We've heard rumors here and there about Google bringing a touch-enabled Chromebook to the market, but so far nothing has really materialized. Now the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google is definitely preparing some touch devices slated for release later this year. There's no word on exact release dates, or what manufacturer Google will be partnering with to make these devices, but after the recent marketing push for Chromebooks in the Play Store, as well as Google's efforts on polishing up Chrome OS, I wouldn't expect these plans to fall through.
This does put Google in an odd position, however. On one hand, these Chromebooks could potentially eat up some Android device sales. On the other hand, after Android's wild success, the next market for Google to attack would be the desktop computer market, which is almost exclusively dominated by Microsoft's Windows. Personally, I think the Chromebooks, if offered at a decent price like Google's Nexus devices, would make a great addition to Android powered smartphones and tablets. And after Microsoft's less-than-stellar Windows 8 debut, Google has a shot at turning these niche devices into something mainstream. We'll just have to wait and see.
source: Wall Street Journal
