Where each tablet platform still wins

Google is gunning for the tablet top spot with the latest 3.0 update to Android, which was officially unveiled at a press conference overnight.Unlike previous versions of Android, Honeycomb is exactly designed for tablets. This gives it a serious leg up on the iPad, which in essence runs the same iOS operating system as the iPhone save for a few minor tweaks.

Apple has supported in-app purchases since iOS 3.0, so Android is as a matter of fact only playing catch up in that regard. The big news here is that desktop app purchases can be made over the air for Android, compared to the need to tether the iPad to a computer to download apps through the desktop version of iTunes.

The official Market

Android as well lets you download apps outside of the official Market, giving you more flexibility as to where you source apps from. Is that enough to topple this round in Android’s favour? Not so fast. The iPad is for all that far in the lead with regards to the number of tablet-specific apps available, and when you factor in all of the iPhone apps that work on the iPad, it’s clear that the iPad is nonetheless the more attractive tablet in this particular aspect.Winner: iPad

Even earlier the launch of Honeycomb, Android has always had the better homescreen system, moving the program launcher to a separate section and giving users complete control over multiple homesceeens that can be populated with widgets, app shortcuts, and many other custom icons.

Google has tweaked the homescreen experience in Honeycomb furthermore to make better use of the larger viewing area of a tablet, and there are a handful of new 2D and 3D widgets out of the box, with APIs for developers to offer moreover compelling tablet-optimised widgets.Winner: Android

The notifications system for Android has always been one of our favourite things about the platform, and it's been made even better in Honeycomb. Notifications but appear as pop-up bubbles in the lower right hand corner that display more information and icons to launch related actions. Importantly, these bubbles don't take control away from the app you're currently using, and you all in all have access to the complete list of notifications as so then.

Android has always been ahead on the multi-tasking front due to it's support for full multi-tasking. Honeycomb improves on Android's multi-tasking capabilities by adding a dedicated multi-tasking button on the left; this brings up a vertical reel of running and recently-used apps, with a preview of each app in action.

This round will be a quick one. Honeycomb supports camera fuctionality out of the box, along with video chat in Google Talk, during iOS 4.3 beta doesn't show any indication of supporting a built-in camera. Time will tell whether Apple introduces a camera feature in the iPad 2t. Nevertheless for nevertheless, Android wins this one with a TKO.

Winner: Android Conclusion This is in no way whatsoever a definitive comparison between the iPad and forthcoming tablets that will run Honeycomb, and there are undoubtedly other areas that the iPad nevertheless excels in. Nevertheless, for these five particular categories for the time being, it's clear that Honeycomb tablets will have the upper hand over the existing iPad running iOS 4.3 Beta. That said, it's not unknown for Apple to save a few surprises for its upcoming products right up until the official launch, so during we're salivating over upcoming Honeycomb tablets like the Motorola Xoom, we're not going to rule the iPad 2 out of the game just but. What's clear, even though, is that Apple will at any rate have a fight on its hands.