Is Google building its own Chrome OS netbook?

It's being claimed that Google will be following up its homegrown Nexus One mobile phone with a similarly-homegrown netbook that'll be running Chrome OS.

Industry blog TechCrunch reckons that it has "multiple sources" that claim that Google has been talking to at least one hardware manufacturer about building a netbook that Google itself could sell directly.

The sources say that there's no particular hurry on this one - the company is aiming for Christmas 2010 - but that the devices would be built, branded by Google, and then shipped out directly to consumers. They may be 3G-enabled, and come bundled with a mobile contract of some sort.

Other than that, there's little to be had. We know that the source code for Chrome OS was recently released, and we know that Acer is planning a Chrome OS netbook for the second half of 2010, so it seems like the timing is accurate.

Beyond that, this is still firmly in rumour territory. We'll let you know when we hear more.