The computer of my dreams may not exist, but I think I’ve found one that comes close. The Asus T91MT
is a netbook that converts into a tablet. It seems great in terms of portability, use for typing, use for reading, as well as web browsing and e-mail and everything else one wants to do on a computer or mobile device. And it has a steady state drive (although one can go with a larger capacity hard drive if one prefers).For me, typing and reading are key uses, which makes anything smaller less appealing, since typing with one’s thumbs may be useful in certain circumstances, but if you’re writing a paper or article, I think the “inconvenience” of having to pull a device out of a backpack or briefcase rather than a coat pocket is more than counterbalanced by the convenience of a larger keyboard.
Here’s a review that focuses on features of interest to academics, such as reading and annotation of pdfs, or grading electronic assignments:
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