Amazon.com Product Description

Staying connected 24/7. It’s what matters to you. That’s why Samsung
introduced the new NC10 netbook. Weighing just 2.9 pounds, it’s designed to keep you online and on the go. Experience the freedom to surf the Web, shop and chat on IM with the latest wireless technology. Zip through your online applications with a speedy new Intel Atom processor. Store all your favorite videos, music, images and more with 160GB of storage, and enjoy them on a SuperBright 10.2-inch LCD. And with up to 8 hours of battery life, the NC10 brings you staying power.

Key features include:

Ultra-long battery life:
Delivering up to 8 hours of battery life, the NC10 will let you surf the Web to your heart’s delight.

Intel Atom processor technology:
Newly designed from the ground up, the Intel Atom processors pack an astounding 47 million
transistors on a single chip, delivering the power you need for full Internet capabilities.

Large LCD display:
With its SuperBright industry-leading 10.2-inch wide LCD, you can view the Internet, or any application, in full screen without compromise and in a clear and comfortable display.

INTENDED USE:
In my experience, most air travelers use a laptop similar to myself, web browsing, email, and light office applications (word, excel, etc); or in other words the “Netbook” categories target market.

REQUIREMENTS:
On occasion I take long trips across the country (8 to 10 hour block to block) and I wanted my new purchase to provide a single charge that would last through that day’s journey; no spare batteries or AC adapter in tow. A typical trip for me begins at the departure gate and firing up the notebook for a little catch-up computing while waiting for departure. Once airborne and settled in, I pull my notebook out for some on-board work. Upon arriving at my connection stop I either head to a travel lounge or the departure gate and get on-line once again. On the last flight leg, I’ll generally pull out my notebook for some additional in-air use before getting to my destination.

My target requirements:
1.Light weight & Compact foot-print
2.Long battery life
3.10″ – 12″ screen size, 1024×600 minimum resolution and bright
4.Reasonable processing power for intended use
5.Windows XP Pro
6.2 GB of memory and a 320 GB 7200 rpm hard drive

MY NETBOOK SELECTION:
I purchased the “Samsung NC10″ and I’M VERY IMPRESSED! I pre-ordered from Amazon.com and received the unit on 11/19/08. I settled on the white version since I’m not a fan of black keyboards which the NC10’s blue and black color options sport. With the modifications discussed below, this little machine exceeds my overall expectations and is everything the various reviewers have analyzed and discussed to date. Most reviewers consider the keyboard on the NC10 the best in category, but since I’m not a touch typist that wasn’t one of my hot buttons, however the key board is large, solid, and pleasant to use.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
The standard NC10 came closest to my purchase specs for light weight; it’s under 3 lbs, long battery life; it seems Samsung’s targeted 6 – 8 hours of battery life is doable (I’ve hit 6+ hours using disk, WiFi and toned down screen brightness). The 10.2″ screen is very bright and clear with 1024×600 resolutions; it helps to auto-hide the taskbar to buy a little more screen real estate. The unit is very compact and like most Netbooks its projected area is smaller then an 8.5″x11″ sheet of paper and the closed clamshell is 1″ thick. The standard unit arrives with XP Home, 1 GB memory and a 160 GB 5400 rpm drive. The NC10 feels solid, build quality (inside and out) are excellent and out of the box the unit was responsive and fairly snappy. I have two WiFi access points in my home and the NC10’s WiFi card picked both up with excellent reception and through-put; I also tried my Sprint USB broadband adapter with equally satisfactory results.

THE UPGRADES:
Like most engineering types; “If its not broke, take it apart and fix it anyway”. I’ve read the reviews and knew the memory and hard disk could be easily be upgraded (given a little bit of prior experience and some hardware finesse). I went to my preferred parts supplier, Newegg, and purchased a 2GB stick of RAM for $32 and a 7200 rpm 320 GB disk drive for $100. I also picked-up a nice Netbook carrying case by Caselogic for $12 with my Amazon order. I used Apricon’s EZ Upgrade Kit to image the units’ standard 160 GB disk and then put it on the shelf as the failsafe backup. It took me about 10 minutes to take the unit apart and upgrade the components. I then prepared a Windows XP Pro DVD slipstreamed with SP3, repartitioned the disk, reinstalled the operating system and all the Samsung drivers and application software. Samsung did an excellent job of putting all the NC10’s drivers and application software on their technical support web page. The overall result of these upgrades makes a noticeable improvement in overall performance. I’m very pleased with the final results for this tweaked, travel ready road machine (an example: standard boot time to WiFi connection is about 90 seconds, however I use hibernation on my notebooks and the machine will boot-up to WiFi connected status in 25 seconds).

NETBOOKS FUTURE:
I agree with many of the industry and media experts who have editorialized on the Netbook phenomena. Netbooks will continue to be a significant new growth segment in the overall notebook category. The manufactures have an interesting dilemma however; Netbooks will also continue to cut into sales of the higher margin, costlier tier of their notebook offerings. Feature creep is probably going to be the manufactures biggest marketing challenge; the temptation to seek product differentiation by adding larger screens, faster processors (central & graphics), more IO, etc., all tending to increase price, size, weight, and cut into battery life. If you examine your real world use and expectations you may have the same epiphany I have had; these little Netbooks are excellent solutions vs. the more expensive traditional notebook offerings. With a couple of easy inexpensive tweaks, the “Samsung NC10″ is a home run!

1. Blue color not available. Available now.
2. Speakers not the greatest. No 5:1 surround, but OK.
3. Scroll pad to small. It’s a netbook not notebook.
4. Single touch pad bar. Dislike at first, Tried it and now I like it.

The main things I love is the battery life, keyboard layout, matted finish, the overall look & design. I would say this is the most perfect Netbook on the market today.

I do most of my computing on a desktop, either at home or work, but I travel on average a few times a month, and found myself dreading the size and weight of my full-size laptop if I brought it along, or leaving it behind and occasionally wishing for a mobile computer more capable than my cell phone. Hence the netbook seemed like a good compromise for me. High on my list of priorities were a long battery life to allow extended use without a charger, and a comfortable keyboard to allow real typing ability. I particularly focused on the keyboard in testing several models, and found that the Toshiba 100% full size keyboard was indeed larger, but it’s “island” style keys were less comfortable than the 92% keyboards on other netbooks. I almost selected an Asus Eee PC, but found the keyboard much less comfortable than the Samsung, even though the size is very similar. The best keyboards for my typing were the Samsung and the HP Mini, but I chose the Samsung for other features.

Pros:
– Very comfortable keyboard, in addition to the size I find the layout and shape of the keys to be my favorite
– Matte screen! I had a glossy screen on my laptop and even indoors the reflections from windows and lights makes it far less usable than the Samsung. This is the primary reason I selected the older Samsung NC10 instead of the newer N120 model, because the new model has a glossy screen.
– Excellent battery life, I get 4+ hours of streaming/watching video, much longer if surfing the web or other lighter tasks
– Good size and weight – some netbooks with 6-cell batteries poke out the bottom or back at odd angles, I find the Samsung to be the best fit of a 6-cell that only extends a very small amount down below the back of the unit, much less than several others, and doesn’t extend back beyond the screen.
– Built in Bluetooth – This was a desired feature for me to work with an existing bluetooth mouse
– Price – This was $50-$100 cheaper than any comparable models that had all the features I wanted.

Cons:
– Small trackpad – It takes some getting used to, I actually downloaded the two-finger scrolling utility that I thought I would love like I did on my macbook, but I actually find it better to use the “circle-scrolling” option that is on the default driver. I didn’t read about this before getting the netbook, but it allows scrolling long distances by starting a normal scroll and then making a circular motion to continue scrolling. Extremely useful once you get used to it, and it greatly offsets the tiny vertical size of the trackpad. I also turned on the “momentum” function so that I can flick the cursor from the bottom to the top of the screen, and the small trackpad becomes much more usable. I thought I would be forced to use a mouse, but I find the trackpad very usable for general web surfing and general productivity, to the point that I generally don’t bother bringing my mouse along when I travel.
– SD card sticks out about 1/4″ when put in the slot in front of the computer. This is a very minor complaint, but I probably wouldn’t recommend leaving an SD card in the slot continuously as it may get caught on something, I wish they had made it deep enough insert fully.

Conclusion:
I had a hard time picking between several netbooks, but in the end the excellent keyboard, great battery life, and matte screen were deciding factors over the annoyance of the smaller trackpad. Samsung has enlarged the trackpad on the N120, but at the cost of a glossy screen and an overall larger case size, plus a very slightly smaller screen. The fact that the NC10 had all the features I wanted and was the cheapest option between models on my short list made it the best choice for me, and I have no regrets on the purchase.

And yes, I am writing this review on the netbook with a fairly bright window behind me, and it works just great.

Amazon.com Product Description

The Asus Eee PC 1000HA provides the power of a full-sized laptop in a compact body with an extra-large 10-inch screen, and is now powered by the latest Intel mobile processor. Designed specifically for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry–which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors–to conserve energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. Coupled with the ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll also enjoy up to 7 hours of battery life with this Windows-powered laptop.

The Asus Eee PC 1000’s 10.2-inch screen is easier on the eyes. Much more compact than a standard-sized notebook and weighing just over 3 pounds, the Eee PC 1000HA is perfect for students toting to school or road warriors packing away to Wi-Fi hotspots. The Eee PC 1000HA also features a 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD), 1 GB of RAM, 1.3-megapixel webcam integrated into the bezel above the LCD, 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), Secure Digital memory card slot, multiple USB ports, a VGA output for connecting to a monitor.

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop. Complementing this is Microsoft Works, which equips the user with numerous office applications to work efficiently.

The new Eee PC 1000HA has a customized, cutting-edge Infusion casing technology in Pearl White. Inlaid within the chassis itself, the motifs are an integral part of the entire cover and will not fade with time. The Infusion surface also provides a new level of resilience, providing scratch resistance and a beautiful style while out and about.

It’s also equipped with the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for automatic detection and adjustments of CPU frequency, voltage, and LCD brightness to minimize system noise and power consumption to save up to 15 percent power consumption, or to maximize system performance according to individual needs.

For journalists, photographers and other professionals who need to use a computer in the field to create, to communicate and to collaborate with other colleagues, the Eee PC’s combination of power, extreme portability and rugged build makes it the ideal computing solution. The keyboard is 95 percent the size of standard notebooks, making it more comfortable to type for larger hands.

It’s also a great choice for young students, with a built-in Dictionary that’s great for homework, and it includes two modes of intuitive graphic user interface design to accommodate both experienced and inexperienced PC users. The Eee PC also handles your digital images, movies, and music as well as Internet radio.

The integrated webcam makes video chats a snap, and the keyboard is 95 percent the size of standard notebooks for easy typing. Nicely light at just 51 ounces (3.2 pounds), the Eee PC 1000HA has a 10-inch wide TFT LCD with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution (WXGA)–making it more comfortable on eyes than its predecessor. In addition to its wireless LAN, it also offers wired Fast Ethernet (10/100) connectivity and a 56K modem. You get three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA output for connecting to external monitors, headphone and microphone jacks, and a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot (compatible with MMC memory cards). It’s equipped with a 1.3-megapixel webcam (placed in the bezel above the LCD) and integrated microphone, allowing you to snap still photos of yourself while on the go for sending via email or join video chats with friends and family.

Battery-Sipping Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power–less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor–for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

Together with the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll enjoy a longer battery lifespan of up to 7 hours, allowing you to stay in touch and be connected for a longer period of time while on-the-go. It offers a choice of performance and power consumption modes for easy adjustments according to your computing needs. The Super Hybrid Engine toggles between the following three modes:

• High Performance Mode (high performance with some power savings)
• Super Performance Mode (maximum performance)
• Power Saving Mode (maximum power savings and minimum noise)

Online Storage from ASUS
With this Eee PC, ASUS also provides 10 GB of online storage (easily accessible via a desktop icon), which enables you to download up to 5 GB of data per day. It also provides secure file encryption and accessibility from both Windows and Linux platforms. Whether you want to share images with friends and family or store big business presentations, you can now access your data with ease and not worry about space constraints. The Eee Storage service is complimentary for the first 18 months, and it must be registered within the first 6 months after date of purchase.

The Eee PC with Windows Home XP operating system provides a familiar interface. Specifications

• Operating system: Windows XP Home
• Internal memory: 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD)
• RAM: 1 GB DDR2
• Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
• Memory expansion: Slot for MMC/SD(SDHC) cards
• Screen: 10 inches, 1024 x 600 pixels, LED backlight
• Networking: 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• Bluetooth connectivity: No
• Peripheral connectivity: Three USB 2.0
• External video: One VGA
• External audio: One headphone and one microphone port
• Webcamera: Yes, 1.3 megapixels
• Battery: 6 cells (6600 mAh), up to 7 hours
• Weight: 3.19 pounds (51 ounces)
• Dimensions: 10.5 × 7.5 × 1.5 inches

The Eee PC 1000HA ports (black version shown).

What’s in the Box
ASUS Eee PC 1000HA, AC adapter, printed operating instructions. It’s backed by a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.

ZBD from ASUS
All Eee PC’s come with ASUS’s ZBD (Zero Bright Dot) guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.

First, let me address the two most common “complaints” — the stiff touchpad keys and the placement of the right shift.

TOUCHPAD KEYS: I also thought the touchpad keys were far too stiff until I realized I was using them wrong. The touchpad keys wrap around the front, and are designed to be “thumbed” at the front, not pushed down from the top. Once I figured out how to use them I found they are not the least bit stiff. It is actually a far better configuration than any other laptop I’ve used, because when you move your hand down to use the touchpad, your thumb is naturally placed in front of the laptop, and you can flick the touchpad keys from the front instead of trying to crowd all your fingers over the touchpad. With this design, I can now easily cut and paste with one hand, where as with other notebooks I typically have to work the keys with one hand while I use the touchpad with the other. Truly brilliant.

RIGHT SHIFT KEY: As to the shift key, it is technically right where it is supposed to be — at the far right side of the keyboard. Look down at whatever keyboard you are using and you’ll see the right shift key at the far right of the other primary keys (not including the number keys). But to accomodate the up arrow, Asus made the shift key half-sized. So you will find yourself occasionally hitting the up arrow when you meant to shift. I’ve already programed my brain to reach a little farther when I use the right shift key, so it isn’t a problem. Someone else mentioned that she used a program to switch the shift and arrow keys, so that is an option if it turns out to be a problem for you.

MEMORY: I ordered the 2GB memory card along with the notebook, and installed it before I ever turned it on. It was a one minute upgrade. Thank you to all that mentioned going to the bios so that the memory would be recognized. Note that you don’t do anything in the bios, just go to there and then save and exit. RAM is the most important component relating to system speed, and the memory was about $30, so I can’t imagine that anyone would not want to make that upgrade.

BATTERY LIFE: Battery life was one of the main reasons I bought this notebook, because the two hours I was getting on my other small notebook just wasn’t cutting it. After fully charging the battery, I turned on the computer and checked the battery life, which was reported at just three hours! But as Windows got a feel for the battery, that number kept going up until it reached more than five hours. I haven’t put a stopwatch to it, but I’ve actually been doing a little better than that with my daily use thus far. Nice to just sit down and get to work while everyone else is fighting over the electrical outlets at the local Barnes & Noble. UPDATE: I found an aftermarket 12,000 mHa battery on ebay for the 1000HA. With this battery I can go well over eight hours on a single charge! It’s quite a bit bigger, so some portability is lost, but between the two batteries I can leave the power brick at home.

USB PORTS: There are two on the right and one on the left. With my other laptop, having all three side by side was a problem because sometimes the item you plug in extends over another port. I had to use a multi-tap just to plug in all my stuff. The one on the left is toward the back, which is cool because I can plug in my Sprint wireless and it is out of the way.

FUNCTION KEYS: I like that there are no separate buttons for mute, wireless, etc. Everything is controlled with the function keys.

SPEAKERS AND TYPING ANGLE: Another brilliant design point. With my other laptop, the speakers are where you wrest your palms while typing, which means I am covering the speakers any time I am typing. The Asus puts them underneath, and the laptop is slightly raised on feet at the back to both give clearance to the speakers and create a better typing angle. The sound is very impressive for such a small notebook, and the volume is very good.

SCREEN: I have no problem reading the screen, even with my tired old eyes. The native resolution of the screen in 1024 x 600. That second number means you’ll be doing more vertical scrolling. Set the taskbar to auto hide and use full screen mode with your browser. I am really glad I went with this computer as opposed to the Acer One, which has a 8.9″ screen. I wouldn’t want to go any smaller than the ten inch screen on the Asus.

KEYBOARD: I’m a big guy with big hands, and I have no problem touch typing on this keyboard. I’d say my typos have probably increased 2% as a result of the smaller size.

BOTTOM LINE: I wanted a notebook I could throw in my briefcase and keep with me at all times, and would also allow me to get real work done when I used it, without major compromises. This small notebook completely fills the bill.

I researched the purchase of a NetBook for about a month prior to making a decision. Among those I considered were the EEE1000HA, EEE901, Aspire One and MSI Wind. The MSI Wind somehow did not appeal to me so I excluded that right away. I played with the Aspire One at the store for a while and could not get used to the side mouse button configuration which I found extremely frustrating to use. I also did not like the fact that the 6 cell battery on the Acer was only 2700mAH and the weight with the 6 cell was 2.8 lbs which was almost as heavy as the 10″ 1000HA.

The 901 I excluded because the keyboard was a bit too miniscule. Even though portability was extremely important to me I felt the 901 is just too small and would tire me out with anything more than 15 mins of usage. That left the 1000HA. I chose it because I felt it was a perfect fit.

- Great battery life, I get a solid 5 hrs with wi-fi/video/audio activity. The suggested 7 hrs is not happening but 5hrs is very realistic to expect with typical use.

- Plays DVDs great with absolutely no jerking, I use DVDShrink to create an ISO image of a DVD and transfer it using an SDHC card. The unit ships with Intervideo DVD preinstalled which can play a DVD directly from a location on the hard disk.

- Awesome keyboard: for such a small unit I am thankful that the keyboard is so easy to use, it is 95% the size of a regular keyboard

- 10″ screen is perfect size: I felt this size is the best compromise between portability and functionality, it does not cause any undue eyestrain. The LCD is bright and colors look great.

- Very portable: At 3.2lbs it’s a good bit lighter than my Thinkpad T60 and the lack of weight is definitely noticable, I feel this netbook is at the limit of how small a portable computer should be. Anything smaller is going to be really difficult to use. The power adapter is also quite dimunitive.

- Comes with a nice soft case and LCD cleaning cloth

- Webcam: The webcam at 1.3 Megapixel is extraordinary for a unit of this size and price point. It is very clear and the embedded microphone does a great job. I am able to videoconference with friends in Europe and Asia via Skype (which is pre-installed) with excellent results.

The 160GB hard drive is partitioned into 80GB and 60GB usable partitions. The other 20GB is supposed to be some kind of hidden recovery partition in case the system crashes, not sure about it. For a netbook 140GB is plenty anyway so I’m not concerned.

My only gripe about the unit is that the trackpad buttons are hard to press. The left button doesn’t bother me so much because I started to use tap to click and it works very well, but right clicking is still hard. The gestures are great but I haven’t had a chance to use that very much.

Asus has carefully thought out the design of this unit and it shows in how easy and intuitive it is to use. I think this unit delivers a lot for it’s price and if you’re looking for an extremely portable machine with all the basic capabilities most of us will use on the road you cannot go wrong with the 1000HA.

Highly recommended!

I had two main problems with the 1000HA: speakers crackled and the housing around the battery quickly loosened up so that too much play developed around the battery. Mind you, I experienced these problems with three different units.

If these kinds of issues don’t bother you, the 1000HA is otherwise a great machine. It does start up faster than my Samsung NC10 (even after I upgraded the memory on the Samsung).

Amazon.com Product Description

The Asus Eee PC 1000HA provides the power of a full-sized laptop in a compact body with an extra-large 10-inch screen, and is now powered by the latest Intel mobile processor. Designed specifically for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry–which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors–to conserve energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. Coupled with the ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll also enjoy up to 7 hours of battery life with this Windows-powered laptop.

The advantages of a full-sized laptop in a compact netbook with 10-inch screen. See larger version. Much more compact than a standard-sized notebook and weighing just over 3 pounds, the Eee PC 1000HA is perfect for students toting to school or road warriors packing away to Wi-Fi hotspots. The Eee PC 1000HA also features a 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD), 1 GB of RAM, 1.3-megapixel webcam integrated into the bezel above the LCD, 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), Secure Digital memory card slot, multiple USB ports, a VGA output for connecting to a monitor.

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop. Complementing this is Microsoft Works, which equips the user with numerous office applications to work efficiently.

The new Eee PC 1000HA has a customized, cutting-edge Infusion casing technology in Fine Ebony. Inlaid within the chassis itself, the motifs are an integral part of the entire cover and will not fade with time. The Infusion surface also provides a new level of resilience, providing scratch resistance and a beautiful style while out and about.

It’s also equipped with the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for automatic detection and adjustments of CPU frequency, voltage, and LCD brightness to minimize system noise and power consumption to save up to 15 percent power consumption, or to maximize system performance according to individual needs.

For journalists, photographers and other professionals who need to use a computer in the field to create, to communicate and to collaborate with other colleagues, the Eee PC’s combination of power, extreme portability and rugged build makes it the ideal computing solution. The keyboard is 95 percent the size of standard notebooks, making it more comfortable to type for larger hands.

It’s also a great choice for young students, and it includes two modes of intuitive graphic user interface design to accommodate both experienced and inexperienced PC users. The Eee PC also handles your digital images, movies, and music as well as Internet radio.

Nicely light at just 51 ounces (3.2 pounds), the Eee PC 1000HA has a 10-inch wide TFT LCD with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution (WXGA)–making it more comfortable on eyes than its predecessor. In addition to its wireless LAN, it also offers wired Fast Ethernet (10/100) connectivity. You get three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA output for connecting to external monitors, headphone and microphone jacks, and a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot (compatible with MMC memory cards). It’s equipped with a 1.3-megapixel webcam (placed in the bezel above the LCD) and integrated microphone, allowing you to snap still photos of yourself while on the go for sending via email or join video chats with friends and family.

Battery-Sipping Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power–less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor–for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

Together with the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll enjoy a longer battery lifespan of up to 7 hours, allowing you to stay in touch and be connected for a longer period of time while on-the-go. It offers a choice of performance and power consumption modes for easy adjustments according to your computing needs. The Super Hybrid Engine toggles between the following three modes:

• High Performance Mode (high performance with some power savings)
• Super Performance Mode (maximum performance)
• Power Saving Mode (maximum power savings and minimum noise)

Online Storage from ASUS
With this Eee PC, ASUS also provides 10 GB of online storage (easily accessible via a desktop icon), which enables you to download up to 5 GB of data per day. It also provides secure file encryption and accessibility from both Windows and Linux platforms. Whether you want to share images with friends and family or store big business presentations, you can now access your data with ease and not worry about space constraints. The Eee Storage service is complimentary for the first 18 months, and it must be registered within the first 6 months after date of purchase.

The Eee PC with Windows Home XP operating system provides a familiar interface. Specifications

• Operating system: Windows XP Home
• Internal memory: 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD)
• RAM: 1 GB DDR2
• Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
• Memory expansion: Slot for MMC/SD(SDHC) cards
• Screen: 10 inches, 1024 x 600 pixels, LED backlight
• Networking: 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• Bluetooth connectivity: No
• Peripheral connectivity: Three USB 2.0
• External video: One VGA
• External audio: One headphone and one microphone port
• Webcamera: Yes, 1.3 megapixels
• Battery: 6 cells (6600 mAh), up to 7 hours
• Weight: 3.19 pounds (51 ounces)
• Dimensions: 10.5 × 7.5 × 1.5 inches

What’s in the Box
ASUS Eee PC 1000HA, AC adapter, printed operating instructions. It’s backed by a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.

ZBD from ASUS
All Eee PC’s come with ASUS’s ZBD (Zero Bright Dot) guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.

First, let me address the two most common “complaints” — the stiff touchpad keys and the placement of the right shift.

TOUCHPAD KEYS: I also thought the touchpad keys were far too stiff until I realized I was using them wrong. The touchpad keys wrap around the front, and are designed to be “thumbed” at the front, not pushed down from the top. Once I figured out how to use them I found they are not the least bit stiff. It is actually a far better configuration than any other laptop I’ve used, because when you move your hand down to use the touchpad, your thumb is naturally placed in front of the laptop, and you can flick the touchpad keys from the front instead of trying to crowd all your fingers over the touchpad. With this design, I can now easily cut and paste with one hand, where as with other notebooks I typically have to work the keys with one hand while I use the touchpad with the other. Truly brilliant.

RIGHT SHIFT KEY: As to the shift key, it is technically right where it is supposed to be — at the far right side of the keyboard. Look down at whatever keyboard you are using and you’ll see the right shift key at the far right of the other primary keys (not including the number keys). But to accomodate the up arrow, Asus made the shift key half-sized. So you will find yourself occasionally hitting the up arrow when you meant to shift. I’ve already programed my brain to reach a little farther when I use the right shift key, so it isn’t a problem. Someone else mentioned that she used a program to switch the shift and arrow keys, so that is an option if it turns out to be a problem for you.

MEMORY: I ordered the 2GB memory card along with the notebook, and installed it before I ever turned it on. It was a one minute upgrade. Thank you to all that mentioned going to the bios so that the memory would be recognized. Note that you don’t do anything in the bios, just go to there and then save and exit. RAM is the most important component relating to system speed, and the memory was about $30, so I can’t imagine that anyone would not want to make that upgrade.

BATTERY LIFE: Battery life was one of the main reasons I bought this notebook, because the two hours I was getting on my other small notebook just wasn’t cutting it. After fully charging the battery, I turned on the computer and checked the battery life, which was reported at just three hours! But as Windows got a feel for the battery, that number kept going up until it reached more than five hours. I haven’t put a stopwatch to it, but I’ve actually been doing a little better than that with my daily use thus far. Nice to just sit down and get to work while everyone else is fighting over the electrical outlets at the local Barnes & Noble. UPDATE: I found an aftermarket 12,000 mHa battery on ebay for the 1000HA. With this battery I can go well over eight hours on a single charge! It’s quite a bit bigger, so some portability is lost, but between the two batteries I can leave the power brick at home.

USB PORTS: There are two on the right and one on the left. With my other laptop, having all three side by side was a problem because sometimes the item you plug in extends over another port. I had to use a multi-tap just to plug in all my stuff. The one on the left is toward the back, which is cool because I can plug in my Sprint wireless and it is out of the way.

FUNCTION KEYS: I like that there are no separate buttons for mute, wireless, etc. Everything is controlled with the function keys.

SPEAKERS AND TYPING ANGLE: Another brilliant design point. With my other laptop, the speakers are where you wrest your palms while typing, which means I am covering the speakers any time I am typing. The Asus puts them underneath, and the laptop is slightly raised on feet at the back to both give clearance to the speakers and create a better typing angle. The sound is very impressive for such a small notebook, and the volume is very good.

SCREEN: I have no problem reading the screen, even with my tired old eyes. The native resolution of the screen in 1024 x 600. That second number means you’ll be doing more vertical scrolling. Set the taskbar to auto hide and use full screen mode with your browser. I am really glad I went with this computer as opposed to the Acer One, which has a 8.9″ screen. I wouldn’t want to go any smaller than the ten inch screen on the Asus.

KEYBOARD: I’m a big guy with big hands, and I have no problem touch typing on this keyboard. I’d say my typos have probably increased 2% as a result of the smaller size.

BOTTOM LINE: I wanted a notebook I could throw in my briefcase and keep with me at all times, and would also allow me to get real work done when I used it, without major compromises. This small notebook completely fills the bill.

I researched the purchase of a NetBook for about a month prior to making a decision. Among those I considered were the EEE1000HA, EEE901, Aspire One and MSI Wind. The MSI Wind somehow did not appeal to me so I excluded that right away. I played with the Aspire One at the store for a while and could not get used to the side mouse button configuration which I found extremely frustrating to use. I also did not like the fact that the 6 cell battery on the Acer was only 2700mAH and the weight with the 6 cell was 2.8 lbs which was almost as heavy as the 10″ 1000HA.

The 901 I excluded because the keyboard was a bit too miniscule. Even though portability was extremely important to me I felt the 901 is just too small and would tire me out with anything more than 15 mins of usage. That left the 1000HA. I chose it because I felt it was a perfect fit.

- Great battery life, I get a solid 5 hrs with wi-fi/video/audio activity. The suggested 7 hrs is not happening but 5hrs is very realistic to expect with typical use.

- Plays DVDs great with absolutely no jerking, I use DVDShrink to create an ISO image of a DVD and transfer it using an SDHC card. The unit ships with Intervideo DVD preinstalled which can play a DVD directly from a location on the hard disk.

- Awesome keyboard: for such a small unit I am thankful that the keyboard is so easy to use, it is 95% the size of a regular keyboard

- 10″ screen is perfect size: I felt this size is the best compromise between portability and functionality, it does not cause any undue eyestrain. The LCD is bright and colors look great.

- Very portable: At 3.2lbs it’s a good bit lighter than my Thinkpad T60 and the lack of weight is definitely noticable, I feel this netbook is at the limit of how small a portable computer should be. Anything smaller is going to be really difficult to use. The power adapter is also quite dimunitive.

- Comes with a nice soft case and LCD cleaning cloth

- Webcam: The webcam at 1.3 Megapixel is extraordinary for a unit of this size and price point. It is very clear and the embedded microphone does a great job. I am able to videoconference with friends in Europe and Asia via Skype (which is pre-installed) with excellent results.

The 160GB hard drive is partitioned into 80GB and 60GB usable partitions. The other 20GB is supposed to be some kind of hidden recovery partition in case the system crashes, not sure about it. For a netbook 140GB is plenty anyway so I’m not concerned.

My only gripe about the unit is that the trackpad buttons are hard to press. The left button doesn’t bother me so much because I started to use tap to click and it works very well, but right clicking is still hard. The gestures are great but I haven’t had a chance to use that very much.

Asus has carefully thought out the design of this unit and it shows in how easy and intuitive it is to use. I think this unit delivers a lot for it’s price and if you’re looking for an extremely portable machine with all the basic capabilities most of us will use on the road you cannot go wrong with the 1000HA.

Highly recommended!

I had two main problems with the 1000HA: speakers crackled and the housing around the battery quickly loosened up so that too much play developed around the battery. Mind you, I experienced these problems with three different units.

If these kinds of issues don’t bother you, the 1000HA is otherwise a great machine. It does start up faster than my Samsung NC10 (even after I upgraded the memory on the Samsung).

Amazon.com Product Description

The new Eee PC 900HA offers you more options for your mobile computing needs, providing the power of a full-sized laptop–with the latest Intel mobile processor and a 160 GB hard drive–in a compact body with an 8.9-inch screen. Designed specifically for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry–which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors–to conserve energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. Coupled with the ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll also enjoy up to 5 hours of battery life with this Windows-powered laptop.

The Asus Eee PC 900’s 8.9-inch screen is easier on the eyes, and the integrated webcam makes video chats a snap. Much more compact than a standard-sized notebook and weighing just 2.5 pounds, the Eee PC 900HA is perfect for students toting to school or road warriors packing away to Wi-Fi hotspots. In addition to the 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD), the Eee PC 900HA also features 1 GB of RAM, VGA-resolution webcam integrated into the bezel above the LCD, 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multiple USB ports, SD memory card slot, a VGA output for connecting to a monitor, and up to 10 GB of online storage (complimentary for 18 months).

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop. Complementing this is Microsoft Works, which equips the user with numerous office applications to work efficiently.

For journalists, photographers and other professionals who need to use a computer in the field to create, to communicate and to collaborate with other colleagues, the Eee PC’s combination of power, extreme portability and rugged build makes it the ideal computing solution. The keyboard is 95 percent the size of standard notebooks, making it more comfortable to type for larger hands.

It’s also a great choice for young students, with a built-in Dictionary that’s great for homework, and it includes two modes of intuitive graphic user interface design to accommodate both experienced and inexperienced PC users. The Eee PC also handles your digital images, movies, and music as well as Internet radio.

Nicely light at just 40 ounces (2.5 pounds), the Eee PC 900HA has an 8.9-inch wide TFT LCD with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution (WXGA)–making it more comfortable on eyes than its predecessor. In addition to its 54g wireless LAN (802.11b/g), it also offers wired Fast Ethernet (10/100) connectivity and a 56K modem. You get three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA output for connecting to external monitors, headphone and microphone jacks, and a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot (compatible with MMC memory cards). It’s equipped with a 0.3-megapixel webcam (placed in the bezel above the LCD) and integrated microphone, allowing you to snap still photos of yourself while on the go for sending via email or join video chats with friends and family.

Battery-Sipping Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power–less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor–for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

Together with the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll enjoy a longer battery lifespan of up to 7 hours, allowing you to stay in touch and be connected for a longer period of time while on-the-go. It offers a choice of performance and power consumption modes for easy adjustments according to your computing needs. The Super Hybrid Engine toggles between the following three modes:

• High Performance Mode (high performance with some power savings)
• Super Performance Mode (maximum performance)
• Power Saving Mode (maximum power savings and minimum noise)

Online Storage from ASUS
With this Eee PC, ASUS also provides 10 GB of online storage (easily accessible via a desktop icon), which enables you to download up to 5 GB of data per day. It also provides secure file encryption and accessibility from both Windows and Linux platforms. Whether you want to share images with friends and family or store big business presentations, you can now access your data with ease and not worry about space constraints. The Eee Storage service is complimentary for the first 18 months, and it must be registered within the first 6 months after date of purchase.

Specifications

• Operating system: Windows XP Home
• Internal memory: 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD)
• RAM: 1 GB DDR2
• Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
• Memory expansion: Slot for MMC/SD(SDHC) cards
• LCD: 8.9 inches, 1024 x 600 pixels
• Networking: 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• Peripheral connectivity: Three USB 2.0
• External video: One VGA
• External audio: One headphone and one microphone port
• Webcamera: Yes, 0.3 megapixels (VGA)
• Battery life: up to 5 hours
• Weight: 2.5 pounds (40 ounces)
• Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.7 x 1.33 inches

What’s in the Box
ASUS Eee PC 900HA, AC adapter, printed operating instructions. It’s backed by a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.

ZBD from ASUS
All Eee PC’s come with ASUS’s ZBD (Zero Bright Dot) guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.

(1) Size and weight: Asus wins here. 4-cell Asus is about 1″ narrower in both width and height and a little lighter than the 6-cell Acer (the 1″ height difference is due to the protruding battery from the back of the Acer). Thickness is about the same.

(2) Screen brightness: Acer wins here. Although the LCD panels are the same size and have the same native resolution the Acer screen is much brighter at max and appears crisper. Also the default Windows icons are much larger on the Asus (icon size can be adjusted using Windows).

(3) Upgrading: Asus wins big here. Remove a bottom panel with two screws from the Asus and you can easily swap out the single 1GB memory module for a 2GB module that costs about $30. You can even swap out the 160GB hard drive for a still larger one. The Acer is another story. It requires total disassembly and careful reassembly (numerous videos and pictorial instructions available on the web) to replace the socketed 512MB module with a 1GB max module. This procedure also negates the warranty – how clever! Some genius at Acer decided to solder 512MB onto the motherboard, thus limiting the max memory to 1.5GB. To add insult to injury, the Acer design team also placed a removable panel on the bottom which opens into an unused cavity. That panel could have been moved or expanded in size to allow easy memory and hard drive access.

(4) Keyboard and touch pad: Acer wins big here. The reason the Acer is about 1″ wider is due to a wider keyboard. The keys are not only larger on the Acer but they seem to have more tactile feedback. The Asus keyboard also has a tiny shift key which often fails to register unless tapped near the center. Asus has just introduced the 904HA which provides a wider keyboard (and wider computer) but uses the same 8.9″ screen. The Acer touchpad is unbelievably smooth to the touch although the buttons are located to the sides (allowing larger keyboard). The Asus touchpad is a little larger but rougher finish with conventional button locations below the pad.

(5) Battery life: Acer big 6 cell, Asus smaller 4 cell but the brighter screen on the Acer may negate some of that advantage. I have not run them down on the battery to compare this.

(6) Fit and Finish: The Acer appears slightly better to me with stunning quality external fit and finish (every bit as good as my $2000 Sony Viao). The Asus has cheaper looking power and mouse buttons but a nice glossy black external finish.

Summary: Acer wins in quality of screen, keyboard, touch pad and fit and finish. Asus wins in smaller size and lighter weight and wins big in ease to upgrade memory or hard drive. One more thing: Asus provides a nice custom fit carrying pouch while Acer lets you buy your own from a third party (they only make a large size case).

1) Battery life is not 5 hours, no matter how you use it. Best case 3+ hours.
2) The Touch pad comes with additional software, when activated has nice features (to use multi finger motion) but does not work as good on browsers other than IE.
3) Wireless: New networks are beter detected and activated if you use the software utility from hardware manufacture Atheros or Asus.

I would still recomend this Little work horse for is Price design and very minor problems. Good Luck

The screen is matte instead of the glossy finish of the Acer Aspire One. The Acer w/same screen size has a slightly bigger keyboard, but not 100% full sized.

The battery life of the ASUS is blowing my old full sized laptop out of the water. After a couple hours it still has 40% of the battery life remaining.

The speed is good. I love the fact that this one has Windows XP — something I’ve found I can’t live without is the Windows operating system.

This little computer appears to have a sturdy build. It gives the appearance of reliability, but only time will tell….

The only reason I took away one star was because of the cramped keyboard.

I looked into the Dell Mini 12s, but decided against one because they’re simply not as portable. The Mini 12 has a bigger screen, keyboard and hard drive space, but that also makes the PC bigger and less portable. The Mini 9’s smaller keyboard will require a bit of adjustment, epecially if you use the F keys very much since they’re integrated with the second row of letter keys. I don’t have a problem with the size of the screen, but I can see how some might. Try to look at one of these in person before you buy if you think it might be an issue.

The Mini 9 will handle 2GB of RAM, but it can only be shipped with up to 1GB because of the software license with Windows XP. Thank you Miscrosoft for another slap in the face! I mean, anything’s better than getting a machine with Vista on it, but REALLY. Dell also put the RAM cap on the Mini9s with Ubuntu, which really makes no sense… Anyway, it’s nothing to pop open the cover, put in your extra GB of RAM, close it, and have the zippiest little netbook around. (I think it will handle a 4GB stick, but then you’re looking at power and heat issues.) When you turn it on, it’s ready to go in no time, even without a memory upgrade! Also, decompress the drive. Compression doesn’t save that much space and it runs better. If hard drive space is an issue, add an external drive, thumb drive or SD card.

It doesn’t come with a DVD drive, but how often do you really use one? I only use mine to install software and to rip my CDs to iTunes. I don’t do either of those things when I’m out and about, and remember, it’s all about that portability! Eventually you will need to buy a DVD drive, but you might not need one right away. Also plan on investing in an external mouse if you don’t like touchpads. This one is particularly irritating because it’s so small. I can’t really comment on how this or anything else affects battery life, since I rarely run on the battery. The speakers are really small, so have some headphones on hand if sound is a problem for you.

I got it and immediately covered it with one of those sticker skins later to keep it from getting scratched. It’s a glossy finish that you just know is going to get sandpapered if you carry other stuff in your bag. (And who doesn’t?) I also got the webcam and bluetooth options, even though I have no use for either of them. That was because hubby will eventually inherit this when I buy something else, so I wanted him to be able to expand this however he would need.

My only other gripe is that when you use this in public, you get a lot of people coming up to interrupt you to talk about it. It’s not Dell’s fault, but if you need to get something done, don’t do it in Starbucks where you’ll be interrupted about every 30 seconds. Come on, it’s the 21st century! It’s difficult to accomplish anything in an environment like that. I had the same problem with my PDA and folding keyboard, and when it started to happen again, I wanted to cry… but my Mini won’t let me.

Overall, this is 4 1/2 stars, but the drawbacks are nothing when I can put this in my purse, go to Borders, do my thing, and get out without the achy shoulder. I always wanted a small laptop like this, light enough to carry around, small, with PC power and feel. Now that I have one, the sky is clear, birds are singing and velvet ropes have parted– well, not really, but this is about as close as I can get.

If you just want a little “travel buddy” to supplement your desktop and bang around on the net a little this would fit the bill. I do keep getting questioned by Yahoo if I want to load my mail in the old version, but I select “no” and it loads up the same as it does on the desktop.

You wont use this to solve cold fusion, or draw the next Pixar movie, but you can poke around online and type papers. All-in-all a nice little student netbook.

As for me taking it to school, my daughter has completely stolen it from me! The first night we had it she asked if she could sleep with it instead of her teddy bear, lol. I am on here while she is sleeping, shhhhh…

Guess Mom will have to save up for another laptop, sigh.

Amazon.com Product Description

The Asus Eee PC 1000H provides the power of a full-sized laptop in a compact body with an extra-large 10-inch screen, and is now powered by the latest Intel mobile processor. Designed specifically for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry–which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors–to conserve energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet. Coupled with the ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll also enjoy up to 7 hours of battery life with this Windows-powered laptop.

The advantages of a full-sized laptop in a compact netbook with 10-inch screen. See larger version. Much more compact than a standard-sized notebook and weighing just over 3 pounds, the Eee PC 1000H is perfect for students toting to school or road warriors packing away to Wi-Fi hotspots. The Eee PC 1000H also features a 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD), 1 GB of RAM, 1.3-megapixel webcam integrated into the bezel above the LCD, Draft-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n), integrated Bluetooth connectivity, Secure Digital memory card slot, multiple USB ports, a VGA output for connecting to a monitor.

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop. Complementing this is Microsoft Works, which equips the user with numerous office applications to work efficiently.

The new Eee PC 1000H has a customized, cutting-edge Infusion casing technology in Fine Ebony. Inlaid within the chassis itself, the motifs are an integral part of the entire cover and will not fade with time. The Infusion surface also provides a new level of resilience, providing scratch resistance and a beautiful style while out and about.

It’s also equipped with the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine for automatic detection and adjustments of CPU frequency, voltage, and LCD brightness to minimize system noise and power consumption to save up to 15 percent power consumption, or to maximize system performance according to individual needs.

For journalists, photographers and other professionals who need to use a computer in the field to create, to communicate and to collaborate with other colleagues, the Eee PC’s combination of power, extreme portability and rugged build makes it the ideal computing solution. The keyboard is 95 percent the size of standard notebooks, making it more comfortable to type for larger hands.

It’s also a great choice for young students, with a built-in Dictionary that’s great for homework, and it includes two modes of intuitive graphic user interface design to accommodate both experienced and inexperienced PC users. The Eee PC also handles your digital images, movies, and music as well as Internet radio.

Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated Intel Wireless Wi-Fi Link 4965 AGN LAN chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It’s also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots). With the Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones.

Nicely light at just 51 ounces (3.2 pounds), the Eee PC 1000H has a 10-inch wide TFT LCD with a 1024 x 600-pixel resolution (WXGA)–making it more comfortable on eyes than its predecessor. In addition to its wireless LAN, it also offers wired Fast Ethernet (10/100) connectivity and a 56K modem. You get three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA output for connecting to external monitors, headphone and microphone jacks, and a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot (compatible with MMC memory cards). It’s equipped with a 1.3-megapixel webcam (placed in the bezel above the LCD) and integrated microphone, allowing you to snap still photos of yourself while on the go for sending via email or join video chats with friends and family.

Battery-Sipping Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power–less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor–for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

Together with the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine, you’ll enjoy a longer battery lifespan of up to 7 hours, allowing you to stay in touch and be connected for a longer period of time while on-the-go. It offers a choice of performance and power consumption modes for easy adjustments according to your computing needs. The Super Hybrid Engine toggles between the following three modes:

• High Performance Mode (high performance with some power savings)
• Super Performance Mode (maximum performance)
• Power Saving Mode (maximum power savings and minimum noise)

Online Storage from ASUS
With this Eee PC, ASUS also provides 10 GB of online storage (easily accessible via a desktop icon), which enables you to download up to 5 GB of data per day. It also provides secure file encryption and accessibility from both Windows and Linux platforms. Whether you want to share images with friends and family or store big business presentations, you can now access your data with ease and not worry about space constraints. The Eee Storage service is complimentary for the first 18 months, and it must be registered within the first 6 months after date of purchase.

The Eee PC with Windows Home XP operating system provides a familiar interface. Specifications

• Operating system: Windows XP Home
• Internal memory: 160 GB hard disk drive (HDD)
• RAM: 1 GB DDR2
• Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
• Memory expansion: Slot for MMC/SD(SDHC) cards
• Screen: 10 inches, 1024 x 600 pixels, LED backlight
• Networking: Draft-N Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• Bluetooth connectivity: Yes
• Peripheral connectivity: Three USB 2.0
• External video: One VGA
• External audio: One headphone and one microphone port
• Webcamera: Yes, 1.3 megapixels
• Battery: 6 cells (6600 mAh), up to 7 hours
• Weight: 3.19 pounds (51 ounces)
• Dimensions: 10.5 × 7.5 × 1.5 inches

What’s in the Box
ASUS Eee PC 1000H, AC adapter, printed operating instructions. It’s backed by a 1-year warranty on parts and labor.

ZBD from ASUS
All Eee PC’s come with ASUS’s ZBD (Zero Bright Dot) guarantee. If the purchaser discovers one bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel without cost to the purchaser.

It is very sexy looking for a net book and when I showed a couple neighbors they where impressed with it’s look as well.

It is easy to type on for the most part. There is a slight adjustment to the placement of certain keys but I don’t believe it should take more than a week to get into that comfort zone. I’ve used smaller netbooks and this one is a vast improvement in terms of size.

Bluetooth is awesome! I conected to my bluetooth enabled Samsung Yp2 mp3 players and performed a wireless transfer of a few movies and some music. I’m sure when it is time for me to connect to my cell phone for internet access it will work just as easily. BTW wireless N is the shiznit.

Oh yeah this thing has XP which I hate to say is just outright better than vista. I’ve tried to like my vista Acer laptop but it just sucks. Its dual core and all but it feels much slower than this ASUS.

Oh yeah it is whisper quite and does not get hot at all. Hardly even qualifies as warm after running Rhapsody, and having several tabs on Opera open at once.

But I will admit that while the screen is super bright and unreflective the picture was not as sharp as I invisioned. I mean it is still pretty crisp, but not quiet what I expected (although my expectations were through the roof after reading reviews of the 80gb model.)

Hope this little review of mine helps any buyers out there narrow down there choices. Holla.

I’ve decided to use this machine as both a travel PC and a home/graduate school PC. By attaching a 19″ wide screen monitor, keyboard, and mouse, I’ve got the best of both worlds; a well running workstation and a light netbook for when I’m on the go.

I highly recommend the 1000H, especially when paired with a workstation for that dual-use feel.

The Elantech trackpad is of a multi-touch/multi-gesture design and it just plain works. The mouse button is a single rocker design with short travel and a definite but light click and it oozes quality.

The BIOS includes a “boot booster” function (tied to a itty-bitty hdd partition), which helps the computer to boot significantly faster than any other brand out there (all new ASUS models appear to have this).

The keyboard is large enough to make touch-typing easy and for me the weird right shift button placement is not an issue as I am a left shift person (it is proportional to the rest of the keyboard).

The palm-rest is just big enough to allow most people to actually rest their hands on it when typing, which is much more comfortable than the half-on / half-off method necessary for most netbooks (although the Eee 1000H is even more comfortable).

Battery life is about 3 to 3.25 hours. Not class leading for sure (Samsung wins here) BUT the battery fits flush to the bottom of the computer which keeps the ENTIRE computer nice and thin. Once you look at a couple of netbooks, you’ll see why the big barrel shaped batteries they use generally ruin otherwise beautiful aesthetics.

Some people will not like the power cord, SD slot, monitor out, kensington lock slot and ethernet port being on the back as opposed to the sides, but I love it because everything is out of the way (esp if you choose to use an external mouse).

Speakers are very good, but the Eee 900HA and the Eee1000H (Dolby) are better. I use earphones though, so its a non-issue.

Haven’t tried the webcam so I can’t offer much except to say its there.

The bloatware is within reason and is easily removed. The recovery DVD includes a bootable Norton Ghost recovery image and also includes the individual drivers, which are accessible from windows (if you have an external DVD drive).

I swapped the 160GB 5400RPM Seagate drive for an 80GB Intel X25M SSD drive and i just couldn’t be happier. It boots from power switch to ready to use in 40-45 seconds (fully software equipped), runs Office 2007, plays movies stutter free and surfs the Internet all without complaint or issue. I would not recommend to anyone to spend the $500-600 for the Intel SSD drive though. It is faster, but NOT that much faster and the machine felt plenty peppy before.

The charger is of the two cords and a brick design (like everybody else). Fortunately, you can hit the very popular auction site out there and purchase a new ASUS branded wall charger for an Eee 900 (the original 900), which has the exact same specs as the one that comes with this and saves probably 1/2 the space. All for $20-25.

Anyway, I highly recommend this model, it is the best out there right now. Below are my experiences with other models in its class.

The Samsung NC-10 is ok, but nothing special and certainly not (IMO) worth the extensive press it has gotten. It is not user friendly from an upgrade standpoint (i.e. no bottom access to the hdd) and the chrome trim detracts from an otherwise classy finish (I tried the blue model). The recovery software consists of discs, which, DO NOT restore it to its factory configuration. Battery life is crazy long (5 to 6 hours)

The MSI wind is perhaps the PERFECT size, but its horrible construction leaves me bewildered as to why it is so popular. The hinges are so weak that the screen literally shakes as you type. I googled for answers and found that it is a common problem for these machines. I packed mine up after 5 minutes and sent it back. I can’t imagine trying to watch a movie on it while bouncing around on an airplane.

The ASUS Eee 900HA is a great machine and even better for my frequent travel than this one (its quite a bit more compact), but the 8.9″ screen makes for lots of vertical and horizontal scrolling and the keys are just too small. It is beautiful though and the size vs. features vs. price absolutely beats everything else out there (the 1002HA included). But only if you can live with the small screen and keyboard.

The HP mini 1000 is fantastic in every way, but its storage is too limited when you opt for the built in flash memory and its WAY too slow when you opt for the 4200 rpm 60GB drive. Worse is the fact that they used a legacy PATA (ZIF) connection on the hard drive, which rules out the use of the ultra fast Intel X18M SSD hdd. Very poor thinking on the part of HP. This one could have been the best out there.

The Lenovo S10 is very business like and is built very well. I eagerly anticipated this. It is marred ONLY by its ridiculously loud CPU fan. On top of the fan noise, the computer constantly “throttles” the fan making it sound as if the computer is going to take off at any minute. Again, a google search of the reviews out there revealed that mine was not an isolated case. Shame too, cus this one is ultra nice and has Lenovo’s business/professional looks and build quality to go with it.

The Acer Aspire One is a nice netbook. Its deficiency lies mainly in its size/shape and the nightmare it takes to upgrade even the memory. I had the 3-cell 120GB model and found that its size was perfect for carry, but lousy for typing as it was too thick to rest your hands on a flat surface comfortably while typing (forget the palm rest, its almost non-existent). If you can find a good typing position, the keyboard is very nice with great feedback and feel. A complete dis-assembly is required for upgrading either the memory or the hdd (as in it voids the warranty)and if you choose to anyway, you’ll find that the memory can only be bumped up to 1.5GB as there is 512MB built in to the machine. The power source is a “brick” design like everyone else, but seems to be larger than the others.

Good luck if you are shopping for a netbook and Happy Holidays.

9

I will probably sell this as my trip to be light at any cost is over and I didn’t type a word because it made me crazy.

Other than that it is a great netbook…and if you get the right keyboard, you can be happy….Asus? How do you make this right for folks like me?

I decided to pick up an Acer Aspire One for myself and overall, I was extremely pleased. With the familiar XP interface and a 160gb drive, a noticeably better web cam and far better performance via the extra 512 memory even running XP. It felt substantial, the monitor was gorgeous, keyboard far better than the baby Asus, battery life was good – but not great. The only rub came when it was time to upgrade the memory. The Aspire One came with one gb on board with the potential to add only an additional 512 memory chip. Still, every bit helps on the small netbooks.

And there’s when you find the nightmare. The Aspire One is an absolute NIGHTMARE to upgrade memory OR replace a hard drive. It involves removing the keyboard, the mainboard, numerous levels of wires, screws and connectors. There are “how to videos” on YouTube – but they are not for the faint of heart.

While I could have gone on being generally happy with the Acer, I was really disappointed in the absolutely and uncharacteristically WRONGHEADEDNESS (for Acer especially) of this consumer unfriendly design flaw – especially since there is an easy access door on the bottom that only leads to an empty compartment for a possible future LAN card upgrade which many, if not most, users will never use. Then there was a growing amount of consumer complaints concerning overheating, thermal shutdowns, defective fans and more. Two more of my friends has bought Aspires after seeing and playing with my machine and one friend nearly immediately had thermal problems. Not a good average.

The final “temptation” to switch came when Lenovo managed to release it’s S10 model with the 10.2 inch screen earlier than expected. Among the most prominent kudos in almost every review was the absolute EASE OF CONSUMER UPGRADE. One panel on the bottom accesses BOTH your *hard drive and memory slot. You can upgrade *either or both easily in under five minutes. I had the extra half gig in and running with virtually no effort nor silliness and the little extra punch made the already speedy little machine feel even quicker. Definitely worth the time and small price.

The unit feels light but sturdy, much like the Aspire. The monitor is simply spectacular! Bright and crisp!

*Note: Among Lenovo’s more interesting features is a “one button restore” feature which enables the user to restore the hard drive back to the original factory computer configuration with all original programs and drivers intact and ready to go should something turn the drive into an unrecoverable basket case. (Of course this is why God invented ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE and made it so easy to use…)

BE WARNED: IF YOU PHYSICALLY REPLACE YOUR EXISTING HARD DRIVE, LENOVO’S MANUAL SAYS THAT THE ONE BUTTON RESTORE FEATURE WILL NO LONGER WORK. So far, I have not been able to get a clear answer as to whether another drive cloned with Acronis WILL work or not as the restore function seems to depend on files already stored on the original drive and not some physical recognition scheme. I can’t help but believe that a clone, even one of a different sized hard drive SHOULD be recognized, but I’m not going to risk the restore feature just to experiment right now. I’ll just save an identical sized clone drive for down the road.

Strangely – VERY strangely – probably the biggest reason I switched came from the difference in the 10.2 in screen. I’m a newspaper reporter and I frequently have to do photos and graphics modifications on site. You will be absolutely amazed in the jump from 8.9″ to 10.2″. ESPECIALLY when you are doing something that you have ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS DOING on a netbook… RE: Graphics mods and retouching.

The Keyboard is just about as close to a full sized notebook as you’ll come. It’s more comfortable and responsive than the Acer which is not bad in it’s own right.

So all in all, it’s really close. I’ve had great luck with Acer products over the years, but this time the LENOVO S10 just had a “LITTLE” too much of an extra edge to ignore.

BTW, regardless of which netbook anyone finally decides on, I should share that I was able to find one of the new Total Micro Technologies flat Power Station batteries ([...]) and these things are nothing short of AMAZING! They generally run over $400 each but I was able to find a gentleman who overstocked for a major project and bought two brand new for $99 each. Long story short: They will power the LENOVO with FULL POWER, NORMAL TO HIGH VOLUME, FULL SCREEN BRIGHTNESS, EXTERNAL USB DRIVE AND DVD for WELL OVER SEVEN CONTINUOUS HOURS. Prowl around Amazon and Ebay. You might get lucky!

Hope this helps! Do remember to check out the ACER, ASUS and LENOVO USER FORUMS – especially under TROUBLESHOOTING and KNOWN ISSUES before you take the final plunge. Good luck!

The first thing that won me over was the keyboard. It is way better quality than those of its competitors. It does have the same weird offset right shift key that they EEE PC 701/900 series have, but honestly it’s a lot less noticeable of a problem on this machine. The touchpad is way better than the EEEpc 900. I haven’t had any hardware/software problems or glitches with this.

The case is a lot more solid than the EEE and Aspire One. The machine is a lot sleeker looking and thinner than the others. It actually reminds me of my Compaq Armada M300, which I think is the best laptop compaq ever made.

I only had two things I wanted to uninstall, one was windows live and the other a 90 Norton Antivirus trial, the rest was just drivers, .net framework, and a basic windows install.

The big difference between this laptop and the EEE and the Acer Aspire One is that this one actually feels and performs like a laptop, while the others are more like cheep mobile internet devices.

I like typing on this thing more than most large laptops (I do have small hands though).

Just some notes:
The SD card reader is the type where the cards sticks out (I was a little disappointed about that until I realized that that type of slot last longer because it doesn’t have any spring loaded mechanism).

If you want more than 3 hrs out of this you can buy a 6 cell battery on ebay for about $[...].

This laptop has an express PC slot; most other don’t. It is upgradeable to 2g of ram and has a large removable panel in the back. I haven’t looked yet, but I think that lets you access the HDD and RAM.

The boot time on this thing is well under a minute with a standard XP install. I bet if you used nlite on this you could make it even faster. The system is way faster than the EEE I bought and returned. It runs apps like google earth without any issues.

It’s just plain awesome!!!