Hewlett-Packard and Google's Android: The power of hype

The press made a great deal of fuss over the news that Hewlett Packard (HPQ) is testing the Google (GOOG) Android operating system for its small netbooks. Android is free and could conceivably replace Microsoft (MSFT) Windows.

Android is also in the early stages of development and currently operates on smartphones sold by T-Mobile, which is the fourth largest cellular provider in the U.S. -- a distant fourth. That is to say that Android is hardly mainstream.