Apps of the Week – Android 3.0 Honeycomb

We’ve just heard about the UK price for the Motorola Xoom, but what about the apps for its Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS?

The latest version of Android has a gorgeous media player, tabbed browsing and powerful multitasking, but Honeycomb tablets will live or die by the apps. Here are some Honeycomb apps that hope to be killers, as tested on the new Motorola Xoom (review coming shortly)…

CNN

Mixing video clips, text stories and photos, this ambitious app comes across like 100 channels of news shouting at you at once. A table of 40-odd headlines in each category (US, World, Tech etc) takes a while to load, leaving you staring at CNN logos. Video clips then take an additional 20 seconds to load (even on Wi-Fi), and are stretched to fit the Xoom’s widescreen display. You’ll also have to sit through occasional apps – and equally common freezes as the app crashes.

Stings like a bee

Angry Birds

A good benchmark for Honeycomb as everyone in the entire world has shouted at Angry Birds on at least one platform. Graphics and soundtrack as pretty much identical to previous versions, and gameplay is nearly there but not quite – the flying birds judder a little as they screech through the air. On the plus side, the size of the Xoom’s screen makes tackling some of the hardest levels a little easier.

Tastes like honey

Movie Studio

The prize for Honeycomb’s buggiest app has to go to Movie Studio, Google’s response to Apple’s iMovie. During the few moments when I wasn’t staring at a whirling progress wheel or waiting for the Xoom to reboot after crashing, this seems to be a basic video editing suite that lets you tweak clips, add titles and effects, import music and export finished videos at up to 720p. The interface is pretty simple and clear, but this is nothing like as smooth (or reliable) as iMovie.

Stings like a bee

Cordy

This charming 3D platformer should have Apple quaking. As polished as an iPad game, with superb graphics, convincing physics and smooth animation. The run-jump-solve puzzle formula is as old as the hills but the 3D rendition and effortless gameplay show that Honeycomb should be well able to please real gamers, when (or if) big developers jump on board.

Tastes like honey