CNN launches free app for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets

CNN has launched an application specifically optimized for use on tablets running Android 3.0 Honeycomb yesterday. The app is one of the first to be optimized for the newest version of Android and not be developed directly by Google. CNN no doubt wants to quickly take advantage of the hype surrounding the newest Android-based tablets such as the just-released Motorola Xoom.

The app's Broadsheet view, seen in the image above, features navigation elements to the left and a swipeable grid format for stories, with powerful images and headlines. The CNN app also comes with its own widget, that can be added to your tablet's homescreen and lets you quickly flip through story headlines and images thanks to Honeycomb's support for layered widgets.

The app also lets you easily switch between US-centric and international news. Both views have live video of breaking news, and the US view also features hourly news updates from CNN radio. You can comment on any story, or share it with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, or email. The app is very well integrated with iReport, CNN's user-generated news community.

It's the first time that iReport is available in a tablet app, and you can see the best submissions from iReporters across the globe. You can also submit your own iReports straight from within the app, complete with audio and video recordings -- something that isn't possible yet with CNN's iPad app because of the lack of cameras in Apple's tablet.

The CNN app for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets is only available in the US at the moment. It's free, and you can download it from the Android Market.

Tags: android, Android 3.0, Android honeycomb, Android3.0, AndroidHoneycomb, apps, cnn, CNN app, CnnApp, ireport, media, news