Google Session at Cloud Expo

Larry Ellison's not the only software maven bitten by the hardware bug badly enough to risk losing focus.

Besides that Google-designed HTC-manufactured Android Phone reportedly dubbed the Nexus One that Google itself is getting ready to sell directly through its web site come January, Tech Crunch says to look out for a Google-branded Google-peddled Chrome netbook next year too.

The blog claims that multiple sources report that, with RFP in hand, Google has been talking to at least one hardware maker about running it up its very own netbook.

Tech Crunch is most curious about whether that RFP calls for an Atom or an ARM chip. It's betting ARM and an Nvidia Tegra, which should tick Intel off.

Anyway, at last report from the Googleplex, Google had its people testing - excuse me, "dogfooding" - the Nexus One and tweeting about it.

Reuters expects Google to sell an unlocked Nexus One as well as one with a T-Mobile service contract. Presumably this will not go down well with the existing Android crew, not to mention RIM and Apple. (Goodness, no wonder Eric's not on the Apple board anymore.)

The Wall Street Journal suggests that between the Google Voice call-routing service and Google's recent purchase of the Gizmo5 VoIP network, Google could be its own carrier soon.

All the apps on the touch screen-based Nexus are reportedly Google-made. The handset's supposed to be a little bit thinner and a little bit bigger than an iPhone with GSM technology and Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon chipset. Doubtless there will be a digital media store off in the cloud somewhere.

No word on pricing yet. Pricing is key.

Bear in mind that the mobile ad market in the U.S. is only supposed to be worth around $416 million this year.