Google has just released Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) SDK mainly for developers. But if you are not developer, you can also give it a test run to check what new is coming in this tablet-centric version.
The main purpose of Android 3.0 preview release is to provide developers with a chance to get to grips with the non-final APIs and allow them to test their applications for tablet devices.
Important new changes in HoneyComb 3.0 are:
UI framework for creating great apps for larger screen devices: Developers can use a new UI components, new themes, richer widgets and notifications, drag and drop, and other new features to create rich and engaging apps for users on larger screen devices.
High-performance 2D and 3D graphics: A new property-based animation framework lets developers add great visual effects to their apps. A built-in GL renderer lets developers request hardware-acceleration of common 2D rendering operations in their apps, across the entire app or only in specific activities or views. For adding rich 3D scenes, developers take advantage of a new 3D graphics engine called Renderscript.
Support for multicore processor architectures: Android 3.0 is optimized to run on either single- or dual-core processors, so that applications run with the best possible performance.
Rich multimedia: New multimedia features such as HTTP Live streaming support, a pluggable DRM framework, and easy media file transfer through MTP/PTP, give developers new ways to bring rich content to users.
New types of connectivity: New APIs for Bluetooth A2DP and HSP let applications offer audio streaming and headset control. Support for Bluetooth insecure socket connection lets applications connect to simple devices that may not have a user interface.
Enhancements for enterprise: New administrative policies, such as for encrypted storage and password expiration, help enterprise administrators manage devices more effectively.
If you want to download Honeycomb preview SDK and check the new features yourself, head over to Preview SDK Instructions page for more details.
Some screenshots of Honeycomb UI:
Video Preview of Android 3.0:
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