Google’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb for tablets: a guided tour of the UI (video)

A funny thing happened after Google posted (and subsequently pulled) its Android 3.0 Honeycomb video: T-Mobile celebrated its G-Slate announcement by posting the same video. And about six more after that (to be fair, they’re also on the Motorola / Verizon Xoom we demoed). Today it was made official during Verizon’s keynote, with Google itself narrating a hands-on demo. We’ve scrutinized these videos to no end and we think we’ve come up with the most complete picture of Google’s tablet OS experience at this point. Join us after the break for all the goods.

Continue reading Google’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb for tablets: a guided tour of the UI (video)

Google’s Android 3.0 Honeycomb for tablets: a guided tour of the UI (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honeycomb will not require dual-core CPU as minimum hardware spec

Oh, never mind then. Google’s ever-informative and ever-knowledgeable Dan Morrill has disabused the world from the bogus belief that Android’s “made for tablets” iteration, aka Honeycomb, will require a dual-core processor as a minimum to run. Dan says there are no specific CPU requirements for aspiring Android 3.0 tablets to meet and we should all sit back, relax, and enjoy our breakfast. That’s reassuring to note, but let’s not read more into it than what’s said — while Honeycomb might not technically require a dual-core beastie to power it, there’s a reason why the Motorola Xoom (which is soon to become the first device to offer Honeycomb onboard) is launching with a Tegra 2 chip inside.

[Thanks, Dean]

Honeycomb will not require dual-core CPU as minimum hardware spec originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom first hands-on! (update: video!)

Look what we found hanging around the Motorola stand at CES this evening: none other than the just announced Motorola Xoom tablet. While this sleek little device is still running a very early build of Honeycomb, we were able to sneak some peeks at the stuff Google and Motorola don’t actually want you to see just yet. The device was looping demo videos of the Honeycomb UI, but a little investigation on our part revealed a bare bones homescreen. We’re still trying to decipher just what we saw, but for now check out the first hands-on images in the gallery below.

Update: We went back to do a little more investigation, and this thing is most definitely running Honeycomb. We were able to bring up the app pane, and saw the full suite of Google apps within. We also caught a new app switcher, which is invoked by hitting a little icon that resembles a deck of cards. Check out the UI shots in the second gallery.

Update 2: Now with video after the break!

Continue reading Motorola Xoom first hands-on! (update: video!)

Motorola Xoom first hands-on! (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile G-Slate announced: 4G, Android 3.0, made by LG

T-Mobile and LG have decided not to sit still in the shadow of Motorola and Verizon’s high-powered 4G Honeycomb tablet partnership and have just announced their intention to introduce the T-Mobile G-Slate. Few details are known at present other than those headline-grabbing 4G (or pseudo-4G) capabilities and Android 3.0 operating system. This is probably the exact same tablet that LG is hosting an event for tomorrow. Jump past the break for some video conferencing, browser, and e-reading demos in awesome, fluid, streamable video. Hey, even if you don’t care for either T-Mobile or LG, this is a pretty nice exposition of the Honeycomb interface.

Continue reading T-Mobile G-Slate announced: 4G, Android 3.0, made by LG

T-Mobile G-Slate announced: 4G, Android 3.0, made by LG originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Xoom becomes official, headed to Verizon in Q1, upgradeable to 4G in Q2

Motorola has just outed its delicious Honeycomb tablet alongside another device, the LTE-equipped Bionic, on its official site. The company’s CES press conference is ongoing right now, where the Xoom will presumably get its proper announcement. All we know so far is that this slate is headed to Verizon, the press release is still somewhere in the hidden parts of the internet. More soon!

Update: The PR and full spec sheet are now embedded after the break. A 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 will power this 10.1-incher, while 4G connectivity will be made available as an update in Q2 following a Q1 launch. Other specs include a 1280 x 800 resolution, 5 megapixel camera, 720p video recording and 1080p video playback, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and finally, a healthy 32GB of onboard storage. The battery is rated to be capable of supporting 10 hours of video. Be still, our beating hearts!

[Thanks, Pratik]

Continue reading Motorola Xoom becomes official, headed to Verizon in Q1, upgradeable to 4G in Q2

Motorola Xoom becomes official, headed to Verizon in Q1, upgradeable to 4G in Q2 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google shows off Android 3.0, the ‘Entirely for Tablet’ Honeycomb (video)

Well, look who just oozed into being, Google‘s latest flavor of Android, the tablet-friendly 3.0, Honeycomb. We heard talk that 3.0 would be exclusively for tablets, as in not for phones, and that looks to be played out with the text “Entirely for Tablet” seen early in the video. Perhaps the best thing to say is that this looks more or less nothing like Android. Sure, the browser is the same, and the Gmail app will be familiar to iPad users, but trust us when we say there’s a lot of lovely UI in the video above to admire…and a lot of glowly blue lights, too. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who saw Tron:Legacy on opening night.

Update: The video is back! It’s embedded below.

Continue reading Google shows off Android 3.0, the ‘Entirely for Tablet’ Honeycomb (video)

Google shows off Android 3.0, the ‘Entirely for Tablet’ Honeycomb (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer are here for those that can’t imagine using a tablet without a physical keyboard

Here they are: ASUS’s duo of Tegra 2-powered, 10.1-inch tablets with unique physical keyboards. Starting with the craziest of them, is the Eee Pad Slider (pictured on the left), which reminds us a lot of HTC’s old school Shift with its slide out QWERTY keyboard. The device is planned to run Google’s Honeycomb, sports a IPS, 1280 x 800-resolution display, and houses mini-HDMI and miniUSB ports as well as a microSD card slot. The 2.2-pound / .5-inch thick slab also has dual cameras — a 1.2 megapixel front-facing one and a 5 megapixel one with an LED flash on the back. We have to say we love the idea of always having that keyboard around, but if you don’t want to drag along a physical keyboard all the time, ASUS has something for you too. It’s the Transformer, and like the Eee Pad we saw at Computex, it’s a 10.1-inch tablet that will come with a laptop like dock with a full size keyboard and touchpad. The tablet part — like the Slider — will run Android 3.0 and packs a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, two cameras, and a 1280 x 800-resolution IPS display, however, the dock has an integrated battery that will keep the tablet running for 16 hours on a charge — the tablet on its own should last eight. We’re obviously aching in our seats here waiting to get these two in our hands so stay tuned for some crazy videos of the two in action — until then we leave you with the specs after the break.

Update: How much will it cost you to keyboard-ify your slate and how long will you have to wait? ASUS says the Transformer will run between $400 and $700 and the Slider from $500 to $800. Expect them in April and May respectively.

Continue reading ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer are here for those that can’t imagine using a tablet without a physical keyboard

ASUS Eee Pad Slider and Transformer are here for those that can’t imagine using a tablet without a physical keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS Eee Pad MeMO tablet takes a pen out of the Courier’s book

Yeah, we’re in full-on tablet overload mode, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any room for innovation. In fact, ASUS’s Eee Pad MeMO is surprisingly fresh in its take on this already-so-worn subject. The 7-inch, 1024 x 600 tablet runs Android 3.0 (which doesn’t exist yet, but we won’t tell ASUS if you won’t), with a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm 8260 processor under the hood and dual cameras (1.2 megapixel front, 5 megapixel rear with LED flash). That’s all very nice, but the highlight is a capacitive stylus and two included apps to make the best use of it. Media Note is a scrapbook / note taking application, while Painter allows you to use the stylus as a pressure-sensitive drawing instrument. They’re probably nothing too special just now, but the prospect of pressure-sensitivity on a handheld tablet is alluring, particularly for the artists among us that thought they’d left the iPad’s fingerpainting methods back in kindergarten. MeMO’s other standout might not win it so many fans, but it’s still worth noting. ASUS calls the device “a perfect blend of tablet and smartphone,” and uses a stereo Bluetooth headset dubbed the “MeMic” media phone extender to make the experience a bit more phone-like. We’ll reserve judgement for when we see more than a render of MeMic in action. No word on price or release for the MeMO right now, but hopefully we’ll know more soon. Until then we can keep our eyes set on Honeycomb’s supposed March timeframe — a river of tablets will carry us there.

Update: ASUS says the Eee Pad MeMO will start at $499, and debut in June.

ASUS Eee Pad MeMO tablet takes a pen out of the Courier’s book originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 17:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eLocity announces seven 10-inch Android 3.0 tablets… before Android 3.0 is announced

Google and Motorola haven’t quite announced that Honeycomb tablet we’re expecting to see at CES in just a couple days, but that’s not stopping eLocity, makers of the A7 tablet pictured above — the company just announced no fewer than seven 10-inch Tegra 2 tablets running Android 3.0. Specs are pretty light, but we’re told the new A10 line will use the dual-core Tegra 2 T-250, have “high-resolution” multitouch screens, microSD storage, USB ports, a front-facing camera, and feature an HDMI port that supports 1080p output. So why seven 10-inch tablets with what seem to be the same basic specs? We have no idea — we’re sure to find out more when CES kicks off. PR after the break.

Continue reading eLocity announces seven 10-inch Android 3.0 tablets… before Android 3.0 is announced

eLocity announces seven 10-inch Android 3.0 tablets… before Android 3.0 is announced originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google’s next Android Music app leaks out, gives hints of a 3.0 UI overhaul

Remember at Google I/O this year when Google showed off “something beyond Froyo” in the music realm? The demo included an all-new music player (boy, wouldn’t that be nice!), along with magical features that let you push web-purchased songs to your device, and allowed you to browse your PC’s music library from your phone as if it was on the device itself. Well, none of that showed up in Gingerbread, unfortunately, but the new music player itself has just leaked out. It’s super buggy, and of course doesn’t have any of those fancy wireless features we’re waiting on, but it could offer a bit of a glimpse into 3.0, at least as far as UI tweaks go.

The differences seem minimal but aesthetically pleasing, with blurred background images behind frosted glass widgets as far as the eye can see. One important thing to note is that there is a menu button on the top right, at least in some views, and we went back and watched Andy Rubin’s tablet time at D: there’s clearly the same menu button on each app. [Suspenseful strings begin to play]. It seems Google might be getting rid of its hardware buttons entirely, or at least making menu functionality a more obvious part of its relevant applications, instead of the “surprise!” button it currently represents. There are also points in the video where tapping the application’s icon in the top left takes you to the “home” of the app, and we also found similar icons on the top left of each application Andy demoed at D — and we’re guessing they have the same functionality. Check out a video after the break, or hit up the source link to grab the APK… if you dare.

[Thanks, Andre]

Continue reading Google’s next Android Music app leaks out, gives hints of a 3.0 UI overhaul

Google’s next Android Music app leaks out, gives hints of a 3.0 UI overhaul originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 19:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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