Motorola Mobility has been talking about Android-based cable boxes for a while now, and it appears there's a little crossbreeding with the tablet and phone groups going on in the labs: we've just received these images of a 6-inch Android 2.3 tablet codenamed "Corvair" that's designed for use in the living room. We're told that it's in testing with cable companies right now, but we're not exactly sure how it's designed to be used: the box calls it a "dedicated controller," but it also seems to show the tablet wirelessly displaying its entire UI on the TV, so we're guessing it can be used to watch and stream content in addition to serving as a remote control for one of Motorola's cable boxes. (That would also explain the hardware power and volume buttons next to the display.)

We don't know much specs-wise, but the box says the design is "optimized for low cost," so we wouldn't expect anything high-end inside. It also looks like it says something "OS" in the upper left, so it seems like a fairly custom version of Android. There's also IR control and RF4CE, which is a ZigBee-based RF control protocol, as well as a high-capacity 4,000mAH battery — makes sense if you've got to keep this thing on a coffee table for days on end. It's definitely an intriguing concept and further evidence that the cable industry is considering all types of new ideas — we'll see what comes of it.