Motorola Debuts Tablet to Run on Verizon Wireless


At CES this week, Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc, the new mobile arm of Motorola Inc., unveiled the new tablet Motorola XOOM, the first device on Google’s new Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system for tablets and designed to run on Verizon Wireless’s new 4G LTE network.

The Android Honeycomb platform improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization and features the latest Google Mobile innovations. The 10.1 inch widescreen HD XOOM boasts a dual core processor with each core running at 1 GHz, delivering up to two GHz of processing power.

XOOM supports 1080p HD video and HDMI output to display content on larger HD screens, and plays video and other rich web content using Adobe Flash Player. It 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 delivers console-like gaming performance on its 1280x800 display, and features a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting for new types of applications. 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. 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.”

No pricing has been announced yet. 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.