![\"XOOM](\"http:\/\/www.pocketpccentral.net\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/xoom_money.jpg\" "\\"XOOM")
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According to Engadget tipsters, the price of the upcoming Motorola XOOM<\/a> Honeycomb-powered Android tablet will be $699<\/a> or $799<\/a>. That\u2019s quite a chunk of change. Even assuming the lower price of $699, some are suggesting that this is an outrageous up front cost.<\/p>\n But is it? <\/p>\n We all want the gadgets we covet to be more affordable rather than less. And whatever we might think a tablet should cost, the 2010-2011 pricing model is the product of two factors: 1) the price of the materials and construction, and 2) Apple\u2019s iPad.<\/p>\n Putting that first factor aside for a moment, let\u2019s look at the price of current 1st Generation iPads. The 32GB 3G + Wi-Fi model, the iPad most comparable to the XOOM, sells today for $729; that\u2019s not a subsidized price, that\u2019s just what it costs. Even assuming that the XOOM ends up going for $799, that extra $70 buys you a fairly respectable number of goodies. <\/p>\n Like a dual-core Tegra 2 processor. And a slightly larger screen. And four times the RAM. And forward and rear-facing cameras. And HD video recording. And built-in HDMI 1080p HD video output. And a microSDHC memory card slot for up to 32GB of extra storage. <\/p>\n So assuming that the XOOM sells for $799 \u2013 and we\u2019re not entirely sure that by the time the thing is actually available for purchase that this will be the out-the-door price (or that it won\u2019t be subsidized if you\u2019re willing to sign a two-year Verizon contract) – it\u2019s not really outrageous at all. More than we\u2019d like to pay, to be sure, but not outside the realm of good taste.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" According to Engadget tipsters, the price of the upcoming Motorola XOOM Honeycomb-powered Android tablet will be $699 or $799. That\u2019s quite a chunk of change. Even assuming the lower price of $699, some are suggesting that this is an outrageous up front cost. But is it? We all want the gadgets we covet to be […] Continue reading