I've been using my Asus 1000HA extensively for a few days now, and thought I'd post a few comments.
First, let me address the two most common "complaints" -the stiff touchpad keys and the placement of the right shift.
TOUCHPAD KEYS: I also thought the touchpad keys were far too stiff until I realized I was using them wrong. The touchpad keys wrap around the front, and are designed to be "thumbed" at the front, not pushed down from the top. Once I figured out how to use them I found they are not the least bit stiff. It is actually a far better configuration than any other laptop I've used, because when you move your hand down to use the touchpad, your thumb is naturally placed in front of the laptop, and you can flick the touchpad keys from the front instead of trying to crowd all your fingers over the touchpad. With this design, I can now easily cut and paste with one hand, where as with other notebooks I typically have to work the keys with one hand while I use the touchpad with the other. Truly brilliant.
RIGHT SHIFT KEY: As to the shift key, it is technically right where it is supposed to be -at the far right side of the keyboard. Look down at whatever keyboard you are using and you'll see the right shift key at the far right of the other primary keys (not including the number keys). But to accomodate the up arrow, Asus made the shift key half-sized. So you will find yourself occasionally hitting the up arrow when you meant to shift. I've already programed my brain to reach a little farther when I use the right shift key, so it isn't a problem. Someone else mentioned that she used a program to switch the shift and arrow keys, so that is an option if it turns out to be a problem for you.
MEMORY: I ordered the 2GB memory card along with the notebook, and installed it before I ever turned it on. It was a one minute upgrade. Thank you to all that mentioned going to the bios so that the memory would be recognized. Note that you don't do anything in the bios, just go to there and then save and exit. RAM is the most important component relating to system speed, and the memory was about $30, so I can't imagine that anyone would not want to make that upgrade.
BATTERY LIFE: Battery life was one of the main reasons I bought this notebook, because the two hours I was getting on my other small notebook just wasn't cutting it. After fully charging the battery, I turned on the computer and checked the battery life, which was reported at just three hours! But as Windows got a feel for the battery, that number kept going up until it reached more than five hours. I haven't put a stopwatch to it, but I've actually been doing a little better than that with my daily use thus far. Nice to just sit down and get to work while everyone else is fighting over the electrical outlets at the local Barnes & Noble. UPDATE: I found an aftermarket 12,000 mHa battery on ebay for the 1000HA. With this battery I can go well over eight hours on a single charge! It's quite a bit bigger, so some portability is lost, but between the two batteries I can leave the power brick at home.
USB PORTS: There are two on the right and one on the left. With my other laptop, having all three side by side was a problem because sometimes the item you plug in extends over another port. I had to use a multi-tap just to plug in all my stuff. The one on the left is toward the back, which is cool because I can plug in my Sprint wireless and it is out of the way.
FUNCTION KEYS: I like that there are no separate buttons for mute, wireless, etc. Everything is controlled with the function keys.
SPEAKERS AND TYPING ANGLE: Another brilliant design point. With my other laptop, the speakers are where you wrest your palms while typing, which means I am covering the speakers any time I am typing. The Asus puts them underneath, and the laptop is slightly raised on feet at the back to both give clearance to the speakers and create a better typing angle. The sound is very impressive for such a small notebook, and the volume is very good.
SCREEN: I have no problem reading the screen, even with my tired old eyes. The native resolution of the screen in 1024 x 600. That second number means you'll be doing more vertical scrolling. Set the taskbar to auto hide and use full screen mode with your browser. I am really glad I went with this computer as opposed to the Acer One, which has a 8.9" screen. I wouldn't want to go any smaller than the ten inch screen on the Asus.
KEYBOARD: I'm a big guy with big hands, and I have no problem touch typing on this keyboard. I'd say my typos have probably increased 2% as a result of the smaller size.
BOTTOM LINE: I wanted a notebook I could throw in my briefcase and keep with me at all times, and would also allow me to get real work done when I used it, without major compromises. This small notebook completely fills the bill.
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