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Motorola Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition official, hitting the UK and Ireland in mid-November

Motorola Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition official, hitting the UK and Ireland in mid-November

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Motorola's finally decided to officially announce its Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition, though just in the UK for now.

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Xoom 2
Xoom 2

Well here we go! After months of leaked specs and images, Motorola's finally decided to officially announce its Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition, though just in the UK for now. Just as we've been hearing for months, the two match each other in almost every way save for screen size — the Xoom 2 has a 10.1-inch display while the Media Edition has a 8.2-inch panel. Internally, they pack 1.2GHz dual-core processors, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and run Android 3.2. (Nope, no Ice Cream Sandwich for launch, though Motorola says it'll come eventually, just as with the original Xoom.)

It sounds a heck of a lot like the original Xoom on paper, but the biggest changes comes with form factor — the Xoom 2 measures just 8.8mm and the Media Edition 8.9mm, the edges have been "designed to make the tablet more comfortable to hold," and it's covered in a "splash-guard" coating to protect against spills and bumps. Additionally, the displays (which it isn't outright saying is IPS) are brighter and have better viewing angles than the original. Interestingly, the Xoom 2 is also available with a stylus, which we're assuming is similar to the variety on HTC's Flyer and Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet.

So when are the two finally hitting stores? No word on US availability yet (though we're betting Verizon chimes in sooner rather than later), but it will be hitting UK and Ireland in mid-November for £329.99 ($528) in Media Edition flavor and £379.99 ($609) for the standard Xoom 2. We're scheduled to attend a Motorola event in the UK later today, so it shouldn't be long before we bring you hands-on pictures, video, and impressions. In the meantime, we will leave you with the gallery below and this handy chart comparing the entire Xoom family.

Motorola Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition press photos

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