By now you’ve seen Apple’s Smart Cover, right? The mind blowing cover (don’t call it a case) pretty much stole the show during yesterday’s Apple iPad 2 press event, causing children to weep at the sight of our exploded bodies. Thing is, we’ve seen the design before. Oh sure, Apple improved upon it significantly, but there’s no mistaking its InCase Convertible Magazine Jacket heritage. See the two slug it out on video in a reverse KIRF cage match after the break.

Continue reading Apple iPad 2 Smart Cover vs. InCase Convertible Magazine Jacket… Fight!

Apple iPad 2 Smart Cover vs. InCase Convertible Magazine Jacket… Fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 08:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The big headlines about the dispute between Level 3 Communications and Comcast over the latter’s access charges may have subsided, but don’t let that fool you. Like so many telecom wars, this one has migrated to the antechambers of the Federal Communications Commission. There, both sides are battling over whether the feud comes under the FCC’s authority via its still-unofficial net neutrality rules.

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Man, B&N can’t get a break. David Pogue, the only tech writer who still likes to cuddle, hates him the Nook. The device is unresponsive, the color touchscreen is dumb, and those “million books” the Nook offers? Most of them err janky Google scans.

His bottom line?

To use the technical term, it’s slower than an anesthetized slug in winter.

E-readers will be hitting more and more homes in the coming year. Barnes & Noble could have waited on this device for a few months, released something better, and everyone would have been happy. My suspicion is that they were so scared of the Apple Tablet that they wanted to get something out the door. However, people have been saying this thing is basically a 0.1 product at best and should have never shipped.

We wouldn’t know because B&N’s PR team won’t get back to us. So we’ll just say the Nook eats it and read some books on the Kindle by the fireside.

I’m not about to knock myself out for noting the 800th iMac rumor of the past few weeks, so here’s the deal: people “close” to Apple now aren’t sure whether or not Blu-ray will wind up on the next iMac revision. Blu-ray may be on Mac Pros, and maybe then only as a build-to-order option, but that’s enough “maybes” to bore a slug.

Oh, also: maybe Apple will use Intel’s new Core i7 (Clarksfield) quad-core CPUs? I can’t name too many non-power user applications that even tap into a dual-core CPU, let alone a quad-core.

And now we wait for a new rumor tomorrow that will totally and completely contradict today’s. Sigh.

Oh, I’m also contractually obligated to use the phrase “bag of hurt” when doing an Apple+Blu-ray story. This complete my obligation.

By David Ponce

Kenny Irwin is an interesting artist who likes to use a microwave to create. In this case, he took an OLPC and straight out melted it. He then added some “mixed media” (looks like parrafin if you ask me) and turned it into a slug. It’s called the OLPCSlug. We’re not sure what it means, as art, or whether he’s trying to make some kind of statement, but there you have it. Kenny then decided to put it up on eBay to raise money for the OLPC Foundation. Thing is, he’s asking $26,001 for this, 80% of which will be given away. I’d like to point out that this is still a 5 figure number for a melted laptop. Is it worth it? Keep reading for a gallery and pictures, and a VERY trippy video of the making of the OLPCSlug.

[ eBay Auction Page ] VIA [ Engadget ]

Don’t expect every country in Europe to follow France in implementing a “three strikes” anti-piracy laws. A report called Digital Britain, which assess the UK’s preparedness to enter the digital era, will be published next week, and inside are methods that the UK could use to combat Internet piracy. One such method: slowing down the Internet connection of file-sharers so as to prevent them from effectively downloading illegal content. (Though, if my UK acquaintances are telling the truth, broadband in the UK is garbage to begin with. It’d be like telling a slug to slow down.)

Slowing people down is one option, rather than just cutting people off from the Internet altogether, which is something the EU doesn’t support. The Government there, now less a few Blairites, sees Internet access as being as important as something like running water.

Also in the report: a demand that ISPs cooperate when copyright infringement is found. You know, sending letters to customers saying, “Yeah, we found out that you were downloading Premier League games, and now the FA and Sky Sports are breathing down our necks. Knock it off.”

Of course, that’ll open up ISPs to all sorts of nastiness. “If they can catch people downloading episodes of “Lost,” why can’t they spot people who are looking at terrorism sites, teasing Gordon Brown, etc.?”

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