VoiceOver Accessibility interface

Mac OS X Tiger introduces VoiceOver, an accessibility interface that offers you magnification options, keyboard control and spoken English descriptions of what’s happening on screen. If you have a visual impairment, VoiceOver enables you to work collaboratively with other Mac users or work on their computers without assistance.

VoiceOver reads aloud the contents of files including web pages, Mail messages and word processing files, provides a comprehensive audible description of your workspace and includes a rich set of keyboard commands that allow you to navigate the Mac OS X interface and interact with application and system controls.

VoiceOver provides many of the features found in popular, add-on screen reader applications.

VoiceOver Accessibility Interface is Fully integrated and extraordinarily reliable.

Learning Through Exploration as VoiceOver is built right into Mac OS X, it works together with all of the key commands and shortcuts.

For more information visit:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/voiceover/

Popular browsers are fear of Bugs

Unpatched flaws in three popular browsers could make the Web a more dangerous place to surf, security experts have warned.

Researchers have published the alerts and details on the bugs in the Internet Explorer browser (Microsoft), Safari Browser(Apple Computer)and Mozilla's Firefox to security mailing lists over the weekend. The Firefox and Safari bugs could cause the browsers to crash, while the IE hole could be exploited to hijack a vulnerable Windows computer, Secunia said in advisories on its Web site.

The researchers have reported that the bug is named as hunter Michal Zalewski as a most Critical bug in Internet Explorer. The problem has been confirmed on version 6 of the popular software, but could also affect other versions.

The alerts come just days after security researcher Tom Ferris reported several unpatched holes in Apple software including Safari. Also, Microsoft earlier this month issued a patch for IE to plug 10 holes, most of which it called "critical".

Microsoft is investigating the newly disclosed vulnerability and believes it is not as serious as Secunia (a virus/bug).

For more details visit:
http://news.com.com/Bugs+bite+into+popular+browsers/2100-1002_3-6065048.html?tag=nefd.top

Sony introduces a new WALKMAN

Sony announces in Europe the WALKMAN. No joke, the new Sony music player is just called WALKMAN in capital letters.
Update: On the product page Sony is defining that this is actually the E Series. Not sure why they omitted this in the press-release.

The new USB stick style Flash memory music players feature a single line OLED display. The compact Sony Walkman is 79mm long and weighs only 25g. Sony highlights the fast battery charging time. A charge of 3 minutes gives 3 hours of playback time (only for ATRAC). The WALKMAN plays ATRAC, MP3 and WMA (no DRM - what a pity).
Other features of the WALKMAN include FM-Tuner, 5-Band Equalizer and a nice 28 hour battery-life.

The WALKMAN comes in pink, violet, blue, silver, black and lime green. Available storage configurations will be 512MB to 1GB and 2GB.
The WALKMAN will be available from the end of April 2006 across Europe.

More details on Sony Press release or on I4U.com

ASUS India introduce new Graphics Card

ASUS Extreme AX1300PRO SILENT Graphics Card

ASUSTeK Computer Inc (ASUS), a leading provider of high-quality graphics solutions, today introduced the EAX1300PRO SILENT/TD/256M graphics card. Unlike other models, the chip and the heatsink are placed on the reverse side of the card which facilitates improved airflow and ventilation. The card is not only CrossFire ready, but also features the ASUS patented GPU-on-the-back ReverseCool® Technology, which delivers high-efficiency cooling at absolute quiet 0db. Powered by the powerful ATi RADEON® X1300PRO, and incorporated with various ASUS exclusive features, the EAX1300PRO SILENT/TD/256M provides a superb visual experience.

With the reverse cool technology, the heat sink design is easily visible even after the card is attached in the computer faced down. This is a real gift for the gamers who own chassis with transparent side panels and are eager to display their graphics cards.

The Extreme AX1300PRO SILENT/TD/256M adopts a unique cooling solution that positions the GPU (graphics processing unit) and heatsink on the backside of the graphics card, placing them directly in the airflow path of the CPU fan for fast heat dissipation.
Besides providing larger heat exchange area, the extended heatsink takes on a clamshell design, which enables users to open up the heatsink, like a clamshell phone, for enhanced ventilation. By leveraging the CPU fan, the all-new ASUS graphics card is fan-less and operates at 0dB for quiet computing.

In addition to industry-leading specifications, the graphics card also offers exclusive innovations found only on ASUS solutions.

What is bird flu?

Bird flu - known technically as avian influenza - is a highly contagious viral disease affecting mostly chickens, ducks, turkeys, quails and other birds, and was first identified more than 100 years ago.

It can be caused by any one of about 20 different strains of the influenza virus. The recent outbreaks in Asia, however, have been largely caused by a highly contagious and virulent strain, known as H5N1. (The name H5N1 refers to the specific nature of two proteins, haemagglutinin and neuraminidase, found on the surface of the virus.)

India has detected its first cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain in western Maharashtra state. The health ministry said that though no human cases had been detected so far, some people were being tested for the disease. The H5N1 strain has killed at least 90 people since early 2003, mostly in south-east Asia.

The virus can infect humans in close contact with birds. There is still no evidence that it can be passed from human to human. The European Union recently approved a series of measures to try to halt the spread of the virus, including the automatic creation of protection and surveillance zones around outbreaks in wild birds.

If the virus transfers from wild birds to poultry, "buffer zones" that could cover an entire region should be established and the transport of poultry restricted within them.

The BBC's Zubair Ahmed in the western Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), capital of Maharashtra, says for the past few weeks there were suspicions in Nandurbar of the outbreak of the disease after deaths of thousands of chickens. A poultry owner in the area said 400,000 chickens in poultry farms had been affected by the virus.

Indian health officials have advised people against eating chicken until further notice.

Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4727312.stm

A film of India - Rang De Basanthi

I saw the movie Rang De Basanthi. Liked the movie, and the way it was pictureized.... It shows a different inspiration with some good performances and a short message on patriot feeling for the movie watchers of Indian movie.

Something remarkable is happening in Bollywood. Without any intimation, a blow of wind that brings a change of glory has been blowing silently over minds of Indians. The chances of its reaching gale force and radically altering the status quo are slim, but the difference is already evident. Rang de basanthi gives that evidence.

Amir Khan and his co stars in Rang de basanthi has enough reasons to smile. His performance in Rang De Basanti is receiving critical acclaim. Siddharth who played as a Karan Singhania, the rich kid in the gang, his character is very important to how the story unfolds. Siddharth ends up getting almost equal footage as Amir Khan and the audience sympathy in the climax goes to him. Rang De Basanti has taken a fantastic opening worldwide and in Hyderabad the trade says that they have not seen any recent Bollywood film opening so big.

Definitely Rang De Basanthi will be a big hit. I think at the end of the year it will compete for the best film in many categories, with much involvement. really mast movie, energetic one, will remain in mind....thanks for the team for making a good movie.