Early this year, Google released a statement stating that it’s willing to use Android for any device not just the mobile phones. Then, earlier this month it officially announced the commencement of its new project, the Chrome operating system. Wherein Google stated that the Chrome OS and Android may overlap in some areas, choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone.

With these contradictory statements, should android netbooks consider themselves” damned to hell for condemnation.” Few of the major computer producers like Acer, Dell, and HP are already set to put Android netbooks into production. Now the question arises, why should they put any android OS into their netbooks when giants like Google would prefer Chrome for OS? With the word out that Google will launch Google Chrome OS around latter half of 2010, these computer makers might want to wait till the rollout. This will surely put the Android netbook production to a long halt.

While these two Projects are separate, Google hinted that, as these two are similar in some areas; they might shift from heterogeneous to integrated projects. Thus creating a situation, that is confusing for the computer manufacturers, whereas pointing to a bleak future for the Android notebooks.

Pros and Cons:
Speaking of Google Chrome, it will be a boon in disguise for the netbooks, specifically, and all other machines also. For first, it will reduce the cost of netbooks by 10%. As the OS is based on Linux, the cost of Microsoft Window license will be slashed, which used to increase the cost of netbooks abruptly.

Secondly, Speed of the netbooks will be increased as Chrome OS is designed to run on low-powered Atom and ARM processors. Its size will also be small which will lead to less booting times, hence greater speed. Chrome will be compatible with most of the machines as it’s based on Linux and will have loads of new apps and features.

Android netbooks do possess some of the advantages, like reduced price, but don’t include all features like Google Chrome OS. Moreover they are only suited for functioning in small devices like mobile phones etc. Now one must be thinking that Androids have only one way to go, and that is “out.” But that is not the case here. Google has got something up its sleeve.

The Strategy:
Strategically thinking, it could very well be a planned move by Google.This way Google will establish two operating systems in the market. The Android could cater to the needs of low-end devices, about 7 inch screen size, which have a low PC functionality and more inclined towards web-browsing purposes. This could be a good rival to Windows mobile. Whilst Google Chrome OS would compete with Microsoft Windows7. Microsoft will look to rev up its fee for the new version of Windows, which will be in no interest of the buyers or vendors. This will drive them towards Google chrome OS based devices that will incur just $5 or no cost at all.

Well, both the operating systems will be hitting the market soon. Android OS will be employed by low end netbooks and Google Chrome OS by high end netbooks. Both will cut down the netbook prices. Since, they are based over Linux, so their overlapping is inevitable. What will be the end result? We’ll have to wait and see. But it’s not the Android’s time to go…for sure.