Posts Tagged ‘Xoom’

“Rooting” and Android device is a process that gives the device user complete control over it. People have rooted Android phones for a variety of reasons including installing newer unauthorized versions of Android than the device’s vendor is willing to provide and installing apps that can only be installed on rooted devices.

Owners of rooted Android devices (smartphones and tablets) will find one minor inconvenience described by AndroidCentral.com.

Android Market’s new movie rental service blocked from rooted devices

Google provides movie rentals at market.android.com/movies for, generally, $2.99 or $3.99. The service is currently limited to the Motorola Xoom tablet or a Flash-enabled computer at the moment. Rented movies can be downloaded or, if on the Verizon Wireless network, streamed. Movies must be viewed within 30 days of rental. Most movies must be watched within 24 hours of starting to view it.

I visited one of my best friends the other day. He showed me how useful his Motorola Xoom (Verizon 3G model) was to him in nearly all aspects of his professional and personal life. His girlfriend was so impressed that she recently both a matching Xoom. This overall high satisfaction comes with a full understanding that several key features of the Android-based Xoom tablet are not yet functional. If the Xoom had a 7 or 8 inch display (instead of 10.1), I would seriously consider getting one myself. So, imagine my surprise when I read this on Forbes.com.

Motorola Mobility: Xoom, Atrix Both Duds, Pacific Crest Says

I’m not paticularly surprised by the reported low sales of the modular Motorola Atrix. This uniquely modular smartphone can provide a notebook like environment with the purchase of additional options. The addition of a large keyboard and display are reasonably expensive. And, while the concept sounds great to tech geeks like me, I suspect the general population would rather buy an iPad to go along with their phone rather than spend even more money to provide notebook-like features for their phone.

The reportedly low Xoom sales, however, does surprise me. The iPad 2 effect on its sales must be a lot stronger than I had estimtaed.

Google has never been afraid of its competition in the past. Now, after making its company name synonymous with “search engine”, gunning down Microsoft’s Hotmail and tackling the smartphone market, it’s looking to take on Apple’s iTunes with the long-awaited launch of Google Music.

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