Inventec shipping 60,000 Chrome OS netbooks to Google

Yesterday, the Chrome OS-based Cr-48 notebook was announced. Today, Inventec is reportedly shipping 60,000 Chrome OS-based netbooks to Google.

[Image Gallery: Google's Cr-48 Chrome OS laptop]

According toֲ DigiTimes, the units “are expected to be used for testing.”ֲ So does that mean 60,000 people will be participating in the pilot program? Honestly…who knows? It’s possible that quantity could be solely for the test program, or a select number could be reserved for in-house at Google. (Hopefullyֲ ZDNet’s Christopher Dawson will selected as one of the lucky participants!)

But that figure is certain to grow whenever the Cr-48 is cleared for an official launch.

Related coverage on ZDNet:

• Google, Verizon promise free 3G data with purchase of Chrome OS netbook
• Google’s Chrome OS is here… sort of, kind of
• Google’s Chrome updates: Browser, Web store and notebook OS will redefine “cloud computing”
• Google’s Chrome Web store and the future blurring of Web, app design