Vye mini-v S37

So while the Vye is an interesting piece of design, it isn't one that we can recommend to all. It's tiny, and its low weight makes it compelling for those who need a laptop solely for tapping out a few emails while on the road. But its usability niggles make it too much of a hassle to use every day. The tablet features work well, but serve a particularly tight niche, and the cramped keyboard and screen make it difficult to spend a long time with. There's also a lack of useful extras for vertical markets - besides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, there's nothing to make the S37 stand out: no ExpressCard, PC Card, 3G or GPS. While there are two USB ports and a 3-in-2 memory card reader, it's simply too limited for most. Plus, of course, there's no optical drive.

Sony's G11 (web ID: 107297) offers more practicality, albeit more expensively. And for those on a tighter budget, don't discount the Eee PC; it has just 4GB storage and Linux OS, but it's faster and its practical applications are similar to the Vye's. Not only that, but you could buy three for the price of one S37, and still have cash left over.

Author: Dave Stevenson