Conclusions
I originally purchased an Eee PC because I wanted a cheap ultraportable that could handle the basics. And it does, just. However, after a few weeks with Acer's 13.3" Timeline, I know the Eee's days as my primary portable are numbered. So, will I replace it with a Timeline?

That's certainly a tempting option. The flagship model's $850 asking price at Newegg is a little rich for my blood, but the single-core SU3500 model sells for only $600. Bluetooth doesn't make the cut for that one, but you still get a thin-and-light system with a decent high-res screen, plenty of processing power, 4GB of memory, loads of hard drive space, Gigabit Ethernet, and draft-N Wi-Fi. A six-cell battery also comes as standard equipment on all Timeline models, and given the dual-core model's run times, I'd expect single-core flavors to deliver 5-6 hours of real-world battery life. That might not live up to Acer's own run-time claims, but it's pretty impressive compared with the competition. Indeed, the Aspire Timeline is the first budget ultraportable we've seen deliver substantially better performance than Atom-based netbooks and comparable battery life.

Of course, even the Timeline's notebook-class hardware has its limits. As is always the case with Intel integrated graphics chipsets, gaming performance isn't nearly as good as it could be with a proper GPU or even Nvidia's GeForce 9400M IGP. At least the Timeline can handle casual titles and the odd World of Warcraft session, which is more than can be said for most netbooks. As long as AudioSurf runs smoothly, I can deal.

I'm not entirely sure that I could live happily ever after with the Timeline's keyboard, though. The size is great, but the mushy feel, visible flex, and lack of effective tactile feedback make typing entirely more difficult than it needs to be. The glossy keycaps just add insult to injury, especially since Acer did such a good job of avoiding fingerprints and smudges by using matte finishes elsewhere.

As a writer, the Timeline's keyboard quirks are annoying enough to have me hold off buying one for myself. Instead, I think I'll wait and see how the market shakes out over the next couple of months, hoping that someone builds the ideal system I've managed to piece together in my head. The Timeline is now at the very top of my list of potential candidates, though; I'd far prefer one to a netbook, MSI's X-Slim, or HP's Pavilion dv2. In fact, if I had to buy a budget ultraportable today—for work, school, or just my own personal use—I'd pick up a single-core Timeline without even a hint of remorse. That would be settling, of course, but given the other budget ultraportables available on the market, compromise seems unavoidable.