Google is reportedly planning to launch an indigenously designed Chrome-powered “smartbook” in an effort to encourage the operating system’s widespread adoption.
According to DigiTimes, Google’s ARM-based smartbook will be manufactured by Inventec, with initial shipments projected to reach a respectable 60,000-70,000 units.
However, similar to the Nexus One, the Mountain View company is not expected to sell the smartbook through traditional retail channels.
Meanwhile, both Acer and Hewlett-Packard are apparently prepping Chrome devices of their own (manufactured by Quanta) that could debut as early as December 2010.
Google Chrome OS is a Linux-based, web-centric operating system with an official release date of “late fall” 2010.
Like the Chrome browser, the OS graphical user interface (GUI) is minimalist and aimed primarily at users who spend most of their time online.
Indeed, Chrome OS is believed to consume only one-sixtieth as much drive space as Windows 7.
