Acer Confirms Android Netbook for Q3

Acer Confirms Android Netbook for Q3
 
Rumours about Android-based netbooks are quickly being confirmed at Computex 2009, with Acer becoming one of the first manufacturers to announce one. Jim Wong, head of IT products for Acer informed Bloomberg that the Android netbook will be launched in the third quarter of this year.
 
The planned netbook will be Acer’s first venture away from Windows after its Aspire One Netbook, which gave users a choice between Linux and Windows XP. The offer did not work out well as most netbook users prefer Windows over Linux. Despite full versions such as Ubuntu and SuSE having some good features, Linux has not exactly been able to make a dent in Microsoft’s leadership position.
 
Google’s Android though, has been creating lot of waves off late. Originally designed for smartphones, the OS has caught the fancy of most netbook manufacturers, who have been experimenting with the possibility of an Android based netbook. Asus even showcased one recently, though only a prototype based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon ARM processor.
 
Acer’s announcement makes it the first netbook manufacturer to confirm an Android-powered netbook. Though specifics about configuration or pricing have not been revealed, industry analysts expect the netbook to be cheaper than Windows as the Google OS is open source.
 
While Android is being touted as a threat to Windows, the success of Acer’s Android netbook remains to be seen. Windows already has a very strong base with most applications designed around it. This will be one of the biggest challenges facing Acer as Android currently does not have any applications available.
 
As of now, the announcement can only be considered as a test run. Acer can only hope to be successful with the Android netbook if it comes with a fantastic battery life and is priced considerably lower than Windows based ones.
 
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