Science and Technology

A doctoral student in computer science at Stony Brook University is developing HearSay, a non-visual web browser that uses text commands, voice-browsing and keyboard shortcuts to give the blind and those with visual impairments a chance to navigate cyberspace.

Mac switching to Intel might seem like a move toward technological convergence, and maybe even some level of compatibility between Macs and the rest of the world. Of course, if that were the case, there'd be no reason to buy a Mac, because then it would just be an overpriced PC. In this edition of Bullchip we examine the move and also why I love my PC.

The Senate is set to vote on the Real ID Act. Supporters say the bill makes it harder for immigrants to seek asylum in the US, but opponents argue that it is unconstitutional, invades people's privacy, and creates the risk of identity theft.

The House of Representatives has passed a bill that critics claim amounts to creating a de facto national ID card. The Real ID Act (HR 418), passed on Thursday, February 10, requires that states comply with federal standards for driver’s licenses. Licenses would henceforth contain what the bill calls “a common machine-readable technology,” which could mean a magnetic strip and/or an RFID chip. RFIDs (Radio Frequency Identification tags) transmit information about a person’s movements to a central computer.

In a blow to supporters of the developing HD-DVD format, Apple® has officially joined the side of it's main competitor, the Blu-ray consortium.  CEO Steve Jobs promoted the partnership, saying that  “Apple is pleased to join the Blu-ray Disc Association board as part of our efforts to drive consumer adoption of HD." 

Yet another cell phone virus has hit the airwaves, and this one actually stands a chance to spread.

By George Agathos
Photo & Technology Editor

Just when we thought Microsoft was our biggest problem, the world's very first mobile phone virus has made its way to the United States. The first case was reported at a phone store in California.

"Compelling" evidence has been found in a new study that global warming is, in fact, both real and caused by humans.
The study was conducted by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California-San Diego, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (PCMDI).

Streamcast Networks, makers of the popular Morpheus file-sharing program, recently released version 4.7, bridging the gap between two major classes of p2p technology.