News Week of January 29, 2012

Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition Review by 3G.co.uk

Why is this table called the �Media Edition�, you may be wondering. Well, don�t worry about it too much; look at it this way, it�s a smaller incarnation of the Motorola Xoom 2 tablet � while that had a 10.1in display, the Media Edition�s screen is 8.2 inches � but it is still colourful and sharp. There are not a whole lot of other differences though, but still this smaller tablet manages to cram in a load of great features.  (Source: Simon D Thomas, 3g.co.uk)

The Day of the Tablet and the Beginning of the End for Microsoft

Yes, yes, I know, Windows and Office are not the only things Microsoft produces. But they are the products that give it as good as a monopoly (for the more purist econ geeks out there, at minimum they�ve got significant pricing power). And thus they�re the products where the really decent profit margins come from.

This is, I think, going to change in the years to come:  (Source: Tim Worstall, Forbes)

Microsoft Office 15 Begins Technical Preview: Tablet Readiness Questioned

As Microsoft readies its Office 15 suite (expected late 2012 or 2013) many wonder if the launch timeline hints to the arrival of Windows 8 tablets.

Office 15 is also expected to have some Metro-style enhancements for Windows 8 tablets, but Microsoft hasn't commented on that, nor has the company said whether Office 15 will support Windows 8 on ARM devices.

Even if Office 15 includes tablet support, timing could be an issue, as Business Insider's Matt Rosoff points out. Device makers want to launch Windows 8 tablets in the second half of 2012, but Office 15 may not be ready until very late in the year or early next year, judging by the timing of Technical Previews for earlier versions of office. ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley backs up this notion, with her unnamed sources saying that Microsoft is trying to release Office 15 by year-end. (Source: Jared Newman, PCWorld)

Amazon Already Dominating Android Tablet Market

Three months ago, online retailing giant Amazon didn't even sell a tablet computer, but today the firm controls a stunning 40 percent of the market for Android-based tablets, according to one market analyst. But whichever numbers you choose to believe, one thing is certain: With its lowball pricing, Amazon is sure to capture serious market share in this nascent market with its Kindle Fire device. And that's bad news for high-priced luxury items like Apple's iPad.