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The HP Mini 1000 Mi Edition is basically an HP Mini 1000 running an Ubuntu Linux-based operating system that HP calls Mobile Internet Experience. It comes with a custom theme, a slick program launcher, and a home screen that provides quick access to your browser bookmarks. While I find it’s a little less responsive than Windows XP on the same hardware, I think HP has done an excellent job of making Ubuntu (already one of the most user friendly Linux distributions) even more user friendly.

The computer is already available in the US with a starting price of $329.99. But it looks like HP will not be selling the Mi Edition in the UK or a number of other European countries. ZDNet Uk reports that HP will sell the Compaq Mini 700 in the UK, but with Windows XP only. The Mini 700 which is basically the same machine as the HP Mini 1000,

If you want to buy a netbook running Linux with the HP name on it in the UK, you’re stuck with the HP 2133 Mini-Note which came out last April and which runs SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. Or you could always buy a Compaq Mini 700 and then use try to get your hands on a Mi Edition system restore disc to install Mobile Internet Experience. Unfortunately HP doesn’t currently offer a way to dual boot Windows and Mobile Internet Experience, which means you’ll have to pay extra for the Windows license and then not be able to use the operating system if you go that route.