February 3, 2011 By

Google Android v3.0 (Honeycomb) & Android Marketplace Website

Google yesterday held a press conference to show off Honeycomb – Android 3.0 and a new marketplace website.

Honeycomb is the latest version of the Android platform which has been developed for use on tablets, such as the Motorola XOOM.

This version carries many of the features of Android which users have come to know and love but is optimised for a tablet so items look better and operate more efficiently on the larger screens of a tablet.  Having said his comments from Hugo Barra, Google’s director of mobile products told Gigaom ‘Honeycomb is Google’s touch and tablet OS, the company will be working to bring it to mobile phones. For now, it’s highly optimized specifically for tablets’.

A brief run down of the key features are as follows:

  • Smarter widgets – do more with a widget
  • Improved notifications - Notifications pop up as opposed to appearing in a drop down notification bar.  These notifications too provide more content and actions available, meaning less taping and more getting things done.
  • Improved graphics – More powerful processors allow richer content, so we can expect better apps and games with ore polished graphics.
  • Improved camera interface – A new camera interface, with a rotary dial enables settings to be manipulated with ore ease.
  • Video chat in Google Talk – Chat to friends with video like you would on a desktop or laptop.
  • Simple multitasking – Access used and currently running apps with more ease.
  • Purchase Apps in local currency - Another feature of the improved Android Market is that you can purchase apps in your own currency with no need to worry about the exchange rates.

A full run down of the new version is provided in the video at the bottom of this blog post.

They too announced at the event, something for every Android user.  Android Marketplace Website.  Its the marketplace you see on your phone, on the desktop.  However the cool feature is you can install an app on our phone from the website.  Simply sign into your account (using your Google login), select install on the app you want, choose the device you wish to install it on (if you have more than one) and within a minute or so you will see the app downloading on your smartphone or tablet.  Very nice!

You can take a look at the website HERE.

Business Insider has already put a guide together for a step by step tutorial. CLICK HERE to take a look.

Android Event Video:

Source: Google Mobile Blog / Gigaom

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About Jon

Constantly challenging opinions and looking for new opportunities, Jon develops the product ranges and business activities and very much strives to maintaining growth and taking Clove in to the future.

Never knowing when to stop, he spends too much time in the office! He's very organised; writes lists, reports, spreadsheets, you name it, he's on to it!! When he does relax, however, he can be found driving his pride and joy (his Range Rover Sport), walking his Dog, down the pub or at a local restaurant. He does too like the finer things in life and often lives beyond his means, only the best hotels will do.