We at Absolute Gadget are as happy as the proverbial Larry when our phones, MP3 players and general gadgety stuff gets smaller with each iteration, but nowhere is this process more annoying than in the laptop world. Far from becoming standard, it’s still the case that the smaller the laptop the more you’ll pay, with some UMPCs (Ultra Mobile PCs) costing up to two grand.

That’s why it’s nice to see Asus apply some common sense, in the form of its teeny and affordable Eee PC. This 7-inch wonder promises to transform the daily commute, at a price you’d struggle to buy a decent smartphone for (it costs just £219 including VAT).

The Eee PC sticks to a traditional laptop layout, in a 1:2 scale form. It’s similar in style to larger Asus laptops, and looks particularly good in black. Weighing in at under 1kg, it’s similar to carrying a hardback book around with you. Comments from fellow commuters ranged from highly favourable to contempt-stained jokes about my-first-computer.

The full width of the Eee PC could offer enough space for a larger display, but instead the seven-inch screen is flanked by speakers. The viewing area is more than adequate for most applications, although a 10-inch model is also in the pipeline. The screen is a standard TFT panel, and does without a glossy Super-TFT coating. That’s a shame, as colours are slightly washed out as a result.

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