I just got a ebox, a very small x86 board thats ideal for OS dev. it got everything you need for a x86 os dev box, including good info for drivers etc.
Its been used by the KolibriOS team, for some time now.
I just got mine, so am still experimenting

Heres some videos
KolibriOS on ebox:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaoIiMFRmN8
DexOS on ebox:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYJx2zZK7c8

ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dexos video at ehhhhhhhhhhhhh 1:17

OH NO TIMER, WTF!!!




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Anyway, I'm considering actually getting one of those, I didn't have plans for
deving it, but instead using it as an SSH server so I can access my code and
an unix machine at anytime, and without having to keep it on a USB stick
between my laptop, netbook, and desktop. I also planned on getting the
rasberry pie, (a small $25 dollar ARM computer like this one that runs
Linux) and use it for an SSH server also, but only for ARM deving instead of
x86...

But heck, might as well use it as a dual purpose machine

Dex congrats. I have done a goggle search and there appears to be a number of similar devices from different manufacturers, can you tell us the exact model number, and exact cpu that you purchased and where you purchased it from?

I also wonder if you have done any benchmarking compared to your regular PC - particularly if the benchmark is something you have written yourself e.g. load a bit map and display - repeat 20x.

Cheers

This is the device i got, a eBox 3350MX, from here:
http://robosavvy.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/1704

But the spec is miss leading because of trade marks, it does not disclose what it implements.
Eg: MMX etc.

No speed test yet, it not really designed for speed its design for reliable, low power, like robotics, pos etc.

But i think, this is the direction OS dev need to go, as in a OS, that does one task well.
Example,
1. Why are alot of POS still running dos ?.
2. Spinrite data recovery app now runs from freeDos, steve gibson says his next ver will be run from a custom 32/64 OS.

Indeed, it's an interesting machine you got, Dex. And yes, this could be a great OS development platform. Personally, I don't plan to get one, I prefer laptops and netbooks .