Motorola Mobility, the mobile devices arm of Motorola that is in the throes of being bought by Google, is finally launching its Android-based Xoom tablet and Atrix smartphone in SA.

With a 10,1-inch screen, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of flash memory and a 1GHz processor, many international commentators hailed the Xoom as the first real competitor to Apple’s hugely successful iPad when it was released in international markets in February. Since then, though, the tablet market has become much more competitive, including in SA, where Motorola rival Samsung recently introduced the similarly specced Galaxy Tab 10.1, also running Android.

The product is coming to SA late, though, with the Xoom’s successor expected to debut in Europe and the US in the next two months.

Running Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) — the first tablet-specific version of Google’s operating system — the Xoom has a 1280×800-pixel capacitive display, support for HDMI output and a 5-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel front-facing camera. An update to Android 3.1 is already available for the Xoom, according to Motorola.

The Xoom also has a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting sensor. Motorola claims the device offers up to 10 hours of video playback and charges in half the time of some rival tablets.

Motorola-Atrix — The Motorola Atrix (click image to enlarge)

The device, with integrated 3G, will be available from all four SA mobile operators — Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and 8ta — this month and is expected to retail for R6 599 without a contract. A Wi-Fi-only version of the Xoom will be available through Altech Autopage Cellular for about R4 500.

Motorola is simultaneously launching its newest smartphone, the Atrix, in SA. Running Android 2.2, the dual-core processor-powered smartphone includes 16GB of internal storage — expandable by up to another 32GB via a microSD card slot — 1GB of RAM and shoots high-definition video via its rear-facing camera.

The Atrix will also come with Motorola’s HD multimedia dock that includes three USB ports and an HDMI port. The dock can be connected to an HDMI-compatible monitor, or a keyboard, mouse or speakers.

The Atrix will be available through all operators this month for a recommended retail price of R5 799 without a contract. — Staff reporter, TechCentral