If the $400 refurbed Xoom wasn't good enough, now you can get a new Xoom for $400. Or an Acer Iconia A500 for only $300.

Staples has a $100 off coupon good on select tablets (excludes HP TouchPad, Kindle, Nook, NookColor).
http://www.androidcentral.com/staples-giving-100-select-tablets-what-will-you-be-buying

Staples doesn't carry the Transformer, which would be pretty nice to get for $300, but some people have had luck taking the coupon to Office Depot that does sell the Transformer and getting a price match (YMMV).


I'm still waiting for the next version of Android and tablet generation though.

I thought USB 3 is actually more power efficient than USB2.
Here is an excerpt form an article about it:

1) Link level power management, which means either the host computer or the device can initiate a power savings state when idle
2) The ability for links to enter progressively lower power management states when the link partners are idle
3) Continuous device polling is eliminated
4) Broadcast packet transmission through hubs is eliminated
5) Device and individual function level suspend capabilities allow devices to remove power from all, or portions of their circuitry not in use

 

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The spec certainly allows for lower power outputs, however most of that is in the standby mode, when the connection is active, USB 3.0 has another pair of connectors, which demand more power overall and putting even the same power output spread over more copper wires will result in higher resistance and require more power input to get the same output.

There is always a lot of double talk in spec which want to seem the best of all worlds, so they choose the language and features that best make their technology shine.

- lower power output *requirements* doesn't mean that the device on the other end will support working on less power, or demanding less.
- lower power output doesn't always mean lower power input to get that output if efficiencies are not gained.

 

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