There’s whispers bouncing around the interwebs that Google’s isn’t exactly thrilled with the performance of the Motorola Xoom and may be developing their own, pure, Google Tablet for LG to make. Now why on earth would they do that? It may be that Google wants to expand their Nexus brand name with a Nexus Tablet, but the only reason Nexus really exists is because cellphone companies like to add overlays like TouchWiz and Blur which bog down the phone and cause Google to rework updates to run with them. But with Tablets, Google is essentially enjoying a free hand as every tablet runs a pure Android experience. So what gives?
It would obviously run Honeycomb, the OS that Google built from the ground up for tablets, but little else is being known. I’d have to guess it would be dual-core as well. It may be that Google just wants to expand that Nexus brand and use it as a playground for innovations that it wants to add and see if others would copy. Some analysts do think that Google wants to have a so-called baseline device which all other tablets would have to emulate.
And a pure Google Tablet has another benefit. No data plan requirements. So users could buy it and use it wirelessly, or perhaps bring it to their wireless carrier of choice. Yeah, good luck with that. It just seems odd, and yet, maybe it’s the odd things that make the most sense. We’re not buyin’ it though. Not yet at least.
[via Technologizer]
Seems like rather an irresponsible headline even if it does state [Rumour] – The web is full of rumours of an LG Nexus but nowhere have I read that Google is unhappy about the Xoom or is ditching it. Indeed, the Xoom is one of the few Honeycomb tablets either already available or due out that has not added their own twiddly-bits or UI.
is anyone actually happy with the performance of motorola Xoom?
There is nothing wrong with Xoom’s performance. I tested one yesterday – very snappy! But what I don’t like is that it is heavy. I never knew 1.6 lbs was that heavy. Also the screen is way too glossy. Tough to read depending upon the lighting conditions. So now I’m thinking I’ll hold off until the Samsung comes out. Just not sure I can wait that long.
Did you buy it? No? That’s the problem.
Very responsive and still testing apps for compatibility. So far most of my favorite apps seem to be working on it and the Honeycomb specific apps are nice improvements over their normal Android counterparts.
The Xoom’s performance is outstanding. Couldn’t be happier with it.
When they say performance, I hope they means sales performance which is Verizons fault. As for device performance, the Xoom flies without the slightest of hiccups.
I mean in benchmarks where it seems to be getting trounced by everything.
I smell Apple troll.
It slaughters everything at system benchmarks, the device experience is buttery smooth and there is never a delay. Videos and games play flawlessly. It has a few software bugs, but the hardware and honeycomb are no slouch. Video benchmarks are a bit lower than iPad 2 which is largely due to Xoom not having Neon as well as the fact that APIs are not available yet for dual-core optimization, so no benchmarking apps or games are reflecting the actual device performance capabilities. Between iPad 2 and Xoom, there is no comparison, the Xoom experience wins hands down and its plenty fast enough for anything you can throw at it.
I’m actually interested in seeing these benchmarks, because I am waiting for the new galaxy tab to be released here due to the fact every benchmark I have seen done, even sunspider, show the Xoom getting its ass handed to it.
There is no shortage of Xoom benchmarks showing it killing everything else if you look, here are the sunspider results of it beating iPad2, iPad, iPhone 4, Nexus S and Galaxy Tab http://jeftek.com/1942/motorola-xoom-sunspider-results/ and again http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=989426
The Galaxy Tab 10.1/8.9 will have better video benchmarks no doubt, but it won’t be tegra 2, so you’ll be missing out on most of the top games this year if thats what you like. For everything else, it is really fast and will only get faster with os updates, driver optimization and once dual-core apis are available.
How about the “sales” benchmark? I don’t see lines for the Xoom.
There is no shortage of Xoom benchmarks showing it killing everything else if you look, here are the sunspider results of it beating iPad2, iPad, iPhone 4, Nexus S and Galaxy Tab http://jeftek.com/1942/motorola-xoom-sunspider-results/ and again http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=989426
The Galaxy Tab 10.1/8.9 will have better video benchmarks no doubt, but it won’t be tegra 2, so you’ll be missing out on most of the top games this year if thats what you like. For everything else, it is really fast and will only get faster with os updates, driver optimization and once dual-core apis are available.
There is no shortage of Xoom benchmarks showing it killing everything else if you look, here are the sunspider results of it beating iPad2, iPad, iPhone 4, Nexus S and Galaxy Tab http://jeftek.com/1942/motorola-xoom-sunspider-results/ and again http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=989426
The Galaxy Tab 10.1/8.9 will have better video benchmarks no doubt, but it won’t be tegra 2, so you’ll be missing out on most of the top games this year if thats what you like. For everything else, it is really fast and will only get faster with os updates, driver optimization and once dual-core apis are available.
Then why isn’t anyone buying it?
The only benchmarks to show the Xoom “getting trounced” were anandtech gpu benchmarks agains the iPad 2 and they ignored two main things with those benchmarks,
1. Xoom has 30% more pixels – so it will be lower in benchmarks.
2. Some of those gpu benchmarks have gpu acceleration enabled for A5 and not Tegra 2
so the wifi xoom was released on monday and now google is ditching xoom? sounds unlikely
“But with Tablets, Google is essentially enjoying a free hand as every tablet runs a pure Android experience.”
That is not true. Google has dispelled those rumors and stated that OEM’s are free to muck up Honeycomb’s UI all they want.
Google … step forward and clarify things as well as Motorola …
LOL sounds like the essays I used to write for my school earlier in my life! 😛 Stating the obvious and repetitive!
And FYI, if Google isn’t happy with Xoom performance, Google is the one to be blamed for buggy software, which by now the whole world is aware of! Even Googlers call Xoom buyers as early adopters! Oh well, I bet the blog was worth a few hundred hits! 😀
It’s Deja-vu all over again.
Motorola was allowed to release the first Android 2.0 device (The Droid/Milestone) only to have Google release a more powerful Nexus branded device shortly after.
I think that would just be Deja-vu, it will be Deja-vu all over again next time this happens.
I have an iPad 1st Gen and a Xoom. Not sure what is so buggy about HC 3.0.1 but its working for me. Got root on the Xoom less than 24hrs after the official release of the WiFi only model. Devs are in the kitchen cooking up ROMs as we type.
I love my Xoom and assume that this rumor was started by Apple :).
I believe this is Apple’s FUD marketing.
Because LG makes quality shi-, all there phones are awesome and that’s why I’m going with the g2x vs. HTC pyramid
The Nexus G-Spot?
Maybe it will work as a phone and a tablet? I hope, I hope.
A very bad move from Google!
Almost every product I had from LG showed that it wasn’t top quality.
Sometimes it’s because of the laggy/buggy GSM-software or the dying pixel in their monitors.
I don’t know how the general experience with LG is, but believe me, I’ll NEVER recommend LG.
So, even if Google is the company that wants to let them make their tablet, I still won’t buy it ONLY because it’s from LG.
I think that was a crystal clear opinion 🙂
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lg android phones are top quality, i had an optimus one and then upgraded to optimus 2x. never did i encountered a major bug or a tech/hardware problem. my brother bought a galaxy s and regretted buying one cause all of the software bugs. hes busy so he doesnt have any time to flash any custom roms and to tweak it. what lg phone did you use? the cheap cookie line up? i would buy LG anytime.
Hope not. Just got the Xoom last week and my iPad 1 is collecting dust. I have an iPhone and Mac Book Pro so I’m not anti-Apple, I just LOVE my Xoom.
If you like apple there is no reason to own a xoom over an iPad 2. What are you doing with it? No apps and it doesn’t do half the things the iPad 2 will do. For that fact other stood tabs do more. Plus why pay more for less?
Where is ther massive price difference you speak of? The iPad2 32g Wifi is going for $599, same as the Xoom, and the 32g iPad 3g is $729 versus $789. Verizon is offering the XOOM 3g for $599 with 2 year plan. I did not see if Ipad2 was the same. .
I highly doubt it. Not only was the Xoom used as Google’s prototype device during Honeycomb development, it is still heavily used now for testing. Furthermore, the lead time it would take for LG to hit the market with a new tablet (other than g slate) would be considerable. It’s possible they are working with LG for the succesor to Honeycomb, just as they worked with Motorola to build Honeycomb though… which is just as much a “pure Google experience” as an LG tablet would be based on the details of this rumor, think about it ;-).
Gtab requires no.data plan and is every bit as much a workhorse as xoom. Don’t get sucked into hype.
Xoom, gtab, iPad, etc are all available off-contract with no monthly service commitments from both at&t and verizon.
G-Tab has very similar specs, but only 512mb of ram if i remember right.
The issue with it is the screen SUCKS! The Xoom looks incredible. For anyone wanting a cheap beastly device get the Xoom Wifi, or the G-Tab (I do NOT recommend the Archos 101)
I think if this is true it’s just Google working the ranks of manufacturers. They’ve worked closely with Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and now (allegedly) LG. What a better way to set the bar and drum up enthusiasm by lending Google’s Android engineering expertise?
looking good!