Asus EEE PC 1008P: acquisition history + mini-review

While the topic has not lost its relevance, I want to share a little information about this device and about the reasons and history of its acquisition.


Going once again on a business trip to the United States, I decided to buy a netbook there. Why do I need this device, if I have a stationary computer at home and a normal 17-inch laptop? I love, you know, to read before bedtime, lying on the sofa. To use a bulky heavy laptop for this is not convenient. By the way, about a year ago, the Sony PRS 505 electronic reader was purchased for the same purpose. However, it did not satisfy.

Lyrical digression (You can skip)

Reasons why Sony PRS 505 “did not satisfy”:

1. A small set of supported formats.
   About fb2 and Djvu I generally keep quiet. But here I wanted to read a book in chm format. I spent the day testing various converters, but I didn’t get a digestible result.
2. Fine print and small screen.
   Most PDF files do not scale at all, the whole picture fits into this tiny screen, and 2cm fields for the reader, of course, are simply necessary (probably to write Fermat’s theorem there :)). That would be fine, but even a regular txt has only 3 scales. My eyesight is already so weak, and by the evening my eyes get tired - I want to feel a little bigger.
3. There is no screen backlight.
   No matter what the manufacturers of liquid inks say - such as looking 100% like plain paper - this is not true. The lamp turned on behind the head flashes in this screen - you still need to find a pose so that it does not reflect.
4. And most importantly, there is no internet.
   Of course, it's nice to read the classics, but somehow lately more and more I gravitate to relevant information, which is all online.

Apparently, based on these criteria, the iPad would be just right for me. But, firstly, when else will he appear. And secondly, let the fans forgive me, I do not like Apple - all these completely far-fetched artificial restrictions - tuna, upstore, etc. Just in a year, similar devices will appear in Samsung, Sony, Asus, Acer, then "we will see."

The end of the digression.

So, I decided to buy a netbook in the USA. Criteria:

1. Small, no more than 10 inches, but to make it convenient to read, therefore no less.
2. The lighter the better.
3. Price does not play a special role (within reasonable limits)
4. OS - NOT Windows 7 Starter (Windows without Explorer is a mockery). That is, either XP or the normal seven. (Linux has not yet ripened to me :))
5. "Equipment" is the most innovative.

I will explain the last criterion separately. Now IT is developing so rapidly, but I want the device to last longer. For example, when I bought a WiFi router (and it seems like it was recently), there was no standard n yet. And now they shove it in all the glands. Some HTML5.5 will appear in six months, and the already old Atom will not pull it ... In particular, I wanted, of course, to have ION as the graphic, but I could not find less than 12 inches, and I checked 12 already for me.

You could order something in advance in some American online store and pick up upon arrival. But when I was in the states about a year ago, all the stores were just littered with a variety of models of netbooks and laptops. And to hold the device in your hands before buying - it is always pleasant. Therefore, I decided to buy on the spot. Here I screwed up - did not take into account the crisis factor. I must say that, unlike Russia, the financial crisis touched America not at all in words. It turned out to be important for me that almost all computer stores (CompUSA, CircutCity, etc.) closed their points of sale and went online. And for those that have no choice at all - a couple of some antediluvian laptops are exorbitant and that’s all.
After clarifying this circumstance, I had to urgently look for and order something on the Internet. Because after a week already leave, and delivery may not be in time.
And here I am sitting, studying eBay, and right before my eyes there is a proposal put forward in the title of the device. And over the next hour, a dozen more such offers appear. On the Asus website, by that time there was no mention of this device. However, I find out that Asus recently demonstrated this model as the new 2010 model and is about to start selling in February. Since the case was still in January, then, apparently, sales were launched earlier than the promised date.
I must say that by that time I was already holding the 1005HA model. I remember that there I did not like the very easily soiled glossy case, the unusual and in my opinion not convenient location of the arrow keys, the old N270 processor, and a bit clumsy look. The new model is devoid of all these shortcomings. Therefore, my thoughts were short-lived, and I bought it. Asus delayed the shipment for a couple of days, but it all ended happily - I received the package on the last day of the trip.

Here are the specs of what I acquired:

OS	Windows 7 Home Premium
Display	10.1 "LED Backlight WSVGA Screen (1024x600)
CPU	Intel Atom N450
Memory	DDR2 SO-DIMM 2GB
Wifi	802.11b / g / n
Bluetooth	V2.1
HDD	320GB 2.5 ”SATA2 5400rpm
Camera	1.3M Pixels
	Stereo speakers
	Digital Array Mic
Input / output	1 x Mini VGA Connector 2 x USB 2.0 1 x LAN RJ-45 2 x Audio Jack (Headphone / Mic-in)
Card reader	MMC / SD (SDHC)
Battery	Slim and eco-friendly Li-polymer battery, 6hrs *
Dimensions	262mm (W) x 180mm (D) x 26.2mm (H)
Weight	1.145kg (2.53lbs)
Infusion	Coffee brown

UPD : It cost me $ 540 (it actually sold for $ 499, but there is a tricky tax on buying from California to California).

I satisfied all my needs. However, there are also disadvantages.
Pros (unexpected for me):

1. I really liked the outer coating - a matte corrugated surface, no "prints".
2. I was pleasantly struck by the stereo sound from the built-in speakers (or am I just behind the times and is it the same for everyone now?)
3. Almost does not get warm.

Minuses:

1. The screen is still glossy - where without it.
2. The plugs for all the "holes" give beauty, but take away convenience - you have to bother to insert a flash drive or headphones (can it just tear them off?)
3. Weak battery (but easily removable). When watching movies (regular avi, not HD) enough for 5 hours. My use is not critical, but if you use it for long trips, you need to buy spare batteries (they say that in Europe this model will be sold with a spare battery in the kit).

Well, in conclusion, a few photos: