Imagine a desktop computer so small that it occupies a small portion of your work desk. Indeed, new generation desktop computers such as the Asus Nova P20 is so compact that it is actually no bigger than your dictionary. In a highly competitve industry where laptops continue to dominate market share for its portability, desktop makers are slowly making a comeback by making their products smaller, faster and cheaper too. Desktops used to be referred to as the "tower" because they had multiple layers of drives and compartments. But computers like these will soon go the way of the dinosaurs. The Asus Nova P20 for instance looks more like a portable hard-drive than a computer. The photograph/image above does not really do justice to it. Weighing at just under 1.7kg, it is actually about the size of three DVD casings stacked together. More than just a work station, Asus is marketing it as one of its premier digital home entertainment products. For a start, you can operate it easily like a movie disc player simply by slotting a DVD into it. Once it detects the disc, it will launch its multimedia mode to enable users to play the movie. As it also has a pair of built-in hi-fi speakers which is located at the front of the Nova, you can actually watch your movies. without the need for extra speakers. It is a pretty fast and robust little machine.

Supporting the 802.11n wireless standard, the Nova's high transmission rate of300Mbps allow users to easily download a 30-minute high definition video in less than a minute. Its emedded Bluetooth device also allows it to connect to other devices such as notebooks and handhelds. But what I like most about the Nova is its numerous ports whicg are all conveniently located at the back. For example, it has four USB ports, which means that even after plugging in your keyboard and mouse, you still have too more to spare for your external memory devices. To me, this small wonder's best feature is its affordability.With such good deals, it's no wonder that desktops are still the preferred choice for cost-conscious companies and homes.