OK. We'll start off by admitting that we were too late for your holiday shopping, but this column is about necessary business expenses, not toys for the sake of being toys. And the device we're talking about today is clearly a part of the network since the network now extends to include the desktop/laptop as well. The device is in some places, referred to as a “netbook,” though we prefer to think of it as a good-sized hard drive (120GB) with an attached gigabyte of RAM, an Intel Atom processor, a small yet usable keyboard, a touch pad, and a nine-inch screen. The version that Steve is so impressed with is the Acer Aspire One notebook/netbook.

Frankly, Steve thought the coolest - though not new - toy was going to be the fact that cellular modems are finally living up to expectations, giving a "lite" broadband experience almost anywhere. But it turns out that the cellular modem was just an accessory to the device that makes computing truly mobile - with both the positive and negative aspects related thereto.

But back to the netbook we're talking about today, what makes it revolutionary is that it is finally a real notebook computer that is TRULY portable, weighing in at just over two pounds. Of course, it would immediately become a part (if allowed) of your network infrastructure with its integrated 802.11 b/g connection (and a traditional 10/100 Ethernet connection).

Which brings up the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good is that this device is plenty powerful for almost any tasks needed by most users. It could even serve as a desktop machine with the integrated VGA port and USB connections for mouse, keyboard, etc. (However, the graphics seemed to be stressed a bit on a 1920 by 1200 resolution.)

The “bad” is that this device is so powerful that you need to be very careful to make sure that you have appropriate security measures in place, especially since it will be used extensively, both in-house and by whatever means (including cellular modem) you choose to support remote users.

The ugly? It’s tough. The closest we’ve come to finding an “ugly” is that the most readily available color is dark blue, and it really shows fingerprints. And you also might have a hard time finding significant discounts.

However, that ugly also reflects the beauty and the most amazing aspect. The netbook lists for only $350.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Jim Metzler is vice president of Ashton, Metzler & Associates.