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Engadget Podcast 233 - 02.21.2011
Our program today is XXXXXL heavy in a lot of different ways, and most of those ways lie under a big robotic green umbrella. Get it? It was a weather-related Android allusion; please forgive us. It's the Engadget Podcast, wedged firmly between the past and the future, unsure of what to feel about either one, but trying to exist really completely in the now.Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Producer: Trent WolbeMusic: Love Will Tear Us Apart00:05:30 - Samsung Galaxy S II official: dual-core 1GHz CPU, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus, coming this month (hands-on with video)00:05:50 - HTC Incredible S, Desire S, and Wildfire S video hands-on00:06:00 - Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 preview (video)00:16:22 - Qualcomm promises Netflix streaming support on 'future Android devices' with Snapdragon00:16:43 - Android-powered LG Revolution caught streaming Netflix at MWC (video)00:23:02 - Next version of Android will combine Gingerbread and Honeycomb, arrive on a six-month cycle00:23:58 - The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (update: video and full spec sheet!)00:24:25 - Sony Ericsson touts Xperia Play multiplayer gaming, promises 50 titles at launch00:24:40 - Sony Ericsson Xperia Play available in March, on Verizon in 'early spring'00:35:26 - LG Optimus 3D hands-on00:44:48 - HTC's Facebook-worshipping phones headed to AT&T later this year00:46:20 - HTC Salsa and Chacha bring the dedicated Facebook button to Android (update: eyes-on)00:51:30 - Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets00:52:08 - Motorola Xoom price official: $799 unsubsidized on Verizon, $600 for WiFi-only00:53:00 - Motorola's Sanjay Jha on Xoom: 'Our ability to deliver 4G justifies the $799 price point'00:59:10 - HTC launches 1.5GHz, 7-inch Android 2.4 Flyer into the tablet wars (update: hands-on video!)00:59:48 - HTC Flyer tablet hits Amazon.de for 669 euros00:59:55 - The stylus isn't dead: more pen-based tablets and apps coming this year01:05:01 - Exclusive: Sony 'S1' PlayStation tablet (updated)01:06:02 - Nokia: 'Our first priority is beating Android'01:06:20 - Eric Schmidt: 'We certainly tried' to get Nokia to use Android01:06:40 - HTC CEO Peter Chou on Microsoft / Nokia partnership: 'it'll make the ecosystem stronger'01:07:00 - The Engadget Interview: Microsoft's Aaron Woodman talks Windows Phone 7 and Nokia01:07:30 - Windows Phone 7's multitasking uses zoomed-out cards to check on your apps01:08:50 - Microsoft Rally Ball demo shows Windows Phone 7, Kinect, Xbox Live living in perfect harmony (video)01:09:10 - Microsoft shows off WP7's future with multitasking, Twitter integration, and IE9, all coming this year01:12:40 - Nokia's marginalization of MeeGo came as a surprise to Intel01:13:58 - Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft01:14:25 - Editorial: Intel keeps pushing MeeGo, but why?01:14:50 - Intel shows off more of its MeeGo Tablet UI, still needs lots of work01:27:50 - Motorola Atrix 4G reviewHear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @engadget @reckless
Visualized: Motorola Xoom rolls into Best Buy
Sure, you've probably seen plenty of the Motorola Xoom by now, but have you seen a stack of them being rolled into a Best Buy? Didn't think so. Well, you can now rest assured that they are indeed arriving in stores ahead of the big Thursday launch date, thanks to the helpful tipster who sent us this image. Unfortunately, it seems that a few pieces fell off the truck on the road to retail.
Motorola Xoom will ship without Flash support on February 24th, expects it in 'Spring 2011' (updated)
Verizon's webpage dedicated to the Xoom has just gone up and one of our eagle-eyed readers has already spotted a disquieting bit of small print: "Adobe Flash expected Spring 2011." You don't sit around expecting what you already have, so that leads us to conclude that the Xoom, the mighty iPad-slaying, Honeycomb-bringing, world-changing tablet... won't have Flash at launch. The version of Adobe's rich media player it's waiting for is most probably 10.2 for mobile devices, scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks, which should mean first-day buyers this Thursday will get a limited-time premium feature on their tablets: no Flash ads. [Thanks, Chris] Update: Motorola has confirmed this, in a very roundabout fashion. The company's statement in full: "Motorola XOOM will include full support for Adobe® Flash® Player® for accessing the rich video and animations of the web, to be available after launch."
Motorola Xoom up for in-store pre-order at Best Buy, $800 for Thursday availability
No more stunt prices, no more premature web appearances, this (we hope) is finally Best Buy's fully official listing for the Motorola Xoom. It brings no great surprises to those who've been tracking the tablet's progress to retail shelves, offering first dibs to buyers willing to make the effort and pre-order one in store today, with full availability coming on Thursday, February 24th. The $800 3G-equipped model is accompanied on Best Buy's site by a $40 portfolio case, a $50 basic charging dock, a $130 stereo speaker dock, and a $70 Bluetooth keyboard, but there's no sighting of the cheaper WiFi-only Xoom. There was some suspicion that the $600 SKU would launch a little later on and that is indeed what appears to be happening. One final note of caution: even if you're intending to use the Xoom as a pure WiFi-only device, remember that you'll be required to activate data with Verizon for at least a month first -- don't ask us why. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Motorola Xoom manual now available for download, ready to expose the ins and outs of Honeycomb
Wish you had your Xoom tablet already? Yeah, us too. We can't get you there, but thanks to Droid Live you can at least pore over every page of the thing's manual. 64 pages, actually, covering everything from how to turn it on to, well, how to turn it off again. Looking for other excitement? You'll find a hipster on a bench on page 10, what appears to be Joanna Newsom on page 30, and a disgustingly happy couple on page 33. Oh, and lots and lots of details bout Honeycomb too. Check it out! [Thanks, Andy]
Motorola Xoom vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 vs. LG G-Slate -- battle of the Tegra 2 Honeycomb tablets
Hello, Moto -- no wait, Samsung... or is it LG? Three of the world's biggest smartphone makers have leapt at the opportunity to serve up Google's brand new Honeycomb build of Android, however their selection of menu items looks to be somewhat lacking in diversity. Motorola's Xoom matches Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in both screen size and resolution (1280 x 800), while LG's Optimus Pad / G-Slate offers only marginally smaller measurements with an 8.9-inch display spanning 1280 x 768. More than that, all three tablets run the bone-stock Honeycomb UI and are built around NVIDIA's 1GHz Tegra 2 system-on-chip, leaving little room for differentiation on the basis of user experience or internal performance (LG would have you believe its 3D camcorder is a big advantage for its slate, but we're not so sure). Most choices between the three, then, will come to things like brand loyalty, ergonomics and pure, basic aesthetic appeal. To help you judge the latter of those three points, we've prepared an exhaustive barrage of side-by-side photos below -- we expect you to view every last one of 'em... at least twice. %Gallery-116882% %Gallery-116881% %Gallery-116879%
Motorola Xoom price official: $799 unsubsidized on Verizon, $600 for WiFi-only
There you have it, folks -- the exhausting saga of the Xoom's pricing has finally been laid to rest by Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha. Reuters reports a $799 levy for the 32GB Honeycomb tablet when bought with 3G (which will be upgraded to 4G) connectivity from Verizon sans subsidies, while Jha is also quoted as saying that a WiFi-only version will set buyers back only $600. The latter price matches the 32GB iPad directly, however the 3G Xoom is $70 more expensive than the Apple alternative. Sanjay failed to say when said pricing or models will become available, but there have been strong indications that pre-orders or reservations will begin tomorrow (at least at Best Buy), with the tablet launching in full on Thursday next week. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Motorola Xoom up for pre-order at Best Buy this Thursday... for $1,199? (update)
What the what?! Best Buy has just put up word on when you can pre-order the Motorola Xoom -- this coming Thursday, February 17th -- and a price, $1,199. There are "great" financing offers available, but we can't get over this price we're seeing. Our only hope is that this may be a placeholder number, which will get revised soon, though it's live on Best Buy's site and there's nothing to really indicate it's a mistake. Moreover, that 1-month data activation requirement we noted recently is indeed real, meaning you'll need to pay a levy to Verizon as well before you get your Android 3.0 groove on. [Thanks, Joe and Magid] Update: We've heard rumblings that this is indeed just a place holder -- much like the way other companies price products they don't want to sell at ridiculous levels -- and the final price will indeed be the $800 we've heard most consistently to this point. Update 2: Best Buy's listing has entirely disappeared. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HP TouchPad vs. iPad vs. Xoom vs. PlayBook: the tale of the tape
At last, the webOS-empowered TouchPad, HP's answer to the growing tablet market. And make no mistake, it's coming in with guns blazing -- specs-wise, the slate stands up pretty well to the competition currently in play (e.g. iPad) and the other up-and-comers not quite out the gate (e.g. Motorola Xoom and BlackBerry PlayBook). Stacked side-by-side, it's clear Apple's entry is lacking a bit in both memory (256MB vs. 1GB for everyone else) and front-facing camera -- not that we expect that to be the case for all of 2011. When it all comes down to it, what'll set these slates apart will be the platforms and software themselves -- should make for an interesting summer, no? In the meantime, for the nitty-gritty on technical specifications, venture past the break.
Motorola's Xoom Super Bowl commercial tips hat to Apple's '1984' spot (video)
We saw it teased right around 48 hours ago, and now Motorola's full Xoom Super Bowl ad is out and about for the world to see. It aired just moments ago during Super Bowl XLV, and it's fairly obvious where it took inspiration. It's easily one of the best tech spots we've seen in quite some while, and as much as Motorola has been hyping its Honeycomb-based superslate, we'd say it better sell quite a few to recoup what it's already lost in marketing -- even at $800 a pop, it'll still take a boatload. The real question, however, is this: will today's America even get it? Hop on past the break and mash play if you missed out. P.S. - Missed our coverage of Super Bowl Media Day? Catch up here!
Verizon locking WiFi on Motorola Xoom until you buy one month of data service?
Call us crazy, but we're having a hard time interpreting this line of fine print in any other way: "To activate WiFi functionality on this device, a minimum of one month data subscription is required." That's listed under Best Buy's most recent ad highlighting the world's first Android 3.0 tablet, and it most certainly sounds both ominous and ridiculous. Hardcore Verizon followers may remember the days of Big Red crippling Bluetooth radios in phones in order to "coerce" users to purchase ringtones and such from them rather than snagging one on the subway from Tom, Dick and / Jane, so we definitely wouldn't put something like this by the company. It's hard to say how this will be implemented once the $800 Xoom hits retail shelves, but it's certainly hard to believe that this is a Best Buy policy (and not a Verizon mandate). We'll be digging for more details (after all, this could all be some strange, terrible dream), but we'll be straight with you -- we don't like the potential implications here. Update: We're hearing from some Best Buy Mobile employees that these simply won't be able to be sold without being first activated on Verizon's network, so even though you could theoretically cancel the same day, you'll still likely get hit with a one-time activation fee (and possibly one month of data). Then again, there appears to be typos on the flyer, so you may want to wait for Verizon's official word before getting up in arms. [Thanks, Michael]
Best Buy ad prices Motorola Xoom at $800, affirms February 24th launch date
The evidence for a Motorola Xoom launch on February 24th just became that bit more compelling, courtesy of this here Best Buy ad. It promises Moto's Android tablet will be in stores a couple of weeks from now, decorated with a daunting $799.99 sticker. That price agrees with one of our earliest leaks on the matter, purportedly from Verizon's own systems, so all the pieces seem to be falling into place for a pretty exciting end to February for Android fans. This flier also has some data tariffs on it, starting at $20 per month for a 1GB allowance and stretching up to a 10GB limit for $80 (identical to VZW's pricing with the Galaxy Tab). Doesn't really sound like the most appealing proposition we've ever heard, but maybe if those prices remain static once the Xoom gets its 4G upgrade, we could learn to love them. Update: Motorola's official Xoom portal just went live, presumably as its Super Bowl ad finally aired.
Engadget Podcast 231 - 02.05.2011
This podcast is so disgusting that #1 Digitimes bestselling author Paul Miller wants to take a shower. JK, not disgusting at all! Lots of cool stuff, actually. Just look at that topics list! It's a real beauty, right? We're not sure we COULD fit any more platforms into a podcast if we tried. Hang out with it. It's the Engadget Podcast, just the way you like it, with especially special guest Chris Ziegler.Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul MillerGuest: Chris Ziegler Producer: Trent WolbeMusic: Sexy Chick00:08:24 - Live from Google's Android event!00:08:37 - Android in-app purchases hands-on (video)00:08:55 - Android Market gets a web store with OTA installations, in-app purchases coming soon00:11:00 - Android Market web store hands-on00:20:47 - Motorola Xoom first benchmark: 1823 in Quadrant00:21:47 - Google shows off Fragments API for Android 3.000:25:00 - Motorola teases Xoom Super Bowl ad: '2011 looks a lot like 1984'00:36:30 - Motorola's Atrix 4G coming to AT&T on March 6th for $200, bundled with Laptop Dock for $50000:51:35 - Verizon iPhone review00:52:23 - Verizon can now throttle top five percent of bandwidth hogs, downres multimedia transfers00:53:12 - Verizon breaks first day sales record with iPhone 4 pre-orders -- in only two hours01:01:43 - Nokia, Microsoft announcing partnership next week, possibly involving Windows Phone 7?01:10:19 - Palm creating palmtop computer with detachable, dockable cellphone?01:12:15 - HP CEO: New webOS products shipping weeks after February 9 reveal, another big announcement March 1401:13:35 - Palm 'Think Beyond' teaser shows off glimpses of... something (updated with longer video)Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @engadget @reckless @zpower
Watch Google's Android event in full: Honeycomb on the Xoom, Android Market website, in-app purchases, and Cee-Lo Green
There was plenty about yesterday's Android event that didn't make headlines but was worth noting. Hardware acceleration of both 2D and 3D UI elements -- shown off to great effect by Google's Hugo Barra, who managed to scroll through three lists simultaneously without inducing any lag on the Motorola Xoom -- should make Honeycomb as delicious to look at as it sounds, while our personal favorite, the new tablet-specific email interface, should be part of Gmail yesterday. The email UI is built out of elements Google calls fragments, which will supposedly be easy to transition down to smartphones, so thumbs up all around. The video above also runs you through the big news of the day, namely that Android Market can now be accessed via a dedicated website and apps downloaded to your device remotely, along with the equally important (for devs) addition of in-app purchases. Finally, Cee-Lo Green pops in for a video chat session from wherever he is on the internets, and we're all treated to an exhibition of lag-afflicted, awkward conversation. What's not to love?
Android 3.0 'Honeycomb' can encrypt all your data, needs a full hour's charge
Diving through the Motorola Xoom's sweet, sweet blend of Android 3.0, we found an interesting perk -- there's an "Encrypt Tablet" option buried in the settings page, intended to secure all your personal data with a password or PIN. While a handy Google rep couldn't tell us which cryptographic standards the OS uses, he did tell us the feature is part of Honeycomb as a whole, not a Motorola exclusive, so we're sure to see the option in other business-minded Android slates to come. Oh, and Google asks that all you sysadmins stay tuned, as the company's whipped up an API that lets you enforce policy restrictions upon your peons as far as encryption is concerned. Just make sure they remember to keep the tablet charged. See a close-up after the break. Update: Google pinged us to clarify that the device policy manager API was actually introduced in 2.2. What's new here is that the API can now support enforcement of encrypted storage in 3.0 (as well as password strength).
Motorola Xoom first benchmark: 1823 in Quadrant
We're unabashed spec junkies here at Engadget, and can you blame us? There are mountains of new devices every year, and it helps to have bullet points and numerical differentiators to cut through the fluff. That's why we're happy to say we got the chance to run the Quadrant benchmark on Motorola's Tegra 2-powered Xoom, and have a number with which to compare it against the many competitors sure to breech Android's bow soon. 1823 is the magic number -- which doesn't quite compare to the LG Optimus 2X -- but that's with a non-optimized smartphone version of Quadrant running the app on the tablet's sizable 1280 x 800 display, no less. What's more, Quadrant cleared up some of the codename confusion we've seen out of Moto as of late, as it turns out the Xoom also identifies itself as both Trygon and Stingray. Good to know! %Gallery-115593%
TouchType debuts SwiftKey Tablet app for Android tablets, we go hands-on (video)
We got a taste of what TouchType was doing to tweak its SwiftKey keyboard app for tablets back at CES, and the company has just now gotten official with the final result: its SwiftKey Tablet app. It's apparently been designed "in partnership" with Google and Motorola to coincide with the launch of the Xoom and, as you can see above, it's clearly been tailored specifically for Honeycomb -- the company describes the skin as "holographic" and "thumb-optimized." As with previous SwiftKey keyboard apps, it makes use of the company's so-called Fluency Prediction Engine, which promises to predict "around a third of words" before you enter a single character, and can now even analyze your Gmail, Facebook and Twitter accounts to learn how you write (though that can apparently be turned off if you prefer). Head on past the break for a quick video, and stay tuned for some hands-on impressions. Update: Impressions after the break! %Gallery-115597%
Motorola Xoom lands in Chad Ochocinco's safe hands, is 'pretty awesome'
The Motorola Xoom's release is close, very close. How do we know that? Well, Moto has just handed one to Chad Ochocinco -- one of the NFL's most recklessly loquacious players -- and you don't do that with an unfinished product. For his part, Chad's finding the Honeycomb tablet to be "pretty awesome" and regretfully informs Motorola that it "won't be getting this back." Tracking Chad's tweets reveals that he's just landed in Dallas, site of this year's Super Bowl, where he's received the Android-driven hardware. Something tells us neither he nor Motorola's tablet will spend the next week hiding in the shadows -- look for a lot more screen time for both in the buildup to the big game (and Moto's big halftime ad). One last note? Chad's image above was taken using an iPhone 4. Guess he's holding out for the Atrix 4G. [Thanks, Zizo]
Motorola Atrix 4G and Xoom tablet launching at the end of February, Droid Bionic and LTE Xoom in Q2
Motorola had one of the best CES showings of any company in recent memory, and now we've got some rough ship dates for all that new gear: CEO Sanjay Jha just announced on the company's earnings call that the Atrix 4G for AT&T and 3G Xoom for Verizon will arrive at "the end of February," while the LTE-enabled Droid Bionic and LTE Xoom will arrive at "the end of the second quarter" as previously promised. That sounds good to us -- and with that earlier Best Buy leak suggesting the Xoom will hit on February 17, we're hoping that Moto's taking a long view of when the end of February actually begins. Even better, a late February Xoom release supports those rumors that Honeycomb will be generally released in March, which is when the real Android tablet invasion will begin. It's all happening, folks. Update: Oh boy. Jha followed up his Xoom comments in the Q&A portion by hinting that the Xoom might slip to March, but that he's very confident they'll make their timeline. Fingers crossed.
Motorola Xoom priced at $800 at a minimum, according to Verizon leak
Wow, insider tipsters are getting efficient! Verizon appears to have only just added Minimum Advertised Pricing for the Motorola Xoom to its internal systems, but already it's been leaked out by more than one source. Android Central has the damning evidence, which lists an $800 levy for any prospective owners of the flagship Android Honeycomb device. It's accompanied by a listing of the HTC Thunderbolt at $250, with the logical conclusion being that the Moto tablet will come unsullied by subsidies while the HTC LTE handset will probably cost that much on a two-year deal. That makes plenty of sense to us -- the typical smartphone price is $200 and Verizon can point to the 4G goodness the Thunderbolt brings as justifying its $50 premium, whereas the Xoom's cost seems to be in line with the Galaxy Tab's pricing. Now, how about some launch dates, leaksters?
