ARCHIVE / 2014:

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 25, 2014 - Volume 489

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 25, 2014 - Volume 489
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of a beautiful Christmas Card showing lit candles, holiday ornaments, pine fronds and snowflakes sitting just to the right of the Flying Blind, LLC Logo. Just below the logo are the words Merry Christmas.

This Week's Featured Advertisement: Merry Christmas and a Blessed Holiday Season from Flying Blind, LLC !!!

We would like to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a blessed holiday season. May you all experience the wonder, excitement, good tidings, and cheer that this time of year has to offer, and may you have an amazing 2015! We thank all of you for supporting this publication and for being a valued part of Flying Blind, LLC !!!

Greetings,

1) Beta 3 of Window-Eyes Version 9 is now ready for testing:
http://www.gwmicro.com/Window-Eyes/Beta

2) Hear how to get the most out of the Eyes on Success podcast in episode 1452:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

3) Read the Digital Accessibility Legal Update (December 2014):
http://lflegal.com/2014/12/legal-update-1214/

4) Podcast 186 from Assistive Technology Update is an interview with Scott White of NFB Newsline, discussing the ongoing advancement of this amazing information resource:
http://www.assistivetechnologyupdate.com

5) Userbrain offers up to $25 per hour for web site testing. The company appears legitimate to us with a brief glance at their web presence:
https://userbrain.net/become-a-tester

6) This is a 17-minute demo of the iBill Talking Currency Reader, which US citizens can order free from their Regional Libraries starting in January 2015:
https://audioboom.com/boos/2751741-blind-abilities-ibill-talking-currency-reader-17-minute-demo

7) David Woodbridge has Posted a demo of the Blaze EZ Portable Daisy Player with OCR:
http://bit.ly/1wmyhGa

8) The post "5 Essential Add-Ons For Dropbox" comes from Gizmodo Australia:
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/12/5-essential-add-ons-for-dropbox/

9) For our final non-iOS related story for the year, the title of SeroTalk Podcast 221 is "The Good, The Bad, The Future," and Joe Orozco and Mike Calvo discuss the past and future directions of Serotek:
http://serotalk.com/2014/12/17/serotalk-podcast-221-the-good-the-bad-the-future/

10) Moving to items related to the iDevices, the article "35 Apps to Help You Get Started with a New iOS Device" has been updated and additional resources added:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/ios-apps/35-apps-help-you-get-started-new-ios-device

11) The video "Starting from Zero with VoiceOver" is intended for sighted users helping to train new blind iDevice users
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8kgHZtlMfY&feature=youtu.be

12) The Siri User Guide page offers Tutorials and Tips on using the Siri iPhone App:
http://www.siriuserguide.com/

13) The latest AppleVis podcast concerns Sending iTunes Gift Cards Direct From Your iOS Device:
http://www.applevis.com/podcasts

14) And finally, from iMore comes "How to use Family Sharing: The Ultimate Guide":
http://www.imore.com/how-use-family-sharing-ultimate-guide

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Description: This unit is only 5 months old and has been used for less than 10 hours! This practically new, New Generation of Brailliant Refreshable Brai ...

3.) Brand New BrailleNote MPower 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Displays with Braille Keyboards
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4.) Brand New BrailleNote MPower 32 Cell Refreshable Braille Displays with Braille Keyboards
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Description: These units are brand new and come with a one year manufacturer's warranty. The BrailleNote mPower's mature hardware and intuitive software ...

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 18, 2014 - Volume 488 - 10th Anniversary Issue

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 18, 2014 - Volume 488 - 10th Anniversary Issue
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard.

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One (1) Refurbished BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard for $2,995.00 USD !!!

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Greetings,

On December 16, 2004 we launched this little information resource. A whopping 389 people were subscribed by the second issue, and now more than 6,400 people receive it each week. Larry Lewis absorbed the newsletter into Flying Blind, LLC, taking over marketing and distribution of the newsletter in 2008, and if he had not done so, Tidbits would have died. But here we are, still sending out concise news bits almost every week!

1A) We first mentioned the new phenomenon of podcasting in February 2005, and the fledgling NVDA project in July 2006. Now, a group is going to seek funding for a project to add a remote access module to NVDA, probably increasing employment and training opportunities for the blind. Hear a podcast about their effort here:
http://audioboom.com/boos/2725564-nvda-remote-control-cavicast

1B) And the web site for the project is:
http://www.nvdaremote.com

2) Elsewhere in NVDAland, Acapela high-quality TTS voices are becoming available for NVDA via an add-on. The basic package costs 59 Euros and the more complete one is 99 Euros:
http://www.acapela-nvda.com/

3) JAWS version 6 came out the day we produced the first issue of Top Tech Tidbits. Now, at version 16, Freedom Scientific has released a 90-day license of JAWS, enabling companies to use the screen reader for accessibility testing, and individuals to buy JAWS on a payment plan:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/News/Article/67

4) Apparently, when we launched Tidbits, JAWS was ten years old, because now it's twenty. Hear about this, as well as the Braille selection option in JAWS 16, iTunes 12 use, and JAWS with Windows Tablets on issue 101 of FSCast, (a podcast that has obviously had a pretty good run itself):
http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/FSCast

5) Meanwhile, Window-Eyes version 5 went into beta a few weeks after Tidbits was launched. Now they are offering a special deal on the price of version 9, due to appear soon. For particulars, email:
sales@aisquared.com

6) Winstaller is a paid utility for creating fully accessible Windows install disks:
http://levtec.linkpc.net/info/utilities/winstaller.htm

7) Of course, accessible iPhones didn't appear until the fourth year of Tidbits' existence. Now, Lisa Salinger offers a six-session, $50 course, iPhone: Beyond the Basics, starting Saturday 10 January, 2015, at 17:00 GMT. For details, write to Lisa at:
lisa@lisasalinger.com

8) Access to electronic books has increased remarkably for us over the past ten years, but as this article suggests, there is still a ways to go:
http://www.wired.com/2014/12/e-books-for-the-blind-should-be-legal/

9) Returning to podcasts, starting in 2008, the Serotalk Podcast Network offered a range of very popular podcasts. That era is over, as none of the staff works for Serotek any longer. Catch the final issue of High Contrast here:
http://serotalk.com/2014/12/12/high-contrast-episode-27-blind-hockey/

10) Learn How to Make Text Larger and More Readable on iPhone or iPad:
http://www.howtogeek.com/205175/how-to-make-text-larger-and-more-readable-on-iphone-or-ipad/

11) And in a similar vein, read "Partially sighted? Make your iPad easier to use:"
http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tablets/partially-sighted-make-your-ipad-easier-to-use-11363942894576

12) AFB was producing AccessWorld back in 2004, but the magazine was bi-monthly. Now, the December 2014 issue is out. It's worth noting that the first version of VoiceOver for the Mac appeared, with mixed reviews, in 2005, and Humanware as we know it had not yet moved its Corporate Headquarters to the North American Continent when Tidbits started. This AccessWorld offers evaluations of Echo Sense Network Glasses, OS X Yosemite for the Mac, the Prodogi Duo magnifier from HumanWare, the Orion T-84 Plus Talking Graphing Calculator, and the Mountbatten Braille Writer Learning System from Harpo:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

13) Information about the courses to be offered by the Cisco Academy for the Visually Impaired starting in February are available, and registration is open:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.Courses

14) J-Say has been going strong for over ten years, we first mentioned it in March 2005. The product is now owned by Hartgen Consultancy, and Brian has significant plans for development during 2015:
http://www.hartgen.org/j-say

15) Kurzweil 1000 version 9 was coming out in early 2005. Now the owners of the company have announced the impending release of version 14:
http://www.kurzweiledu.com/kurzweil-1000-v14-windows.html

And we'll finish out our 10th Anniversary Issue with a round-up of available audio and video content:

16A) Here is a demonstration of the StandScan Pro with Text Grabber:
https://audioboom.com/boos/2734062-demonstration-of-the-standscanpro-in-conjunction-with-textgrabber

16B) A demonstration of the new Leasey program is here:
http://www.leaseycentral.com/audio/leasey.mp3

16C) Incidentally, its user guide in Word format is here:
http://www.leaseycentral.com/LeaseyUserGuide.zip

16D) Web Axe Podcast 100 feature Joe & Joseph on WordPress Accessibility:
http://www.webaxe.org/podcast-100-joe-joseph-wordpress-a11y/

16E) A far more auspicious anniversary than ours was celebrated in November, when Tiflolibros, the Spanish e-book library for the blind, celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. The library has nearly 48,000 books now. Videos of their celebrations are here:
http://www.youtube.com/tiflonexos

16F) Our Place podcast #411 is ready:
http://www.ourplace-podcast.info/op411-13-12-14.mp3

16G) HIMS has a new three-part video series on their Blaze EZ:
http://bit.ly/1C1lpNG

16H) Eyes on Success #1451 consists of an interview with Goodle's Manager of Accessibility Engineering:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

16I) And AppleVis brings us "A Review of the Soen Transit XS Bluetooth Speaker":
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/review-soen-transit-xs-bluetooth-speaker

16J) And Test Your Reflexes and Concentration With Catch52 for iOS:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/test-your-reflexes-and-concentration-catch52-ios

******************************************************
Flying Blind, LLC Classifieds Section:
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1.) One Hardly Used Brailliant BI 32 Cell New Generation Refreshable Braille Display
Price: $1,995.00 USD
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Description: This unit is only 5 months old and has been used for less than 10 hours! This practically new, New Generation of Brailliant Refreshable Brai ...

2.) Brand New BrailleNote MPower 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Displays with Braille Keyboards
Price: $1,999.00 USD Each
Contact: http://bit.ly/1xYeEpk
Description: These units are brand new and come with a one year manufacturer's warranty. The BrailleNote mPower's mature hardware and intuitive software ...

3.) Brand New BrailleNote MPower 32 Cell Refreshable Braille Displays with Braille Keyboards
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Contact: http://bit.ly/1v5WiFG
Description: These units are brand new and come with a one year manufacturer's warranty. The BrailleNote mPower's mature hardware and intuitive software ...

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 11, 2014 - Volume 487

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 11, 2014 - Volume 487
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Hardly Used Brailliant BI 32 Cell New Generation Refreshable Braille Display for $1,995.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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Greetings,

1) Window-Eyes users can now play a Star Trek game!
https://www.gwmicro.com/App_Central/Apps/App_Details/?scriptid=1418

2) Elsewhere in Ai Squared land, Beta 2 of Window-Eyes 9 is ready for testing:
http://www.gwmicro.com/Window-Eyes/Beta

3) In the wake of Jonathan Mosen's free e-book on the founding and early years of ACB Radio, he will discuss his experiences on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 16 December at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

4) In other Tek Talk news, the archive of last week's program about computer learning and networking resources is here. It is not all-inclusive, but focuses on what are perhaps some lesser-used resources:
http://www.accessibleworld.org/content/compendium-networking-and-learning-resources-blind-computer-users-0

5) This article is called "My Experience Designing for the Blind"
https://medium.com/@timo.loescher/my-experience-designing-for-the-blind-22e3df46dcad

6) A New "Facebook For The Blind" mailing list has been created, subscribe at:
blind-facebook-users+subscribe@groups.io

7) Here is a PC World post called "What you need to know about the cloud:"
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2847324/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-cloud.html

8) Sight Enhancement Systems, Ottawa, Canada, has launched its next generation SciPlus scientific calculators for the visually impaired:
http://www.sightenhancement.com

9) The latest version of the Google Docs iOS app apparently contains significant accessibility improvements:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-docs/id842842640?mt=8

10) Here is a news story, "How A Deaf-Blind Lawyer Uses Technology To Represent Her Disabled Clients":
http://abovethelaw.com/2014/12/todays-tech-how-a-deaf-blind-lawyer-uses-technology-to-represent-her-disabled-clients/

Turning to audio:

11A) Here is a demonstration of the aforementioned improvements in the iOS Google Docs App:
https://soundcloud.com/chancey-fleet/google-docs-for-ios-new-release-navigation-and-editing-with-voiceoer-and-braille

11B) From Cool Blind Tech, we can hear about Google's Nexus Player - An Accessible Streaming Media Device:
http://coolblindtech.com/podcast/googles-nexus-player-an-accessible-streaming-media-device

11C) Hear from an architect who lost his vision talk about "Blind Friendly Architecture" on Eyes on Success:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

11D) "Burning Questions: The Tech Doctor Perspective" is the newest Tech Doctor podcast:
http://www.dr-carter.com

11E) Listen to a Demo of the 3G Daisy Desktop Player for Vision Australia Library:
http://bit.ly/1De8BFf

New recordings from AppleVis include:

11F) Can You Beat The House With Bored-At-Work Blackjack For iOS:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/can-you-beat-house-bored-work-blackjack-ios

11G) An Introduction To Using The Finder on Mac OS X: Part 4:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/introduction-using-finder-mac-os-x-part-4

11H) Easy iTunes 12 on Mac OS X Yosemite: Part 1:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/easy-itunes-12-mac-os-x-yosemite-part-1

11I) Finally, hear from the creator of Voice Dream Reader about "How a One Year Sabbatical Turned Into a Dream Business":
http://bizthatmatters.com/btm003-how-a-one-year-sabbatical-turned-into-a-dream-business-with-winston-chen/

******************************************************
Flying Blind, LLC Classifieds Section:
******************************************************

1.) Brand New BrailleNote MPower 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Displays with Braille Keyboards
Price: $1,999.00 USD Each
Contact: http://bit.ly/1xYeEpk
Description: These units are brand new and come with a one year manufacturer's warranty. The BrailleNote mPower's mature hardware and intuitive software ...

2.) Brand New BrailleNote MPower 32 Cell Refreshable Braille Displays with Braille Keyboards
Price: $2,599.00 USD Each
Contact: http://bit.ly/1v5WiFG
Description: These units are brand new and come with a one year manufacturer's warranty. The BrailleNote mPower's mature hardware and intuitive software ...

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 4, 2014 - Volume 486

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, December 4, 2014 - Volume 486
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Braille Sense OnHand. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Braille Sense OnHand For $1,895.00 USD!!!

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Greetings,

1) Spoonbill Software has released three more games in its Blind Gamers Series, bringing the total to 35: BG 2048, BG Word Yahtzee, and BG Simon. Learn about these and other games and request free copies at:
http://www.spoonbillsoftware.com.au/blindgamers.htm

The Internet allows blind people to run businesses, engage in recreational activities and learn new skills. Here are a few sites not related to technology that prove this point:

2A) Blind Alive sells exercise workout recordings with extremely clear exercise descriptions:
http://www.blindalive.com/

2B) Rousettus sells a special yoga mat with clear markings to help students with placement for exercises:
http://rousettus.com/

2C) While on the yoga theme, Blind Yoga sells audio files with instructions to help both the home practitioner and the class participant:
http://blindyoga.net/

2D) And before we return to pure technology, note that the home page of the National Beep Baseball Association has been improved:
http://www.nbba.org/

3) Learn what's new in prescription labeling and home product identification from EnVision America on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 9 December at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

4) From MacWorld UK, we can explore the Complete guide to iPhone and iPad Settings:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/how-use-settings-configure-ipad-iphone-ios8-updated-3583514/

5) Here's a list of 75 awesome apps that Google thinks every Android fan should use:
http://accessnewsdaily.com/75-awesome-apps-that-google-thinks-every-android-fan-should-use/

6) Eyread provides worldwide JAWS and NVDA support and training:
http://www.ey-read.com/

7) You may well want to know "How to Wipe Your Phone or Tablet Before You Sell It", CNET provides guidance:
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-wipe-your-phone-or-tablet-before-selling/

8) ZoomText Version 10.1 offers support for current versions of Windows and Office, Windows Aero Glass, improved support for video games and applications, smooth mouse pointers and more:
http://bit.ly/12xPqGt

9) Deque Systems offers a free 1-Hour Mobile Accessibility 101 webinar for developers on Tuesday, 9 December at 19:00 GMT. Register here:
http://bit.ly/1w3bTYW

10) The Fall 2014 edition of the "508 XPress", a quarterly newsletter on making electronic content accessible to everyone, is now available. It contains, "Make Your Words Stand Out: Providing Distinct Color Contrast", "Section 508 Conformance with Multiple Mobile Apps", "New Mobile Testing Course Available on the TMS", "BYOM: Your Interactive Resource for All Things Mobile", and more:
http://www.section508.va.gov/support/newsletter/508XPressVolume13Fall2014.pdf

11) PC World tells us "How to Download Audio from Any Streaming Video:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2852325/how-to-download-audio-from-any-streaming-video.html

12) Brian Hartgen gives us an update on the plans for JaySay and Leasey:
http://www.hartgen.org/node/255

13) Not surprisingly, the December 2014 issue of The Braille Monitor contains an article entitled "A New Era in Mobile Reading Begins: Introducing the KNFB Reader for iOS":
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1411/bm141107.htm

14) Jonathan Mosen's free Free eBook on Founding and Directing ACB Radio is now available in EPUB and PDF formats, covering as it does an important milestone in Internet radio by and for the blind:
http://mosen.org/index.php/my-free-ebook-on-founding-and-directing-acb-radio-now-available/

15) 9To5Mac is here with "Holiday Gift Guide: Making Music with your iPhone, iPad, and Mac":
http://9to5mac.com/2014/12/01/making-music-iphone-ipad-mac-interface/

Turning to audio, we have:

16A) "Google's Nexus Player - An Accessible Streaming Media Device" is the title of the latest Cool Blind Tech podcast:
http://coolblindtech.com/podcast/googles-nexus-player-an-accessible-streaming-media-device

16B) Following up on last week's Eyes on Success program, program 1449 offers a Tablet Comparison for blind users:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

BGZ has received two podcasts:

16C) Find A File Downloaded Using IDM:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/find-a-file-downloaded-using-idm/

16D) And, for anyone who might still use this OS, "Making Windows Vista Easier to Use":
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/making-windows-vista-easier-to-use/

And finally, AppleVis makes available a three-part series, and another podcast:

16E) An Introduction To Using The Spotlight Finder on Mac OS X: Part 1:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/introduction-using-spotlight-finder-mac-os-x-part-1

16F) An Introduction To Using The Spotlight Finder on Mac OS X: Part 2:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/introduction-using-spotlight-finder-mac-os-x-part-2

16G) An Introduction To Using The Spotlight Finder on Mac OS X: Part 3:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/introduction-using-spotlight-finder-mac-os-x-part-3

16H) FingerKey: Lets You Unlock Your Mac Using TouchID On Your iOS Device:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/fingerkey-lets-you-unlock-your-mac-using-touchid-your-ios-device

******************************************************
Flying Blind, LLC Classifieds Section:
******************************************************

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 27, 2014 - Volume 485

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 27, 2014 - Volume 485
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Hardly Used Brailliant BI 32 Cell New Generation Refreshable Braille Display for $1,995.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Hardly Used Brailliant BI 32 Cell New Generation Refreshable Braille Display for $1,995.00 USD !!!

Greetings,

1) Window-Eyes 9 Beta 1 is now available for installation on top of a working copy of Version 8, which of course everybody can get for free if you own Microsoft Office. The program has a rewritten, snappier and more powerful web interface, bulit-in QuickBooks support, and more:
http://www.gwmicro.com/Window-Eyes/Beta/

2) AFB offers a free webinar, "An Introduction to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," available any time:
http://www.afb.org/store/pages/ShoppingCart/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=eIntroCFPB&ruling=Yes

3) This YouTube video is called "Accessibility Matters: User Experience [UX] Technologies at Goldman Sachs"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck0Q0tlHgKY

4) And this YouTube Quick Tip from APH demonstrates Graphing a Line on the Orion TI-84 Plus Talking Graphing Calculator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5HhMBhvJNc&feature=youtu.be

5) With yours truly (Dean Martineau) as moderator, Tek Talk will offer a Compendium of Networking and Learning Resources for Computer Users with Vision loss, covering some twelve local, national and international resources, some of which I, as Tidbits Editor, hadn't even run into before. This will air on GMT Tuesday, 2 December at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

6) We have received reports that version 2.0 of MalwareBytes is now much more accessible to screen reader users:
https://www.malwarebytes.org

7A) If you have experienced Google Instant, the feature of Google that fills in search results as you type and which isn't terribly friendly to screen readers, and have tried to turn it off without success, you might want to try using these links for Google. In the US, try:
https://www.google.com/webhp?complete=0&hl=en

7B) And in the UK, use this one:
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?complete=0&hl=en

8) On Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November, starting at 20:00 GMT, Blindy.TV will air a marathon of audio-described epidoses of South Park. Each day, they will give away a set of SoundPods Speakers:
http://blindy.tv/node/34

9) The forces of materialism assert them with great vengeance during this time of year, with many sales, and if you want to find the best ones, "The How-To Geek Guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales" is at your disposal:
http://www.howtogeek.com/176453/the-how-to-geek-guide-to-black-friday-and-cyber-monday-sales/

10) Spotlight Text is a $29.95 iPad app well-designed for low-vision users of Bookshare. The app has different reading modes, intended for people with different types of vision loss, as well as an audio-only mode. The linked article gives slightly inaccurate prices for Bookshare:
http://www.blindness.org/blog/index.php/a-new-app-for-book-readers-with-low-vision/

11) This post from the TED Blog, along with the discussion, is instructive: "10 Tesearch Tips for Finding Online Answers"
http://blog.ted.com/2014/10/02/10-research-tips-for-finding-answers-that-elude-you/

12) From Access News Daily comes "Everything You Need to Know About Using iCloud Drive and iCloud Photo Library":
http://accessnewsdaily.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using-icloud-drive-and-icloud-photo-library/

13) The final upgrade to NVDA for the calendar year, 2014.4, is in the Release Candidate Stage. Learn more about it and get it from here:
http://community.nvda-project.org/blog/NVDA2014.4rc1Released

Turning to a varied collection of audio material this week:

14A) If you want to hear about what's coming in NVDA 1014.4, you can listen to this:
http://www.nvda-kr.org/en

14B) Would you like to use BlindSquare with Google Maps but don't know how? This podcast will help you get started:
https://audioboom.com/boos/2672672-how-to-use-google-maps-with-blindsquare

14C) The Accessible Devices podcast is back after a leave of absence, talking about widgets and more:
http://www.accessible-devices.com/feed.xml

14D) Eyes on Success discusses Tablet Comparisons for Low Vision Users:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

14E) Jonathan Mosen is the guest on the Delivering Access Podcast:
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/dap-season-2-jonathan-mosen/

14F) Here is an Audio Comparison: Siri Versus Google Voice Search
https://audioboom.com/boos/2684908-audio-comparison-siri-versus-google-voice-search

And finally, AppleVis offers us:

14G) Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear Headphones: Unboxing And Description:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/beats-studio-wireless-over-ear-headphones-unboxing-and-description

14H) Say Play For iOS: Say The Title Of Any Song And Hear It Playing A Few Seconds Later:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/say-play-ios-say-title-any-song-and-hear-it-playing-few-seconds-later

14I) Exploring The Accessibility Of The Apple TV:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/exploring-accessibility-apple-tv

14J) New In iOS 8: The Speak Screen Feature Adds Something Extra For Low Vision Users:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/new-ios-8-speak-screen-feature-adds-something-extra-low-vision-users

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 20, 2014 - Volume 484

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 20, 2014 - Volume 484
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell Note Taker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard.

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Flying Blind, LLC is very excited to have One Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell Note Taker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard available for only $2,295.00 USD, that's an over $1,600.00 USD savings discounted at over 40% off of its suggested list price!!! For the past 14 plus years the BrailleNote name has been synonymous with excellence and innovation and the Apex continues to set standards that other notetakers have yet to meet. This unit is in pristine condition and is begging for a new home with a responsible user. This exceptionally priced gem will give you the time you need to have the time of your life! That, and its robust yet intuitive functionality will offer limitless options to whomever is first to receive it. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

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Greetings,

1) This article in the November 2014 issue of The Braille Monitor discusses the pros and cons of different models for selling adaptive technology:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1410/bm141006.htm

2) National Braille Press has a new $9 book available in many formats: "Out and About: Our Favorite Travel Apps," featuring 24 apps related to various aspects of travel:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/APPSOUT.html

3) The Magnification Visualization Experiment at N.C. State Department of Computer Science is looking for participants with low vision. You need only download the test materials and spend around 30 minutes testing:
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~jawilso7/magnificationExperiment/

4) A beta of version 9 of Window-Eyes is forthcoming. In case you want to know what features the program will offer even before this beta is released, the company is writing daily text and audio posts so that you can:
http://www.gwmicro.com/

5) The spreadsheet program, Calc, along with the word processor Writer, in the free LibreOffice package, are now more accessible to screen reader users with the release of version 4.3.4:
http://www.libreoffice.org/download/

6) Best Consulting has produced a set of Sharepoint Accessibility demonstrations using JAWS 15 to show how the screen reader's features work with Sharepoint to provide an accessible environment for accomplishing various tasks:
http://www.davebest.info/html/DTDEMO.html

Upcoming Freedom Scientific training webinars include:

7A) Speech History with JAWS, Wednesday, 3 December at 17:00 GMT:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/Services/TrainingAndCertification/WebinarDetail/F0095

7B) And Frame Viewer with JAWS, Wednesday, 17 December at 17:00:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/Services/TrainingAndCertification/WebinarDetail/F0096

8) Learn How to dim or disable the display on Android:
http://inclusiveandroid.tk/?q=content%2Fhow-dim-or-disable-display&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

9) This post lists "16 Things You Can Do In Android Lollipop That You Couldn't Do In KitKat":
http://accessnewsdaily.com/16-things-you-can-do-in-android-lollipop-that-you-couldnt-do-in-kitkat/

10) Read some Social Media Tips for Job Seekers on the Mosen Consulting blog:
http://mosen.org/index.php/social-media-tips-for-job-seekers/

11) This Dropbox Blog post discusses Making Dropbox for iOS more accessible:
http://bit.ly/1udwWAw

12) Prizmo version 3 is significantly more accessible to use on the Mac:
http://www.applevis.com/apps/mac/productivity/prizmo-3-scanning-ocr-speech

13) Blindfold Sudoku is said to be a fully accessible version of the game for iOS
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/blindfold-sudoku/id915175243?mt=8

Turning to audio content this week:

14A) FSCast Issue 100 is out, with a retrospective about FSCast and an interview with Brian Hartgen about Leasey, a forthcoming JAWS add-on designed to simplify computer use:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/FSCast

14B) The archive of the recent CAVICast about notetaking on iOS devices is available at:
http://www.cucat.org/cc/2014/

14C) Two recent Eyes on Success broadcasts concern "Improving Interactions With New Technologies and Advocating for Disability Rights":
http://eyesonsuccess.net

14D) Archives are available for two recent EASI webinars: "A New Approach to Support People with a Need for Alternate Formats," discussing the RoboBraille service, and "Recent NVDA Developments for Education and Work:
http://www.easi.cc/

And below we have a good collection of AppleVis podcasts this time around:

14E) Sending Voice Messages On OS X Yosemite:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-sending-voice-messages-os-x-yosemite

14F) Navigating And Using The iCloud Drive Folder On OS X Yosemite:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-navigating-and-using-icloud-drive-folder-os-x-yosemite

14G) How to Enable SMS Relay On OS X Yosemite:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-enable-sms-relay-os-x-yosemite

14H) Switch To Your Apple ID As Your Login On Your Mac:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-switch-your-apple-id-your-login-your-mac

14X) How To Access And Manage Connected Devices On iTunes 12:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-access-and-manage-connected-devices-itunes-12

14I) Quick Tip: Navigating iTunes 12 With Jaws 16:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-navigating-itunes-12-jaws-16

14J) Dark Sky for iOS: A Weather App to Keep You Dry:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/dark-sky-ios-weather-app-keep-you-dry

14K) From BGZ come Windows Tech Preview First Impressions:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/windows-tech-preview-first-impressions/

14L) And Thumbprint Security USB Reader:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/thumbprint-security-usb-reader/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 13, 2014 - Volume 483

This Week's Featured Advertisement: Flying Blind, LLC: Your One Stop Shop for Buying and Selling Refurbished Technology !!!

If you are a manufacturer, authorized reseller, service agency, or responsible user wishing to find a new home for your currently under-utilized technology, in the hopes of netting some extra cash for the holidays, reducing your year-end inventory, or applying some of those monies toward a new technology solution, please call or email us, and let's explore your options. If you are a user wishing to save a little money and invest in some gently used technologies that have been fully inspected by Flying Blind LLC, we encourage you to contact us as well. Flying Blind, LLC has an 8 year (and counting) proven track record for matching appropriate adaptive technologies with countless happy customers. We are able to accomplish this by taking into account today's economic climate and the ever-changing trends within the Adaptive Technology industry. To this end we are always updating our inventory, both online and off, and may have something waiting in the wings that just might meet your needs. Flying Blind, LLC is committed to ensuring that you receive the technology solution that is best suited for you at a price you can afford. For more information, or to begin the buying or selling process, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Greetings,

1) There may be something for nearly everyone in the November 2014 issue of AccessWorld, which includes:

A) AccessWorld 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: Great High- and Low-Tech Ideas Under $100.

B) AccessWorld's 2014 Online Shopping Guide, with guides to using Amazon's accessible website, Zappos, Wine.com, and L'occitane en Provence.

C) KNFB Reader for iOS: Does This App Live up to All the Hype?

D) TactileView: Leveling the Playing Field With Raised Images.

E) A Comparative Review of the SmartLux Digital and Pebble HD Handheld Video Magnifiers.

F) Making Music with the Beamz: A Tool for Fun and Education.

G) And Mobile Connected Health Devices: The Future of Health Technology?
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

2 Some groundbreaking news has come from Comcast. Many blind users of their cable system in the US will have free access to a talking guide system to obtain details about what is on television:
http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/news-feed/talkingguide

3) CAVI wil hold a CAVICast on efficient notetaking with iOS, using mBraille, AccessNote and Dropbox, on GMT Sunday, 16 November at 01:00. They encourage live participation, which must be via TeamTalk. A recording will eventually be uploaded. You can learn about the TeamTalk setup process here:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.SettingUpTeamtalk

4A) Speaking of CAVI, they're offering a cooking course:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php

4B) And an 8-to-10 week employment course:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.Employment

5) The next quarterly Hadley iFocus event will take place on Wednesday, 19 November at 17:00 GMT. The topic will be "What's new in iOS8", with discussion of all new low vision features, introducing the new Alex voice, adding new rotor elements (audio ducking and Braille screen input), no Voiceover interruptions, and much more. Register here:
http://bit.ly/1yBhmCT

6) Jonathan Mosen extols the virtues of Read later services:
http://mosen.org/index.php/have-you-heard-the-news-the-benefits-of-using-a-read-later-service/

7) NVDA now supports Goldwave 6:
http://addons.nvda-project.org/addons/goldwave.en.html

8) Here are 35 Google Search tips the authors don't think we know about:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/the-35-best-google-search-tips-and-tricks/

9) Learn about several topics on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 19 November at 01:00. The first topic will be the new Bookshare web site and other projects on the drawing board at Bookshare. Next, learn about one non-smartphone that comes with speech output. Finally, hear about how to use the Spotify music service on the PC:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

10) This NVDA add-on integrates with the built-in Magnifier program in Windows 7. The add-on allows Magnifier to start when NVDA starts and adds a few settings to control it:
http://www.greenlightgo.org/projects/nvda/

11) The peel-the-apple mailing list is for beginners with Apple products. Send a blank message here to join:
peel-the-apple-subscribe@ultragroups.us

12) The support email address for window-Eyes has changed in view of its sale to Ai Squared. It is now:
wesupport@aisquared.com

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 6, 2014 - Volume 482

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, November 6, 2014 - Volume 482
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $1,995.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $1,995.00 USD !!!

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with approximately nine months remaining on its manufacturer's warranty, is in fantastic condition, and is listed here at over 33% off of its suggested retail price, giving you an approximate $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Executive Products carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

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Greetings,

1A) The vi-cs mailing list is for blind computer science students. To join, send a blank message to:
vi-cs+subscribe@googlegroups.com

1B) Or visit this page:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/vi-cs

2) While we're on the topic of mailing lists, the SightExchange2 List on YahooGroups is where you can give away and receive blindness-related items. To join, send a blank message to:
sightexchange2-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

3) With the new iPhones comes the ability to use Apple Pay to check out at stores and restaurants, but not all retailers are excited about this prospect:
http://gizmodo.com/the-horrible-no-good-apple-pay-war-no-one-signed-up-fo-1652228334

4) This page gives a wealth of information about Accessible media player resources and demos:
http://www.iheni.com/accessible-media-player-resources/

5) Here is an Inclusive Android post about switching from iOS to Android, and unlike other posts on the topic, this one includes accessibility information:
http://inclusiveandroid.com/?q=content/switching-ios-android

Upcoming installments in the Hadley Seminars Series include the following two entries. Pre-registration is required, but archives are always available afterward:

6A) "The Value of Braille in the Educational Toolbox," on Wednesday, 12 November at 16:00 GMT:
http://hadley.edu/Seminar_register.asp?sid=252

6B) And "What's New in iOS 8," on Wednesday, 19 November at 17:00 GMT:
http://hadley.edu/SeminarUpcomings.asp

7) The next HIMS webinar will be entitled "Easy to Learn and Use Technology for Seniors and Tech Novices", and will take place on Tuesday, 12 November at 20:00 GMT. Register here to take part live or receive a link to the recording:
http://bit.ly/1tKmBk7

8) This is a short introduction to the VoiceOver screen reader for Mac OS X, particularly geared toward sighted developers or instructors who never had any exposure to assistive technology software for users who are blind:
http://bit.ly/1uytw1V

9) Hear about how Vision Australia created their DAISY online 3G player:
https://soundcloud.com/hear-this-val/ed-gamble-talks-about-the-daisy-online-3g-player

10) Hear about "Suggested Accessibility Changes on Samsung Galaxy S5" on this BGZ podcast:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/suggested-accessibility-changes-on-samsung-galaxy-s5/

11) "Fitness, Massage and the Blind Cafe" is the topic for this week's Eyes on Success podcast:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

12) SeroTalk Podcast 218 gives its usual, unique take on the week in technology:
http://serotalk.com/2014/11/05/serotalk-podcast-218-i-know-a-secret/

13) Blogger Joe Orozco is not entirely pleased with the feature set of the JAWS Version 16 release:
http://joeorozco.com/blog_my_complaint_with_freedom_scientific

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 30, 2014 - Volume 481

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 30, 2014 - Volume 481
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD !!!

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with approximately nine months remaining on its manufacturer's warranty, is in fantastic condition, and is listed here at over 30% off of its suggested retail price, giving you an approximate $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Executive Products carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=NNKZSMRBXMGT2

Greetings,

1) From the CNIB blog comes "Camera Hacks for Photographers Who Are Blind or Partially Sighted":
http://blog.cnib.ca/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=584

2) It's time for Stocking Stuffers again. Each year, Tek Talk offers two sessions where people who sell smaller, high and low-tech items to the blind can talk about their wares. Part one of this year's series is on GMT Tuesday, 4 November at 01:00. Of course, like all Tek Talk programs, these will be archived, and you can write if you are not sure how to convert GMT to your time zone:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

3) The American Foundation for the Blind wants you to take a survey to "Tell us what you think about our technology information!"
http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/using-technology/12?mode=survey

4) EASI offers two useful free webinars in November. "Balabolka the flexible E-reader" will take place Thursday, 6 November at 19:00 GMT, while "Recent NVDA Developments for Education and Work" will be held on Wednesday, 12 November at 21:00 GMT. Register here:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm#november

5) Exploring Blackboard Collaborate Accessibility Features is a package of 2 free EASI Webinars: Tuesday 4 November, Introduction to Web Conferencing, at 19:00 GMT, and Tuesday 11 November, Experiencing Blackboard Collaborate First-hand, at 19:00 GMT. Register here:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm#november

6) In his post, "Apps, The Web, and Productivity," Marco explains why he makes little use of web-based apps even when they are supposedly accessible:
http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/10/28/apps-the-web-and-productivity/

7) Bookshare has updated its web site, such that it is now mobile-friendly, much easier for prospective members to learn about and join the service, and easy for members to find their account settings:
http://bookshareblog.wpengine.com/2014/10/bookshares-updated-website-helps-you-do-more/

8) Our old controversy-stirrer, Chris Hofstater, is back with a rather unfavorable look at the accessibility of the Yosemite operating system and trends in Apple accessibility:
http://chrishofstader.com/apple-the-company-i-hate-to-love-part-3-the-macintosh-user-experience/

9A) JAWS version 16 is now officially released, with MathML Support, Convenient OCR for entire PDF documents, and other enhancements:
http://www2.freedomscientific.com/downloads/JAWS/JAWS-whats-new.asp

9B) The latest FSCast podcast covers MathML in more detail along with other features including Braille input:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/FSCast/FullListing#Episode99

10 )Popular Twitter client TheQube version 0.7 is out with some streamlining and enhancements:
http://theqube.oire.org/17

11) YouDescribe is a free accessibility tool for adding audio description to YouTube videos, the more described, the merrier!
http://youdescribe.ski.org/search.php

12A) In the audio realm, we start with a very informative AppleVis podcast, Direct Touch Typing on iOS 8: What Is It And How Does It Work With VoiceOver?
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/direct-touch-typing-ios-8-what-it-and-how-does-it-work-voiceover

12B) Learn about the KNFB Reader app for the iPhone on Eyes on Success program 1444:
http://eyesonsuccess.net/

12C) Learn about Remapping your CapsLock key for use as the Voice Over modifier keys on the Cool Blind Tech podcast
http://coolblindtech.com/podcast/remapping-your-capslock-key-for-use-as-the-voice-over-modifier-keys

12D) And from the SPN, catch episode 26 of High Contrast:
http://serotalk.com/2014/10/28/high-contrast-episode-26-muscle-memory/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 23, 2014 - Volume 480

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 23, 2014 - Volume 480
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Practically New Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a gently used Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display manufactured by Freedom Scientific. This unit has approximately 9 months left on its manufacturer's warranty, and is in fantastic shape! This is a fantastic solution for JAWS users also wishing to access tablets and smartphones. This Focus is just waiting to be given a new home with a responsible user who is looking for an amazing bargain on a responsive display which touts both versatility and efficiency. Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States, giving you a 25% discount off of its standard list price. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this Focus as a key player in your AdapTech journey, please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

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Greetings,

1) Let's begin with a series on the new Mac operating system, Yosemite. Read about "17 Things You Can Do in OS X Yosemite That You Couldn't Do in Mavericks"
http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/17-things-you-can-do-in-os-x-yosemite-that-you-couldnt-1648399541/+barrett

2) BlindPodcaster tells us about "OS X Yosemite for the Low Vision User"
http://blindpodcaster.com/os-x-yosemite-whats-in-store-for-low-vision-users/

3) iMore brings us "OS X Yosemite in 6 minutes: Everything You Need to Know"
http://www.imore.com/os-x-yosemite-6-minutes-everything-you-need-know

4) From MacWorld comes "OK, Mac: Using Automator's Dictation Commands, New in Yosemite":
http://www.macworld.com/article/2834532/ok-mac-using-automators-dictation-commands-new-in-yosemite.html#tk.rss_all

5) Finally on this topic, we learn from 9to5Mac "Yosemite & iOS 8 How-to: Set up and use Handoff":
http://9to5mac.com/2014/10/17/handoff-yosemite-ios-8/

6) It's back to iMore to learn "How to use Camera for iPhone and iPad: The Ultimate Guide":
http://www.imore.com/camera-ultimate-guide?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

7) Here is a compendium of "6 iPhone Apps That Use TouchID to Make Your Life Easier":
http://gizmodo.com/6-iphone-apps-that-use-touchid-to-make-your-life-easier-1648397490

8) You can take part in a 30-minute webinar about Bookshare's new site:
http://hosted-p0.vresp.com/266797/ee3e9f9d4e/ARCHIVE

9) Learn about the new features in NVDA for use in Microsoft Office, and get a preview of using NVDA with Windows 10, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 28 October at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

10) Here is an in-depth article about the Disk Cleanup utility found in Windows 7 and 8:
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/regain-hard-disk-space-by-using-windows-update-cleanup-in-windows-7-and-8x/

11) Learn about iCloud Drive for Windows from PcWorld:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2686017/apple-releases-icloud-drive-for-windows-pcs.html

12) Not sure this will help much with accessibility in the desired transition, but we see that "Google publishes guide to help iPhone users switch to Android":
http://9to5google.com/2014/10/21/google-publishes-guide-to-help-iphone-users-switch-to-android/

And below we include a few of the week's podcasts before we hit the deadline:

13A) Since we were touting Android, here's "That Android Show, Podcast 33":
http://thatandroidshow.com/2014/10/22/that-android-show-episode-33-crusade-of-one/

13B) And there's SeroTalk podcast 215:
http://serotalk.com/2014/10/22/serotalk-podcast-216-cranial-course-correction/

From AppleVis come:

13C) New in OS X Yosemite: Easily Navigate Web Content with the Arrow Keys:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/new-os-x-yosemite-easily-navigate-web-content-arrow-keys

13D) New In OS X Yosemite: Making And Receiving Phone Calls On Your Mac
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/new-os-x-yosemite-making-and-receiving-phone-calls-your-mac

13E) Perform OCR Directly From Your Photos Or Camera App Using Prizmo On iOS 8
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/perform-ocr-directly-your-photos-or-camera-app-using-prizmo-ios-8

13F) And Quick Tip: Setting Up Your iPhone For Use With Apple Pay:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-setting-your-iphone-use-apple-pay

13G) And this Eyes on Success podcast is the companion show of the last one: #1443, Partner of One Losing Vision Early in the Relationship:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 16, 2014 - Volume 479

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 16, 2014 - Volume 479
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Greetings,

1) We start with a request. Are you involved with a community, informal group or organization that strives to assist blind computer users? This could be a local or regional computer club, a telephone chat group, an Internet chat site, or a mailing list that strives to welcome inexperienced or novice members. Services can be free, or some services might be limited to paying members. If so, Tek Talk would like you to say a few words about your group during its November 17 Internet broadcast. Please write with questions or suggestions of such resources to:
dean@topdotenterprises.com

2) The Windows 10 Technical Preview is out, and the system has 32 new keyboard shortcuts:
http://www.howtogeek.com/198122/32-new-keyboard-shortcuts-in-the-windows-10-technical-preview/

3) The Rough Guide: Browsers, Operating Systems and Screen Reader Support has been updated:
http://bit.ly/1vxykUH

4) Have a look at "A List of all the Google Now Voice Commands" from Access News Daisy:
http://accessnewsdaily.com/a-list-of-all-the-google-now-voice-commands/

5) This article from The Observer is entitled "Video Games Which Open the Door for the Blind to Play":
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/13/video-games-that-let-blind-people-play

6) While we're talking about gaming, a group seeking to develop an accessible game would like those who might be interested to complete a short survey:
http://goo.gl/forms/GuAp18bkVi

7) AtMac brings us "Accessibility for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus":
http://atmac.org/accessibility-iphone-6-iphone-6-plus

8) We failed to mention the "SPN Special: 100 Years of Amateur Radio" the week it came out:
http://serotalk.com/2014/10/03/spn-special-100-years-of-amateur-radio/

9) The Tek Talk program scheduled for GMT Tuesday, 21 October at 00:00 will be an interactive one around the theme "The Accessible Gadgets Around My Home". The presenter and attendees will share ideas of applying low and high-tech solutions to this challenge:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

Finally, here are some recent podcasts:

10A) SeroTalk Podcast 215:
http://serotalk.com/2014/10/15/serotalk-podcast-215-sacrelicious/

From AppleVis:

10B) A Demonstration of the Social Links Feature in the Safari Browser for iOS:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/demonstration-social-links-feature-safari-browser-ios

10C) Quick Tip: A Workaround For The Back Button Bug In Safari On iOS 8:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-workaround-back-button-bug-safari-ios-8

10D) How Long Can You Keep Your Cute, Squishy Green CataGugl In The Air?
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/how-long-can-you-keep-your-cute-squishy-green-catagugl-air

10E) Extend the Usability of the Mountbatten Brailler With the Bluetooth Extension Module and Companion iOS App:
http://bit.ly/Zvuxt1

From BGZ:

10F) Microsoft One Drive Part 2: Deleting Files
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/microsoft-one-drive-part-2-deleting-files/

10G) Samsung Galaxy S5 Unboxing and Setup:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/samsung-galaxy-s5-unboxing-and-setup/

10H) Park Bos
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/park-bos/

And from Eyes on Success:

10I) Long-Time Partner of One Who Loses Vision:
http://eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 9, 2014 - Volume 478

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 9, 2014 - Volume 478
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD !!!

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with approximately nine months remaining on its manufacturer's warranty, is in fantastic condition, and is listed here at over 30% off of its suggested retail price, giving you an approximate $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Executive Products carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Greetings,

1) Learn about the new MathML support in JAWS16, which will enable proper reading of some math documents, in a free webinar on Wednesday, 5 November at 16:00 GMT:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/Services/TrainingAndCertification/WebinarDetail/F0104

2) The AT History site seeks to preserve the history of adaptive technology for the blind:
http://www.athistory.org/

3) Here is a list of twelve free programs one author always installs on his Windows computers:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/dandy-dozen-free-windows-programs-i-install-every-new-pc.htm

4) This post is called "Thoughts from a Blind Traveller - Staying Connected When Overseas"
http://mosen.org/index.php/thoughts-from-a-blind-traveller-staying-connected-when-overseas/

The October 2014 issue of the Braille Monitor has three technology related articles:

5A) iCanConnect: National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1409/bm140905.htm

5B) Deaf-Blind Communication Technology:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1409/bm140906.htm

5C) And Free Global Access for the Blind to the Computer
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1409/bm140909.htm

6) Here is a thorough review of the iPhone 6:
http://mobilizer.instapaper.com/m?u=http://feeds.betanews.com/~r/bn/~3/KvVTATsYXPY/

You have two chances to learn about the new Victor Reader Stream upgrade if you aren't already familiar with it:

7A) One is Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 14 October at 00:00.
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

7B) And the other is Eyes on Success podcast 1441:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

8) The article "Reading System Accessibility Testing: Moderators & Testers Needed" was recently published in the DAISY Consortium newsletter:
http://www.daisy.org/planet-2014-09#a3

9) Catch a webinar on the "Top 20 Features of ZoomText" on Wednesday 15 October at 16:00 GMT:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/630070366

10: HumanWare announces the immediate availability of Prodigi version 1.2, a free software update to the personal vision assistant. Prodigi now reads the menu items out loud, provides new video support on USB, integrated traning videos, more visual and audio status information and many other enhancements:
http://visit.humanware.com/e/3332/en-canada-support-prodigi/36bf6n/691022029

11) For monthly podcasts from Ireland, visit the NCBI podcast page:
http://www.ncbi.ie/technologypodcast/

12) Want to know how #VDA works with the Win10 Tech Preview? Hop over to NVDA Korea site to listen to a podcast about it:
http://www.nvda-kr.org/en/

13) Here is an MP3 file with a favorable demonstration of the KNFB Reader app:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/coolblindtech/CBT_-_088_-_In_Depth_Test_Of_knfbReader.mp3

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 2, 2014 - Volume 477

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, October 2, 2014 - Volume 477
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD !!!

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with approximately nine months remaining on its manufacturer's warranty, is in fantastic condition, and is listed here at over 30% off of its suggested retail price, giving you an approximate $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Executive Products carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Greetings,

1) There's a Wikipedia article on screen readers, and it has received positive reviews:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_reader

2) This is the story of the creation of Voice Dream Reader by its developer:
http://blog.ted.com/2014/07/08/how-a-ted-talk-inspired-me-to-take-a-mid-career-sabbatical/

3) From the AFB Bookstore, you can buy the $49.95 pre-recorded webinar with transcript and slides, "Teaching iPhone and iPad Basics to Seniors with Vision Loss":
http://bit.ly/1BANrv5

4) Here are resources and Information from a professional for Developing a Great Podcasting Voice
http://bit.ly/1vzc5fw

5) Sight Enhancement Systems has launched two New Scientific Calculators For The Visually Impaired:
http://www.sightenhancement.com

6) The next HIMS webinar will be entitled "Using EBot for Greater Independence at Home," and will take place on Tuesday, 14 October at 19:00 GMT. Register here:
http://hims-inc.com/webinar-registration/

7) Learn about "The Kyocera Verve Telephone For Blind Persons" from Sprint on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 7 October at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

8) Jonathan Mosen's book, iOS Without the Eye, is now available in many formats from National Braille Press for $19.95:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/IOS8-EYE.html

9) You can get phone training on ZoomText for $90/hour, except that until the end of the year it only costs $160 for two hours:
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=46e107c7813eb905dfd2a6938&id=1770325982

10) An update is available for the Qube twitter client used by many:
http://theqube.2fh.co/

Please Note: We're not finishing with audio this week, so there's more to follow! But in the audio department:

11A) SeroTalk podcast 213 is out:
http://serotalk.com/2014/10/01/serotalk-podcast-213-year-of-the-poptart/

11B) Also from the SPN Network, we get That Android Show, Episode 32
http://thatandroidshow.com/2014/09/30/that-android-show-episode-32-nfc-for-you-and-me/

11C) And High Contrast Episode 25:
http://serotalk.com/2014/09/30/high-contrast-episode-25-its-all-about-byron/

11D) Elsewhere, learn about parenting a blind child on Eyes on Success #1440:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

11E) This downloadable recording concerns Kindle for PC:
http://bit.ly/1uCVNmW

11F) The latest Tech Doctor podcast features part of the team creating CrowdViz, which seeks to use FaceTime to link blind iPhone users to volunteers who can assist them with specific visual tasks:
http://www.dr-carter.com/

11G) Podcast 100 of Web Axe discusses Wordpress accessibility and includes a transcript:
http://www.webaxe.org/podcast-100-joe-joseph-wordpress-a11y/

And five podcasts from BGZ:

11H) YTD Video Downloader
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/ytd-video-downloader/

11I) iPhone 5c:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/i-phone-5-c/

11J) The Rode to Rage:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/the-rode-to-rage/

11K) Microsoft One Drive, Part One:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/microsoft-one-drive-part-one/

11L) KNFB Reader App for iPhone:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/knfb-reader-app-for-iphone/

12) Among lots of other things, this site contains MP3 files designed to teach keyboarding to the blind:
http://bit.ly/YU7Tub

13) This is an online tutorial on the Nemeth Code:
http://tech.aph.org/nemeth/

14) A series of six beginner and intermediate online iPhone classes will start soon. Each class costs $50:
http://lisasalinger.com/links/iOS.html

15) Those seeking to use the new Braille input feature of iOS8 may want to study Apple's help page about the feature:
http://help.apple.com/iphone/8/en.lproj/iph10366cc30.html

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 25, 2014 - Volume 476

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 25, 2014 - Volume 476
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Barely Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,995.00 USD !!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a barely used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with QWERTY Style Keyboard (purchased new in early 2014) for $2,995.00 USD. This unit has been used on only a few occasions and is now begging to be used a whole lot more by one lucky recipient in the market for a notetaker line that has withstood the test of time. This unit is in pristine condition and carries an extended warranty until December 2015, providing you with an approximate $3,000.00 USD savings off of this unit's recommended list price. The BrailleNote family of products has been setting standards for intuitive, powerful, and portable information management for the past 14 years. This sleek and robust solution provides endless possibilities and opportunities for that one person wishing to give it a good home and benefit from its countless uses! Free shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Barely Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,995.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DDPRVQ2PP3MBY

Greetings,

1) With all the iOS8 uproar last week we managed to leave out information about the September 2014 issue of AccessWorld. The issue contains a continuation of the series about the Smith-Kettlewell Institute, reviews of the Focus 40 Blue, the iOS podcast app Overcast, and reviews of the Songza and Spotify free music apps as well as an article on running Windows on a VoiceOver-enabled Mac:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

2) The KNFB Reader iOS app continues to generate a lot of positive demonstrations. Here is a short post demonstrating the results of the same scan performed with the new app and with the established OCR app Prizmo, under identical conditions:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/34719098/PrizmoKnfb.txt

Turning to audio demonstrations of the KNFB reading app:

3A) We have an AudioBoom (the new name for AudioBoos):
http://audioboom.com/boos/2496091-some-hopefully-helpful-remarks-about-knfb-reader

3B) Here is a download link to Part 1 of a 2 Part Demo:
http://t.co/kbGneXQl0i

3C) And here is a link to Part 2:
http://t.co/NtTKjWYKpo

3D) And here's a YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G19yuo2oE6U&feature=youtu.be

3E) Here, we are able to get an answer to the question, What Kind of Pancake Mix is This?
https://audioboom.com/boos/2490597-what-kind-of-pancake-mix-is-this-knfbreader-demo

3F) And finally, we'll put SeroTalk Podcast 212 here, because even though it contains lots of iOS8 and other tech news, it also contains an interview regarding the KNFB Reader:
http://serotalk.com/2014/09/24/serotalk-podcast-212-throw-darts-at-a-bug/

Moving on to information about iOS8 and the new iphones, here are some mainstream articles (note that gestures mentioned will not be the same as are used when VoiceOver is running):

4A) 25 iOS 8 Tips and Tricks
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2014/09/ios-8-tips-and-tricks.html

4B) How to use iOS 8, the complete guide
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/the-complete-guide-to-ios-8/

4C) The list of all the new gestures in iOS 8
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2014/09/list-new-gestures-ios-8.html

4D) 25 Things You Can Do On iOS 8 That You Couldn't Do On iOS 7
http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/25-things-you-can-do-on-ios-8-that-you-couldnt-do-on-io-1636303912

5) We mentioned the Voiceover Easy Page with its clear and free tutorials a while back. The site has been updated with sections for users of iOS8 and owners of the two new iphones:
http://www.voiceover-easy.net/default.aspx?utm_content=buffer7e68b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#About

Needless to say, plenty more audio content has been created concerning the recent Apple developments:

6A) This overview comes from Cool Blind Tech:
http://coolblindtech.com/podcast/ios-8-a-bite-sized-overview

6B) Episode 33 from Triple Click Home is all over it:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/09/23/triple-click-home-episode-33-wheres-the-braille/

6C) And from AppleVis: A Quick Look at the "Reachability" One-Hand Mode Available on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-look-%E2%80%98reachability%E2%80%99-one-hand-mode-available-iphone-6-and-6-plus

6D) How to Use iOS 8 Continuity Between Your iPhone & iPad for Calls, Email, Browsing & More
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/how-use-ios-8-continuity-between-your-iphone-ipad-calls-email-browsing-more

6E) iPhone 6 Plus: Unboxing, Description, Initial Setup & Making the Most of the Larger Display
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/iphone-6-plus-unboxing-description-initial-setup-making-most-larger-display

6F) And A Demonstration of the Social Links Feature in the Safari Browser for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/demonstration-social-links-feature-safari-browser-ios

7) A lot of people will want to know: How to add the NFL schedule to your iPhone and iPad calendar
http://www.imore.com/how-add-nfl-schedule-your-iphone-and-ipad-calendar?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

8) Not sure this Linux access package is for everybody, but apparently it's still alive and kicking: Read Emacspeak At Twenty: Looking Back, Looking Forward:
http://emacspeak.blogspot.com/2014/09/emacspeak-at-twenty-looking-back.html

9) The public demo for MAGic version 13 is available:
http://www2.freedomscientific.com/downloads/magic/magic-beta.asp?utm_content=bufferc2eef&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

10) From the VisionAware blog comes "Low Cost Computing for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired":
http://www.visionaware.org/info/everyday-living/essential-skills/reading-and-writing/using-a-computer/low-cost-computing/12345

11) Hear about the newest innovations in JAWS version 16 on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 30 September at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

12) Users of the just-released version 4.4 of the Victor Reader Stream firmware can now download BARD books and subscribe to and download podcasts on the device:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home

13) CAVI will hold a $60 three-session course in October on how to successfully upgrade to and use Windows 8:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.W8U

14) Sitecues, a package from AI Squared that enables web developers to make their sites accessible to large numbers of people, has undergone an update:
https://sitecues.com/

15) EASI offers a four-part, $225 seminar on "Creating Accessible ePub3 Documents," on Tuesdays throughout October starting at 18:00 GMT:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm#october

We'll end with a number of podcasts that don't fit into other sections:

16A) The latest Tech Doctor podcast features a blind physics major, with minors in astronomy and math, from Virginia Tech:
http://www.dr-carter.com/

16B) The BlindSquare app can now interface with the Uber service, and here is a demo of how it works:
https://audioboom.com/boos/2501176-ubersquare-how-blindsquare-and-uber-make-traveling-as-easy-as-a-breeze

16C) SeroTalk podcast 211 featured an interview about Windows Phone Accessibility after the regular program:
http://serotalk.com/2014/09/18/serotalk-podcast-211-the-sound-of-silence/

16D) The latest AccessTalk podcast, number 28, covers a number of topics:
http://accesstalk.co.uk/podcast-28/

16E) From AppleVis, learn about "Call Recorder: Record Skype Audio and Video Calls Directly to Your Mac":
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/call-recorder-record-skype-audio-and-video-calls-directly-your-mac

16F) FSCast 98 discusses more new aspects of JAWS version 16:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/FSCast/FullListing#Episode98

16G) And episode 1439 of Eyes on Success focuses on AFB Career Connect:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 18, 2014 - Volume 475

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 18, 2014 - Volume 475
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: BraillePen Touch Back-To-School Special !!! Only $895.00 USD !!! More Affordable Braille For Everyone !!!
Photo of the BraillePen 12 Touch - $895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

The BraillePen Touch Back-To-School Special for $895.00 USD is where simplicity meets reliability, and until September 30th 2014 we're pleased to offer you this pocket-sized powerhouse for $100.00 USD off of its suggested list price. Throw in free shipping, which we do for our continental US customers, and you save approximately $130.00 USD when you order the most affordable Braille display on the market to date before September 30th 2014!

This wireless 12-cell input / output device is the perfect companion for Braille users of tablets and mobile phones, offering a most creative method for cursor routing; slide your finger up the desired Braille cell, and either route your cursor within an edit field or simulate a double tap on your preferred touch screen device! Issue Braille commands and enter text in your preferred Grade of Braille to a mainstream, touch screen device at a price hundreds of dollars less than bulkier, less rugged alternatives.

Use the BraillePen's clipboard as a stand-alone option to take a quick note, and effortlessly copy this text to an edit field using your favorite mobile application. Take advantage of the exceptional refreshable Braille enhancements within the just released iOS 8 operating system for i-devices, a giant step forward for those of us who rely on Braille! It's the most portable and affordable, wireless, refreshable Braille solution on the market to date! Use the Buy Now link below to purchase one or more of these units today at this unbelievably low price! For more information about the BraillePen Touch, or to place your order offline, email braillepen@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - BraillePen 12 Touch - $895.00 USD Each - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
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Greetings,

1) I'm writing this on the day of the release of iOS8, the new operating system for i-devices. There is a wealth of information about the many new features and the various bugs. Here is a long review unrelated to accessibility:
http://www.imore.com/ios-8-review

A good perusal of the AppleVis site will also reveal a wealth of material on the above topic. Here are a few items:

2A) A Frequently Answered Questions Document About Upgrading:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple-news/ios-8-frequently-asked-questions

2B) What's New in iOS 8 Accessibility for Blind, Low-Vision, and Deaf-Blind Users:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/advocacy-apple-assistive-technology-braille-ios-news/what%E2%80%99s-new-ios-8-accessibility-blind-low

2C) Braille Moves Forward in iOS 8:
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/braille-moves-forward-ios-8

2D) Accessibility Bugs in iOS 8: From Serious To Minor:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/advocacy-apple-braille-ios-news/accessibility-bugs-ios-8-serious-minor

The AppleVis team members were involved in testing the new operating system, and prepared podcasts so that they would be ready to release when the OS was made public.

3A) Exploring Some Of The New Features In iOS 8:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/exploring-some-new-features-ios-8

3B) Exploring Some Of The New And Changed Accessibility Features In iOS 8:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/exploring-some-new-and-changed-accessibility-features-ios-8

3C) What's New And Changed In iOS 8 For Users Of Braille Displays:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/what%E2%80%99s-new-and-changed-ios-8-users-braille-displays

3D) New In iOS 8: Braille Screen Input:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/new-ios-8-braille-screen-input

3E) New In iOS 8: The Alex TTS Voice Now Available On Selected Devices:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/new-ios-8-alex-tts-voice-now-available-selected-devices

Finally, here are a couple reviews of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which are gradually becoming available throughout much of the world.

4A) Using The iPhone 6 And 6 Plus On A Real Disneyland Trip:
http://techcrunch.com/2014/09/17/life-is-tough/

4B) Apple iPhone 6: The Review
http://mashable.com/2014/09/16/apple-iphone-6-review/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link

5) Not surprisingly, you can learn all about iOS8 on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday 22 September at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

6) Here is a fun post: How VoiceOver saved an iPhone:
http://markusboettner.net/2014/09/16/how-voiceover-saved-an-iphone/

7) The National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc., a division of the National Federation of the Blind, has release the NAGDU Guide & Service Dog Advocacy & Information app. This new iOS app provides comprehensive information about the rights and responsibilities of service animal users under state and federal law:
https://appsto.re/us/F8jO2.i

8A) Moving away from iOS, The HowToGeek explains "Why You Don't Need an Expensive Smartphone Anymore":
http://www.howtogeek.com/196500/why-you-dont-need-an-expensive-smartphone-anymore/

8B) They also tell us, "How to Find Free Wi-Fi Hotspots When Travelling":
http://www.howtogeek.com/196186/how-to-find-free-wi-fi-hotspots-when-travelling/

8C) And, "How to Share Files and Folders From Your Cloud Storage Folder":
http://www.howtogeek.com/196435/how-to-share-files-and-folders-from-your-cloud-storage-folder/

9) EASI offers a free webinar: PDF in the Classroom: The Future of Digital Textbooks, on Tuesday, 23 September at 18:00 GMT:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm#september

10) The new Ken Burns PBS series, The Roosevelts, not only has Audio Description, but the described versions are on the web!
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365313251/

11) You are encouraged to take the "Microsoft Accessibility Feedback Survey":
https://survey2.securestudies.com/wix/p273342712.aspx

12) The 3MT Reader Android app is a simple, intuitive way for blind users to read epub and txt books:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.allinaccess.epubreader

Finishing up with the rest of the podcasts for the week:

13A) Eyes on Success #1438, "Developing DAISY Standards and Players":
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net

The rest of the non-iOS8-related AppleVis podcasts Are:

13B) Race Your Starship Through the Galaxy with AudioSpeed for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/race-your-starship-through-galaxy-audiospeed-ios

13C) Grail to the Thief: A New Interactive Audio Adventure for the Mac:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/grail-thief-new-interactive-audio-adventure-mac

13D) Fugoo & The UE Boom: 2 Top Choices for a sub-$200 Bluetooth Speaker:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/fugoo-ue-boom-2-top-choices-sub-200-bluetooth-speaker

13E) Easy File Sharing Between Your Mac and Jailbroken iOS Device Using Netatalk:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/easy-file-sharing-between-your-mac-and-jailbroken-ios-device-using-netatalk

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 11, 2014 - Volume 474

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 11, 2014 - Volume 474
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,395.00 USD

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard. Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a gently used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,395.00 USD. This unit has been used for approximately four months and is begging to be used a whole lot more by one lucky recipient in the market for a notetaker line that has withstood the test of time! This unit is in fantastic condition, providing you with a $3,150.00 USD savings off of this unit's suggested list price. The BrailleNote family of products has been setting standards for intuitive, powerful, and portable information management for the past 14 years. This sleek and robust solution provides endless possibilities and opportunities for that one person wishing to give it a good home and benefit from its countless uses! Free shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

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Greetings,

1A) Much of the news this week pertains to things that are coming, but not yet available. If you would like to read about the coming iOS8 release, the new iPhone 6 and 6 plus, both of which are to come to North America next week, and the Apple Watch, which comes down the road, you can read this blog post:
http://applevis.com/blog/apple-carriers-ios-iphone-news/recap-and-opinions-apples-fall-2014-announcements

1B) Or listen to this podcast:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/summary-apple%E2%80%99s-iphone-6-and-apple-watch-launch-event

2A) Meanwhile, if you want to hear what's coming soon in JAWS Version 16, four podcasts are waitng for you. FSCast 94 gives an overview:
http://www2.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast094-JAWS_16_New_Editions.asp

2B) FSCast 95 talks about Command Search:
http://www2.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast095-JAWS_16_Command_Search.asp

2C) FSCast 96 talks about the greatly-enhanced ability to read inaccessible PDF documents:
http://www2.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast096-JAWS_16_Reads_Inaccessible_PDF.asp

2D) And FSCast 97 talks about more features:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/FSCast

3) While I (Dean Martineau) was in the middle of writing Tidbit Number 2 above, the JAWS 16 public beta became available for anybody running JAWS 15 to test; others can test it too in demo mode:
http://www2.freedomscientific.com/downloads/jaws/jaws-public-beta.asp

4) Moving on to material and features fully available now, NVDA version 2014.3 has now been released, with particular benefit for users of Microsoft Office:
http://www.nvaccess.org/post/nvda-2014-3-now-available/

5) The GPS App BlindSquare can now be integrated with the free App Transit to provide bus route information. This podcast demonstrates how:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2446432-blindsquare-s-transit-app-integration

6) In case you aren't sure about how Twitter chats work, this older post explains them:
http://www.olivero.us/blog/2012/09/19/what-are-twitter-chats-a-fireside-conversation-with-myself/

7) Last week, we gave information about some podcasts on Windows Phone 8.1, but the links did not work. This one should:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/buf2h2cc02ynyco/wppodcasts.zip

8) The Freshbooks accounting programs work well and are accessible under both iOS and Android:
http://www.freshbooks.com/

9) "The HTG Guide to Portable Bluetooth Speakers" might be worth a read given that this is a definite growth area for products:
http://www.howtogeek.com/196125/the-htg-guide-to-portable-bluetooth-speakers/

10) Speaking of such devices, this one might be handy for mostly voice listening, and the price is good:
http://www.podfeet.com/blog/2014/09/23-roker-sound-cube-portable-bluetooth-speaker-by-donald-burr/

11) Learn about the long-promised Vario Ultra Braille devices from Baum on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 16 September at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

12) The next webinar from HIMS will be entitled "Ones and Tablets by Combining with Assistive Technology," and will take place on Tuesday, 16 September at 19:00 GMT. Register here beforehand:
http://hims-inc.com/webinar-registration/

13) Students in some schools can get Microsoft Office 365 for free:
http://bit.ly/1qMF6l3

14) Here is one user's account of finding alternatives to Google services:
http://lioncourt.com/google-free

15) Here are a wealth of podcasts from TechShare Europe thanks to Insight Radio from RNIB:
http://www.insightradio.co.uk/podcast-feed.html?category=special_features/techshare_europe_conference_2014

16) Learn "How To Use The Bookmark Bar On The iPad And iPhone"
http://myapplegadgets.com/ipad/use-bookmark-bar-ipad-iphone/

17) Does Mac speech using VoiceOver respond more slowly to keystrokes than speech on other platforms? This download link to a demonstration makes the case:
http://goo.gl/aS2hYX

18) From RNIB comes one researcher's answer to the question: "How are digital technologies affecting learning?"
http://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-family-friends-and-carers-insight-magazine-insight-features/how-are

19) Learn about "Working As a Research Oceanographer" on Eyes on Success #1437:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 4, 2014 - Volume 473

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 4, 2014 - Volume 473
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BraillePen 12 Touch - $895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement: BraillePen Touch Back-To-School Special - Only $895.00 USD !!! More Affordable Braille For Everyone!!!

The BraillePen Touch Back-To-School Special for $895.00 USD is where simplicity meets reliability, and until September 30th 2014 we're pleased to offer you this pocket-sized powerhouse for $100.00 USD off of its suggested list price. Throw in free shipping, which we do for our continental US customers, and you save approximately $130.00 USD when you order the most affordable Braille display on the market to date before September 30th 2014!

This wireless 12-cell input / output device is the perfect companion for Braille users of iOS and Android-based products, offering a most creative method for cursor routing; slide your finger up the desired Braille cell, and either route your cursor within an edit field or simulate a double tap on your preferred touch screen device! Issue Braille commands and enter text in your preferred Grade of Braille to a mainstream, touch screen device at a price hundreds of dollars less than bulkier, less rugged alternatives.

Use the BraillePen's clipboard as a stand-alone option to take a quick note, and effortlessly copy this text to an edit field using your favorite iOS or Android application. Speaking of iOS, what better time to invest in handheld, refreshable Braille access than before the pending release of the new iOS 8 operating system, which promises even more innovative bells and whistles for us all. It's the most portable and affordable, wireless, refreshable Braille solution on the market to date! Use the Buy Now link below to purchase one or more of these units today at this unbelievably low price! For more information about the BraillePen Touch, or to place your order offline, email braillepen@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

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Greetings,

1) This is a well-designed page with tutorials for new users of VoiceOver on the iPhone or iPad, including separate guidance for each device:
http://www.voiceover-easy.net/

2) This guide from WebAIM instructs on Using VoiceOver to Evaluate Web Accessibility:
http://webaim.org/articles/voiceover/

3) The impending release of the $100 KNFB Reader for the iPhone has sparked considerable discussion. You can learn about the app, a week or two before its release, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 9 September at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

4) For those iOS users who haven't already bought this excellent reading app, Voice Dream Reader is on sale until Sunday 7 September:
http://qz.com/232200/this-software-guy-accidentally-designed-an-app-that-is-saving-my-dyslexic-son/

5) From RNIB comes the post "5 Reasons Why You Need Twitter if You're Blind or Partially Sighted":
http://bit.ly/Yd04A9

6) David Woodbridge, the original source for a good portion of the material that winds up in Tidbits, has written a book, "iSee - Getting the Most out of Your Apple Product's from a Blind Person's Perspective". It is now freely downloadable in HTML:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/idyrix3hpsh5klx/iSee%20Aug%2028%202014%20edit.html?dl=0

7A) The HowToGeek site offers us "7 Features You'll Get If You Upgrade to the Professional Edition of Windows 8":
http://www.howtogeek.com/195540/7-features-youll-get-if-you-upgrade-to-the-professional-edition-of-windows-8/

7B) And "How to Create a Strong Password (And Remember It)":
http://www.howtogeek.com/195430/how-to-create-a-strong-password-and-remember-it/

8) A lot of free post-secondary education is available online now, and you can explore the newest resources by perusing "Plan Your Free Online Education at Lifehacker U: Fall Semester 2014":
http://lifehacker.com/plan-your-free-online-education-at-lifehacker-u-fall-s-1629870934

9) Marco's collection of posts on his Android immersion experience can now be found on its own page:
http://marcozehe.com/30dayswithandroid/

10. Elsewhere in Androidland, NotNav Accessibility is a new free navigation app for blind Android users:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smithson.notnav&rdid=com.smithson.notnav

11) Here is a Mashable post that asks the question: "Who knew you could play fun games in Microsoft Excel?:
http://mashable.com/2014/08/27/microsoft-excel-games/

12) Jonathan Mosen asks: "A Touchy Subject "How Useful are Tactile Pictorials?":
http://mosen.org/index.php/a-touchy-subject-how-useful-are-tactile-pictorials/

13) You can find the extensive list of new features in NVDA 2014.3 here:
http://community.nvda-project.org/releaseChanges/nvda_2014.3rc3_changes.html

This week's audio content includes:

14A) AccessTalk Podcast 27: Samsung TVs, Microsoft Cortana, TechABreak & the British Airways app:
http://accesstalk.co.uk/podcast-27/

14B) From AppleVis, Discover New Music With Magnatune for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/discover-new-music-magnatune-ios

14C) And Send Invoices and Estimates, Track Time and Capture Expenses with FreshBooks Cloud Accounting for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/send-invoices-and-estimates-track-time-and-capture-expenses-freshbooks-cloud

14D) We have a three-part series on Windows Phone 8.1:

Part 1:
http://sndup.net/3wf4

Part 2:
http://sndup.net/kqxd

Part 3:
http://sndup.net/kqxd

14E) And finally, Eyes On Success 1436 focuses on the Fleksy Typing App for iOS and Android:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 28, 2014 - Volume 472

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 28, 2014 - Volume 472
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Practically New Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a gently used Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display manufactured by Freedom Scientific. This unit has just under a year left on its manufacturer's warranty, and is in fantastic shape! This is a fantastic solution for JAWS users also wishing to access tablets and smartphones. This Focus is just waiting to be given a new home with a responsible user who is looking for an amazing bargain on a responsive display which touts both versatility and efficiency. Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States, giving you close to a 25% discount off its standard list price. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this Focus as a key player in your AdapTech journey, please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

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Greetings,

1) Well, Marco threw in the towel on his 30-day immersion into Android on day 18 and went back to iOS:
http://30dayswithandroid.blogspot.de/2014/08/day-18-part-3-i-quit.html

2) Meanwhile, this sighted Android user spent a month with an iPhone, and shares his impressions of hardware and software:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/8414/a-month-with-the-iphone-5s

3) The Summer 2014 edition of "508 XPress" has articles on Avoiding Section 508 Violations, Efficient Strategies for Non-Visual Mobile Navigation, and more:
http://www.section508.va.gov/

4) If you have reason to use the command line, this article discusses how to Use Tab Completion to Type Commands Faster on Any Operating System:
http://www.howtogeek.com/195207/use-tab-completion-to-type-commands-faster-on-any-operating-system/

5) Here we have the post "Working with Web 2.0 Applications: A Blind User's Review":
http://g3ict.org/resource_center/newsletter/news/p/newsletterId_/id_513

6) And here are some tutorials for working with Google Docs and Google Drive:
http://rintintin.colorado.edu/~deri4989/googleappstutorials/

7) This post, from Paths to Literacy, lists the author's preferred apps that support the development of Orientation and Mobility skills for children and youth who are blind or visually impaired, as well as those who are deaf-blind:
http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/orientation-mobility-apps

8) In case you're asking yourself if you should switch to a no-contract phone carrier, this post and its numerous comments might help you with the decision:
http://cnet.co/1zHXFbW

9) CNET offers ideas on "How to improve battery life on any mobile device":
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-improve-battery-life-on-any-mobile-device/

10) From Computerworld comes, "16 Tips for Mac Users Who Must Use Windows":
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2476636/microsoft-windows/16-tips-for-mac-users-who-must-use-windows.html

11) NVDA 2014.3RC1 hs been released, with lots of new features for Microsoft Office users. this is a release candidate, which means that if no glaring problems surface, this will be identical to the final release of the upgrade:
http://community.nvda-project.org/blog/NVDA2014.3rc1Released

12A) Doug Lee continues to upgrade the JAWS scripts for Skype. Here is a direct link to version 6.18 of the Skype 6 scripts:
http://bit.ly/1mURaNj

12B) Here is a 12-minute audio description of the scripts:
http://www.dlee.org/skype/ts3.mp3

13) Doug Lee is also developing JAWS scripts and NVDA add-ons for Virtual Audio Cable. This is an upgrade to the NVDA add-on:
http://www.dlee.org/vac/vac.nvda-addon

14) The Vario Ultra Braille devices have not shipped yet, but the manual is now available:
http://www.baumusa.com/support/user-guide-docx-varioultra.docx

15) With Cloud storage prices becoming more competetive, Dropbox has lowered storage prices and added some features to its paid version:
http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/27/6072757/dropbox-slashes-pricing-and-boosts-storage-as-competition-intensifies

Turning to audio, and some video:

16A) Eyes on Success 1435 addresses Macular Degeneration and Low Vision Support Groups:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

16B) This YouTube video was a presentation to a YouTube conference: "Going Screenless with Youtube: How blind users experience this service":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCSjiZ7Cdo&feature=youtu.be

16C) I'm actually preparing Tidbits late enough this week to be able to include the latest Serotalk Podcast, #208:
http://serotalk.com/2014/08/27/serotalk-podcast-208-out-here-on-the-balcony/

16D) The latest Media Access Australia podcast, with accompanying transcript, covers Australia's Braille OwnFone: 3D-printed features, customisation, usability and more:
http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/audio-description-on-radio/australias-braille-ownfone-3d-printed-features-customisation-usability-and-more

And from AppleVis:

16E) Listen to A Review of the HMDX JAM Classic Bluetooth Speaker:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/review-hmdx-jam-classic-bluetooth-speaker

16F) And Send Invoices and Estimates, Track Time and Capture Expenses with FreshBooks Cloud Accounting for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/send-invoices-and-estimates-track-time-and-capture-expenses-freshbooks-cloud

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 21, 2014 - Volume 471

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 21, 2014 - Volume 471
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Practically New Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a gently used Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display manufactured by Freedom Scientific. This unit has just under a year left on its manufacturer's warranty, and is in fantastic shape! This is a fantastic solution for JAWS users also wishing to access tablets and smartphones. This Focus is just waiting to be given a new home with a responsible user who is looking for an amazing bargain on a responsive display which touts both versatility and efficiency. Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States, giving you close to a 25% discount off its standard list price. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this Focus as a key player in your AdapTech journey, please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Practically New Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,195.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VDSZPLHHXL35A

Greetings,

1) Register soon to attend this HumanWare webinar: "Optimizing your iPad Experience with Braille," featuring the Brailliant display, on GMT Wednesday, 27 August at 15:00 GMT:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/subscribe/humanware_event_registration

2A) In another upcoming event, you can learn about the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distributoion Program, also known as ICanConnect, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 26 August at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

2B) The presenter, Jerry Berrier, administers the program for part of the Northeast United States. If you can't listen to the webinar and want to find out about this equipment program, you can write to him for contact people in your area and with other questions at:
jerry.Berrier@perkins.org

3) I (Dean Martineau) don't agree with a lot of this two-page post, "5 Shocking Ways the Modern World Screws Blind People," but it makes for interesting food for thought:
http://www.cracked.com/article_21295_5-shocking-ways-modern-world-screws-blind-people.html

4) Computers for the Blind will provide working Windows 7 computers with usable speech and magnification software for $150, $20 if you are on SSI:
http://www.computersfortheblind.net/index-2.html

5) Here is an "Accessibility Head-To-Head: Android vs Apple":
http://takesugar.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/accessibility-head-to-head-android-vs-apple/

6) Here is some basic documentation for the screen reader provided with the FireFox mobile OS:
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Accessibility/Mobile/ScreenReader

7) Learn about the difference between screen resolution and DPI (Dots Per Inch) and how to adjust each for low-vision Microsoft Windows users:
https://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/08/13/resolution-vs-dpi/

8) Archives and worksheets for the recent webinar on using Skype with Window-Eyes are available:
http://www.gwmicro.com/Training/Webinar_Training/

This week's short collection of audio files begins with two from AppleVis:

9A) A Demonstration of iBlink Radio for Mac:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/demonstration-iblink-radio-mac

9B) Revisiting Dice World: A Fun and Addictive Collection of Dice Games for Family and Friends:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/revisiting-dice-world-fun-and-addictive-collection-dice-games-family-and-friends

9C) And from Eyes on Success, 1433 Services and Conditions for the Blind in Malaysia and 1434 Using VoiceOver on the Mac:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 14, 2014 - Volume 470

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 14, 2014 - Volume 470
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: Save $50 On The New Stream Offering Online Podcasts And Wireless Access To NLS BARD!!!

HumanWare is pleased to announce the latest free software update coming soon for the Victor Reader Stream, the world's leading accessible media player and ebook reader. To celebrate the exciting new features coming to the Victor Reader Stream HumanWare is also pleased to announce a special limited time price of $319 until August 31, 2014.

The Victor Reader Stream Version 4.4 update brings even more exciting new wireless features including online podcasts and wireless access to the NLS BARD service. Enjoy the ability to search and browse thousands of podcasts, subscribe with a single key press and have new episodes automatically downloaded wirelessly to the Stream. Users eligible for the NLS BARD library service will now be able to access over 50,000 digital books and magazines, searching by author or keyword, by browsing over 100 categories, and via their own personal wish list that can be managed both on the Stream and through the NLS BARD website.

"Following the addition of internet radio, wireless access to Bookshare and Wikipedia, wireless access to NLS BARD and the ability to enjoy online podcasts have been among the most frequently requested features and we are delighted to bring them to the Victor Reader Stream in a way that users will find to be both easy and enjoyable", said Matthew Janusauskas, Technical Product Manager.

Buy Now - New Victor Reader Stream - $319.00 USD Each - Humanware. See things. Differently.
http://bit.ly/1AffDoh

Greetings,

1) Learn about using the camera on the iPhone to solve all sorts of blindness-related challenges, as well as take great pictures, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 19 August at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

2A) Join Seminars@Hadley on Wednesday, August 20, 2014, at 19:00 GMT for i-device training on using Zoom, pairing a refreshable Braille device, setting a calendar event, and checking voicemail. To register for the seminar:
http://bit.ly/1ovXsIi

2B) Also, you will find an instructional video on each of the seminar topics posted on Hadley's YouTube channel at:
http://www.youtube.com/hadleyschool

3) Following up on last week's pro-Android piece, Marco from Mozilla is writing a daily journal about his 30-day testing process:
http://30dayswithandroid.blogspot.de/

4) The popular iBlink Radio app from Serotek is now available on the Mac:
http://www.serotek.com

5) Ffrom TUAW, learn about "Using the iPhone Compass App to Hang Pictures Straight"
http://bit.ly/1l4M8m2

6) The NVDA developers are looking for input about their default speech synthesizer:
http://www.nvaccess.org/speech-synthesizer-survey-1/

7) Quick action will be required on this one: CAVI offers a one-session, $25 course on using Skype with any screen reader, on GMT Saturday, 16 August at 01:00. Also, the start date for most of CAVI's second semester 2014 courses have been pushed back to September, so you may still be able to register for some of them:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.Skype

8) The August 2014 issue of AccessWorld contains evaluations of the Fitbit Flex, the UN50H6400 Television, and a book review of Learn to Use the Mac with VoiceOver: A Step-by-Step Guide:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

This week's audio offerings include:

9A) Serotalk Podcast 207:
http://serotalk.com/2014/08/12/serotalk-podcast-207-ricky-drops-her-charm/

9B) A demonstration of Gmail, Drive and Google Docs:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2366439-a-demonstration-of-gmail-drive-and-docs

9C) The Tech Doctor podcast for this time is called Painting the Back of the Apple Accessibility Fence with Rene Ritchie:
http://www.dr-carter.com/

9D) From Eyes on Success, #1432 talks about STEM education for the blind, and #1431 offers tips for finding a job:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net

From AppleVis:

9E) Innovative Language 101 for iOS: Learn the Language of your Choice With These Lessons and Learning Tools:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/innovative-language-101-ios-learn-language-your-choice-these-lessons-and-learning

9F) Use Your iOS Device to Monitor Weather, Air Quality and Noise Levels with the Netatmo Urban Weather Station:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/use-your-ios-device-monitor-weather-air-quality-and-noise-levels-netatmo-urban

9G) AppleVis Extra #24: Weather Radio by WDT:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/applevis-extra-24-weather-radio-wdt

9H) An Audio Tour of the AppleVis Website:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/audio-tour-applevis-website

9I) Overcast Podcast Player: A New And Fully Accessible Podcatcher For iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/overcast-podcast-player-new-and-fully-accessible-podcatcher-ios

9J) And HT Professional Recorder for iOS
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/ht-professional-recorder-ios

And from BGZ:

9K) Using USB Talking Windows PE on a Mac Mini:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/using-usb-talking-windows-pe-on-a-mac-mini/

9L) Windows 8.1 Basic Overview:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/windows-8-1-basic-overview/

9M) Update the book port plus:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/update-the-book-port-plus/

9N) Innovative Language: The Beginning of True Language Learning:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/innovative-language-the-beginning-of-true-language-learning/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 7, 2014 - Volume 469

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 7, 2014 - Volume 469
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BraillePen 12 Touch - $895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement: BraillePen Touch Back-To-School Promotion - Only $895.00 USD !!! More Affordable Braille For Everyone!!!

With our summer vacations beginning to wind down, our students going back to school, and the rest of us planning for a strong finish to 2014, there's no better time than the present for Flying Blind, LLC to offer you, the mobile Braille user, a fantastic savings on the world's most affordable Braille display currently on the market! Until September 30th 2014, we're reducing the price of the BraillePenTouch to $895.00 USD !!! That's $100.00 USD off of its suggested retail price. This pocket-sized Braille display, which now ships with a stylish, leather case, connects to a variety of mobile phones, tablets, and computers. It's built-in cursor routing support allows the user to slide their finger up the Braille cell and instantly route the Braille cursor to the desired location on the Braille display or simulate a double tap gesture on a touch screen; such an approach to cursor routing provides a more mechanically sound alternative to traditional cursor routing buttons. The BraillePenTouch is the ideal, pocket-sized companion for iPhone users and with its recently introduced Braille support for users of JAWS For Windows 15, the BraillePenTouch provides exceptional Braille access for Windows Tablet and laptop users. When purchased online, price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. Use the Buy Now link below to purchase one or more of these units today at this crazy low price! For more information about the BraillePen Touch, email braillepen@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - BraillePen 12 Touch - $895.00 USD Each - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VM9W4VZQ3PDMY

Greetings,

1) About fifteen months ago, Marco from Mozilla tried switching to Android for his mobile phone needs. He didn't like it. Now he's trying again with much more positive results:
http://bit.ly/XFQnd0

2) Marco also tells about how to use NVDA to test web pages for accessibility:
http://bit.ly/XFQoO8

3) Along those lines, this is a Social Security page, "Accessibility Help - Resources for Developers and Document Authors":
http://socialsecurity.gov/accessibility/developer_resources.html

4) This article from the Assistive Technology Blog is called, "The Blind Photographer: What Does He See?":
http://bit.ly/1qY6n2j

5) Fedora Outlier has launched the iOS Master Series for $19.95, offering resources for current users and plans to give quick and comprehensive instruction on iOS8 when it appears:
http://ios.fedoraoutlier.com/

6) Speaking of iOS 8, pre-orders are now open for Jonathan Mosen's book, "iOS 8 Without the Eye", which will be released on the same day Apple releases iOS 8. The book costs $19.95:
http://mosen.org/index.php/mosen-consulting-ebook-ios-8-without-the-eye/

7) iOS developers can learn to test accessibility on their apps using VoiceOver:
http://bit.ly/UZl3US

8) Jonathan Mosen and Bonnie Lannom are writing a book on challenges and techniques for blind people who wear hearing aids. They are asking blind people who wear hearing aids to complete a survey:
http://mosen.org/index.php/blog/

9) "Leasey: Learn, Enable, Advance - So Easy!" will be the subject of Tek Talk for GMT Tuesday, 12 August at 00:00. Leasey is a forthcoming product with considerable promise for both new and experienced users:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

10A) AFB wants to gather experiences from people with vision loss using communications technologies, such as cellphones, tablets or computers to access the web, email and text messages. We want to share that information with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which is preparing a report on the implementation of the Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. More information at:
http://bit.ly/1nuoCZU

10B) Or, you can send your comments directly to Heidi Walters at:
hwalters@afb.net

11) "Tips for Accommodation and Integration of Visually Impaired Students in Mainstream, K-12 and College Classrooms" is the next HIMS webinar, to be held on Tuesday, 12 August at 19:00 GMT:
http://hims-inc.com/webinar-registration/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 31, 2014 - Volume 468

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 31, 2014 - Volume 468
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Braille Edge 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Braille Edge 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display With Executive Products Leather Case for $2,100.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer you One Refurbished Braille Edge 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display in fantastic condition for $2,100.00 USD! The Braille Edge is a state-of-the-art 40 Cell Braille Display allowing for USB and Bluetooth connectivity to desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones while also providing exceptional functionality to those wishing to use a variety of standalone notetaking applications. Not only does this tactile gem connect to a variety of computers with drivers for your preferred screenreader, but you can also effortlessly take notes, read books, schedule appointments, and perform a variety of tasks using its onboard calculator as a standalone device. The Braille Edge offers you the best of both worlds at a most affordable price. We're shipping this unit with the Executive Products Case, giving you a savings of over $1,000.00 USD. This unit remains under its Manufacturer's Warranty until November of 2014 and our price includes shipping within the 48 continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Gently Used Braille Edge 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display With Executive Products Leather Case for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=NVZPD852R2ML2

Greetings,

1) Mastering the Macintosh with VoiceOver is a book available free on iBooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/mastering-macintosh-voiceover/id899197795?mt=11

2) Presentations and slides from the recent Accessing Social Media Conference can be found here:
http://www.fcc.gov/events/accessing-social-media

3) Here is a post titled, "10 Ways to Control Your iPhone with Your Apple Earbuds":
http://www.tuaw.com/2014/07/15/10-ways-to-control-your-iphone-with-your-apple-earbuds/

4) Master Chef Christine shares a video about how she runs her home office with her Apple products:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OO9w_oK6dQ&feature=youtu.be

5) Glassbrick Screen Magnifier is free from Australia:
http://www.glassbrick.org/

6) Classic Six Dragons is an accessible text game with a Sound Pack:
http://mud.themudhost.net/~vladaar

7) Learn about the Harbolt Company, selling useful products to the blind, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 5 August at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

8) Here is an AppleVis Forum Topic: Productivity on the MacBook Pro:
http://www.applevis.com/forum/os-x-mac-app-discussion/productivity-macbook-pro

9) A lot of people agree with the sentiments expressed in this article, "I'm Done with Braille Notetakers," but I (Editor, Dean Martineau) am not fully among them:
https://mehgcap.wordpress.com/2014/07/19/im-done-with-braille-notetakers/

In this week's available audio:

10A) The sessions of the recent NVDACon are now available:
http://www.nvda-kr.org/en/nvdacon.php

10B) This amazon Kindle Fire tutorial used to cost, but now it has gone free:
http://blindpodcaster.com/kindle-fire-hdx

10C) The July FSCast from Freedom Scientific describes the new FS Website, previews Typeability 5, and demonstrates how to use place markers on the web:
http://podcast.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast092-July2014.mp3

10D) Episode 1431 of the Eyes on Success Radio Show is for Finding a Job:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

From AppleVis Come:

10E) QCast: an Accessible Podcast Manager and Player for Mac OS X:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/qcast-accessible-podcast-manager-and-player-mac-os-x

10F) Using Talking Windows Pre-installation Environment to Install Windows on a Mac from a USB Drive:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/using-talking-windows-pre-installation-environment-install-windows-mac-usb-drive

10A) Innovative Language 101 for iOS: Learn the Language of your Choice With These Lessons and Learning Tools:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/innovative-language-101-ios-learn-language-your-choice-these-lessons-and-learning

10G) In a herculean act of service and dedication, Rick Harmon has obtained permission and then assembled virtually the entire collection of Blind Cool Tech podcasts from 2005-2012:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/blindcooltecharchive/

10H) Here's an Audioboo, The Perfect Sound Design in BlindSquare:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2356554-the-perfect-sound-design-in-blindsquare

10I) And finally, Exploring Windows 8.1 - I'm At The Start Screen, now what? is the topic for the latest Cool Blind Tech podcast:
http://coolblindtech.com/podcast/exploring-windows-81-im-at-the-start-screen-now-what

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 24, 2014 - Volume 467

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 24, 2014 - Volume 467
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,100.00 USD !!!

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with approximately one year remaining on its manufacturer's warranty and is listed here at over 30% off of its suggested retail price, giving you a nearly $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Brailliant carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Greetings,

1) To attract readers to its redesigned website, the popular and interesting NewYorker Magazine has opened up its archives for free ... for 3 months:
http://www.newyorker.com/

2) Amazon recently launched a subscription service allowing readers to acquire as many books from the subset of its collection as desired for $9.95 USD per month. This Washington Post article discusses whether the deal is worthwhile:
http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/07/18/is-kindle-unlimited-worth-it

Continuing our survey of mainstream computing resources, here are some recent tech-related posts:

3A) Learning Windows 8 Search: A New Look and Some New Tricks:
http://www.howtogeek.com/school/learning-windows-search/lesson2/

3B) Learning Windows Search: Stop Hunting and Start Finding!
http://www.howtogeek.com/school/learning-windows-search/lesson1/

3C) Why does Application Search in Windows 8 no Longer Match Substrings?
http://www.howtogeek.com/193636/why-does-application-search-in-windows-8-no-longer-match-substrings/

3D) Easy Way to Customize the System Folders "Computer" in Windows 7 and 8 and "This PC" in Windows 8.1:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/easy-way-customize-system-folders-computer-windows-7-and-8-and-pc-windows-81.htm

3E) How to Access Advanced Settings and Information for Your Chrome or Firefox Browser:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-access-advanced-settings-and-information-your-chrome-or-firefox-browser.htm

3F) And Deeper into the Windows Registry:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/deeper-windows-registry.htm

4) Before we move on to blindness-related tech, this article about earbuds is called "Earbuds That Won't Fall Out: Testing EarHero, Yurbuds, StayHear tips, and more:
http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2014/07/earbuds_that_won_t_fall_out_testing_earhero_yurbuds_stayhear_tips_and_more.html

5) Here is an account of a comparative study of three tablets from the blind user perspective:
http://www.incobs.de/tests-english/items/tablettest-blind-en-overview.html

6) Here is an explanatory article, "Touchscreens and Blind Users":
http://webstandardssherpa.com/ask-the-sherpas/touchscreens-and-blind-users

7) Hear about how Dolphin Systems claim to give access to "Touch Screen Magnification And New Access To Hundreds Of Thousands Of Books For Blind Persons" on Tek Talk on GMT tuesday, 29 July at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

For present and future users of Android devices, we offer:

8A) "13 Ways to Optimize Your Android Smartphone":
http://www.infoworld.com/slideshow/159471/13-ways-optimize-your-android-smartphone-246518#slide1

8B) Cool Tricks Every Android Phone User Should Know:
http://phandroid.com/2014/07/18/cool-tricks-every-android-phone-user-should-know/

8C) And a Video, Android Q & A For The Visually Impaired:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdt-1a0um0M&feature=youtube_gdata

9) Here's what to do if, on some web pages with FLASH content, JAWS stops talking and Firefox stops responding:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/Support/TechnicalSupport/Bulletin/1410

10) The RiVO keyboard, which can make the iPhone easier to use for some people, is now customized for a number of other languages:
http://www.applevis.com/forum/hardware-accessories/rivo-voiceover-now-expands-handle-more-languages

Looking at audio made available this week:

11A) Considerable material from both recent consumer conventions can be heard. For content from the National Federation of the Blind convention, check out:
https://nfb.org/national-convention-highlights#2014

11B) And for material from the American Council of the Blind convention, visit:
http://acbradio.org/acbconvention2014

11C) Episode 7 of the Easy Access podcast bears the name, "Playing Around with Siri":
http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/episode-7-playing-around-with-siri_22234

11D) Serotalk offers extensive interviews from both US consumer conventions:
http://serotalk.com/

11E) As well as SeroTalk Podcast 205: All Your Stuff Are Belong to Us:
http://serotalk.com/2014/07/17/serotalk-podcast-205-all-your-stuff-are-belong-to-us/

11F) And from another SPN sector comes Triple Click Home Episode 31:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/07/23/triple-click-home-episode-31-tin-cans-and-string/

Our two AppleVis podcasts this week are:

11G) Inquisitor's Heartbeat: Pit Yourself Against the Brutality of The Inquisition in This New iOS Audio Game:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/inquisitors-heartbeat-pit-yourself-against-brutality-inquisition-new-ios-audio-game

11H) And AppleVis Extra #23: KNFBReader Mobile:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/applevis-extra-23-knfbreader-mobile

11I) Eyes on Success 1430 teaches us about Using the iPhone Camera for Access:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

11J) And the topic for the latest Tech Doctor podcast is "Teaching Excellence" with VaShaun Jones:
http://www.dr-carter.com/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 17, 2014 - Volume 466

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 17, 2014 - Volume 466
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Ruby XL HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $775.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Ruby XL HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $775.00 USD!!!

That's right! Flying Blind, LLC still has one remaining gently used Ruby XL HD Magnifier for $775.00 USD, a tremendous savings for the low-vision user looking for a summertime bargain on a high quality handheld video magnifier! The Ruby HD sets new high definition standards for handheld magnification that other less portable alternatives simply cannot meet. The crystal clear images from its high definition camera give the user a high contrast, distortion free experience whether reading or viewing images, along with the ability to transfer those images to a desktop computer. Its lightweight design, robust functionality, and fantastic pricing makes handheld power-house a must-have for any low-vision user on the go. The Ruby XL HD Model has a slightly bigger screen and a built-in reading stand for a more comfortable reading experience. This unit runs on either rechargeable or AAA (Triple-A) batteries and is still under warranty. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. This is an individual unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to buy the Ruby online, use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Gently Used Ruby XL HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $775.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8QTSNQENJWXHN

Greetings,

We open this week with a couple of perhaps basic iPhone-related articles for those that might not yet know every single trick in the ibook:

1A) How to use Siri for iPhone and iPad: The Ultimate Guide:
http://www.imore.com/siri-ultimate-guide

1B) And 21 Things You Didn't Know Your iPhone Could Do:
http://aplus.com/a/iphone-tricks-you-didnt-know

2) The BlueAnt S4 offers Fully hands-free iPhone activation with iOS 7:
http://bit.ly/1jRX3yP

3) SoundNinja is a new iOS game that a lot of people are enjoying. You may still be able to get a free copy using a promo code:
http://www.applevis.com/forum/ios-gaming/new-ios-game-blind-people-soundninja-free-code-giveaway

4) Here is a more comprehensive article on Google Apps accessibility than the one posted last time:
http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/07/08/accessibility-in-google-apps-an-overview/

5) Starting on 2 September 2014 for the pilot program, and 1 January 2015 for those who don't get around to joining that program, US citizens with visual impairments can get a free iBill Talking Banknote Identifier:
http://www.bep.gov/uscurrencyreaderpgm.html

6) The Library of Congress has released a report: The future of Braille: NLS Braille Summit Presentations and Outcomes. This report represents the proceedings of the June 2013 Braille Summit:
http://www.loc.gov/nls/index.html

7) This blog post is entitled: "OK Google Voice Commands and Dictation":
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/ok-google-voice-commands-and-dictation/

8) Learn about "Marquez Products For Independent Living" on Tek Talk for GMT, 22 July at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

Here are three new posts to the LFLegal website:

9A) Health Insurance Accessibility:
http://lflegal.com/2014/07/wellpoint-blue/

9B) Information Access Legal Update:
http://lflegal.com/2014/07/july-legal-update/

9C) And Accessible Prescription Information Update:
http://lflegal.com/2014/07/talking-prescription-labels/

10) Chris Hofstader is always an interesting read. In this post, he doesn't do what he claims he is going to do at all, but the article is interesting nonetheless:
http://chrishofstader.com/job-access-with-bugs/

11A) This AppleVis article is called: Getting VoiceOver Help on Your Mac:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/mac-os-x-voiceover/getting-voiceover-help-your-mac

11B) While this one is called: Getting Started with OS X Safari:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/mac-os-x/getting-started-os-x-safari

We have a bit of audio this week:

12A) The latest Tech Doctor podcast addresses Recovering From a Corrupted Backup:
http://www.dr-carter.com

12B) From BGZ, Rick Harmon encourages customers of US Bank to battle against US Bank's new website accessibility issues:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/usbank-new-website-accessibility-issues/

12C) And we learn about Windows Installation On Macbook Pro Via Bootcamp:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/windows-installation-on-macbook-pro-via-bootcamp/

12D) Finally, Eyes on Success 1429 covers Considerations for Blind People Losing their Hearing. The address below also mentions changes to their podcast feed address:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 10, 2014 - Volume 465

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 10, 2014 - Volume 465
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Ruby HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $545.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Ruby HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $545.00 USD and One Gently Used Ruby XL HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $795.00 USD!!!

That's right! Flying Blind, LLC is selling two gently used Ruby HD Magnifiers: The Standard HD Model for $545.00 USD and the XL HD Model for $795.00 USD, a tremendous savings for the low-vision user looking for a summertime bargain on a high quality handheld video magnifier! The Ruby HD sets new high definition standards for handheld magnification that other less portable alternatives simply cannot meet. The crystal clear images from its high definition camera give the user a high contrast, distortion free experience whether reading or viewing images, along with the ability to transfer those images to a desktop computer. Its lightweight design, robust functionality, and fantastic pricing make either model a must-have for any low-vision user on the go. The Ruby XL HD Model has a slightly bigger screen and a built-in reading stand for a more comfortable reading experience. Both units run on either rechargeable or AAA (Triple-A) batteries. Both units are still under warranty, and both prices include shipping within the Continental United States. These are individual units that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure either or both units please use the Buy Now links included below. For more information, or to order either of these products offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Gently Used Ruby HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $545.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=XWPXWBUEL8EF6

Buy Now - One Gently Used Ruby XL HD Handheld Video Magnifier for $795.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8QTSNQENJWXHN

Greetings,

1) The July 2014 issue of AccessWorld Contains reviews of the BlindSquare and Agogo apps, the ScanSnap SV600 scanner, and the Perkins SmartBrailler as well as the book iOS Access for All:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

While many of the Google Apps and initiatives remain inaccessible to blind users, some progress has been made.

2A) Here is information about the accessibility of Google Docs:
https://support.google.com/docs/answer/1632201

2B) And this helps with Google Drive:
https://support.google.com/drive/topic/1631585

3) Here is the text of a speech given by one of the developers of NVDA at the recent NFB convention:
http://www.nvaccess.org/post/an-address-to-the-national-federation-of-the-blind-convention-2014/

4) Ai Squared announces a free ZoomText Mac update (1.1.3) which includes a new smooth panning feature, improvements for tracking, and several bug fixes including some issues with Safari!
http://www.aisquared.com/news/more/zoomtext_mac_113_is_released/?utm_content=buffer34f5b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

5) American Printing House for the Blind (APH) has created Visual Brailler, a simple and free Braille editor, which allows you to turn your iPad into a virtual Braillewriter:
http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/technology/visual-brailler-app-aph

6) QuickBooks 2014 is now largely accessible to users of JAWS and NVDA:
http://myblindspot.org/quickbooks/quickbooks_jaws_scripts.php

In a couple of significant app update news items:

7A) Serotek has updated the iOS and Android iBlink Radio app so that you can download content from your SamNet account for offline listening:
http://www.serotek.com/iblink

7B) And the unique AccessNote app from AFB, a notetaker with search capabilities and Braille support, is now free:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/accessnote/id591287188?mt=8

8) CAVI offers a number of affordable courses starting in August. Enrollment deadline is 15 July:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php

9) This posts claims to list the "Largest collection of FREE Microsoft eBooks ever."
http://bit.ly/VN1n7t

Our usual survey of audio content should return next week. This week we'll close with two useful AppleVis posts:

10A) A Guide Explaining the Myriad Models of Macs:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/miscellaneous/explaining-myriad-models-macs

10B) And a Forum Topic: 2 Mac Questions: Want to come over from PC to Mac?
http://www.applevis.com/forum/os-x-mac-app-discussion/2-mac-questions-want-come-over-pc-mac

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 3, 2014 - Volume 464

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, July 3, 2014 - Volume 464
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD!!!

And the Braille Display deals just keep on coming as we heat up things for the summer! Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one lucky recipient a Focus 40-Cell Bluetooth Braille Terminal for a price approximately 40% off of its suggested retail price! This Braille Display is a perfect fit for the individual who prefers the globally acclaimed JAWS for Windows screenreading software for their desktop needs and Voiceover for their iOS devices. Offering ergonomic input / output capabilities bundled with both USB and Bluetooth connectivity options, this unit has been responsibly used, and is aching for a new home! This is an unbeatable price for a Braille display that can do it all! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States, and will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Gently Used Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=XVKCMRT84D8U2

Greetings,

1) Starting out with news related to HIMS, hear a presentation about the new features in version 8.2 of the Sense notetakers, including the Facebook client, the macro capability and more, on Tek Talk for GMT Tuesday, 8 July at 00:00. Remember, archives for these presentations are always available, and we can help you figure out GMT related to your time zone if you want to attend in person:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

2) HIMS will hold a webinar about the Braille Edge, showing how it is different from other Braille devices, on Wednesday, 15 July at 19:00 GMT. Register to attend live or receive a recording:
http://bit.ly/TEpaon

3) This could be a product to which to direct developers of iOS apps, and now it's free: Deque Systems is releasing a beta version of WorldSpace Xcode Plugin for the iOS application development community. This tool automatically analyzes source code to validate that all accessibility attributes have been specified correctly:
http://www.deque.com/blog/deque-systems-offers-free-beta-worldspace-xcode-plugin/

We haven't offered links to general computing how-to articles for a while, so here are several from HowToGeek:

4A) How (and Why) to Change Your MAC Address on Windows, Linux, and Mac:
http://www.howtogeek.com/192173/how-and-why-to-change-your-mac-address-on-windows-linux-and-mac/

4B) What You Need to Know About Creating System Image Backups:
http://www.howtogeek.com/192115/what-you-need-to-know-about-creating-system-image-backups/

4C) How an Attacker Could Crack Your Wireless Network Security:
http://www.howtogeek.com/191482/how-an-attacker-could-crack-your-wireless-network-security/

4D) Should You Use the Hardware Drivers Windows Provides, or Download Your Manufacturer's Drivers?
http://www.howtogeek.com/191405/should-you-use-the-hardware-drivers-windows-provides-or-download-your-manufacturers-drivers/

4E) Building a PC: Are Integrated Graphics, Sound, and Network Hardware Good Enough?
http://www.howtogeek.com/190929/building-a-pc-are-integrated-graphics-sound-and-network-hardware-good-enough/

4F) The HTG Guide to Using a Physical Keyboard With Your iPad or iPhone:
http://www.howtogeek.com/190998/the-htg-guide-to-using-a-physical-keyboard-with-your-ipad-or-iphone/

4G) And How to Create Saved Search Folders on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X:
http://www.howtogeek.com/192360/how-to-create-saved-search-folders-on-windows-linux-and-mac-os-x/

And along the same lines from Gizmo:

6) Twitter, Weather Radio, and Google Hangouts have been Chosen as AppleVis Editorial Team App Picks of the Month for June 2014
http://www.applevis.com/blog/applevis-ios-apps-news/twitter-weather-radio-and-hangouts-chosen-applevis-editorial-team-app

7) Various sessions of the Enabling Summmit 2014 are available for viewing or listening:
http://g3ict.org/events/schedule/event_summary/p/eventId_467/id_summary

8) Inclusive Android is a site seeking to bring together accessibility information on Android:
http://inclusiveandroid.tk/

9) This paper is entitled "Interactivity Improves Usability of Geographic Maps for Visually Impaired People":
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07370024.2014.924412#tabModule

10) In honor of the recent anniversary of Helen Keller's birthday, here is an article about apps for the deaf-bind:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/27/helen-keller-birthday-deaf-blind-apps-technology/11496293/

11) This article is called "Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs: Apps for AACtion":
http://teachinglearnerswithmultipleneeds.blogspot.com/2014/06/apps-for-aaction.html

12) The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) makes available a significant new publication "The ABCs of UEB" authored by Constance Risjord. This publication outlines the major differences between English Braille, American Edition (EBAE) and Unified English Braille (UEB). Although this is not a comprehensive instruction manual, it provides examples and practice exercises that allow people who already know EBAE to quickly build on their knowledge of Braille:
http://www.brailleauthority.org/ueb.html

13) The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Accessibility and Innovation Initiative is hosting an event called "Accessing Social Media" on July 17, 2014 from GMT 1300 -20:00 at the FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC. It will be web cast:
http://www.fcc.gov/live

And in audio material this week:

14A) The KNFB Reader for iOS is to be released by the end of August. They haven't announced the price yet, but otherwise, people have been impressed by the demonstration. Here is a recording of a demo:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2296348-the-first-demo-of-knfbreader-for-ios-truly-solid

14B) The only AppleVis podcast this week concerns Weather Radio by WDT: Accessible Severe Weather and Lightning Alerts on your iOS Device
http://applevis.com/podcasts

14C) Mystic Access unboxes the Samsung Galaxy Tab S and enables talkback by using triple click home:
http://www.mysticaccesspodcast.com/2014/07/02/unboxing-the-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-and-enabling-accessibility/

14D) AccessTalk Podcast 26 covers Project tango, Firefox OS, iOS8 & The Amazon Fire Phone
http://accesstalk.co.uk/podcast-26/

14E) And Eyes on Success #1427 deals with the career of translation and interpretation:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 26, 2014 - Volume 463

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 26, 2014 - Volume 463
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD!!!

Greetings,

1) Lichess claims to be the first chess site accessible to visually impaired people.They have implemented several changes that enable announcing moves in text format, showing textual representation of board diagrams and eliminating CAPTCHA's, among other changes:
http://en.lichess.org/blog/U5AX_DcAADkAz-L5/accessibility-for-blind-players

2A) The Accessible Gadgets Mailing List has been formed. Subscribe by sending a blank message to:
accessiblegadgets-subscribe@lists.mysticaccess.com

2B) Or visit:
http://lists.mysticaccess.com/listinfo.cgi/accessiblegadgets-mysticaccess.com

3) BAUM USA has introduced a new Braille device called VarioUltra, which functions as both a Braille display and a Braille notetaker. Offered with 20-Cells ($2,395.00) or 40-Cells ($3,395.00), VarioUltra features excellent cells, lightweight, versatile connectivity and long battery life. Devices should ship in July:
http://www.varioultra.com

4) Freedom Scientific has released the JAWS Training Bundle, for users needing thorough beginning or refresher training on JAWS and Windows. The 50+ hour comprehensive training package costs $995.00 if purchased with a Victor Reader Stream or Plextalk Pocket, and $750 if purchased for use with your own DAISY player:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/training/JAWSTrainingBundle.asp

5) Doug Lee continues to make free JAWS scripts available for Skype, Virtual Audio Cable, Weather Watcher Live, and other programs:
http://dlee.org/

6) American Foundation for the Blind has released a free iOS CareerConnect App:
http://www.afb.org/blog/afb-blog/afb-launches-an-app-for-afb-careerconnect-and-its-free/12

7) If you are a user of NVDA, an NVDA code contributor, add-on developer or other user or developer interested in NVDA screen reader, you are invited to NVDACon, to take place via TeamTalk through the GMT day of 12 July:
http://www.nvda-kr.org/en/nvdacon.php

8) AfterShokz Blues, Bluetooth headsets that transmit through bone conduction rather than the ear, leaving ears free to hear traffic and other useful external sounds, have been upgraded to version 2. Here is a blog post about the new features:
http://www.aftershokz.com/2014/05/30/meet-bluez-2-transcending-wireless-bone-conduction-headphones/

9) As we reach the five-year anniversary of the implementation of VoiceOver into the iDevices, here is an article and discussion of the retrospective:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/advocacy-apple-assistive-technology-ios-iphone-news/5-years-voiceover-look-how-far-weve-come

10) This article addresses the accessibility features said to be built into the Amazon Fire mobile phone:
http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/latest_news/digital-technology/amazon-touts-accessibility-of-fire-smartphone

11) Here is the Top 10 Best Android Smartphones Buyers Guide: June 2014 Edition:
http://www.androidheadlines.com/2014/06/top-10-best-android-smartphones-buyers-guide-june-2014-edition.html

12) This is a guide on Installing Mac OS X from a USB Flash Drive:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/braille-mac-os-x-miscellaneous-voiceover/installing-mac-os-x-usb-flash-drive

13A) This week's audio roundup begins with the latest FSCast, where we learn about that new JAWS training bundle, among other things:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast091-june2014.asp

13B) Eyes on Success 1426 addresses navigation using echolocation:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

13C) Listen to a Demo of the BEM Bluetooth Speaker Band with the iPhone using VoiceOver:
http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/demo-of-the-bem-bluetooth-speaker-band-with-the-iphone-using-voiceover/

13D) The innovative iOS navigation app BlindSquare now allows keyboard navigation with Braille and Bluetooth keyboards. Here is a demonstration:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2273669-keyboard-notetaker-and-braille-display-support-in-blindsquare-2-2

13E) The DropVox Aapp now offers MP3 recording. Here is a test of Dropvox 2 on the fly MP3 recording, HQ mono and stereo:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2276345-a-test-of-dropvox-2-on-the-fly-mp3-recording-hq-mono-and-stereo-spliced-together-of-course

13F) And episode 29 of That Android Show appeared just before this newsletter wended its way to Flying Blind, LLC for distribution:
http://thatandroidshow.com/2014/06/25/that-android-show-episode-29-ye-skeptical-bodies

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 19, 2014 - Volume 462

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 19, 2014 - Volume 462
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Focus 40 Blue 1st Generation Braille Terminal for $1,745.00 USD!!!

Greetings,

1) Two iFocus videos, bringing the total of iOS-related videos to twenty, have been added to the Hadley YouTube channel. These cover Using Zoom and Exploring the Low Vision Features:
http://www.youtube.com/hadleyschool

2) While we're talking iOS, here are a few articles with general tips. From LifeHacker: Stuck with a 16GB iPhone? Here's how to make the most of that storage space:
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-make-the-most-of-an-iphone-with-minimal-storage-1592159896

3) One can never get enough knowledge about Siri, so here are seven tips. A couple were new to me:
http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/7-uses-for-siri-you-might-not-know-about-1589307090/+whitsongordon

4) Finally, read a summary from one user of "Accessible iPhone Apps That Help Me Manage Work, Life, and Travel as a Blind Professional":
http://www.afb.org/blog/careerconnect-blog/accessible-iphone-apps-that-help-me-manage-work-life-and-travel-as-a-blind-professional/12

5) Here is a YouTube video about the Louis Database of Accessible Materials from American Printing House:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLr36KSJmMM&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1

6) Comcast appears to have started a forum where screen reader users and other users of adaptive technology can ask questions and perhaps get answers:
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Accessibility/Blind-Guys-with-Issues-with-Jaws-Guide-Zoomtext-etc/m-p/2197298

7) We mentioned a class on the GoldWave audio editor a couple weeks back. Here are all the files for the course in one SendSpace folder:
https://www.sendspace.com/folder/rmk4oz

8A) HIMS, Inc. has released version 8.2 of their Sense devices, bringing with it a Facebook App, macro capability and the ability to import comma delimited files into the database, greatly increasing the database flexibility. Read one blog post about the upgrade here:
https://mehgcap.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/hims-has-done-it-again/

8B) HIMS offers a free webinar about the new features on GMT Tuesday, 24 June at 19:00. Register here and you will receive recordings and slides even if you can't attend:
http://t1689492.invoc.us/track.aspx?id=402|19C794|73F6|3E9|BD|0|3FA|1|70DC2508&destination=http%3a%2f%2fhims-inc.com%2fwebinar-registration-new-sense-v8-2%2f&dchk=5BC294C8

9) Blind users who want to learn to program in Python, a popular language and the one used by NVDA, can get considerable support. Twice-weekly discussions take place on the free out-of-sight portal, and students, from beginners to experienced programmers should subscribe to the pythonvis list to learn about all this by putting the word subscribe in the subject line of a message to:
pythonvis-request@freelists.org

10A) Turning to the week's audio content, you might want to use headphones to listen to this AudioBoo comparing 5 different bluetooth speakers:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2255083-best-to-use-headphones-for-this-boo-audiomo-comparing-5-different-bluetooth-speakers

10B) BGZ contributors offer Terraformers the Game:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/terraformers-the-game/

10C) Bebot Demonstration:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/bebot-demonstration/

10D) Comparing the current versions of the blindness GPS Apps:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/comparing-the-current-versions-of-the-blindness-gps-apps/

10E) And introduction to the IRT-1 Talking Infrared Thermometer:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/introduction-to-the-irt-1-talking-infrared-thermometer/

10F) The AppleVis crew brings us AppleVis Extra #21: Blindfold Racer:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/applevis-extra-21-blindfold-racer

10G) And AppleVis Extra #22: The Inquisitor Audiogame Adventure and Beyond:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/applevis-extra-22-inquisitor-audiogame-adventure-and-beyond

10H) The new Tech Doctor Podcast is called "Introducing LaunchBar":
http://www.dr-carter.com/

10I) Catch up on the latest news related to adaptive technology in SeroTalk Podcast 202:
http://serotalk.com/2014/06/12/serotalk-podcast-202-thermoform-in-the-summertime/

10J) And Eyes on Success #1425 features an interview with a blind soon-to-be-PhD in computational organic chemistry in "Wine Tasting and Chemistry"
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 12, 2014 - Volume 461

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 12, 2014 - Volume 461
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with close to one year remaining on its manufacturer's warranty and is listed here at over 30% off of its suggested retail price, giving you a nearly $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Brailliant carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Greetings,

Since it isn't a very busy news week we'll catch up on some new and updated articles from Gizmo first:

1A) Probably the Best Free Security List in the World:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/probably-best-free-security-list-world.htm

1B) How To Avoid Spam:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-avoid-getting-spammed.htm

1C) How to Protect Your Online Privacy:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-protect-your-online-privacy.htm

1D) How to Stay Safe While Online:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-stay-safe-while-online.htm

1E) How to Know If Your Computer Is Infected:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-know-if-your-computer-infected.htm

1F) How to Tell if a File is Malicious:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-tell-if-file-malicious.htm

1G) How to Tell If A Website Is Dangerous:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-tell-if-website-dangerous.htm

1H) How to Deal with the Ransomware Called CryptoLocker
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GizmosTechTips/~3/hwd-9D7wK_w/how-deal-ransomware-called-cryptolocker.htm

2) Learn some lesser-known techniques for navigating Microsoft Office with JAWS, other new JAWS tips, and some information about goings-on at Freedom Scientific on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 17 June at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

3) The Kindle Android App Gets Audible Integration That Provides an Option To Easily Switch Between Reading And Listening:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/06/10/kindle-android-app-gets-audible-integration-provides-option-easily-switch-reading-listening/

4) Thanks to iMore, we learn "How to set up, back up, restore, and update your iPhone or iPad using iCloud":
http://www.imore.com/how-to-setup-iphone-ipad-icloud

5) Ai Squared is pleased to announce a free ZoomText Mac update (1.1.2) which includes improvements for mouse tracking, the focus enhancement, and several bugs fixes including support for QuickBooks!
http://www.aisquared.com/news/more/zoomtext_mac_112_released?utm_content=buffer30268&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The June 2014 issue of the Braille Monitor contains several opinion pieces related to adaptive technology:

6A) When Just Listening Is Not Enough: Google Falls Short On Accessibility for the Blind:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1406/bm140603.htm

6B) What Will It Take for Google to Find Its Voice:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1406/bm140604.htm

6C) Knowing What Is Good About the iPhone and What Is Not:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1406/bm140608.htm

6D) And Comparing the Windows Computer with the Mac:
https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm14/bm1406/bm140612.htm

7) This page contains an Alphabetical Listing of All Commercial DVDs With Audio Description, a table with 389 movies:
http://www.acb.org/adp/dvdsalpha.html?utm_content=buffere4a6d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

8) This article is entitled, "Using Braille with iOS, What's it Like?":
http://atmac.org/using-braille-with-ios-whats-it-like?utm_content=buffer92711&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

9) This post is labeled a diary of Do's and Don'ts in NVDA tickets, add-ons and what not:
http://joslee22590.blogspot.com/2014/06/nvdasr-diary-of-dos-and-donts-in-nvda.html?spref=tw

10) Sticking with NVDA, the NVDA Add-on Development Guide is now ready for study and application:
https://bitbucket.org/nvdaaddonteam/devguide

11) BGT, Blastbay Game Toolkit, is a free toolkit which allows you to produce your own audio games from the ground up, without having any prior knowledge of computer programming at all:
http://www.blastbay.com/bgt.php

12) Some low-cost tutorials and related downloads are to be found on the Pro Tools with Speech Page:
http://protoolswithspeech.com/

Turning to audio:

13A) Learn about OrCam Vision System in Episode 1424 of Eyes on Success:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

13B) BlindPodcaster explains Switching voices on any Android device:
http://blindpodcaster.com/tech-bits-switching-voices-on-any-android-device/

13C) Talking Apps Episode 5 discusses WWDC 2014 and Third-Party Keyboards in iOS 8:
http://www.appcessible.net/talking-apps-episode-5-wwdc-2014-and-third-party-keyboards-in-ios-8/

13D) An AppleVis Quick Tip: Record Your Voice and System Sounds in Audio Hijack Pro With the Help of the LineIn Application:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-record-your-voice-and-system-sounds-audio-hijack-pro-help-linein

And finally, from Serotalk come:

13E) SeroSpectives: This Month in Tech for May 2014:
http://serotalk.com/2014/06/06/serospectives-this-month-in-tech-for-may-2014/

13F) And Triple Click Home, Episode 30:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/06/11/triple-click-home-episode-30-the-secret-slide/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 5, 2014 - Volume 460

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, June 5, 2014 - Volume 460
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of RefreshaBraille 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Display - $1,275.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement:
One Barely Used RefreshaBraille 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Display For $1,275.00 USD!!!

This week we are pleased to offer you One Barely Used RefreshaBraille 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Display with both wireless and Bluetooth Connectivity for only $1,275.00 USD! This unit has been used for less than two hours and is as close to brand new as a unit can get! It's the perfect 18 Cell companion for portable, wireless Braille users who need to connect to a PC or Macintosh from time to time. It's the only Braille display on the market today that allows you to turn the display 180 degrees and invert the keyboard and position of the display for comfort while being able to effortlessly enter Braille! The RefreshaBraille connects with a variety of Windows, iOS, and Android Screenreaders, touting both versatility and compatibility in a sleek, yet rugged design. With free shipping within the Continental United States, this is an over 25% savings on a portable display with plenty of cells to get the job done! This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Barely Used RefreshaBraille 18 Cell Refreshable Braille Display - $1,275.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZXC9ZQ68M8H36

Greetings,

1) Learn about the ODIN VI, a cell phone for those who may not want or need all the features of a smart phone, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 10 June at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

Two useful books have recently become available:

2A) The first, iOS Access for All: Your Comprehensive Guide to Accessibility for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch is now available for $20 in unprotected Epub format at:
http://iosaccessbook.com

2B) Second, Learn to Use the Mac with VoiceOver, is available in many formats, electronic and paper, for $20 from National Braille Press:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/MAC.html

3) Here is the page where you can read about the Courses the Cisco academy is offering next semester starting in august:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.Courses

4) A lot of exciting features appear to be coming to the iOS operating system in the fall. Here's a summary:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple-ios-mac-os-x-news/summary-announcements-wwdc-2014-keynote

Here are a couple of potentially informative items from HowToGeek:

5A) 8 Backup Tools Explained for Windows 7 and 8:
http://www.howtogeek.com/189452/8-backup-tools-explained-for-windows-7-and-8/

5B) Network Security: Windows Defender and a Malware-Free System:
http://www.howtogeek.com/school/windows-network-security/lesson3/

6) EASI offers two free webinars in June: Using Mathematics eText in the Classroom, Tuesday, 17 June at 18:00 GMT, and Audacity: The Free Open Source Tool to Create Quality Audio, Friday 27 June at 19:00 GMT:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

7) The San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, in conjunction with an outside research organization, is interested in asking people who are blind or visually impaired to complete a short online survey about assistive technology. Participants can enter to receive one of three Amazon gift cards:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AT_design_PWVI

8) Walgreens Now Offers Free Talking Prescription Labels in retail and mail order pharmacies:
http://lflegal.com/2014/06/walgreens-talking/

9A) A free class on the GoldWave Audio Editor has been made available. These links all worked when I tested them, I hope they continue to do so. Here is the link to the MP3 file:
https://t.co/eSX8zfZQEz

9B) Here is the outline:
https://t.co/VHrXh3iYNR

9C) And here is a listof GoldWave Keystrokes:
https://t.co/eEcmujro8O

10) Jonathan Mosen writes about a great back/cloud storage system with major accessibility challenges: "My new Synology NAS. Great Product, NASty Accessibility":
http://mosen.org/index.php/my-new-synology-nas-great-product-nasty-accessibility/

Turning to available audio for the week:

11A) Here is a Sound Cloud recording entitled "Use a free Digital Talking Book Machine and a Flash Drive as Study Aids with Assistive Tech Beginners":
https://soundcloud.com/chancey-fleet/use-a-free-digital-talking

11B) From the Serotalk Team comes High Contrast Episode 21:
http://serotalk.com/2014/05/31/high-contrast-episode-21-tangent-mode-on/

11C) That Android Show Episode 28:
http://thatandroidshow.com/2014/05/28/that-android-show-episode-28-chips-and-beer/

11D) And Triple-Click Home Episode 29:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/05/23/triple-click-home-episode-29-eat-something/

11E) From the UK, AccessTalk Podcast 25 covers MotoE, BBC iPlayer, Developer Conferences & The Surface Pro 3:
http://accesstalk.co.uk/podcast-25/

11F) Here's a VipAdvisor Interview with Ilkka Pirttimaa, Developer of BlindSquare: How it started; What's new in 2.0; plus future plans!
https://audioboo.fm/boos/2214374-vipadvisor-interview-with-ilkka-pirttimaa-developer-of-blindsquare-how-it-started-whats-new-in-2-0-plus-future-plans-blindsquare

11G) AppleVis gives us TextSync: Turns Your Laptop or Desktop Computer into a Wireless Keyboard for Your iOS Device:
http://applevis.com/podcasts

11H) And Eyes on Success 1423 is titled "Becoming a Blind Physician":
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday May 29, 2014 - Volume 459

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, May 29, 2014 - Volume 459
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

We're back with another refurbished, top-of-the-line, wireless Braille display at a tremendous savings! This gently used new generation of Brailliant Refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive to use with your favorite portable tablet and/or smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, and Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of educational, vocational, and communal settings. This unit ships with close to one year remaining on its manufacturer's warranty and is listed here at over 30% off of its suggested retail price, giving you a nearly $1,000.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Brailliant carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Greetings,

We open with best wishes to those with whom I (Dean Martineau) join in commemorating the anniversary of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah today.

With Apple's annual developer conference coming this week, people are beginning to express their hopes for the new operating systems. So, for your perusal, we have:

1A) My Top 10 Accessibility Wish List for iOS 8":
http://mosen.org/index.php/my-top-10-accessibility-wish-list-for-ios-8/

1B) My Top Ten Accessibility Wishes for OS X 10.10:L
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple-braille-mac-os-x/my-top-ten-accessibility-wishes-os-x-1010

1C) And, while we're at it, "My Top 10 Accessibility Wish List for Android 4.5":
http://blindbargains.com/b/11190

2) While we're talking Android, here's a post full of games on Android which are accessible for Talkback users:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/android-games-for-talkback-users/

3) A mailing list related to Android use for the blind is vi-android. To join, put the word subscribe in an e-mail to:
vi-android-request@freelists.org

4) Developers of the Eyes Free Android site want to know what features and information you would like to see there. Links on the page take you to the existing site content:
http://eyes-free.tk/?q=content/what-would-you-see-site

5) A low-vision user has developed a free magnifier app, Magnificent, for iOS:
http://www.applevis.com/forum/ios-ios-app-discussion/introducing-magnificent-new-magnifier-app-ios

6) Ai Squared invites you to Try the New ZoomText Beta for Windows 7, a 60-day beta version that includes support for Office 2013 and Internet Explorer 10 and 11:
http://bit.ly/1lSz4tS

7) This post is entitled "Apple and the I-Word: Accessibility As Innovation":
Link removed.

8) Learn about Broadcast It, a 13-hour audio tutorial demonstrating how to use the StationPlaylist suite of broadcasting tools with JAWS, on Tek Talk for GMT Tuesday, 3 June at 00:00. Contrary to what we reported last week, the event didn't take place yet, it is on Stateside Monday 2 June, GMT Tuesday:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

9A) Fedora Outlier, LLC is launching the Mac Master series, an educational program that currently costs $239.00 for the year but whose price is set to increase. Learn about it from the FAQ:
http://bit.ly/1oMfinJ

9B) They're having a "Mixer" on June 5 stateside, the time is not stated, where you can ask questions, see the first few lessons and get in before they increase the price:
http://bit.ly/1iue7Em

10) The Spring 2014 issue of the 508XPRSS Newsletter features articles on Avoiding Section 508 Violations, Which Tool Should I Choose for PDF Content? And Methods for Mobile Input & Navigation among others:
http://www.section508.va.gov/support/newsletter/508XPressVolume11Spring2014.pdf

On the audio front this week:

11A) The May edition of Freedom Scientific's FSCast unveils a logo for use in email and the web by those who have passed JAWS certification, describes Power 123, a new dynamic device switching technology on Focus Blue Braille displays, and discusses the forthcoming accessible version of Intuit's Quickbooks:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast090-may2014.asp

11B) Program 1422 of Eyes on Success is entitled Intersection of Usability and Accessibility:
http://www.EyesOnSuccess.net

Catching up with AppleVis:

11C) We learn about Exploring Some of the Changes and New Features Introduced in BlindSquare 2.0:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/exploring-some-changes-and-new-features-introduced-blindsquare-20

11D) Quick Tip: How to Access the Feed of Your Most Recent Items in Facebook 10.0 for iOS When Using VoiceOver:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-access-feed-your-most-recent-items-facebook-100-ios-when-using

11E) Quick Tip: How to Use Burst Mode to Take Photos on the iPhone 5S:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-use-burst-mode-take-photos-iphone-5s

11F) An In-Depth Demonstration of the RiVO, a Keyboard-Like Device for iOS VoiceOver Users:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/depth-demonstration-rivo-keyboard-device-ios-voiceover-users

11G) Quick Tip: How to use the Emoji Keyboard on Mac OS X:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-use-emoji-keyboard-mac-os-x

11H) And Programming with Xcode: Part 1 - Creating a New Project:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/programming-xcode-part-1-creating-new-project

11I) Don't forget SeroTalk Podcast 200:
http://serotalk.com/2014/05/22/serotalk-podcast-200-im-doing-peace-out/

11J) And the SPN Special: An Audio Tour of the Seeing Eye:
http://serotalk.com/2014/05/28/spn-special-an-audio-tour-of-the-seeing-eye/

And finally:

11K) BGZ brings us Tag or Mention on Facebook mobile site:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/tag-or-mention-on-facebook-mobile-site/

11L) And A Demo of TweetLogix for Twitter on iOS:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/demo-of-tweetlogix-for-twitter-on-ios/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday May 22, 2014 - Volume 458

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, May 22, 2014 - Volume 458
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Optelec Clearreader Reading System This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used Optelec Clearreader Plus for $1,195.00 USD

This week we're pleased to offer you Flying Blind, LLC's preferred standalone scan-and-read system manufactured by Optelec, the Clearreader Plus. This sleek, compact solution touts power, speed, and responsiveness in a portable design for the user wishing to read hardcopy print both effortlessly and efficiently. Crisp, responsive speech coupled with a simplistic command structure in an affordable package which runs off of a rechargeable battery makes this a "must have" for the user with functional vision wishing to listen to text read aloud as well as the individual with no remaining vision wishing to capture the freedom and exhilaration of reading a variety of hardcopy materials without being tethered to a computer! This unit is priced approximately 50% off of its suggested retail price, thousands of dollars lower than other less competitive options, and still under the manufacturer's warranty! This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Gently Used Optelec Clearreader Plus for $1,195.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=DSV9KYG8V5PLG

Greetings,

1) Following its usual pattern the creators of NVDA are rolling out the next stable release and first allowing it to be publicly tested. 2014.2rc1 has been released for testing:
http://community.nvda-project.org/blog/NVDA2014.2rc1Released

2) The popular iOS navigation app BlindSquare has been upgraded to version 2. The upgrade is free to existing owners, but the app now costs $29. Here's a blog post about it:
http://www.hartgen.org/blindsquare

3) Also in the area of navigation, though this accessory can be used for more, read an Accessory Review of The Second Generation Aftershokz Bluez:
http://www.applevis.com/reviews/bluetooth-headsets/second-generation-aftershokz-bluez

4) Lifehacker offers us the "Five Best Book Recommendation Services":
http://lifehacker.com/five-best-book-recommendation-services-1577706074

5) Read MacWorld UK's article, "The 10 best iPhone tricks you didn't know existed: iPhone tips, shortcuts and hidden features":
http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iphone/10-best-iphone-tips-tricks-you-didnt-know-existed-3514829/

6) Aaron Linson sells a Kindle Fire HDX tutorial for around $24:
http://blindpodcaster.com/kindle-fire-hdx

7) Here is "A Review of Chicken Nugget from Accessible Apps"
http://dogriver.dreamwidth.org/366644.html

8) The second installment of GW Micro's online training series on using Microsoft Word 2013 with Window-Eyes is now available.
http://www.gwmicro.com/webinars

9) The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) announces the Dr. Sam Genensky Video Magnifier Memorial Awards. A total of 3 video magnifiers will be awarded to children and adults:
http://www.cclvi.org/scholarships/?q=node/4

10) Learn about the 13-hour tutorial "Broadcast It" on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 27 May at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

11) Check out the article "Eight Terminal Utilities Every OS X Command Line User Should Know":
http://www.mitchchn.me/2014/os-x-terminal/

12) Thanks to AppleVis, we can read "Getting the most out of your Apple Mobile or Desktop Device using VoiceOver with Braille":
http://www.applevis.com/guides/braille-ios-ios-apps-mac-apps-mac-os-x-voiceover/getting-most-out-your-apple-mobile-or

13) Courtesy of TUAW, Here's "iPhone 101: How to easily combine multiple iMessages into a single message":
http://www.tuaw.com/2014/05/14/iphone-101-how-to-easily-combine-multiple-imessages-into-a-sing/

14) Chris Hofstader tends to have interesting viewpoints, with which all do not agree. I suspect this will prove true of this article giving his perspective on screen reader history, remembering GW Micro:
http://chrishofstader.com/remembering-gw-micro/

In a somewhat truncated look at the week's audio:

15A) This podcast on "Google Glass and the Blind Market" comes with a transcript, as do all the podcasts from Vision Australia:
http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/audio-description-on-radio/google-glass-and-the-blind-market

15B) The AT Junkie offers "A Great App for Shopping Lists and Blowing a Job Interview":
http://audioboo.fm/boos/2161543

15C) David Woodbridge, the source of much that appears in Tidbits, has recorded a "Demo of using OS X maps with VoiceOver to get route step information from origin to destination location":
http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/e/demo-of-using-maps-in-os-x-mavericks-to-get-route-steps-from-origin-to-destination-location/

15D) The latest Tech Doctor podcast is called Macro Maestro:
http://www.dr-carter.com

15E) Hear about Glance and ETI EloQuence for Android on "Discuss Android From An Accessible Point of View":
http://instaca.st/b/i4r

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday May 15, 2014 - Volume 457

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, May 15, 2014 - Volume 457
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Greetings,

1) The May, 2014 issue of AccessWorld includes articles on the HIMS BrailleSense U2 Mini, iOS apps for keeping up with news, Accessible QuickBooks, accessibility of Office for iPad, the iOS app My Fitness Tool, and eSight Eyewear and Smart Glasses from Assisted Vision:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

2) The latest production from Mosen Consulting, for the aspiring broadcaster, is "Broadcast It" the Definitive Guide to StationPlaylist Studio and JAWS for Windows, a 13-hour tutorial available in MP3, DAISY, or both, for prices beginning at $60.00:
http://mosen.org/index.php/broadcast-it-the-definitive-guide-to-stationplaylist-studio-and-jaws-for-windows/

3) Read one user's thoughts on the new RNIB Navigator app:
http://www.hartgen.org/node/226

4A) Join Seminars@Hadley on Wednesday, May 21, 2014, 18:00 GMT for tips and training on: Using advanced Voiceover gestures, Using the notes app, Typing on your iDevice, and how to select, copy and paste text. To register for the seminar, visit:
http://hadley.edu/Seminar_register.asp?sid=231

4B) Find an instructional video on each of the seminar topics posted on Hadley's YouTube Channel at:
http://www.youtube.com/hadleyschool

5) GW Micro offers a Free Online Training Webinar - Working with Word 2013 and Window-Eyes: Part 2, on Friday, 16 May at 18:00 GMT. To participate, sign in here with your first and last name as your username and leaving the password field blank:
http://www.gwmicro.com/meeting

6) The 9 May edition of Main Menu contained an interview about GW Micro and their merger with AI Squared. That recording, along with the rest of the program and older editions of Main Menu, can be found here:
http://mainmenu.acbradio.org/shows.php

7) CAVI's proposed short course on NVDA that we mentioned last week is a go. The first lecture will be on GMT Saturday, 21 June at 01:00. Registration by 14 June is required:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.NVDA

8) iMore brings us the article "How to create and customize vibration alerts on your iPhone":
http://www.imore.com/how-set-custom-alert-vibrations-or-disable-them-your-iphone-and-ipad?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

9) From OS X Daily comes the article "Spring Cleaning iOS: Simple and Essential Maintenance Tips for iPhone & iPad":
http://osxdaily.com/2014/05/08/essential-ios-maintenance-tips/?utm_content=buffer8a75c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

10) CNET contributes a guide on "How to add more storage to an iOS device":
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-add-more-storage-to-an-ios-device/

11) From Lifehacker Australia, we learn how to "Get A University Computer Science Education With These Free Courses":
http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/05/get-a-university-computer-science-education-with-these-free-courses/

12) Learn about recent activity of the Braille Authority for North America:
http://www.brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2014-4.html

Turning to audio for the week:

13A) Dr. Carter has posted "New Dog, New Podcasting Equipment and New Bone Conduction Headphones":
http://www.dr-carter.com

13B) OurPlace Podcast from Computer Room Services is up to #385:
http://comproom.co.uk/ourplace/op385-10-05-14.mp3

13C) Try your Hand at Being a DJ with Crossfader for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/try-your-hand-being-dj-crossfader-ios

13D) Quick Tip: How to Use the Trim Audio Feature in the Audioboo iOS App:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-use-trim-audio-feature-audioboo-ios-app

13E) Introducing Perkinput for iOS; the Newest Text Entry Alternative to the Keyboard for Braille Users:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/introducing-perkinput-ios-newest-text-entry-alternative-keyboard-braille-users

13F) Check out Serotalk Podcast 198:
http://serotalk.com/2014/05/07/serotalk-podcast-198-guide-cats-for-the-blind/

13G) The recent CAVICast on Web Standards is now available for download:
http://www.cucat.org/cc/2014/

13H) Finally, in Eyes on Success 1420, learn about the early history of screen readers and web accessibility:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday May 8, 2014 - Volume 456

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, May 8, 2014 - Volume 456
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One (1) Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard And Complimentary 8 Inch VGA Visual Display for $3,195.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is very excited to have One (1) Refurbished BrailleNote Apex32 Notetaker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard and external 8 Inch VGA Visual Display available for just $3,195.00 USD! Which is over $2,600.00 USD off of its suggested list price!!! For the past 14 years the BrailleNote name has been synonymous with excellence and innovation and the Apex continues to set standards that other notetakers have yet to meet. This unit is in pristine condition and ships with an external 8 Inch VGA Monitor valued at $200.00 USD for sighted parents, teachers, and friends to interact visually with the Apex. This unit is begging for a new home with a responsible user. This exceptionally priced gem and its complimentary accessory will save you the time in your life to have the time of your life! That, and its robust yet intuitive functionality will offer limitless options to whomever is first to receive it. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now: One (1) Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Notetaker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard And Complimentary 8 Inch VGA Visual Display for $3,195.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=T5CYDXV68FCF6

Greetings,

1A) The biggest news event of the week was the merger of GW Micro and AI Squared:
http://www.aisquared.com/about_us/more/merger

1B) Here is one blog post on the merger:
http://www.afb.org/blog.aspx?BlogID=7&BlogEntryID=1237

2) CAVI is looking at offering a short course on NVDA in June for $60 if they get ten students or more:
http://wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.NVDA

3) From Marco's Accessibility Blog, read "WAI-ARIA For Screen Reader Users: An overview of things you can find in some mainstream web apps today:"
http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/05/03/wai-aria-for-screen-reader-users-an-overview-of-things-you-can-find-in-some-mainstream-web-apps-today/

4) This might come in handy: "How to use Notification Center for iPhone and iPad: The Ultimate Guide":
http://www.imore.com/notification-center-ultimate-guide

5) The Raspberry Pi is a $35 GNU/Linux computer. The Raspberry VI page is the place to go to learn about and discuss using it with access technology:
http://www.raspberryvi.org/

6) Sendero Group and RNIB have Partnered to Release a Full-Featured GPS App for UK Users, the RNIB Navigator:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/assistive-technology-gps-ios-apps-ipad-iphone-news/sendero-group-and-rnib-partner-release-full

7A) As we announced a couple months ago, National Braille Press published Judy Dixon's book, "Get the Picture! Viewing the World with the iPhone Camera":
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/GETPIC.html

7B) Now Judy has launched the Get The Picture blog, containing numerous timely and concise updates to the content of the book:
http://get-the-picture.org/

8) From DailyFinance comes the post "I Own 3,000 E-Books. I Paid $0: How to Build an E-Library Free":
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2014/05/06/free-ebooks-tips/

9) Quentin of Vision Australia has created a page on his blog with sample setups for different Android users, including a speech only setup, a large print setup, and a simplified setup:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/sample-phone-setup-options-for-different-users/

10) NIB is seeking applicants for the Joseph Roeder Assistive Technology Scholarship, a $2,500 scholarship to an individual who is blind, interested in pursuing education in computer science, information systems or a related field, and pursuing a career in access technology. Learn more about the scholarship at:
http://www.nib.org/resources/grants-and-scholarships

11) The professional video description team Audio Eyes, LLC will demonstrate the process they use to produce effective video description in a Wednesday, May 14 event and webcast titled, "Inside Video Description, How Pictures Become Words," from 19:30-21:30 GMT
http://webinar.dcmp.org/

12) DescribeAthon14 is planned for May 15 in honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day. Participate by requesting descriptions, providing feedback on descriptions, and recruiting your sighted friends to describe any YouTube video using YouDescribe. Learn more at:
http://www.vdrdc.org/describeathon14

13) AGOGO recently launched their new Universal Access Channel aggregating many popular blindness and access-related audio and print resources into a single, convenient package. Download the AGOGO iPhone app at:
http://taps.io/lighthouse-email

14) ETI EloQuence for Android is now available:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=es.codefactory.eloquencetts

15) Work is underway, and testers are sought to improve NVDA's reading of the Outlook message list and calendar:
http://community.nvda-project.org/blog/ImprovingOutlookSupportMay2014

16) The BlindPodcaster adds his perspective to recent discussions, "Mobile Devices vs Dedicated NoteTakers, Where Is The Line":
http://blindpodcaster.com/mobile-devices-vs-dedicated-notetakers-where-is-the-line/

17) Until 11 May, the very popular and actively-developed iOS reading app, Voice Dream Reader, will be half price:
http://www.applevis.com/apps/deals/ios-apps-dropped-price/voice-dream-reader

And a variety of audio content becomes available this week:

18A) Eyes on Success discusses Prosthetic eyes:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

18B) Hear an Audio demo of the Fitbit Flex with the iPhone using VoiceOver:
http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/2014/05/02/demo-of-the-fitbit-flex-exercise-band-with-the-iphone-using-voiceover/

18C) Here's an AudioBoo of a bus trip with BlindSquare giving location updates:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/2124098-blindsquare-and-bus-sounds-stereo

18D) The AtJunkie podcast brings us an AudioBoo on the GW Micro/AI Squared merger:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/2123511

18E) From AppleVis comes: Keep Up-To-Date with What's Happening in the World of International Cricket with iCricket for iOS:
http://www.applevis.com/podcast/episodes/keep-date-what%E2%80%99s-happening-world-international-cricket-icricket-ios

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday May 1, 2014 - Volume 455

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, May 1, 2014 - Volume 455
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,295.00 USD !!!

This gently used new generation of Brailliant refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive for use with your favorite portable tablet/smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, or Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of settings. This unit ships with close to one year remaining on its manufacturer's warranty and is listed here at over 22% off of its suggested retail price, giving you a nearly $800.00 USD savings! We'll even throw in an additional Brailliant carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,295.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=89NPSNDCVKEZ6

Greetings,

1) A step forward has been made in accessibility to free Office suites with the release of OpenOffice 4.1 with built-in iAccessible2 support. Screen readers with this support should, in theory, be able to work with OO out of the box, without the need to install Java Access Bridge. Reportedly, support is best with NVDA, with the most recent update for JAWS, which works in most places and forthcoming versions of Window-Eyes may also have support:
http://www.openoffice.org

2) GW Micro has announced that it has expanded its services beyond software and hardware for people who are blind or visually impaired. It will now be offering services to organizations who are required to develop, procure, maintain and use electronic and information technology (EIT) that is accessible to people with disabilities. GW Micro's accessibility services will also be available to any person or organization who is interested in making their websites, documents or software accessible and compliant with Section 508 standards, the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), or the internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
http://www.gwmicro.com

3) Accessibility has largely been returned to the mainstream version of the Fleksy iOS keyboard app, which many people find to be an effective tool for writing on iDevices:
http://fleksy.com/journey-towards-accessibility-we-are-home/

4) The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network along with other organizations there have embarked on a campaign to rid the world of CAPTCHA's, the inaccessible boxes that contain squiggly characters that many web sites require for security. So if you run into one of those and can't fill it out, send the Kill CAPTCHA letter:
https://accan.org.au/news-items/hot-issues/781-captcha-what-you-can-do

5) Another article casting doubts on the fitness of Android for the generality of users is "Why Android Is Not Accessible. And What Is Accessibility Anyway?"
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140429154036-29289122-why-android-is-not-accessible-and-what-is-accessibility-anyway

6) Jonathan Mosen has written "Words and Disability - The Delicate Balance"
http://publicaddress.net/9228

7) HIMS will offer a webinar, "Aker: Math Made Easy with Advanced Nemeth Capabilities on the Braille Sense!," on Wednesday, 13 May at 19:00 GMT. Register even if you can't attend in person and they'll send you a recording:
http://hims-inc.com/webinar-registration-nemeth-braille-sense-makes-math-easier/

8) We have ceded to the request from Sight Enhancement Systems to include this link to a YouTube video about Flick, purported to be the world's first robotic camera for students who are visually impaired:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRvyfBkHDGI&feature=youtu.be

9) Barrier-free Information Technology EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information) is a month-long course designed to guide an institution in making both its computer and information technology systems fully accessible to its users with disabilities. The course starts May 5:
http://easi.cc/workshops/adaptit.htm

10) Many of our more than 6,000 readers live outside the United States or speak primary languages other than English, so we are always happy to mention websites that will assist speakers of those languages as well. This is a Spanish-language website regarding assistive technology:
http://www.manolo.net

11) This new AppleVis guide post is called "How to Partition a Drive in OS X":
http://www.applevis.com/node/10359

12) Read this NFB AT blog post on an intriguing navigation device under development:
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/ustraap-system

Moving on to the week's audio material:

13A) From the aforementioned Spanish-language site, where you can find a regular podcast and its archive, comes a review of Window-Eyes:
http://www.tifloaudio.com/podpress_trac/web/125/0/ta045.mp3

From the SPN Network:

13B) Serotalk podcast 196 has been out for a week, so #197 may well come soon:
http://serotalk.com/2014/04/23/serotalk-podcast-196-the-jamie-dilemma/

13C) They also give us High Contrast Issue 20:
http://serotalk.com/2014/04/28/high-contrast-episode-20-screen-dump/

13D) Episode 1 of the Blindpodcaster's latest series, Blind We Are, is out:
http://blindpodcaster.com/blind-we-are-001/

13E) From RNIB's Insight Radio comes "Music Event Provides Opportunities For Blind Musicians":
http://www.insightradio.co.uk/podcast-episode.html?category=early_edition&name=2014-04-22_reading_music_tx.mp3#.U2EMYWdOXiz

13F) Eyes on Success 1418 features the NFT Newsline Service:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

The three podcasts from BGZ this week are:

13G) Olympus DM620 Demonstration:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/olympus-dm620-demonstration/

13H) Classic Shell:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/classic-shell/

13I) And TalkingFlix, Coming Soon To Speakers Near You by Cool Blind Tech:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/talkingflix-coming-soon-to-speakers-near-you-by-cool-blind-tech/

AppleVis' two offerings are:

13J) Quick Tip: How to Add and Edit Contacts on your iOS Device:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-add-and-edit-contacts-your-ios-device

13K) And Add Something Different to your Social Networking With Melt for iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/add-something-different-your-social-networking-melt-ios

13L) AccessTalk Podcast 24 covers Windows Phone 8.1, Office 365 Personal, Samsung smartphone peripherals and the Blaze EZ:
http://accesstalk.co.uk/podcast-24/

13M) Episode 384 of Our Place Podcast is the second part of a discussion of the Telorion Phone:
http://t.co/6OlEURS9jn

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday April 24, 2014 - Volume 454

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, April 24, 2014 - Volume 454
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,395.00 USD !!!

This gently used new generation of Brailliant refreshable Braille displays gives you desktop USB/Bluetooth access in a form factor conducive for use with your favorite portable tablet/smartphone. Ergonomic thumbkeys together with Braille input keys make entering Braille text and navigating through the most complex Apps a snap for Windows, iOS, or Android users. The Brailliant BI line of displays are Flying Blind, LLC's preferred and most-used desktop Braille displays in a variety of settings. This unit ships with close to one year remaining on its manufacturer's warranty and is listed here at over 20% off of its suggested retail price! We'll even throw in an additional Brailliant carrying case, valued at $90.00 USD, to anyone wishing to add a splash of style and class to their Brailliant!!! Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This unit will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Refurbished Brailliant BI 40 Cell Refreshable Braille Display for $2,395.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=89NPSNDCVKEZ6

Greetings,

1) On May 1 and 2 Freedom Scientific will conduct a free, two-part webinar on PDF reading and strategies using JAWS and MAGic.
http://www.freedomscientific.com/training/Free-Webinars.asp

2) Window-Eyes is now available in Japanese, both the free version for Office users and the retail version:
http://www.neoacc.com

3) GW Micro has upgraded the JAWS Quick Key App to version 1.2:
http://www.gwmicro.com/App_Central/Apps/App_Details/?scriptid=1304

4) Learn about the Odin cell phone for the blind, produced by Perkins Products, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 29 April at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

5) From an Australian viewpoint, this post is entitled "A How-To Guide to Navigating Geo-Blocking - Circumventing Geo-Blocking and Online Price Discrimination":
http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/computers-and-online/networking-and-internet/shopping-online/navigating-online-geoblocks/page/how-to-circumvent-geoblocks.aspx

6) For JAWS Scripters: How to Compile Against JAWS 11 Etc. Under Windows 8.1:
http://www.dlee.org/jw8.mp3

7) Apple Has Opened Up OS X Beta Testing to All Users:
http://lifehacker.com/apple-opens-up-os-x-beta-testing-to-all-users-1566229779

8) From the MSDN blog, this new story explores "Braille's Role and Use in Accessible Technology and the Digital Age":
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/accessibility/archive/2014/04/15/new-story-explores-braille-s-role-and-use-in-accessible-technology-and-the-digital-age.aspx

9) Learn about "How To Supercharge Siri On iPhone - No Jailbreak Required" [VIDEO]:
http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-supercharge-siri-on-iphone-no-jailbreak-required-video/

10) From CNET, get one columnist's view on the "Long-Term Take: Surface Pro 2 vs. iPad Air":
http://www.cnet.com/news/two-tablet-extremes-surface-pro-2-vs-ipad-air/#ftag=CAD590a51e

11) The Human Resources Social Network offers us the article "Hiring Blind: The Misconceptions Facing America's Visually Impaired Workforce":
http://www.hr.com/en/app/blog/2013/05/hiring-blind-the-misconceptions-facing-america%E2%80%99s-v_hgs2d55a.html

12) A third-party snapshot for NVDA which improves usage of Microsoft Outlook Calendar is now available for testing:
http://www.nvda-kr.org/en/

There are a couple new Guide articles on the AppleVis site:

13A) Getting Started with OS X Safari:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/mac-os-x/getting-started-os-x-safari

13B) And Understanding and Using VoiceOver's Commanders:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/mac-os-x/understanding-and-using-voiceovers-commanders

14) Legendary British News Agency Path's 85,000-Video Archive, with news items from 1896-1976, Is Now on YouTube:
http://gizmodo.com/legendary-british-news-agencys-85-000-video-archive-is-1564593507

15) Read about the iOS weight-loss app MyFitnessPal thanks to Horizons for the Blind:
http://www.horizons-blind.org/?p=2138

15) You may well want to check out "7-128 Software - Top 25 Sites for Gamers Who Are Blind - 2014":
http://www.7128.com/top25/topsitesblind.html

And turning to audio for the week:

16A) We start with a SoundCloud posting, Six iPhone microphones, and a look at iOS noise reduction:
https://soundcloud.com/borrisinabox/six-iphone-microphones-and-a

16B) Tips on working with your Blindness Rehab Councelor:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/2096917

16C) The latest Tech Doctor podcast is called Global Perspective:
http://www.dr-carter.com

16D) Eyes On Success #1417 is called "Services from the National Federation of the Blind":
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Finally, from BgZ, come:

16E) Olympus DM620 Demonstration:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/olympus-dm620-demonstration/

16F) An Overview of Scottevest Clothing:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/an-overview-of-scottevest-clothing/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday April 17, 2014 - Volume 453

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, April 17, 2014 - Volume 453
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,295.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Practically New Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,295.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a barely used Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display manufactured by Freedom Scientific. This unit has over a year left on its manufacturer's warranty, has hardly ever been used, and ships with all accessories. This is a fantastic solution for JAWS users also wishing to access other devices wirelessly. This Focus is just waiting to be given a new home with a user who is looking for a discount on a responsive display which touts both versatility and efficiency. Price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. To be the first to secure this Focus for introduction into your daily technological routine please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Practically New Focus 40 Blue Refreshable Braille Display for $2,295.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=VDSZPLHHXL35A

Greetings,

We would like to open this issue of Tidbits by extending our sincerest congratulations to our March Madness Winner of the Booksense XT!!! Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to congratulate Ms. Tina Ektermanis as the lucky Flying Blind, LLC March Madness Winner, and new owner of a Booksense XT Bookreader! Tina's patronage last month coupled with a bit of luck netted her an additional $400.00 USD plus, value-added bonus, as she now adds the Booksense XT to her AdapTech Tool Kit! Tina is part of a dynamic team of rehabilitation teachers for the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. When she's not teaching a variety of technology skills to consumers of all ages, Tina enjoys knitting, crochet, walking, spending time with close friends, listening to and playing music, and reading about and keeping up on the latest in adaptive technology gadgets and trends. We at Flying Blind, LLC would like to thank Tina for both her readership and patronage and offer her our sincerest congratulations on winning our March Madness drawing!

1) For serious students and academics who want to use Excel to find hidden tables of useful data, this article may be for you: "Do Visionary Web Research Studies Using Deep Web Data & Excel Web Queries."
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/visionary-web-research-excel-web-queries/#twitter

From the NFB AT Blog come:

2) "Odds and Ends - Bite-Sized Bits of Access Technology," where there is probably something of interest to most everybody:
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/odds-and-ends-bite-sized-bits-access-technology-goodness

3) For Windows 8.1 users, check out "Some tips and tricks for using the Windows 8.1 Update":
http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2014/04/10/some-tips-and-tricks-for-using-the-windows-8-1-update.aspx

4) This MacWorld UK article will give insight into how to "Improve your WiFi signal":
http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac/how-improve-your-wifi-signal-3511377/

5) Study guides and audio files are now available for the "Window-Eyes 8.4 with Outlook 2013" webinar. You can get them, along with similar materials from past webinars, on the webinar page:
http://www.gwmicro.com/webinars

Since this is a fairly slow week, we will catch up on a lot of useful posts from HowToGeek.

6A) To begin with, they did a ten-part series on the free SysInternals Pro suite of tools. This is the first article, which contains links to the others: SysInternals Pro: What Are the SysInternals Tools and How Do You Use Them?
http://www.howtogeek.com/school/sysinternals-pro/lesson1/

6B) How to Never Fax a Document Again:
http://www.howtogeek.com/186378/how-to-never-fax-a-document-again/

6C) What the Heartbleed Bug Is and Why You Need to Change Your Passwords Now:
http://www.howtogeek.com/186735/htg-explains-what-the-heartbleed-bug-is-and-why-you-need-to-change-your-passwords-now/

6D) Microsoft is Still Making Security Updates for Windows XP, But You Can't Have Them:
http://www.howtogeek.com/186754/microsoft-is-still-making-security-updates-for-windows-xp-but-you-cant-have-them/

6E) How to Install Windows on a Mac With Boot Camp:
http://www.howtogeek.com/186907/how-to-install-windows-on-a-mac-with-boot-camp/

7) EASI will hold a Free Webinar Explaining the Importance of Color Accessibility, on Thursday, 24 April at 18:00 GMT:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

8) Learn about Setting Up iCloud Keychain on Macs And iOS DevicesS on Tek Talk for GMT Tuesday, 22 April at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

9) This blog post, inspired by the appearance of musician Marcus Roberts on the US TV Show 60 Minutes, gives some information about accessible music technology and invites contribution of more information:
http://www.afb.org/blog.aspx?BlogID=7&BlogEntryID=1184

10) iMore brings us "How to use Apple TV: The ultimate guide":
http://www.imore.com/apple-tv-ultimate-guide

11) From User Vision comes "iBeacons in Retail: What They Are and Making them Relevant":
http://www.uservisionblog.co.uk/2014/03/27/ibeacons-in-retail-what-they-are-and-making-them-relevant/

Turning to audio material:

12A) This podcast discusses basic math tools for the blind:
http://www.tcdocumentcenter.com/archives/rse86655772cc2/Mathtools/

12B) The AT Junkie podcast launches with a demonstration of the NutriBullet blender:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/2069999-intro-to-the-a-t-junkie-podcast-on-audio-boo-featuring-the-nutribullet

12C) Eyes on Success #1416 talks about the accessibility of the Kindle Fire HDX:
http://www.EyesOnSuccess.net

From BgZ this week come:

12D) Alter Eon:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/alter-eon/

12E) Alternative Flash Player Aauto Updater
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/alternative-flash-player-auto-updater/

12F) And how to change system sounds on the Apex:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/how-to-change-system-sounds-on-the-apex/

12G) The lone AppleVis podcast for the week is entitled, "Do some Spring Cleaning of your Mac with App Cleaner 3":
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/do-some-spring-cleaning-your-mac-app-cleaner-3

12H) And finally, don't miss SeroTalk Podcast #194:
http://serotalk.com/2014/04/10/serotalk-podcast-194-the-backpedal-edition/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday April 10, 2014 - Volume 452

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, April 10, 2014 - Volume 452
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution for $895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Barely Used FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution for $895.00 USD

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one low-vision customer in need of a flexible, powerful, and versatile magnification solution, One FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution manufactured by Enhanced Vision that has seen little to no use, has been fully tested, and is in phenomenal condition. FlipperPort brings flexibility and portability together in one low vision device. This self-contained, rechargeable battery-operated low vision godsend offers optimal portability, ease of use and comfort. With this low vision assistive device, no matter where you are you can view magnified images up to 40x by simply wearing the electronic glasses and pointing the camera at your desired content or objects. It's a fantastic bargain with no connections or assembly required!!! It has countless uses for the individual wishing to maximize the use of their functional vision in a variety of settings.This unit's retail value is $1,795.00 USD plus shipping, so you're saving well over $900.00 USD when you purchase this item. That's over 50% of its value! This unit ships with a complimentary soft carrying case, and shipping is free for customers within the 48 Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Barely Used FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution for $895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SD92LRVWZZVAJ

Greetings,

1) The April 2013 issue of AccessWorld contains summaries of the technology information available at CSUN and the AFB Leadership Conference, as well as product evaluations of the Focus 14 Blue Braille display and three apps for accessible mobile money management:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

2) Freedom Scientific offers a free Webinar to learn about using the File Explorer in Windows 8 on Wednesday April 16 at 16:00 GMT. Learn more and register at the free Webinar schedule at:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/training/Free-Webinars.asp

3A) This week's Main Menu will feature a panel discussion about the end of the lifecycle of Windows XP. Panel members will discuss tips, tricks, and challenges of switching from Windows XP to other operating systems including Windows 7, Windows 8, or Mac OS 10. Main Menu will first air at 01:00 GMT on Saturday, 12 April on ACB Radio Mainstream at:
http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream

3B) It is then archived as a podcast on:
http://mainmenu.acbradio.org

As always, if you wonder how to convert GMT into your time zone so you can listen to one of the presentations mentioned in Tidbits, drop me a note.

4) Learn how to access online entertainment and other Internet content even if it is supposedly limited to a particular city or country by listening to Jonathan Mosen discuss his latest book, Imagine There's No Country, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 15 April at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

5) We had a chance to learn about Knowbility from the Eyes on Success podcast we mentioned last week. Now we learn that they are co-sponsoring the AccessU Summit with Environments for Humans in May. The event is held in Austin, Texas, but an online subscription is available for $179:
http://www.knowbility.org/v/news-detail/Knowbility-and-Environments-for-Humans-Partner-to-Produce-AccessU-Summit/7a/

6) Fedora Outlier, LLC Presents the Mac Master Series, a forthcoming course on the Mac. For now, you can sign up for a weekly newsletter and thereby get a reduced rate when the material is released:
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/fedora-outlier-announces-the-mac-master-series/

7) From Overthought comes what appears to be an above-average article on this theme: "The Ultimate Guide to Solving iOS Battery Drain":
http://www.overthought.org/blog/2014/the-ultimate-guide-to-solving-ios-battery-drain

8) An almost complete draft of the NVDA add-on development guide is ready for community feedback. This appears well-conceived and accessible even to non-programmers. Comments are appreciated:
https://bitbucket.org/nvdaaddonteam/devguide

9) The popular TapTapSee App is now available for Android:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.msearcher.taptapsee.android

10) Regarding Android, users may want to check out the Android Accessibility Help Center:
https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/?hl=en#topic=6007234

11) We'll see a podcast on this theme later, but this is a well-reasoned blog post entitled "Comparing iOS Devices with Braille Notetakers":
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple/comparing-ios-devices-braille-notetakers

12) This New AppleVis Guide is called "Installing Os X inside a virtual machine created with Fusion":
http://www.applevis.com/guides/mac-apps/installing-os-x-inside-virtual-machine-created-fusion

13) And another one is "Getting Started with the OS X Finder":
http://www.applevis.com/guides/mac-os-x/getting-started-os-x-finder

14) This page lists pre-recorded webinars with written transcripts about Bookshare and its service to different populations:
https://www.bookshare.org/_/help/training/trainingPages/pre-recordedWebinars

15) This article from Cult of Mac is called "This Handy Web Tool Is A Much Faster Way To Search The App Store":
http://www.cultofmac.com/273180/handy-web-tool-much-faster-way-search-itunes-store/

16) And in the realm of podcasts this week:

A) Our one AppleVis podcast for the week is "Streamline and Optimize your Workflow and Productivity with Keyboard Maestro for Mac OS X":
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/streamline-and-optimize-your-workflow-and-productivity-keyboard-maestro-mac-os-x

B) On the theme of iOS Devices vs. Braille Notetakers, we have the New Tech Doctor Podcast: "Comparing iOS Devices and Notetakers":
http://www.dr-carter.com

C) Carrying the conversation to specialized book reading devices, BlindPodcaster gives his perspective on the question: Are book players relevant? The Book Port Plus:
http://blindpodcaster.com/tech-bits-are-book-players-relevant-the-book-port-plus/

Two podcasts from BGZ:

D) Convert multiple files to MP3 using Audacity:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/convert-multiple-file-to-mp3-using-audacity/

E) On Bluetooth devices and using them with your Talking MP3 Player or favorite book player:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/bluetooth-devices-and-using-them-with-your-talking-mp3-player-or-favorite-book-player/

F) And finally, this week's Eyes on Success installment is entitled "Alpine Skiing in the Sochi Paralympics":
http://www.EyesOnSuccess.net

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday April 3, 2014 - Volume 451

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, April 3, 2014 - Volume 451
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution for $1,095.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Barely Used FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution for $1,095.00 USD

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one low-vision customer in need of a flexible, powerful, and versatile magnification solution, One FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution manufactured by Enhanced Vision that has seen little to no use, has been fully tested, and is in phenomenal condition. FlipperPort brings flexibility and portability together in one low vision device. This self-contained, rechargeable battery-operated low vision godsend offers optimal portability, ease of use and comfort. With this low vision assistive device, no matter where you are you can view magnified images up to 40x by simply wearing the electronic glasses and pointing the camera at your desired content or objects. It's a fantastic bargain with no connections or assembly required!!! It has countless uses for the individual wishing to maximize the use of their functional vision in a variety of settings.This unit's retail value is $1,795.00 USD plus shipping, so you're saving well over $700.00 USD when you purchase this item. This unit ships with a complimentary soft carrying case, and shipping is free for customers within the 48 Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Barely Used FlipperPort Low Vision Magnification Solution for $1,095.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=SD92LRVWZZVAJ

Greetings,

We start this week with seven Apple-related items. iOS Users: You may learn a thing or two from these posts even if you already know most of what they contain:

1) From MacworldUK: 64 iOS 7.1 Tips, Tricks & Hints:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/iosapps/ios-7-tips-know-how-to-ios7-video-3470663/

2) And from Buzzfeed: 19 Mind-Blowing Tricks Every iPhone And iPad User Should Know:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/mind-blowing-tricks-every-iphone-and-ipad-user-should-kno

3) Excellent guidance for Braille users wishing to read books on iDevices is found in this post: "My top 4 app picks for braille users of iDevices in the books category."
http://www.applevis.com/blog/assistive-technology/my-top-4-app-picks-braille-users-idevices-books-category

4) Users of Bluetooth keyboards may well have encountered problems using them with iOS 7.1. This article elaborates on the problem and suggests ways to lessen the impact:
http://www.applevis.com/forum/ios-ios-app-discussion/avoiding-bt-keyboard-issues-ios-71

5) The extensive article "Pros and Cons of the Mac, From an Accessibility Perspective" has generated good discussion:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/assistive-technology/pros-and-cons-mac-accessibility-perspective

6) And so has another one: "Debunking Common Myths about VoiceOver on the Mac":
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple/debunking-common-myths-about-voiceover-mac

7) Microsoft Office for iPad is now available, and this article discusses "Using external keyboard shortcuts with Word for iPad":
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-external-keyboard-shortcuts-with-word-for-ipad/

8) Moving away from our Apple focus for a bit, Steve Faulkner has provided "The Elements of HTML," which tells in what versions those elements are included:
http://rawgithub.com/w3c/elements-of-html/master/index.html

9) Here are "5 Tips for Protecting Windows XP Machines After April 8, 2014":
http://www.welivesecurity.com/2014/03/28/5-tips-for-protecting-windows-xp-machines-after-april-8-2014/

10) Enjoy the March issue of the DAISY Planet Newsletter:
http://www.daisy.org/planet-2014-03

11) Assistive Technology 101 will be a free one-day training, addressing funding as well as assistive technology for those with visual, physical and cognitive impairments. It is streamed online for those not able to be in Indianapolis:
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Registration-now-open-for-Assistive-Technology-101-free-training.html?soid=1102470517258&aid=hOnX_f9K9xk

Two items related to the recent CSUN Conference:

12) Listen to one person's account of what he found at the Conference on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 8 April at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

13) We mentioned the BlindBargains series of interviews from the Conference. Text transcripts of many, if not all of them, are available. Examine the page for each interview to find the option:
http://www.blindbargains.com/audio/

14) This blog post from Marcus from Mozilla is called "What is WAI-ARIA, what does it do for me, and what not?"
http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/03/27/what-is-wai-aria-what-does-it-do-for-me-and-what-not/

15) Here is a post entitled "32 Places to Get Free Images Online" from Minimalist Marketing:
http://casandracampbell.com/free-images-online/

16) The article "Smartphones, the Disappointing Miracle" from the New York Times Bits Blog has generated some positive feedback:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/27/smartphones-the-disappointing-miracle/?_php=true&_type=blogs&smid=tw-share&_r=0

17) Moving to audio content with some unique submissions for the week:

A) Hear an Audioboo demonstrating the new maps features of BlindSquare:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/1998878-new-map-feature-in-blindsquare

B) At APH, they held a conversation with long-time audio book narrator Nitzi Friedlander:
http://www.tcdocumentcenter.com/archives/rse86655772cc2/Mitzib.friedlander/

C) There have been several CAVI-casts this year, and they now have a podcast feed for those and future 2014 ones:
http://www.cucat.org/cc/2014/

D) FSCast 388 for March 2014 includes an interview with christopher Toth, creator of the Chicken Nugget Twitter client and other programs, and a JAWs tip on creating a checkbook registry with Excel:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/default.asp

E) The only AppleVis podcast for the week is Spoken Slots for iOS: Tilt, Tap or Talk Your Way to a Jackpot:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/spoken-slots-ios-tilt-tap-or-talk-your-way-jackpot

F) Episode 1442 of Eyes on Success covers Knowbility's work to improve access to technology:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

G) The 26 March 2014 installment of Seminars Hadley discussed Exploring the SAMNet Socializer:
http://hwcdn.net/k4w2w6y8/cds/seminars/SAMNET-SOCIALIZER.mp3

H) Speaking of SAMNet, sort of, the SPN gives us Triple Click Home #28:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/04/01/triple-click-home-episode-28-turn-right-on-a-street/

I) Episode #26 of That Android Show:
http://thatandroidshow.com/2014/04/01/that-android-show-episode-26-your-android-is-not-my-android/

J) And the April 1 edition of the Serotalk Podcast:
http://serotalk.com/2014/04/01/serotalk-podcast-193-news-for-april-1-2014/

K) Delivering Access Podcast Season 2 Episode 4 with Hope Paulos:
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/delivering-access-podcast-season-2-episode-4-hope-paulos/

L) How Accessible Is Microsoft Office On iPad?
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3869538/How%20Accessible%20Is%20Microsoft%20Office%20On%20iPad.mp3

Finally, from BGZ:

M) Gaming Glimpse: Grand Theft Auto V Accessibility Review:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/gaming-glimpse-grand-theft-auto-v-accessibility-review/

N) Podcatcher from Web IE:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/podcatcher-from-web-ie/

O) And Victor Reader Stream Second Gen Unboxing:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/victor-reader-stream-second-gen-unboxing/

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday March 27, 2014 - Volume 450

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, March 27, 2014 - Volume 450
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Romeo 25 Braille Embosser - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: Two Gently Used Romeo 25 Braille Embossers for $1,100.00 USD Each!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer Two Romeo 25 Braille Embossers for $1,100.00 USD Each!!! That's right. That's over $1,400.00 USD off of their suggested retail value!!! Manufactured by Enabling Technologies, the leading pioneer of Braille embossers, these units showcase decades of Braille embossing know-how at an incredibly affordable price. These rugged workhorses have been used for less than 10 hours each and are in fantastic condition. Each unit ships with a USB converter, allowing for seamless connectivity with your computer or notetaker for instantaneous hardcopy Braille! Price also includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States, providing an additional $70.00 USD value. To be the first to secure one or both of these units, please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information, or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today! And don't forget that our March Madness Specials end on Monday, March 31st, at which time we'll be drawing a lucky winner for that BookSense XT, so buy one of these embossers, and enter your chance to win!!!

Buy Now - One Gently Used Romeo 25 Braille Embosser for $1,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=6349J338NNGHA

Greetings,

1) Top Dot is collaborating with a small group which may be able to provide a very small number of Braille devices to competent blind people. If you might be interested in learning about this, grab the document below and follow the instructions it contains:
http://is.gd/YvTsZX

2) A lot of information is available on happenings and announcements at the recent CSUN conference. Some of these links may contain duplicate information. A good place to start investigating the Conference might be The 2014 Great Big List of Resources from the CSUN Disabilities and Technology Conference:
http://curbcut.net/events/csun-disabilities-technology2014/

3A) Two organizations conducted many interviews of CSUN conference exhibitors and others. Four packages of interviews, a few specials, and a pre-conference package can all be found at Serotalk:
http://serotalk.com/

3B) While many interviews can also be found on the BlindBargains audio page:
http://blindbargains.com/audio/

4) Presentations, slides, and resource sheet for a presentation on 3D printing here:
https://nfb.org/blognames/atblog

5) And finally, lots of videos of conference presentations and interviews with presenters and exhibitors here:
http://www.webable.tv/Events/csun2014.aspx

6) You can download demos of the upcoming versions of Dolphin Guide and SuperNova:
http://www.yourdolphin.com/CSUN.asp

7) Tthis blog post from WebAim is called "Accessibility Lipstick on a Usability Pig":
http://webaim.org/blog/accessibility-lipstick-on-a-usability-pig/

8) TurboTax offers Tax Tips for the Blind:
https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/General-Tax-Tips/Tax-Tips-for-the-Blind/INF23092.html

9) Updates to the JAWS Skype scripts have been posted, providing faster Alt + Arrows / Numbers for reading chats, and several other changes:
http://www.dlee.org/skype/

10) NVDA version 2014.1 has passed through its testing phase whose releases we announced earlier, and has now been released:
http://www.nvaccess.org/post/nv-access-releases-version-2014-1-of-free-nvda-screen-reader/

11) Learn Tips for Using Outlook 2010 with JAWS for Windows on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 1 April at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

12) 7-128 Software has released the 2014 edition of Top Web Sites for Gamers Who Are Blind:
http://www.7128.com/top25/topsitesblind.html

13) Samsung is releasing three adaptive products to work with the Galaxy Core Advance: A ScanStand for automatically reading print, an Ultrasonic Cover for detecting objects, and a labeling system. The press release says the add-ons for the Android phone are now available:
http://www.samsungmobilepress.com/2014/03/14/Samsung-Expands-Galaxy-Core-Advance-Experience-with-Specialized-Usability-Accessories-1

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday March 20, 2014 - Volume 449

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, March 20, 2014 - Volume 449
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Brailliant B 80 New Generation Refreshable Braille Terminal for $6,795.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished Brailliant B 80 New Generation Refreshable Braille Terminal for $6,795.00 USD

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one lucky user who loves a whole lot of Braille at their fingertips the chance to own a Brailliant B 80 New Generation Refreshable Braille Terminal for over $1,200.00 USD off of its suggested list price. In an age when Braille displays pride themselves on a reduction in size, sometimes bigger really is better, especially when you need those 80 cells to navigate the nuances of multitasking through a complex graphical Macintosh or Windows desktop environment. We're offering this display to the serious Braille user who needs to access a lot of Braille to get a lot of work done at one time. This unit's ergonomic thumbkeys coupled with crisp and responsive Braille make it a must-have for the Braille user wishing to keep in step with their sighted peers. Aside from an over $1,200.00 USD savings, you'll also receive a one-year manufacturer's warranty when purchasing this unit. Throw in free shipping within the 48 Continental United States, and you have yourself the Cadillac of Braille displays for the price of a Sedan! This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Refurbished Brailliant B 80 New Generation Refreshable Braille Terminal for $6,795.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=HMEYPZTL8LJBQ

Greetings,

1) Continuing the tradition of excellent iOS-related books, "Getting Started with the iPhone and iOS 7 for Blind Users" is now available for $24 in several formats from National Braille Press:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/IPHONE-IOS7.html

2) Read "A Closer Look at iOS 7.1's Accessibility Changes" from MacWorld:
http://www.macworld.com/article/2107640/a-closer-look-at-ios-7-1s-accessibility-changes.html?utm_content=buffer0d5b3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

3) These four apps are just as good for speech users, but this blog post is entitled "My Top 4 App Picks for Braille Users of iDevices in News":
http://www.applevis.com/blog/assistive-technology/my-top-4-app-picks-braille-users-idevices-news

4A) This review by Clark Howard discusses a low-cost mobile phone option from Republic Wireless. Links from the page discuss other low-cost options:
http://www.clarkhoward.com/news/clark-howard/technology/republic-wireless-offers-cheaper-smartphone/nfFRC/

4B) And here's a review of Ting, another low-cost alternative:
http://joeorozco.com/blog_the_one_ting_that_will_lower_your_cell_phone_bill

5A) Blind computer users in Colombia will be able to use JAWS or MAGic at home, work or school free for the next four years, and receive training in their use, thanks to an arrangement between Freedom Scientific and the Ministry for Information and Communications Technologies (MinTIC) in that country:
http://www.freedomscientific.com

5B) Speaking of FS, they are now on Twitter, @freedomsci, and on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/FreedomScientificInc

6) Learn about the new wireless features of the Victor Reader Stream on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 25 Marcy at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

7) There's an online petition circulating to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, asking them to incorporate voice technology, audio cues, and/or tactile buttons into flat panel appliances to make them accessible to the blind and those with low vision:
http://www.change.org/petitions/association-of-home-appliance-manufacturers-incorporate-voice-technology-audio-cues-and-or-tactile-buttons-into-your-flat-panel-appliances-to-make-them-accessible-to-the-blind-and-those-with-low-vision

8) CVS Pharmacy has announced that it is providing ScripTalk talking prescription labels to customers with visual impairments ordering through cvs.com. The ScripTalk Reader is available free from Envision America:
http://lflegal.com/2014/03/cvs-prescription-press/

9) The 20th Anniversary Issue of the Information and Technology Ejournal is now online:
http://itd.athenpro.org/volume14/number1/index.html

10) BrailleNote Apex users can get KeySoft 9.4.1 free. It features a PowerPoint Viewer, the ability to pair with a Smartphone app so teachers can see what students are seeing on their device, and KeyMaps, a virtual maps system allowing people to explore areas and plan routes. Information about the upgrade is not yet on the page below but it should be sometime:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/home/news

Unfortunately, we're out of time for this week, so audio material will return next week.

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 448

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, March 13, 2014 - Volume 448
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Greetings,

1A) Feedback seems pretty positive about the recent iOS upgrade to version 7.1. Read about the accessibility-related changes here:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple/whats-new-and-changed-blind-and-low-vision-users-ios-71

1B) And for general 7.1 coverage:
http://www.imore.com/ios-71

2) Version 1.5 of the iOS App "Seeing Assistant Home" has been released with a new iOS 7 user interface and bug fixes. This is the App Store link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seeingassistant-home/id625146680?mt=8

3) How to manually control when Siri listens to you with iOS 7.1:
http://www.imore.com/how-manually-control-when-siri-listens-you-ios-71

4) And to finish iOS-related material, unless something comes to hand before I send this issue off, this Blog Post from Applevis is called: "Found a Bug in iOS? Here's How to Let Apple Know and Why You Should:"
http://www.applevis.com/blog/advocacy/found-bug-ios-here%E2%80%99s-how-let-apple-know-and-why-you-should

5A) Let's catch up on some good computing-related material from HowToGeek:

5B) How to Get Navigation Directions (Even Offline) Without Buying a GPS:
http://www.howtogeek.com/182965/how-to-get-navigation-directions-even-offline-without-buying-a-gps/

5C) Are PCs Dying? Of Course Not, Here's Why:
http://www.howtogeek.com/183381/are-pcs-dying-of-course-not-heres-why/

5D) Who is Making All This Malware and Why?
http://www.howtogeek.com/183642/who-is-making-all-this-malware-and-why/

5E) What is a Botnet?
http://www.howtogeek.com/183812/htg-explains-what-is-a-botnet/

5F) And Cleaning your Computer Inside and Out:
http://www.howtogeek.com/school/pc-maintenance-for-beginners/lesson2/

6A) CAVICasts seem to be coming thick and fast these days, and the upcoming one is "Getting the Most From Your Slow Cooker." Like all these, it's on TeamTalk at:
http://tt.cucat.org

6B) If you want to learn how to set up TeamTalk, read this:
http://www.wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.SettingUpTeamtalk

6C) Recordings of 2014 CAVICasts on BossJock, text gaming, and Adobe Digital Editions are available here:
http://www.cucat.org/cc/2014/

7) Cathy Ann Murtha offers a free webinar, "An Introduction to Windows 8.1," on Saturday, 5 April. Learn about it and register here:
http://www.blindtraining.com/Seminars/Win8.1Intro.html

8) Another webinar, this one from Commtech, LLC and costing $19.95, is on using Microsoft products in the cloud from a blindness perspective. It will occur on Friday, 28 March at 17:00 GMT:
http://commtechusa.net/using-office-in-the-cloud/

9) You might learn something about Microsoft Word from this and the linked article: "Select All Text with the Same Formatting in Word (and Other Word Tips)"
http://lifehacker.com/select-all-text-with-the-same-formatting-in-word-and-o-1542256633

10) The March 2014 issue of AccessWorld features reviews of the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, Windows Phone, iTunes Radio, the Chromecast, wireless content on the new generation Victor Reader Stream, and more:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

11) If you use Mozilla Firefox or Thunderbird, have questions about Mozilla products in general, or have any tips or tricks you can offer, the Mozilla-discuss email list may be for you. To join, send a blank message to:
mozilla-discuss-subscribe@emissives.com

12A) Sendero Group offers its annual updates to its GPS programs for the Braille Note and Braille Sense product families. These updates contain the latest map data, and cost much less than they did in previous years. Braille Note users can upgrade here:
http://senderogroup.com/products/shopgps.htm#gpsupg

12B) And Sense product users here:
http://senderogroup.com/products/shopvsnav.htm#upg

13) Speaking of these GPS products, Mystic Access now makes its tutorials, SenderoMaps (more than a map manager), and Sense Navigation, a bundle with both tutorials in one zip file and is free for anyone to download. Just add them to the cart, and the price will show as free:
http://www.mysticaccess.com

14) Learn all about SendSpace on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 18 March at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

15) Apache OpenOffice is a free Office suite, and the developers are in the process of introducing accessibility features. They have put out a general call for Beta testers of the program:
https://blogs.apache.org/OOo/entry/seeking_beta_testers_for_apache

16) Read a review of the RiVO (Remote Interface to VoiceOver,) and extensive responses from the developer of the product:
http://www.applevis.com/accessory-reviews/bluetooth-keyboards/rivo-remote-interface-voiceover#comment-22774

17A) Finishing with this week's audio:

17B) There's a New Tech Doctor Podcast "Music By Ear" featuring Bill Brown:
http://www.dr-carter.com

Two podcasts from BGZ:

17C) Freemake Audio Converter:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/freemake-audio-converter/

17D) And GMA Lander Demonstration:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/gma-lander-demonstration/

And From the Blind Podcaster comes:

17E) Why Choose Android:
http://blindpodcaster.com/tech-bits-why-choose-android/

17F) And program 1411 of Eyes on Success is called "Using Band-in-a-Box with JAWS:"
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 447

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, March 6, 2014 - Volume 447
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell Note Taker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell Note Taker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard for Only $2,100.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is very excited to have One Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell Note Taker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard available for only $2,100.00 USD, which is approximately $1,800.00 USD off of its suggested list price!!! For the past 13 years the BrailleNote name has been synonymous with excellence and innovation and the Apex continues to set standards that other notetakers have yet to meet. This unit is in pristine condition and is begging for a new home with a responsible user. This exceptionally priced gem will give you the time you need to have the time of your life! That, and its robust yet intuitive functionality will offer limitless options to whomever is first to receive it. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For more information or to order this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today!

Buy Now - One Gently Used BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell Note Taker with Perkins Style Braille Keyboard for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
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Greetings,

1) Learn about Adobe Digital Editions, a versatile and powerful program for reading e-books, on the next CAVI-Cast on GMT Sunday, 9 March at 21:00. Keep in mind that most of us in North America launch daylight savings time that day, so don't forget to take that fact into account when computing the time in your time zone. There are abundant tools on the Internet to make the conversion, write if you need help.
https://audioboo.fm/boos/1966119-announcing-digital-editions-cavi-cast

2) Music Zoom is a $19.95 iOS App that makes reading music easier for users with low vision:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/music-zoom/id823697054?mt=8

3) Having just mentioned iOS, you might want to read "How to use iMessage: The Ultimate Guide!" from iMore:
http://www.imore.com/how-to-use-imessage?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

4) Media Access Australia offers some general guidance on "Using screen readers on touchscreen devices:"
http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/digital-technology/assistive-technology/using-screen-readers-on-touchscreen-devices

5) Version offers the Convoy 3, a simple phone with many accessibility features. Read this review on the NFB AT blog.
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/rugged-talking-phone-how-good-convoy-3

6) Thanks to the Audio Description Project of the American Council of the Blind, we have an "Alphabetical Listing of All Commercial DVDs With Audio Description:"
http://acb.org/adp/dvdsalpha.html

7) Learn about low vision games for Android phones:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/low-vision-games/

8) "Surf's Up! Surfing the Internet with JAWS and MAGic, Lesson 5," is a free webinar on Wednesday, 12 March at 16:00 GMT. Previous sessions in the six-part series are already available for download:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/training/Free-Webinars.asp

9) The Winter, 2014 issue of the PDF-format 508 Xpress newsletter from the VA Office of Health Information includes articles on Avoiding Section 508 Violations, Section 508 Office Realignment, and more:
http://www.ehealth.va.gov/508/newsletter/

10) Here is a description of Speaky Text, a powerful article and text reader for iOS:
http://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/productivity/speaky-text-article-voice-reader

11) The National Deaf Blind Equipment Distribution Program has been Extended to June 2015:
http://coataccess.org/node/10161?utm_content=bufferc8460&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

12A) HIMS will hold a free webinar, "Doing Homework in the Cloud with a Braille Notetaker", on Wednesday, 11 March at 19:00 GMT. Register here:
http://t1689492.invoc.us/track.aspx?id=402|19C794|73F6|3E9|65|0|1E7|1|3ECCDCA1&useSmaid=t&useCid=t&destination=http%3a%2f%2fhims-inc.com%2fwebinar-registration-successful%2f&dchk=A3D2BD5

12B) Or if you want to get a recording, email
hims@hims-inc.com

13) Efforts are underway to make Window-Eyes work with QuickBooks. If you have good skills with both Window-Eyes and with Quickbooks or other accounting software, and want to test, email
info@myblindspot.org

14) Would you like to record online radio programs, turining your computer into essentially a DVR for radio? Yours truly (Dean Martineau) will be explaining how to do just this on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 11 March at 00:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

15 A-K) We have a few different sources for audio content this week to go along with the usuals.

A) David Woodbridge posts Demo of iTunes Radio on iOS (iPhone, iPod touch or iPad) using VoiceOver:
http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/2014/02/28/demo-of-itunes-radio-on-ios-iphone-ipod-touch-or-ipad-using-voiceover-feb-2014/

B) Episode 14 of the Blind Sport podcast goes into considerable detail about treadmills. Listen here:
http://www.theblindsportpodcast.com

C) Or read the information here:
http://blindsportpodcast.com/treadmills

D) High Contrast, Episode 19 is available:
http://serotalk.com/2014/03/04/high-contrast-episode-19-these-are-falling-pants/

E) They held a global online NVDACon on March 1, and recordings are now available:
http://www.nvda-kr.org/en/

F) FSCast 87 covers information about using JAWS with the clipboard, information about CSUN, and more:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/default.asp

From AppleVis come:

G) Quick Tip: How to Disconnect an Apple TV Remote from a MacBook:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/quick-tip-how-disconnect-apple-tv-remote-macbook

H) And WWE for iOS: Now With Live Streaming of Events and On-Demand Content:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/wwe-ios-now-live-streaming-events-and-demand-content

A couple audio-production podcasts from BGZ:

I) Audacity Loopback P2:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/audacity-loopback-p2/

J) Gold Wave Loopback:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/gold-wave-loopback/

K) And Eyes on Success 1420 features VisionAware and Living with Vision Loss:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 446

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 27, 2014 - Volume 446
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Barely Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,595.00 USD

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard. Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a barely used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,595.00 USD. This unit has hardly ever been used and was just serviced by HumanWare; it's in fantastic shape and is itching to give one lucky user an approximate $2,950.00 USD savings off of its suggested list price. The BrailleNote family of products has been setting standards for intuitive, powerful, and portable information management for the past 14 years. This sleek and robust solution provides endless possibilities and opportunities for that one person wishing to give this unit a good home and benefit from its countless uses! Free shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Barely Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,595.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=R9QHSYA4JHRPC

Greetings,

1A) Lunar Tabs is An Intelligent Accessible Guitar Tab Reader for Android and Windows:
http://tandonp.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/lunar-tabs-an-intelligent-accessible-guitar-tab-reader/

1B) While we're talking about music, Talking Tuner is a free iOS app that helps anybody tune any instrument. You play a note and the app announces the intended note and whether your rendition is sharp or flat and by what percent:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/talking-tuner/id421065079?mt=8

2) Lifehacker shares with us "Everything You Didn't Know You Could Do with Google's Voice Commands," especially useful for Android but also very useful with the Google iOS App:
http://lifehacker.com/everything-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with-google-voi-512727229

3) Marco from Mozilla presents "Accessibility in Firefox for Android: Some more technical background, Part II," and there is a link to Part 1 in the article if you missed it:
http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/02/23/accessibility-in-firefox-for-android-some-more-technical-background-part-ii/

4A) Tin Star is a text adventure game for AndroiD and iOS. The first three chapters are free, the rest is available to buy now for $3.99, with the price going up on 10 March:
https://www.choiceofgames.com/user-contributed/tin-star/#utm_medium=web&utm_source=redirectmailchimp

4B) And learn about text adventure games, both those we can still play from the past, and new ones, on the CAVICast coming up on GMT Monday, 3 March at 01:00, via TeamTalk at:
http://tt.cucat.org

5) Here is the VoiceOver guide for the iPhone in handy HTML format:
http://help.apple.com/iphone/5/voiceover/en/iph3e2e4218.html

6) Fedora Outlier, LLC offers the Follow Friday Interview Series, and the latest one features an interview with John Panarese of MacForTheBlind. This is a written transcript:
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/follow-friday-with-john-panarese-of-macfortheblind/

7) From the NVDA Community page, here is a post entitled, "Switching from JAWS to NVDA", which gives clear instructions:
http://community.nvda-project.org/wiki/SwitchingFromJawsToNVDA

8) Chris Hofstader finishes his rather unflattering assessment of Android accessibility in the article "Testing Android Accessibility: The Programmers' Perspective":
http://chrishofstader.com/testing-android-accessibility-the-programmers-perspective/

9) Meanwhile, Aaron, the blind podcaster, teaches how to droid email:
http://blindpodcaster.com/how-i-droid-email/

10) YouDescribe is a new tool that allows volunteers to add audio description to YouTube videos for free:
http://www.mediaaccess.org.au/latest_news/general/new-tool-adds-audio-description-to-youtube-videos

11) The listing of accessible iOS and Android Apps from How to be Blind doesn't claim to be complete, as at this stage, completeness would likely be impossible, but it is quite extensive:
http://htb2.com/apps/

12) Hear about the accessibility efforts of the Carroll Centre for the Blind on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 4 March at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

13) The article "Ten Tips for Braille Users of iDevices" is quite thorough. As always, when reading these posts on web forums, it is good to look at the comments that often follow:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/accessories/ten-tips-braille-users-idevices

14A) The Accessible Image Sample Book is a free online resource developed to show some of the many options for creating accessible versions of digital images, especially those found in instructional materials like digital textbooks:
http://diagramcenter.org/standards-and-practices/accessible-image-sample-book.html

14B) Learn more from the webinar presented by its authors:
http://diagramcenter.org/webinars.html

15) The Swiss National Association of and for the Blind (SNAB), offers VIP PDF-Reader, a free program which it claims is "The first PDF reader for visually impaired people." It reformats documents for easier viewing and allows for easy adjustment of fonts among other features:
http://www.szb.ch/en/PDF-Reader.html

16) Link removed.

17) EASI offers a $225 four-part series, Online Accessibility for Students with Disabilities:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm

18) An upgrade to Mavericks has recently appeared. Learn about the OSX Mavericks v10.9.2 Update including VoiceOver fixes:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6114?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

19) NVDA 2014.1rc2 has been released. This is a release candidate, meaning that unless serious flaws are found, it will be identical to the official final version of this first update for 2014. It includes support for PowerPoint 2013, and various improvements for Windows Mail, Google Chrome, Excel, and ARIA web applications:
http://community.nvda-project.org/blog/NVDA2014.1rc2Released

20A) The results from WebAim's fifth screen reader survey are now in:
http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey5/

20B) A summary of the results are here:
http://webaim.org/blog/survey-5-results/

21 A-K) And as we often do, we end with this week's audio:

A) Triple Click Home #27 is out for iOS enthusiasts:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/02/26/triple-click-home-episode-27-will-you-be-my-family/

B) The iPhoid Podcast, which has three available episodes already, bills itself as "A podcast that will take the good and the bad from both Android and iPhone, and bring it all to you in a fair setting."
http://www.jjhof.com/IPhoid/

C) Serotalk Podcast 188 has been out for a week or so. Even if you aren't going to listen to the podcast, a look at the show notes gives a good summary of the week's technology happenings, and the mailba offers interesting perspectives:
http://serotalk.com/2014/02/20/serotalk-podcast-188-cattle-car-airways/

D) The Tech Doctor podcast is back with an interview with Rosemary Mahoney, author of "For the Benefit of Those Who See":
http://www.dr-carter.com

E) Eyes on Success 1409 focuses on Image for Windows, an Accessible Program for Backing up Your Computer:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Nuggets from AppleVis include:

F) Digitize Your Vinyl Records With Amadeus Pro for the Mac:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/digitize-your-vinyl-records-amadeus-pro-mac

G) Using iTunes Radio on the Apple TV with VoiceOver:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/using-itunes-radio-apple-tv-voiceover

H) How to Access and Use the Ringtones Created or Downloaded by Third Party iOS Apps:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/how-access-and-use-ringtones-created-or-downloaded-third-party-ios-apps

Finally, from BGZ come:

I) Podcast regarding Facebook for iOS:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/podcast-regarding-facebook-for-ios/

J) Podcast regarding Zello for iOS:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/podcast-regarding-zello-for-ios/

K) Audacity Loopback P1:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/audacity-loopback-p1/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 445

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 20, 2014 - Volume 445
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Barely Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,795.00 USD

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard. Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a barely used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,795.00 USD. This unit has hardly ever been used and was just serviced by HumanWare; it's in fantastic shape and is itching to give one lucky user an approximate $2,750.00 USD savings off of its suggested list price. The BrailleNote family of products has been setting standards for intuitive, powerful, and portable information management for the past 14 years. This sleek and robust solution provides endless possibilities and opportunities for that one person wishing to give this unit a good home and benefit from its countless uses! Free shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Barely Used BrailleNote Apex 32 Cell Note Taker with QWERTY Style Keyboard for $2,795.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=R9QHSYA4JHRPC

Greetings,

1) This Excel spreadsheet from RNIB was last updated on 23 January 2014, and lists accessible mobile phones available in the UK:
http://www.rnib.org.uk/livingwithsightloss/Documents/Buyers_Guide_23_Jan_2014.xls

2) For users who have difficulty with the touch screen on Apple or Android devices, or who for any other reason want a keyboard interface to the phone, RiVO is a keyboard-like remote:
http://www.mobience.com/rivo/index.html

3) The BBC offers My Web My Way, How-To Guides for adapting your computer setup based on disability:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/guides/index.shtml

4) The next CAVICast is called Portable Productivity for Students, and will be held on GMT Monday, 24 February at 01:00 in the CAVI TeamTalk server:
http://tt.cucat.org

5) If you want to learn about Linux, you can join the Linux Discussion email list by sending a blank message to:
linux-discuss-subscribe@emissives.com

6) Two posts from the blog of Quentin Christensen from Vision Australia are:

A) Android housekeeping Part 3: Keeping Your Device in Sshape:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/02/07/keeping-your-device-in-shape/

B) And Reviewing Android apps on the Play Store - Particularly for Talkback Users:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/reviewing-android-apps-on-the-play-store/

7) And this blog post, "Microsoft Not Last in Accessibility," comes from Joe Orozco:
http://joeorozco.com/blog_microsoft_is_not_last_in_accessibility

8) Blind Planet labels itself as "Your one-stop resource for anything blindness related," and contains a wealth of technology-related material:
http://blind-planet.com/

9) Hadley offers quarterly iPhone-related seminars. The fifth one comes up on 25 February at 20:00 GMT, and is titled "Tips on Using the Vision Accessibility Features in iOS7." Recordings will be available afterward, or Register here:
http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10207074&msgid=700593&act=GE9S&c=225701&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fhadley.edu%2FSeminarDetails.asp%3Fsid%3D223

10) A developer is looking for those experienced in both NVDA and QuickBooks to test implementation of access to QuickBooks 2014. If you qualify, email:
info@myblindspot.org

11) Recent AppleVis guides which may be of interest include:

A) Tips for Taking Full Advantage of Voiceover in Your App:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/ios/tips-taking-full-advantage-voiceover-your-app

B) An Overview of Five iOS Text Editors:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/braille/overview-five-ios-text-editors

C) And How to use Interface Builder with Voiceover:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/programming-ios/interface-builder-xcode-voiceover-users-perspective

12) The Lions Center for the Blind, located in Oakland California, is seeking an assistive Technology Specialist:
http://lbcenter.org/AT_specialist.php

13) Turning to audio:

A) Learn about ice hockey for the blind and visually impaired on Eyes on Success:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

B) Or listen to the SPN Special interview with Seeing Eye President, Jim Kutsch:
http://serotalk.com/2014/02/19/spn-special-an-interview-with-jim-kutsch/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 444

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 13, 2014 - Volume 444
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the Eyepal Ace Portable Scan and Read System for $1,895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Barely Used Eyepal Ace Portable Scan and Read System for $1,895.00 USD

This week Flying Blind, LLC is most pleased to be offering an EyePal Ace Scan & Read System for over 20% off of its suggested list price. This portable, OCR life-changer provides mobile battery-operated access to hardcopy print in both speech and large print on an easy to read display. Also, the EyePal Ace Scan & Read System offers an additional audio reminder application so that you don't miss those important appointments while you are reading your favorite book, magazine, or restaurant menu! This unit is just over 3 months old and has never been used by a customer - it's in phenomenal condition, and while we believe we could sell this unit for closer to its resale value, we're keen to find it a great home with a customer who reads a fair amount of hardcopy print audibly and visually. Price includes shipping within the Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link included below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Barely Used Eyepal Ace Portable Scan and Read System for $1,895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CY95ZBS3VHXVJ

Greetings,

1) The February, 2014 issue of AccessWorld contains information on Setting up iCloud Keychain on Mac Computers and iOS Devices, an evaluation of accessibility of the Surface Pro 2 using Narrator, a review of the BARD Mobile app for iOS, and a review of Jonathan Mosen's book on Twitter:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

2) Learn about Getting into Talking Communities with the iPhone on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 18 February at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

3) If you might be interested in an electronic penpal magazine, write to:
adrijana.prokopenko@gmail.com

4) You can get the latest tech book from National Braille Press, "Get the Picture! Viewing the World with the iPhone Camera" for $15 in electronic and paper Braille, Word, DAISY and CD formats:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/GETPIC.html

5) Dolphin offers upcoming webinars on Guide, SuperNova and SaySo:
http://www.yourdolphin.com/book_appt.asp

6) Marco from Netscape was an enthusiastic Mac user, but he is switching back to Windows. Here is his account:
http://www.marcozehe.de/2014/02/07/switching-back-to-windows/

7) "Why Don't Screen Readers Always Read What's on the Screen? Part 1: Punctuation and Typographic Symbols":
http://www.deque.com/dont-screen-readers-read-whats-screen-part-1-punctuation-typographic-symbols

8) PC World UK gives us "How to create hotkeys for Windows sleep and shutdown":
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2090921/how-to-create-hotkeys-for-windows-sleep-and-shutdown.html#tk.rss_all

9) This ATIA presentation is called "QuickBooks Desktop Accessibility - How we did it.":
http://www.slideshare.net/7mary4/quickbooks-desktop-accessibility-how-we-did-it

10) And here we are with more audio content than we had last week:

From BGZ come:

Phases of the Moon accessible Android App:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/phases-of-the-moon-accessible-android-app/

Phases of the Moon accessible iOS App:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/phases-of-the-moon-accessible-ios-app/

Speaking Clock, Tell Me The Time (Android)
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/speaking-clock-tell-me-the-time-android/

Braile Mon:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/braile-mon/

And Demonstration of the Tassimo Machine:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/demonstration-of-the-tassimo-machine/

From various sources:

Serotek Podcast 187:
http://serotalk.com/2014/02/12/serotalk-podcast-187-flaming-spaghetti-letters/

SeroSpective for January, 2014:
http://serotalk.com/2014/02/07/serospectives-this-month-in-tech-for-january-2014/

AccessTalk Podcast 23: Heston Blumenthal, Victor Stream, Kindle Fire HDX & the Samsung Galaxy S5:
http://AccessTalk.co.uk/podcast-23

Demo of using online internet radio with the Victor Reader Stream from Humanware firmware 4.3 update:
http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com

Fedora Outlier with VaShaun Jones:
http://coolblindtech.com/podcast/fedora-outlier-with-vashaun-jones262014

From BlindPodcaster: The Cast, Episode 2:
http://blindpodcaster.com/other-people-drop-in/

From AppleVis: Umano for iOS: Daily Headline News and Thousands of Articles Narrated by Real People:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/umano-ios-daily-headline-news-and-thousands-articles-narrated-real-people

Turn the Music on Your iOS Device into Your Own Personalized Radio Station with Streaming Killed The Radio Star:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/turn-music-your-ios-device-your-own-personalized-radio-station-streaming-killed

And from Eyes on Success: Raspberry VI:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/eos_1407_podcast.mp3

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 443

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 6, 2014 - Volume 443
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker With Braille Keyboard. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker With Braille Keyboard for $1,895.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one lucky customer the opportunity to get their hands on One Gently Used BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker with Braille Keyboard for the fantastic price of $1,895.00 USD. This rugged, versatile organizer offers state-of-the-art connectivity coupled with industry-standard know-how in a sleek design that has truly limitless capabilities. The BrailleSense line of products is establishing itself as the preferred notetaker of choice for individuals wishing to benefit from and interact with mainstream applications and hardware peripherals. Take advantage of this incredible bargain which saves you several thousand dollars off the list price of other notetaking solutions. The BrailleSense comes with an extra battery, has the latest firmware already reinstalled, and price includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link included below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Gently Used BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker With Braille Keyboard for $1,895.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZZ9T5YDVTMVML

Greetings,

1) This article describes how people in the US can follow the winter Olympics online:
http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57618334-285/stream-the-2014-sochi-winter-olympics/

2) This article from The Australian profiles the founders of NVDA:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/brisbane-technology-could-help-71000-blind-people-use-computers/story-e6frg8h6-1226809457967

3) Talking Flix is a new entertainment service that aims to provide lots of audio described video content online. This is the pre-launch phase, and they want lots of sign-ups. You can influence the look, feel and scope of the service. You get referral credit for signing people up, so following this link will give me (Dean Martineau) referral credit:
http://talkingflix.com/signup.php?ref=434671

4) Version 4.3 of the Victor Reader Stream offers online radio streaming, access to online reference content, and more:
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/products/blindness/dtb_players/compact_models

5) Learn about the arrangement between GW Micro and Microsoft as well as the upcoming development for Window-Eyes on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 11 February at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

6) And Window-Eyes is now localized for Spanish. For information or support on this version, write in spanish to:
soporte@mb-internet-ideas.com

7) Blind Bargains Reviews Chicken Nugget, An Accessible Twitter Interface for the Next Generation:
http://blindbargains.com/bargains.php?m=10588

8A) AI Squared has released Sitecues, an assistive technology that builds magnification and reading capabilities right into websites. The press release is here:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/Ai-Squared-Launches-sitecues-a-SaaS-Solution-That-Builds-Zoom-Speech-on-Websites-1873838.htm?utm_source=Maxmail&utm_medium=Maxmail&utm_campaign=Conference

8B) And the recording of the launch announcement is here:
http://www.mm-mailer.com/399r3adhd52z42fk3ab/44es54c.html

9) Do you wish you could use the sounds from some of your iOS apps as alarms or other tones? This AppleVis guide shows you how to do it:
http://www.applevis.com/guides/ios/using-app-sounds-customize-your-tones

10) Two events took place last week. Seattle won American football's Super Bowl in very dominating fashion. (Had to slip that in!) On the opposite end of the public-importance continuum, I (Dean Martineau) am now on Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/dean.martineau.7

11) Jonathan Mosen has launched a new undertaking, AppCessible.net, based on the premise that developers of mobile apps will be willing to pay him and hopefully other blind mobile phone users to help make their apps accessible:
http://appcessible.net/

12) Version 11.2 of the Duxbury Braille Translator features enhancements for many foreign languages:
http://www.duxburysystems.com

13A) These items come to us from the "Go You Big Blog", which is primarily aimed at Android users with low vision, looking to use large print or magnification, but also tests and notes the talkback accessibility of any apps reviewed:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/

13B) Magnifier apps for Android:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/magnifier-apps/

13C) A Review of Email Apps for Large Print and Speech Accessibility:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/e-mail-apps/

And for all you Android users out there, the first two of a three part series on Android Housekeeping:

13D) Android Housekeeping Part 1: Staying Safe Using Android:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/staying-safe-using-android/

13E) Android Housekeeping Part 2: Advertising and Analytics:
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/advertising-and-analytics/

14) People who can see often wonder how blind people can use an iPhone. This Youtube video shows how it's done:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIQWyp13beE&feature=youtu.be

15) The new AppCessible Project supplies all of our audio content listing for this week. The new AppCessible podcast features an interview with the developer of Fleksy:
http://www.appcessible.net/podcast/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 442

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, January 30, 2014 - Volume 442
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker With Braille Keyboard. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Gently Used BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker With Braille Keyboard for $1,995.00 USD!!!

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one lucky customer the opportunity to get their hands on One Gently Used BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker with Braille Keyboard for the fantastic price of $1,995.00 USD. This rugged, versatile organizer offers state-of-the-art connectivity coupled with industry-standard know-how in a sleek design that has truly limitless capabilities. The BrailleSense line of products is establishing itself as the preferred notetaker of choice for individuals wishing to benefit from and interact with mainstream applications and hardware peripherals. Take advantage of this incredible bargain which saves you several thousand dollars off the list price of other notetaking solutions. This cost also includes shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit, please use the Buy Now link included below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Gently Used BrailleSense Plus 32 Cell Notetaker With Braille Keyboard for $1,995.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZZ9T5YDVTMVML

Greetings,

1) Learn about the new simplified web interface in Dolphin Guide 8 on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 4, February at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

2) David Bales has written some guides for using Windows 8.1. They can be found in the Windows 8.1 section of this page, which contains lots of other useful guides.
http://vip.chowo.co.uk/jaws-guides/

3) Calc 12E RPN Financial Calculator is a $5.95 iOS app whose developer, Stone Meadow, has made the commitment to make the app VoiceOver compatible. Read a review of the app from Horizons for the Blind:
http://www.horizons-blind.org/?p=2080

4) Web developers who use the Bootstrap 3 web development framework may well want to use the free Bootstrap Accessibility Plugin to make their sites or applications much more accessible:
https://www.paypal-engineering.com/2014/01/28/bootstrap-accessibility-plugin-making-the-popular-web-development-framework-better/#author

5) The application deadline is 7 February for the next semester of CAVI courses. Here is information about their Raspberry Pie (Linux) course:
http://www.wiki.cucat.org/index.php?n=Main.IntroductionToTheLinuxPi

6) The Swype keyboard for Android offers new accessibility features:
http://whatsnext.nuance.com/swype-keyboard-accessibility-features/

7) Tap Tap See is Fedora Outlier's Number One App Of 2013, and this post contains a couple of brief stories outlining ways the app has been beneficial:
http://www.fedoraoutlier.com/fedora-outliers-number-one-app-of-2013-brought-to-you-by-how-to-be-blind-coming-in-at-number-2-is/

8) From Audiobook History comes a sizeable listing of audiobooks which the readers of the blog considered to give better experiences than physically reading the books:
http://audiobookhistory.wordpress.com/

9) Microsoft is pleased to announce the launch of the Microsoft DisAbility Scholarship for college-bound high school students:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/diversity/programs/microsoftdisabilityscholarship.aspx

10) Here are some informative posts from HowToGeek:

A) How to Avoid Junkware Offers with Unchecky:
http://www.howtogeek.com/179758/how-to-avoid-junkware-offers-with-unchecky/

B) What is the Malicious Software Removal Tool and Do I Need It?
http://www.howtogeek.com/180773/what-is-the-malicious-software-removal-tool-and-do-i-need-it/

C) Should I Store My Batteries in the Fridge?
http://www.howtogeek.com/179486/ask-htg-should-i-store-my-batteries-in-the-fridge/

D) How to Troubleshoot Wireless Router Problems:
http://www.howtogeek.com/180235/how-to-troubleshoot-wireless-router-problems/

11A) Tipa PDF is a $2.95 iOS app that purports to offer accessible acess to PDF documents with powerful features. This is the iTunes link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tipa-pdf/id794488998

11B) Tipa Reader for Android allows you to read files in various formats:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tiflotecnia.tipa.reader

12) Turning to audio, podcasts, and the like:

AppleVis offers us:

A) Ear Monsters: Kill As Many Monsters As You Can, As Fast As You Can In This Audio Game For iOS:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/ear-monsters-kill-many-monsters-you-can-fast-you-can-audio-game-ios

B) AppleVis Extra #19: Kwasi Mensah, Developer of Stem Stumper & SpellStack:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/applevis-extra-19-kwasi-mensah-developer-stem-stumper-spellstack

C) LibriVox Audio Books: Free Access to Thousands of Audiobooks and Radio Dramas on your iOS Device:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/librivox-audio-books-free-access-thousands-audiobooks-and-radio-dramas-your-ios

From BGZ come:

D) Roland TRI-CAPTURE Part1:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/rolandtri-capture-part1/

E) Playing the Wii From a Blind Person's Point of View:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/playing-the-wii-from-a-blind-persons-point-of-view/

F) Create MP3 File using iTunes and Jaws:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/create-mp3-file-using-itunes-and-jaws/

G) Roland TRI-CAPTURE Part 2:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/roland-tri-capture-part2/

H) AccessTalk Podcast 22 Covers Window Eyes, Google contact lenses, connected toothbrushes & the Fitbit Flex:
http://accesstalk.co.uk/podcast-22/

I) Episode 26 of Triple Click Home is out:
http://tripleclickhome.com/2014/01/23/triple-click-home-episode-26-the-icoffee/

J) Here is a Screencast Demo Video of VoiceOver Accessibility Settings iOS 7, Rotor & VoiceOver Practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjgUb3bTug&feature=youtu.be

K) Eyes on Success #1405 deals with Windows 8 Smartphone Accessibility:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 441

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, January 23, 2014 - Volume 441
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Photo of the BrailleNote Apex QT 18-Cell Notetaker with QWERTY-Style Keyboard. This Week's Featured Advertisement: One Refurbished BrailleNote Apex QT 18-Cell Notetaker with QWERTY-Style Keyboard Plus Concise Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus for $2,100.00 USD

Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer one fortunate user a gently used BrailleNote Apex 18-Cell notetaker with QWERTY-Style Keyboard for $2,100.00 USD. This unit has the Concise Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus Applications preinstalled, giving one lucky user an over $2,000.00 USD savings. The BrailleNote family of products have been setting standards for intuitive, powerful, and portable information management for the past 14 years. This small yet robust solution provides endless possibilities and opportunities for that one person wishing to give this unit a good home. Free shipping within the 48 Continental United States. This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today.

Buy Now - One Refurbished BrailleNote Apex QT 18-Cell Notetaker with QWERTY-Style Keyboard Plus Concise Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus for $2,100.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=K2JNBNWRPSZEA

Greetings,

1) You can now pay $99 for the chance to take a certification test in Window-Eyes:
http://www.gwmicro.com/WECertified

2) VICT Consultancy's two applications for NVDA, vTurbo and vMouse, are now available as free downloads:
http://www.vict-consultancy.co.uk/

3) EASI will present a Free Webinar: Opportunities in Computing and IT Fields for People with Disabilities, on GMT Thursday 13 February at 19:00:
http://easi.cc/clinic.htm#february

4) The out-of-the-box experience for deaf-blind Android users is apparently not too good:
http://chrishofstader.com/testing-android-a-deaf-blind-perspective/

5) The Serotek CEO offers A Toast to GW Micro:
http://www.serotek.com/blog_a_toast_to_gw_micro

6) In case you're curious or pondering making the pilgrimage to the annual CSUN conference 19-21 March, 2014, here is the schedule of sessions:
http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2014/sessions/index.php/public/conf_sessions/

7) Microsoft has published in PDF format a new expert guide to mastering Windows 8.1:
http://betanews.com/2014/01/21/microsoft-publishes-a-new-expert-guide-to-mastering-windows-8-1/

8) MacWorld UK answers the question: "Which iPad should you buy: What's the difference between an iPad mini and a full sized iPad?":
http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/ipad/difference-between-ipad-mini-full-size-ipad-3484325/

9) Find out what apps and device were voted the the AppleVis Golden Apples of 2013:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/accessories/announcing-applevis-golden-apples-2013#comment-20750

10) GW Micro is offering two free webinars to introduce new users to Window-Eyes, on GMT Wednesday, 22 January, at 16:30 and 19:00. Enter your first and last name as the user, and newcustomer2014 as the password in this meeting room to attend:
http://www.gwmicro.com/meeting

11) Listen to experiences gleaned at the recent Consumer Electronics show on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 28 January at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

12) Visit the IRS Accessibility Page for accessible tax forms and information:
http://www.irs.gov/accessibility/index.html?portlet=113

13) And in a light week for audio content:

A) I'm producing this late enough to direct you to Serotalk Podcast 184:
http://serotalk.com/2014/01/21/serotalk-podcast-184-jumping-at-shadows/

B) Eyes on Success #1404 discusses life as the partner of a blind person:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

C) And learn about changing keyboards in Android from Blind Podcaster:
http://blindpodcaster.com/tech-bits-how-to-switch-android-keyboards/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 440

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, January 16, 2014 - Volume 440
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Greetings,

1A) GW Micro has altered its business model, and is making Window-Eyes free to anybody with a paid copy of Microsoft Office 2010 or 2013 on their computer. The Office Starter version doesn't count, and you still may opt to pay for better voices or tech support, but other than that, it's the same screen reader others pay for, and there's no plan to charge for updates:
http://www.windoweyesforoffice.com/

1B) GW Micro will hold two live meetings where they will field user questions, on GMT Friday 17 January at 16:30 and 19:00. Read what they have to say about this on the NFT AT Blog at:
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/window-eyes-and-microsoft-office

2) Speaking of that blog, they did a fairly sympathetic review of the Odin VI Mobile Phone:
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/odin-vi-mobile-phone

3) This scathing review sums up the current state of Android accessibility, and those who commented on it seem to be in agreement with its findings:
http://chrishofstader.com/testing-android-accessibility-i-give-up/

4) I suspect we'll be reading about the Window-Eyes for Office initiative in the next issue of AccessWorld, but for now, the January 2014 issue features reviews of Bluetooth-connected scales, new techniques for treating age-related macular degeneration, an interview with the new CEO of Freedom Scientific, and more:
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp

5) This is the website for Tap Tap See, which explains the app and gives advice on how to get the most from this useful aid for blind iOS users:
http://www.taptapseeapp.com/

6) Here is the financial aid guide for students with disabilities:
http://www.onlineschools.org/financial-aid/disabilities/

7) You can listen to yours truly (Dean Martineau) talking about Windows 8.1, helping people decide whether the operating system is to be feared or embraced, or perhaps something in between, on Tek Talk for GMT Tuesday, 21 January at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

8A) Here's a list of content from the AppleVis website to help those who are completely new to VoiceOver on iOS:
http://www.applevis.com//new-to-ios

8B) And here's one for those new to the Mac:
http://www.applevis.com//new-to-mac

9) The creator of the Cast podcast has a list of blindness-related blogs and podcasts which he promises to enlarge:
http://blindpodcaster.com/resources/?utm_content=buffer7ef96&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

10) Dolphin Guide Version 8 is a program designed to simplify computer access for those who find traditional interfaces to be unnecessarily difficult. This version boasts a new web browser:
http://yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=721

11) Turning to audio material for the week:

Serotalk podcast 183 was also just barely produced before the GW Micro press release, but it has all sorts of other current news:
http://serotalk.com/2014/01/15/serotalk-podcast-183-audio-selfie/

Learn about the Cosmo eBrailler and the BERT Remote Braille Teaching Tool in Eyes on Success #1403:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

The Cast Roundtable gives us its first effort:
http://blindpodcaster.com/tcr-001-introduction/

From AppleVis:

Airfoil for Mac: Play Audio on Multiple AirPlay Devices Simultaneously:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/airfoil-mac-play-audio-multiple-airplay-devices-simultaneously

Using and managing iTunes Smart Playlists:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/using-and-managing-itunes-smart-playlists

And EyeNote for iOS: Quick and Easy Recognition of U.S. Bank Notes:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/eyenote-ios-quick-and-easy-recognition-us-bank-notes

From BlindGeekZone:

Demo of Tweetlist Pro for Twitter:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/demo-of-tweetlist-pro-for-twitter/

Virtual Audio Cable:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/virtual-audio-cable/

Technology for blind people:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/technology-for-blind-people/

An Accessible Way to Make Coffee:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/an-accessible-way-to-make-coffee/

Tutorial: How to broadcast with Spreaker:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/tutorial-how-to-broadcast-with-spreaker/

Chicken Nugget Twitter Client demo!
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/chicken-nugget-twitter-client-demo/

Podcast regarding NightOwl:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/podcast-regarding-nightowl/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 439

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, January 9, 2014 - Volume 439
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

This Week's Featured Advertisement: One (1) Practically Unused ALVA 6 Braille Controller 80-Cell Braille Terminal for $5,795.00 USD!!!

Photo of the ALVA 6 Braille Controller 80-Cell Braille Terminal - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store. Flying Blind, LLC is pleased to offer a practically unused ALVA 6 Braille Controller 80-Cell Braille Terminal at over $2,200.00 USD off of its suggested list price. This unit has only been used once as a demonstration unit and is practically brand new!!! What makes this 80-Cell display different from all the rest is that you can delegate a portion of the display to one device, and the remaining portion of the display to a second device. Imagine being able to access your desktop computer using two-thirds of the Braille cells on the display while accessing your iPhone utilizing the remaining cells? Amazing! These displays can connect to two USB or two Bluetooth devices simultaneously as well as one USB and one Bluetooth device at the same time! Extremely intuitive with robust connectivity backed by a brand name synonymous with Braille display excellence. This display is well worth the money, especially since it comes with a six month manufacturer's warranty, and free shipping within the 48 Continental United States! This is a single unit that will be sold on a first come, first serve, basis. To be the first to secure this unit please use the Buy Now link included below. For additional questions, or to purchase this product offline, email featured@flying-blind.com or call +1 (216) 381-8107 today. Start off 2014 owning the most affordable, versatile, intuitive, and practical 80-Cell Braille display this industry has to offer.

Buy Now - One (1) Practically Unused ALVA 6 Braille Controller 80-Cell Braille Terminal for $5,795.00 USD
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8K5NGJ5TJG5XN

Greetings,

1) Some recordings dating to the 20's and 30's have been added to the Perkins School History Audio Recordings collection:
http://www.perkinsarchives.org/perkins-history-audio-recordings.html

2) Symbian phones remain important to many, especially in developing countries. Code Factory has released version 5.90 of Mobile Speak and it is available for purchase in the Nokia store:
http://www.codefactory.cat/helpdesk/index.php?a=add

3) The Texas Radio Theater Company and I-35 Radio Rep teamed up to produce a sci-fi audio drama in 9 parts called "Scortched Earth". You can download it free at:
http://www.texasradiotheater.com

4) The viewpoint of this post, "iPad, Not the Most Economical Choice for Blind Consumers," is pretty clear; the author invites comments:
http://joeorozco.com/blog_ipad_not_the_most_economical_choice_for_blind_consumers

5) CAVI is offering a two or three-week digital media workshop starting in late January for $50. If interested, or to enroll, write to:
caviinfo@ciscovision.org

6) The owner of the IDevices mailing list organizes periodic conference calls where iPhone features are demonstrated. You can download and listen to the "IDevice Conference Call, January, 2014" here:
http://www.GatewayForTheBlind.Com/idevice

7) Get up-to-date information about antivirus and anti-malware apps, both from the technical and accessibility viewpoints, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 14 January at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

8) With sponsorship from How to Be Blind, Fedora Outlier is soliciting votes for The Number One App Of 2013, and the top ten most popular apps will be unveiled starting on 21 January:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RPRHF9S

9) Chicken Nugget claims to be the fastest and most powerful Twitter client. It is now out of beta, and version 1.01 is available as a demo, and for purchase for $15:
http://q-continuum.net/chicken_nugget/download

10) This MacWorld article explains "Why the iPhone 5s is a terrific accessibility tool," and points out where improvement is needed:
http://www.macworld.com/article/2084805/why-the-iphone-5s-is-a-terrific-accessibility-tool.html#tk.rss_all

11) The picture is pretty bleak for "Google Docs Accessibility and Export/Import Options":
https://www.ssbbartgroup.com/blog/2013/12/31/google-docs-accessibility-and-exportimport-options/

12) From HowToGeek comes "5 Ways to Get Windows 7 On Your New PC," and reasons why you might not want to do so:
http://www.howtogeek.com/179208/5-ways-to-get-windows-7-on-your-new-pc/

13A) UNC students have created Braille Squad - A free game for emerging Braille readers. The game uses the iPad paired with the refreshable Braille display. The link to the trial version is:
http://wwwx.cs.unc.edu/Courses/comp523-f13/braille/Menu.html

13B) Feedback and questions should be sent to:
dianebrauner@me.com

14) Students with disabilities are invited to apply for internships with NASA:
http://intern.nasa.gov/

15) In this week's audio content:

First from AppleVis:

A) Description and Initial Setup of the iPad Air and iPad Mini With Retina Display:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/description-and-initial-setup-ipad-air-and-ipad-mini-retina-display

B) How to Increase the Maximum Internal Speaker Volume of MacBook Laptops Running Windows via Boot Camp:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/how-increase-maximum-internal-speaker-volume-macbook-laptops-running-windows-boot

C) The LunaTik Wrist Strap Turns Your iPod Nano 6G into a Wearable Watch:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/lunatik-wrist-strap-turns-your-ipod-nano-6g-wearable-watch

D) Recording Audio Podcasts: Some Basic Tips and Good Practice:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/recording-audio-podcasts-some-basic-tips-and-good-practice

E) A Demonstration of Bluetooth Keyboard Commands Available to iOS VoiceOver Users:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/demonstration-bluetooth-keyboard-commands-available-ios-voiceover-users

F) And Airfoil for Mac: Play Audio on Multiple AirPlay Devices Simultaneously:
http://applevis.com/podcast/episodes/airfoil-mac-play-audio-multiple-airplay-devices-simultaneously

From BgZ, we can hear:

G) Zamzar Re-submitted:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/zamzar-re-submitted/

H) Odin VI, A Talking Feature Phone:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/odin-vi-a-talking-feature-phone/

I) Happy New Year From BGZ:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/happy-new-years-from-bgz/

J) An Informal Demo of the Denon Remote App:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/an-informal-demo-of-the-denon-remote-app/

K) And a look at tweetings for iOS:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/a-look-at-tweetings-for-ios/

L) In this AudioBoo, CAVI announces its upcoming course on Microsoft Office:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/1837476-cavi-announces-new-microsoft-office-course

M) And the two most recent episodes of Eyes on Success deal with Google Glass and the Journal of Disability-related Prose and Poetry:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 438

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, January 2, 2014 - Volume 438
The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

A Flying Blind, LLC Publication
http://www.flying-blind.com/

Greetings,

1) In another slow news week to kick off 2014 we begin with a few lists:

Courtesy of CNET's iPad Atlas comes: "The first 10 things to do with your new iPad":
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-57559805-243/the-first-10-things-to-do-with-your-new-ipad/

2) MacWorld shares: "Top 10 lessons for the new Mac user":
http://www.macworld.com/article/2081983/top-10-lessons-for-the-new-mac-user.html

3) This list is obviously directed toward the user with visual impairments, and while people might argue with the inclusion or exclusion of some apps, "32 Apps to Help You Get Started with a New iOS Device" from AppleVis is a good starting point for all users:
http://www.applevis.com/blog/ios-apps/32-apps-help-you-get-started-new-ios-device

4) Yet another list comes from HowToGeek: "10 Great New Features for Tablet Users in Windows 8.1":
http://www.howtogeek.com/178286/10-great-new-features-for-tablet-users-in-windows-8.1/

5) On the lighter side, play around with "95 Funny and Downright Stupid Siri Commands to Make You Laugh" from Os X Daily:
http://osxdaily.com/2013/12/29/funny-siri-commands/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+osxdaily+%28OS+X+Daily%29

6) A small but determined number of users want to get the message out that Android accessibility is equal to or better than iOS accessibility:

A) Aaron offers us "iOS VS. Android Myths and Experience":
http://blindpodcaster.com/between-two-worlds-ios-vs-android-myths-and-experience/

B) Meanwhile, the Blind Android site promises up-to-date news, tutorials and fresh content as it is developed:
http://www.blindandroid.com/

7) Learn about KeySoft version 9.4 for the BrailleNote family, with its first-ever built-in Nemeth translator and PowerPoint Viewer, on Tek Talk for GMT Tuesday, 7 January at 01:00:
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

8) Buddy Brannan from Serotek offers his perspective on the question: "Kindle Fire HDX: Usable By the Blind At Last?":
http://serotalk.com/2013/12/26/kindle-fire-hdx-usable-by-the-blind-at-last/

9) As to the week in audio:

A) Catch the technology year in review, as well as what we can expect from Main Menu in 2014, on the two-hour year-end Main Menu:
http://mainmenu.acbradio.org/viewshow.php?showid=284

B) For its end-of-the-year gift, the Eyes on Success team talks about "What's Under the Hood of Eyes On Success," how they do everything from selecting topics and guests, to recording and editing, to posting the podcasts and maintaining their web presence, including the tools and techniques they use:
http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/

C) Listen to Episode 23 of That Android Show:
http://thatandroidshow.com/2013/12/30/that-android-show-episode-23-drive-by-google-you/

D) The last two podcasts for 2013 from Blind Geek Zone are an overview of the HTC1 running stock carrier ROM:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/over-view-of-the-htc1-running-stock-carier-rom/

E) And two very useful iOS apps for the blind, Digit-Eyes and Tap Tap See:
http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/two-very-useful-ios-apps-for-the-blind/

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