Opinion: Lounging around

Intel’s new system-on-a-chip means ever-smaller notebooks as well as more embedded controller type things, but one thing missing from current offerings is a decent lounge lizard notebook.

You know what I’m talking about – a notebook you can use from the lounge while watching TV to see what’s on next or check IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes to see if it’s worth enduring the ad breaks in the next movie.

Sure you can use any old laptop right now but they are way too big and take way too long to boot – by the time a WinXP notebook says hello the movie is half over.

Yes you can leave it on but sleeping but then it still needs mains power or you’ll just have a dead dog next time you lift the lid. Of course the Eee PC notebook from Asus springs to mind, being small enough to sit on the coffee table and running Linux, quick to boot up. And the batteries do last a bit better.

Of course, if you have a Media Center or similar thingy from varius vendors yo can look up this stuff on the TV directly but you know what happens when you try that – everyone else in the room starts howling.

They’d rather watch adverts than watch you trying to surf the net on that 640x480 resolution monster browser widget. And nobody needs to suffer your typing mistakes on a huge plasma display.

What’s needed is a notebook which lasts at least a week before it needs charging – something you can plug in on Sunday morning on your way to morning prayers. And to be truly useful, the thing must also work as a multi-vendor remote control.

Look up what’s on, read about it, like it, hit the button and there it is on the screen. Or record it for later. In other words, a Media Center which works on your notebook, but sends commands to the Big TV. I’d like to sell that.