it all started by OLPC (laptop.org).
then, the issue that OLPC will have MS Windows in it.
then, MS said they're working on cheap laptop with via processor. (not Intel!)
then, Intel said they're working on cheap laptop with Linux inside! (not Windows!)
- http://blogs.zdnet.com/topic/OLPC.html
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6723741.stm
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6675833.stm
- http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?scope=all&edition=i&q=cheap+laptop&go.x=0&go.y=0&go=go
- http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=4938
- http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2170209/microsoft-looking-windows-olpc
- http://lxer.com/module/newswire/viewby.php?filter=81
- http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070502-olpc-project-clarifies-no-plans-for-windows-support.html
- http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/05/microsoft-attempting-to-stuff-windows-onto-the-olpc/
- http://www.engadget.com/tag/olpc/
- http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070627-microsoft-testing-pc-sales-in-india.html
may wintel conspiracy ends. (see also hype or else )
may the war begins.
may the war bring cheap laptop for everyone.
Engadget on Via Nanobook
VIA unveils OpenBook subnotebook reference design
Tue, 27 May 2008 07:14:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops

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Everex's CloudBook arrives in Japan with touchscreen, Bluetooth
Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:40:00 EST
[Via Impress] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Everex's Cloudbook postponed for "tweaks"
Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:02:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
Remember how we told you Everex's little gOS-sporting Cloudbook was headed to Wal-Mart this month (today, to be specific)? Well hold your check book, friend-o -- they ain't done with it. According to the company's director of marketing, Paul Kim, the system requires, "A couple of last minute software tweaks," before it's ready for prime-time. There's no word on when it will make an appearance, though we're inclined to think this won't be a major delay... but you never know. Should shipments alight, we'll be the first to share the good news. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsMaxdata Belinea s.book 1 Mini-Note powered by Via C7-M
Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:11:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
German hardware outfit Maxdata have converted Via's simply named NanoBook prototype into the awkwardly named Belinea s.book 1 Mini-Note, powered by Via's miserly 1.2 GHz C7-M processor. But just because it's short on electricity (and branding smarts) doesn't mean it's totally watered down: you've got an 840x480 screen, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, and a DVI port all prettied up in a 2.2-lb., €629 ($924) piece of kit measuring a svelte 9-inches by 6.75-inches by 1.16-inches. But that's not the best part: we're still digging that detachable Skype handset. Hey, 1995 called. It wants its mobile phone design back.[Via The Inquirer]
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Everex's Cloudbook coming to Wal-Mart by month's end
Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:30:00 EST
Hands-on with the Packard Bell EasyNote XS / Nanobook
Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:37:00 EST

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Everex's Nanobook becomes the Cloudbook, gets gOS
Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:16:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
While we haven't heard much more about the gOS laptop with the $300 price tag, word is that Everex will be equipping another portable model -- the 7-inch, VIA-based, ultra-portable Nanobook -- with a $400 MSRP and its Google-themed Linux OS. The device -- apparently being referred to as the "Cloudbook" -- is rumored to be launching at the CES in January, and will become available to the public the following week. Specs include a VIA C7 ULV 1.2GHz CPU, a 30GB hard drive, 512MB of RAM, WiFi, a card reader, two USB ports, and a DVI out. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but there seems to be ample information supporting the rumors. Just give us multiple colors, an SSD, and tell us where exactly the trackpad is and we could be in serious like.[Via jkkmobile] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Everex's CE260 / CE261 ultra-portable tracking for Q1 release
Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:43:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
Remember that other ultra-portable announced during the month of the Eee Pc and Palm Foleo? Right, the 7-inch Via / FIC (parental unit to Everex) collaboration first shown as the NanoBook reference design or CE260 / CE261 when touted by FIC. Having already cleared the FCC, FIC is saying that US and European shipments of the VIA C7-M device will begin in Q1 of 2008 and will include either Windows XP or Linux preloads on that 1.8-inch 30GB disk. It's supposed to be priced similar to the Eee PC which has carved a nice little niche for itself in the ultra-portable market. With any luck, it'll show up at Wal-Mart with a sub-$300 price tag sporting Everex's lovely new gOS.
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FIC's CE260 and 261 UMPCs get the FCC treatment
Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:31:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
We'd heard that Everex / FIC was going to be the Stateside OEM for VIA's NanoBook, and it looks like that hunch was right on the money -- two NanoBook variations, the CE260 and 261, have just shown up the FCC's all-seeing database with FIC branding. Nothing revolutionary in the docs -- and no word on what's to come for that expansion bay -- but we've always liked the NanoBook's design, and we're stoked to see it finally hit the US. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsiDOT shows off two more variants of VIA's NanoBook
Fri, 08 Jun 2007 07:32:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops

Read - iDOT UMPC CE260
Read - iDOT UMPC CE261 Permalink | Email this | Comments
Engadget on Asus Eee
ASUS kicks out four new XP-based Eee PCs for Taiwan
Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:37:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops

[Via Slash Gear]
ASUS Eee Box B202 detailed and tested on video
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:23:00 EST
Filed under: Desktops
It's one thing to see a device unboxed in pictures, but we all know a video tells a million (give or take a few) words. HotHardware's Dave Altavilla has posted up a sub-5 minute clip detailing the ins and outs of ASUS' Eee Box B202, and even from an enthusiast of all things cutting-edge, he was pretty impressed by the Atom-powered machine. The most interesting bit is probably the video playback test; we won't spoil how it handled (or mishandled) 1080p playback for you -- jump on past the break and have a look for yourself.Continue reading ASUS Eee Box B202 detailed and tested on video
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsASUS launches Eee Storage, takes your Eee PC to the cloud... kind of
Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:23:00 EST
ASUS gets official with Eee Stick
Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:59:00 EST
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

[Via Shiny Shiny]
ASUS Eee PC 900A specs leak out, reason for existence still a mystery
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:44:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
We're not even going to pretend to know what's going on with whoever's in charge of approving Eee models at ASUS, but maybe they just like rubber-stamping things, because that's really the only thing that explains the Eee 900A. The newest member of the overflowing Eee family, the 900A continues the mix-and-match product development trend -- it's basically a 901 in the case of 900, but with a crappier webcam (.3 megapixels) and no Bluetooth. Yep, same 1.6GHz Atom proc, 1GB of RAM and 8 or 16GB SSD as the 901, just in the case of the 900. Why would anyone want to spend €299 ($465) on this? Totally unclear -- just like the entire Eee PC lineup.[Via jkkmobile] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video: SSD-infused Eee PC 1000 boots in 30 seconds
Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:06:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
Even with Express Gate installed, it took ASUS' Eee Box a good 35 seconds before an application could be used. On this particular Eee PC 1000, it took around half a minute for the entire system to load. The secret? An ultra-speedy 40GB SSD packed within. Hop on past the break for proof of the feat, but don't blink for an extraordinarily long period of time.[Thanks, Roman]
Continue reading Video: SSD-infused Eee PC 1000 boots in 30 seconds
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsNew images point at Atom-based ASUS Eee PC 900A
Sun, 03 Aug 2008 04:17:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
Whoa, wait a second. Is ASUS about to plop another Eee PC onto the totally numb-to-this-brand public? As confident as we are that ASUS wouldn't dare hesitate to dilute its once meaningful Eee moniker even further, we're still taking this with a morsel or two of salt for now. Spotted on French site Blogeee, a host of new images depict the Eee PC 900 (with a design occasionally preferred over the 901) with an "A" bringing up the rear. It doesn't take an Intel engineer to guess what that might mean, now does it?[Via thegadgetsite, thanks K.C.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
ASUS Eee Box gets... unboxed!
Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:18:00 EST
Filed under: Desktops

[Thanks, Geller]
ASUS loops all the way around with the Eee PC 701SD
Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:42:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops

Keepin' it real fake, part CXXVI: Jointech's $99 JL7100 rips Eee PC in spectacular fashion
Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:46:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
The Kira 100 was a decent Eee PC knockoff, but at just north of $475, there was literally no purpose in picking it over the genuine product. The Jointech JL7100, however, really makes ASUS' darling look mighty unnecessary. Okay, so maybe the fact that this thing relies on WinCE 5.0 rather than, you know, a bona fide laptop operating system is a bit disappointing, but there are sacrifices to be expected here. As for other specifications, you'll supposedly find a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, Samsung chipset, 64MB (yes, megabytes) of internal storage, 64MB (yes, megabytes) of RAM, a VGA output and three USB ports. We can hear your stifled laughter from here, but your tune may change upon hearing the $99 (USD?) price tag. Told you so.[Thanks, Sean] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Engadget on Intel Classmate
Intel shows off next-gen, convertible Classmate PC
Date Published:
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Filed under: Laptops

Update: Check out a video from Intel after the break, and even more pics at jkkmobile.
Continue reading Intel shows off next-gen, convertible Classmate PC
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Portugal signs up for 500,000 Intel Classmate laptops
Date Published:
Description:
Looks like Intel's clearing out all its Classmate inventory in preparation for that new model -- it just inked a deal with Portugal for 500,000 of the chubby gray laptops. The Classmates will be manufactured in Portugal as part of the deal, and the final subsidized cost to students will vary based on each family's income, with a max of €50 ($78). Kids should be getting their new machines at the start of the new school year, so it looks like things should be moving along quickly here.
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Daewoo Lucoms hops in low-cost laptop game with Lukid
Date Published:
Description:
Filed under: Laptops
Daewoo Lucoms is no stranger to building smallish computers, but it seems to have taken a few obvious design cues from Intel's 2go PC when crafting its own Lukid. According to the firm's site, this kid-friendly PC includes a 900MHz Celeron M ULV processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, a 9-inch display, 30GB hard drive and Windows XP Home Edition. There's also two USB jacks, audio in / out, WiFi, Ethernet and a rather unsightly (though quite useful, we imagine) carry handle. Expect this one to land in South Korea for around ₩549,000 ($531), though we haven't heard a peep in regard to availability elsewhere in the world.[Via AVING] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Mobo gets rebadge happy with two new low-cost subnotes for Brazil
Date Published:
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Filed under: Laptops
[Via Zumo Blog, thanks Leoberto]
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Windows XP to live until 2010... on the Eee
Date Published:
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Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
We puzzled over Microsoft's cryptic statements at CeBIT that the Eee's "other requirements" would lead to an adjustment of the Windows 7 timeline, and it looks like our first guess was spot-on: Microsoft will be making Windows XP available for Eee-class ultraportables until 2010, and possibly later. Demand for XP on devices like the Eee and Intel's Classmate machines has prompted MS to reconsider axing XP entirely this June: the company will now sell XP Home through at least June 2010, and for one year after the release of Windows 7 -- which means sales of XP could stretch into 2012. There's no word on if the build of XP Home targeted at the ultraportable laptop set will be different from regular XP builds, but we doubt there'll be many changes -- it'll be awfully sad if people are still clamoring for XP more than a decade after its initial release, though.[Thanks, JP] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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$50 Teachermate PC launched by Chicago nonprofit
Date Published:
Description:
Filed under: Handhelds
As you've probably figured out from all the OLPC XO and Intel Classmate news we've hit, computers aimed at students are a pretty hot topic these days. A Chicago-based nonprofit called Innovations for Learning has joined the fray with a new $50 entry dubbed the Teachermate. The small PCs come equipped with a 2.5-inch LCD display, 512MB of RAM, an SD slot, and built-in microphone and speaker. The systems are being rolled out to a whopping 500 Chicago elementary schools over the next two years, with the aim of having a unit in the hands of every child. The kid-friendly computers will come with a special case that allows charging and data-sync of 30 units at a time, allowing teachers to collect score-data quickly. If you absolutely must have one, it looks like they're going to commercially available on Amazon, so you will be able to add it to your collection. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsTags:
Forget the OLPC XO: India working on $10 laptop
Date Published:
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Filed under: Laptops
While Nick Negroponte and the crew over at OLPC struggle to offer the XO for its original target of $100 (it now costs around $175, before factoring in support costs), India's Ministry of Human Resource Development is planning to completely leapfrog three-digit price tags with a machine that is already spec'ed at $47 and may cost only ten bucks when manufactured in bulk. With two potential designs having already been submitted by a researcher and engineering student (neither of which is pictured above) and a critical meeting scheduled for later this month, the "TDL" project seems to be well underway, and officials hope to have a product out the door within two years. India's plans for uber-cheap hardware come almost a year after the country rejected the XO as "pedagogically suspect," and several months after yet another competitor in this space -- Intel's Classmate -- was loosed on Brazil. And so the race to charge absolutely nothing for computers continues unabated, foretelling a day in the not-too-distant future when we'll be churning through PCs like daily-wear contacts.
[Via Slashdot]
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Classmate PC swallows OLPC: won't somebody please think of the children?!
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Engadget on OLPC
Windows XP tested on the OLPC XO, as slow as you'd expect
Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:37:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
Here's the surprise of the century: Windows XP runs excruciatingly slowly on the OLPC XO. We're shocked, simply shocked. The folks at Laptop Mag got to kick the tires on this fruit of the XO and Microsoft partnership, and while to their credit they've manage to build a computer that works and runs real-world applications, it's not a pretty sight. Sure, most of the hardware is (or will be) supported just fine, though Sugar's mesh networking is absent, but boot time off of the 4GB SD card is 1 minute and 24 seconds, and once booted into XP you don't have access to the data on the XO's 1GB of internal storage. Internet Explorer 6 took a mere 5 seconds to start, but Word 2003 takes 42 seconds of thumb twiddling. Even more disconcerting is that the system is pretty much locked to running one app at a time, since things just get too sluggish after that. The upshot of this is that the OLPC folks are considering a new edition of the original machine with more RAM and a new processor, but we certainly feel sorry for kids to who this existing machine will be their first taste of computing. Well, only a little bit. Back in our day... Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBender goes bipolar: OLPC's Sugar UI tweaked for Intel's Classmate PC
Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:40:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
We know he's just thinking about the children but damn, if Walter Bender's latest move doesn't smack of retribution for Negroponte's XP-lust. Having successfully spun himself out from under NickNeg's OLPC, Bender's UI now owned by his non-profit Sugar Labs might just end up on Intel's Classmate PC. Right, the same competing platform the OLPC camp had lambasted, repeatedly, for its "shameless" and "half-hearted" behavior in the educational marketplace. Nevertheless, Bender is quoted in an interview saying, "A community volunteer is working with Intel on Sugar for the Classmate PC. Sugar Labs helped to expedite the relationship." We assume Bender's loftier goals act as a lithium-salve to what must be a palpable internal turmoil.P.S. That's our mockup, Intel declined to comment on the usage of Sugar. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
OLPC XO-2 to include multitouch and possibly haptic screen from PixelQi
Tue, 27 May 2008 19:42:00 EST
Filed under: Displays, Laptops
PixelQi, an OLPC project spin-off headed by Mary Lou Jepsen, certainly has its work cut out for it with the OLPC XO-2, due in 2010. Not only is the laptop supposed to support dual touchscreens and consume a mere 1 watt of power, but Mary Lou is also promising better readability, multitouch, and potentially even pen usage and haptic feedback. Interestingly, the projected price for the laptop is $75, which is exactly the pricepoint PixelQi claimed to be working on when it split from the foundation. She remains coy on which OS the new laptop will favor, merely stating: "The display can use whatever software OLPC chooses." As for partners outside of OLPC, Mary Lou won't name names, but she says PixelQi is "working with large, tier-one laptop, cell phones, and e-book makers." Forget 2010, give us a full color e-book tablet by the end of the year and we'll forget all this XO nonsense entirely. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSugar Labs already in talks with four laptop makers
Fri, 23 May 2008 08:16:00 EST
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops
Walter Bender might be disappointed in the OLPC's defection to Windows XP, but the former head of Sugar OS development isn't sitting still: he's already founded Sugar Labs, and early word is that he's in preliminary discussions with four ultra-low-cost laptop makers to ship the kid-friendly operating system on their machines soon. Bender's already said he's interested in working with Intel and Pixel Qi, and he's mentioned ASUS in passing, but no names are being confirmed, so we'll see where this leads -- Bender seems pretty driven to get Sugar out there.[Via CNET] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
OLPC unveils first prototype of XO 2.0
Tue, 20 May 2008 12:27:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
Just when it looked like OLPC was finally getting at least one foot firmly grounded in reality with the upcoming Windows XP version of its low-priced XO, Nick Neg takes things back into the stratosphere with the unveiling of the XO 2.0. Due in 2010, the new laptop will employ dual sunlight-readable touchscreen displays in a smaller, folding e-book form factor. Sure, it looks totally amazing, but we'll believe it when we see it. As if that weren't ambitious enough, Nick calls a $20 pricepoint per display not out of the question, thanks to the ubiquity of LCD screens for DVD players, with a final laptop price of $75. Sure Nick, but 2010? Let's work on getting the XO down to $100 first, shall we? Oh, and speaking of the XO, the Give 1 Get 1 program will be started back up in August or September of this year. There's just never a dull moment with these folks. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsDisplaced by XP, Sugar Labs goes it alone
Fri, 16 May 2008 09:47:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
While OLPC tries to wise up to the real demands of the market and build a cheap laptop that people actually want -- which means Windows XP for most -- Walter Bender, OLPC's former president of software and content for the project is taking his open source Linux-based Sugar OS and has started up a new non-profit to aid its development. Bender still has the vision of an open source learning OS, and plans to give Sugar full support for other low-cost platforms like the Eee PC. Ooh, burn. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOLPC XO officially gets Windows XP, children of the world to be assimilated
Thu, 15 May 2008 20:02:00 EST
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 | CommentsOLPC reshuffles, gets new president and COO
Sat, 03 May 2008 20:23:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
There's been a rash of defections at OLPC lately, with NickNeg himself looking to leave soon, so it's nice to hear that the charitable endeavor is filling in the vacancies. Only it's not, really. Although Negroponte has said that's he looking for someone "similar to Kofi Annan" to lead the project, it looks like he's just shuffling people around, instead promoting part-time CFO Charles Kane to President and COO. Negroponte is going to focus on fund-raising and promotion, while Kane will handle the day-to-day matters of actually manufacturing and distributing the laptops. That's certainly a good first step -- and perhaps Charles Kane is really Kofi Annan's long-lost twin -- but with developers suddenly miffed over Negroponte's overtures to Microsoft and talent leaving from the top, it seems like OLPC would do well to bring in some fresh vision and leadership, no?
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Walter Bender speaks out about leaving OLPC, de-emphasis of radical projects
Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:54:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
What do you know? The former OLPC head of software and content did indeed resign at least partially over NickNeg's growing fondness of Windows XP. In a recent soul-spilling interview with xconomy, Walter Bender made clear that he resigned his post at the non-profit due to the general de-emphasis of "radical projects like Sugar," the innovative XO user interface which Mr. Bender was unsurprisingly neck-deep in during his stay. Essentially, he felt as if the outfit had stopped trying to "be disruptive" and started "trying to make things comfortable for decision-makers," hence Walter darting out "to do his own thing." Needless to say, the lead developer of Sugar isn't satisfied with seeing his work forgotten, and while details have yet to be worked out, he is looking to "find a new central home for the community of educators and software developers who have been creating Sugar-compatible applications."[Image courtesy of The New York Times] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
OLPC head of software and content resigns, possibly over transition to XP
Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:28:00 EST
Filed under: Laptops
The recent shakeups at the top of the OLPC hierarchy have apparently claimed another victim, as OLPC News is reporting that Software and Content chief Walter Bender has just left the project. Rumor is that Nicholas Negroponte is going to transition the OLPC XO entirely to Windows XP to spur sales soon, and Bender is reportedly unhappy about that. What makes this all the more interesting is that when security director Ivan Krstić left the OLPC project last month, he specifically said he was unhappy that the restructuring no longer required him to work with Bender, and said that he could no longer "subscribe to the organization's new aims or structure in good faith." Looks like something's afoot at OLPC, and the old guard isn't happy about it. What say you, NickNeg? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

















































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