Netbooks. Functional, Fun, and Better with Linux.

The latest  rage in portable computing are netbooks.  These are small, lightweight laptops with screens no bigger than 10 inches across, a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600, and weighing in at just over two pounds.  Asus has the most complete line of netbooks.  Their netbooks come in a variety of sizes and offer both Windows and Linux operating systems.  The Asus EEE PCs feature moderate to large capacity hard drives, Intel's latest Atom processor, 1-2 gigs of memory, and give you about 6-8 hours of battery life.In short, a portable, highly mobile computer that you can use all workday without every having to recharge while you're on the go!

I recommend the Asus EEE 1000 running Linux. It comes with a shockproof 40 gigabyte SSD (a flash hard drive), a terrific Xandros Linux distribution (which can be tweaked to give you the full desktop look and feel) and no Windows headaches.
 

 
As I mentioned, the Linux OS is very user friendly and features a picture menu that gets you to all your tasks quickly and easily. But, if you're like me and prefer a full Linux desktop, the EEE PC has a forum where users can go to get the simple instructions for "opening" the ful Linux desktop. the users there are also quite helpful in offering various tips and tricks to help streamline your EEE PC. 

YouTube.com  is full of reviews of all the Asus EEE PC netbooks as well as other brands.  You can see a video review of the Asus 1000 here.

Another contender in the netbook arena is the Acer AspireOne.  From the reviews I've read, the overall build of this netbook is outstanding.  It also comes with a very easy to use Linux distribution called Linpus Linux. And this Linux distro also has a tweak whereby you can open it up to reveal the full desktop. You can explore more at the forum dedicated to this netbook.

Remember, netbooks are designed more for accessing web content and not so much creating it.  Although, if you run Linux, you'll still have access to thousands of free software programs.  Another big plus over Windows!

I've discovered (and through the recommendation of my nephew Mike) the best place to buy a netbook (or other electronic/computer device) is at newegg.com.  They have great prices, great customer service and ship your item promptly and with great care.

So, if you decide to a netbook, my advice is you'll enjoy it more and have a safer, more secure computing and web surfing experience if you run Linux.