Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Fantastic aesthetics; the aluminum construction makes everything else out there look cheap. I have tried most every netbook, I mean literally have purchased them and tried them and this is the one that I carry. I also own the Eee 1000H, which does have a slightly brighter screen, but I gave it to my wife...
The Elantech trackpad is of a multi-touch/multi-gesture design and it just plain works. The mouse button is a single rocker design with short travel and a definite but light click and it oozes quality.
The BIOS includes a "boot booster" function (tied to a itty-bitty hdd partition), which helps the computer to boot significantly faster than any other brand out there (all new ASUS models appear to have this).
The keyboard is large enough to make touch-typing easy and for me the weird right shift button placement is not an issue as I am a left shift person (it is proportional to the rest of the keyboard).
The palm-rest is just big enough to allow most people to actually rest their hands on it when typing, which is much more comfortable than the half-on / half-off method necessary for most netbooks (although the Eee 1000H is even more comfortable).
Battery life is about 3 to 3.25 hours. Not class leading for sure (Samsung wins here) BUT the battery fits flush to the bottom of the computer which keeps the ENTIRE computer nice and thin. Once you look at a couple of netbooks, you'll see why the big barrel shaped batteries they use generally ruin otherwise beautiful aesthetics.
Some people will not like the power cord, SD slot, monitor out, kensington lock slot and ethernet port being on the back as opposed to the sides, but I love it because everything is out of the way (esp if you choose to use an external mouse).
Speakers are very good, but the Eee 900HA and the Eee1000H (Dolby) are better. I use earphones though, so its a non-issue.
Haven't tried the webcam so I can't offer much except to say its there.
The bloatware is within reason and is easily removed. The recovery DVD includes a bootable Norton Ghost recovery image and also includes the individual drivers, which are accessible from windows (if you have an external DVD drive).
I swapped the 160GB 5400RPM Seagate drive for an 80GB Intel X25M SSD drive and i just couldn't be happier. It boots from power switch to ready to use in 40-45 seconds (fully software equipped), runs Office 2007, plays movies stutter free and surfs the Internet all without complaint or issue. I would not recommend to anyone to spend the $500-600 for the Intel SSD drive though. It is faster, but NOT that much faster and the machine felt plenty peppy before.
The charger is of the two cords and a brick design (like everybody else). Fortunately, you can hit the very popular auction site out there and purchase a new ASUS branded wall charger for an Eee 900 (the original 900), which has the exact same specs as the one that comes with this and saves probably 1/2 the space. All for $20-25.
Anyway, I highly recommend this model, it is the best out there right now. Below are my experiences with other models in its class.
The Samsung NC-10 is ok, but nothing special and certainly not (IMO) worth the extensive press it has gotten. It is not user friendly from an upgrade standpoint (i.e. no bottom access to the hdd) and the chrome trim detracts from an otherwise classy finish (I tried the blue model). The recovery software consists of discs, which, DO NOT restore it to its factory configuration. Battery life is crazy long (5 to 6 hours)
The MSI wind is perhaps the PERFECT size, but its horrible construction leaves me bewildered as to why it is so popular. The hinges are so weak that the screen literally shakes as you type. I googled for answers and found that it is a common problem for these machines. I packed mine up after 5 minutes and sent it back. I can't imagine trying to watch a movie on it while bouncing around on an airplane.
The ASUS Eee 900HA is a great machine and even better for my frequent travel than this one (its quite a bit more compact), but the 8.9" screen makes for lots of vertical and horizontal scrolling and the keys are just too small. It is beautiful though and the size vs. features vs. price absolutely beats everything else out there (the 1002HA included). But only if you can live with the small screen and keyboard.
The HP mini 1000 is fantastic in every way, but its storage is too limited when you opt for the built in flash memory and its WAY too slow when you opt for the 4200 rpm 60GB drive. Worse is the fact that they used a legacy PATA (ZIF) connection on the hard drive, which rules out the use of the ultra fast Intel X18M SSD hdd. Very poor thinking on the part of HP. This one could have been the best out there.
The Lenovo S10 is very business like and is built very well. I eagerly anticipated this. It is marred ONLY by its ridiculously loud CPU fan. On top of the fan noise, the computer constantly "throttles" the fan making it sound as if the computer is going to take off at any minute. Again, a google search of the reviews out there revealed that mine was not an isolated case. Shame too, cus this one is ultra nice and has Lenovo's business/professional looks and build quality to go with it.
The Acer Aspire One is a nice netbook. Its deficiency lies mainly in its size/shape and the nightmare it takes to upgrade even the memory. I had the 3-cell 120GB model and found that its size was perfect for carry, but lousy for typing as it was too thick to rest your hands on a flat surface comfortably while typing (forget the palm rest, its almost non-existent). If you can find a good typing position, the keyboard is very nice with great feedback and feel. A complete dis-assembly is required for upgrading either the memory or the hdd (as in it voids the warranty)and if you choose to anyway, you'll find that the memory can only be bumped up to 1.5GB as there is 512MB built in to the machine. The power source is a "brick" design like everyone else, but seems to be larger than the others.
Good luck if you are shopping for a netbook and Happy Holidays.
Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Eee PC 1002HA 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage, XP Home) Brushed Aluminized
Netbook Eee PC 1002HA offers even more options to users for unique user experiences. Featuring up to 5 hours of battery life, built in high speed connectivity and exclusive 10GB file-encrypted Eee Storage with easy accessibility makes it the ideal traveling companion for outdoor activities. The large 10" display provides comfortable viewing, and a large keyboard makes for easier typing and relaxing usage. Built-in camera ensures users stay in touch with the important ones. User friendly XP pre-loaded. ZBD Guaranteed for best quality LCD. Content includes Eee PC, battery, AC Adapter, Sleeve Case, Manual and Recovery CD.
