The 1008HA isn’t a MacBook–but it sure feels like one. We take a preview model of Asus’s newest Eee netbook for a quick spin and get a glimpse of other new Asus laptops on the way.

New laptops, netbooks…and hints of a competitor to iTunes? Asus has a lot up its sleeve these days, but let’s start with the netbook that some folks in the press circles are comparing to a MacBook: the Eee PC 1008HA.

It’s thin, sleek, and light. I had a chance to play with one, and I’ll tell you one thing: Asus may be spitting out more revisions of its netbook line than I can count, but at least its designers are continuing to look at ways to refine the machine. The proof is in this new $420 netbook.

Though I couldn’t steal the 1008HA away from its PR handlers to lock away in our labs, I did get a few minutes for a quick test-drive. So consider this a hands-on teaser of what’s in store for when the unit ships.