MSI Wind U123-001US 10.2-Inch Blue Netbook - 6 Cell Battery Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just got the Wind today in the mail. Very nice little computer.
Took about 14 minutes to get all booted up initially but it starts up very quickly after that.
So far I have surfed the internet, played online poker, and messed with the settings. Nothing too amazing. It handles everything well, not discernably different from my 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo macbook. I'm not going to attempt too much with this anyways. Youtube worked fine, but netflix instant movies wasn't working tonight. I don't know what the deal is with that, whether it's the comp or the site. **Update, Netflix was messed up. The Wind plays Netflix instant view movies just fine.**
Graphically it's ok. The 10" screen isn't going to make me faint or anything. Everything looks fine with the brighness at all levels. The application windows get a little choppy when I move them around, but that happens in every Windows machine I've used.
It is quiet, the fans come on every now and then. I don't mind. My girlfriend is watching netflix on her MacBook Pro and it is way louder than the Wind.
The hinges are sturdy, in fact, the whole machine is sturdy. And it's attractive. The blue shell has little sparklies. The mouse buttons are chrome, which I like (in tasteful amounts).
The webcam is ok, and the speakers are ok too. Ok is actually an overstatement. So far they are pretty junky. But I wasn't expecting much.
The internet response is plenty fast. However, it seems like it only has wireless b/g. This version DOES NOT HAVE wireless N. That's disappointing, the specs do note that it has g/n on the Amazon site. Again, no wireless N.
The box says no bluetooth but the hardware info in windows says yes. I haven't tried to verify which one is correct.
Typing is not a problem. I would rather have regular sized comma and period keys than a full sized shift bar, which the Wind has. It's taking a bit of adjustment, but I can type pretty fast on it after just a couple hours.
Brightness at the lowest level is fine on my eyes. It's very bright all the way up, which I appreciate when it's plugged in.
Battery life seems to be about 5 hours with wireless on and brightness all the way down. We'll see if that changes.
It is a little rear end heavy, but so are Porsches. It balances fine so far, I haven't tried it in every situation. I mean, you gotta watch out
if the screen is open and you're setting it on an uneven surface, but it's fine in my lap and on the table. Just be extra careful when you are setting the Wind down.
**In response to comment 4 - 3 USB ports, VGA for monitor, the 4-in-one card reader, ethernet, headphone jack. No firewire/hdmi :( I will try to hook it up to my 22" LCD tonight and see if it can handle it.**
**I read some reviews at another site, apparently the U123 uses 800Mhz RAM, and the upgrade requires a 2GB stick to max it out. I have not confirmed this, but I've got a 2GB in my MacBook. I'll do a switcheroo and see how it works.**
I really like the trackpad, but only after downloading the Synaptics drivers. Make sure to do that right off the bat (http://www.synaptics.com/support/drivers)!! You can get scroll function and corner tap functions, i.e., when I tap the bottom left I have it set to go back in the web browser, and when I tap the upper left it minimizes the window. Awesome! Almost like expose in OSX, but different (We can't have everything). It's definitely the best Windows XP navigating experience I've had so far.
I plan on installing OSX on this, but I need to do more research on how to do it. Apparently I need an external DVD drive, which I'm not prepared to shell out the $$ for. **Update, there seems to be a way to do it via USB stick. So now I gotta get myself a legit copy of OSX and an 8GB stick, and I'm golden.**
As shipped, right out of the box, with the 1.66 Ghz processor and 1GB RAM, I am very impressed.
Remember to press Crtl + F11 to activate the wireless!
Very nice little machine.
I will update as time goes on.
Let me know if you need any answers, i.e., have any questions!


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ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 14 Hours of Battery Life) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this little computer about a week ago and so far it has been great. So far I have not found anything to complain about with the computer so I will list a few of the things I like:
- Even with the extended capacity battery, the computer is very light and portable
- The battery life is great! My daughter watched movies for almost 8 hours on our plane ride home without a hitch or stutter. After being in use for nearly the entire flight, it still had 35% of the battery remaining. Another note on the battery, in the earlier 1005 netbooks, the battery would stick out past the screen on the rear of the netbook. That is no longer the case, on the 1005PE it is flush with the rear of the netbook.
- The keyboard is nice and decent size. I almost bought a Toshiba solely because I did not like the keyboard on the 1005HA version of this machine. Asus changed the keyboard on this model to a chiclet keyboard which is much better. I saw one review that thought the keyboard was flimsy. As far as I can tell, the Asus has no more flexibility in the keyboard than the Acer or Toshiba netbooks I looked at.
- Windows 7 starter and Asus Utility. I saw a few reviews where people complained about Win7 Starter. Again, so far no problems with the OS, it does what it is intended to do. As far as the complaints about changing the background on the desktop, Asus was kind enough to provide a utility that makes changing the background very easy.
- WLAN - since I bought the netbook, it has been in 6 locations that have wireless internet and it has jumped on the network easily each time regardless on encryption.
A couple more thoughts on netbooks in general:
- Netbooks are not desktop replacements or miniture laptops. They are intended to provide basic computing and internet needs. If you are expecting it to fly through huge power point presentations or apps that require a lot of RAM and processing power you will be disappointed. If all you need is a computer that travels easily and will allow you to surf the web, play music and video and run office programs, netbooks can be a very good choice.
- I would recommend that anyone who buys a netbook remove as much of the installed software as they can. I was able to remove alot of pre-loaded junk and the netbook ran faster. Here are a few program that I think every netbook should have: Firefox or Google Chrome for internet, vlc (Videolan) for music and movie playback, Open Office 3 for word processing, spreadsheets, etc and Foxit Reader for opening .pdf files.
Also, I have seen several recommendations to replace the 1GB Ram with a 2GB stick. I have not done this yet and it still works great. At the moment I have a 4GB SD card installed to see if there are any performance gains using the Windows Reafyboost function. So far so good.
The bottom line is that this netbook has exceeded my expectations and is a solid little machine. I would recommend it to anyone in search of a good netbook.


Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 14 Hours of Battery Life)

Eee PC 1005PE-P The 10.1-inch Eee PC 1005PE-P Seashell with Windows 7 Starter shines as the ideal Eee PC for the traveler looking for outstanding wireless connectivity and efficient Eee PC performance.Thanks to the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine and high-density battery, you can take this mobile phenom wherever you choose and enjoy up to an incredible 14 hours of unplugged freedom.* The Eee PC 1005PE-P is encased in a smooth pearlescent shell that captivates onlookers and features the next generation Intel Atom N450 processor for extraordinary battery life.Plus, it gives you extended comfort with a chiclet keyboard, large palm-rest, and multi-touch trackpad. For more convenience, the Eee PC 1005PE has hotkeys placed above the keyboard – granting you quick access to Wi-Fi and control of the ASUS Super Hybrid Engine that instantly optimizes system performance for the task at hand.Throw in a generous 250GB hard drive with 500GB of ASUS WebStorage** and you get the ability to store, share, and access your important data anytime, anywhere. ASUS worked closely to make your Windows 7 experience better with groundbreaking utilities such as FastBoot and LocalMe.With ASUS FastBoot technology, this Windows 7-enabled Eee PC starts up fast so you wait less and do more.LocalMe is a GPS-like application that when connected to the internet provides easy access to local areas and gets you where you want to be. Miles ahead of its competition, the Eee PC 1005PE-P provides unsurpassed battery life and superior portability that liberates you from wall chargers and brings you into the next generation of mobility.


Key Features

Up to 14 hours of unplugged all-day computing to go further than ever before* (Learn more)
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) innovatively saves battery life and boosts performance (Learn more)
Intel Atom N450 processor is now even more power efficient in combination with ASUS SHE
750GB Hybrid Storage for convenient storage on-the-go 250GB HDD + 500GB ASUS WebStorage** (Learn more)
10.1-inch LED-backlit Color-shine display uses less energy for longer use(Learn more)
92-percent full-size chiclet keyboard for a comfortable and precise typing experience (Learn more)
Multi-touch trackpad for intuitive and quick control (Learn more)
Stunning looks and convenient mobility with seashell design weighing a mere 2.8 lbs
1GB system memory (easily upgradable to 2GB)
High speed Wi-Fi networking (802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4GHz) + Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR for wire-free mobility (Learn more)
Windows 7 Starter for the most reliable and simplest Windows operating system to date (Learn more)
Integrated webcam and digital microphone for video/voice conversations with your friends and family
F9 easy recovery for convenient and easy system reinstallation (Learn more)
Warranty: 1 year global warranty and 30-day Flawless Display Guarantee: If a single bright dot is found, a free panel replacement is guaranteed within 30 days of original purchase

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Get up to an Amazing 14 Hours of Battery Life
Get the Big Picture in a Small Frame
Strikingly Comfortable. Perfectly Concise.
Easy Connectivity
Even More Storage
Quick Recovery with Just One Key
Eee PC with Windows 7 –Life Made Easier
A Brand that Sparked a Revolution - The First Netbook
Customer Warranty –The Industry's Most Complete Netbook Care Package
1 year global warranty
6 months battery warranty
30-Day Flawless Display Guarantee: If you discover one defective bright dot within 30 days of purchase, ASUS will replace the panel at no cost
Free one-way standard shipping
24/7 tech support
What's in the Box
Eee PC 1005PE-P Seashell (Black)
Power Adapter †
User Manual
Warranty Card
Recovery DVD / Support CD
Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Starter
Display: 10.1-inch LED-Backlit Display(1024 x 600) with Color Shine glossy finish
Intel CPU: IntelAtom N450
Wireless Data Network: 802.11b/g/n(@ 2.4GHz) & Bluetooth V2.1 + EDR
Memory: 1GB(upgradeable to 2GB)
Hybrid Storage: 250GBHDD + 500GB ASUS WebStorage
Camera: 0.3M Pixels
Audio: StereoSpeakers, High-Definition Audio CODEC, Built-in digital microphone
Storage Cards: 2-in-1MMC, SD(SDHC) flash card slot
Input/Output: 1 xVGA connector, 3 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x LAN RJ-45, 2 x audio jacks: Headphone& Mic-in
Battery: Up to 14hours high-density Li-Ion battery *
Dimensions: 10.31(W) x 7.01 (D) x 1.02~1.44 (H) inches
Weight: 2.80lbs (with battery)
Color: Black * Operation lifetime subject toproduct model, normal usage conditions and configurations. For more information, pleasevisit http://eeepc.asus.com/global/computing.html. The estimated maximumbattery life in Windows 7 is measured with MobileMark 2007. **ASUSWebStorage is a complimentary trial service for 1 year after registration.Actual storage capacity varies by model. †To recharge using the AC power adapter, power plug must be fully pushed into the power socket on the Eee PC until it clicks firmly into place. Note: This Eee PC features a glossy finish chassis. Reflections in photos may vary. Color of the chassis is single-toned. All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models. Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in images.

Click here for more information about ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PE-PU17-BK 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 14 Hours of Battery Life)

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