asus best

Before I get into what I think about this device, here's a quick guide for understanding the different flavors of the 1005HA:

1005HA-P (most expensive)
N280 1.66 GHz Processor, 667MHz Front Side Bus, 1.3MP Web Cam, 10.5 Hour Battery, Glossy Display, Bluetooth, Netbook Sleeve
Available Colors: Black, Blue

1005HA-V (mid range price)
N270 1.6 GHz Processor, 533MHz Front Side Bus, 0.3MP Web Cam, 8.5 Hour Battery, Matted Display
Available Colors: Black, Blue, White, Pink

1005HA-B (cheapest one, sold at best buy)
N270 1.6 GHz Processor, 533MHz Front Side Bus, 0.3MP Web Cam, 4.5 Hour Battery, Matted Display
Available Colors: Black, Blue, White, Pink

Which one to get?
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It's hard to recommend the B series offered at best buy if you have to pay sales tax. After you add sales tax, you are then approaching the price of the V series which gets twice the battery life. Battery life is one of the biggest features of a netbook so I wouldn't go cheap and get less battery.

Deciding between the V series and the P series really comes done to how much you care about a slight speed different (if any), a small battery life difference, a better web cam, Bluetooth, and/or the netbook sleeve. To me, the extra ~$40 for the P series is well worth it. A netbook sleeve alone costs $10-$20 bucks.

Pros:
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- The 1005HA-P comes with all the features you want in a netbook. Some ppl may prefer a higher resolution screen but I don't think it's required.
- It's thinner than the 1000HE, although it seems to be as heavy.
- I think the new keyboard rivals the great hp mini keyboards. The full size right shift key was enough for me to drop my 1000HE.
- The best thing about this unit is the battery life. Don't hold your breath for getting 10 whole hours though. Expect 7-8 hours with wifi and Bluetooth on in power save mode. I expect to get 6-7 hours in high performance mode.
- Windows 7 works like a charm.

Cons:
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- The long life battery makes this unit heavy. The weight is not a show stopper but it's something to be aware of.
- Some ppl might not like how the touch pad is integrated with the body of the device. The touchpad is bumpy so u can find it in the dark. It took me a day to get use to it.
- The speakers are on the bottom front of the device so when I had it on the bed, the volume was low.
- Upgrading the hard drive requires a lot of work and may void the warranty.
- I don't like the one long rocker button for the touchpad. I prefer 2 separate buttons.

Should you upgrade from the 1000HE to the 1000HA?

Since the battery life difference is minimum, the only reason to upgrade would be to get the better keyboard. To me it's worth it since the right shift key on the 1000HE is annoying. I also prefer the trackpad on the 1005HA but I can understand if it gets mixed reviews.

1005HA vs 1008HA

I like the 1008HA but it's hard for me to recommend it over the 1005HA. For $30-$40 more you get one less usb port, you get covered usb ports which is annoying, and you get less than half the battery life. Yes the 1008HA is slimmer and weighs less. I just can't justify the extra cost of a device that looks good but does less.

Bottom Line:

The 1005HA is really the best netbook currently available. It comes with all the features you need in a netbook. It has the longest battery life of any notebook. The keyboard is now as good as the HP and Samsung netbooks. Unless you are really on a tight budget, or if you need a smaller or less heavy device, there really is no reason to buy another netbook.

Necessary Upgrades:

Make sure you get the correct memory for this device. Don't think about running Windows 7 without 2GB of Ram
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F7QRTG?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000F7QRTG

Netbooks do not come with DVD drives so consider get a cheap external one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MLZKAQ?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001MLZKAQ

UPDATE:

There seems to be a debate over using the 667MHz memory Amazon recommends versus 800MHz memory the 1005HA ships with. I've read that the 800MHz is beneficial but I also read that the 800MHz runs at 667MHz even if u overclock. There's a heated discussion on the eeeuser form about this. Check it out for yoursef.