Computer maker Hewlett-Packard is officially interested in creating a new netbook based on the Google Android operating system, though the company hasn't officially confirmed any Android-based products.
The company is currently "assessing the capability that Android may have for the computer and communication industries," an HP spokesperson recently said.
Android is a free, open source OS that has mainly been used on mobile phones, though Google always intended it to be used for netbooks and other devices beyond phones. The Open Handset Alliance has quietly gained members interested in Android development for a wider variety of Android-enabled platforms, with Vodafone, Toshiba, Sony Ericsson, and others currently serving as members.
Most manufacturers creating netbooks, notebooks and PCs use Microsoft Windows, but there has been a growing demand for free, open source software as a replacement to Windows products. For example, HP hasn't dropped Microsoft software completely, but relies on its own custom software with some of its netbook offerings.
Specific details have not yet been released by the company.
"We are the world's leading computer company," according to the spokesperson. "It only makes sense that we would want to understand all the operating system choices in the marketplace that may be used by our competitors, and we also remain open to considering various approaches to meet the needs of our own customers."
