MOTOROLA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES XOOM 2 AND XOOM 2 MEDIA EDITION

Motorola on Thursday announced its new XOOM 2 and XOOM 2 Media Edition tablets. The XOOM 2 runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb and is equipped with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, a 10.1-inch display, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a 5-megapixel camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. Motorola said the display, which has a special “splashguard” for added protection, is brighter and more vibrant than the screen used on the original XOOM. Motorola also pre-loaded the XOOM 2 with several enterprise apps in hopes of attracting the corporate market. The XOOM 2 Media Edition also runs Android 3.2 Honeycomb but is thinner, lighter, has a smaller 8.2-inch display. It also lacks the enterprise focus of the XOOM 2. Motorola said the tablets will be available in various retail outlets throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom in November but did not provide any details on a U.S. launch date.

HONEYCOMB TABLETS GET NETFLIX STREAMING

Netflix subscribers can finally stream movies to their Android tablets without worrying about installing third-party .apks files or attempting annoying work-arounds. The company announced on Wednesday that its application now supports tablets running Android 3.x (Honeycomb). In addition, the Netflix app supports users in Canada and Latin America now. Netflix for Honeycomb is free, provided you already subscribe to the company’s “Watch Instantly” streaming service, and it is available in the Android Market now.

LEAK: ANDROID ICE CREAM SANDWICH ON VIDEO

The one Android update to rule them all -- better known as Ice Cream Sandwich -- is penciled in for an official launch sometime in the next two months, so it's only natural for some shots to leak out. We just weren't expecting a two-minute video showing off a few of the new features. As the story goes, a lucky gent ordered a Samsung Nexus S on eBay and, upon its arrival, noticed that his new prized possession looked a little... different. Hopping over to the About screen, he was shocked to discover that the device was running ICS. The firmware appears to be operating on the same baseband as the screenshots leaked a few weeks ago, but it's running on an updated build (IRK48) and kernel (3.0.1).

There is plenty of influence from both Gingerbread and Honeycomb here, as well as four shortcuts on the bottom (a definite bump from the two found on vanilla 2.3). There's a new Google Apps icon which opens up a tray containing a number of featured services put out by the search giant, and long-pressing the home button brings up a vertical Honeycomb-style multitasking menu. The notification bar, camera UI and other menus also have a much different look.

The anonymous tipster has confirmedbthat shortly after the video was posted, his Nexus S was remotely locked and wiped. Check out the XDA Developers thread for the full saga.

ANDROID HONEYCOMB TO ICE CREAM SANDWICH GUIDE POSTED FOR DEVELOPERS BY GOOGLE

Google posted a guide on its Android Developers website on Monday that should help developers prepare Honeycomb applications for the new Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system, which will run on smartphones as well as tablets. That means Honeycomb developers will need to make their applications compatible with displays smaller than those found on various Android tablets. Creating an Ice Cream Sandwich compatible version of an application is important to reaching a larger audience, too. “Optimizing for handsets can be tricky if your designs currently use all of a large screen to deliver content,” Google explained in a blog post. “It’s worth the effort, though, because Ice Cream Sandwich brings the Honeycomb APIs to handsets and you’ll significantly increase the user-base for your app.”

RUMOR: ICE CREAM SANDWICH DEVICES LAUNCHING IN OCTOBER

According to a source with knowledge of Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich plans the first Ice Cream Sandwich devices could start hitting the ground as early as October. The source further says Google is looking to push up the release of Ice Cream Sandwich devices as Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected in September or October, and the Mountain View-based company doesn’t want potential customers coming out of contracts (especially original DROID owners) and “drooling over the iPhone 5.”

Ice Cream Sandwich is the next version of the popular mobile OS from Google. It has been stated by Google that Ice Cream Sandwich will be the convergence of Honeycomb, the mobile OS designed for tablets, and Gingerbread, the mobile handset OS.

WIFI XOOM RECEIVING ANDROID 3.2 UPDATE

Motorola began issuing the Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) update to Wi-Fi XOOM owners on Tuesday. The patch reportedly adds support for the tablet’s SD card slot and also features a new screen zooming feature that will allow users to resize mobile applications so that they fit the screen appropriately. Android 3.2 will also add support for smaller tablets with 7-inch screens, many of which currently run older versions of Android such as Gingerbread.

LEAK: VERIZON VIDEO SHOWS UNKNOWN TABLET, POSSIBLY XOOM 2

The guys over at Droid-Life spotted a VZW ad starring a mysterious new Honeycomb tablet, which to our ninja-trained eyes looks to exhibit many of the design elements of Motorola's Xoom. It could, of course, be just about anything, given that Verizon yanked the video almost as soon as the above screengrab was lifted, but the rear of this 10(ish)-inch tablet looks very much like a Xoom designed to be used in portrait orientation. We know Moto has a Xoom 2 cooking in the oven and it's not unreasonable to surmise that Verizon is putting together the finishing touches on a promo campaign for it.

NO DELAY IN ANDROID 3.1 FOR SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 10.1

There were rumors floating around earlier today that Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 tablets in Europe running Google’s Android 3.1 Honeycomb OS were delayed until August, but Google has confirmed to us that that isn’t true. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will launch next week with Android 3.1 and the Motorola XOOM has already received the Android 3.1 update. Verizon Wireless is also close to launching the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with LTE which is set for a “summer” launch running, you guessed it, Android 3.1.

GINGERBREAD IS LURKING INSIDE HONEYCOMB

Gingerbread is lurking deep in the recesses of your Honeycomb, Android tablet. According to a report filed by mobile blog Pocketables, the interface you’re presented with on your Honeycomb tablet can be changed by adjusting your tablet’s perceived screen density. On a rooted Dell Streak 7 running Android 3.1, the default interface experience is the new Honeycomb UI — complete with updated widgets, homescreens, and controls. By changing a single line, thereby tricking that tablet into thinking its pixel density is 170 instead of 160, the Gingerbread layout is presented upon reboot. What does this mean for you? Nothing… but it is pretty cool to see in action.

GOOGLE RELEASES ANDROID 3.1

Google has officially released the first update to it's Android tablet OS, Honeycomb. Version 3.1 includes UI refinements, support for a number of USB devices, expanded recent apps list, resizable home screen widgets, support for joysticks and gamepads, improved wi-fi and updated standard apps. For the full list and descriptions head over to the Android developers site.

ANDROID ICE CREAM SANDWICH TO UNITE SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS

"One OS that runs everywhere." There you have it, folks! Google intends to meld its Honeycomb tablet wares and Gingerbread smartphone software into one delicious Ice Cream Sandwich. Maybe that's why the "sandwich" bit is in the name? Either way, it'll be a universal OS that runs on everything from teeny tiny Android phones to 10-inch tablets and will intelligently adapt to each form factor with things like a resizable status bar.

Some other fancy new additions were demonstrated during Google's I/O 2011 keynote, including face-tracking and camera focus shifting based on voice recognition, but most of the salient details remain under lock and key for now.

LEAK: ADOBE FLASH 10.2 LEAKS ANDROID 3.1 VIDEO ACCELERATION

A recent Adobe Flash Player 10.2 update has spilled the beans on Android 3.1. The update says that Flash Player 10.2 supports “hardware accelerated video,” provided that a user is running the unannounced Android 3.1 operating system. This should drastically increase video playback performance, specifically with HD video, on Honeycomb tablets. Google hasn’t yet announced Android 3.1, but we expect to hear more it during Google’s I/O developer conference on May 10th and 11th in San Francisco.

SONY CONFIRMS HONEYCOMB TABLET IN US BY SUMMER

Japan's Nikkei is quoting Sony chief executive, Sir Howard Stringer, saying that the company's first Android 3.0 tablet will be on sale by the end of summer. Better yet, it'll pop for retail in the US first, according to the report. This lines up nicely with the reported September launch of a PlayStation Certified Tegra 2 "S1" tablet featuring a 9.4-inch display and unique "wrap" design that we first told you about back in February. Or will it be the S2 clamshell? Who knows, Howard isn't saying. The new tablet tattle was apparently uttered at the same event where Howard spilled the beans about Apple's plan to use Sony sensors.

SILICINE IS THE NEW GRAPHENE...MAYBE

Graphene it the one-atom-thick layer of pencil lead has the potential to change the world of computers, batteries and screens that has been around for awhile. Now, Silicine has appeared on the horizon.

Silicine is a version of graphene constructed out of silicon, which doesn't naturally align itself into the same eminently useful honeycomb shape -- but, given a little prod here and a layer of silver or ceramic compound there, can do much the same thing, and with better computing compatibility. First proposed around 2007, it's reportedly been produced twice now by two different teams, which gives physicists hope that it could actually be useful some day. For now, researchers need to figure out a way to easily produce it so detailed experiments can be performed

SAM'S CLUB TO SELL WiFi XOOM FOR $539

Want a Motorola Xoom tablet running Android 3.0 Honeycomb? Don't want to pay $600 from Verizon? Well get your Sam's Club card out and head on over to the big box "wholesaler". For only $539, Sam's Club will set you up with a WiFi only Motorola Xoom according to DroidLife. The displays, including signage are ready to go and should be appearing soon.

Of course some of the photos at DroidLifehave some issues. In one, the new tablet is running "Android 2.0 Homeycomb".

GOOGLERS ABUZZ OVER NEW HONEYCOMB STATUE AT GOOGLEPLEX

Google has finally placed the Honeycomb Android statue at its headquarters. Google has commissioned and placed a statue of every version of Android on its California campus. The statue usually signifies the impending release of that version, however Honeycomb has been out for some time. Hopefully Google will get an artist who can make the deadline for Ice Cream Sandwich due out, probably, in the second half of 2011.

MOTOROLA XOOM TO SHIP WITHOUT FLASH SUPPORT

Verizon's webpage dedicated to the Xoom has just gone up an eagle-eyed reader has already spotted a disquieting bit of small print: "Adobe Flash expected Spring 2011." You don't sit around expecting what you already have, so that leads us to conclude that the Xoom, the mighty iPad-slaying, Honeycomb-bringing, world-changing tablet... won't have Flash at launch. The version of Adobe's rich media player it's waiting for is most probably 10.2 for mobile devices, scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks.

RUMOR: GOOGLE MUSIC LAUNCHING WITH HONEYCOMB AND XOOM

Google may finally launch its long-rumored music service side-by-side with Honeycomb, Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha has hinted. Jha was speaking at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona when he said that Android would be getting a music service sooner than later, and that it would likely launch on the upcoming Motorola Xoom tablet.

"If you look at Google Mobile services today, there's a video service, there's a music service," Jha was quoted saying in The Guardian. "That is, there will be a music service." Later on, Jha spoke about the Xoom—which will be the first to launch with the tablet-friendly Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)—and added that the OS "adds video services and music services."

Rumors about Google's music service go back to last year. The service has long been expected to be heavily based on streaming music from the cloud—liberating users from the typical computer-syncing model that iTunes users have come to know and loathe. More recent rumors, however, have pinned Google's offering as a combination of digital track downloads plus a "digital locker" streaming service.

Insiders said in September that Google was hoping to offer the streaming service to user for $25 per year, which would give them online access to their music library via desktops and mobile devices. Users would also be able to create playlists to share with others—friends would be able to listen to each track all the way through one time, then would be limited to 30-second previews after that until they buy the song(s) themselves. [Ars Technica]

GOOGLE'S NEXT GEN ANDROID OS IS ICE CREAM

A Google executive on Wednesday shared preliminary details surrounding the company’s next version of its Android operating system. In an interview with Phone Scoop at Mobile World Congress, Google’s Android Engineering Director Dave Burke reiterated that Google’s “I” build of Android will merge features of Honeycomb and Gingerbread in an effort to unify the tablet and smartphone versions of the Android OS. Burke also said this future Android build will likely bring Honeycomb’s “action bar,” which adds customizable functions to individual apps, to smartphones. He noted that the “system bar” at the bottom of the Honeycomb UI would likely not make it to smartphones, though Honeycomb’s overall look and feel with be translated to handsets in some fashion. The next major build of Google’s Android OS is thought to be named “Ice Cream,” but a launch time frame is not currently available. [BGR]

GOOGLE UNVEILS MOVIE STUDIO VIDEO EDITOR FOR HONEYCOMB

Google today unveiled Movie Studio, a new application for the upcoming Honeycomb era of Android tablets that lets people edit videos.

The software, which Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt announced during a speech here at Mobile World Congress, is designed to expand on a phone's abilities to capture imagery.
With it, people can combine still images and videos to create broader video that can be shared online. People will be able to add musical soundtracks, fade to black at the end of the video, and add effects like the Ken Burns-style panning so common on Apple video software.
The software requires Android 3.0, the tablet-optimized version of Android set to debut soon with Motorola's Xoom tablet.

"When you play with Honeycomb, you'll get the sense of beauty and power we have with the new interface," Schmidt said. "I just really love it."