LAS VEGAS - Motorola and Verizon Wireless introduced a much-hyped-about product this week at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
Dubbed an iPad competitor, the new tablet, Motorola XOOM, is the first device on Google??s new Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system.
Motorola XOOM allows consumers to experience HD content right on the device, supports 1080p HD video and HDMI output to display content on larger HD screens, and plays video and other rich web content seamlessly with Adobe Flash Player. Motorola XOOM features a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G LTE, as well as a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD. It also features Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction and delivers access to over 3 million Google eBooks and thousands of apps from Android Market.
For working on the go, Motorola XOOM provides constant connectivity ?' including connecting to Gmail or Exchange email; opening and editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations; and viewing calendars and sending out appointments or meeting notices - with mobile broadband speeds. Its mobile hotspot capability provides an online connection for up to five other Wi-Fi enabled devices.
"Motorola XOOM is a powerful addition to Verizon??s product lineup and builds on our combined leadership with Motorola to deliver innovative mobile devices and service on the Android platform," said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. "Motorola XOOM gives consumers complete access and control of their favorite personal content and work files whether through our nationwide 3G network, or through our lightning-fast 4G LTE network as it rolls out around the country."
"Light, powerful and fundamentally different than anything else on the market, Motorola XOOM leverages the very best technology available today to redefine what a tablet experience can be," said Bill Ogle, chief marketing officer of Motorola Mobility. "The first device to feature software designed specifically for tablets, Motorola XOOM goes everywhere you do and delivers everything you need."
The Motorola XOOM device will launch as a 3G/Wi-Fi enabled device in Q1 2011 with an upgrade to 4G LTE in Q2. Starting in Q2 2011 the Motorola XOOM will be a 4G LTE/Wi-Fi- enabled device.