Discussions

We've just tested Asus's sublime Macbook Air-like netbook and although we think that it is a superb attempt from the Taiwanese, we can't help but think that Asus could make a much better netbook out of the Seashell.

Here are 10 things that Asus could be doing to make the Seashell an even better netbook.

(1) Removable Battery
This is already on the to-do-list with the 1005HA introducing a removable battery rather than the current fixed one. But this may significantly add to the weight of the laptop and to the price as well. The fact that Apple has pioneered closed-chassis laptops (like the Macbook Air) now makes it acceptable to the general public.

(2) 2GB RAM
Upgrading the default 1GB memory on the 1008HA can be challenging as there is no obvious way of prying open the netbook's chassis. You should be able to swap it for 2GB but you will need to dump the existing memory module. The reason Asus did not introduce a 2GB version has to do with the restrictions that Microsoft has imposed on Netbook manufacturers.

(3) Windows 7
Traditional netbooks can only use 1GB if they want to use Windows XP Ultra Low Cost PC Edition (essentially Windows XP Home). However, we wouldn't be against Asus bundling Windows 7 RC with the next version of the Seashell and offering a free upgrade when the official version comes out later this year. Anyway, Windows 7 is less resource hungry and sleekier than Vista.

(4) Edge to Edge Screen
Moving to Windows 7 would free Asus from any restrictions imposed on netbooks. This would mean that they wouldn't endure the wrath of Microsoft if the son of the 1008HA comes with a 12-inch LCD monitor rather than a 10-inch model. The good thing is that Asus can easily tweak the LCD frame of the Seashell. A 12-inch screen capable of displaying HD-ready 1366x768 pixels is within reach.

(5) Different, smudge-free finish
We liked the Seashell finish but we would like Asus to be more ambitious. Bring out an Apple like enclosure, not necessarily a Unibody model, but one close enough. An aluminium body has 3 distinctive advantage compared to plastic. It dissipates heat better, it is sturdier and can't be scratched as easily as plastic and finally, it is unlikely to attract fingerprints and smudges .

(6) Better touchpad
The 1008HA's touchpad was one of the few letdowns we encountered during our hands-on test. It was small, cramped and wouldn't respond well to our strokes, especially when we used two fingers to zoom in or out. Apple's Macbook touchpads are notoriously big which is why multi touch works so well on theirs.

(7) Nvidia Ion or AMD Neo
The Atom processor sometimes felt underwhelming and a tad slow especially when playing video from Youtube and streaming audio. So either Asus could use a dual core Atom processor like the older Atom 330 or switch altogether to another platform - like the AMD Neo - or use a third party graphics subsystem like the Nvidia ION.

(8) Power charger
The power adaptor that ships with the Seashell is a traditional albeit unsexy model. Asus could, like the Palm Pre's Induction charger, think outside the box. Why not integrate the transformer into the power plug and adopt a "vacuum cleaner" style rolling wire system to keep things tidy. Now THAT would be something unseen and would definitely differentiate the future Seashell from the rest of the competition, including Apple.

(9) microSD
MicroSD cards are becoming more and more prevalent and although all netbooks come with SD card readers, none can read MicroSD cards without a converter. Rather than having ONE microSD card reader, Asus could bundle TWO of them which would allow punters to boost up their performance using Windows's Readyboost. Windows 7 can use multiple flash drives for Readyboost.

(10) Accessories
Asus should provide more accessories with its Seashell. First impressions are very important, throw in a proper sleeve (which might cost £10), a good looking manual and appropriate software to be downloaded and Asus will have a perfect all rounder on its hands capable of producing Macbook Air gasps without the costs.

Did we miss out anything? Could there be anything else that Asus could do to improve the 1008HA? Linux OS or maybe a Nokia OVI like application store?