New Product: APPLE LAUNCHES NEW-LOOK iPOD SHUFFLE
Apple has launched a new version of the iPod Shuffle - its smallest digital audio player. The iPod Shuffle, which was first introduced in 2005, now sports a VoiceOver feature that 'speaks' the titles, artists and playlist names of the music playing.
It's multi-lingual too - offering 14 different languages - and will even 'speak' the battery level to you. The new shuffle also benefits from a 'Playlists' feature. Apple claims the digital audio player is "significantly smaller than an AA battery" and with a 4GB memory is capable of holding up to 1,000 tracks. ....more
GIGABYTE MOTHERBOARDS TO NOW FEATURE CREATIVE X-FI SOUND
Gigabyte today announced that the Gigabyte X58/P45/P43/P41 series of motherboards will now support Creative's latest Sound Blaster X-Fi technologies. The X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity features three technologies; X-Fi CMSS-3D Virtual, X-Fi Crystalizer and EAX Advanced HD 4.0. The release explains that X-Fi CMSS-3D Virtual technology expands stereo MP3s and digital movies into surround sound and adds that apart from the entire X58/P45/P43/P41 motherboard lineup, motherboards featuring ALC889A or ALC888 audio codecs will also support the Sound Blaster X-Fi Technology. ....more
URGENT PATCH FOR WINDOWS 7 USERS
Microsoft has issued its first security release for the new Windows 7 operating system, patching three flaws. The MS09-006 update, which was issued on Tuesday, fixes the three Windows 7 problems. "These vulnerabilities were reported after the release of Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta, Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta, and Windows 7 Beta," Microsoft said in the accompanying bulletin. "Customers running these platforms are encouraged to download and apply the update to their systems." ....more
FLICKR TAKES ITS PLACE IN GETTY IMAGES ARCHIVE
Photos posted by amateur and professional photographers to Flickr have been recognized by internationally renowned image library Getty Images. Known as the Flickr Collection, images from the online photo gallery that have been identified as having particular artistic merit or visual interest are for the first time being offered for sale. Getty Images' digital licensing staff select images for inclusion in the Flickr Collection and both royalty-free and rights management-protected images are offered. ....more
MIT BREAKTHROUGH PROMISES LIGHTER, FAST-CHARGING BATTERIES
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a way to charge lithium ion batteries in seconds, instead of hours, that could open the door to smaller, faster-charging batteries for cell phones and other devices. Lithium ion batteries are used widely in portable electronics because they can store large amounts of energy. The tradeoff is that the batteries can take hours to recharge, which can be an inconvenience for users who are on the move. ....more
