Technology is one area where smaller is generally regarded as better in marked contrast to what many spam messages try to preach. Nowhere is the competition to be smaller and lighter more intense than in the world of laptops. Earlier this year Apple launched the MacBook Air, a notebook so small that it fits inside an envelope, albeit quite a big one. The wow factor comes with its thinness, but to achieve that Apple had to ditch many components that have traditionally been associated with laptops. There's no ethernet port for starters. The computer relies on wireless networking. That's no biggie if your wireless network's up and running happily, but it could be a headache if all's not well with local wifi. It also lacks an optical drive, but to be fair, so does the hugely popular Asus Eee PC. However it has no memory card slot either and only one USB port. The Eee PC has a SD slot and three USB ports.

Apple has come up with ways to get around the lack of a DVD drive; the MacBook Air can use one from another Mac attached to your network, but really this is one for Apple enthusiasts. If you don't have to have a Mac there are better options around, although they may not be as sexy or sleek. If breathtaking design is your thing, the MacBook Air will make you very happy indeed. You can get it for £1199 from PC World or £1197.15 from Laptops Direct. The more thrifty amongst us might be more tempted by the admittedly lower specced EeePC, which starts at £219.97 from Laptops Direct.

PS.
MacWarehouse also has MacBook Airs in stock. It's selling them at £1197.33.