CUSA makes the BBC news site

[Iggy]

Pretty neat link off that page too, the Xi3 Modular Computer...



http://xi3.org/pcu5000.php

That is very cool.

I like this one.



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856502004

However, its more expensive then a C64x and it doesn't come with memory, a hard drive, or a keyboard.

[Iggy]

I hate to add to this, 'cause I also think it's kind of a pointless tragedy.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/04/07/commodore-64-computer-lives-vintage/?test=faces

A friend sent me that link, since he knows I'm an Amiga fan.  Although I never was a C64 fan, I thought they were piles of crap  Atari 8-Bit fan here.

Then again, the spiritual ancestor of the Amiga was the Atari 8-Bit anyhow...

slaapliedje

Actually, the spiritual ancestor of the Amiga was an obscure $15,000 Xerox computer.

[Iggy]

Without Commodore resources, the Amiga would probably have never seen the light of day.  

Without Commodore, the Amiga would have been an Atari.

And that's an annoyingly long double post - BTW.

[Iggy]

Amen.

It's all those small things indeed, such as:

• enough grunt to actually be usable, unlike those crappy sub-notebooks with win7 basic. eow...
• backlit keyboard even in the 13" model
• environment adaptive backlighting
• cooling system that doesn't melt the laptop if you place the system on a soft surface
• magnetic power connector that prevents disasters (has saved 2 different macbook pros for me already)
• aluminum body that actually can take a beating.

No other "normal" laptop would have survived the beating this one received: busted_macbook_pro.jpg (here's the same machine after some rework: mended_macbook_pro.jpg). The machine was involved in a blading accident and the guy carrying it fared worse than the laptop...

Try the same with some plasticy ACER or DELL and you end up with backbag full of laptop components. This system on the other hand works great (only dvdrw-drive ceased to function). I use it as a backup / party laptop.

After looking at Powerbooks (for future use under MorphOS) I've got to admit that I am impressed with the build quality.
Even though all these are several years old, most are still in good shape and they have many of the features you mentioned (backlit keyboards, aluminum bodies).
I can't wait to see one of these in action.