How we'd improve the Motorola Xoom
There are rumours of a new and improved Motorola Xoom tablet in the works, so we weigh in on the features we'd like to see on an updated model besides faster chips and sharper screens.
Rumour has it that Motorola is working on a new 10.1-inch tablet to coincide with Google's launch of the Android Ice Cream Sandwich platform later in the year. The current scuttlebutt suggests a tablet with a whopping 2048x1536-pixel screen resolution, but in a bewildering 4:3 aspect ration. The rumours go on to say the next Xoom will be thinner, so presumably lighter, and that Motorola may intend to use the new Nvidia quad-core Kal-El processor as the tablet's backbone.
We had a chance to review the Xoom a few months ago and we were left feeling that there was some room for improvement, and we probably wouldn't have started with screen resolution and processing power. Here are our must-have enhancements for Motorola's next tablet.
Make it cheaper
Moto leapt into tablet technology feet first, creating what it considered to be a premium quality product deserving of a premium price tag. Don't get us wrong, it is sharply designed and constructed using some lovely feeling materials, but this is cold comfort when similar tablets from Asus and Acer have hit the market at slightly more than half the price.
We understand that building these machines costs money, but Motorola needs to keep its pricing in the same ball park as the computer manufacturers to stay ahead of the pack.
Change its screen technology
The promise of a huge step-up in screen resolution is always welcomed, but what we'd prefer to see is Motorola move away from TFT LCD panels and invest in some of the better-looking technologies used by the competition. It's unlikely Motorola could buy large AMOLED displays off Samsung, given that Samsung itself doesn't use AMOLED for its larger mobile devices, but making use of LG's IPS tech would be a step in the right direction.
Add a full-sized SD card slot
While many of us struggle to figure where tablets fit into our tech lives, creative professionals found a place for these large-screened displays immediately. Adding a full-sized SD card slot would be a huge boon for photographers and digital artists, making it possible to inspect and edit photos immediately after a shoot.
Include support for NTFS file systems
Support for the NTFS file system will probably be the farthest thing from the minds of Motorola's designers, but it could be just what they need to convince the PC crowd to dip its toe in the tablet waters. Unlike FAT32 file systems, NTFS is capable of reading files larger than 4GB, opening doors for professional visual effects artists, and other professionals dealing in huge slabs of data, to transport and display their works in progress.
Any Xoom owners out there care to weigh in on this issue?