Asus, the folks who helped define what we think of as a netbook with its Eee PC line, is now looking at Google's Android OS — which, as we recently reported, will be busting its way off of cellphones very soon. There's a third player in all of this, and that's Microsoft. The software giant saw Android push aside Windows Mobile's presence on mobile phones, and now Android may do the same with low-cost laptops, which Microsoft previously fought with Linux over.

The new Android-powered Asus netbook could hit as soon as this year. Since landing in the handset world last October with HTC, Android has attracted Motorola, LG, Samsung and others. Only time will tell if Asus will set a new trend in the netbook world for other manufacturers, namely using Android instead of Windows or Linux.

Bloomberg, via Wired