Pranksters invade Starbucks with desktop computers
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 25th 2008 4:53PM
posted February 25th 2008 4:53PM
We've already seen the confusion and hilarity some so-called "portable" computers can cause when taken out into public, but those shenanigans are nothing compared to the scene stirred up when the folks from Improv Everywhere lugged some ancient desktop computers (replete with CRT monitors) into a Starbucks. As you can see in the video after the break, they surprisingly weren't kicked out, but they did manage to attract a fair bit of attention, including from a few folks that thought the computers were set up for public use. Be sure to head up the read link below for the full report, as well as another video with the team relishing in their accomplishment.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Bah
BAH!
Epic win.
Word! They really killed it and managed to give the name laptop a new meaning:
http://improveverywhere.com/images/desk19.jpg
http://improveverywhere.com/images/desk21.jpg
No one's mentioned the obvi Jewish guy towards the end thinking they're schlepping around a server.
Now someone needs to bring an Apple II in complete with 5.25" duo drive.
I'm disappointed! I wanted to see Windows 3.1 used instead :(
And this proves what exactly? "Yeah man, DUUUDE... thats totally awesome..., look we so, like, different." LAME! Not funny. Get a job - there are more important things to be done - stop wasting your time on trying to become a rebel and make pointless statements.
Mex, you fail at having a sense of humor. Good job.
word
Those CRT monitors are great....bet they had some help though considering those guys a pretty wimpy looking!
I bet even these wimps would mow you down in a RWC game, Kiwi. CRT's or not!
Did you catch that one of the computers was running Windows 95?
Windows 95 FTW!! I declare myself preznit of these guys' new fan club founded by me.
hehe... that windows 95 boot up screen made my day... thanks
Watch the video. I appreciate how the camera nerd explains that "...it's seeing what I'm seeing..." because I was concerned he might face it towards the Burger King across the street.
He was showing that he was using glasses with a camera in them connected to the camcorder.
They should've brought some serious hardware and started playing online.
[Insert mandatory Cysis lame here]
sic = phail....Crysis!
windows 95 supported Wi-Fi?!?!?
What's WiFi? What does it do? Did I have it back in the days when I was rocking Win95 on my 120Mhz Pentium 1 which didn't have internet access?? What is the internet???????
Yup. I ran Win95 with wifi for years -- used the software that came with the 802.11b card. Worked fine as my backup machine.
I think the WiFi enabled desktop was running WinXP (see video at 1:07), while the Win95 machine was being used just for MS-Word.
Any particular reason why it couldn't?
Device driver support?
Your saying companies don't support their products on windows 95? I thought it was the new hip thing.
I didn't know there were any wifi cards that had win95 drivers. I had to upgrade an old laptop I had to Win98 so that it could use wifi.
Maybe, I know Windows 98 does. I my parent's house used to have wi-fi with windows 98. It was extremely clunky though. I just remember having to go to run and enter winipfg.
Mega ROFLage!
This has got to be fake. All those screen shots and not a single bsod. It just can't be real, can it?
Those guys rock! Props to them.
Starbucks got PWN#D!
More like Starbucks got free advertising and looked cool/laid back for going along with it and not hassling them.
Next time bring some serious gaming rigs and have starbucks lan party.
A Similar prank was pulled in my COMP1911 class a few years ago. A few students were tired of seeing pretentious teens with their notebooks in class, so they brought a full 486 into class.
Australians thought of this prank far before you.
so we can blame australians for this unfunny piece of shit?
If any of you get the chance to visit the Coffee Table (a coffee shop in Columbus, OH) then you'll probably notice a guy who seems to spend most of his days sitting at a table there with his 24 inch iMac. He often listens to quite loud music, and doesn't seem to actually do any work, but he must drink a lot of coffee.
So, he's an average Mac user?
Jesse, you just made me nearly choke from laughing so hard. This comment is dedicated to you! ++
*diggs up*
n1, Jesse. I got a kick out of that :)
I don't see what the big deal is. yeah its awkward, But as a starbucks employee, I would see absolutely no reason to "kick them out" like the author if this article was so surprised didnt happen.
And so they come and utilize the wifi and space...I'm still not seeing why everyones so giddy over this.
Doing it once is funny and good PR to not kick them out, but if they did it repeatedly, I would kick them out.
The point is that they got that scared confused reaction. It was f-u-n-n-y!
"Why are they doing it.." "what's the point.." "I can't see the point.." They must be terrorist apple hating freaks who hate your freedom.
I would personally buy each one of those guys (and gal) a cup of coffee of their choice if I saw that at my Starbucks.
Wow, and totally off-topic but I just noticed there seems to be a lot of James' on Engadget that just posted on this.
James (with pic), James M, and Myself.
From english movies, James seem to be a typical name of butlers. So to see they flock around topics which include references to coffee and other fine beverages shouldn't be that big of a surprise.
As an example, the classic Dinner for One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXLtM7JO50E
;)
"This is mine." Comic gold!
Yeah he got PAWND big time, see how he shocking turns his head when he hears the words "This is mine". Further more his hat and Fubu jacket is completely out of fashion. Dressed like Coolio he must think it's 1995 or something.
wow what an incredibly boring prank, the reactions on their faces are so entirely...absent...try again guys, maybe with a 22" CRT...
fail.