WHAT'S NEWS.. Read
on for the latest "must know" information..
July 11, 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:
DRM (Digital Rights Management) causes reduction in battery life
Depends on which DRM being used
Worst case is 25% reduction
WMA (Windows Media Access) DRM 10 is worst
Apple FairPlay is best ~ 8%
http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/13193
Description:
MouseCageTM is software designed to help people with hand tremor control their computer mouse
Runs on Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP
Displays a special Guide cursor on screen that shows your actual hand movements
When you are near or on target, press the special Cage key, the Guide cursor turns red and cursor motion is reduced for accurate clicking
You can press the Cage key a second time to 'lock' your mouse and stop all cursor motion
Now you can click in absolute confidence, and in your own time
Cost $29.95
http://www.mousecage.org/index.htm
Description:
Windows Genuine Advantage program causing an uproar
Checks for valid or pirated Windows license
Users forced to install it under critical updates
Is it spyware or not – lack of disclosure and it phones home
Many lawsuits filed
Many false positives
Prevents all but critical updates from being installed
New worm disguises itself as Windows Genuine Advantage
http://blogs.pcworld.com/techlog/archives/002331.html
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2006/07/cuebotk.html
Description:
A Ring Tone Meant to Fall on Deaf Ears
Can be heard by kids but not by most adults
First used for keeping kids from congregating in malls
Now allows for Instant Messaging in classrooms
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/12/technology/
Description:
End of support
July 11, Windows 98 and ME
Oct. 10, Windows XP Service Pack 1
No more security updates
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/support/endofsupport.mspx
Description:
Want to know how long you will live?
Answer the simple questions and this site will tell you
http://www.deathforecast.com/
Description:
AOL may give away services for free
Will still charge for dialup
Users with high speed access get services free
May cost them up to 2 billion
Plan is to entice non users for ad revenue
Customer base has gone from 26.5 to 18 million since 2002
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1985275,00.asp
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-07-06T122715Z_01_N06334082_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEDIA-TIMEWARNER-REPORT.xml
Description:
A Novel way to distribute CDs
The Residents new “River of Crime” CD set is blank
A unique code for each package allows users to unlock the subscription at riverofcrime.com over a ten week period
Exclusively available at Virgin Megastores
Is this wacky?
http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=musicNews&storyID=2006-06-24T225910Z_01_N24277043_RTRIDST_0_MUSIC-RESIDENTS-DC.XML
Description:
Getting emails you don’t want from friends
Did they:
• Forward a funny story, a virus warning, or a photo that they enjoyed
• Sent email to lots of people using the “To:” line (instead of the “BCC:” line), thereby exposing your email address to strangers
• CC’d you unnecessarily on something they had sent primarily to someone else
Send them here:
http://www.thanksno.com/
Description:
Want to have your email sent by a bunch of monkeys
You can record a message and have a monkey deliver it
You can also dress the monkey
Pre-recorded, mike or text to speech
http://host-d.oddcast.com/php/careerbuilder_UI/door=137&cl=49&AID=0?mid=8321764
Description:
The first of the last
Apple rids product line of CRT monitors
Just introduced an $899 iMac specifically for schools and students
Replace the eMac, which was the company's last remaining CRT-based model.
Part of an industry wide trend both in computers and televisions toward the use of liquid-crystal display (LCD) monitors
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060705/ap_on_hi_te/apple_no_more_crt
Description:
Computers 'set to read our minds'
Designed to read people's minds by analysing expressions
Being trained to read joy, anger and other expressions
Could be used commercially for such things as picking the right time to sell someone something
But it may also help improve driver safety and help people with autism
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5116762.stm
Description:
Too good to pass up
Sometimes the old fashion way is best
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4776181634656145640
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