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We’ve already seen Android 4.0(s goog), also known as the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Google’s mobile platform, on a mobile phone, but not on tablets. On Tuesday, Google’s revamp of the Android platform was finally shown off, albeit briefly, in a video. The ASUS Transformer Prime tablet, powered by Nvidia’s(s nvda) quad-core Tegra 3 chip, seems to be running silky-smooth in this first look.
Although I welcome faster, more capable processors in any mobile device, I shared some skepticism when Nvidia debuted the Tegra 3 chip last month. Why? Because hardware isn’t the core reason Apple’s iPad is outselling all other Android tablets combined by several magnitudes. Some Android tablets have faster chips, more memory, or expansion options than the iPad(s aapl). It doesn’t matter though; the user experience and ecosystem are just as important as specs, if not more so.
Having said that, I like what I see in Android 4.0 so far, especially when it’s running on a chip with four processing cores and a dozen graphics cores. The Tegra 3 chip appears to be a screamer, which doesn’t hurt. Combine that with the user interface improvements in Android 4.0, and the Transformer Prime — not to mention other Tegra 3 tablets I expect to see at January’s Consumer Electronics Show — should give Android tablet sales a needed boost.
The battle between those slates and the iPad is far from over, but Tegra 3 paired with Android 4.0 gives Google tablets a better chance to put up a fight.
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/7YAJGKdT
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/ONKxB84h
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
User experience matters more then hardware, so very true in iPad vs all other tablets
http://t.co/n3CsnwJx
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
The red lining is the lag detector. If it flashes that means the user interface may lag at that point. If you want technical details read about StrictMode in the Android SDK.
Thank you. :)
Buttery fluid, ahihihi
http://t.co/NGmyDPNa
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime
http://t.co/Rl4drRxq
First look: #Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime – GigaOm http://t.co/mo5UZA2R
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/YxyHAdUB
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/VLSHoHm0
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/je0gcqAy
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime: http://t.co/CFFjTETi
Hey, what’s that red border lining that appears at 00:26?
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime: We’ve seen Android 4.0, also known as the… http://t.co/StrnKdmr #tabletpc #ipad
RT @gigaom: First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/gdFUQp5D
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/hbqKoZdL
Here come the sandwich! First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/wAcPCMmI
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/3SOmMdWv
First look: #Android_4_0 on the #ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/m22kSSon @om #mobile
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/hy2bOZEI
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/NMNmyfpC
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/1gjQZwUz
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/ANY9VCGb
First look: Android 4.0 on the ASUS Transformer Prime http://t.co/gyqbnEHK