Google’s Android mobile operating system could be headed to netbooks in the future courtesy of ASUS, the company that launched netbooks with its Eee PC. The company already has engineers working on such a netbook and it could be ready by the end of the year. That this is possible has already been proven.
Why is ASUS looking to put an operating system designed for mobile phones on a netbook? There are a number of good reasons in fact. First, ASUS would save on licensing fees as Google launched Android as an open-source operating system. Based on Linux (as were the very first Eee PCs), Android is designed for small devices and, as such, is well suited to small screens, limited processing power and storage. Adapting it to netbooks may not be that much of a stretch for ASUS. Lastly, the Google Marketplace would provide users with a growing catalog of applications, both free and paid.
A final decision by ASUS whether to bring this Android-powered netbook to market will not be taken until later in the year.