http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834230... is such a thing, and at $1099 USD, it's nearly half of your quoted price. Unfortunately, it has a widescreen which has more pixels than you asked for, but somehow I don't think that's a bad thing.
It comes with Windows, but if you want a real operating system, you can install any Linux you like on there. Or a BSD. Go for it.
Also, I was going to just answer "mu" to your question, and be done with it. Macbooks don't have quality construction; that's why their hinges keep falling apart after a year or two of actual use. It's been a problem since the Powerbook days.
So, uh, yeah. Apple products are too fuckin' expensive.
(Oh, and there were a handful of VAIOs that also fit this criteria, but let's be honest, VAIOs are not real computers.)
> Macbooks don't have quality construction; that's why their hinges keep falling apart after a year or two of actual use. It's been a problem since the Powerbook days.
Uh, what? I've had two MacBooks that have seen continuous use since 2006 and 2008, respectively, and this never happened to me. In fact, the aluminum MacBook (not even unibody) is in pretty fantastic shape, which is quite unlike every single non-Apple product I have ever owned and used for such a long period of time.
The price you're quoting is for the US. I suspect his price has UK VAT or something added in because a similarly spec'd MacBook Air is only $1299 in the US. So it is not "double", we're talking about $200 - an 18% price difference.
Furthermore, the Air starts at $999. It's hardly gratuitously expensive. In fact, it is extremely hard to beat in terms of value-per-dollar.
Unfortunately Asus has the worst support ever. If anything breaks on that laptop, you're SOL. I would also question Asus's build quality as well. I don't know about that netbook in particular, but their EeePCs aren't very well built.
I am an Asus owner (my third laptop in a row), and am actually considering getting a ZenBook, BUT it has no dockstation, while the MBA has THUNDERBOLT, which combined with a Thunderbolt display gives you an amazing configuration. Don't trust me, go look it up:
It comes with Windows, but if you want a real operating system, you can install any Linux you like on there. Or a BSD. Go for it.
Also, I was going to just answer "mu" to your question, and be done with it. Macbooks don't have quality construction; that's why their hinges keep falling apart after a year or two of actual use. It's been a problem since the Powerbook days.
So, uh, yeah. Apple products are too fuckin' expensive.
(Oh, and there were a handful of VAIOs that also fit this criteria, but let's be honest, VAIOs are not real computers.)