Showing off tablet-focused mobile OS Android 3.0 - otherwise known as Honeycomb - Google has further set itself up as the anti-Apple, bringing in features that directly counter its rival.
First, Google unveiled major changes to its Marketplace, moving it to the web. Essentially, the Android Marketplace Webstore will allow users to find and buy apps via their browser, and send them directly to whichever Android device they choose over the air - similar to how Amazon's Kindle works.
"There's no wires, no syncing with computers, none of that kind of nonsense," said Hugo Barra, Android product manager.
The web-based store also means apps can be directly linked to, making sharing easier. And, Android devices cleverly recognise links to apps: when they're clicked on a phone, users will be taken to the Marketplace client; when they're clicked via a PC browser, they'll open as a page in the web store.
In addition, Google revealed it will now allow in-app purchasing, just as Apple is clamping down on apps that subvert its strict in-app guidelines.
News app
Google also used the press conference to show off a news app, hours after News Corp and Apple unveiled an iPad-only news publication, The Daily.
For the latter, a new version will be released each morning, with updates throughout the day. It will cost 99 cents a week to subscribe.
To counter that, Google showed off a new CNN app for Android. The free application will display stories via a "broadsheet" layout that updates constantly over a mobile connection.
The app also includes a live video page, handy for keeping track of events such as the Cairo protests. On the flip side, during The Daily launch just two hours before, presenters joked how they hoped nothing new had happened in Egypt since they stepped on stage, as their publication would then be outdated.
The CNN app will first arrive on the Motorola Xoom tablet, and be available for other Android devices afterwards.
Android 3.0
Google also showed off more features for the upcoming Android 3.0. The operating system will feature widgets for functions such as email, so messages can be viewed directly from the home screen.
It will also support drag and drop functions, hardware acceleration for graphics, and a new render script graphics engine for 3D user interfaces.
Honeycomb brings a new UI for the camera app and image stabilisation technology for video chat - which Barra suggested will run over mobile networks, not only over Wi-Fi like Apple's FaceTime.
-1.jpg&w=100&c=1&s=0)
.png&w=100&c=1&s=0)
