• Financial Times, Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11 AM

Even as Microsoft takes a cheeky step onto Google's search turf (see above), Acer, the world's third-biggest PC maker, is opening another front in the war between the two tech giants by producing the world's first mainstream notebook computer using Google's Android operating system, Robin Kwong, Joseph Menn and Richard Waters report. It will be available before the end of September.

The Aspire One will run both the XP and Android operating systems allowing users to switch between the two. It will be cheaper than the current model, Acer says, declining further comment. Skytone, a Chinese company, recently announced a pure Android netbook that has yet to ship.

Meanwhile, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison indicated that it would launch its own software platform for PCs and handheld devices once it completes its acquisition of Sun, and Microsoft revealed that Windows 7 would go on sale on Oct. 22.

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