The only reason to have a feature like Vista slideshow--providing easy, low-power-consumption access to content when a laptop is otherwise asleep--is to kludge around the unsolved problem that the content is not otherwise easily accessible. I already have a cellphone with a tiny screen that I have with me whenever I have my laptop with me. Give me the content I want on that device (surely these laptops have bluetooth, so they're capable of talking to cellphones) instead of making me pay for yet another tiny screen that only shows me some of my content.

According to this review on engadget

http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/25/hands-on-with-the-i-mate-momento-70/

The sideshow uses completely different gadgets than the sidebar. Limits the use somewhat, I imagine sidebar gadgets are going to be a bit more widely developed.

Nice review though

There is a new service called Netelligence that lets you get the data that you would have on your laptop on your phone / pda / internet enabled games console (e.g. PSP) whenever you want, wherever you are, so something like sideshow is really not that necessary, especially if you have to pay a lot more for it to be on your laptop. You can even access files on a internet connected computer (whether it has a static IP address or not), and you can play games. you can see more info at www.netelligence.co.uk.

"The lid of the Asus also holds 1GB of flash memory which stores a cut-down Operating System that powers SideShow and which also links to the main Vista Operating System."

How intoxicated can one get by Microsoft PR to believe that a one-gigabyte operating systems is "cut-down"? One gigagbyte is "bloated". Vista is "overblown".

Bert Ofnuts

[QUOTE]If you choose to open the lid the image on the SideShow screen flips over in order to remain the right way up.[/QUOTE]

So, if I'm on a train reading my e-mail and decide to open my laptop to do something, the slideshow screen not only stays on but flips around so that the person sitting opposite me on the train can read my e-mail?!?