The ASUS Eee PC 1005HA is ASUS’ update to their popular Eee PC 1000HA, and continues the tradition of excellent netbooks. The 10.1-inch unit weighs in at only 2.8lbs, and at its thinnest point is well under an inch thick. The keyboard was solid, the trackpad multitouch, and the overall design glossy and stylish. Most important of all though, the battery life was impressive, even when compared against other netbooks. The internals are what you’d expect, with an Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz, 160GB HDD, and 1GB RAM. Are there enough features to justify picking it over netbooks with similar performance? Read on to find out.
The glossless keyboard begins about an inch in from the top edge, and sits flush with the sides of the case. The top of the touchpad is flush to the keyboard and the touchpad buttons are flush to the bottom of the case, a clear space saving gesture. The overall look is very smooth and all the status lights are subtle. The feel is solid as a whole, although the back of the netbook is a little heavier as a result of the taper.
ASUS has also built some interesting software into the 1005HA. Most notable is the “Eee Docking software,” which is a somewhat customizable dock built into the top of the screen (though location is adjustable). It has 4 sections, the Eee Arena , Eee Sharing, Eee Xperience and Eee Tools. Each of these has quick links to a number of applications, including Data sync for syncing with another computer, Eee Storage to access your free 10GB online storage, music/media applications, and parental controls. All these and a few other programs are easily accessible from the start menu as well.
Case Look and Feel
The 1005HA features ASUS’ “seashell” design, which includes a fairly sharp taper from the wider back of the netbook to the thinner front. The entire machine is covered front and back in a bright gloss, with only the matte keys of the keyboard spared the shiny expense. It does look nice, but is exceptionally prone to fingerprints. The lid is all black except for a silver “Eee” emblazoned in the center and towards the top. The front of the display features the glossy screen surrounded by a somewhat thick black frame, the top of which houses the integrated webcam. The display is secured to the rest of the unit with two thick hinges, which extend along with the display below the keyboard to save space.The glossless keyboard begins about an inch in from the top edge, and sits flush with the sides of the case. The top of the touchpad is flush to the keyboard and the touchpad buttons are flush to the bottom of the case, a clear space saving gesture. The overall look is very smooth and all the status lights are subtle. The feel is solid as a whole, although the back of the netbook is a little heavier as a result of the taper.
Size & Weight
The Eee PC 1005HA is not the smallest or thinnest netbook on the market, but fares well on both counts. The weight of 2.8lbs felt very light and easy to carry. I actually carried the 1005HA in its protective sleeve inside the power cord pocket (instead of the power cord) of my standard 15” laptop case earlier today, and barely noticed the difference, even from a strictly visual perspective. With dimensions of 10.3 x 7 x 1.4 inches, but measuring only .89” at its thinnest point, there is little bulkiness to worry about.
Features
The Eee PC 1005HA has a number of features that serve to make life a little easier for the user. Some of these are standard functions built into the keyboard, such as brightness up and down, volume up and down or mute, Wifi on/off and suspend. A more interesting feature built into the keyboard is ASUS’ “Super Hybrid Engine,” which allows one to quickly overclock/underclock the computer for the sake of battery life or performance. There is also a dedicated button for disabling the trackpad.ASUS has also built some interesting software into the 1005HA. Most notable is the “Eee Docking software,” which is a somewhat customizable dock built into the top of the screen (though location is adjustable). It has 4 sections, the Eee Arena , Eee Sharing, Eee Xperience and Eee Tools. Each of these has quick links to a number of applications, including Data sync for syncing with another computer, Eee Storage to access your free 10GB online storage, music/media applications, and parental controls. All these and a few other programs are easily accessible from the start menu as well.
