NEC's schizophrenic laptop changes again

(Credit: Akihabara News)

NEC continues to use its LaVie G laptop as a blank canvas for artistic expression, whether it be for cars or Hello Kitty. In fact, the Japanese giant seems to use any excuse at all to release yet another design for this hapless computer. Case in point: the fourth anniversary of its direct-sales Web site. We're not kidding.

To commemorate this landmark event, NEC is releasing a limited edition of "pimped" laptops with illustrations by Toshiko Kimura, according to Akihabara News. (Who? And what is it about the Japanese obsession with the word "pimp"?) Anyway, maybe we should cut NEC some slack. If its recent work is any indication, its designers appear to be going through some kind of meltdown.