ASUS Eee PC 1000HA joins its comrades in the chiclet kingdom

It's already pretty clear that ASUS has fully embraced the chiclet keyboard, but if you need any more evidence you need look no farther than the Eee PC 1000HA, which ASUS has now seen fit to update with the new keyboard and not much else. The new model, the EPC1000HA-BLK026X, is a direct replacement for the EPC1000HA-BLK001X, and is apparently already available from a number of retailers, although there doesn't seem to be a white version with the chiclet keyboard just yet. Otherwise, the specs all appear to be right in line with the previous model, including the usual Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, XP Home for an OS, and a promised 7 hours of battery life.

[jakeshirkey Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:00PM]

What now differs this from my new 1000he other than a slightly different battery?

[Phil P Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:04PM]

Your 1000HE has an Atom N280 as opposed to the Atom N270 in the 1000HA, not that theres any difference in the performance between them

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:05PM]

yeah i dont really like chiclet keyboards

[OneLove Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:55PM]

http://www.candyfavorites.com/pi/1332.jpg

[darex Posted Apr 4th 2009 11:45AM]

It didn't work on the Tandy CoCo (which abandoned it for a "real" keyboard for the CoCo2), and just because Apple does it, it doesn't make it good.

I wouldn't consider a chiclet keyboard. I highly doubt any real touch-typist would prefer it over a real keyboard. Dumb move Asus!

[czech12 Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:05PM]

Test

[SiuSunEngadget Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:10PM]

also, 1000HE has bluetooth and N wireless
omgosh, i bought 1000HA without chiclet like a week ago!!!!!!
i think asus should offer an exchange or really good discount for people like me who want CHICLET
= =
FUG

[Col Readily Apparent Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:13PM]

What has been people's experience with the chiclet style keyboard?

[cairn Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:29PM]

I've had a 1000HE for a couple weeks now and I'm really liking the chiclet keyboard on it; much more so than I thought I would. I actually prefer typing on the 1000HE over my older HP dv2000 with a full-size traditional laptop keyboard.

[charles hamilton Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:31PM]

I really hate it on my IBM PC Jr.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 2:01PM]

I have the 1000he and to tell you the truth, I don't really like the Chiclet keyboard much. The keys are kind of flat which means that sometimes your finger will slide when pressing a button and touch the button beside it. I haven't don't much typing on a similar sized keyboard with regular keys so I can't make a comparison. It's not a big issue for me because I don't do much typing on my netbook, but I don't see the keyboard as a really positive feature.

[shady Posted Apr 3rd 2009 2:35PM]

I like the chicklet keyboard on the HE except for the space bar. I find I have to hit it in the middle or it doesn't register a key click

[darex Posted Apr 4th 2009 11:47AM]

Charles R. Hamilton:

ROTFL. Good one. I forgot about that one, but see my post about the Tandy Color Computer.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:26PM]

I love the keyboard on the HE. I use it all the time, and it exceeds my expectations from any netbook keyboard.

[BOGRASH Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:30PM]

so why does this article show an eee WITHOUT a chiclet keyboard?

also - link me to an affordable, low-fuss drop-in replacement for my eee1000h, which suffers from the dreaded right-shift disaster, flex and double-key issue

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 3:13PM]

I had the 1000HD and now the new 1000HE with the new keyboard. I am definitely digging this new keyboard. It feels great and adds a sophisticated look to the little guy. My only problem was it had some flex to it when I got it. I popped off the keyboard and added some thermal tape and now its solid as a rock.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 3:44PM]

On sale today at http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010251 for 300!

[Crsh Posted Apr 3rd 2009 4:02PM]

I'm still happy with my "vintage" 1000H (original 10" model with an 80 GB hard drive), I wish they'd add some feature to make me switch to a newer model. :(

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 5:48PM]

does the chiclet keyboard fits the 1000H ?
i want to order only a chiclet keyboard to replace the old one on my netbook

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 8:46PM]

I've been working on a few of these at work, and they are really nice. I like the keyboard, it's quite nice to type on. And the battery life on the box is in fact 9 hours, but on a full charge it shows only 7.

[Mushrooshi Posted Apr 3rd 2009 8:48PM]

I was surprised no one claimed Apple had the first chiclet keyboards. You guys are smart.

[lightbulb42 Posted Apr 3rd 2009 9:41PM]

As Charles R Hamilton said above, IBM PC Jr. had original Chiclet keyboard. Was subject of thousands of jokes in it's day.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 9:45PM]

There is definitely a white version of the chiclet keyboard - I've got a white 1000HE with a white keyboard :D

[darex Posted Apr 4th 2009 11:53AM]

So from reading these comments, it seems no one who had the original keyboard AND WHO IS A TOUCH-TYPIST, has yet replied.

It has less contour (i.e. none), less travel, probably no audible click. Other than "looking cool" (in SOME people's eyes), I just don't see how chiclet keyboards can be in any way superior to the normal kind. As a company whose keyboards were well-received on the earlier Eee 1000 models, I'm quite surprised they would mess with a good thing like they did, especially as competitive as the Netbook wars are. (typing this on my MSi Wind's excellent keyboard)

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 4th 2009 1:12PM]

I'm a touch typist and I like the chiclet keyboard much better than any regular full sized keyboard I've ever used. It is effortless to type and I didn't realize it until i went and tried to type on my old Dell Latitude laptop.

While the keyboard on my Eee PC 1000HE is great, I think that a full sized version with the appropriate sized right shift key would kill.