I have this monitor and it is suh-weet. I upgraded from a Dell digital 17 inch panel b/c I wanted a monitor that could do a better job doubling as a TV on my Media Center PC. The picture is great, though the images my Xbox throws onto it over component cables are less impressive than the images that the same Xbox pumps to a true HDTV. DVDs look really sharp on this monitor. The only thing I miss from my Dell 17in is the built-in 4 port USB hub. Oh well. I actually picked this up as a display model from CompUSA for a measly 410 bucks. Gotta love them deals.

Sturmnacht: Not that I'm the authority on these things, I was only trying to relay a difference between targeted designs that people don't seem to get. But the Vaio TX at 1.1 inches, well its got an 11.1 inch screen, so yeah the thing is tiny. There's a Fujitsu that's got like a 10.5 inch screen and some Asus models that roll in the 10-11 inch range, I'd consider those all ultraportable too. For my knowledge, Sony is the only company out there that is throwing full-speed Core Duos in their ultraportable lappys. That includes the SZ series that is like .9-1.2 in thick and does include the optical drive.

I don't get why people compare these things with Apple notebooks. Apple simply does not make an ultraportable notebook. A 12 inch notebook does not immediately qualify something as 'ultraportable.' Someone above clearly demonstrated that there are a number of other products with 12 inch screens that are not ultraportables. There is a reason that Dell makes two 12-inchers, the Inspiron 710m and the Latitude X1. The 710m is not ultraportable-its light and has a 12-in screen, but its not less-than 1 inch thick. And Apple does not make a single notebook less than an inch thick.

There's two things that characterize an ultraportable; weight and thickness. Over 4 lbs? Not ultraportable. Over 1 inch thick? Not ultraportable. Many of the ultraportables don't include optical drives b/c their weight and their thickness is not necessary for the business user the machine is targeted at, so the drive gets added on externally. The other critical factor for an ultraportable is the battery life-that's why these things go for the slower-but-less-power hungry Ultra Low Voltage processors. The Dell X1 runs a 1.1 ghz M processor. I'm certain that's why Gateway is only putting a Core Solo processor in this thing, b/c a ULV Solo eats far less power than a full-speed Core Duo.

What's my point? Quit whining, that's my point. If you need more processing power, more memory or an optical drive in your system, don't look at an ultraportable. They obviously aren't designed to meet your needs.

If, however, you're like me, and you find yourself packing your laptop in your bag and moving from location to location an average of 10 times a day, AND you don't need the power to run the most demanding apps, then this is the ticket for you. 1400 for a Gateway sounds a bit much, but its less than the 2000 bucks it still costs to get Toshiba's version of the ultraportable laptop-plus its Core Solo and not Pentium-M.

WHO THE F CARES IF ITS COPIED?! Just get me any version of the world's-smallest-WM5 smartphone on Verizon and I won't give one rat's tail who designed the danged thing or what other Asian company makes the exact same phone. But since that will never happen, I guess its ok to moan about look-alikes.

Stupid Verizon. Stupid contracts.

mmmmmmm

with a cherry on top!!!

bamo

like i'd ever win...

mmm yummy

I especially enjoyed the recent how-to roast your own coffee beans. I have an air-popper in the mail and intend to make my own coffee beans, in addition to the beer and wine that I already make at home. Peace.