Sample Android 3.0 tablets rumored for CES 2011

With less than eighty days to go before the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas, the tech rumor mill already is in high gear. Building off of the momentum created this year, I expect to see Android take on a major role at the electronics conference.

A big part of the platform's future hinges on tablets and the arsenal of iPad rivals that will be unleashed in the new year. DigiTimes is reporting today that Google is putting the final touches on Android 3.0 and is prepping sample tablets for a December rollout. Google is said to have already notified their partners of the platform's near completion.

According to "sources from notebook players," CES should see new Android tablets from the likes of Acer, Micro-Star, and Asustek Computer. Samsung will be in attendance and could show off an Android 3.0 version of its Galaxy Tab. Two other big names, Motorola and HTC, also are mentioned as displaying Android tablets at the annual event.

In a separate DigiTimes article posted today, Google reportedly is shifting its focus to Motorola for 3.0 with LG rumored to be getting preferential treatment for Honeycomb (3.5).

I should also note that Google has not paired any builds of Android with a release number so calling Honeycomb as Android 3.5 is a bit premature at this stage. That's not to say, however, that the crux of DigiTimes' articles isn't on the mark. For now, I'm just excited to see what lies ahead in January!