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Last Updated on March 29, 2020
The Motorola Droid XyBoard 10.1 stands out in a sea of ten-inch tablets as one with the most unconventional design. As a successor to the Xoom, the Xyboard is Motorola’s answer to the latest 10-inch Android tablets as well as the iPad2.
Tablet features
The Droid XyBoard is among the earliest adopter of the 4G LTE technology. It works on the Honeycomb Android 3.2 platform and is powered by a 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor. With the availability of higher storage capacities (16, 32 and 64 GB), the micro SD slot is not available on the XyBoard. The 10.1-inch display has a screen resolution of 1280 x 800 and can play 1080p HD video. It has a 5 MP rear camera that can capture 1080p HD videos while the 1.3 MP front camera can capture 720p videos.
Usability
The 603 grams Droid Xyboard might seem a tad bit heavier than the competition, but hardly a noticeable difference for somebody liking to take full advantage of the Android Honeycomb experience. The shape of the Xyboard may not be one of its most likable characteristic for many droid fans but has its own advantages. It is much easier to hold the tablet with its rubberized edges in a single hand.
The tablet feels sturdy enough for you to throw it in your backpack without overly worrying about breakages or scratches. Another noticeable change in the XyBoard are the volume and power buttons that are on the side back panel and can be operated comfortably with the right-hand side fingers.
If you are the type of person who loves to take notes, then the AAAA battery powered active stylus could be what decides the deal for you. It comes as a standard accessory with the package.
The 5MP camera pictures are pretty decent unless you are planning to compete for a photography competition. Google mobile services are preloaded on the tablet and are good to go out of the box. The XyBoard has some interesting inbuilt apps. Motocast lets you access your computer’s media files from anywhere. As per the manufacturer website, the XyBoard is preloaded with $150 worth of gaming apps.
The HDMI out port and micro USB port are very useful features to help you play HD videos on digital TVs and sync media and data with your computer.
What customers say
While the tablet has powerful features, some customers have complained of it freezing a few times. Changing the settings from LTE to 3G seem to have addressed the problem for a few people. As per one of the customers, unless you have a strong LTE signal, its best to keep the tablet set to 3G. A few customers have also noticed that the XyBoard has a higher screen brightness than other Android tablets.
Conclusion
If you are a fan of the Xoom tablets, the XyBoard is a nice step forward from Motorola. However, there are plenty of other choices. Make sure that you have enough hands-on experience at a store before taking a decision.