As you are shopping for computers either as gifts for family or to burn through the rest of your year-end IT budget you might be running into SplashTop. SplashTop is a trade name for an small, instant-boot operating system that can be found on many notebook and desktop computers. I recently had an opportunity to setup and try out the similar ExpressGate from Asus on a desktop computer. (Note: ExpressGate might actually just be another name for SplashTop)
The idea is that you can boot into this very easy-to-use, stripped-down operating system to make a quick Skype call, check email, or perform a quick web search. The ExpressGate from Asus that I was trying did boot in less than 15 seconds. They claim a faster boot time, but it does depend on hardware and BIOS configuration. Once booted up I was able to access a short list of web-eccentric applications such as a browser, multi-interface instant messaging client, and Skype. ExpressGate does store your bookmarks and preferences for later reference.
Once I was done using the interface, I could choose to shutdown the computer or launch Windows. While the computer is booting, I could also skip the ExpressGate by simplying not pushing a button during a 5-second waiting period.
Another recent entry into this space is Cloud. It is produced by gOS that was the operating system developer for the $199 Wal Mart computer last year. They feature a small Apple-esque task bar at the bottom of a web browser for jumping to other applications. They are marketing the product to netbook owners and builders in addition to the standard Windows or Linux operating systems.
I believe that these are great developments for computers. If you consider how many times you start the computer just to pull up a quick web search or check email these instant-on operating systems are a real time saver.