Distorted-Loop.com

Apple has reached a deal that will make iTunes, the iTunes Store and iTunes U more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

Under pressure from the National Federation of the Blind and Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, Apple made the decision to meet its obligations under sundry accessibility laws in various countries. It didn’t require litigation, the company simply saw sense, and agreed to make Apple’s iTunes software, iTunes Store, and iTunes U more accessible to the blind.

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Unreleased Jimi Hendrix material the guitar legend wrote and recorded with twin brothers Arthur and Albert Allen — a.k.a. the Ghetto Fighters — may finally be released through software/multimedia company we-R-you, reports Rolling Stone.

This material has been in the vault for almost 40 years.

The previously unreleased material was produced by Jimi Hendrix, Arthur Allen and Albert Allen aka TaharQa Aleem and Tunde Ra Aleem, the 3 principals of Jimi Hendrix and the Ghetto Fighters.
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The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Public Knowledge have filed suit against the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), demanding information about a secret intellectual property enforcement treaty that the government has put on a fast track to completion.

The United States, Canada, the European Community, Switzerland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Jordan, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates are currently actively negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

However, all the negotiations so far have been shrouded in secrecy, even though its claimed the agreement could put into effect serious changes in the law.
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“The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is on a fast-track process as rich nations hope to wrap it up by the end of the year. Unfortunately for everyone who cares about the outcome, it’s midway through September, and no draft text has yet emerged,” Ars Technica reports.

“The secrecy and the delay have inspired many conspiracy theories, none helped by leaked sets of corporate “wish lists” and public comments making outrageous demands.”

Leaked documents suggest the treaty could require Internet service providers to monitor all consumers’ Internet communications, interfere with fair use of copyrighted materials, and criminalize peer-to-peer electronic file sharing.
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Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger today called on ISPs to ban people who illegally download content.

Disney owns US network ABC and produces a range of hit shows including Desperate Housewives and Lost. Iger was speaking in London.

Iger was referring to the recently-announced deal under which six of the UK’s biggest ISPs will begin sending warning letters to customers that copyright bodies claim have downloaded content.
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Facing increasing competition in the market, online video service, Joost, has opted to dump its desktop client, reinventing itself as a cross-platform browser plug-in.

Joost was the brainchild of Skype/Kazaa co-founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennström. At its inception the service aimed to distribute TV shows and other video content online using its own proprietary peer-to-peer technology.
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The BBC and Nokia have announced that iPlayer support will be available for the handset maker’s much-anticipated N96 smartphone.

iPlayer is already available through devices including the iPhone, Wii, PS3 and via Virgin Media, now Nokia has collaborated with the BBC to build an application which will let N96 users both download and stream iPlayer content over both 3G and Wi-Fi.

Enabling over the air show downloads is likely to be a plus for potential N96 purchasers - that and the up to 24GB capacity of the device. Even the iPhone can’t access BBC shows over 3G…
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In advance of the Apple event next week the Mac rumour sites are festooned with news and predictions as to what’s on the way, so we thought we should let you know what is going to happen.

For a round-up of more recent information since the publication of this post, please click here.

Digg founder Kevin Rose recently offered his prognostications for the Apple event next week, predicting iTunes 8, new low cost iPod touch, lower prices across the iPod range, a redesigned iPod nano and more.
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Fresh research from StrategyEye Digital Media suggests the digital media industry will continue rapid growth despite prevaililng economic gloom - but warns interest in virtual worlds like Second Life and mobile TV solutions is waning.

The recent success of the iPhone’s App Store is an example of the increasing popularity of mobile among traditional and new media companies within their digital media strategy. 56% of all companies surveyed intend to incorporate mobile device applications in the next 12 months, while 49% intend to incorporate mobile web portals as part of their digital media strategy.
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US libraries are moving to explore new digital media, with some library districts banding together to create digital collections that can be accessed from anywhere.

Phoenix Public Library has launched a digital collection which lets library card holders access, browse, download and borrow an audiobook, from wherever they are without need for a computer.

Depending on the library and title, the item remains on your computer for one to three weeks before disappearing, meaning you don’t have to bother with returning a book, CD or DVD to the actual library.
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