I can’t buy the netbook I want.

I want a netbook that has:

• 1366×768 resolution or more (~11.6″ screen)
• Competent graphics (no Intel GMA500; it isn’t Linux compatible)
• Upgradeable memory (3Gb at least, please)
• Good battery life (3 hours minimum with WiFi)
• Preferrably with a built-in 3G modem
• As already mentioned, Linux friendly
• Sub $1000 AUD

It seems as this kind of a netbook simply doesn’t exist in Australia at the moment. A prime candidate would be the HP Mini 311; however, it’s not available in Australia. This laptop has received great reviews and meets all my requirements.

There are similar models available in Australia, but they all seem to miss one or another of my requirements. Why is it so hard to buy a high-end Atom netbook in this country? Christ, the platform has been out for at least 18 months, if not longer!

Why do I want all this? Well, some use-case scenarios:

• At home on the couch: I can fire it up and be browsing the ‘net in seconds. By being ultra low-power, I rarely have to worry about where the power cord is. A dual-core Atom and nVidia ION graphics will ensure I can handle online 720p/1080p YouTube streaming. While working on documents or doing whatever.
• At parties: connected to a home theatre system via HDMI, it’s a portable media centre for use at parties. I have a certain fondness for ProjectM which may be slightly unhealthy.
• At work: in a data centre, despite being surrounded by computers and networks, you don’t always have easy access to power or internet. With at least 3Gb of RAM, I could create a RAM disk to store my working files on temporarily and shut down the hard disk completely, putting the netbook into a kind of ultra frugal battery mode. The built-in 3G modem means I don’t have to worry about dongles hanging off it while I work in confined spaces.

I can’t buy from the US because I’ll have nil support from HP warranty. That sucks.