Motorola Xoom Mission #MotoCalyp

When I was little, cellphones were huge and had really horrible battery life and coverage. Now it seems like even the most basic smart phone has more memory and a faster processor than my beloved first computer, a Quadra 605, did. It's especially amazing to me how much oomph they can pack into tablets these days. They truly are a portable computer and not just a stylish accessory– although the new mini-tablets are so cute, they could go either way.

Most of my computing is done in the fruity camp but I've been really curious to see how the Android Honeycomb OS worked, having plenty of friends who are firm devotees, so I went to my local Sprint store to check out some options. If I was in the market for a device on looks alone, the Motorola Xoom would certainly be an attractive choice. At the risk of sounding shallow, I will say that the size and slimness of the Motorola Xoom makes it imminently purse-ready. It weighs just a little over a pound and has a bright 10" touchscreen that is very responsive. The dimensional scrolling through images and videos is pretty cool:

The Android platform is easy to navigate and I really like the dynamic tiles. It's very sci-fi. One thing that I found very compelling while researching the Xoom online was the MotoPack for Motorola Xoom, which contains a smorgasboard of pre-selected apps. It's pre-loaded on the Motorola XOOM Family Edition. Having apps suggested really helps when you're new to the world of smart devices, especially if you're not particularly computer-savvy, either.

This makes me think it could be a great gift option for someone you'd like to enter the digital age… especially when you consider the dual cameras that enable face-to-face video chatting with Google Talk. Perfect for keeping in touch with distant (literally) relatives. If your giftee is more of a bookworm than a cybernaut, the gorgeous Google eBooks reader might bring them around. I am a total print snob but I think the interface is really elegant and tactile:

I can't say that I was impressed with the service at the Sprint store I visited. Once they realized I was window-shopping and not likely to purchase anything, they totally ignored me. The Xoom floor model wouldn't turn on and I had to get a sales associate to plug it in because the battery had run out. The in-store retail price also started at $599– quite a bit higher than the current online “Buy Now; Get Free 2-day Shipping” deal which starts at $499 for the same model I looked at. Unsurprisingly, I would highly recommend the priceless you-don't-have-to-deal-with-surly-Sprint-clerks option.

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In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that this shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All opinions are, as usual, strictly my own.