WHAT'S NEWS.. Read
on for the latest "must know" information..
June 2006
To view the contents of a prior What's News segment see our Newsletter archives. If you have a topic suggestion send an email to vpprograms@dacs.org. Please keep in mind that it should be related to computers or electronics in general and include a brief description along with a URL that provides further details.
Description:
Find me instantly pinpoints your location on a map
Location channels give one click access to find the nearest hotspot, the coolest events and local traffic, weather, and news
Share your location with others and provide directions on how to find you or publish your location for friend finder
Provides browser toolbar
Currently supports Windows, IE, and Firefox
Linux and Mac support on the way
http://www.loki.com/
Description:
Samsung Readies Hybrid Hard Drive
Drive will include flash memory, allowing for better battery life and faster boot time
Flash memory acts as a storage buffer, holding data until it's full and only then writing the data to the disk
Cuts down on the amount of disk activity--typically the new drive spins only a few seconds every 10 or 20 minutes
Battery life is extended by between 8 percent and 10 percent
On boot-up a computer with a hybrid drive should start between 8 seconds and 25 seconds faster
http://www.pcworld.com/resource/article/0,aid,125761,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp
Description:
Want to find the name of a font used in a publication?
Upload scanned image of font to the web site below
Supports most common image formats, for example GIF, JPEG, TIFF, BMP
Maximum image size is around 360 x 275 pixels
Try to get the text horizontal and make sure letters are not touching
MyFonts is an excellent site for seeing and buying new fonts.
http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/
Description
Want to see a site as it looked years ago?
Or just yesterday?
Or sites that no longer exist?
Try the Way back Machine
55 billion pages
http://www.archive.org/index.php
Description:
What are the hardware requirements for Vista?
It depends.. Vista Capable or Premium Ready?
Capable supports most core functions
Premium Ready supports advanced functions such as the Aero GUI
See web site for specific details
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/default.mspx
Description:
Have special health problems or know someone who does?
Find a wealth of information about clinical research
Includes listings of more than 41,000 active industry and government-sponsored clinical trials
Also new drug therapies in research and those recently approved by the FDA
There are other sites that provide similar information.
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/
http://www.centerwatch.com/
Description:
Detailed information on Browser Helper Objects and Toolbars.
Also list of Active X objects
Tells which are legitimate and which are spyware, viruses, etc.
Great for looking up all those unknowns that your computer may have acquired.
Plus a lot of other great reference information.
http://castlecops.com/ActiveX.html
http://castlecops.com/CLSID.html
Description:
Want to listen to an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed on your iPod?
Converts text only feeds to podcasts.
Take it with you and listen to it on the road.
Many high profile ones already converted for free.
Fee required if more than 3 non-supported converted per month.
http://www.talkr.com/
Description:
Motorola designs therapeutic vibrating cell phone
Have you ever wanted to put your cell phone on vibrate mode and give yourself a back massage?
Motorola submitted a patent application on April 20 for a cell phone that can vibrate to alert you of an incoming call and/or "be used for therapeutic stimulation”.
You can set the time that your phone will vibrate and choose a pre-programmed vibration pattern.
Alternatively, a pattern can be downloaded to the device...from, for example, a doctor's website or in-office computer by a therapist.
http://gearlog.com/blogs/gearlog/archive/2006/04/26/10319.aspx
Description:
Finally
After many years
And many rumors
Dell to use AMD in servers by year end
Intel strangle hold broken
http://news.com.com/Dell+opts+for+AMDs+Opteron/2100-1006_3-6074059.html?tag=nefd.lede
Description:
Microsoft Research Group Shot
Helps you create a perfect group photo out of a series of groups of photos.
You can select your favorite parts (regions) in each shot of the series and Group Shot will automatically build a composite image.
The photos must be of the same scene.
Taken from the same point of view within a short period of time.
Not a panorama.
http://research.microsoft.com/projects/GroupShot/
Description:
Going to a US Disney park
RideMax allows you to specify the attractions you wish to ride during your visit
Minimizes time spent in line
Uses historical wait time statistics for each attraction as a foundation
Schedule is tailored to the expected crowd patterns on the day of your visit, except Sundays, for the attractions you want to ride
Costs between $17 and $30 and runs on your computer
http://www.ridemax.com/
Description:
PawSense
When cats walk or climb on your keyboard, they can enter random commands and date, damage your files, and even crash your computer.
Starts automatically when system starts.
Analyzes key press timings and combinations to distinguish cat typing from human typing and blocks input.
It makes a sound that annoys cats.
Cost about $25
http://www.bitboost.com/pawsense/index.html |
