A useful addition to the tools of a peripatetic business-person

Do you find yourself traveling more and wanting to do work en route whilst equally wishing to minimize the amount of weight you have to carry around without excessive expenditure?

I finally reacted to finding myself in this situation by purchasing an ASUS 4G, with a Linux based operating system, as a minimal laptop. I've been pleasantly surprised at the versatility, but how well would it hold against the critical review by a visiting teenager?

Richard Krahnstöver generously offered to give me his considered opinion. Here are his pros and cons;

Cons

• Not for gaming, mainly office applications
• Screen too small for precision work and design (although can be attached to larger screen)
• Problems with WAP enablement (wpa, solutions exist but novice would have difficulty knowing how to sort them out)
• Not so easy for the novice to download and install other linux based software.

Pros

• View it as a specialised tool
• Good for office applications
• Portability – hard-back book size and less than 1kg in weight
• Communication via Skype or Messenger
• Acess to media sites such as Picasa and YouTube.
• Good enough to present final work
• An extra-dimensional Mobile
• Good for information gathering on the web due to wireless and cabled connections
• speed of use
• Linux is advantageous – simple menu structure, restricted set of options increases efficiency

Richard considered the Asus a good tool for office related work and even giving presentations.

I might add that the communication elements such as chat software, VOIP via Skype and accessing online social networking sites were readily used by all my younger visitors and family over the Summer break. The slower processor and the limited solid hard drive space seemed of little consequence as people adapted effortlessly to the capabilities of the machine.

I personally found that in addition to the expected office applications, the Asus in conjunction with Picasa was excellent for downloading and quick screening of the innumerable photos i take professionally and for pleasure.

One unexpected benefit of the compact nature of the Asus for someone approaching a more mature age was, that I could work on it on my lap comfortably using my bifocals, whereas i needed separate spectacles for the large screen office PC!

If you want something more than a mobile, with a reasonable keyboard but without the weight and all singing all dancing functionality of a high range lap-top, Then seriously consider an Asus 4G or similar familiy member.

This article was written and uploaded to the internet using the ASUS 4G, without any great difficulty.