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Ever wonder what goes into making a Toughbook? These are not your typical notebooks so, as you probably guessed, they are not designed or built like that 15.4-inch boring book you are typing away on right now. I recently stopped by Panasonic’s Toughbook factory and design facility in Kobe, Japan and took some shots of the testing procedures. Read on to see what makes a Toughbook so tough.

Toughbook Y7

Before getting into the testing its worth mentioning that Panasonic’s notebooks come in three durability levels: fully-rugged, semi-rugged, and business-rugged. The durability level is determined by just how much punishment these systems can take while still operating. A fully-rugged machine, like the Toughbook 30, is designed to withstand more mistreatment than a semi-rugged machine, like the Toughbook 74, and testing has to be done to ensure this. Even Panasonic’s business-rugged notebooks, like the W7 and Y7, have to be able to take a drop or spill.

Incredibly, Panasonic claims a notebook return rate that is substantially lower than the industry average, which is generally put at about 20-22%, depending on whose numbers you trust. According to Panasonic their weighted average failure rate for Toughbooks is just 1.64%. They break this down to about 1% with the rugged models and about 4% on semi-rugged and business-rugged models.

Of course, models like the Toughbook 30 get put through tougher tests than the other products, such as this 360-degree shower using pressurized water:

The Toughbook 30 is designed so that is can be used in the rain and can stand up to a little bit more than some spilled soda. While the picture above is of actual Panasonic testing equipment in their factory, here is an impromptu test performed with the same model notebook:

One of the most important procedures for the Toughbooks is drop testing. Toughbooks are dropped on each face, edge, and corner a total of 26 times from a height of three feet using specially built machines. Here is an example of a Toughbook 30 dropped on its side and then successfully booting into Windows.

Other testing include altitude, humidity, temperature (extremes and shock), dust resistance, and all sorts of other things that might cause a notebook out in the field to fail. The most fun one of these to watch was the automated keyboard testing. Toughbook keyboards are built to handle 25 million keystrokes, so that have a custom rig to test that as well.

Here are a few CF-U1 UMPCs being tested in a test chamber. Units have to be able to withstand temperature extremes, but are also tested (in a different machine) for heat shock. This may seem strange, but in a real world circumstance this could happen if a worker was to go from outside on a hot day to inside a large commercial freezer to do inventory. The rapid change in temperature puts stress on the components so they test to make sure the notebooks can take it.

The result of all this testing, as well as Panasonic designing and building their own systems (rather than outsourcing these tasks like most companies do) is a product that Panasonic believes to be superior to the other notebooks on the market. By rigorously testing their products, designing them for real world usage, and factoring in lots of customer feedback to get from one generation to the next the Toughbooks represent something that is, if nothing else, significantly different from your typical notebook.

This is possible because they are less concerned about price than most manufacturers and they don’t have to worry about the fickleness of consumers or the retail market. That said, the heritage and reputation that the Toughbooks have built up over the years as well as the success they have had at trickling down their technology to the business-rugged models is definitely something that competitors, and buyers, should keep in mind. Their notebooks aren’t for everyone, but it’s nice to see a product that is meant to be moved around (as in, any notebook) be designed to take a drop or spill.

Edit- If for some reason your browser (probably IE) does not like the embedded videos above you can see them here (spill test), here (side drop test), and here (keyboard testing). It seems to be some sort of issue with the Vimeo code…

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The most highly awaited subnotebook (that is not from Asus or Dell) just arrived on our doorstep. That’s right, MSI’s Wind is here, complete with its 80GB 2.5-inch hard drive, 10-inch display, and Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor. Our test model runs Windows XP and uses the 3-cell battery.

The Wind U100 has only been in-house for about two hours so there has not been much time to play with it, but so far it’s been a pleasure to use. The keyboard is generously sized, the display looks quite nice, and everything works out of the box. The Atom processor has been moving along nicely, though it’s going to take some time to see how it compares to the competition.

One note I would make so far–when the Wind arrived it appeared that wireless networking did not work. This was the case even though the drivers were installed properly. There is no hardware switch so it was not immediately clear why no wireless signals were being recognized (there are at least 40 in the area), but after a few minutes I figured it out. In retrospect it seems obvious, but this might confuse some people: you have to hit Fn+F11 to enable/disable WiFi and Bluetooth. This is the function command that toggles your radio and it may or may not be turned off when your notebook arrives.

And now, what you came for, the pictures:

Wind next to Asus Eee PC 701

The included carrying case

Accessories kit

That’s it for the preview! Be on the look out for the full review which we will be getting up as soon as possible. There will be a close look at the Wind, new pictures, and some decisions about how it stacks up against the other devices in the field.

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I have a love/hate relationship with Apple products. Be it the iPhone and its Pros and Cons or my love for the MacBook, it seems that just like every other publication, as soon as Apple mentions a new product, we cover it. Sometimes I buy it, sometimes I slam it.

As for the MacBook, I initially got one so that I could go more portable, but after tricking it out it became my primary computer, both when mobile and when using it as a desktop replacement.

The above is the reason why my heart momentarily stopped earlier this week. I was preparing to take the MacBook on the road so I shut down a bunch of applications that were running as a just-in-case precaution. Then I put it to Sleep. Little did I know that it would never wake up. No matter what I tried, including holding the power button for an extended time, trying to boot the MacBook with the battery out and just the laptop plugged into the wall, resetting the PRAM, and just about anything else I could find on the internet, the MacBook just wouldn’t boot up. Instead, I was greeted with the power light and a quick flicker on the screen.

So, what could I do next? FIrst off, in every computer warranty repair case I’ve experienced, there was always a moment of frustration. My biggest concern would normally be data loss but thanks to Time Machine backing up my data every hour, it was the furthest thing from my mind. Instead, I was more concerned with when I could expect my MacBook to work again.

I build my own PCs and have repaired quite a few laptops, but for Apple-oriented repair my first instinct was to call Apple Tech Support. Since my MacBook is within its first year of life, they had me try the same techniques I had performed above, and when all else failed, offered to make me an appointment to see a Genius at the Apple Store. The other option was to have a courier come the next day to pick up my MacBook. I took them up on their offer for the Genius and went to see one at 3pm that day. What happens next is more like a commercial than a real life warranty repair scenario.

I arrive at 3pm and am greeted at the Apple Store. They see my MacBook in hand and ask if I have an appointment. I mention that I do and they tell me that they’ll “radio ahead to let them know I’m coming.” I can see the Genius Bar from where I’m standing but the “radio ahead” is an interesting idea. Then I get near the Genius Bar and a woman holding a MacBook Air says, “come with me, Joel”. Next, she brings me to the Genius Bar and informs the Genius that “Joel is here for his 3pm appointment”.

Meanwhile, the stroll from the front of the store to the back, where the Genius Bar is located, allows me to witness tons of Apple Store employees sitting calmly with potential buyers, explaining all of the built-in applications. Instead of frustration or confusion on the faces of the potential buyers (like I’ve seen countless times in retail environments), I see understanding. I also start to think about getting my wife a MacBook, which is odd considering I’m holding one that just failed after less than a year of use.

Moments after sitting at the Genius Bar, the Genius asks me some questions about what the laptop is doing. I explain and he immediately gets to work trying all of the things that I did. He’s calm and collected and doesn’t seem to want to make it known that he’s a “Genius”, again contrary to my experience in retail stores where the associate always tries to get me to go, “wow! you know a lot!”.

We chat a bit while he tries booting with different RAM, and even booting without the hard drive, and then he says, “ok, there’s only one thing left: the logic board”. He then says, “we’ll replace it here at the store”. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any in stock, but he assured me the replacement would come the next day and he’d get to work on it and probably have my MacBook back to me by end of week.

That was it. No commotion, no negotiation, just calm, cool, and confident. I felt reassured that my MacBook would come back soon and now I wait for its arrival. What I really do find most amazing is how I honestly felt like the Apple employees were just as upset as I was that my MacBook wasn’t working.

My good friend, Judie, over at Gear Diary had a similar Apple Store experience where she ended up walking out with a MacBook Air to tide her over while waiting for a new hard drive to be ordered and then inserted into her MacBook Pro. I walked out with nothing, but I was definitely tempted to buy not only a new MacBook for my wife, but also an Apple TV. I then managed to get out of the store before the happy Apple employees got a hold of me.

My previous laptop repair experience was with Toshiba and the laptop was out of warranty so they recommended I call two places, neither of which ever picked up the phone. In the end I bought the part (a keyboard) online and replaced it myself. I’m not your average laptop owner, though, and most people wouldn’t try their hand at laptop part replacement, so it was refreshing to see how Apple handled my computer’s meltdown.

I’m now typing this on one of the first Mac Minis to hit the streets. I decided to go this route instead of my Vista box since I was able to plug in my Time Machine drive and instantly restore some key files that I needed. So, backup was a success–good to know–and now I await the return of my MacBook.

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Last week we took a look at the new Das Keyboard, a high-end product outfitted with mechanical switches but one that was otherwise quite spartan. Given the $130 price, it may have seen like a rarity, but the SteelSeries 7G is actually a surprisingly similar product. Rather than being purely about the typing experience, SteelSeries focuses on gaming products, but the end result was a keyboard that is much more than it might appear to be.

The 7G looks a lot like any other plain black keyboard, including the one that was probably included with the computer you use at work. This is to say that is has you standard 104 or so keys, full number pad, and conservative design, but the SteelSeries also sells for about $120, so some things have to be different. That is the case, to a surprising extend given just how plain the 7G looks at first glance.

The most important feature of the 7G are its mechanical key switches. These bring an old-school keystroke to the keyboard.  They are rated for up to 50 million strokes, so they will last for an extremely long time, but they are no-click switches. This means that, unlike the Das Keyboard, the 7G’s keystrokes don’t have a distinct click to them, so they feel like an interesting combination of a membrane switch and a mechanical switch. This may not sound like a ringing endorsement, but they definitely grow on you as time goes on and are one of the keyboard’s biggest selling points.

The 7G may look like a standard, featureless keyboard, but it has a few surprises in store. The first are the connectors–rather than just USB there are USB, PS/2, headphone, and microphone connectors. The PS/2 is what actually connects the keyboard for typing input (a PS/2-USB converter is included), while the USB is used there for the two-port USB hub behind the Escape key. There are also two sounds jacks (microphone and audio) which simply relay the input on your computer to the rear of your keyboard, making them easier to reach. The cord is coated in a nylon-like material which is a nice touch, but it’s heavy and not particularly flexible so it can be a pain to work with, especially if you have something right up against the back of your keyboard. The good news is that it is quite long so you probably won’t be wishing you had bought a wireless keyboard as you try to reach the back of your computer. The use of PS/2 allows for more keys to be pressed at once than you could with a typical USB setup, in fact there is no limit to how many keys are recognized.

The design of the 7G is keyboard quite plain–they keyboard is all black with a very standard layout and the only hint of style are the white LEDs and SteelSeries logo at the top right. There are no extra keys present, but if you look closely you will see that the 7G does have media keys. These are double-mapped on the F1-F6 keys and what would be the left Windows key was made into a Function key in order to trigger the media functions. There is a Windows key, but it is placed between the right Alt and Ctrl buttons. Past that the 7G has a interestingly contoured back, maybe to save weight, and larger rubber feet, but it does not tilt.

If you are looking for ergonomic features, the 7G has one interesting offering, a large plastic palmrest that goes over the keyboard and just about doubles its size. this pieces gives you a large, sloping area to rest your hands and places your wrists at a slightly less harsh angle than they would normally be so it’s an interesting option, but it has no padding and can only help your ergonomic so much. Overall, the piece won’t transform the 7G into an ergonomic keyboard, but it helps if you don’t like having your wrists kept at a sharp angle over long periods of time.

When it comes to typing, the 7G uses a key layout that is predictable and easy to get used to, though there are a few sticking points. The first is that the backspace key is not double-sized, which is generally the norm at this point. This was the cause of the vast majority of my errors when typing with the 7G (it actually compounded the errors I was trying to fix). There is also a two-line return key which is in keeping with the old-school layout but is pretty much unnecessary at this point. The 7G is aimed at gaming though so minor issues with the key layout are generally not as big of an issue as they otherwise would be. Additionally, a lot of this comes down to personal preference.

The mechanical switches used in the 7G are the feature that has been pulling in the most attention. If you are looking for a super loud Model M clone, then you will be disappointed though. The 7G useless click-less switches which have a mechanical feel to them, but lack the loud click or the crisp downstroke point that many mechanical switches have. The 7G has a long downstroke that has a consistent feel from top to bottom and while it’s not silent, it’s quite different from something like the Das Keyboard Professional. Typing can be fast and consistent, but the keyboard often feels less than ideal and it is hard to say exactly why. Maybe it is because of the size of the backspace, maybe it is the long travel of the keys, but it took me longer to get used to the 7G than it normally would. Overall it’s nice to see SteelSeries’ take on the mechanical key switch, but the final product is not perfect. Some people will like the long, fast action of the keys, but more than anything I felt like I had to slow down and focus on each keystroke more than letting words flow out as quickly as possible.

The question that inevitably comes to mind when using the 7G is, what makes this a gaming keyboard? Of course some gamers appreciate mechanical keys and clean design, along with close placement of their mic/audio jacks, but is that it? One feature serious gamers will appreciate is the anti-ghosting which allows multiple keystrokes to be recognized at once. So if you are moving diagonally while crouching and shooting the keyboard won’t lock up and limit how many keys are recognized. Past that, the keyboard does not have special keys, customizable drives, advanced macro software, key remapping, an LCD display, or any of the other extras we have seen in gaming keyboards in the past.

Given the $120 or so that the SteelSeries 7G will end up costing it is not a product for everyone. If possible you’ll want to try this keyboard before you buy it over a gaming keyboard from Razer or Logitech, as the typing experience is quite different. You will be sacrificing a lot of features if you go with the 7G but you will get mechanical switches and a solid, well-built package. If what you want is something different and something barebones than it might be for you, but it won’t be the best choice for most buyers.

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AMD is coming off a strong couple of weeks thanks to the success of ATI’s 4800 series video cards. This won’t change much about the recent success (or lack thereof) of their processor line but it does give the company some much needed momentum.

Today AMD announced three new quad-core Phenom processors, the 2.6GHz Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition Processor (2.6GHz), and two energy efficient models, the Phenom X4 9350e and 9150e (at 2.0 and 1.8 GHz). The last two are 65W units designed to keep power demands to a minimum while the 9950 is an unlocked performance processor designed for gaming and multi-tasking. The three will sell for $235, $195, and $175 respectively.

Despite the 9950 being AMD’s new flagship it is still behind the performance of today’s processors from Intel. HotHardware had a chance to test out the 9950 and 9350 and put the 9950 about on par with Intel’s Core 2 Quad Q6600. While this is no particular victory, if you factor in the price it could be an attractive offering to some cost-conscious buyers.

As for the 9350e and 9150e, these are more interesting as we are seeing quad-cores drop below the $200 mark and there is also some price overlap with AMD’s triple-core offerings. What this comes down to is users who want that price point but will benefit from a higher clock speed can go with a triple-core while those who are running multi-threaded applications will want a quad-core. Running at 65W means they are perfect for HTPCs and other quiet or small applications. Conversely, the 140W (maximum rated TDP) 9950 sucks up serious amounts of power, even if it is AMD’s highest performance processor.

The former Black Edition processor, the 9850, will remained unlocked for the near future, but will eventually be locked again. No time frame announced for this, though we should we a price drop thanks to the 9950 taking the $235 spot. AMD’s full pricing sheet can be found on their site.

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The next chapter in the never-ending saga that has become the Eee PC, just might be the replacement of the Eee PC 901 with the so-called 904 and 905 models. According to the DigiTimes the 8.9-inch, Atom-power 901 will be replaced with 904 and 905, which will have the same 8.9-inch display, but use the chassis from the 1000, the 10-inch version. This would mean users get the larger keyboard found on the 1000 and 1000h but hopefully at a price closer to that of the 901. BlogEee has pictures in case you are curious.

While many users will be put off by the incremental growth of the Eee PC from the original 701 to the 10-inch product that we see with the 1000, this is certainly one of the ways Asus is trying to compete with more affordable offerings, like the MSI Wind (which comes in a 10-inch model) and the Acer Aspire One. Neither the 1000h or Wind are available in the US yet, but Laptop Mag has managed to score review units of each and even face them off against one another.

In another interesting turn of events, Linux Loop is reporting that Asus and Debian are working together on a project. There is nothing firm yet but a post on the Debian mailing list suggests that the two organizations are working together. There is already a DebianEeePC project, so it could just be building this out, not outright replacing Xandros, but anything could happen at this point. Ubuntu is based on Debian so this could open up a number of doors in the future, though it would definitely be a mistake to read too far into news like this given how early the talks seem to be.

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It used to be a bit of a hassle to add displays to a computer. The first one was a given, and with the right video card the second one was easy as well, but after that you had to get creative. There were ways to add additional video outputs, mainly using expansion slots, but these tended to be expensive, or enough trouble that most people that planned on expanded their setup stopped at two displays. Accessories were often an easier option, like Matrox’s DualHead2Go and while easy to use these solutions tended to be expensive and limited.

The extra display issue recently got a lot easier when it became possible to output a display signal through USB. At this point the technology is nothing new but it is still far from commonplace, despite its potential. This technology generally goes under the name of DisplayLink though Samsung calls their UbiSync and Asus uses EzLink. The point is that video is output through USB with no extra graphics cards required. Additionally the systems allow for the use of a number of displays to easily be added to the system, typically up to six (but this depends on a number of things, including what video is being processed).

While Samsung has been producing UbiSync displays for some time, Asus has just released their first DisplayLink product, the 22-inch VW223B. It will run at 1680×1050 (WSXGA+), with a brightness of 300 cd/㎡, a 3000:1 maximum contrast ratio, and a 5ms response time. The display has a three port USB slot built into it, which is not only a nice feature, but will allow users to daisy-chain extra displays from it instead of having to go back to the computer. Video connections include VGA and a USB input, which will serve as the primary connection in most cases. After this the USB slots on the side of the display can be used to get the signal to additional displays.

From a design standpoint the VW223B is rather sparse. It matches the lackluster spec sheet with a lack of adjustments, aside from tilt, and an exterior that is almost exclusively plastic. It is by no means a bad looking display, and the piano black finish can look quite nice if kept clean, but Asus kept things simple with the VW223B. The removable base is simply a circular piece that snaps into the rest of the monitor and while you do get a cable organizer, there is no height adjustment or spinning base for turning the display in place. The biggest feature that was left out was a DVI input, so the display only has VGA and USB available, making this an uncluttered product but one with limited versatility.

From a technical aspect things are a bit more confusing then they may seem. Because you don’t have a traditional video card in the situation the CPU is left to do a lot of the heavy lifting. This is one reason why there is a six display limit on a “typical” computer. The video that is sent over USB 2.0 is subject to a limit of 480Mbps but that is not the the main issue that has to be dealt with (as video is typically compressed) instead decompressing and processing the video is what’s important, and that’s where the display’s built-in DisplayLink technology steps in. Software is required to be installed on the computer so that it can work with the USB displays. According to Asus, Windows 2000/XP/Vista is required, but DisplayLink has beta drivers for OS X available on its website.

Installing the VW223B is a quick process that is as easy as inserting the included disc, installing the EzLink drivers, and then making the USB connection. You then will see the system adding the USB device as it happens with any new piece of hardware that gets connected to a USB slot, and finally you tell the computer where to add the display in relation to your existing monitor. The EzLink drivers allow for a number of different adjustments, including position, resolution, orientation, color depth, and so on. Only a single USB display was tested and it’s not totally clear how controlling the second or third (etc.) displays would be handled, but if it is as easy as the first then having to use DisplayLink to work with a number of displays would be quite painless.

One interesting point is that the USB monitor was not recognized until Windows was up and running. This means that you theoretically can use a USB monitor as your primary display, but only if you don’t mind missing the boot process and don’t have a Windows login. Anything that happens before the drivers are running will only be viewable through a monitor using VGA or DVI so most people will need at least one display running a conventional connection in order to log in, enter BIOS, and do other operations.

From a performance standpoint the VW223B is your standard 22-inch budget LCD. Image quality was good, but not amazing, putting the monitor on par with any number of solid, but affordable products in its class. The picture is more than acceptable, but it’s clear that the USB connection is what the VW223B is all about not image performance, features, or adjustability.

The most interesting aspect of the display’s operation is how using the USB output affects system performance. In one test that was conducted a video was displayed on the DVI output monitor and then on the VW223B (over USB). CPU usage shot up from 20-30% on the system up to 90-100% when over USB. The video ran in both scenarios without any problems, but it was considerably more taxing on the system when it was on the VW223B. So while you might be able to watch Flash videos on a few displays at once, you probably won’t be able to watch HD videos on multiple displays at the same time unless you have a really powerful system. The older test rig handled the single display fine, but any more than that could be an issue if you want to do anything taxing (desktop work should not be a problem). As far as gaming goes, you can pretty much count out USB as a solution–the processing that is needed, as well as technologies like OpenGL, can generally not be handled and a traditional video card really is necessary.

There is no doubt that connecting a monitor to your computer using USB is an option that is both cool and useful. From an ease of use perspective there is no comparing DisplayLink to more conventional solutions of adding displays. DisplayLink does have its disadvantages though, including a possible performance hit, especially when displaying video. The good news is that the Asus VW223B is currently selling for between $275 and $300 which means adding displays can be done at a reasonable price and the premium for the technology is just a few dollars.

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If you spend a significant amount of time on the computer there is a good chance that you are a keyboard fanatic. After all, it is quite easy to become picky about your main point of physical interaction with your computer. This is why we hear people still praising IBM’s Model M or spending over $100 to get the keyboard that is just right.

So far the people at Das Keyboard have put out two of the more interesting keyboards to come out in the last few years. The first, the Das Keyboard, was notable simply because its keys had no characters printed on them. The key action was good, but the membrane switch was unremarkable. Past the novelty of blank keys, there was not a whole lot to say about the original Das. Things got a lot more interesting the the release of the Das Keyboard II, which moved to mechanical key switches. The home keys (F and J) received deep scoops so they would be easy to locate, but the keyboard was fundamentally the same as before. The mechanical switches were a big hit though so despite being expensive the Das II was generally well received.

Now two new keyboards are on the way, the Das Keyboard Ultimate and Professional. Both feature the same revamped design, but Professional has one big difference to it: character markings. They keyboard still uses the gold-plated, mechanical Cherry key switches featured on the DK II but now also had a two-port USB hub built into the right side.

Overall the Ultimate and Professional (tested) have a sleeky, cleaner look than the old models, which very much resembled the utilitarian keyboards from Keytronic. The new Das models are hefty, quite solid, feature a glossy coating surround the keys, and have blue LED status indicators. A Das Keyboard logo is printed above the USB 2.0 hub on the top-left of the keyboard. The keyboard is tiltable but has no further ergonomic concessions and it is not backlit.

The Ultimate and Professional with work with any computer, so long as you have a spare USB slot and they require no special drivers or software. This is the case because it is simply a keyboard–there are no special functions or added media keys. You get 104 keys in a very standard layout, but nothing extra. The designed did include special features which keyboard junkies will appreciate, namely an extra long 6.6 foot USB cable and n-key rollover which allows the keyboard to recognize up to 12 simultaneous keystrokes.

The typing experience begins as soon as you remove the Das from its box. This when you will notice how heavy the keyboard is, which, along with extra larger rubber feet, gives it serious stability on your desktop. The keyboard itself is not particularly large compared to many of today’s media keyboards, though it does have a full number pad. Once you make the USB connection the keyboard is setup and ready to go.

We opted to test the Professional over the blank Ultimate. In the past I have liked using the Das Keyboards but the novelty of blank keys has quickly worn off and ended up returning to non-blank keyboards because they can be a hassle to use if you are constantly interrupting your typing (plus I tend to use ergonomic keyboards when working). I may lose geek street-cred for not going with the Ultimate, but it is still easy to type quickly on the Professional, thanks to a standard layout and well-spaced keys. The action of the keys feels very similar to that on the Das Keyboard II, which is to say the key stroke is clearly a mechanical one, with a obvious click point and a fast, loud action. It is the sort of satisfying experience of typical on an old mechanical keyboard, though the keys have a very light action to them, so very little downward force is required. This may turn off some potential buyers, but it makes for an easier experience when long stretches of typing.

The switches on the DK II were rated for up to 50 million strokes so assuming the switches on the new model are the same or at least similar the keyboard should be with you for a long time. This helps make the $129 price tag a bit easier to swallow, though the current price of $99 is more reasonable. Paying this much for a keyboard with limited extra functions and that is not wireless is going to make a lot of people hesitate, but if you are looking for a solid keyboard with mechanical switches than there are not many options. If you want these switches and for the keyboard to be blank, the Das is pretty much the only game in town.

Overall the Das Keyboard Professional is a nice evolutionary step forward from the DK II. The design was improved to something that does a better job of justifying its price and the keyboard looks a whole lot nicer. It is great to have a choice between printed characters and a blank set of keys as well, so now everyone can enjoy the mechanical key switches. The main hurdle is still going to be the price–$100+ for something with no extra functions (aside from the n-key rollover) and that is not even wireless can be a tough sell. Even so, the build quality is top notch and it’s a very cool keyboard that you won’t see very often. Just to get back to mechanical switches will be worth the price to many serious typists.

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If you’ve ever called tech support, especially at your company, and wondered what they were doing while you were complaining, this is a must-watch video. If you’ve ever been behind the scenes in a tech organization, this is a must-watch video. If you’ve ever … I think you get the point.

The creator of The Website is Down, Josh Weinberg, manages to perfectly capture both what’s happening behind the scenes and on the front line of a technical support call where the “sales guy” complains about the site being down to the “web dude”.

I won’t give away any of the plot but I do have to say that I’ve lived a number of pieces of this video–from both sides–in the past. It’s completely true to form and they really must have done their homework for this one.

Check out the video at thewebsiteisdown.com.

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Back in May we wrote about XP coming to the XO laptop. At the time there was only speculation about how it would truly operate. Earlier this week, our favorite analyst, Michael Gartenberg, posted a piece on his blog about the XO running XP. The most interesting thing about his post though, was that he actually posted it USING XP on the XO. According to Michael, XP is running off a 2GB SD card, with about a gig left over for storage. He says that it’s working well, though he doesn’t love the hardware.

Sounds like Microsoft has done a solid job of bringing XP to the XO.

We’ve had a lot of fun hacking and upgrading the XO in the past, but nothing would beat me being able to put XP on it. Maybe that will be an option in the future for those of us who own an XO?

Read more about Michael’s experience so far on his blog.

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