With rampant speculation that the maker of the Windows Mobile XPERIA X1 maker will be entering the netbook category with Android as its core, it seems that the joint venture between Ericsson and Sony will be competing against one of its parents in the netbook category. Sony Ericsson’s Android book will be of the same computing classification as the Sony VAIO P and other more traditional (and more affordable) netbooks from the Japanese consumer electronics giant running Windows XP as its OS.

The netbook from Sony Ericsson could be based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, or another ARM variant. Some variant of Linux is said to be powering the device, with Android being a major possibility, according to a rumor coming from Taiwan.

Sony Ericsson, in a bid to stay competitive and become profitable, have explored various operating systems to use. The handheld maker had used a Symbian variant called UIQ in the past, moving to Windows Mobile more recently for its XPERIA X1 handheld and rumored X2. In an identity crisis move, the maker also uses Symbian S60 (found traditionally on Nokia smartphones) for its 12-megapixel Idou platform, since renamed the Satio for GSM and Kokura for CDMA and a possible Verizon Wireless launch. The joint venture also has made public comments about exploring Android, and its rumored XPERIA X3 handset may be the fruit of that labor.

(via: Electronista)