier this week, and final confirmation of which features will actually be included, the floodgates of comparison have opened and tech pundits have stripped down the offerings from each competitor to suss out whether Motorola or Apple will give you the best bang for your buck. Of course, there are those who chose to focus on the fact that Steve Jobs popped up at the launch announcement (an unexpected turn due to his ongoing leave of absence), but that was probably as intended considering how many of the long-rumored upgrades were missing. But Apple did include some of the items that fans of the original iPad were clamoring for, making a tablet that is better than its last iteration. But will it be enough to beat out the Xoom? Let’s take a look at what each has to offer.
The iPad 2 has a lot to fall back on, starting with a sleek exterior that has been made even thinner (clocking in at a mere 8.8 millimeters wide, which is less than the iPhone 4). And then there is the fact that you’ll have access to 65,000 apps via the iTunes store. And of course, the multimedia functionality is nothing to sniff at, with music, videos, games, and eBooks available at the snap of a finger through either the free Wi-Fi connection (or the MRC option with AT&Ts 3G network). Beyond that, they’ve added the front- and rear-facing cameras that customers missed the first time around. Other than that, the iPad 2 is pretty much the same.
So what don’t they have? Notably missing are more options for connectivity, including the expected 4G potential. In addition, the screen has not gone anti-glare, nor has resolution been upgraded. And the myths of an SD card slot for additional memory and/or media transfer capabilities remains elusive. But what you’re probably wondering at this point is how the Motorola Xoom compares; and the picture is not pretty.
First of all, the Xoom, while a bit bulkier (not noticeably – it’s only 12.7 mm), comes with a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio. It appears that Apple is the only holdout sticking with the squarish 4:3 screen. Also coming out ahead are Motorola’s resolution (1280×800 as opposed to Apple’s 1024×768) and cameras (theirs are 5-megapixel while Apple only has 1-megapixel cameras). Plus, the Xoom has an SD card slot that will allow for up to 32GB of additional memory (to be enabled by an upcoming software update -a must considering they have no 64GB model to match Apple). But the biggie, the feature that really pushed the Xoom over the edge, is the potential for 4G connectivity. Consumers will have to mail in their unit for this free upgrade, but it puts Motorola well ahead of the iPad 2.
Of course, there’s still price to consider, and the iPad 2 certainly wins on this score with their basic model starting at $499 (while the comparable Xoom is a hundred dollars more). But all things being equal, the Xoom appears to be the clear winner in this contest, at least if they live up to all their promises. And with speculations already circulating about an iPad 3 by the end of the year (unlikely, but that’s the rumor-mill for you), it could be that Apple is simply holding out for their next release. At this point, consumers should consider following suit.
Sarah Danielson is a writer for Adiamor Diamond Engagement Rings where you can find loose diamonds, engagement ring settings, and other fine diamond jewelry at affordable prices.
