Very interesting and even a bit surprisingly promising. But we'll see in six months when it's finally released. Nokia has some serious work to do to clean up their operating environment to make it anywhere near as consistent, easy and pleasant to use as the iPhone. Maybe this will spur Apple to add a good camera, video, cut and paste and a keyboard solution to the iPhone, but that'll still leave their walled garden disadvantage.

Sadly I have already given up on this device. It has very promising specs and could have been the obvious choice for a leading edge consumer, but in person the bulgy plastic and lack of stability gives off a clear message that this device is intended for "the younger set." Too bad, if HP would focus on something between the TX2 and 2730p, they could have a world beater, but instead they have one device that is too chintzy plastic, the other too overdone aluminum, each that is too glaringly class conscious while missing important features from the other.

That's wasn't really directed at the indubitable gottabemobile but rather the readers.. including myself. I just found a home for a wacom tablet and digital camera.. did I really need three?

I'd say the biggest gift for yourself and others might be checking what gadgets you're not using anymore, and finding a good home for them. You'll feel lighter without all that extra gear lying around.

I think this, combined with Gigabyte's netbook tablet (also in the press release), could be a big deal.. as a simplified and enhanced portable system, that's still fully backward compatible. Would be significant to see a breakthrough from this team. If the OS is a complete Linux (including shell), they are on the same plane as Android and the iPhone (running BSD), but this could be the first in a near full size form factor.

Tim, they do have a wow factor, but they are really just small notebooks, I don't find anything different about the form factor. Only the recent models accommodate for a decent sized keyboard.
I agree with your second point, the problem is, the larger the screen, the more the slower processor becomes evident, especially with the effects people expect in their computer front end these days (which is why a change in OS front end is necessary). An atom with its integrated graphics can power an 1024x600 screen with little lag, but a larger screen will show slow down. I do agree with your basic premise though. Something the size of a magazine with a clear, bright screen would be ideal in my books, which is why I find the Air, TX2 and 2730P disappointing, squish them together in a streamlined, well priced, solid state computer with adequate ports, and you've got a winner for most people's needs. The current e-book are decent in that regard, but there's no reason to have a separate device for reading and computing.

I think there is another element, past price. Consumers want smaller, lighter devices they can take with them or use more comfortably than sitting at a desk. Speaking as a nerd who was once a complete outsider for using a computer, I'm just blown away by the number of variety of people using computers everywhere I go, in particular in cafes but also in the subway, restaurants, everywhere.

In this case, smaller and lighter is definitely better, and it doesn't hurt that they are less expensive and have fewer moving parts since they're carried everywhere. They are used for passive browsing, communications (email, IM and facebook) and sharing information in person. There's a convergence going on, as portable walkman, gps, game system, cell phone and computer converge.

There is however an unresolved question of what that ubiquitous carry-everywhere computing communicator entertainment device will look like, since we still must rely on a good keyboard. Netbooks are an unimaginative step in the right direction (let's make a smaller version of what we were building before! never mind the keyboard and screens suck), but I'd really like to see something reasonably priced, lightweight, robust, good quality and style without an exaggerated tacky consumer or business emphasis (HP TX2 and 2730P respectively, with the Macbook Air winning points for pushing a concept too far), and with a drawing surface (a convertible tablet). The company that comes out with that device will clean up, but I'm not holding my breath for the PC manufacturers, with their astounding lack of vision or carry-through, to get their act together, unfortunately the only company who seems capable of that likes building garden paths more than computers for all of us.

I'd also propose that the "modern" front end of operating systems - Windows, Mac and the common front ends of Linux - are all outdated. WIMP is dead, we just haven't figured out what's next. I'm waiting for a network based, resolution-free desktop, with excellent fully considered touch support, completely ignoring the installed base and concepts. Perhaps Android will lead the way there with iPhone promptings.

Charles, that's the previous version, which is not multitouch and lacking other new features. But I agree about the keyboard, it's not good quality. It's too bad there's not an aftermarket for element upgrades.

I think of it as more of a crowdsourcing approach, where the line between developers and consumers is blurring. This leads to a more diverse ecosystem with less limited options, which is markedly different from products in the past which were "here it is, take it or leave it, do you want it in black or silver" that is so anti-internet, anti open source, anti open content. We're now in a transition period where things are a bit unstable, because of what is being taken on and the inherent complexity of computer programs and device networks. In a few years, everything will feature an addressable, update able computer. Your phone, tv, car, this will enable energy efficiency, smart networks, re-use of facilities (your stereo will finally get rid of the corny vfd and LEDs and use your "tv" or "computer" screen). Do you want to go back to everything being closed and disposable?

This is not to say you are "wrong" to want something that just works, but the plateaus haven't quite been worked out, and in the meantime we get a lot of competition.

I'd actually argue for more expensive products, so there would be longer cycles, along with more ability to update and repurpose, and stiff penalties via activated consumers (don't worry, you won't have to do anything except make the occasional comment on suitability) using engagement and in acute cases, class action suits for shoddy products or products which don't allow the user community to do their own updates. Anyone who doesn't do a bit of soul searching before buying their next gadget, and without finding good homes for what they don't really need, is a bit guilty of contributing to this: http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/video-chinas-t...

There is good news for you, who wants 1.0 rather than a beta. Google's themes for their mail product probably means they're coming to a point where they are doing window dressing on a product, rather than constant innovation. Somehow all the tech blogs missed this analysis.

I guess in my dreams I would think HP would decide to make the be all and end all inexpensive, robust and complete (while not totally high performance) system, using a new manufacturing process like Apple and others have. Meanwhile, back on planet earth, the tx2 will have poorly built components (keyboard, buttons, etc) and fall apart within a year. Might be an interesting experiment to buy one with two years of extended warranty.