The latest whispers round the Internet are that Acer, the world’s second largest computer manufacturer, could be the first vendor to produce a Netbook based on Google’s Chrome operating system.
Acer’s Chairman, JT Wang, recently said in an interview with Digitimes that his company is “confident” they would be the first vendor to launch a chrome based netbook.
If previous comments by the company are anything to go by, then this Netbook could be available at some point during the latter six months of next year.
Acer has also said in the past that they would be the first computer manufacturer to produce a Netbook based on the Google Android operating system. The company actually produced a dual boot Windows XP with Google Android Netbook in October of this year.
According to Digitimes sources Acer started working on their Chrome based Netbook in the summer which means they would have already been working on their Chrome Netbook for several months before they launched their Android dual boot.
However, apparently demand for the dual boot Android netbook has not been as “strong as expected” reported Digitimes.
PC World’s Darren Gladstone reviewed Acer’s dual boot Netbook, the Acer Aspire One D250-1613 and commented that it was “an updated away from a better recommendation” so perhaps it’s not surprising the dual boot didn’t inspire consumers.
Acer is not about to give up though and the fact that their dual boot netbook didn’t fare well hasn’t lessened “Acer’s willingness to develop Netbooks with non-Microsoft operating systems”.
Acer will obviously be very keen to do better with a Chrome-based Netbook though, but so far we haven’t heard anything about whether this Netbook will also have a dual boot feature. I somehow doubt it!
Other companies are also keen to use Chrome in their Netbooks so Acer is not alone in their quest to produce a Chrome based Netbook. As well as Acer, Google are also working with Hewlett Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Toshiba and Asus.
Asus was actually the company that gave us the first ever Netbook just over two years ago and by doing so put us all in an ultraportable Netbook spin that hasn’t slowed down yet.
There’s no way of knowing if Asus or anyone else could beat Acer to first place with a Chrome Netbook as none of the others are letting dab about any proposed launch dates or even Netbook specifications for a Chrome-based device.
In the meantime we’ll let you know if we hear anything.
