Android-powered netbooks by the end of 2009?

[talkbackdroid]

People are bringing up a very interesting point about the growing popularity of netbooks. Many of the users that pick up a netbook are interested in getting something that just works. Needless to say a Linux based netbook might not tickle their fancy... Read more

[inportb]

Hm... but if it's a netbook, "real" Linux is the way to go. I don't think it would be nice to put half-locked-down systems on netbooks. And if it's a netbook, it should be able to handle a serious distro like Debian or even Ubuntu.

"The x68 version of Android is rumored to be available to the public by 1Q 2009"

Is that another name for x86?

[Seraphic]

Once the operating system matures, maybe. Most of my mates at work have netbooks because they're small, portable, powerful and run linux, but then I suppose that'll be the case as I work in IT. Nokia have tried attacking the market with its internet tablets but havent quite pulled it off, I'm wondering if Google could do it.

[btop]

Isn't android based on linux?
Anyway, I think that "Full" Linux is what should be included on netbooks. Maybe even Ubuntu MID, I have tested that on my aspire one, and it looks and functions beautifully.

[71CH]

I don't really see a need for this. Doesn't google already have an operating system out for computers? gOS or something like that. I currently really like my xfce setup so I'll probably just stick with this.

[DiscoDapper]

It could be interesting depending on how development goes, but by all accounts Windows 7 is supposed to be running very well on Netbooks. I would not be satisfied with just the web on my netbook, just as I am not satisfied with just the net on my G1. G1 will certianly have great applications that harness it's potential by this time next year, but where will that leave Android on netbooks as far as application development goes? Namely how will the apps that work great on G1 run on a netbook?

[johnkzin]

For me to be interested in an android netbook, it would have to have:

1) Google Reader has to be fixed so that I can use keyboard shortcuts and edit tags

2) GMail has to be fixed to support everything that real Gmail does (the super-stars, saving searches, etc.: all of the "labs" features; plus it has to allow me to edit/create filters)

3) Convertible Tablet format, with a 7" - 8" screen

4) Some form of WWAN data connection. Maybe tethering against my G1, but the best path would be a user accessible internal PCI-Express-Mini card, with available antenna wires, so that users could buy a card that matches the carrier they want to use.

5) Bluetooth HID, so I can use an external keyboard/mouse

6) USB Host, so I can attach more storage

7) 1, preferrably 2, full size SDHC card slots, and an internal 1.8" drive (HDD, Flash, SSD options) for main storage.

8) Outstanding battery life.

9) VNC viewer and VNC server (both supporting VNC password authentication). Right now, you mostly can do those, but they're 3rd party and the viewer doesn't support passwords. I'd want to be able to view remote devices, as well as export my display to my workstaiton.

10) Android optimized Google Docs, with read/write, not read-only.

11) SyncML client.

12) The netbook, and my G1, to support Bluetooth HID, BIP, and hands-free profiles in a way that I could remote control my G1 from the netbook (send and receive SMS and MMS, initiate calls, reject or answer incoming calls, etc.).


I don't need shell access to the underlying Linux layer. ConnectBot to SSH out to remote devices is good enough to satisfy my need for a shell. I don't need to have local shell access on every device I own ;-) I would want/need ConnectBot to look decent, with 80x24 characters, on this device, though.

I haven't tried the IM clients on the G1, but I would want a very solid IM experience to be available as well. At least as good as Pidgin and AdiumX.

Give me all of that, for under $500, and I'll buy it.

[JetsHERO]

Yeah okay.

You dont ask for much ei?

[JohnnyLicious]

wonder if this will be a touchscreen netbook aah.

[inportb]

gOS is not a Google OS... it's Ubuntu.