Acer's Android netbook due this quarter

The delayed computer will also run Windows, an executive says

By Martyn Williams, IDG News Service, 10/13/09

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Acer is planning to launch a dual-boot netbook this quarter that will ship with both Microsoft's Windows and Google's Android operating system, the head of its Japan unit said Tuesday.

The computer, details of which were not available, was first shown in June at this year's Computex exhibition in Taipei. At the time Acer said it planned to launch the computer in the third quarter but the quarter ended two weeks ago with no sign of the machine.

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"Worldwide I expect to see the product launch in Q4," said Bob Sen, managing director of Acer Japan, during an interview with IDG News Service in Tokyo.

When the computers were first demonstrated in June they were running Android and Windows but an Acer executive said the company would install Android and another Linux operating system in the computers when they shipped commercially. However, that appears to have changed with the launch date, and at least some versions of the computers will include Windows.

"Acer is not going to launch with a single OS, Android," said Sen. "It will be dual-boot, Android with Windows."

The Android operating system is based on Linux and was developed by Google for use in smartphones. Several Android-powered phones are already on the market and developers have been working on a version of the OS for personal computers.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.

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