Google to Release Its Own Netbook?

With lots of evidence that it will be making life a little more interesting for its Android partners by releasing its own smartphone, Google once again suggests it may be a power for disruption as rumors fly that it's ready to release its own netbook based around ChromeOS.

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Will Google risk alienating potential hardware partners by producing a netbook of its own?

That's the question on industry watchers' minds as new rumors abound that Google is talking to Taiwanese manufacturers about producing a netbook built to its specs, though the search giant itself is staying mum on the topic.

It's the latest development on the heels of Google's unveiling of its netbook OS strategy last month during a media event at the company's headquarters.

The event focused on the release of a test version of Google's browser-based, netbook-oriented Chrome operating system for developers to experiment with.

Read "Google Set to Compete With Its Own Chrome OS Partners?" at Hardware Central