Upcoming Alpha 680 Netbook will include Google Android

by Stevie Smith - Apr 27 2009, 15:00

Are you eager to sample the current Netbook consumer boom but you’re not a fan of Microsoft Windows or open-source Linux operating systems? Well, according to a Computerworld report, the world’s first Netbook powered by Google’s Android platform will be available before the end of summer.

More specifically, with Android having already made its mark on the hotly contested mobile phone market through the HTC Dream handset, China-based Netbook manufacturer Guangzhou Skytone Transmission Technologies has revealed that the operating system is preparing to expand its reach on portable devices by debuting on ultra-mobile personal computers.

If company co-founder Nixon Wu is to be believed, the upcoming Alpha 680 system will be powered by a low-cost, energy efficient ARM11 processor (533Mhz) and is reportedly immersed in final testing. Finished prototypes should be ready for June, according to Mr. Wu, with full retail units expected to follow within two months after that.

Current chatter surrounding the Alpha 680 suggests the little Netbook will truly tick all the boxes when it comes to physical portability and pocket-friendly pricing, thanks to a cost of around $250 USD, a total weight of just 1.5lbs, and sizing stats of 8.5 x 6.0 x 1.5 inches, which combine to make the Alpha 680 smaller and lighter than the original ASUS Eee PC 701.

Other specs worth digesting include a modest seven-inch LCD display screen (800x480), 128MBs of DDR2 RAM (expandable to 256MBs), a 1GB SSD (expandable to 4GBs), Wi-Fi connectivity, an on-board touchpad, twin USB ports, and external memory expansion via an SD card port.

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