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Get a 10-inch Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi tablet for $349.99

That's a full $250 less than you'll pay for an iPad 2 with similar specs--and at least $50 less than you'll find it anywhere else. Today only!

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
The Motorola Xoom.
The Motorola Xoom. Daily Steals

It's hard to believe that when the Motorola Xoom tablet made its debut back in February, it was $800. Granted, that was for the 3G model, and the price dropped to $600 if you sprung for a two-year Verizon contract. But come on: that's some crazy pricing.

Today only, and while supplies last, Daily Steals has the Motorola Xoom 10.1-inch Android 3.0 tablet for $349.99, plus $4.99 for shipping. Surprisingly, this is a new unit, not a refurb. And it's the Wi-Fi-only model.

So the Xoom. It comes with a dual-core processor, 32GB of storage, two cameras (one 5-megapixel, one 2-megapixel, both with LED flashes), HDMI out, GPS, a microSD slot, and so on. Many of those specs put it ahead of the 32GB iPad 2 Wi-Fi, which, incidentally, still sells for $599. (OK, Apple, enough is enough--it's time for an iPad price cut.)

Bottom line: if you're in the market for a 10-inch tablet, the Xoom is widely regarded as one of the best. (Read CNET's Xoom review if you want to learn more, though keep in mind it focuses on the 3G model, and hasn't been updated since April.)

However, my feeling these days is that I no longer want a 10-inch tablet. The more I use my rooted Nook Color, the more I like the 7-inch form factor. It's much more comfortable to hold for long periods (like when you're reading), and I find the screen more than ample for games, videos, e-books, and the like. Obviously it's not quite as good for Web browsing (bigger is always better), but it suffices.

And, of course, there's a huge price benefit: the 7-inch Kindle Fire sells for $199 (and has been selling like hotcakes), while refurbished Nook Colors have been going for as low as $139. Even Lenovo's new IdeaPad A1 7-inch Android tablet is $199.20 shipped (when you use coupon code USPA2M1104).

So I'll ask you: are you willing pay $350 (or more) for a 10-inch tablet? Or do you agree that 7-inchers are the future?

Bonus deal: When it comes to everyday printing chores (i.e. documents that don't require color), nothing beats a laser printer. While supplies last, Office Depot has the Samsung ML-1865W wireless laser printer for $49.99, plus sales tax in most states. Pad your cart by at least a penny to score free shipping. (Paper clips, anyone?)