The HP Mini Note is a pretty awesome little machine. Decent horsepower for every day needs. Small form factor. Solid build with an aluminum case. High 1280 x 768 resolution display. Easily drop in a larger battery. Has Linux installed out of the box (though I would swap out for an Ubuntu spin off, Xubuntu maybe).
Plut it's cheap. Search YouTube for some nice reviews and comparisons.
You could also give xPud a shot, it boots in a ridiculously 5-10 seconds: http://www.xpud.org/