I am not feeling the love for very small laptops. There’s shitloads of them being released at the moment, and I’m really not sure who uses them. Not me, that’s for sure.
If I want something really portable, that’s pretty much always on me, I have a smartphone (Currently a Nokia N95, soon to be an iPhone when they make one with a bit more storage in it, and hopefully 3G comms) which is with me always, and if I need something that a smartphone can’t do then I want as close to a portable desktop as I can get. I currently own a laptop with a 17″ screen, and frankly, if Apple made a 20″ version … and maybe ever larger .. I’d own that instead.
A tiny laptop just doesn’t fit in my personal usage case at all.
June 4, 2008 at 2:02 am
I hear you, I have the Toshiba P30, wide screen and I can’t say I have ever regretted getting it, and I will probably replace it with a similar model, it might be a little heavy but once you get it where you’re going it’s well worth it.
June 4, 2008 at 2:25 am
I want the laptop itself to be small, but with a big screen and keyboard and a proper mouse that sort of unfold and inflate from somewhere as needed.
June 4, 2008 at 2:36 am
Would you also like a Unicorn that vomits rainbows? 🙂
That’s just not really happening with current tech, sadly. Someday soon, though, hopefully!
June 4, 2008 at 2:46 am
I like the portability and light weight of the little ones. I use my laptop in various places around the house (on my lap in the beanbag, in bed, on the kitchen counter, on the dining room table) and also out and about (yes, I am that poseur in the cafe). Soon I’ll be carrying it to work and back too, and the 1.5kg weight of my new one is significantly better than the 2.5-3kg of the full size laptops.
I just wish they had more pixels on the screens. 12″-13″ should support at least 1440×900 and maybe even 1680×1050…
Of course, if you’re just using your laptop as an occasionally transportable desktop than the larger sizes make more sense. Pity that Apple don’t have those 20″ 8.5kg monsters that Dell and HP have. 🙂
June 4, 2008 at 4:08 am
I’d only use a mini-micro-teensy laptop as an e-reader really. I am kind of intrigued by the plans for the OLPC MkII which will (supposedly) have no keyboard at all, but two touch-screens, one of which which you could use as a keyboard. They’re saying a mere $US75 a pop, and at that price, I’d have one like a shot – for an e-reader. Alas, they’re also saying not until 2010.
June 5, 2008 at 1:13 am
Hrmm see I used to use my smartphone as an e-reader but I’ve always had trouble with my eyes getting tired with active screens. I went out about 7 months ago and bought a Sony PRS-505 e-reader with e-ink.. and I have never looked back. It’s more awesome than an awesome thing. Thinner than a standard paperback with the same screen size.. and I have over 400+ books on it. I literally replaced 2 bookshelves with it by downloading 2 torrents of sci-fi books that I already owned.
It’s great for flying.. have _days_ of battery (only uses a charge to change pages) and generally makes you feel like george fucking jetson while using it. 🙂
Highly recommended.
June 4, 2008 at 4:29 am
you should use one of those laser keyboards that projects full size keyboard on desk from tiny rectangle
While I like these in theory, I have my suspicions about what this might rapidly do to my wrists.
June 4, 2008 at 4:57 am
I have one of those and it does work, and it’s certainly very cool in Holy Fuck The FUTURE Where Is My Jetpack And Robot Butler manner, but the projector is not that much smaller than a foldable bluetooth proper keyboard, and the proper one has tactile feedback on keypresses that the Frickin’ Laser keyboard is in dire need of.
June 4, 2008 at 9:25 am
Eee + normal monitor + USB hub w/ keyboard, mouse = low-power, quiet desktop you can walk off with.
That said, I’m still holding out for something that doesn’t have moving parts.