MSNBC's Wilson Rothman sees the potential:
As promising as it is, I will withhold judgment for now. No matter how awesome it is, it's only going to be as good as the developers who get on board and create awesome apps for it. The iPad is a vessel for great development. I think this can be, too, but only if Google encourages it. Building their own awesome apps for the Xoom is fine, but Google needs to somehow get others to follow suit. That is the trick.
All Things Digital's Ina Fried warns against shorting the iPad:
The scene in Vegas offers a somewhat skewed view of the tablet market. Outside Sin City
Switched writer Terrence O'Brien finds the Xoom ever so sleek:
The device is also deliciously thin and airy. The Xoom is just a smidgen lighter than the iPad, and easily just as svelte. The screen was gorgeous -- easily our favorite on a tablet we've seen so far at CES -- and the soft-touch plastic back felt great in our hands.
Gadgetwise blogger Jenna Wortham pegs the Xoom as part of the Motorola turnaround:
Motorola Mobility is hoping that its Xoom will further propel the company's turnaround, much as its collaboration with Google and Verizon on the Droid -- a slim, angular smartphone that competed with the iPhone -- helped improve its reputation and financials.
Business Insider's Jay Yarow wonders "which name is worse? Xoom or iPad?":
At least we can pronounce iPad. "Xoom" we're not sure -- is it Zoom, or EX- OOOM? Obviously there's not too much in a name since the iPad has done well. And Xoom isn't bland. It sticks out.