The $100 laptop is almost done and it's WAY cool! (but it's up to $188)

This is probably the best review of the XO laptop (often called the "$100 Laptop") I've ever seen. This is a very cool machine and should start manufacturing this fall. Unfortunately, it wasn't designed for US sales, but once the demand gets up there I can see it (or something similar) being offered for sale. We have similar type items in the US but not as advanced and for more than double the price.

With a (tablet-like) twist screen it's pretty need at how it folds over. And the screen has two modes: bright color and high contrast B & W for outside viewing. It had an SD slot and three USB ports, ethernet, wireless (with the mesh network), web-cam for collaboration, works as a gaming device or sideways as an eBook reader. They had to remove the built in charging crank which is a problem if you're in a really remote area. I'm sure separate chargers raise the price)?).

The software running on the XO is just as compelling as its hardware. The Red Hat Fedora Linux-based Sugar operating system is fairly basic, and we got comfortable using it within a few minutes. The home screen displays the XO logo within a circle, and the surrounding circle fills up with running programs. At the bottom of the screen, you'll find the Start Menu and system application icons, including Paint, Write, Chat, and RSS. - Laptop Magazine

I can see something like this really changing computing for a 1 to 1 ratio. This is all really most people want, e-mail, web, portability (3.5 pounds) and a 10 to 1 charging ratio. The high contrast for reading an e-book will (IMHO) give them something they don't think they want (lots of text on the go). Add some bluetooth to get on-line on my phone and I'm in. And it runs Red Hat Linux for an OS. I want one of these puppies more than an iPhone.

Technorati Tags: $100 laptop, $188 laptop, pizza, puppy, XO laptop

Brandi Carlile - Turpentine - Music Video

Brandi Carlile's new video for Turpentine is out.

If you can't see it embedded above click here to play Turpentine or to see the lyrics. This song always makes me a little sad, I'm not sure if it's the music, the words or both...

Less than a month to see her at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit, MI (Oct. 14, 2007). Opening is A Fine Frenzy and I've been playing One Cell In the Sea over & over so I'm more than ready. If you're going to be at the concert (and tickets are available) let me know...

Is it proper to say "their CD" when I just purchased the tracks from the iTunes store and listen on my iPod or Treo?

Technorati Tags: A Fine Frenzy, Brandi Carlile, concert, Detroit, Saint Andrews Hall, St. Andrews Hall

Student Removed From Kerry Speech - Tasered After Resisting

So I'm sure many of you know about the student at the Kerry Forum at the University of Florida (here's one of many videos available). What I don't seem to understand is why everyone is upset that they tasered him for what he was speaking about. From what I saw, they made him leave for not giving up the mic (which was cut off) and possibly what he was speaking about (and the audience applauded for them making him leave). What they tasered him for was for fighting as they were trying to escort him out. There were four or five police trying to get him to leave and he clearly wasn't leaving. To me, it looked as if he wanted a scene or had some kind of mental instability.

Am I missing something?!? I'm not saying the tasering was or was not excessive, but let's be clear as to why they zapped him, it wasn't for his words (I can't imagine the zappers were even listening that close) it was for resisting to leave. I will agree the extra zaps were probably too much (it sounded like a few), especially if cuffed already, but it didn't really slow him down so I can't imagine it set as a regular taser (it never took Veronica Mars more than one zap to get someone in line). I generally don't mess with the law, but I do know you don't mess with security / police / secret service when it deals with senators / presidential candidates and when a bunch of people are escorting you out the building, you're probably going to lose if you fight with them about it.

From this Blog from the Washington Post I get the feeling this student was familiar with the local police.

Here's a local Miami news survey and 44% (of over 18,000 votes) say he deserved it, cast your vote! The results really surprised me...

Random extra thoughts:

It didn't even seem like he was listening to Kerry when he was talking to him.

When he was screaming "don't taser me", I have to assume they were threatening to taser him if he didn't calm down. Otherwise why scream it?

It's possible I'm mistaken and the audience was applauding him just for making the scene, but I don't think they applauded until he was being escorted out. I don't think he was considered to be under arrest until he was actually resisting leaving, I don't think they arrested him for his words.

Watch some of the longer versions of the video that show after they get him out of the room and down the stairs (about 2 minutes in). He keeps acting like the "inciting a riot" charge was due to the talking and not the resisting to leave. He wouldn't give them his name, or ID and acted like they were "going to give him [me] to the government". It's all cRaZy talk at the end.

He has his own web site at theandrewmeyer.com , please note his e-mail address if you visit.

The Bloggerheads do a lot of looking at the different angles and timelines.

Technorati Tags: Andrew Meyer, Don't tase me, don't taser me bro, John Kerry, student, taser, Tasering, University of Florida, Vote, WPLG