Teardowns and breakdowns are part of what make being a gadget geek fun. The guys at iFixit already tore down the Motorola Xoom, so now it’s time to break down what those parts cost. The Wall Street Journal took care of that for us today. The parts under the hood cost $278, which compares pretty well with the Apple iPad, which costs $245. The main differences come in the cameras and the display, which account for roughly $19 of the $33 difference. The Xoom costs $70 more than the comparable iPad. [Wall Street Journal] Enjoying your unlimited data plan on Verizon? Don’t get too attached. The company’s CFO, Fran Shammo, said that the company “will move to tiered pricing in the mid-summer time frame.” That will coincide with what is likely a new iPhone launch in June or July. It’s unclear how they’ll handle the change, but this clearly won’t be met with much fanfare. My only wish is that they do it better than AT&T. Seriously, $50 for 4GB? Verizon has to do better than that. [FierceWireless] Quickies
- Remember when we talked about the Amazon Android app store? It sounds like that is going to come this month. [Android Guys]
- Apparently the Android 2.3.3 update broke Google Voice for some Nexus One users. Which raises the question: why would any Nexus One users not be rooted and on a custom ROM by now? [Engadget]
- Speaking of 2.3.3, it will allow you to take screen shots without rooting. That’s good news for those awaiting a Gingerbread update. [Android Central]
- If you’re on Sprint, make sure to get the Total Equipment Protection app. It’s like having BlackBerry security for your Android. [Talk Android]
2 comments… read them below or add one
Nexus 1, stock.
Honestly, it just works great. I don’t see much of a need to run a custom rom. I was rooted for a while to free up some space, but am un-rooted right now, and don’t really miss it.
I guess Verizon is trying to get people to sign up for the iPhone and Xoom now since they are giving a warning the unlimited service is ending. That’s a smart plan for better sales now. I wonder what the tier plan charges will be costing too. I have AT&T with an iPhone but I have one of the coveted unlimited plans and I’m not planning to give it up anytime soon unless Verizon’s Xoom has more to offer than the iPad. The jury is still out for me but I’m relieved that no matter which one I choose I can still watch live and recorded TV on my tablet with my DISH Network employee Sling adapter. I watch TV everywhere in my iPhone right now but a larger screen would be nice for some situations. Obviously I can’t carry the Xoom in my pocket like I do my iPhone, unless I happen to be wearing clown pants that day. It happens, don’t judge!