Android sounds great -- if only for the rapid start-up/shut-down.
I've been using a Netbook for some time. The Dell outlet has been selling refurbished models at a price that competes with the newer machines coming on the market, and I find I can carry a 2 pound computer comfortably in place of the laptop that seems determined to affect my spinal curvature. When I ordered it, the very nice order taker suggested that I buy an external drive. I declined. When she asked how I would load programs, I explained that I didn't have to -- Google may be on its way to becoming the next evil empire, but it's sort of a benevolent despot. For my purposes, Google Documents provides all the productivity software I need, and it's easy to transfer files to my primary computer. While I suspect Google is hiding under my bed to extract personal information, one of the disappointments of my life is that I really don't have anything worth keeping secret. Also, Dell has done a nice job of designing a workable keyboard for small computers. The letter keys are full size, but keys like caps lock and shift are reduced to save space.
But -- unlike a full size laptop, which is often used as a desktop replacement, a Netbook has to be turned off and on routinely. If you're on a train or a bus, you do want a computer that can shut down fast enough to let you get off at your stop, and XP doesn't pass that test.
I'm not really concerned about appearance, and don't play games (much) -- but the notion of a Netbook that can turn on and off with the speed of my cell phone is incredibly appealing. Googkle can have every detail of my browsing and buying behavior -- I'm ready.
