The first Android netbook from Acer

Christian Lindholm (who we interviewed in Episode 2 of Mobile Developer TV last week) reckoned that the future of Android lay beyond the mobile handset. He reckons that, as Android develops, it’s going to be integrated into all manner of devices that we might not have expected.

For example, it would make sense for a manufacturer of refrigerators to consider using Android to power their touchscreen computery-cum-calendar-household-organiser thingy.

That would be rather nifty.

This said, the Android juggernaut continues to steam through the industry with the announcement (via Bloomberg) that Acer are launching an Android-based netbook.

Brilliant!

I think Acer had what we in the UK term a ‘moment of madness’ when they commenced their handset operations by vomiting a same-same Windows Mobile device on to the deeply unimpressed world. Somebody at Microsoft must have needed to be placated. A few months later Acer announced an Android handset was en route. Good.

And now, Acer (the world’s second-largest laptop maker) are going Android. I’m looking forward to seeing how it functions. There’s no word on the device specs (although Bloomberg reports it’ll be similar to their existing range) and no word on cost.

This is a biggie for Microsoft…