Google has just announced the launch of Android 3.1 Honeycomb, the next version of the tablet-centric OS from Google, during the Google I/O 2011 conference in San Francisco. Android 3.1 Honeycomb will be initially available to Verizon branded Motorola Xoom 3G and will soon be available for Google TV set-top boxes from Sony, Vizio, Samsung and Logitech. Starting from today, Verizon Motorola Xoom 3G customers will receive Android 3.1 update for their tablets.
Honeycomb 3.1 brings some refreshing changes and enhancements like inclusion of the “holographic” UI, application launcher, multitasking and richer widgets. Talking about the upgrades which include a better task switcher that will let you switch between unlimited number of apps, where as it used to show only a maximum number of 5 apps at anytime. The users can now adjust or resize the widgets both vertically or horizontally. Android 3.1 can also act like a USB host, which allows users to connect USB storage devices, mouse, keyboard, trackpad, video game controller (yes, even Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3), joystick and other add-on devices.
Other newly launched services like movie rentals on Android Market, and music service will be available in Honeycomb 3.1. Android Market will also be made available to Google TV users. Verizon Xoom 3G users, the first tablet owners to taste Android 3.1, have already started receiving the update.