ECS Android Netbook Due out in Q4 for Under $500

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) showed off its first netbook with Google's Android operating system and software at Computex Taipei 2009 on Tuesday.

The device, called the T800, has an 8.9-inch screen, a small keypad and weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 pounds) despite its metallic casing.

ECS is a contract manufacturer and will likely market it to mobile phone network operators and big PC vendors. An ECS representative said the device will likely be available in the fourth quarter for less than US$500.

The T800 uses chips from Texas Instruments (TI) called OMAP3, which contain ARM processing cores. ECS will offer two devices, one with ARM processors that run at 800MHz and another at 1GHz.

ECS's netbook joined a chorus of others that will use Google's Android software instead of Microsoft Windows XP. An Eee PC from Asustek Computer with Android was displayed on Monday, while Acer debuted its Aspire One netbook with Android on Tuesday. More devices are expected to be displayed at Computex this week.

Android is a smartphone operating system developed by Google that is meant to make communications and Web browsing easy, especially on Google sites such as YouTube and Google Maps. The majority of netbooks today use Windows XP.

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