As the post-Consumer Electronics Show (CES) jockeying for competitive positioning against Apple’s iPad tablet* shapes up, Motorola’s new Xoom tablet is being eyed as a possible contender*. New reports indicate that the Xoom will launch on February 17 at a price between US$700 and US$800 for a 32GB model. This compares to the US$729 price for the iPad 3G 32GB. Motorola has indicated that Xoom tablets will have 3G connectivity.

    The Xoom, with a 10.1-inch 1280x800 multi-touch screen, has a variety of strengths as it steps into the ring*. It’s the first tablet to be based on Google’s tablet-optimized version of Android, the 3.0 Honeycomb, and it contains a two-gigahertz* dual-core processor*. It will also be distributed by Verizon Wireless,. A model that will run on Verizon’s growing 4G LTE network is expected in the second quarter.

    There’s support for 1080p HD, including the ability to operate as a HD camcorder*, Adobe Flash 10.1, and battery life that Motorola says is up to 10 hours. A front-facing two-megapixel* camera is available for video chatting, and a rear-facing five-megapixel camera has a dual LED flash.

    A built-in accelerometer* and gyroscope* are available for games and apps, Google maps and GPS are included, and a maps app has 3-D renderings* of buildings when zoomed. According to news reports, the e-reader looks similar to the one offered in the iPad.

    In terms of post-CES attention, Motorola’s Xoom, Research In Motion’s Playbook, and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab have been leaders. Motorola stoked* interest in its tablet before CES with a video promotion that positioned the device, draped for unveiling on a pedestal*, as the latest in the evolution of tablets that began with the Ten Commandments.

    But aside from special features and price comparisons, a key measure of any prospective iPad challenger is the apps. Apple, which just announced the 10 billionth app download last weekend from its App Store, has more than 60,000 apps developed specifically for the iPad, while the Xoom will, at launch, likely have only a handful.

    While Apple’s iPad also launched with only a few, it was able to run other non-optimized apps originally designed for Apple’s other mobile devices until the developer community got going.(SD-Agencies)