Tablet-Friendly Honeycomb Confirmed As Android 3.0, Shown Off On Video

Written by John Thompson on January 6, 2011 · Filed under Tech 

Oh, Samsung, read ‘em and weep. Your Froyo-sporting Galaxy Tab looks like an antiquated piece of junk next to this baby. A video from Google’s androiddevelopers YouTube account has leaked out, giving us an up close and personal look at Android 3.0, otherwise known as Honeycomb.

Designed especially for the big screen, Honeycomb has been given a complete user interface overhaul and is a long way away from what we’re seeing with other versions of Android. The operating system now has a more desktop like feel to it, stepping away from the mobile constraints seen by iOS on the iPad.

Of course, all the essentials such as an enhanced GMail client, full web browser and an overhauled YouTube app are there, but we’re also looking at video chatting capabilities built in to the GTalk client as well as a Google Books application that comes complete with some nice eye candy.

It’s good to see that Google’s purchase of BumpTop last year hasn’t gone to waste; a lot of the technology in the 3D desktop application is making itself known across Android 3.0. If the tablet applications are as good as the operating system is, Google shouldn’t have a problem helping manufacturers make their millions off Android tablets.

Rumours suggest that we could see some Honeycomb tablets in the wild by Spring of this year, so fingers crossed and seat belts fastened! Although Google has since made the video private, the good people over at AndroidPolice managed to make a backup, so you can catch their video of Honeycomb in action on YouTube or take a look at it below.

Source: androiddevelopers via AndroidPolice

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