Asus Introduces the Seashell, Eee PC 1008HA Netbook

Asus has added a new netbook to its collection, the Eee PC 1008HA, otherwise known as the Seashell.

While sandy beaches and PC computing are a somewhat disconcerting association, the name hints to the mollusk-like way the curved, thin lines of the attractive 1008HA come together. Asus would also refer you to the Seashell’s “opalescent and glossy” exterior.

Click here to view a slideshow featuring an early image of the EEE PC 1008HA at CeBIT 2009.

The 1008HA weights 2.4 pounds, measures 10.3 x 7.0 x 0.7 inches and features a 10.1-inch LED backlight WSVGA screen with Color-Shine technology for a crisper display. According to Acer, the netbook's slightly-smaller-than-full-size keyboard is particularly ergonomic and easy to type on at length.

There are three other, particularly eye-catching, features. The battery life is six hours, courtesy of what Asus calls its Super Hybrid Engine. Additionally, a hidden VGA adapter dongle on the underside of the netbook enables users to mirror the Eee PC’s screen onto a larger screen.

And finally, a multitouch gesture pad — with an untraditional look — enables users to zoom in or out on the screen, using the finger-pinching and finger–pulling actions familiar to the Apple iPhone screen. With a two-finger action, users can also scroll up or down, eliminating the need for a mouse.

The chipset is an Intel Atom N280, and the operating system is a choice of GNU Linux or Microsoft’s Genuine Windows XP Home. WLAN 802.11 b/g/n connectivity is built in, along with Bluetooth 2.1.

Included is 1GB of RAM, and the Eee PC additionally offers “Hybrid Storage,” allowing users to choose a built-in 160GB 2.5-inch SATA II 5400RPM hard drive, or 10 GB of online storage, complimentary for the first 18 months.

A 1.3-megapixel Web cam is also on board, with two microphones and ambient noise cancellation, and so are two USB ports, an Ethernet hookup, two audio jacks and an SD Card reader.

The Eee PC 1008HA is available in white, black, pink, blue, sapphire blue and ruby red, starting at $420.