Acer to launch Android netbook in 3Q

Third-ranked PC maker, Acer announced on Tuesday that it will launch a new low-cost computer in the third quarter, which will be based on Google's Android operating system. Elaborating on the choice of the Android OS, Acer's president of IT products, Jim Wong noted that Android offers "incredibly fast wireless connection to the Internet." Wong also clarified that Acer will not be abandoning the Microsoft's Windows platform.

Acer said the move toward an Android netbook was "for added convenience to our customers." Personally, I think that the company is obviously not resting on its laurels, and it is aiming for the next big hit. A key advantage in going with Android is obviously lower per-unit cost. Designed to power smartphones, its open-sourced nature also means that developers will be able to contribute code to the platform in the vein of Linux.

Of course, whether a netbook based on Android will be popular remains to be seen.

To read more:
- check out this article from MercuryNews.com
- check out this article from the Wall Street Journal

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