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ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell review
We've been seeing plenty of ASUS' newest, and possibly most attractive netbook -- the Eee PC 1008HA Seashell -- around here as of late, and the slim model's gotten plenty of solid reviews in the UK, where it's already available. Nobody can talk about the 'shell (as we refer to it) without praising its handsome exterior, and with good reason, too: even if you're not a fan of a curvy, thinned-out approach, it is most definitely refreshing to see a netbook that doesn't just look like... every other netbook. We decided to take the newest ASUS for a spin, comparing it to the netbook we're friendliest with -- the HP Mini 1000 -- to see how they stack up against one another. Could we swim through the blackened, dark abyss of netbook confusion and emerge with a clearer sense of ourselves? Does clarity come at a cost? Can the 10.1-inch Seashell fulfill all of our netbook dreams? Join us after the break for our musings.
ASUS Eee PC 1000HV resurfaces with Atom N280, HD 3450
Another day, another entrant in the mile-long list of Eee PC netbooks. This one, however, is a curious add. You see, the Eee PC 1000HV originally came to light way back in July of 2008, when no fewer than 23 Eee model names were casually leaked out. Since that day, we've heard not a peep from the machine... until now, obviously. In a few locations overseas, the 1000HV has emerged for order, packing a 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600 display, a 1.66GHz Atom N280 CPU, 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, VGA output, the standard assortment of ports and a mildly attractive AMD HD 3450 graphics set -- the same one that ASUS recently shoved in its HD-minded Eee Box 206. We can't help but applaud the choice to slip in a real (or quasi-real, anyway) GPU here, but until this pup heads stateside, we're still figuring this is all just a figment of our imagination.[Via Slashgear]Read - Eee PC 1000HV order siteRead - Another Eee PC 1000HV order site
ASUS delivers full specs on Eee PC 1005HA Seashell
ASUS' Eee PC 1008HA hasn't even had a moment to enjoy its spot in the limelight, and already the company is pushing out even more machines in the rapidly expanding Seashell range. The Eee PC 1005HA is slated to launch with Windows XP Home, a battery good for 10.5 hours (we'll believe it when we see it) and a 160GB hard drive. There's also 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display (1,024 x 600 resolution) and your choice of Intel's played-out Atom N270 or N280. The rest of the innards could be guessed in your sleep: 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 0.3 or 1.3 megapixel webcam, VGA output, three USB 2.0 sockets, Ethernet, a multicard reader and audio in / out. Fans of colorful machines will appreciate the white, black, pink and blue motifs, but you'll need to muster up a little more patience before finding out a price and release date. One more look after the break.[Via Slashgear]
A red Asus Eee PC 1002HAE video hands-on? You got it
Have your eyes set on a rouge Asus Eee PC 1002HAE? The gang at Portable Monkey got their hands on one straight from Japan. Turns out, it's exactly as you expected -- same setup and specs as the 1002HA with a slightly lighter shell and chiclet keyboard, both of which are welcome additions here. If red netbooks are your bag, boy have we got just the video for you after the break.
Asus Eee PC T91 reviewed in the UK: "genuinely moves things forwards" for netbook market
Asus' Eee PC T91 has gotten its first review ahead of the reported late May / early June UK launch, and those cats at TechRadar seem quite smitten with the swivel-proficient touchscreen netbook. Battery life is said to be solid, though points are deducted for not being replaceable. Some issues with the resistive touchscreen also plagued the pre-production model, and while the company assures those kinks are being worked out, we can't help but worry they'll invariably still find their way into the finished product, and that glossy display will no doubt keep the memories of fingerprints long after you want it to. Despite these concerns, the review gives much love for the overall performance, video playback, build quality, and keyboard. At £449 ($688), it ain't the cheapest option on the market, but we do appreciate Asus straying a bit from its tried and true netbook formula. Now how about news on a stateside release, eh?
ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell up for pre-order, early adopters score a $20 discount
ASUS is just about ready to push its new thin and light Eee PC 1008HA Seashell netbook into the delicate hands of consumers, and a nice stack of retailers just got the thing for pre-order. There's currently a $20 drop in the (fairly steep) $430 pricetag for folks who brave the pre-order, and ASUS expects retailers to deliver the white version by around the 27th, with the black version following on the 28th of this month.
ASUS Eee PC 1005HA-M and 1005HA-H steal Seashell's sublimity
Sheesh ASUS, are you being serious here? Not a day after your Eee PC Seashell really emerged on the scene in official fashion, here you go trying to rob it of its 15 minutes. Yes, friends -- rather than letting the 1008HA be a diamond in the rough in the Eee arena, it seems as if the company has a whole mess of thin-and-light netbooks planned. Both the 1005HA-M and 1005HA-H have been revealed overseas, with the former taking a lower-end approach with a 1.6GHz Atom N270, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, no Bluetooth, WiFi, a 6-cell battery (supposedly good for 8 hours of use), a 1.3 megapixel webcam and a €299 ($405) price tag. The 1005HA-H -- not to be confused with the already detailed 1005HA-M, naturally) -- includes most of the same internal gear as the Seashell, though it does step things up with two extra USB 2.0 ports, a 6-cell battery (versus a 5-cell in the Seashell) and 0.3kg of extra heft for €349 ($473). Both machines should launch in France by July, and we'd say the real kicker is that both purportedly boast removable batteries, very much unlike the Seashell. See there, we knew they'd set themselves apart somehow! The full specs list is after the break.
ASUS Eee PC 1008HA 'Seashell' review roundup
For those near and dear to ASUS' Eee PC netbook line, the 1008HA 'Seashell' is definitely a breath of fresh air. It doesn't look like an Eee, it doesn't feel like an Eee and it doesn't boast a replaceable battery like an Eee; needless to say, only two of those three facts were lauded by reviewers across the web. Much like Apple's MacBook Air, the battery in this here machine is not user-serviceable, and while tests proved that it could last well over three hours with "normal" use, ASUS has yet to make clear what plans it has for offering replacements. In any case, most everything else about the machine was found to be on par or above, with performance being satisfactory for basic tasks and the keyboard / trackpad being exceptionally yummy. Still, it feels as if ASUS is charging a bit much for a familiar lineup of internals, but those willing to pay for style should definitely take a closer look.Read - Trusted Reviews ("a very refined and classy netbook")Read - T3 ("a good all-round package")Read - CNET UK ("great styling and a relatively light chassis")Read - Bit-Tech ("definitely worth considering, but looks come at a cost")Read - WhatLaptop ("a compelling proposition")Read - PCPro ("If you don't mind paying a premium for fine design, then the Seashell is a tantalizing prospect")
ASUS bringing 1008HA, UX50 and U80V laptops Stateside, we go hands-on
We've got the skinny on ASUS's latest North American foray, with the Eee PC 1008HA Seashell, UX50 and U80V "thin and light" all vying for your slice of the stimulus this summer. The quite familiar (by now) 1008HA will be retailing for $429, featuring 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, a new thin form factor and six hours of battery (thanks to the Super Hybrid Engine) to set it slightly apart from the netbook competition. The UX50 and U80V, on the traditional laptop angle, are a slightly odd couple, with the UX50 pairing a ULV Core 2 Solo processor with discrete GeForce G105M graphics, aiming for long battery life but in a standard 15.6-inch form factor, while the U80V does the "thin and light" thing with a high speed Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD4570 graphics and a 14-inch screen. Both laptops include 4GB of RAM and 802.11n WiFi, with the long-lasting UX50 going for $1,199, while the powerful but slim U80V retails for $899. To be honest, we weren't stunned by the U80V's thinness or weight in hand, but it's really pretty good considering what's under the hood. We didn't get to see the UX50 in person, but it better get some pretty epic runtimes to justify that price. Meanwhile the 1008HA is looking just peachy -- there's an odd adapter for the display output that conveniently stashes underneath the chassis, but overall this is just a straightforward and fairly excellent aesthetic refinement of the netbook. Our favorite part, however, has nothing to do with the shell: ASUS finally righted the wrong that was the Eee PC's funky shift key placement, and we couldn't be happier.
ASUS Eee PC T91 confirmed for late May or early June release in the UK
We've seen plenty of the ASUS Eee PC T91 ever since its first appearance back at CES in January, but now, according to Electric Pig, the swivel tableted, touchscreen-boasting Eee PC has been confirmed by ASUS for a "late May or early June" release in the UK. Sadly, there's still no further word (beyond its April appearance at the FCC) for a Stateside release, but the UK model is expected to retail for £449 (about $685) when it launches there. We'll just have to be patient, we suppose.
ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell unboxed, deemed the slimmest, sexiest model yet
We've seen a lot of ASUS' Eee PC 1008HA Seashell in recent days, and now the thin little fella's been unboxed for all to admire. If the details have already slipped your mind, recall that the Seashell boasts a 1.6GHz processor, a 160GB hard disk, and GMA graphics. The glossy, tapered edges of the 10-incher are looking pretty fine if you ask us, furthering our opinion that the 1008HA is a stylish piece of work. The newest addition to the Eee PC family will be available as of May 15th in the UK for £379 (about $565). One more shot after the break, and hit the read link for the whole, glorious set.
ASUS' Eee PC 1002HAE: a faster 1002HA dressed in Eluminum
When you think Eee PC, or netbooks in general, the usual image that comes to mind is thick slab of white plastic. That's certainly true of the Eee PC 1002HA. However, drop the letter "E" into the model number and you've got ASUS' new Eee PC 1002HAE dressed in a swank aluminum skin and 1.6GHz N280 processor within. While the rest of the specs remain unchanged -- 802.11b/g/n, 1GB of memory and 160GB disk, 1.3 megapixel webcam, memory card slot, 3.8-hour Li-Polymer battery, and 10-inch 1,024 x 600 pixel LED backlit display -- the new shell drops the weight from 1.45kg to 1.2kg for a savings of about half a pound. At the moment, this model is either Japanese-only or at least a Japanese-first (unusual for ASUS) with a May 16th launch for the tax inclusive price of ¥49,800 (about $506).[Via Engadget Japanese]
ASUS releases new Eee PC 1008HA Seashell down by Swansea
ASUS is finally ready to start selling the latest installment in the Eee PC family, the 1008HA Seashell that we've seen popping up here and there at various prices. The official, tax-inclusive UK price of £379 is now confirmed, which is perhaps a little steep for this svelte but otherwise identical revision to the franchise, still offering that good 'ol 1.6GHz processor, 160GB hard disk, 10-inch screen, and GMA graphics. Look for these to start shipping in about two weeks to stylish Brits, while we elsewhere in the world will just have to keep waiting.
Asus going big(ger) with 11.6-inch Eee PC later this month
If you like the idea of the little laptop that started it all, but need a little more workspace to keep your eyes from going all aesthenopia on ya, hold on to your wallets for a few more weeks. According to DigiTimes, ASUS is planning on releasing an 11.6-inch Eee by the end of the month, following up on its pledge made last year to do just that -- while simultaneously breaking Jerry Shen's promise to never surpass the 10-inch mark without creating a spin-off, "premium" netbook brand. But, with the 7-inchers relegated to their place in history, perhaps now the company has a little extra room on its production lines. No further information is available on the forthcoming model at this point, but we're hoping that new screen will get a few more pixels to fill out its new-found girth.
ASUS Eee PC 1008HA up for pre-order in the UK
It shouldn't be long now, Yanks. With ASUS' strikingly thin Eee PC 1008HA -- which we toyed with for an unhealthy amount of time at CeBIT this year -- up for pre-order in the UK, we're just certain a US launch is imminent. As of now, Britons with £379.50 ($565) can get in line for the Midnight Blue edition, which should be dispatched in around a month or two according to Amazon UK. For those feeling something a bit less vivid, the all-white version can be ordered up at LaptopsDirect for £20 more. Too pricey for an Atom-powered netbook? Let your wallet be the judge.[Via PortableMonkey, thanks Peter]Read - Amazon UK listingRead - LaptopsDirect
Asus' EeePC 1003HAG equips WWAN, ventures forth on NTT DoCoMo's FOMA network
Following in the footsteps of past Eee PC's like the 901, ASUS' Japanese-bound 1003HAG boasts an internal wireless WAN module and supports NTT DoCoMo's FOMA network with 7.2Mbps on the downlink. For a more local connection, there's 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. As for the rest of the hardware, it's pretty much netbook status quo: a 1-inch WSVGA screen, Intel Atom N280, 1GB RAM, integrated graphics, 160GB HDD, and an apparent 4.3-hour battery life. Price is 69,800 yen (US $722) and launch date is May 16th -- that should give you plenty of time to figure out if you want the black, white, or pink version.[Via Engadget Japan]
Exhaustive netbook battery comparison finds a clear winner, no victims
It's hardly the first netbook battery comparison to appear in the Thunderdome that is the internet, but this latest thirteen-strong round-up from Australia's NetbookReview is one of the more comprehensive to emerge as of late, with it only slightly compromised by a few netbooks that aren't available in the site's home country. Not surprisingly, the netbooks equipped with six-cell batteries came out well ahead of their less well off counterparts, with the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid leading the way with an impressive time of 6:56. That was obviously aided in no small part by the netbook's dual SSD / hard drive setup, and by a less commonly used 5100mAh six-cell battery, as opposed to the 6600mAh version used in the second and third place Eee PCs (which each clocked in around the four-hour mark). Bringing up the rear were the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 and Dell Mini 12, neither of which were able to eek out even two hours of use. As you might expect, however, all of the tests involved a worst-case scenario, so you can expect to get a good deal more juice from all of 'em if you're not spending every waking hour watching WMV files.
ASUS Eee PC T91 arrives at the FCC
We spent come quality time with ASUS's Eee PC T91 netvertible in Germany at CeBIT, but those of you looking to handle one Stateside don't have long to wait -- it's just popped up in the FCC database, and we're sure Uncle Sam's engineer friends are busy scouring the SAR reports for all kinds of super-interesting technical data as we speak. Or they're just looking for pretty pictures like we are -- and sadly, they'll be disappointed, because all that's in the listing so far is this picture of the bottom. Another Saturday night ruined -- thanks a lot, FCC.[Via Lilliputing]
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.
Asus makes optical-endowed Eee PC 1004DN official
What's that, didn't trust last week's DigiTimes rumory confirmation of the new 1004DN addition to the Eee PC family? Rest easy, as Asus has come forward and made the first optical-offering Eee officially official. The machine packs a Super-Multi DVD writer, what looks to be the same pinkie-friendly chiclet keyboard as the 1000HE, a 1.66GHz Atom N280 processor, up to 120GB of storage, and even a fingerprint scanner. Price and release date are still undecided, but it shouldn't be long before we find out just how well those legendarily long-winded Eee batteries fare at spinning up your Battlestar Galactica boxed sets.
