Amazon Android tablets, Market update and Scrabble runs free

Android tablets as envisioned by Amazon

Android tablets sales haven't exactly soared. In fact, to call sales lackluster would be charitable. Honeycomb needs some work as a tablet OS. The Android Market needs some decent tablet apps. Pricing needs to drop even further than it has in recent weeks. More to the point though, one company or manufacturer (or perhaps a consortium) really needs to put a push behind Android as a tablet OS for the sales charts to take a turn toward the positive.

It seems Amazon believes it has what it takes. While the Amazon tablets running Android are as yet unconfirmed, it's clear that Amazon is working on something. That something (or rather those somethings) look to be Coyote, an aggressively priced dual-core tablet to undercut the iPad, and Hollywood, a quad-core tab to best the iPad in power.

Details are scant right now. However, we've already seen Amazon release its own app store, a cloud music player and an instant video streaming service on Android this year. Seems they're betting on CE success using Android as a foundation.

When it comes to Android smartphones, we say keep it stock. When it comes to Android tablets though, we vote skin away. Clearly Android's first attempt at a tablet OS hasn't hit with consumers. It needs a killer app and that killer app may just be a different UI.

Android Market's latest update

The Android team quietly rolled out an update to the Android Market and it instantly brings feelings of deja vu... for anyone that's interacted with a Windows Phone 7 phone. That would be all six of you.

The new Market is reminiscent of WP7's Metro look with items broken into multicolored geometric tiles. It does a good job of presenting apps, including "Editors' Choice" apps, which is refreshing to see. Previously, the Market would just push anything people were downloading to the top of the list based on its popularity.

Perhaps this is a hint of things to come? Perhaps the Android team is starting to realize that not everything can be automated. Perhaps a little human oversight is exactly what's needed to keep junkware and malware from permeating people's phones. Perhaps a call to my own Android phone from the Android team asking for my editorial expertise is imminent? (A fat pay check, access to early builds of Android, the adulation of my peers, the free cafeteria food...)

Whatever the case, the move comes at about the same time the Android Market topped a quarter of a million apps. Not a moment too soon.

For US users, the Android Market update also brings movie rentals and book purchases. Movie rentals start at $1.99 and can be cached for watching off-line. Perfect for traveling.

If you haven't seen the latest update to the Android Market hit your phone yet, sit tight. Assuming you're on Android 2.2 or better, it's coming. Android, as is typical, is rolling out the update to users at its own pace to avoid bringing everything to a screeching halt.

Scrabble joins the free word fray

Apparently, the success of free Scrabble-style word games on Facebook, Android, iPhone and just about everywhere has not escaped the notice of EA and Hasbro. Scrabble games are the result of this partnership and while the official Scrabble game has cost a few bucks to purchase on mobile platforms, those dark days are over.

Enter the new, free Scrabble, now with 100% more obtrusive ads. There's no single-player mode and ironically, Scrabble Free apes Words with Friends heavily. Tit for tat, I guess.

As the official app listing puts it:

SCRABBLE on your Android device. SCRABBLE with Friends. SCRABBLE for FREE! Now THAT is a triple word score!

In other news, EA / Hasbro now hiring: A copywriter who understands that the exclamation point is not something to be bandied about willy-nilly and that can get to the damned point.

Android App: Review of the Day
WebMD app for Android.
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