Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell dismantled

Netbook Italia seems to be on a mission to rip apart every netbook at the moment. Following their teardown of the Samsung N120 and Acer Aspire One 751, they have now turned their attention to the sexy ultrathin Eee PC 1008HA.

This should be a guide most owners would be interested in; mostly to work out how they can go about changing that sealed battery for example. However, it doesn’t seem like an easy operation. Opening up the base is only half of the job, you also have to remove the PCB which makes it all quite laborious. The battery takes up half the room of the chassis, not surprising as they’ve used an ultrathin Lithium polymer battery rated at 2900mAh.

To maintain the skinny form factor it appears that Asus has subdivided the motherboard into three parts to make it fit easier. To reduce vibration, the HDD comes in a rubber cage which helps against knocks whilst on the move. Having a look at the guide, you can really appreciate the lengths taken by Asus to cram all of the technology into a skinny device. We’ve included a selection of photos after the jump, for the rest head over to Netbook Italia. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1002HAE tested

The Asus Eee PC 1002HAE is a pretty refresh of the 1002HA, which comes with an aluminium skin, chiclet keyboard and the faster 1.66GHz N280 Atom CPU (the 1002HA has a N270 Atom). Portable Monkey has reviewed the Eee PC 1002HAE and it seems that there are other minor changes too that affects the overall proposition.

Upgradeability is made difficult as the screws on the access panels have been plugged which makes them difficult to lift without damaging the case (or at least without the right tools). The battery should last around three to four hours, acceptable but other models are now pushing battery lives double this. This battery sits at the front of the netbook, which will mean higher capacity batteries will cause it to tilt backwards. Also, there are some instances of flex on the keyboard and despite having an aluminium exterior, the weight wasn’t found to be different to the 1002HA.

On the positive side, the netbook has good build quality, with relatively lightweight chassis. The display is matte, which automatically earns it brownie points. The large touch-pad allows for multi-touch gestures and the whole device runs cool and quiet. The Eee PC 1002HAE is only available in Japan for now. Click through for the key review points after the break. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell review roundup #2

I’m not sure whether there was a US review embargo that lifted today or simply the way the stars lined up, but seven reviews of the 1008HA Seashell have cropped up today. We thought we’d flag this to anyone who may be trying to decide whether this is the netbook for them. The almost universal view is that the 1008HA’s design is quite special against the bland backdrop of most netbooks. Despite the design, functionality has not been sacrificed.

In case you are wondering why we labelled the above post as ‘number two’ is that we already did a review roundup of the 1008HA Seashell a few weeks back, when a few UK reviews appeared. Six of the reviews that cropped up today were from major US publications and the seventh was from NetbookNews.de. We have listed them all after the break. Read more

Video: Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell hands-on

The Eee PC 1005HA Seashell could be a potential best-seller for Asus. It shares the styling of the 1008HA but comes with a removable battery, full-sized VGA and has no flaps covering ports. Yes, it may not be as thin or as light as the 1008HA, but it will be cheaper and should offer better battery life too. NetbookNews.de has gone hands-on with the device and posted a video and a number of photos of the new Eee PC.

They compare to the Eee PC 1008HA, Samsung NC10 and even a Blackberry handset. The video shows that the 1005HA will come with a glossy lid and display, similar to the 1008HA, I was really hoping they’d choose a matte display. Apart from a slightly protruding bottom (to account for the 6-cell battery), the two models do look very similar. Interestingly, the version they booted up was running Windows 7 Starter Edition. There’s no word on UK pricing yet, but in Europe it is expected to cost from €299 (with N270 Atom) and €349 (with N280 Atom). If you want to see some more comparison pics, then NewGadgets.de has a number of photos of the 1005HA against the 1008HA here. Check out the 1005HA video after the break. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1000HV benched: discrete graphics make a big difference?

The Asus Eee PC 1000HV was first spotted last week and it looks like this model is already hitting retail in Italy. One of the users of EeePC.it, managed to get hold of one and has given an indication as to what this new Eee PC is capable of.

As a quick recap, the 1000HV is very similar in terms of specs to the Eee PC 1000HE. However, one of the key areas in which it differs is that it packs discrete graphics with an ATi Radeon HD 3450 GPU with 256MB memory. This should, in theory, give it a significant boost when watching HD content or playing games. Read more

Video: Asus Eee PC T91 touchscreen interface demonstrated

As May draws to a close, it now looks like the Asus Eee PC T91 will hit the UK next month. A number of previews of the 8.9-inch convertible tablet have cropped up in the last few weeks, however most of them haven’t been able to detail the touchscreen modes due to them having pre-production samples.

The video below now shows the final graphical interface in all of its glory. Clicking the Eee Docking bar at the top of the screen launches into the Easy Mode. Here, you can move between your favourite applications in a turn-wheel motion. Another rank has shortcuts which you can change by simply dragging and dropping. A simple swipe of the screen to the left or right will move you between widget or Windows modes.

In the touch mode there is a virtual keyboard which can be adjusted in size and placed wherever you want. There are also memo notes which can be pinned onto the desktop. The FotoFun application can be used to create a photo book and pictures can be rotated and zoomed in just with your touch. It all looks quite smooth but I wonder how it will work out in practice. Check out the videos after the break (the first is the interface only and the second has a talk over of the same video). The Asus Eee PC T91 is expected to cost £449 when it launches in the next few weeks. Read more

Video: Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell hands-on + 1005HA spotted

Sascha from NetbookNews has released a hands-on video of the Asus Eee PC 1008HA. The video shows us the ports on each side and gives us a close look at the bottom which hides a mini VGA connector and integrated 3-cell battery. He compares the 1008HA Seashell to the Samsung NC10 and it really shows how skinny the Seashell is. Interestingly, the 1008HA in the video was running the Xandros Easy Mode OS.

If you forward the video to 3 minutes and 46 seconds, you can spot the upcoming Eee PC 1005HA in black. You can instantly tell how much thicker it is compared to the 1008HA and it looks a bit thicker than the Samsung NC10 too.

Sascha is currently in Taipei visiting a number of manufacturers and no doubt will be attending Computex on June 2nd. There are already rumours of an Eee PC powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. He says that this will be demonstrated at Computex and have Bluetooth, 3G and GPS all in one chip. Until then, check out the hands on 1008HA Seashell video after the jump. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell now shipping in US

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell is now in stock and shipping at a number of US retailers. The Eee PC Seashell appears to be in stock at Newegg, ZipZoomFly and J&R (Black only). The only major retailer that’s not joining the party right now is Amazon, who still has the 1008HA on pre-order.

The great thing is that the $20 pre-order rebate is still active on all of the above orders and should be until the close of play on Monday 25th May. Having a look at the Eee User Forums, some users have already had their Eee PC 1008HA shipped already.

Asus Eee PC 1000HV makes a reappearance with ATi graphics

The Asus Eee PC 1000HV was first revealed as part of the Eee PC roadmap back in July last year. No features were announced, but according to the leaked slide (below), it was to fit in a ‘Pro Fashion category’ next to the 1002HA and T101. Nothing had been heard since that leak, but fast forward 10 months and the model has now been spotted for pre-order at an online retailer.

The good thing is that a full set of specifications have been listed alongside it too. The most interesting point is that it will pack discrete graphics with an ATi Radeon HD 3450 GPU with 256MB memory. Apart from that, it appears to be very similar to the 1000HE. The 1000HV has a 10-inch (1024 x 600) display powered by a 1.66GHz N280 Atom CPU, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. Read more

Fun promo videos for Samsung N310 and Asus Eee PC Seashell

More and more companies are using viral ad campaigns to help market a product. We’ve found two such examples on YouTube. The first is for the Samsung N310 netbook which has two playful characters who emerge from the skin of the rubberised lids. I’m not really sure what message they are trying to deliver for this one, it has a distinct air of Looney Tunes about it. It’s very well put together though and will probably get people talking.

The second video, for the Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell, has a clearer message. It’s entitled ‘picklock’ and I’m sure you get the idea i.e. that the Seashell is thin enough to pick open a door. Both of these netbooks focus on design and as they stand out from the netbook crowd, it’s hard not to see both models being a huge success. Check out the videos after the jump.

Update: It turns out that Asus has launched a whole host of viral videos for the 1008HA Seashell, following a similar theme as above i.e. how razor thin it is. It looks like that as well as picking locks, the 1008HA Seashell is also capable of cutting carrots, cut through some ropes that have you tied up, shaving and even be used as a frisbee. I’ve included them all below.
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Asus Eee PC 1005HA manual uncovered

News on Asus’ next netbook in its Seashell line, the Eee PC 1005HA, is coming through thick and fast. Only yesterday, we had the full official product page up and now the manual is available for public consumption. You can have a look at the schematics along with exactly what ports you’ll find on the netbook.

The manual is headlined Eee PC 1005HA / 1005HAB. We first heard of the 1005HAB when rumours of this device first circulated. However, up until now we don’t have any confirmation as to how the 1005HAB will differ from the 1005HA. We already know of the 1005HA-H and 1005HA-M models that were detailed by Asus France last week. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell unboxing video

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell has already received a number of reviews from publications around the web, however up until now we’ve not had the ritual unboxing video. Notebook Italia comes to the rescue with a well made video. Don’t worry about knowing Italian as the video is set to the backdrop of some funky music.

The 10-inch (1024 x 600) Seashell is set to become a best-seller for Asus with its 1-inch thickness and 1.1kg weight. The specs aren’t too shabby either, with a 1.66GHz N280 CPU, 1GB RAM and 160GB HDD and wireless draft-N. Asus claims that its in-built battery should last for around 6 hours.

They unbox a black 1008HA Seashell as well as highlighting the accessories in the box. The Seashell itself looks very slimline indeed although you can tell the glossy surface will be a fingerprint magnet. They also have a number of high-res photos on their site if you need a closer look. When watching the video, which is attached after the break, do press the ‘HD’ button for even more clarity. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1000H & 1000HE will NOT be phased out in UK

Last week, Asus UK said that it will re-focus on just three Eee PC netbooks by July. At the time, it was said that the best-selling Eee PC 1000HE would be making way for the new netbooks (1008HA, 1005HA and an unknown model). I found this a little surprising given how popular it is, not withstanding the fact that it is one of the best value money netbooks around. Then yesterday we heard confirmation that Asus France will be discontinuing the 1000HE.

However, potential UK buyers fear not, Asus marketing chief, John Swatton, has confirmed it will not be phased out after all. “The 1000H and 1000HE are currently our most popular Eee PC models and therefore the focus. There are no plans to discontinue these products at the moment because they are so popular. At present, the 1000H and 1000HE offer the best combination of functionality and performance for the price,” he told Reg Hardware. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell product page live, full specs revealed

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell netbook was officially announced last week by Acer France. The netbook now has its official product page listed on the Asus Global site including full technical specifications and official press shots.

Whilst the product page doesn’t explicitly mention two different 1005HA SKUs, as mentioned by last week’s announcement (1005HA-H and 1005HA-M), the specs do suggest that this will be the case. There is an option for N270/N280 Atom CPUs, a 1.3MP or 0.3MP webcam and two different 6-cell battery options. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell Promo Video

Asus has released a promotional video for the newly released Eee PC 1008HA Seashell netbook. Set to a funky music back drop, you won’t learn too much more than you probably already knew. However, it sets out the 1008HA Seashell in various angles and clearly tells you some if its key features. We are very much looking forward to getting hands-on ourselves at some point soon. Check out the video after the jump. Read more

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