Within days of the Internet rumors about the supposed Google branded phone, the Android-based Nexus One, the buzz now has it that a Google-branded Chrome OS netbook is also being deliberated upon by the company, for which it is rumored to have initiated talks with at least one hardware manufacturer.

As per TechCrunch, sources in-the-know have reported that the Internet search giant has sent a "request for proposal" (RFP) to one unnamed manufacturer, and both the companies have seemingly discussed the development of a Google-branded Chrome OS device, which is likely to hit the market around the 2010 holiday season.

Going by the report, Google "intends" selling the supposed device directly to consumers, packaging it with the service of "one or more" wireless carriers, and look to get the device subsidized by the carrier.

Making a more specific point about the likelihood of Google's own netbook, a PC World report says: "By developing hardware that is specifically designed to maximize the potential that Android and/or the Chrome operating system are capable of, Google can manage the user experience and help ensure the success of those platforms."

Meanwhile, Google is already working with at least twelve hardware manufacturers - including Acer, Asus, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Freescale, Toshiba, and Texas Instruments - on Chrome OS-based commercial devices; and is reportedly having its way with both software and hardware!