Google To Release Chrome OS Netbook In 2010?

Google may have plans to release a Chrome-based, Google-branded smartbook (or netbook) – the legendary Google PC – after getting the Nexus One smartphone out of the way in January 2010.

According to Michael Arrington from Techcrunch, Google has already submitted a request for proposal to a hardware manufacturer – which we believe would be Asus – with a list of “detailed technical specifications”.

Google has said from the beginning that they plan on working with select manufacturers to ensure a good Chrome OS experience for users when devices first hit the market next year. From an early FAQ : “The Google Chrome OS team is currently working with a number of technology companies to design and build devices that deliver an extraordinary end user experience. Among others, these companies include Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba.”

The device, Arrington says, ought to be ready for the 2010 holiday season – one year from now – and will be sold directly to the consumers in the US and presumably over here as well.

A 3G connections appears to be the only dead cert specifications at this point in time although we expect it to be an ARM-based model with a 10-inch screen with 16GB flash memory, a keyboard and all the functionality that you would find on the Nexus One. Maybe Google should call it Nexus Two.

Arrington reckons that the device might run on Nvidia’s Tegra Line that currently powers Microsoft’s Zune HD. The Tegra 2 is set to be launched next year and is said to be twice as powerful as the first one, thanks to a dual core configuration.

But knowing Google, it is likely that they might even want to tweak the processor their way as Apple often does with its Intel-based hardware. Unlike Apple however, Google is starting from afresh – without the legacy of the x86 platform – and is unlikely to stick with Intel.

Having said this, there might be a wide choice for consumers as the hardware platform will be widely open. So consumers can have a choice between MS, Chrome or the new generation like Netbook Pack.

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