So...

I procured an Asus eeePC 1000HE Netbook at work... then three days later I had to RMA it back to NewEgg for Video issues.

......

Two weeks later, I got a new one (from NewEgg (exchange)) and I've been using it since Thursday. I immediately wanted to experiment and so right now I'm running a Quadruple boot with Windows XP, OS X Leopard, Windows 7 RC1, and Ubuntu 9.04. I swapped out the WiFi card for an Apple Broadcom one so (the default WiFi currently has no drivers for OSX) and so almost everything works in OSX and everything work in Windows and Ubuntu.

Realistically, I know the Quad boot won't last. It's an ego thing and I know I'll favor 1 OS out of the 4. Actually I need to have XP on this (for work) and I'm partial to 7... but I really am digging Ubuntu 9.04. It has a good feel and I feel more and more confident about using it semi-regularly. OSX on the other hand... eh. I can see how a lot of people like it, especially power-users. Application install is ridiculously easy. You want to uninstall a program? Open up the applications folder, select your app and move it to the Trash. Uninstalled. But for the most part I'm slightly underwhelmed and given a decision to learn OSX or Ubuntu, I think it's much more useful, practical, and enjoyable to go the linux route.

Overall, however, I'm enjoying this netbook. I was somewhat worried (?) that I wouldn't have any practical use for it, but I find myself using it all over the place: bathroom, bedroom, living room. It's just so convenient and the keyboard (a chiclet style board) is awesome. I do have one caveat that I will mention. Playback of video on this isn't all that it's cracked up to be. I was having some issues with youtube and hulu. Which makes me glad that I didn't pay for it. My wife's 1000h (essentially the same specs, with the exception of a different style keyboard, maybe the slightly older processor, no wireless-n nor bluetooth) doesn't seem to have any issues, but it may (probably) be the way I installed everything on mine. If I ever do buy one of these for myself, I think I would hold out for the dual-core atom processors due out this fall or an Ion-based netbook. I just want a little more power. Just a little. But for the most part, I could recommend this for an casual user. It's great for email, web surfing (although the small screen may hinder some, but hey, you wanted small.) and the keyboard on the 1000HE is good for typing.

The Asus eeePC line just gets better and better. I've seen some of Asus' prototype systems due out in the future and it's very stylish (comparable aesthetically to Apple's equipment) and it it has the eeePC label, will probably be pretty affordable. Overall, I really like Asus, I pimp them wherever I go and now I pimp the 1000 line because, you know, it's awesome.

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