Motorola Mobility came up big with an increase in handset, smartphone and tablet sales in the second quarter, but still managed to post a net loss. The company shipped 11 million handsets, including 4.4 million smartphones compared to 9.3 million handsets and 4.1 million smartphones in the first quarter. Motorola Xoom shipments nearly doubled, up from 250,000 in the first quarter to 440,000.
Tagged ‘Motorola Xoom’
The first quarter of 2011 was a rough patch for tablet sales. Following strong sales over the 2010 holiday season, the start of 2011 was very much a polar opposite. According to IDC, first quarter tablet shipments were down 28 percent sequentially, largely due to iPad shipments that were “well below expectations.” Is this the first sign we’re facing a tablet bubble or was Q1 2011 just a bump in the road?
The evolution of Android Honeycomb has been both smooth and quick. After launching version 3.0 on March 27th, it took less than two months for the 3.1 update to hit the Motorola Xoom. The next step, Android Honeycomb 3.2, is expected within a matter of days, but it will not be as major and overhaul as 3.1. Instead, its two biggest features will open the flood gates to even more Android tablets.
HTC Flyer owners, prepare to celebrate. The two blockbuster features included in Android 3.2 Honeycomb are support for Qualcomm processors and 7-inch displays. Gone are the days of manufacturers being limited to Tegra 2 processors and 10.1-inch displays. But does this mean we’ll see Snapdragon versions of existing tablets like the Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1?
Whether the iPad 2, Galaxy Tab 10.1 or any of two dozen Android tablets is to blame in anyone’s guess. What we do know is that the Motorola Xoom is far from the success many had expected. Reports have surfaced this morning showing the Wi-Fi only 32GB model is due for a price cut, down from $599 to $499 in the US. Is a similar cut coming to the UK?
This weekend the first wave of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 reviews were released. Despite an overwhelming appreciation for the hardware, build quality and design, the slate carved out ho-hum scores due to its OS, Android Honeycomb.
As a firm believer in software’s ability to wield better performance from existing hardware I’m perplexed by the Honeycomb situation. Developers are not flocking in droves like I’d expected and in three months we have just a handful of Honeycomb-optimized apps.
The most popular alternative Android keyboard, Swype, has just been updated to version 3.0 beta. In order to participate in the beta, you’ll need to register for a Swype account and be willing to live with a few kinks here and there. The reward for your time is an Android Honeycomb-compatible virtual keyboard rockstar.
Swype 3.0 beta supports both landscape and portrait mode in Android Honeycomb. In addition to sliding your fingers across the screen, letter can be tapped out individually to use the keyboard’s predictive text function. Another nice touch is the keyboard can be resized much like the virtual keyboard found on webOS for the HP TouchPad. There’s also three positions to choose from: left, center, right.
The thinnest 10.1 tablet on the planet has just been treated to both Quadrant and AnTutu Benchmarks. Surprisingly, despite its killer design, the slate failed to match the Quadrant scores of its prototype unit, dropping from 2,000 to 1,500.
The 1 GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor inside the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 scores marginally better than its predecessor, the Motorola Xoom. In the AnTutu Benchmark, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 scored a 3,729 — edging out both the Motorola Xoom and LG Optimus 2x. Considering all three devices sport the same chipset, this was a bit of a surprise.
In light of the recent events in China where a 17 year-old boy reportedly sold his kidney to pay for an iPad 2, we thought it might be fun to entertain a similar proposal for an Android tablet. Let’s be clear, as much as we love tech there’s not a chance we’d condone this type of behavior. Here’s your top three reasons not to sell your kidney for an Android tablet.