My name is Elle, and I'm an internet addict. And despite owning a laptop, lugging the darn thing around in an additional laptop bag isn't always the best option. 'Oh noes!' said she, with an exasperated sigh. 'If only I had something smaller that doesn't cost a fortune!'
So thank the heavens (well, the angelic manufacturers actually) for the recent breed of netbooks. Thank you especially, Acer, for creating the Aspire One, which overly-organised little me can now carry everywhere - and it fits into my regular bag. Perfect.
After reading great reviews of the Asus Eee PC, I was rather tempted, until Acer's own teeny-tiny netbooks started to appear. Personally, I prefer the design of the Aspire One; they appear to be more sleek and shiny. They also come in a variety of colours, and despite my apparent Gothic exterior I'm a lover of pink gadgets. So obviously, I had to go for the Aspire one in a lovely shade of coral pink. (Kiss my ass, pink-haters.)
However, local retailers here in the UK such as PC World and Comet do not yet seem to stock the pink and brown netbooks; navy blue and white are the only options. Hopefully the others will make their way into stores soon, but if it's another shade you're after, your best bet would be Play.com or SimplyAcer. (Prices start from £175, depending on specifications).
The netbook itself runs on Linux. The home screen is simple and easy to access, putting all of the applications you need in one place. For someone like me who mainly uses a PC to get online and do work, this computer is perfect.
There's the browser (Firefox), a messenger program very similar to MSN, a Windows Mail-style email program and OpenOffice software to manage all of your documents. The wireless facility is simple to use and will pick up a connection in an instant.
There are plenty of games that come with it too such as Solitaire and Tetris, among others that I've really tried hard not to check out due to the fact that they could become dangerously addictive. So for those who are familiar with Windows and might be unsure of the format, fear not - its very similar, and easy to get used to.
The Aspire One is very quick, very simple and absolutely brilliant for the organised person who wants to carry their work around - or for someone who simply wants to get connected on the go.
Image via GadgetGuy