Xoom owners?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GX
  • Start date Start date
G

GX

Well-Known Member
I've had my Xoom since day one. I knew that it was a far better product than the iPad from the time I saw it at CES. So far, it's been great. Problem is a lack of tablet specific apps. We all know that JeppCharts is only on the iPad. Anybody know anything about them being available for the Xoom at any point?

Looks like I may be unloading the Xoom for the iPad2 because of a lack of apps. Sad.
 
Mavarick pro can download and cache low enroutes... pus overlay you GPS position.

At my point in the game though, I have no need to waste money on aviation apps... until I can get reimbursed for it from the company.
 
The performance of the iPad is better only in terms of app availability. Xoom is a far better performing pad. Apple can't even put out a 4G phone, let alone a 4G pad. But, put APPLE on a brick, and people with get in line to buy it. That's just how it is. Any word on Jepp charts availability for Droid?

It's like taking a Ferrari to the supermarket; pointless if it can't do the job.
 
I played with the Xoom at Best Buy once. Meh

I don't see how you're basing it as a far superior product?? Unless you are just biased against Apple products in the first place.
 
ryanmickG said:
I played with the Xoom at Best Buy once. Meh

I don't see how you're basing it as a far superior product?? Unless you are just biased against Apple products in the first place.
Click to expand...

Nah... I grew up with Apple. Apple IIGS, baby!! :D I think Apple puts out an inferior product and does an incredible job of marketing it. I'd have no problem buying one, it just can't match the performance of the Xoom. The Xoom is great for multi-media applications. MicroSD.. I've got 3 I can swap out. It was great for Iraq, and other areas (no wi-fi) and travelling around the world (sketchy wi-fi). Music, art, etc. Processor is faster, display is better. I did my homework on this, I thought it would go the way of the Droid. My mission is now shifting from working around the world to eventually flying around the world. I'd like a pad that can do all of it with me. Clearly there are some things I don't like about the Xoom (apps, non-rooted software, bloatware, weight), but I think it's a better device overall.

I don't think playing with a pad, any pad, can give you an objective look into that pad. I've spent all of 10 minutes with an iPad, and I know I'd need 10 days with it to make a really definitive judgement about it.
 
It's all relative. The iPad has no apps that are of any use to me.

Here is why I didn't choose an iPad.
* non standard screen aspect ratio
* lack of USB host capabilities
* no 4g
* iTunes app, media loading only
* lack of USB storage mode
* lack of apps that I need/use
* AirPrint capabilities only. No way to load 3rd party print apps (well)
* no flash
* doesn't have app creator
* lack of google integration
And the BIG, HUGE issue, total lack of full file browsing and FTP support.

Does that make an iPad a bad tab? Heck no, it's great for most people, just not me.

Everybody who bemoans the lack of tab. Apps, with ics that will be mostly moot.

For all you iPad users, what apps make the iPad so much better?
 
I'll argue that you don't want a tablet. You want a computer. You should just buy one of those.

For me the ipad is really about foreflight, ibooks and netflix. But there are still a bunch more apps that I use. No matter how powerful a tablet is it's worthless without a lot of people making apps for it. That's why everyone could get those HP Touchpads for so cheap. Android does have a lot of apps, almost as much as Apple but it still doesn't have a lot that are tablet specific like the iPad does. Those probable won't get made unless more Android tablets get sold. I bet the Kindle fire will help that problem.

TUCKnTRUCK said:
It's all relative. The iPad has no apps that are of any use to me.

Here is why I didn't choose an iPad.
* non standard screen aspect ratio
* lack of USB host capabilities
* no 4g
* iTunes app, media loading only
* lack of USB storage mode
* lack of apps that I need/use
* AirPrint capabilities only. No way to load 3rd party print apps (well)
* no flash
* doesn't have app creator
* lack of google integration
And the BIG, HUGE issue, total lack of full file browsing and FTP support.

Does that make an iPad a bad tab? Heck no, it's great for most people, just not me.

Everybody who bemoans the lack of tab. Apps, with ics that will be mostly moot.

For all you iPad users, what apps make the iPad so much better?
Click to expand...
 
Two Kings said:
I'll argue that you don't want a tablet. You want a computer. You should just buy one of those.

For me the ipad is really about foreflight, ibooks and netflix. But there are still a bunch more apps that I use. No matter how powerful a tablet is it's worthless without a lot of people making apps for it. That's why everyone could get those HP Touchpads for so cheap. Android does have a lot of apps, almost as much as Apple but it still doesn't have a lot that are tablet specific like the iPad does. Those probable won't get made unless more Android tablets get sold. I bet the Kindle fire will help that problem.
Click to expand...

I have a laptop. The zoom tab does everything I listed above... Well.

But really, how many " tablet specific" apps do you really use beyond foreflight?

It's not my thing, but, you can plug a game controller into android tabs(Xbox or ps3) and ditch those annoying touchscreen controls... Should I want to play any of those games. Most of the games are the same between the apple/google systems.

I have an iPhone as well... And I honestly never find myself saying " I wish I had that on my Xoom" I can always find it.

Google is sells just as much as iOS, so, developers are usually co developing. Ics should help the fragmentation issue.

Also the 3/4g xoom is a google experience device. There is no skin applied by Motorola, just a vanilla copy of android.
 
Id hope Jepps would open up apps to other tablets in the future. Anyone know if Kindle Fire will host them anytime soon? :)
 
Two Kings said:
I'll argue that you don't want a tablet. You want a computer. You should just buy one of those.

For me the ipad is really about foreflight, ibooks and netflix. But there are still a bunch more apps that I use. No matter how powerful a tablet is it's worthless without a lot of people making apps for it. That's why everyone could get those HP Touchpads for so cheap. Android does have a lot of apps, almost as much as Apple but it still doesn't have a lot that are tablet specific like the iPad does. Those probable won't get made unless more Android tablets get sold. I bet the Kindle fire will help that problem.
Click to expand...

What apps do you really need? The popular ones are going to be on both platforms. For books Android has the Amazon Kindle app and Google books. Kindle app is better especially if you have Amazon Prime (many more free books). The only thing the iPad has had on the Android tablets were software and hardware. Now hardware has gotten better than the iPad and when ICS comes out many of the Android Tablet issues will be resolved. ASUS has actually done really well with Android 3 on their Transformer Prime and it will be upgrading to ICS early next year for free.

I do realize foreflight or any other similar program isn't on the Android tablets, but many of us on here work at Part 135 or 121 ops that provide charts for us. No need to buy Foreflight and a subscription. If the carrier has the iPad approved as a EFB they will provide the tablet to you for free. A free tablet will always be the best tablet.
 
Canassis said:
Any word on Jepp charts availability for Droid?
Click to expand...
No. And unfortunately I don't think it's likely, at least in the near term.

For better or for worse, the coming of the iPad and the repeated delays in the marketing of an Android tablet resulted in iPad market penetration in aviation (and I'd guess other fields as well). Aviation is a small enough market that the competition for that space among Jepp, Hilton and Foreflight means continuous development of features and improvement in quality. Even though Jepp is, in theory, a big enough player to have concurrent development, practically speaking, there are likely budget issues in the way.

Android app development is more likely to come from other players: Avilution, Naviator and perhaps the coming Flitesoft app.

I'm no lover of Apple. I have a Droid phone and if I had my choice, I'd prefer the open standards of an Android tablet than the closed iPad system. But, it's all about the apps and, although I resisted, last year I decided that until things change substantially, the iPad is the way to go.
 
MidlifeFlyer already mentioned some nice Android apps useful for flying. If you want Avilution, you have to go to their website and download it directly (it's no longer on Market, due to it using an unapproved payment system). There's no Foreflight for Android in the foreseeable future, but Avilution is cheaper ($5/month).

Other apps I recommend, although not originally intended for flying, but free and using VFR/IFR georeferenced maps: OruxMaps and RMaps. Both can cache the maps or use some downloaded version of it.
 
I really wanted a xoom when it came out. Even had a Tab for a 2 week trial period. While I love my droid phone the Xoom battery life was the deciding factor. If they had the 4G and USB input figured out at the beginning I probably have bought one anyways as there are other things I did not like about apple products also. I cracked a Nook I had bought for under $200 and really found it a handy tool with most Xoom features.

Now I got an tricked out IPAD from my new job. Maybe an Iphone to follow. Basically the thing rocks for aviation use, and just all around web browsing access. I have found my way around most of the limitations I had thought were impediments to the IPAD.
There is a browser that will allow you to view flash content.
The "Camera adapter kit" has SD card and USB input adapters that allow your ipad to play well with others .

Even though I have 3G cards to cover two countries I am planning on upgrading my droid phone to a 4G one and use it to tether when I need speed. Now I am looking at a Macbook pro to complete my I-geek conversion. If you do get an IPAD avoid the Jepp software, it is junk. For much less money the foreflight is a complete package that is exponentially better than Jepp, you just have to get used to using NOAA charts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top