We have known about Chrome netbooks for a while now. Google has always planned to bring Chrome to netbooks. But it seems Chrome will be available for tablets too. Apparently, Android won’t be the only Google software running on tablets:

We are engaging in early open-source work for the tablet form factor, but we have nothing new to announce at this time…Chrome OS was designed from the beginning to work across a variety of form factors. We expect to see different partners build different kinds of devices based on Chrome OS, but for this initial release we are targeting the notebook form factor.

Google already has a lot to do to make Android Honeycomb a success. With Xoom not selling as well as Android fans hoped, Google’s strategy is not clear here. Chrome tablets could lead to more confusion for consumers. But Google has done thins before. Will Chrome OS even be a factor in the tablet OS market? We will have to wait and see.

We have talked about the need for more Android netbooks in the past. Microsoft, too, seems to be aware of the fact that some netbook makers may be looking beyond Microsoft for their OS to reduce their products’ prices. Instead of improving its product and giving companies a good reason to stick with Microsoft products, the company intends to threaten netbook makers (if the rumors reported by Digitimes are true):

There are only several Taiwan-based handset vendors and only HTC has signed for licensed use of Microsoft patents, leaving Acer and Asustek being the targets for the royalty charge, the sources indicated. However, Acer’s and Asustek’s handset shipments are in small volumes and therefore Microsoft’s royalty charge is not for revenues, the sources noted.

This is just a rumor at this point and should be taken with a grain of salt. Is Microsoft capable of using its existing patents and technologies as an excuse to keep companies from adopting Chrome or Android? That’s possible. ASUS has already denied this rumor but what choice does the company have?

Unfortunately for Microsoft, Google Chrome and Android give netbook makers a better chance to keep competing against other alternatives on the market. There is so much the company can do to keep others from moving away from its products.

GenBook runs Android 1.6. So not only it does not have a powerful processor or a whole lot of RAM, it does not even have the latest Android software. Engadget’s description of this netbook’s performance leaves no doubt whether it is worth the money:

It will probably come as no surprise that the GenBook, which is powered by a 400MHz CPU and 128MB of RAM, is slow. No, like really slow. It takes about a minute and a half to boot up and toggling through menus is downright laggy. We didn’t have to wait all that long for webpages to load over WiFi, but the machine starts quitting programs when it’s asked to do too much at the same time.

$99 is not going to buy a whole lot of things these days. Who really expected GenBook to be really special at that price?

We have been hearing a lot about Google Android showing up on future netbooks but it seems the new Acer netbooks won’t be adding Google Android to their fold. But there are strong indications from Acer officials that there is a deal in the works with Verizon over wireless support for Acer netbooks. Acer networks are currently being offered by AT&T for a little discount, but the company is hoping to reach out to other wireless carriers in the U.S. to bring subsidized netbooks to more people. I am not personally a fan of these subsidized netbooks, but it’s good to see consumers having more options when it comes to netbooks.

What I was disappointed about was Acer’s commitment to Windows XP. Windows XP is not that expensive and may be popular, but that doesn’t mean Linux should be ignored here. Here is what an Acer official had to say about this issue.

XP is a good solution for the price performance… If you look at it, the number of devices that are sold with Linux is very small.

There is no question that XP is a decent OS, but many prefer Linux to Windows XP and it doesn’t hurt that it’s a free OS. So it’s a little bit disappointing to hear Acer commit to Windows for now. But you can always put Linux on your machine all by yourself.
Your take: should Acer bring Android to its netbooks?

Talk about a shocker. Just a few days after many analysts predicted that Android won’t be much of a challenge to Windows in the netbook market, HP is making plans to bring Google Android to its netbooks. Google Android is based on Linux and has been already tested on a few netbooks. HP is currently studying the matter, but it is not hard to see HP introducing android netbooks in the future. For starters, it’s a brilliant move that puts Windows-based netbooks on the back foot. Windows 7 may be a good OS, but not everyone is going to like the platform. And Linux based netbooks can be potentially cheaper, making them attractive to folks who want to get their hands on the technology and save money in the process.

When will HP introduce android netbooks? That’s hard to tell. Currently, HP is studying the matter. That means the earliest we can see android netbooks is fall of this year. Now that’s something worth waiting for.

Google Android has generated a lot of buzz in the mobile industry. The G1 phones are not only attractive but are run by Google’s mobile OS. They may not be as hot as the iPhone, but Android is still very much in demand. After entering the mobile market, many analysts are now excited about the possibility of Google entering the netbook market. The Linux-based OS can provide netbook owners with security and the productivity tools they need to ditch Windows XP (or Win 7.0).

There are some skeptics out there who argue Windows will dominate for years to come. I am not so sure. Netbooks may be capable when it comes to create and consume content for the Internet, but people know they are not buying a super laptop with netbooks. Netbooks are highly portable computers that suit folks who live a mobile life. As much as these guys care about bells and whistles, price is the most important aspect to them. If you could get an Android netbook for $100 less than it’s Windows counterpart, wouldn’t you?

Microsoft has argued for long that Windows is a better and even cheaper solution that Linux. I never quite understood their logic and don’t think they have an answer for Linux. Microsoft will be formidable but if a company is able to bring the netbook prices down by another 20+% by offering Android or Ubuntu, you can expect many to ditch their Windows and jump on Linux bandwagon. Will it happen in 2009? Pr0bably not. But we can always dream.

Your take: do you like to see Android on your netbook? Why?