Motorola Says No LTE For Rooted Xoom TabletsMotorola Says No LTE For Rooted Xoom Tablets

Motorola Xoom Teardown: Inside The New Android Tablet

When the Motorola Xoom hit the street last week, it was quickly opened up by hackers. Once rooted, the door for customization is wide open. However, be careful, says Motorola. Users who choose to root their Motorola Xoom Android tablet won't be eligible for the free Long Term Evolution update. Motorola is requiring that Xoom's be in "factory condition" in order to receive the LTE upgrade.

The upgrade to LTE is one of the primary benefits of the Xoom. Right now, it is only available in 3G+Wi-Fi form. Verizon and Motorola are offering to upgrade the Xoom so that it is compatible with Verizon's 4G network -- which is much faster -- later this year. A specific date for the LTE upgrade hasn't been announced yet.

One of the many advantages of the Android platform is the ease with which it is rooted. Rooting an Android device gives users the ability to install custom versions of the operating system. It also gives them access to non-approved applications/services that non-rooted devices can't use.

Despite the advantages of rooting, if you want to get the LTE upgrade for your Xoom, it would be best to hold off for a few months.

Speaking of the upgrade, Motorola and Verizon Wireless have provided at least a few more details about the upgrade process. When the Xoom was first announced at CES in January, Motorola noted that the LTE upgrade would require a technician's skilled hands. At the time, it sounded as though users would be able to take their Xoom to a Verizon Wireless retail shop and have the upgrade performed on-site.

That's not the case.

Instead, Xoom users will need to back up their Xoom and ship their tablet device off to Motorola. The process to swap out the 3G radio for a 3G/4G radio is said to take up to six business days. That means users will be without their tablets for at least a week, if not longer.

For many consumers, six business days may not be the end of the world, but that's not acceptable for business users. Enterprises that choose to deploy the Xoom should be able to get 24- or 48-hour update options for the Xoom.

Last, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha has indicated that initial sales of the Xoom are looking favorable. "They're off to a good start," Jha said.

The Xoom went on sale on February 24 for $599.99 with a two-year contract or $799.99 without a contract. It is the first tablet device to really offer some competition to Apple's iPad, which has been on sale for nearly a year.