My old C600 is getting long in the tooth, but keeps on working... but I'm getting curious about finding a replacement for it.

The Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC looks pretty slick, but a couple drawbacks, it's really small and pretty expensive.

So I'm trying to look around at more ultra portable laptops. Something with maybe a 10" screen (wide aspect), a small keyboard and pointing device, and probably thin. Possibly without an onboard optical drive. I would definitely want an external one. USB2.0 ports, and a PC Card slot would be requirements (that express card stuff won't work for my 3G wireless card). Built in WiFi and Bluetooth would also be nice.


I'm not really shopping, I just want to see what's out there. Any ideas are welcome.

I have a lifebook that is kinda cool - its not my main laptop but it travels well and has a touch screen that flip around for use as a tablet. I think they are around $1300

Look at the MAC laptops. I've been very impressed with them.

Quoted: Look at the MAC laptops. I've been very impressed with them.

Not lookin to get into another platform... Probably stick with Windows and maybe dual boot with a Linux distro...

umpc.com/Devices.aspx

here's some more info: gizmodo.com/gadgets/umpc/

We use some Dell Latitude D420's at work (along with 620's and 820's).  Might be the sort of thing you're looking for.

Sony makes some pretty nice ultraportables, but they're expensive. Look to pay up to 3,000.

Check out the Vaio TZN-90 or G1, or the Toshiba RX1

Quoted: We use some Dell Latitude D420's at work (along with 620's and 820's).  Might be the sort of thing you're looking for.

Yeah, the D420 may be the ticket... I can use my 3G broadband card in it... it's light, compact...  The outlet store has some lower than $800...

I have a month old Toshiba Portege' M-400 with the rotating screen and Write on screen.

I really really like it.......best computer I've owned so far.

Quoted: Sony makes some pretty nice ultraportables, but they're expensive. Look to pay up to 3,000. Check out the Vaio TZN-90 or G1, or the Toshiba RX1

I stopped by Best Buy for giggles earlier, they had a nice Vaio portable, but it was near $2k


I would like something small, but I don't need HORSEPOWER.  Heck, something running XP with 512MB RAM would be good.  Don't need a huge hard drive, either.  

The Latitude D420s I'm seeing on the Dell Outlet might be the ticket...  Now I just have to get the funds.  Maybe in September or October I'll actually be shopping.  Good to know what options there are, tho.  

(I could finance, but Dell Financial Service SUCKS BALLS.  I work for Dell, but I would never do business with DFS again... I think... )

I think the D420 is the winner...  I might be able to get one soon, as the outlet has some refurbs for just over $700.  

Reading a few reviews, it should do what I want it to do without any problems.  It's slim, light, has good battery life, and isn't too expensive.   I don't need uber horsepower, so it's slower processor and hard drive are fine by me.  I actually like that the optical drive is not internal, as I rarely use mine anyway.  

I got it in.  Can't beat ordering from Dell and getting the unit in barely 2 days!


I got a D420 for a little over $700.  The only thing that sucked is that I had to pay tax.  


The unit is a little bare, but it does have a dual core CPU.  512MB memory onboard, WiFi, an external CDROM drive (this unit doesn't have an internal optical drive).  It's NICE, it's well constructed, sleek looking and very light.  My PC card 3G card works fine in it, and I set it up for my WAP at home with great ease.  The display is nice, 1280x800, so it's a widescreen aspect ratio.  Nice clarity and brightness.  The audio isn't that great, since the unit only has one speaker, just above the F2 key.  

The cool thing is, I can get an INTERNAL 3G card for this puppy for about $100, an external DVD drive for maybe $30.  RAM is getting cheap, so I'll get a 1GB DIMM to add in.  

Not a bad little unit, if I do say so.