NewsMonitor is an application designed to help you keep up-to-date with the news in all your areas of interest.
This program can be used as an automated news reader. You can use it to retrieve the latest news from around the world as soon as they have been published.
Using the program is quite simple: fist of all, you need to specify a list of keywords according to which the crawler will search for news. The program will start searching for the latest news as soon as you add a new keyword or change a keyword. The news will be retrieved from some websites. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an option where I could customize the list of news Websites. The keywords can be exported or imported from XML files, but they can't be edited. You can add, edit or remove keywords.
The news will be displayed in a list containing the time of publishing, title and the exact URL. Underneath, in a larger space, you will be able to read the news' abstract. You can set the program to pop-up a balloon tips containing news. Clicking on it will open the original URL where you can read the news in full.
The news can be acquired using a scheduler which will automated the process as often as you want it. When updated news have been retrieved, the program can play a sound or display a desktop alert.
Pluses:
Drawbacks / flaws: There's no option to edit the list of Websites; no RSS feed reader.
In conclusion: In my opinion, this software only does half the job for which it was designed.
version reviewed: 3.0
NewsMonitor Publisher's Description
NewsMonitor automatically searches news on certain keywords from around the World Wide Web and keeps track of the latest news. Once updated news is available, you would be informed by a Desktop Alert and the news link would be added into the internal list of NewsMonitor. NewsMonitor can be configured to search updated news at intervals of a specified value that ranges from 5 minutes to 3600 minutes.
System Requirements 30M memory; 30M HD
What's new 1. correct the bug that alarm sound never be played. 2. add options to choose wav file for alarm sound.
All software reviews, submitted ratings and written comments become the sole property of Soft32 (ITNT). You acknowledge that you, not Soft32, are responsible for the contents of your submission. However, Soft32 reserves the right to remove or refuse to post any submission for any reason.
Very good Features: As the editor's review described, we don't know which websites the software are crawling for news. But it is seemingly making the truth that we wouldn't miss any updated news (about the specified keywords) from all over the world. If the software lets us create a list of websites to be crawled or to be excluded, the features would be excellent. Stability: I use it for one week and I didn't find any critical error. Ease of use: it is very easy to use. You create the keywords list and the software does everything else. Interface: Clean and beautiful
Wikimedia Selects Sun to Enhance Multimedia Experience Nov 23 2008, 18:43 The Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit organization that operates Wikipedia and other free-content projects, has selected Sun to help it build a secure and scalable open source web infrastructure using Sun Fire x4500 and x4150 servers and Sun StorageTek storage arrays. read full story
IBM to Build Future Computer Based on Insights from the Brain Nov 20 2008, 22:53 IBM Research and five leading universities are partnering to create computing systems that are expected to simulate and emulate the brain’s abilities for sensation, perception, action, interaction and cognition while rivaling its low power consumption and compact size. read full story
