This month Google unveiled the new tablet software crafted to dethrone the almighty Apple iPad - and industry experts weren't disappointed.  (For full details of the launch visit Tech Crunch for more details)

Android Honeycomb, a free, open-source operating system is expected to quickly be built into an array of tablets in a booming market currently dominated by the Apple iPad.

In a sign that Google is intent on wooing the developers behind the "apps" fuelling the popularity of smartphones and tablets, executives here stressed that Honeycomb is built as a platform for software innovation.

Google also announced the launch of an Android Market Web store where people can get fun, functional or hip applications for devices running on the mobile operating software.

Already receiving rave reviews (see Donald Bell's you tube clip below) the software has some unique benefits for first time users:

• Buttonless interface. This was expected, and appeared to perform quite well.
• A new UI button on the home screen specifically for multitasking. It provides visual previews of apps running in the background.
• Widgets have been enhanced with collections of data; for example, they showed a bookmarks widget.
• The notification system has been beefed up to be less intrusive and to provide more information. Contact notifications include photos.
• A new animation framework that is demonstrably fast and incredibly smooth, especially when zooming.
• Renderscript, a feature that allows for high performance interactive 3D graphics; they showed an impressive wall of YouTube videos.

With millions of loyal iPad users already in the market, the question remains; will you make the switch?