• Retweet: @vmwarefusion : Fusion 50% off today, one day only. Details: http://is.gd/9Gqi Coupon code "CyberMondayDeal" # 22 hours ago
• 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

Apple announced this week that Mac OS X 10.6 is code named Snow Leopard, and will be shipping in about a year. Unlike the last several versions of Mac OS X, Snow Leopard ill focus on improving the operating system and fixing problems, instead of introducing tons of new features.

There’s very little information at this point, but there are a whole heap of rumors. The most intriguing discusses the possibility that APple may move the entire OS, (presumably meaning the user interface portions), to Cocoa. This could potentially mean even better access across the board for VoiceOver users. Apple’s keeping quiet on this point though, if the rumor is true.

In all, though, this is good news for VoiceOver users. If Apple is focusing primarily on improving the exist architecture, that can only mean better access in the end.

According to MacWorld.co.uk, Apple has invited European press to tune in to Steve Jobs’s keynote presentation next week at the much anticipated MacWorld Expo. Looks like Apple fans outside North America will have some exciting news coming as well.

Like all Jobs keynotes, speculation and rumors are flying across the Internet. Rumors of new iPhone software, movie rentals on iTunes, and the long awaited ultra-portable MacBook have been circulating for weeks. All will be unveiled on 15/Jan/2008. Stay tuned.

CNBC’s Jim Goldman reported today that he’d received information from a source close to Apple manufacturing about two of their most anticipated products for 2008…or at least, two of their most rumored ones. According to his source, Apple is set to announce the ultra-portable MacBook that we talked about earlier this week. Mr. Goldman claims the device will sport a flash-based drive instead of a traditional hard drive, a 12-inch display, be 50% thinner than the current MacBook Pro’s, and cost $1500 US. (That still puts it about $500 or more less than most Notetakers or other portable computing devices for the visually impaired.) Goldman went on to say that Apple’s second-generation iPhone will be released in the spring with 3G network capability.

You can see the video of Mr. Goldman’s report by clicking here.

More and more news and rumor sites are reporting the same thing: "Apple is poised to announce an ultra-portable MacBook at January’s MacWorld Expo in San Francisco."

It’s a familiar story. Apple fans have been calling for Apple to reenter the ultra-portable PC market for years, (something that didn’t go well for Apple a dozen years ago with it’s failed Newton portable). There’ve been rumors like this one before. But this time, it seems there might be something to it. Everyone from Mac rumor sites to Wall Street analysts are predicting it. So, what would such a device mean to the blind and visually impaired community?

Visually impaired computer users have always been partial to their notetakers. A great many models and varieties have come and gone over the years, including Braille’n'Speak, Braille Lite, Eureka A4, Aria, PocketBraille, Braille-Sense, Voice-Sense, and the PacMate family of portables…and that’s just a sampling. The biggest problem with all of these devices was a lack of bang for your buck. You were paying a premium price for the same computing power that sighted computer users could get for one-quarter of the cost of these gadgets…or less.

If Apple releases a ultra-portable MacBook, it would be running Mac OS X. Leopard not only includes VoiceOver but now has Braille support as well. Apple’s even made sure that it supports the PacMate portable Braille displays, which can be purchased separately from the PacMate notetakers. The upshot to all of this, is that blind and visually impaired users may finally get a light, portable device that is accessible right out of the box, without paying a substantial markup for the access.

If this happens, it will be one more huge reason for visually impaired users to make the switch. Here’s hoping.