Style meets technology in what could be a career woman’s dream - a laptop that is the size of a purse. Designers of the mini computer, or netbook, claim that the machine operates as any full-size laptop would.

Reviews by technology experts suggest Sony’s ‘fashionable and flashy’ Vaio P is the slickest model of its kind currently available. But such a triumph of engineering does not come cheap. A basic model is available at £849, but a netbook that operates faster and has more memory will cost £1,370. It appears the designers had a busy woman on the move in mind when they produced this mini laptop.

Described as ‘a lovely thing, coming in four snazzy colours, with build quality to coo at’, it will fit easily into a handbag or jacket pocket. Its 8in-wide screen has been praised, though some early users said attempting to cram an entire Windows desktop on to such a small area makes some of the icons hard to spot.

The Vaio P includes most features found on a laptop, from a webcam and GPS to a built-in 3G modem allowing users to go online by inserting a mobile phone sim card.

Its keyboard, unlike many other small laptops, is easy to use, according to reviewers. Joshua Topolsky from the technology website Engadget is sceptical about whether many consumers will pay the asking price. Keep reading here.