14 DAY TRIAL // Netbooks are still set to see a significant growth during 2010 and PC vendors are naturally keeping an eye on this market, seeing as how netbook sales were one of the main factors behind the more favorable general marketing performance of 2009, compared to 2008. One element that is expected to help keep interest in netbooks high is Google's Chrome OS. Recently, Samsung reportedly stated that, like Acer, it would be bringing its own Chrome netbook in 2010.
Acer's plans to bring out a Chrome OS netbook in the third quarter were reportedly confirmed in late January. The same report estimated that the company's total shipments of the netbook, for 2010, would amount to 12 to 15 million. This marketing performance, however, may be harder to achieve now that Samsung is gearing up to launch its own device.
Channel News reveals that the company will introduce the netbook later this year, according to Phil Newton, head of Samsung IT Australia. Among the specs mentioned in the report were 2GB of memory, a 10.1-inch display, 3G, WiFi and a storage space of at least 64GB. The device would supposedly be able to run for up to 12 hours on a single battery charge.
“We will be expanding our range shortly and we will have a Chrome-based notebook," Mr. Newton said.
Chrome OS aims to do away with a large amount of the usual features in an operating system. Its user interface will be based around the web browser and users will store data in the cloud. Google also intends to make a reference platform available for hardware makers to use as a base for their own products, such as very small solid state drives. Such storage units would have the sole purpose of providing the necessary cache and operating system files.
The chipset that will act as a base for Samsung's Chrome OS netbook is still unknown but speculations revolve around the 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon central processing unit.