Puffbox

I didn’t go into London this afternoon expecting to buy a new laptop; but confronted by a shop which actually had the Asus Eee in stock – and at RRP too – I couldn’t resist. I’m now the very proud owner of an A5-sized Linux-based ultra-mobile PC… and the initial reaction is very positive indeed.

It’s undeniably cool, and feels much more solid than you’re entitled to expect for £219. The little keyboard takes a little getting used to; but the screen is fantastic, and the sound is better than I expected. The machine itself is remarkably lightweight, and the compact (mobile phone style) AC adapter is a pleasant surprise.

Inevitably you’re going to find yourself using Firefox most of the time, so it’s an immediately familiar user experience. The custom front-end is simplistic but perfectly functional; and it’s (apparently) dead easy to enable a more conventional Linux desktop if that’s what you want.

I can’t immediately see a catch. Smaller and lighter than a conventional laptop, with all the functionality you need, and a rock-bottom price tag. It redefines mobile working, simple as that.

If you fancy one yourself – good luck. There’s a great website which checks online retailers for availability: but be warned, they tend to sell out in minutes, unless you’re prepared to pay a hefty premium.