A Guide To Android 3.0 Honeycomb
With tablets becoming more omnipresent by the day, it’s no secret that Android 3.0, also known as Android Honeycomb, will be targeting larger devices. With engineers rumoured to have received the Android 3.0 tablets last Christmas and a number of tablets being displayed at CES 2011, many tech insiders believe that an Android 3.0 tablet will be released in the UK in the first or early second quarter of 2011.
So, what do we know about the next version of the Android platform? What new features can we expect to see from Honeycomb? Let’s take a closer look.
Interactive Desktop
Unlike smaller handheld devices, Honeycomb has been designed specifically to work with larger screen devices and tablets. Described by Google as an innovative holographic UI, the main desktop can be split into 5 customisable screens which can be cycled left and right on a virtual belt. Like previous incarnations of the Android, it is highly probable users will be able to name, edit, and customise each screen to their liking.
Previews shown at CES 2011 unveiled interactive widgets, wallpapers, and app shortcuts. All of this is touch operated, allowing users to drag, drop, and organise their desktop experience to fit their needs.
Updated Web Browser
Google has recognised that tablets are all about the internet and have adopted this mantra in the construction of their browser. The Android 3.0 Honeycomb browser features a number of improvements borrowed from Chrome, such as form auto-fill, syncing with Chrome bookmarks and tab browsing. The browser also allows users to switch to a private mode to allow clandestine browsing that doesn’t record a history.
Google eBooks
One of the major marketing points of tablet devices has been their ability to function as e-readers. By taking advantage of the extensive library of Google eBooks, the company hopes to make tablets running Honeycomb an attractive option for those in the market for an e-reading device. The augmented app provides access to what Google has touted as the world’s largest e-library, with over 3 million free books and hundreds of thousands of purchasable titles.
The Android application will also provide quick listing of the current New York Times bestsellers and search functions to locate authors. Individual libraries can be scrolled through on a virtual Rolodex. Once a book is selected, the pages can be turned with a flick of the finger.
Google Maps
All Android 3.0 tablets will come with Google Maps 5 standard. This app is also currently available on Android 2.2 tablets and smartphones, bringing detailed panoramas, road networks, 3D angles and even the occasional vistas that are perceivable through Street View.
While the screen size of mobile phones makes them usable for only traditional map functions, the larger tablet screen and touch operated architecture make it the ideal interface for the software.
Video Chat
Video calling and chat received a resurgence in 2010, in many parts thanks to the popularity of features like Skype. In the past, Google Talk had been regulated to instant messaging but the Honeycomb hopes to bring real-time, full screen video calling to the tablet marketplace.
You will be able to connect and call from tablet to tablet as well as other PCs. There is no word as of yet, however, whether mobile phones that run the new Gingerbread OS will be able to duplicate the feat.
Upgraded Apps
While there are over 100,000 apps on the Android Market, many were designed for smaller mobile devices. In the same way HD versions of apps are made specifically for the iPad, Google hopes that developers will start creating tablet sized versions of their software in order to accommodate the Honeycomb.
As an example, Google created a new version of the Gmail app which brings a fuller experience that is much cleaner and contemporary than the previous version. Much like the PC version of Gmail, it provides a double paned menu of folders and mail lists, with a third window that displays messages when clicked.
One of the other experiences that is essential to tablet users is flash video, primarily YouTube. This app has also been redesigned for tablets running Honeycomb, allowing users an experience similar to what you would find on a PC rather than the basic full screen video present on Android smartphones.
The presentation is also far more aesthetically appealing, with each list of videos displayed on a scrollable arc.
Android 3.0 Honeycomb Demo Video
Rumours and Technology
It appears that Android 3.0 Honeycomb has been built specifically for tablets and larger devices. In addition, there may also be specific hardware requirements for tablets who hope to run the OS on their machines. It is rumoured that Honeycomb will only be available on devices with a processing power equal to the Nvidia Tegra 2.
A Korean electronics firm has gone so far as to claim Android 3.0 will only run on a dual-core processor, due to the heavy user interface upgrade and interactive widgets.
Meanwhile, Acer has announced both 7 and 10 inch Android tablets slated for April of 2011, which almost certainly means they will be running Honeycomb. Both tablets will feature a next generation AMD processor. Asus and Panasonic will also release tablets in the coming year, although it is unclear whether they will make use of the Android 3.0.
Finally, LG and Motorola have announced their own Android 3.0 tablets, with the Motorola Xoom sporting a dual-core processor and 10.1 inch screen.
