Filed under: Laptops

Okay, this is pretty much for the crazy keyboard aficionados out there, but the crew over at Laptop says there’s a distinct difference between the keyboards on the black and white Eee PC laptops. They compared the ‘boards on a white 701, black 4G Surf, and white 900, and while the two white Eees had identical keys, the black unit featured different switches with deeper keypresses and more tactile feedback, smaller spaces between the keys, and rougher plastic. (Of course, if you actually use any keyboard for long enough, the plastic eventually wears smooth, so that’s probably not an issue.) We doubt the difference is going to really sway anyone’s purchasing decision — the tiny Eee keyboard isn’t exactly ideal for hardcore typists, after all — but if you’re looking for a tiebreaker between the black and white 700s, well, now you have one that will bore the pants off people at parties.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

This little bundle of plain-vanilla familiarity is seemingly the first live picture of Palm’s upcoming Treo 800w for CDMA networks, known internally as the Zeppelin — you know, the obsolete airships that had a tendency to spontaneously combust. Specs on this one are starting to shore up, with Windows Mobile 6.1, EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, a 320 x 320 touchscreen (still novel by classic WinMo standards) and a typical Treo look and feel that doesn’t diverge terribly much from Palm’s tried, true, and well-worn formula. Sprint’s looking solid to pick it up come late July, but with those HTCs around the corner, just how much love at the register is this thing gonna get?

[Via PHONE Magazine]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fseriouslyomg.com%2F%3Fp%3D8203′;
addthis_title = ‘Update+on+Moonlight+campaigns%21%21%21′;
addthis_pub = ”;

Filed under: Storage

We’ve had a little love affair going on with storage vendor Mtron ever since we saw that “battleship” SSD RAID array, and it looks like the company is after our hearts once again, this time with the Pro 7500 series of SSDs, which it says are the fastest around. That’s really only half-true — while the 120MB/s write speed is definitely the fastest we’ve seen, the 130MB/s read speed is the same those Greenhouse’s DH-SSDGD drives we just saw a couple days ago. Still, that’s mighty fast — too bad these are probably going to be priced into the stratosphere like Mtron’s other SSDs.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fseriouslyomg.com%2F%3Fp%3D8202′;
addthis_title = ‘Chuck+Lorre%27s+Vanity+Card+about+his+Vanity+Cards%21′;
addthis_pub = ”;

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Chicago residents are no strangers to the city’s many CCTV cameras by this point — if anyone knows exactly how long to stop at Roosevelt and State to avoid the red-light cam there, you let us know, okay? — but it looks like this summer is going to bring a new twist to the city’s surveillance racket: automated camera monitoring. Video from the several thousand cameras in Chicago’s Operation Virtual Shield project currently comes into the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication’s ops center, but starting this summer, it’ll also be watched by an IBM-developed autonomous system that can be programmed to watch for specific activities or objects, like certain cars or unattended backpacks. Since the video is stored on a 60TB storage array for 30 days, law enforcement can also do retroactive searches using the tech. That’s a huge step up from San Francisco’s useless CCTV system, sure, but we’ve never really believed any of this stuff is actually effective at deterring crime — hopefully we’ll be proven wrong. Check out the the full news vid at the read link.

[Via Boing Boing]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Laptops

It’s been a controversial decision, but it looks like the OLPC XO has completed its transition from revolutionary education project to just another tiny Windows laptop with a useless keyboard — albeit one with a pleasantly whimsical design. Yep, it’s official: Microsoft and OLPC just put out a joint press release saying that XP-loaded XOs will be available starting in August or September, with some countries to get the machines as soon as next month. Users will get all the regular functionality of XP — it’s basically the same build as on the Eee and other ultraportables — but Microsoft’s spent over a year developing specialized drivers for the XO’s various features like e-book mode, the writing pad, and camera. (We’re pretty certain that doesn’t include mesh networking, but WiFi is supported.) XP is too big for the built-in 1GB flash chip, so it’ll come preloaded on a 2GB SD card, leaving just about 1.5GB free total for apps and media. It seems like Microsoft is thrilled about this partnership, but it’s a not going to make NickNeg’s search for new vision at the top any easier. As for Sugar? You’ll still be able to get it, but we have a sinking feeling about its future. Demo video after the break.

Continue reading OLPC XO officially gets Windows XP, children of the world to be assimilated

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Wireless

In a press release today, Sprint and Samsung “declared” that mobile WiMAX technology is “now ready for commercial service.” Sounds exciting right? Well, it’s kind of like saying that a car is “ready to drive” — you still can’t do much without the keys and a road. Since Sprint has seen recent delays, litigation, and various other forms of badness, this does kind of come off as an empty PR move. Nevertheless, they want to let everyone know that XOHM has “met Sprint’s rigorous commercial acceptance criteria including overall performance, handoff performance and handoff delay.” Honestly, we hope it gets off the ground soon — we’ve got a pile of WiMAX N810’s here we need to fire up.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Johnny Depp’s girlfriend, Vanessa Paradis, will become the new face of Miu Miu. Bosses at the Prada fashion house, who own the Miu Miu brand,

Read more!

Filed under: Ask Engadget, Laptops

We know, the vast majority of you either graduated or got past one more wave of exams this past week, but there’s no better time to buy a lappie for school than when you actually have time to enjoy it, right?

“I’m looking to buy a laptop before I head off to college in a few months. I know there’s too many choices out there in each category to ask for specific recommendations, but I’m wondering how current students feel about their machines. Is a subnote potent enough for university use? Is an ultraportable a better alternative? Or should I get a full-blown 15- to 17-incher as an all-purpose rig? My future GPA is hinging on your responses.”

Let’s hear it, bookworms. Is that CloudBook / Eee / 2133 Mini-Note treating you alright? Or would this poor freshman-to-be be better off with something larger? Toss out your opinions below — friends don’t let friends buy the wrong computer. If you’d like our readers to study a question of yours, send us an inquiry at ask at engadget dawt com, capiche?

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rockers Everclear are to perform for 6,000 U.S. troops and their families at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba on Memorial Day.

Read more!

Carly Simon refuses to dwell on the cancer battle that cost her her a breast a decade ago, insisting it had served its purpose. The philosophical singer/songwriter won her cancer fight but lost her left breast -

Read more!

Madonna has leaped to the defense of troubled pop star Britney Spears, claiming she is struggling to cope with adulthood because she was never given the chance to grow up.

Read more!

Kim Kardashian recently updated her blog with bikini pics of herself and sister Kourtney. If I didn’t write this site, I’d say that makes Kim Kardashian’s blog the most goddamn awesome blog on the Internet*. I’m also not saying it because I’m baffled by Kim’s impromptu shower with a sarong around her waist. What kind of wicked secret is she hiding under that thing? Wait, I got it! LEGOs. Boom! Case closed. Now to solve the mystery of how drunk I’m going to get. (Hint: Lots.)

UPDATE: Added the seriously, like for real Kardashian sisters’ PSA for Burma after the jump. Nothing like the irony of Armenians making light of a national tragedy. HA! You can’t make that shit up. Anyway, enjoy the video before YouTube pulls it again.

*Not counting Bob Cesca’s Goddamn Awesome Blog which, with a title like that, I gotta ask: Where’re the boobs, Bob? Where - are the boobs?

Kim Kardashian recently updated her blog with bikini pics of herself and sister Kourtney. If I didn’t write this site, I’d say that makes Kim Kardashian’s blog the most goddamn awesome blog on the Internet*. I’m also not saying it because I’m baffled by Kim’s impromptu shower with a sarong around her waist. What kind of wicked secret is she hiding under that thing? Wait, I got it! LEGOs. Boom! Case closed. Now to solve the mystery of how drunk I’m going to get. (Hint: Lots.)

*Not counting Bob Cesca’s Goddamn Awesome Blog which, with a title like that, I gotta ask: Where’re the boobs, Bob? Where - are the boobs?

Rapper Ice-T is set for an unusual collaboration next month - when he hits the stage for a unique performance with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The hip-hop star will grace the stage at Indiana’s Hilbert Circle Theatre

Read more!

Country star Shania Twain and her music producer husband Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange have filed for divorce. The Canadian singer, 42, and music mogul Lange, 59, married in 1993 and share one child together.

Read more!

Hollywood couple Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson have put an end to rumors of their engagement after ending their on-off relationship, according to reports.

Read more!

Farrah Fawcett has forgiven the hospital worker accused of selling her confidential medical details to the media, insisting she’s just a “pawn” in the system.

Read more!

Bai Ling is chilling in Hawaii this week and also did the Lord’s work by partaking in several bikini shoots. This time around, she managed to keep her nipples fully secured. (Or did she??) Anyway, I’ll let you guys marvel at these while I prepare my last post of the day which’ll make it a Superficial Bikini Trifecta . You guys will love who’s coming up next. Or hate her and get into a giant flame war. Ha, you kids!