7. I work as a celebrity photographer and I like to travel 'light', camera gear + laptop to FTP my photos. The Asus Eee PC 900 is *just* about usable for basic photo editing but the real benefit is that it weighs less than 1Kg. However the Eee PC's are,in my opinion, poorly finished and look 'fragile'. Also to be of any use use the RAM needs to be upgraded and replacing the single 1Gb So-dimm with either a 2Gb (£18 from 7day shop) or a 4Gb (£??) is not trivial!

I used to own a ex-demo Samsung Q1 (£300 from PC world) which is a similar basic spec but the quality of construction is FAR better and much more expandable.

However the Samsung's 800x480 pixel letterbox display is not very good for photo editing.

I want to buy a computer to do a specific job and not impress my friends and colleagues with computer hobbled together like a Sinclair ZX80. I want the computer to give me working advantage and not be a handicap.

I notice new technologies are flooding in to the laptop market pushing the prices down at an accelarated pace. The Asus Eee PC's show what can be done on a limited budget and size. However, I think spending too little is a false economy and I'd rather spend a bit more to get the right fit.

Postscript:-

If GIMP under linux looked, felt and performed little more like photoshop or Lightroom, then I'd more inclined to make the jump to LINUX. (I am not an apple fan)

So, I am not a yes or no but a MAYBE?

6. I get the taking a laptop on holiday much to the wife's disapproval thing... they just hate technology on holidays, because it means you want to look at the internet instead of THEM. I also fully agree with James' opinions above - I just do not get the Eee thing. Just get a little MacBook, if you really want a nice mini laptop. Hey, so it costs a bit more... but you'll still be using it in two/three years time, unlike this Eee pap.

5. why wouldn't there be a prob with the eee and the wife?! i dont understand!

4. Try taking a laptop on holiday without your wife's disapproval. No such problem with the Asus.

3. The EEE is suited to consumers already have a main PC or desktop replacement Laptop (big and heavy).

I agree that the current price point is disappointing as now it is a more considered purchase.

Therefore unless the price is slashed or the a competitor releases a similar sized screen (to the 900) at a lower price, I think Asus may have just destroyed the Budget Sub-note book before the market has got started.

2. I'm with the "no" camp. Really disappointed with the battery life on the Eee. I want 6 hours or so like I used to get out of my old Psion 7.

1. Fashion item? I think not. Not having to lug a 3kg laptop on the train is worth the price of admission alone.