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I had bought one for my wife and liked it so much I ordered a 2nd for myself.

Three words for this netbook: Stilysh, compact, slim. I was skeptical about getting 1008HA vs. 1005HA due to battery life but unless you travel often to Europe (which is a 12 hour travel from US) you might not need an all day computer. 4.5 Hours with mid-bright screen and running wi-fi (or 6 hrs no wifi/bt & lowest brightness) is what you get on this little machine. The covered ports are awesome and really makes this pc look expensive and original. Everyone in the office asks me about it because, compared to other netbooks, this one is really thin. Regarding the 2GB upgrade, you see when you run WinXP with customized desktops, antivirus & antispyware you're pretty much about 416MB of ram. The other 584MB you can use for PPTs, (Internet Explorer, Itunes, and Outlook) and you'll be fine. I have a friend who made the 2GB upgrade on this 1008HA and really, it doesn't feel any faster (performance wise). Windows 7 Requires a minimum of 1GB of ram for a 32BIT, so when the final release comes out it will run perfect. I'd give 5 stars just because $400 bucks really makes it worth of the price being 1/4th of a macbook air. You won't regret it.

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I received my Asus 1008ha 6-9-09 and loved it. The design, size and functionality are perfect for my business. For me and the type of work I do, this computer seemed the be perfect. After five weeks of use the computer wouldn't start. When I pressed the power button, nothing happened. I called Asus support for warranty service and found out that I had to pay to ship the computer back for warranty service. "You have to be kidding", I told the service person. After five weeks of use, I have to pay to send their defective product to be repaired? What's up with that? I sent the unit in for service, received it yesterday, opened the box, pressed the power button AND THE COMPUTER STILL DOES NOT WORK. I then called tech. support, they issued a new RMA and agreed to pay shipping to send the computer back for service. As of this morning I still have not received a shipping label.

I spent hours loading programs and data to set up this computer. It was all for nothing because Asus sold me a piece of junk. At this moment I am not happy and cannot recommend the 1008ha to anyone.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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The asus 1008ha is beautiful. The design is great, small and thin, great for travel. However, I was dissappointed on its speed. It's kind of slow, especially when it run on battery. Everytime I tried to watch a video on HULU, it kept pausing. I called ASUS tech support and they couldn't resolve it neither. Test it out before you buy this model.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I bought this netbook primarily to use when travelling, as my main laptop is a Dell that weighs over 5 lbs. The 10.1" screen is fantastic, and while it is reflective, it is not problematic at all, unless trying to use it outdoors in the daylight. The keyboard runs edge to edge, and the keys feel very natural and are not awkwardly placed for normal typing. Video playback is fine, it is not jerky on iTunes or youtube. When deciding between this one and the 1005HA, for me I did not want the extra .5 lb weight for 2 hrs extra battery life.

Initially I had concerns with the difficulty in upgrading the RAM, but after using it for more than a month, I don't feel the need to upgrade it. XP boots up very fast, as does firefox, etc. If you are looking for a lightweight netbook with a great keyboard and 10" screen, look no further.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I bought this on impulse about a month ago for an upcoming stretch of working vacations and business travel this summer, and I am glad I did. Years of lugging around various brick-like laptops, just to keep up with email and make the occasional emergency document edit or ssh session, was getting old. A friend had a Macbook Air and I considered it, but the price was absurd. This seemed like a good compromise - plus by burning DVDs we would be able to keep our 2-year-old entertained with some shows on the plane, a plan which worked very well.

Like many people, I thought the 1280x600 resolution would be a major bummer. But in reality it hardly ever matters at all, and when it does it is a small price to pay for the form factor and weight. There are certain things this is not suited for, but that is why I have twin 22" monitors at home. The screen is clear, finely detailed and has great contrast and range, if you can't deal with it then you probably need to see an optometrist. My only gripe is the gloss (found on almost everything these days), which makes it hard to deal with outdoors or by a window - but indoors it's better, so it's a toss-up.

keyboard: very well done, I couldn't improve it if asked, for the size. Might be one of the most comfortable keyboards I've ever used on a laptop PC of any size.

Battery life - 5-6 hours may be an issue for some, but personally I have found it sufficient so far, and again it's a weight trade-off I am happy to make. Did I mention it's light?

The BIG problem: Windows XP. After using OSX and Linux for the last 7 years, it looks dated and dysfunctional. It's downright sad that millions of people are still using this in 2009 and have no idea there is a better world out there.

Fortunately, Ubuntu Netbook Remix is well suited to the 1008HA, although it does currently need a bit of voodoo to get the wired and wireless networking to work (see http://www.amazon.com/review/R1FY56FWYYXMFD/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm). Conveniently, ASUS splits the 160Gb drive in half with a C: and D: drive, so it took about 45 minutes to get it all installed and happy as a dual-boot with XP. Camera and sound work and the performance is great, it wakes from suspend in about 5 seconds. Fedora 11 and Moblin are said to be working well on the 1000HE but may be a few drivers missing on this newer model, will research as time allows.

So I am subtracting one star for making me deal with Windows XP for a couple days (and pay for it), and for having such a glossy screen that picks up fingerprints.
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Best looking netbook by far. I looked at all the latest netbooks and this one is far ahead aesthetically. Very impressive how the ports are neatly covered with plastic tabs. To keep the seashell shape, the ethernet port folds in a bit when not in use. I chose white as black is a huge fingerprint magnet. Fingerprints are not that visible on white. First unit I got did not boot (hard disk was making clicking noises). Amazon sent a replacement unit the very next day with overnight free shipping. The second unit has no problems so far except for one USB port stops working after waking up from hibernation. This is not my main computer so can't comment on performance. I just use it for browsing and emails for which the performance is more than sufficient. I am etting abt 5 hrs of battery on minimum screen brightness and no audio/video play. Pretty decent considering the light weight. Wireless works flawlessly even across sleep/hibernation. Got 5Mbps speed (which is the maximum my DSL can get).

The reason for 4 stars is the highly reflective screen. This screen is practically useless outdoors. This screen is no different than the reflective screen that comes with latest greatest laptops including MACbook pro. Even the MACbook is useless outdoor. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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This netbook is great it's very light and thin run window 7 flawlessly, the battery life could be better and I wish it come with better cover but Do like how quiet the netbook is you can't hear the fan at all.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I love netbooks. They're miniature computers and they're surprisingly capable for being so inexpensive. With the 1008HA you're paying a bit more for style but it certainly delivers on being a nice and attractive piece of hardware. It's also delivers all the usual things you'd expect from a netbook. There's really no point in talking about specifications anymore because there is really no practical differences between any of them. I think the most important thing to discuss is how the manufacturer has used the space afforded to them and what other functionality they've either brought or neglected to bring to the table. In my opinion ASUS does a pretty good job with the 1008HA but with the assumption that you're going to use it EXACTLY how they intended.

I'm going to gloss over a few things before diving deep. They keyboard is pretty great. I find the arrow keys a bit weird because they tried to make them bigger in an awkward way, but that aside it's a great keyboard. The HP Mini 1000 is really the only keyboard I like more, though I would say there are others comparable to this one. Though I do miss the chiclet style ASUS had been using in previous Eee PCs, this keyboard is much easier to type on. They've also made some improvements to the trackpad and one weird change. Though it's easier to click, the tracking area is a bit strange because you only know you're on it based on little raised bumps. There's no border and so you can glide off of it and sometimes not really realize it. On the plus side, although you'll find it extremely awkward and maybe even uncomfortable at first, you get used to the strange little bumps and it's not so much a problem. One of the most bizarre oversights, in my opinion, is the use of multitouch. It is a multitouch trackpad and yet it has no two-finger scrolling. You pretty much only get the pinch gesture. I can't understand for the life of me how they omitted two finger scrolling, especially when it was present in previous iterations of their netbooks. For a netbook, the screen is nice (despite the gloss). The webcam is functional but nonetheless a crappy webcam. You have USB ports. You have WiFi. You have Ethernet. You have a VGA port (in a manner of speaking). Hooray. What you get is pretty standard. How it is implemented is more interesting.

It probably goes without saying that this unit is nice and thin. People have been calling it the MacBook Air of netbooks. I'd say it's like the Air and the iPhone had a kid that somehow ended up becoming a Windows PC, simply because this thing picks up finger prints like the glossiest of Apple devices. This is the most reflective computer I've ever owned. It's kind of annoying. I'm not a huge fan of gloss, but I like it in some instances. It's too much with the 1008HA. Perhaps it's better with the white version, but the black one is just going to look like a fingerprint collage after a week of use. Nonetheless, it's still one of the most attractive netbooks you can buy. But I was going to talk about how the ports are implemented and not about the fingerprints you'll put all over them. You pull out a little door (not as elegantly as the MacBook Air, but you're also not paying an exorbitant design tax either) to reveal ports. Cool. The neat parts really exist with the Ethernet and VGA ports. The Ethernet port is too big to fit in such a thin case so when you open the port up, it sort of drops down like a staircase embedded in an airplane. It's a smart use of the space. An even smarter use of the space is where you have the VGA port. There isn't one, exactly, because you have a proprietary connector where the VGA port would go. However, underneath the case you have the adapter stored inside. You just pop it out and plug it in. Within seconds, you have VGA. I thought this adapter would be hard to get back in the case but it's shockingly simple. It just snaps back in. Very impressive.

One other thing worth mentioning is that this has a 2.5" 5400 RPM hard drive. I don't know how they fit that in this tiny casing, but they did. One thing worth noting is that although the drive is 160GB you will turn on the machine for the first time and it'll appear to be 80GB. This is because ASUS did something I'm not sure I like. They partitioned the drive in two halves so you can use one partition to quickly recover your machine in the event of irreversible failure. They've even dedicated a function key to restore with the ease of saying "Beatlejuice beatlejuice beatlejuice" (you press the key three times). While I think this is sort of a clever feature, I also think it's not really worth sacrificing half the drive space for it. It's also a little disconcerting that ASUS assumes that failure is so inevitable and so they've built-in such a simple recovery to their machine. This lack of good faith seems to be more in Windows XP than their hardware, which is understandable because, you know, XP isn't exactly perfect but it's still just weird and rubs me the wrong way. Of course you can just clear out the partition and disable it or use the partition for dual booting if you're not a huge fan of XP like me.

So let's talk about your operating system options. You don't really have any, or at least without a bit of work. On a netbook we're talking about installing Linux, Windows 7 and maybe OS X. I haven't tried running Linux yet (although supposedly Ubuntu is not that hard to install) but you'll run into trouble with both Windows 7 and OS X. First of all, OS X actually runs pretty well but is difficult to install and WiFi (and maybe Ethernet...didn't check) doesn't work. So that's kind of a no-go. Apparently some folks are working on maybe changing this without installing a completely different WiFi card ([...]) but I haven't seen anything successful yet. Personally, I'm running Windows 7 RC1 and it mostly works fine but you have to do a few things to make that happen (turn on auto-login and run a little script at startup, basically). There are instructions all over the net and it's pretty easy. Sometimes the display goes dark and you have to hit the power/sleep button now and again to get things going but it's a minor annoyance and definitely preferable to running Windows XP, I think. Installing Windows 7 means you can't use the included Eee Storage application maybe some other minor features I neglected to notice, so if you're buying the machine for all the added software benefits that ASUS provides, then you're going to want to think about how important those are before wiping out XP.

The main issue I have with the machine is how difficult it is to upgrade. It's not that it's impossible, but they really don't make it a pleasant experience and with only 1GB of included RAM you pretty much are destined to want to upgrade that, at least. Including 2GB in these netbooks is so trivial and inexpensive that I can't understand why they don't just do it. It's the one thing most everyone wants to upgrade and it tends to make the most difference. Upgrading the 1008HA is painful. I mean that because to get to anything you have to take off the keyboard and because of how it is adhered it feels like you're ripping the computer apart when you do so. It's hard to believe you're not destroying the machine in the process. It's also not exactly the most obvious experience, either. If you want to go through it, there are guides online but if you haven't upgraded a computer in any sort of real way then this is probably not the best place to start.

Overall, I think it all comes down to one thing: if you want to use this machine as ASUS intended, it's a wonderful netbook all-around. If you want to change anything, prepare to be met with resistance. Because it's such a nice piece of hardware the lack of upgrades and OS choices (without drawbacks) are a little saddening. Overall, though, if you're looking for a good netbook that's both tiny, light and attractive you really can't go wrong with the 1008HA.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I've had this netbook about 3 weeks and I think it's great. It is not my main computer, and I don't have the expectation of it doing everything to the same degree. I am running Office on it, Word and Excel with no problem. I understand if you have s copy of office already you can just load your serial NO (key) into the trial version to open it up without having to reload another version.

Occasionally gets hung up on a webpage on the internet, but mostly everything loads fast. This one does not have easily accessible memory to upgrade to 2MB, which would make the internet work like a champ all the time. Need to tweak settings to get maximum viewing. (Auto hide bottom bar, hide as many toolbars as possible, adjust to small icons, set in control panel for screen to give you best performance not auto.)

The mousepad took a little getting used to, need to use a light touch, my only complaint is the right/left click bar is a little hard to push.

I went with this model because it is about 1 pound lighter than the 1000HE. I was more concerned with weight than having 9 hour battery life(I get about 5 hours on this one).

I really don't think not having a CD/DVD rom drive is a big issue. Between, downloading, flashdrives and/or external hard drives you are covered. I would put my money into a large flash drive and an external hard drive before I spent money on an external CD/DVD.

Overall great little machine.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Really good product...lightweight, bright and good quality screen, awesome keyboard and touchpad, and much better performance than I thought. I installed Windows 7 (7264) and it was very fast even with the graphical interface (aero) on.
Only the hidden ports are a bit of a problem.
4 stars because the 1005HA is cheaper and it is as fast (same processor, ram and video card)or probably more, only a bit heavier and not as sleek; but this is a great buy to. Really recommend it.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Took a chance and bought this for traveling, not expecting much for my $417. I have been totally blown away by this little unit and take it everywhere with me now. No, you're not going to edit video or perform masterpieces in Photoshop - but I haven't found anything else that it can't do (it may be slower than my dual-core Dell, but it still gets me there). Love the size and the looks, rounded corners and hidden ports look great - ASUS should be paying me because I think I've probably sold about 10 for them to people in my office. My ONLY complaint (and it will only affect 1 out of 5) --> I use an AT&T Mecury 3G USB stick for connecting when there's no WiFi and because of the recessed ports this one particular stick is too big to fit directly in. Not a big deal, bought a $6 adapter and works fine. My normal USB memory sticks work fine, it's just this one that doesn't fit. Otherwise, I use this little thing about twice as often around the house as my big Dell, it's just so much easier to carry around & the screen is fine. Have had zero issues with it, getting 4-5 hours out of the battery most of the time. The newer model (1005) has removable battery and a lot of people like this option, I like the smaller size better, much nicer to tote around. Would buy another one in a heartbeat.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I received my product before the 4th of July weekend. I am glad I made the decision to purchase this product. I owned a IBM Laptop as well. This unit compare to the laptop. Thousands time better...
it's lighter, easier to carry around. I would definitely recommend it to all my friends. A+++++ product.....Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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The seashell does everything I expected. Battery life is good - but could always be better. A replaceable battery and a hatch for memory upgrade would be nice additions but as long as you have reasonable access to wall power the battery seems to last pretty well. The 1Gb of ram is enough for surfing and most activities but wasn't quite enough when I was putting together a big PowerPoint presentation.
The size and weight is terrific, I'd like a taller screen but not if it meant the case having to be bigger.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I now use this as my regular laptop. It is light weight, stylish and after using this your regular laptop will feel like a desktop.

Screen, keyboard and overall build quality is excellent. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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This is a great little netbook. It is very light, has a bright screen, and is speedy given the CPU and RAM. Only drawback I see is no upgradeable memory. Several people mentioned service centers for upgrade, but US center told me it's not upgradeable. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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After reviewing all the computers in the same category as the Eeepc, I came to the conclusion it was by far the best product for the buck compared to Dell®, HP®, and other eeepcs available at the moment.

Keyboard is 92% the size of an original laptop size, I can almost type without taking a look at the keyboard. The mouse pad is comfortable, and the mouse key bar works great. mousepad can be turned on and off with the click of a button, nice.

Bluetooth is really handy in this puppy. It is another world of peripherals without connecting anything, fewer cables, nice.

The mini VGA, I havent used it yet but I am planning on just to see quality of the resolution in a regular screen. It seems hard to find the little cable that coverts miniVGA to VGA. Their format is very unique; it is not the miniVGA format from Apple®.

I am not too thrilled about not having access to the battery, hard drive or the memory from the top. I know there is another Eeepc that is almost identical to this one, a little thicker and its got access to components along with a regular VGA conn. I wished I had bought that one instead.

Hard drive is very fast and it already came with 2 partitions, nice, finally, common sense.

This laptop is so thin, it is ridiculous. I am enjoying every piece of it. Oh yeah, it is so tinny that it does not have a key holder for a security cable. I wish it had one.
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I did a lot of research before buying the Seashell. It was worth all the time and the extra cash. Light weight... great keyboard... works well... super battery life. What more could you ask for?Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Best-looking netbook on the market. Sleek, sturdy, feels more expensive than it actually is. Port covers are clever, sit flush. Speed and performance are limited, and lack of easy RAM upgrade disappoints.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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GOOD: Nice and small device. Very easy to carry everywhere - only 2 lbs. Frequently do not need to carry charger because of long battery life - 6hrs max and about 4 hrs if processor-hungry applications running. Very fast - comes from standby in 5 seconds, all normal applications work without any delays - Skype, Firefox, Chrome, Outlook, Picasa, bookreaders, and etc.

BAD: Purchased with Amazon-recommended additional 2GB memory, but can not easily install because 1008HA does not have a memory door. Actually it runs well with 1GB, but I wasted money on additional 2GB. Later Amazon placed a notification on their site that 2GB is difficult to install, but still offers to buy it. Also, personally I do not like hi-gloss screens, but it is not a big issue.

COMPARED TO: Before purchase compared 1008HA to MSI netbooks and found their keyboard wierd - Fn key in place of Ctrl and too small keys "." and ","

CONCLUSION: Completely satisfied. Also, I'm considering buying 1101HA later when it becomes available to get 11" screen with higher resolution and longer battery life.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I'm on my third day trying to connect to my wireless router, which my regular laptop, my printer, and my son's laptop regularly do without any problems. I spent several hours with three different ASUS "tech specialists", and they simply go through a predefined routine... nice people but thoroughly useless. Two already suggested returning the unit... which is a huge inconvenience.

In two different forums, several other posts report wireless problems. ASUS posted a "fix", which means they know of this problem, but the fix did not execute in my Eee. Bummer...!Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I got this netbook like 3 weeks ago and has been working perfectly for till today.

Pros:
- The keyboard. It's really the best netbook keyboard i've tried.
- Mousepad. The scroll works perfect and the zoom utility is great!
- Glossy screen. It looks great from every angle, great bightness and contrast.
- Speakers. They're very decent for what you can expect in a netbook.
- Software. I love the EEE SuperHybrid Engine wich allows you to change the power consumtion and performance just with the hotkeys. It also can overclock the CPU to 1.75Ghz (still trying to get more than that).
- Battery. I've used today for 5:15 and is telling me that I have 20 minutes left. Almost hits the promised time.

Cons:
- 6 dead pixels came with the screen. Also the glossy screen isn't good at all if you like using your computer on the outdoors.
- The black screen border is a fingerprint magnet.
- Wi-fi doesn't work on Windows 7.
- The battery and memory are very difficult to replace, and Asus says that if you do it you'll void the warranty.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Now the "i" key is sticking...quite a problem!!!
When I purchased this computer Amazon recommended the Crucial 2GB 667 Mhz CT25664AC667 DDR2 200-Pin SODIMM Laptop Memory which I purchased. Only when the computer arrived was it clear that it is IMPOSSIBLE for the average user to install this memory without dismantling the entire computer. I was told by customer service that it was indeed faulty merchandising on Amazon's part and I could return the memory without penalty. However, Amazon charged me to return the merchandize which they NEVER should have recommended or sold with this machine in the first place. My first association with this machine was soured by Amazon's misleading marketing and customer service.ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery LifeGet more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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+ Great keyboard, pretty good track pad (no two finger scrolling, but you can make circular motions with your finger to scroll)
+ Fairly quick as far as netbooks go, even with 1GB RAM
+ Good battery life (4+hrs)
+ Very thin and light (portability is the point, no?)
+ Decent speakers and very quiet fan/hardware

+/- Glossy screen. The glare doesn't bother me and I'll gladly take a little glare in exchange for what I perceive as better contrast and colors.

-RAM not easily upgradeable (doesn't yield that significant a difference in performance though)
-Battery not user-replaceable (this isn't much of an issue for me as the battery life is pretty good and i don't know many people who have actually purchased an additional/replacement battery for their laptops)

Note: Some people might complain about the standard netbook screen resolution and lack of graphics processor, but I find the former to be perfectly adequate and the latter to be overkill for netbook purposes (also would reduce the battery life). Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I've always liked the idea of a netbook, but never got one because everything out there was, to put it frankly, fugly. They looked cheap and clunky, disproportionately thick, more like toys than real computers. So when the first photos of this machine surfaced on the internet, I knew at once that I would finally be purchasing a netbook.

And it didn't disappoint. It was the first - perhaps still the only - netbook that can honestly be described as 'beautiful'. It's by far the best-looking laptop I've ever owned, and for a netbook of all things to claim this honor is a truly impressive accomplishment on Asus' part.

Anyway. Onto the bulleted list:

Pros:
- It's beautiful, and thin, and light. Nothing at the moment beats its form factor and 2.4lbs in the 10" category. And it's by far the best-looking netbook available today.
- Extremely fast startup, shutdown, and standby times. I don't know if this is standard on eeepcs nowadays, but the machine gets past the XP logo in less than 10 seconds and loads the desktop in less than 30 from poweron. It enters standby nearly instantly, around 1 second. In these respects it cleanly beats any computer I have ever owned by a long shot.
- Keyboard. Keys feel nice to type on, not cramped, and fullsize right Shift key.
- Battery life: around 5 hours continuous use. I can bring this thing to work without the charger and leave it on the whole day easily. 1000HE has its 10 hours, sure, but at a much bulkier (uglier) form/weight.
** I don't consider nonreplacable battery an issue. This computer being a netbook and all, by the time the battery wears out a new one would probably cost nearly as much as the machine itself! And no one carries spare batteries for netbooks.
- 802.11n, bluetooth.
- Power cable: the oft-dreaded power brick is quite small and the cables have attached velcro ties. Minor plus.
- Stereo speakers and stereo microphone: definitely an unexpected (pleasant) surprise on a netbook. Minor plus.

Cons:
- Non user upgradable RAM. With its form factor I honestly don't expect it to be upgradable, but lack of a 2GB option makes this an issue. As detailed [...] you need to remove the keyboard, chassis, and motherboard just to get to the RAM bay.
- Ubuntu network issues: should you desire to load linux, be aware that Ubuntu (and most other linux distros, I'd imagine) does not include the drivers for the Atheros Ethernet/Wlan controllers in this machine. Ethernet can be enabled by [...] and Wlan after that by [...]
- Partitions and multibooting: the hard drive comes formatted with 2 large NTFS partitions and two small hidden partitions, probably for recovery/fastboot purposes. They are all primary partitions, which means that with maximum 4 partition limit you will not have more than 2 usable primary partitions without destroying the hidden partitions. I was hoping to tripleboot XP, Ubuntu, and Win7, but it seems this is not possible.
- Price: you pay a small premium for its form factor, but without sacrificing any specs compared to other netbooks. Nowhere on the order of, say, a Macbook Air.
- No 3G radio: not really expected, but it would have been nice all the same. A usb modem would be awkward with the port flaps.


Overall a great little computer, definitely a great first netbook for anyone who's yet to try one. If aesthetic objections have kept you away from netbooks until now - too nerdy, too ugly, too unprofessional - this machine is what you've been looking for.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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forget the tech specs, this computer is as good or better than any. I am the CEO of the eMarketing Association, and own over 10 notebooks. You cannot regret buying this computer, the best. Just buy one.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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This is my second Asus. I also own the 1000HE. If I had to pick the better of the two I'd have to go with the 1000HE, but there is nevertheless a lot to like about the 1008HA.

While the two machines appear to be identical in many respects, I have found some of the "apples to apples" comparisons a little misleading. The 1000HE has a 'chicklet" style keyboard that, surprisingly, I prefer. That said, the keyboard on the 1008HA will feel right at home to anyone who's used to the laptop, and the not-quite-fullsize profile is easy to get used to.

More annoying is the multi-touch touchpad. I assumed it was identical on the two models, and I was wrong. The gesturing (iPhone-like) setup is much easier on the 1000HE, and the tactile surface of the touchpad on the 1008HA (sort of braille-like ridges) really bothers me. I actually find the surface irritates my finger tips. This is obviously subjective and I'm sure I'll get used to it, but I wish they stuck with the same version they used on the 1000HE.

The two other issues to be aware of, as many others have mentioned, is the difficulty of upgrading the RAM and install issues with Windows 7. I am running Win7 on the 1000HE with 2GB of RAM, and it's fantastic - no hardware issues and faster than XP. While driver and BIOS issues on this machine will soon be solved, the RAM upgrade is more problematic.

With all that said, I'm still giving the 1008 4-stars because if you can live with the limitations, it's a fantastic looking computer that is extremely portable (the 1000HE is a brick) and a terrific value for the money. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I really like this computer and my wife is estatic about it. It runs well and is a great little computer, but had I known prior to purchase that it had to be fully diassembled to upgrade the memory or replace the battery I would have gone with the ASUS 1000HE. I am extremely disappointed that there was not a method to remove some simple cover for memory upgrade. If you do not believe me check out the following website that shows the disassembly. (Amazon removed the link)I guess it also means if the battery goes out I have to send it off for replacement vs. replacing it my self. I am computer savvey and feel confident I could do the replacement, but you would have to be a missing a few screws to completely disassemble a brand new computer still under warranty risking damage and contamination to components to upgrade the memory. Come on ASUS; you can do better than this!

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This is my first netbook. I've been using Macbook for couple years, but it was becoming increasingly heavy and slow. So sold it and got this. Like many people, I've been reading many reviews about Samsung, EeePc mainly. Since this is my first buy for netbook, I didn't know what to expect.

I decided to go for seashell for
(i) latest processor, N, Btooth, multi-touch
(ii) weight

Don't buy a laptop weight netbook. Defeats the purpose. I've received it after a week. They do USPS on computer!! Not good. Not good. My first impressions are
(i) very fast: 5 worms to boot
(ii) glossy: not bad at all. not bad at all. Actually, I like the display. This is what you get from all other standard glossy display. Outside? Don't know yet. But I expect the same thing from Macbook glossy screen. No difference.
(iii) body: not too small and it was actually heavier than I thought. If this feels a bit heavy, I can imagine what EeePC 1000 would feel like. Though I wanted to get 9.5 hrs (or close to) of battery, when I saw its weight, I decided to go for seashell. And I think I'm right on the money.
(iv) keysize are good and responsive
(v) mouse button on trackpad is stiff: hard to press, but other than that, it's fine. Multi-touch works well.

I am charging this so will see how real life battery will turn out
also, I will be using open office and google doc, so I don't see much problem for having external ODD.

Will update soon.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Disappointed to find out the memory I bought from Amazon is not replaceable in the ASUS 1008HA! In addition the battery is not removable or replaceable. I also bought a carrying case per the "suggestion" from Amazon. It comes with a small carrying case so unless you need handles no need to purchase. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Just got my Asus 1008HA clam-shell. Well, I have been looking out for a unit but until now, they all looked so clumsy. This is the closest to the looks of an Apple design - damn, the PC guys are slow to learn! Anyway, it came down to this unit vs. the HP 1035NR or 1137. The bottom line is, this unit offers 802.11N, Bluetooth, larger hard drive and good battery life for a few $s more. What's more, it came with s protective sleeve AND the special VGA adapter. With the HP you got to buy it separately for $30+ (assuming you can find it). Overall, after having played with it for a few hrs, I'm very impressed. The fit and finish is great. Did I tell you, the keyboard is GREAT too. OK, it is not lightning fast but none of these netbooks are. So, this is my pick of the bunch. Cool toy!Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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This is my third eee pc. I started with the original 4G with 7" screen. I wanted more storage and a screen that filled the form factor so I then moved up to the 9" 900HA. At the time of the 900HA, I opted for reduced weight over increased size and chose the lighter weight 900HA over the larger but heavier 100x series. I learned my mistake, though, because the more I used the 900HA, the more annoying the typing errors due to the smaller keyboard became. You might not think a diagonal inch could make such a difference, but it does. Since getting the 900HA, I've gotten two 1000HAs for my sons and recommended the 1000HA to my sister and all three of them love them. Still, the increased weight kept me from taking the plunge for a 10" netbook myself, that is, until the 1008HA came along.

As with everything, the 1008HA comes with pluses and minuses.

The biggest plus is the weight: 2lbs 5 oz. compared to 2lbs 7.5 oz for the 900HA and 3lbs 4 oz for the 1000HA (and 3 lbs 5 oz for the latest 1000HA with chicklet keyboard).

Another plus is the Atom N280 processor which, while not a barn burner, is noticeably faster than the N270 in other models.

There is also Bluetooth and 820.11n wireless, but those are of no real interest to me since I don't have an 802.11n router (but perhaps I should start thinking of one!).

The only clear minus for me is the port covers which make it inconvenient to connect things. They would be particularly inconvenient if I wanted to keep the teeny (1/4" extension) USB receiver from a Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (Black) plugged in permanently. Unfortunately, Logitech does not make a Bluetooth version of the VX nano.

Then there are two things that are a positive or negative depending on your point of view.

The first is the nonremovable battery. If the battery were to die, it would have to be returned to Asus for service. I tell myself that by the time this happens I would probably be wanting to replace the machine. The reason I view it as a positive and not an outright negative is that the Li-polymer battery, which can be molded however the manufacturer wishes, helps give the 1008HA its reduced weight. Asus will shortly be introducing the 1005HA, which has a replaceable battery but is otherwise identical to the 1008HA. However, 1005HA's weight will be back up in the 3 lb 2 oz range.

The second is the glare screen. It can take some getting used to. I don't have any problems with my appearance, but if I wanted my face for wallpaper, I'd have taken my picture an uploaded it. However, so far I haven't found the adjustment to be difficult. The biggest surprise was that outdoors the glare screen on the 1008HA turned out to be easier to read than the matte screen on my 900HA! The trick was to have the screen facing the sun, but at an angle so that the sun was not reflecting in my eyes. With the back of the screen toward the sun, the 1008HA's screen is unreadable, but the 900HA's screen was no great shakes either.

I won't paint a pretty picture. I spent two days debating whether to keep the 1008HA or return it for what is now a considerably cheaper 1000HA, but I found myself getting used to the glare screen, felt I could easily live with the port covers, and decided to keep the 1008HA because of its reduced weight. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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This is the best laptop I've ever had. It's amazing. I feel sorry for the big guys. I appreciate that the number for tech support is written on the back of the machine. Try finding that number when you buy a Dell. My only complaint is that I've almost lost it twice. It's so damn small and light you got to keep track of it. I'm off to Nepal for a month and a half and I'm not even going to notice it in my pack. Oh, yeah the glossy screen is a drawback. I don't know why they did that. But I give it five stars anyway. It's that good. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Just received the PC yesterday - was so excited to open the box. The look & feel of this netbook (white) is so awesome. Remind me the first time opening up the iphone. For 400 bucks - this is a great product. The speed is much better than my previous netbook ACER aspire ONE using N270 processor...

Have it for 2 days now - no problem at all. The battery lasts a 4-5 hours - good enough for me.

I still can't believe how small and light this thing is... I will take it with me every where..It comes with very attractive pouch (probably value at 20 bucks).

Apple is known for their beautiful design and simplicity. This product is getting pretty close to that. But the price is way better than MAC.

Wish list for future improvement:
- HDMI connection (for watching movie on TV)
- DTV tuner (I believe Dell will have it soon)
- Design to use standard USB charger instead of proprietary AC adapter??

Glad I waited for the white one....It took a while for it to become available.
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Ahhh....the 1008HA Seashell is so cool and feels so good.

If you are looking for an overall excellent netbook then this is the one for you.

It is extremely nice looking, very thin and smooth just like a seashell. The style is truly fantastic. Better looking than any other netbook out there. It will blow you away when you see how nice it looks and how awesome it feels in your hands.

Performance is snappy and the sound is quite loud from the built-in stereo speakers. It is too bad you must be a brain surgeon to upgrade the memory ( RAM ), but this is really not a big deal since things work well with the included 1 GB of RAM. Still it would be nice to have the option to self upgrade. This is a weird design flaw ASUS ! The non user replaceable battery is not a big problem either as I have never needed an extra battery for a laptop and I always get rid of a laptop to get a new model before the battery ever goes bad. The trend is to build in the batteries and the laptop can be smaller, thinner, lighter due to using custom battery packs that fit around other components in the chassis. We will just have to get used to this.

The screen is sharp and bright using the latest low-energy LED backlighting. It is glossy, but I have found no problem with this. Colors are bright and vivid. The Seashell is also an "Energy-Star" approved device since it is very energy efficient.

The keyboard is very usable and the trackpad nice. The trackpad has little raised bumps and the multi-touch works good. The button is a one piece type and you push the right or left side. The button is somewhat stiff, but on the upside this prevents erroneous key presses.

It is the best netbook out yet in my opinion.

The included case is really nice and luxurious. It is a black velvet type of material outside and very soft inside and is very well padded. It has the eee logo and a zippered enclosure. It is a true case, not just a flimsy sleeve. It is a very nice touch that they include this.

The power supply or charger is white to match the white netbook. It is a 3 piece deal with a small "brick" in the middle and 2 cords. One goes from the brick to the wall and the other cord goes from the brick to the computer. While it is ok and serves it's purpose I would have preferred a "cell phone" type of charger with only a small cube that plugs into the wall and a cord plugging into the computer. This would have been much cooler.

Highly recommended netbook. This is the BEST netbook available right now in my opinion.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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*Update* Asus put out a Bios Update that fixed the Windows 7 Problem. (June 6-2009)*
Just picked one up and found out that IT DOESN"T RUN Windows 7 due to Video issues. I had such a great experience with an Acer Aspire One netbook that I though I would upgrade to a slimmer netbook. But after bringing it home last night I found out that there are issues with it going to a black screen when poweing on OR hibernating...
There are some clunky workarounds that work for some but it's not a good choice for Windows 7 beta or RC yet. If you're planning on a netbook for Windows 7 this isn't it yet. Hope they update the bios at some point.
That being said it's a nicely built unit and heals solidly constructed with a good keyboard. If you're after an XP netbook it's very nice. Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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Do yourself a favor. Before you order one of these, get your hands on one and try it out first. You may have heard that the display is "very glossy", but until you actual see it, you have no idea. I have never seen a screen as reflective as this one. For a machine in which the emphasis is clearly on the aesthetics, I can't for the life of me imagine why anyone thought this was a good idea.

Some may say that you'll get used to it, but my response is, why should you have to? It's not as if this machine has such overwhelming advantages, that the tradeoff is acceptable. Also, machines this portable are often intended for outdoor use; if you're one of those people with that in mind, this display is completely unusable in that kind of lighting.

So yes, it's small, light and stylish, but with a display that ranges from annoying to difficult to impossible to use, given the light conditions, I'd have a hard time recommending this to anyone.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I pre-ordered the item and got it a week ago, and its an excellent piece of machinery. Let me say that every square millimeter (except the keyboard and the lcd screen itself) of this laptop is covered in piano black finish, which might scare some people since piano black is not too scratch resistant, but Asus apparently used some scratch-resistant coating, and it works pretty well.
For those who want to upgrade the hard drive and the ram in this laptop, its not an easy task. I was able to change the single 1GB dimm to a 2GB Corsair one (only one dimm slot, so not actually dual channel memory like every other laptop on the market, but usually most netbooks are like this.). The dimm they provide is 1gb 5300 samsung ram. The 2gb is working excellent with XP. I was going to replace XP with windows 7, but everyone online states that when you boot windows 7, it just turns to a black screen, although there is an easy work-around with a .bat file, just google :-)

How to open the netbook:

In ordered to open the netbook for those who are experienced with working in desktops/laptops and want to upgrade their hdd to ssd or replace the ram, you must first take out the four screws at the bottom of the laptop. Next, on the top edge of the keyboard, you will see 4 pieces holding the keyboard into the laptop. Push down on each metal spring with a flat-tip screw driver, and pull the keyboard out from the top left corner, there are no screws attached to the keyboard. Lift the keyboard when you have the 4 top pins pushed in. The keyboard is glued to the laptop, so dont be afraid to pull hard in order to remove the keyboard when you are sure that the 4 metal pins at the top are not in the way (there is a sticker between the keyboard and the computer where the glue is, and it will most probably get ripped in some way, but its not important. You may have to use a little glue on the keyboard to put it back on when you put it back together, but I found it unecessary). Detach the keyboard from the computer by pushing the black clip on the port of the keyboard connection upwards, this will loosen the wire from the port and then you can pull the keyboard cable out of the port. You can start lifting the keyboard first and push down on each metal spring as you go from left to right as well. Next, you will see 6 black screws, two on the left, one in the middle, and three on the right, that attach the top surface metal frame to the plastic body inside. Remove these 6 screws. Now, underneath the yellow sticker that says "will void warranty if sticker is broken or removed" is another silver screw that must be removed. You must CAREFULLY remove the sticker from the laptop, I used a little rubbing alcohol to remove the sticker from one side of the screw, and reattached it later with some glue. THE STICKER IS EXTREMELY FRAGILE, BE CAREFUL (please see the link I posted *** at the bottom of this review). After you have the all 6 screws removed, remove the blue-tabbed ribbon cable on the left side by just pulling gently on it, and do the same thing with the black cable thats in between the two screws on the right side.

Now here is the tricky part, seperating the two plastic pieces of the laptop. START AT THE SD CARD SLOT: remove the plastic sd card and using a flat tip screwdriver, slowly and gently pry the two plastic panels apart, and make your way first toward the bottom of the laptop until you reach the opposite side of the sd card, then work your way up from the sd card. These tabs that hold the computer are extremely fragile, so be gently. The two panels should eventually snap off if you have worked your way around the laptop, prying it apart with a very finely tipped flat head screwdriver. When you got the two panels apart, most of the hard work is over!

THE DIMM SLOT IS LOCATED BENEATH THE HEATSINK ON THE TOP LEFT PCB. In order to remove this PCB (the heart of the PC, because it contains the ram, the atom chip, the graphics chip, the northbridge, etc) first remove the black cable thats connected to it on the bottom left. Next remove the orange ribbon cable thats attached to on the right side (just pull up on the cable, and push it back down to put it back in later) and lastly, disconnect the black cable thats on the left side of the fan. Now starting from the top left corner of the PCB (where the charge port is), just pull up. The plastic tab piece thats about 5mm to the right of the charge port is not really a tab or anything, it just pushes down on the PCB to hold it in place, so you do not have to touch this. Just pull up slowly on the board, and eventually, it should come off. NOW THERE IS STILL A BLACK CABLE TO THE LEFT OF THE USED-TO-BE ORANGE RIBBON CABLE, I would say to leave this connected because its a pain to reconnect (must be pushed in very hard). THERE IS ALSO STILL THE BATTERY CABLE THATS ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM UNDERSIDE OF THE PCB. To disconnect, slowly lift the pcb, and disconnect the rainbow colored wire. Now just tilt the PCB vertically so that the black cable is still connected (there is also another, very thin black cable attached to the top of the PCB board, this is the antenna for the Wi-Fi, leave it attached). At this point, you can remove the hard drive that is to the right of this PCB board. Now underneath the black sticker on the bottom side of the PCB is the ram slot, lift up on the black sticker, loosen the metal clips on each side of the dimm, and the ram pops right up. put your new dimm in, push it down, and it snaps into place. NOW REASSEMBLE THE LAPTOP!


The performance on this laptop is much better than I thought it would be. I use the bluetooth in the netbook to connect to my Windows Mobile phone and I am able to connect to the internet through AT&T 3G. I get around 5.5 hrs of battery life, which is pretty good imo. The single silver plastic bar for the touchpad is a rocker, and its EXTREMELY STIFF. This is what I hated most of the laptop, but I'm assuming with time that it will get less stiff, we will have to see.

Overall, I commend Asus for making such a light and thin portable computer with this kind of speed and processing power. By using the method above, it is also possible to replace the battery with an aftermarket one, but I have no idea about those...

** If you have assembled a desktop in the past, I see no reason for you not being able to upgrade the RAM with the above help. Fiddling with the two shell pieces takes some effort if you're interested in not breaking any of the tabs, but once the top shell is separated from the bottom it is much easier than the first part of the dissection. Overall, the process took me 1/2 an hour to take apart and put back together, but your mileage will obviously vary depending on your level of expertise. If you do manage to break a tab while removing the two shells, my friends have used EPOXY in between the two pieces to stick it back together, and you cant notice a difference. For those who venture into upgrading the RAM, good luck!

*** In regard to SPANKY who posted Comment #3 on this review (and to others who would like to know about the "void warranty" sticker): google "eee void sticker" and hit the first link.

Please do your homework before you go and criticize other people's work and giving other's wrong information. Thank you.
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This isn't a full review yet, as I have yet to test things like battery life, performance, Windows 7, etc. But just a couple observations:

Keyboard:
Thank GOODNESS that the keyboard is very nicely laid out, and very comfortable. For some reason Amazon has pictures of the black one with a horrible layout in some of the pictures, including, ironically, where it says "Ergonomic Keyboard." In particular, a couples pictures show a horribly mis-shaped Enter key that also moves the back-slash key under the A-key, which is where the left shift key should be! I was planning on sending it back immediately if this was the case, and thankfully it's not. Some pictures have the correct layout, and I believe all the pictures of the white version are accurate.

Setup:
The Windows XP setup was a breeze, just taking a matter of minutes. UPDATE: I installed Windows 7 RC. Runs great, although there are "blackscreen" issues. This seems to only occur on setup. Basically it looks like it's booting up, then the screen goes blank. But if you wait a little bit and then hit the Power button again, the log-in screen comes on. Hopefully Asus releases a BIOS update to get around this. Once you're in though, I have yet to experience any issues, and it looks great.

UPDATE: A great feature I discovered is that the the HDD comes pre-partitioned, so you can leave XP on the first partition (and keep the pre-loaded software/XP) and install Windows 7 on the other. You can even pick which Windows version you want to use when you boot up--very cool! I just need to reinstall some of the drivers on Windows 7 though so I can do things like below--

Side note, it's very cool being able to do things like switch resolutions and turn things on and off on-the-fly with the Fn and F-keys. There is also a 1024x768 "Compress" mode, which helps with compatibility issues with some programs (and, while it looks a little jaggy, is much less annoying than having to scroll the screen up or down). Hopefully it'll retain those same quick functions with Windows 7 [UPDATE--it didn't. Hopefully the utility disk will install these features. I'll update again later].

Memory upgrade:
UPDATE: What a nightmare!! I first saw just the 4 screws and hoped I just needed to take those off and I was in. Wrong. The case stays tightly closed, presumably by latches. I popped some loose but eventually gave up, fearing I'd break something. What's worse, if you look online, it looks incredibly difficult--having to release certain clips near the F keys, pulling off the keyboard, moving ribbons out of the way, just to name a couple steps. The most egregious thing is that apparently there is no reason for not having a door at the bottom, as there's nothing separating the bottom from the memory (and all sorts of guts getting in the way on top), so presumably the "to save on size" argument is invalid. This is a HUGE, almost inexcusable design flaw on the part of Asus.

While I'm not the most advanced expert in the world, I've built and upgraded many a computer, and this is just too much. I'd recommend trying to find a shop that specializes in this sort of thing... wherever that is.

USB:
UPDATED: The one gripe I have about the USB besides there only being 2 ports (vs the typical 3 which is unfortunate, but I knew that going in), is that they're on opposite sides. If you have a powered USB device that might need a Y cable to use two ports, it probably won't reach the other side without an extension. And even then it's a lot of cord. Thankfully I haven't had any problems with my external DVD drive as far as installing things, although I haven't tried recording anything yet (I've heard it's a little slower if you just use one plug).

Size/Style:
Nice. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say this was the main reason I purchased this--the slim-ness/weight especially for myself. But yes, the looks are also very nice, very sleek.
I plan on taking this thing with me on a trip around the world in a couple weeks, so the lighter and less volume, the better.

Other thoughts: I've noticed a couple of just-audible beeping and clicking noises. Has anyone else experienced this? They don't make me feel too good, as I've only heard this before when things overheat, etc. Please share thoughts.

I plan on updating with more observations later. So far it's still good, but there are certainly a couple things that could use improvements.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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I was considering the 1000HE, but decided to wait for the 1008HA. It's a really nice package. My only real problem with it is the lack of a Linux option, but that is (relatively) easy to remedy.

For those wondering about Linux compatibility, I was able to install Ubuntu 9.04 easily enough, but none of the network interfaces worked. I then tried the "netbook remix" of Ubuntu, but this did not solve that problem.

(Note for those trying the netbook remix; it is about 950MB, and is an .IMG file, *not* an .ISO, so don't try to use a CD. It is relatively easy to "dd" the file to an SD card, however, and the Eee will boot from the SD card. It's also handy to know that you need to press F2 on boot to get to BIOS, then disable the "Boot Booster", so that next time you boot you can press ESC to select the boot device.)

Once you install, you need to grab the AR813X-linux-v1.0.0.8.tar.gz package from http://partner.atheros.com/Drivers.aspx . Untar this (ignore the gzip errors), cd src, make, sudo make install, then insmod the resulting file. That should give you wired ethernet.

To get wifi, go to Administration > Software Sources > Updates and check off "Unsupported Updates (jaunty-backports)", then do sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-jaunty . Once you reboot, you should have wireless.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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The New Must Have Netbook?!?!?!

This is my second Eee as I also own the Asus 1000HE. While I love the 1000HE, I was really looking forward to the 1008HA because of the slimmer design and full size right shift key. After a couple of days with the device, here are my thoughts:

Pros:

- It has a full size right shift key!!! Touch typist will appreciate this over the tiny, misplaced right shift key on the 1000HE.
- The 1008HA feels much lighter than the 1000HE. When people would pick up my 1000HE, they would be surprised by how heavy it is. The 1008HA feels great.
- Even in a slim package, the 1008HA still has all of the features you want in a Netbook: wireless N, Bluetooth, N280 processor, SDHC card slot, and decent battery life.
- I'm getting over 4 hours of battery life so far. Not bad for a 3 cell battery!!!
- It includes a slim VGA port but it includes a standard VGA adapter that is tucked away under the device.
- The 1008HA is a beautiful piece of equipment. I know this isn't a technical benefit but it doesn't hurt. The 1000HE is "husky" in comparison.

Cons:

- Having only 2 USB ports kinda sucks since I sometimes need to connect my phone, retractable mouse, and USB storage drive.
- As another reviewer mentioned, if you need to keep a wireless receiver plugged in for your non-bluetooh devices, the port covers will annoy you. Perhaps you can remove one of the covers?
- I prefer two separate mouse buttons instead of the rocker button. I don't know why they switched to the rocker.
- The memory, hard drive, and battery are not user replaceable. I read that you can have these replaced at an Asus service center though. I find that 1GB of ram is fine for XP.
- Windows 7 doesn't work yet because of video issues. I read on an Eee forum that there's an auto login workaround if that interests you.
- It doesn't have the legendary battery life of the 1000HE but 4 hours isn't bad for a device this small.

Conclusion:

Whether you buy the 1008HA over the 1000HE, or the upcoming 1005HA (which is basically a 1000HE with more battery life and a full size right shift key), it comes down to this- are you willing to sacrifice battery life, a usb port, and additional cost to get a lighter, slimmer device. I like the 1008HA and highly recommend it to anyone that will appreciate this compromise. For those that prefer function over form, the 1000HE or the upcoming 1005HA should fit the bill. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Eee 100X series netbooks. They continue to offer all of the features at the best prices. Don't get those cheaper, crippled netbooks. You'll kick yourself.

UPDATE (6/30):

After using the 1008HA for a few weeks, I decided that battery life is more important than size and weight. With a fully charged 1000HE, you rarely have to look at the remaining power. You simply will not use it all before running out. While I like the 1008HA, I have the give the edge to the 1000HE. I plan to pick up the 1005HA when it ships. I suspect it will be the king of them all.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life Best Quality

This is my third eee pc that I've come across in my household. The first one was the 7" inch one but I had much difficulty typing on the keyboard due to the small compact form. Later on upgraded to the 1000ha and it was a more favorable experience for the bigger screen size and keyboard. However it was still a boxy form and the battery life wasn't' good enough. It was a little like all the other netbooks and I wanted something much slimmer. I own a Macbook but I decided to carry something cheaper and not as heavy around in my bag for school. The 1008ha caught my eye when it looked almost like the Macbook Air without the high price tag.

Pros:
2lbs 5 oz. compared to the Macbook 4.5 lbs
Atom N280 processor, much faster than other netbooks on the market
Bluetooth and 820.11n wireless, latest wireless innovation installed on this netbook

Cons:
The non removable battery may bother some users who need to change the batteries, I see this as a no issue for me because I'm sure the battery life is sufficient for me for my small tasks. This battery is sure to last very long though, but when it goes into memory loss, I'm afraid what the price tag may be to fix this.

The glare and reflection is pretty bad outdoor. I was able to see myself very clearly as if I was looking into a mirror, as long as you stay indoor I'm sure you'll be safe.

Overall, I liked my purchase, instead of lugging my $1,600 4.5 lb. Macbook around, I can carry a $400 2.4 lb Eee netbook and feel less weight on my shoulders. This is almost like the Macbook Air and if your looking for the nicest netbook on the market and slimmest, the 1008ha is perfect for you.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life Immediately

*Update* Asus put out a Bios Update that fixed the Windows 7 Problem. (June 6-2009)*

Just picked one up and found out that IT DOESN"T RUN Windows 7 due to Video issues. I had such a great experience with an Acer Aspire One netbook that I though I would upgrade to a slimmer netbook. But after bringing it home last night I found out that there are issues with it going to a black screen when poweing on OR hibernating...
There are some clunky workarounds that work for some but it's not a good choice for Windows 7 beta or RC yet. If you're planning on a netbook for Windows 7 this isn't it yet. Hope they update the bios at some point.
That being said it's a nicely built unit and heals solidly constructed with a good keyboard. If you're after an XP netbook it's very nice.Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life This instant

This is my third eee pc. I started with the original 4G with 7" screen. I wanted more storage and a screen that filled the form factor so I then moved up to the 9" 900HA. At the time of the 900HA, I opted for reduced weight over increased size and chose the lighter weight 900HA over the larger but heavier 100x series. I learned my mistake, though, because the more I used the 900HA, the more annoying the typing errors due to the smaller keyboard became. You might not think a diagonal inch could make such a difference, but it does. Since getting the 900HA, I've gotten two 1000HAs for my sons and recommended the 1000HA to my sister and all three of them love them. Still, the increased weight kept me from taking the plunge for a 10" netbook myself, that is, until the 1008HA came along.

As with everything, the 1008HA comes with pluses and minuses.

The biggest plus is the weight: 2lbs 5 oz. compared to 2lbs 7.5 oz for the 900HA and 3lbs 4 oz for the 1000HA (and 3 lbs 5 oz for the latest 1000HA with chicklet keyboard).

Another plus is the Atom N280 processor which, while not a barn burner, is noticeably faster than the N270 in other models.

There is also Bluetooth and 820.11n wireless, but those are of no real interest to me since I don't have an 802.11n router (but perhaps I should start thinking of one!).

The only clear minus for me is the port covers which make it inconvenient to connect things. They would be particularly inconvenient if I wanted to keep the teeny (1/4" extension) USB receiver from a Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (Black) plugged in permanently. Unfortunately, Logitech does not make a Bluetooth version of the VX nano.

Then there are two things that are a positive or negative depending on your point of view.

The first is the nonremovable battery. If the battery were to die, it would have to be returned to Asus for service. I tell myself that by the time this happens I would probably be wanting to replace the machine. The reason I view it as a positive and not an outright negative is that the Li-polymer battery, which can be molded however the manufacturer wishes, helps give the 1008HA its reduced weight. Asus will shortly be introducing the 1005HA, which has a replaceable battery but is otherwise identical to the 1008HA. However, 1005HA's weight will be back up in the 3 lb 2 oz range.

The second is the glare screen. It can take some getting used to. I don't have any problems with my appearance, but if I wanted my face for wallpaper, I'd have taken my picture an uploaded it. However, so far I haven't found the adjustment to be difficult. The biggest surprise was that outdoors the glare screen on the 1008HA turned out to be easier to read than the matte screen on my 900HA! The trick was to have the screen facing the sun, but at an angle so that the sun was not reflecting in my eyes. With the back of the screen toward the sun, the 1008HA's screen is unreadable, but the 900HA's screen was no great shakes either.

I won't paint a pretty picture. I spent two days debating whether to keep the 1008HA or return it for what is now a considerably cheaper 1000HA, but I found myself getting used to the glare screen, felt I could easily live with the port covers, and decided to keep the 1008HA because of its reduced weight.
Get more detail about ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life.

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