• Retweet: @vmwarefusion : Fusion 50% off today, one day only. Details: http://is.gd/9Gqi Coupon code "CyberMondayDeal" # 2008/12/01
• It's Thanksgiving Day in the United States. We're thankful for Apple's commitment to accessibility in their products. # 2008/11/27
• We've added social bookmarking and "Send this to a Friend" to the Mac-cessibility Site as a trial. Let us know what you think. # 2008/11/27
• Apple released Safari 3.2.1 today. No known accessibility changes, but a good update to have nonetheless. Stability is the focus. # 2008/11/25
• News: Comparing Accessibility of the Big Three Operating System http://www.lioncourt.com/?p=247 # 2008/11/21

No, Apple hasn’t set James Bond into the Mac OS X operating system quite yet. The "007" only refers to this being the seventh distinct security update for Mac OS X this year. Security Update 2008-007 fixes several vulnerabilities in both the Unix under-pinnings and the Macintosh OS. It’s recommended for users of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and Mac OS X 10.4.11 Tiger. For full details visit this Apple support page.

As usual, you can download the update from the "Software Update" option in your Mac’s APple menu.

Apple Inc. has issued an invite to the media for an event on 14/October. The invite reads only "The spotlight turns to notebooks."

It has long been rumored that Apple would release new or updated models of their MacBook line of notebook computers this month, so the announcement is not a surprise. It is also being conjectured that Apple will be introducing new pricing for its portables, including a model set to compete with the sub-$1,000 notebooks that have become an important part of the market in recent years.

We’ll bring you all the news and commentary on Tuesday.

Tonight, Apple released iTunes 8.0.1 with a number of bug fixes and enhancements to their popular digital media management software. According to the release notes with this update, we will find access to iTunes U with VoiceOver, as well as improved syncing of speaking menus for the iPod Nano 4G, and other improvements to access of iTunes with VoiceOver.

The complete list of big fixes reads:

• Seamlessly plays the current song when creating a new Genius playlist.
• Improves syncing spoken menus to iPod nano.
• Addresses an issue of deleting HD TV episodes when downloading.
• Improves checking for updates from the App Store.
• Improves accessibility with VoiceOver.
• Addresses problems syncing Genius results to iPod.

As always, the update can be found by choosing "Software Update" in the Apple menu of Mac OS X.

Today, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) announced a cooperative agreement with Apple Inc. to make Apple’s iTunes software more accessible to the blind and visually impaired. Earlier this month, Apple released iTunes 8 with substantial improvements to accessibility for both Mac and Windows users. Under the agreement between Apple and the NFB, Apple will make iTunes U accessible by 31/December, 2008, and will provide full access to the iTunes application by 30/June, 2009.

Over a span of three years, Apple will continue to work with the NFB to maintain accessibility in iTunes for the visually impaired. Apple will donate $250,000 to the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind to assist the agency in providing adaptive technology to blind residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

It is interesting to note the timing of this announcement. It comes just one day after Freedom Scientific announced iTunes support in its Jaws for Windows screen reading software. The NFB made no such fanfare when GW Micro announced its work with Apple on iTunes accessibility with Window-Eyes earlier this year, when that accessibility came to fruition earlier this month, or when the vast majority of the iTunes application became accessible with Apple’s VoiceOver screen reading technology for Mac OS X in early 2007.

Nevertheless, Apple has shown tremendous commitment to blind and visually impaired computer users over the last several years with the development and release of VoiceOver, Braille display support in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, access to iTunes under both Mac and WIndows operating systems, iPods with speaking menus, and countless updates to their own OS and software to improve accessibility. It’s about time that an organization like the NFB took notice.