The Google rumors just keep on coming. First the Google Phone creates a buzz throughout the blogosphere, and now, SlashGear (via TechCrunch) is reporting that Google will produce a Google branded netbook as well. The netbook will, obviously, run Chrome OS and could possibly be tied to a mobile carrier, giving it Internet access wherever it"s used. It would also be sold to consumers directly from Google.
The specs of the proposed netbook are unknown. Sources say that it may run NVIDIA"s Tegra 2 platform and will most likely use a solid state hard drive, as Google pushed its use back in November when the Chrome OS platform was unveiled. SlashGear mentions some solid intel regarding the production of such a device, stating that "Google has produced a so-called "request for proposal" – an invitation for suppliers to cost up and bid for a project – based on "quite detailed technical specifications" from Google themselves."
Is Google really getting more involved with branding their own hardware, or are all these rumors just getting people excited for no reason? It"s known that Google is working closely with hardware companies to deliver the best experience possible for Chrome OS, so something such as a netbook doesn"t seem so farfetched. The benefits of a Google controlled netbook are unclear. The netbook is rumored for a later 2010 release, just in time for the holidays.