Google did its best to court developers at this year's I/O conference with a much-needed integrated developer environment, API for better games and the ability to more easily translate apps. Their allegiance will become increasingly important as smartphone and tablet hardware sees fewer dramatic improvements.
It's official, and it's been official for a while -- Android is far and away the most popular smartphone OS in America. Ever since January 2011, when the platform surpassed RIM to take the top spot for the first time in comScore's monthly market share rankings, Google's operating system has continued to grow its user base, which accounts for 52% of the market as of this January.
Sony has lifted the lid on its latest Android tablet, a 10.1in device that's thinner than Apple's iPad mini.
Five years after its inception, Android is more dominant than ever in the smartphone OS market, despite facing a number of challenges along the way.
We debated whether to call this piece "iPad vs. Motorola Xoom" or "iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1" or whatever the Android tablet du jour is. But really it's still "iPad vs Everything Else."
Apple has just won a Federal Court case which prevents Samsung from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet in Australia in the immediate future. However, if you're an Aussie who desperately wants to get your hands on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 right now, there are a few ways to do so.
Lenovo may have arrived late to the party, but is it too late? The company better known for its business notebooks and PCs has finally released an Android tablet, the Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1.
Most Android tablets currently on the market appear to scream "me too", but Samsung appears to be trying to change these similarities with its upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1.
Apple's iPad 2 may be flying off the shelves, but the launch of the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet (available in September) makes for an interesting battle. Though it's yet another Android tablet, the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet is one of the first that will be targeted directly at business and corporate users.
Motorola's Xoom tablet runs version 3.0 of Google's Android operating system — dubbed Honeycomb. Honeycomb is the first version of Android to be designed for use with tablets; previous versions were optimised for the smaller screens of smartphones.
Apple's iPad 2 may be flying off the shelves, but the coming months will see a number of challengers aiming for a slice of the tablet pie.
Android has always frustrated me. I've tracked Google's mobile operating system ever since its debut on the T-Mobile G1, and time and again I've seen new versions fall short of overhauling the interface into a clean, user-friendly experience that can compete with -- and push -- Apple's iOS.
All eyes are on the Motorola Xoom tablet, and for good reason: It's the first device in an expected multitude to ship with Google's tablet-optimized Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). The Xoom has a lot of features to like, and a lot to set it apart from the ever-growing crowd of tablets; but it also has some drawbacks that temper my enthusiasm about it.
The Telstra T-Touch Tab and the Optus MyTab are two of the first low cost tablet devices launched in Australia that attempt to provide an alternative to the Apple iPad. Both of these Android tablets are smaller than the iPad, sitting somewhere between a largish touchscreen phone like the popular HTC Desire and the iPad tablet.
Costing just $299, Telstra's T-Touch Tab is the first budget-priced tablet released in Australia. While the Apple iPad, Dell Streak and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab could be described as competitors, their higher price means the T-Touch Tab Touch is effectively alone as an affordable, entry-level tablet that doesn't skimp on too many features.