It felt like it got lost in the mail but today my new netbook arrived. An Asus Eee 900A for only $179! I got it as a one-day special on Woot.
It is ultra-basic. 4GB storage, no CD/DVD, but it has a webcam. It runs Linux which means that it should have included a Unix programmer or at least a strap-on bushy beard and a set of denim overalls. Five minutes into it and it is no wonder that Linux has never gone mass market but I am willing to tinker with it. I believe the user manual states that tinkering is a requirement, especially since the installed software takes up all of the memory.
I’d been wanting something to throw into a backpack and bring on our trips throughout Southeast Asia but a traditional, paper, travel journal just seemed too tedious. This netbook is about the same size as a book and with my iPod hooked up as a hard drive it may even work as more than a glorified web browser.
The best part is that it will fit into a standard hotel room safe and my backpack. With a neoprene case or at least a Ziploc it ought to survive monsoon season!
