Two Android Honeycomb Tablets Hope to Steal the IPad's Thunder

With Google Android showing strong growth in smartphone market share, the tablet marketplace is still dominated by Apple's iPad.

Most of the Android tablets released to date suffer from cheap manufacturing or market fragmentation issues as users wondered why they couldn't download apps from the Android Market to their Android tablet computer.

Android Honeycomb is Google Certified for Tablet Computers

The open-source nature of Android allows manufacturers to use the operating system pretty much as they see fit, which led to a plethora of cheap Android-powered tablets in 2010. Even the better-manufactured models weren't able to steal much market share from the iPad.

Android Honeycomb is the first version of Android that Google certifies for tablets. They used the upcoming Motorola Xoom tablet when introducing Honeycomb to the press at a recent presentation.

Honeycomb features a new interface more suited to the larger screen real estate of a tablet computer. It also allows Android developers to easily target that increased screen size, an issue that hampered tablets running essentially smartphone apps developed for earlier Android versions.

Motorola Xoom is the Closest Android Tablet to the iPad to Date

The Motorola Xoom tablet runs Android Honeycomb with a 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen. It starred in a somewhat confusing Super Bowl ad that paid strange homage to Apple's infamous Orwellian commercial from the mid-1980s.

While the Xoom's feature set is promising, the rumors of a nearly $800 price tag leaves many pundits wondering whether many users will end up opting for a more inexpensive iPad model.

Not helping matters is the rumor that Verizon is forcing new Motorola Xoom owners to purchase at least one month's worth of Verizon's data service before the Xoom's WiFi capabilities are unlocked.

Motorola desperately needs to release a WiFi-only version of the Xoom if they hope to garner market share gains against the iPad. Many users want the convenience of a tablet computer, but don't need the overpriced monthly data plans offered by AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and other carriers.

Samsung's new Galaxy Tab 10.1 Running Android Honeycomb

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the bigger brother to Samsung's Galaxy Tab which featured a 7-inch touchscreen and ran Android 2.2.

Despite using its smaller size compared to the iPad in the Galaxy Tab's advertising, Samsung went with a larger screen for the Galaxy Tab 10.1, as well as Android Honeycomb. Samsung's new tablet also sports a dual-core processor and comes in both 16GB and 32GB models. The device also comes with two cameras.

Vodaphone is slated to exclusively carry the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the European market, but at the time of this writing, US release details and pricing remain unknown.

Exclusively tying the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to one American carrier, without a WiFi-only version, would echo the same mistake Motorola appears to be making with the Xoom and Verizon.

Android tablet makers need to give consumers options, in carrier choice and by offering WiFi-only models, if they hope to wrench market share away from the iPad.