It's a bit strange there are so few "iMac-like" PC's on the market and so many big, ugly the-same-old-ATX-bulk. While general ATX is better for upgradeability, it's certainly not better to look at. Not to mention the space it takes and the amount of cables it brings. Everything collecting effectively dust.

Having heard of ASUS' "iMac", I got immediately interested. A cheap iMac-clone is a good idea (take a look at the box image and tell me THAT does NOT look like an iMac copy!). But after learning that it even comes with a touchscreen, I was destined to get one for testing. ASUS did make one very awkward and strange solution: this low-end PC is shipped with Windows 7, which is, as everyone knows, a slow, heavy and bloated OS. I was also very skeptical about the touchscreen use with Windows - does it come with a custom desktop, a bit like the Ubuntu Netbook Remix? A plain old Windows desktop is simply not usable on the touchscreen, at least not with your fingers anyway. The controls are simply too small and no optimizations for "finger-tapping" exist. Using the included stylus is, unfortunately, very 90's and kind of takes away the whole point of using a touchscreen in the first place.

Unfortunately the Eee Top is indeed shipped with the plain old Windows desktop, leaving no real use for the touchscreen. But away with Windows, let's put Ubuntu 9.10 + Netbook Remix on this beauty and see what it can really do! Read on to find out what this all-in-one PC is all about...