Steep Pricetag Could Push Motorola Xoom Customers to iPad

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Consumers are protesting the $799 sticker price Verizon

Wireless and Best Buy and have allegedly affixed to the Motorola’s Xoom tablet, and industry analysts don’t

blame them.

Android Central said last month the Xoom, the first computer to be based on Google’s Android

3.0 operating system tailored for tablets, would cost $799 from Verizon

Wireless, sans contract.

Engadget rekindled the fire Feb. 6 when it received this

Best Buy ad, which also hawked the tablet for $799.

Moreover, it is now known that consumers will have to buy

a 3G data plan to enable WiFi on the Xoom, another move that could push

consumers to Apple’s iPad, which offers WiFi-only and WiFi+3G models. The entry

level WiFi model costs $499, while the most expensive iPad costs $829 for

WiFi+3G.

A Verizon Wireless spokesperson declined to comment on

pricing for the carrier’s Xoom when asked by eWEEK Feb. 7. Even so, the gadget blog rumors have consumers

concerned.

For more, read the eWeek article: Motorola Xoom Pricing May Push Consumers to iPad.

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