8BitKid: Living Bit by Bit

I have been in the market for an ultra-portable laptop that would serve as a lightweight travel companion and coffee shop buddy. I am a rabid Apple fanboy, but while the Macbook Air is incredibly lightweight, its footprint is no smaller than many other notebooks. Also, it lacks built-in mobile broadband, and has a glossy screen which provides a high degree of glare and has over-saturated colors.

So, since Apple can’t give me what I need, I have been on the prowl for another UMPC. Luckily, the success of Asus’ EEE PC has spawned a host of competitors. Recently, I had my hopes pinned on HP’s 2133 Mini-Note. The specs were right (bluetooth, 6 cell battery, 1.6 GHz Via processor) and the size seemed perfect. I was all set to time the purchase with the latest Ubuntu release (8.04) and get myself a perfect road warrior machine.

The laptop was finally officially announced last night, and within minutes of reading the initial reviews, my dreams were dashed. It turns out that the Mini-Note doesn’t just have a reflective screen, but it actually has a full glossy surface on top of the display to offer protection (click here for the review). While this might be a good feature for the educational market they are targeting, it is a deal-breaker for me.

So, now I am back where I started. I need a lightweight laptop that has a matte screen, bluetooth, preferably mobile broadband, and enough juice to get me from LA to DC. My only hope is that the next round of UMPC’s heed my call. Otherwise, off to Dynamism I go.

- image courtesy of engadget.com