Rumors: The Mythical Google Chrome OS Netbook Is Coming [Update: Media Event Announced]

There have been the rumors (would Google release a tablet in time for Black Friday?). There have been the hints (a Chrome browser beta optimized for touch). But if an Engadget report has any merit, it sounds like Google’s gearing up for an announcement on Tuesday, December 7 that’ll relocate a rumored Chrome OS notebook from the land of unicorns to the land of real tech products. Well, almost.

This oft-talked about notebook (or “Chromebook”?) is not slated for a big public release, alas: Engadget reports that about 65,000 of these notebooks made by HTC will be released to employees and pals of Google. There’ll even be a Web store for apps that can run in Chrome. When will this Chromebook be available to you and me? At this point, your guess is as good as ours: Engadget suggests that Chrome OS isn’t as user-friendly as it could be, so expect Google to spend more time refining it and squashing bugs.

Google, of course, hasn’t confirmed anything, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Update: Looks like it’s official! Google has sent out invitations to members of the media for a December 7 Chrome media event.

Would you want a Google-branded netbook with a cloud-based OS? Give us your take in the comments!

[Engadget]

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