Gizmo Project released version 3 of Gizmo Project. Gizmo Project 3.0 introduces meta-voice capabilities, enabling free calling to Yahoo Messenger and Windows Live users. To make a call, type the ID or username of the person you want to call, plus the network domain. For example, username@yahoo.com or username@hotmail.com.
Other new features in Version 3 are:
Customize your avatar by picking a personalized graphic. Your avatar is the picture used to represent yourself in Gizmo Project.
Gizmo Project now supports file transfers via the Jabber protocol. This means users can now exchange files with anyone using a jabber client!
Chat history allows you to save all your past IM conversations. In the Chat History window you can click on a contacts name and see all your previous chats with that person listed by date. IM chats often contain important information and now it’s easily accessible.
Gizmo Project now allows you to create and join group chats, this way you can participate in several conversations at the same time.
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Posted 28 Feb 2007 — by Arun
Category News
Internet Storm Center, part of SANS institute reports that Symantec anti virus triggered a virus alert when accessing Yahoo Mail beta. Symantec has stated in email that this is a false positive and they are working on a signature update to fix the problem.
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Google is now offering real time traffic data for U.S. metros through Google Map. (Chicago traffic status below)
According to Googlesystem blog, the colors represent how fast the traffic is moving:
* Green: more than 50 miles per hour
* Yellow: 25 – 50 miles per hour
* Red: less than 25 miles per hour
* Gray: no data available
Until now, this feature was available only in the mobile client of Google Maps.
Technorati tags: Google, Google Maps, Chicago, Googlesystem, traffic, data, mobile
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AMD announced today that they have introduced the AMD 690 series chipset, the company’s first chipset to bring together the combined strengths of AMD CPU and features of the ATI Radeon™ X1250 GPU.
ATI is introducing the combination chipset series with the 690G and a lower-priced 690V. The AMD 690 family is the first AMD chipset with ATI graphics that supports ATI Avivo™ technology, providing The Ultimate Visual Experience™ with smooth video playback and true-to-life images for all multimedia, including high-definition content. The AMD 690 series chipset also provides more display choices than any other chipset today, being the first chipset with integrated HDMI and a separate DVI output. Protected content can also be played through on-chip HDCP support, making this chipset an incredible multimedia platform.
The AMD 690 series chipset will be widely available from partners, including Albatron Technology Co., ASUS, Biostar, ECS, ELITEGROUP COMPUTER SYSTEMS CO., LTD, EPoX Computer Company, Foxconn Technology Group, GIGABYTE United Inc, Jetway Info Co. Ltd., MSI Computer Ltd., PCPartner Ltd. and Sapphire. In addition, numerous system integrators are on board including Atelco, Bas Group, Formoza, Multimedis, Onda, PC Box, Seethru, Systemax, Unika, Unika Multimedia and ZT Group.
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Posted 28 Feb 2007 — by Arun
Category Ubuntu
Ubuntu developers are finalizing preparations for the release of Feisty Fawn. Ubuntu developer Tollef Fog Heen announced Ubuntu’s main software repository had been frozen — with no changes allowed to the code — as developers got ready to issue a fifth major test version (“Herd 5″) of the next version of Ubuntu.
Herd 5 of Ubuntu Feisty Fawn is scheduled to debut this Thursday. After that, the Ubuntu team will work on final beta and release candidate versions of Feisty Fawn, with the final code due on April 19th.
News source: ZDNet Australia.
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Posted 27 Feb 2007 — by Arun
Category Ubuntu
Codeine is a simple video-player for KDE with a focus on ergonomics and usability. It’s more polished towards watching the video rather than adding features. It uses Xine as the backend.
To install, download the source file codeine-1.0.1.tar.bz2.
Open a terminal, type
tar xjf codeine-1.0.1.tar.bz2.
cd codeine-1.0.1
./configure && make && su -c “make install”
Technorati tags: Codeine, Video player, KDE
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Posted 27 Feb 2007 — by Arun
Category News
PC World reports that according to Andreas Pfeiffer, a French analyst who oversaw testing of what he calls “User Interface Friction,” Vista’s user interface suffers from more “friction” than its predecessor XP and is actually a step back for Microsoft Corp. in its pursuit of Apple Inc.’s Mac OS X.
Among the tests run last year — when Pfeiffer matched up Windows XP against Mac OS X — and this year, when he added Vista, were benchmarks that quantified menu latency, common desktop chores, and precise mouse positioning.
The new UIF data put Windows Vista, and its Aero graphical interface, behind Windows XP, which had showed improvement over earlier Microsoft operating systems. Menu latency, Pfeiffer said, remains a major problem in Vista, which scored 20 percent slower than XP. “Windows XP was a major step forward from Windows 98, but Vista is back to where 98 was,” Pfeiffer said.
Another reason not to hurry to purchase Vista…..
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Posted 26 Feb 2007 — by Arun
Category Ubuntu
Dolphin is a file manager for KDE. It’s going to be the default file manager in KDE4. Dolphin is similar to Nautilus in GNOME. According to Dolphin author, Dolphin is not intended to be a competitor to Konqueror. Konqueror acts as universal viewer being able to show HTML pages, text documents, directories and a lot more, whereas Dolphin focuses on being only a file manager.
I installed the KDE 3 version of the dolphin file manager from Synaptic. It’s much easier to use compared to Konqueror. It’s not easy (atleast to me) to change the directory view to list, detail etc with Konqueror. It’s pretty simple in Dolphin.
Dolphin supports ‘Icons’, ‘Details’ and ‘Preview’ as view modes. The view properties are automatically remembered for folders, which I couldn’t make Konqueror to do. Dolphin also offers split view (to make copying files easy). Click here to read more about Dolphin’s features.
(Dolphin file manager screenshot)
(Dolphin preferences screenshot)
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Microsoft has released a list of applications that have earned the “Certified for Windows Vista” logo or the “Works with Windows Vista” logo. According to Microsoft,
The “Certified for Windows Vista” logo is a compatibility designation for applications and devices that have passed a rigorous testing program on computers that are running Windows Vista. The technical requirements for this designation target four core areas: reliability, security, compatibility with Windows Vista and future operating systems, and installation and removal.
The “Works with Windows Vista” logo is a compatibility designation that is designed to encourage Windows Vista compatibility for the current generation of Windows-based applications. To receive this designation, software companies test their applications to make sure that the applications meet the program’s guidelines.
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