Telus to Offer Wi-Fi-enabled Motorola XOOM Tablet
Canadian telecom Telus will be stocking the new, Android-powered Motorola XOOM tablet, which will rely on Wi-Fi networks rather than the Telus 4G network. According to a Monday announcement, Telus will be offering the Android 3.0-powered XOOM tablet, which will go on the market at an undisclosed date starting at $599.99. Rather than connecting to the Internet using the mobile Internet capabilities used in cell phones, it will rely on Wi-Fi networks only.
In a Toronto press conference, Telus stated that the Wi-Fi tablet would ideally be paired with a Wi-Fi hotspot-enabled smartphone such as the Android 2.2-powered Motorola DEFY smartphone, which Telus will also be releasing soon. The DEFY is able to create a Wi-Fi hotspot that can be used to share access to Telus' fast, 4G network, and also allows for easy data-sharing, and file transfers.
At the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, CNET hinted at the XOOM's potential, calling it "the most potentially disruptive technology" based largely on its duo-core processor, HDMI output, and two cameras, as well as 4G-compatibility, which the Telus version lacks. Nonetheless, it has the distinction of being the first wireless device to run Google's new, tablet-optimized Android 3.0 platform.
Telus' XOOM will be entering a highly competitive race for the domination of the tablet market, which IDG Canada expects will grow in the triple digits over 2010.
"We expect 2011 to be overwhelming in terms of the number of different devices and brands available in the media tablet market in Canada," said IDG Canadian emerging technology and digital media senior analyst Krista Napier. "By the end of 2011, we expect there to be just shy of 1.5 million devices installed in the Canadian market."
The first-generation iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity is available in Canada starting at $549.00 for a new device, and the iPad 2 is scheduled for release in Canada on Friday, March 25.
And while the iPad can only be purchased at authorized Apple Retail stores, Telus offers a monthly, 500MB iPad plan for $20, and Rogers and Bell both offer a monthly allotment of 250MB for $15 or 5GB for $35 plus the use of their respective Wi-Fi hotspots.
The XOOM is an interesting and strategic choice for Telus, given that competitors Rogers and Bell have already stocked the svelte Galaxy Tab with its 7-inch screen, 380g heft, 12mm thickness, and 3G capability.
From Bell, it is available for 299.95 on a three-year contract, and 649.95 without a contract. Rogers also offers the Tab for a three-year, $299.95 term, and $624.99 no term.
All-in-all, Telus' Motorola XOOM is a solid Android device, but it will be difficult to compete with its main competitor, the iPad, and the mobile Galaxy Tab without the ability to have ubiquitous mobile Internet – although there is hope that a 4G release could be looming.
