toshiba m780
i5 ($150-$200)
or
i7 ($200-$300)
(both are good workhorses)
max out the ram to 8gb...
pull out the optical from the bay..
toss in a 2nd hard drive caddy...
away you go..
woo-hoo!

os's that'll run...
pretty much everything I threw at it...
I'm a distro hopper (I've settled down a bit now though)

I've tried the recent touchscreen laps that AREN'T convertible..
I don't like 'em.
ALSO.... having a stylus is a must...
If it doesn't come with one ...forget it...
no fun in diaperville without a proper stylus...

Not to mention you can have your maemo desktop interface very well via vnc, rdesktop etc...turning your wee little device into something more enjoyable and fun to work on...