Google erects Android 3.0 mascot on campus

Google has made a tradition of erecting Android mascots at its headquarters. The Android 3.0 (codenamed Honeycomb) mascot recently arrived at the Building 44 on the company's Mountain View, California campus.

The Honeycomb statue joins other treats in front of the Android building which are representing the operating system's codenames for previous versions: a cupcake (1.5), an Éclair (2.0-2.1), a bowl of frozen yogurt (aka Froyo, 2.2), Gingerbread (2.3). If you haven't figured it out yet, we'll tell you: the Android releases are codenamed after a dessert, in alphabetical order.

For those wondering, version 2.4 is already rumored to be arriving next month or this summer. It also appears that either Android 3.1 or Android 4.0 will be codenamed Ice Cream (Sandwich). Either way, that release is expected no earlier than mid-2011.

Google recently branched Android in two: smartphone (Android 2.x) and tablet (Android 3.x). There is speculation that the search giant will merge them back together at Android 4.x.