Laptop Thoughts: ASUS UL30Vt-A1 Thin, Light, and Long Lasting

"Typically, if you’re getting massive battery life it’s at the sake of power (think netbooks – they get great battery life, but they’re not nearly as powerful as a “traditional” laptop.) That’s not the case for the Ul30vt. Under the hood is a Core2Duo ULV processor (an SU7300), 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a huge 500GB HDD. The UL30vt also features switchable graphics which goes a long way towards optimizing for peak performance or stretching battery life."

This looks like a nice balance that could be a nice fit for a lot of people. Power and a bigger screen like a laptop. Lacks an optical drive, great battery life, and thin and light like a netbook. Available in screen sizes from 12 to 15 inches to fit your particular preference.