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Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 27, 2018 - Volume 677

The Week's News in Access Technology

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

This Week's Featured Advertisement: Introducing ARC, Your Agile and Affordable Path to Accessibility

Photo of the ARC Dashboard open on a laptop.

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Greetings,

1A) New Version of NVDA, and NVDA Remote

NVDA 2018.3.2 Is now available, the main release being quickly enhanced by UPDATES that fixed problems for Firefox and Chrome users under some circumstances. This version supports many more braille displays and support for some Windows 10 features including the Emoji panel:
https://www.nvaccess.org/post/announcing-the-release-of-nvda-2018-3/

1B) The NVDA Remote app needed to be updated to work on this and future NVDA releases. It has been updated:
https://www.josephsl.net/files/nvdaaddons/remote-2.1wxPy4-1807.nvda-addon

2A) Travel Tips Document

Sendero Group has a document on their web site called @Travel Tips, Tricks, Tools and Techniques
http://www.senderogroup.com/wayfinding/5T.doc

3A) Suggestions for Siri Shortcuts

David Woodbridge summarizes the progress he has made in creating Siri shortcuts:
http://davidwoodbridge.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-siri-shortcut-testing-notes.html

3B) This YouTube video provides instruction about the Shortcuts app:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgub6c1u-AA&feature=youtu.be

4) New Mac OS

The latest operating system for the Mac is out. Learn about 'The New Features, Changes, and Accessibility Bugs in MacOS Mojave for Blind and Low Vision Users':
https://www.applevis.com/blog/macos-news/new-features-changes-and-accessibility-bugs-macos-mojave-blind-and-low-vision-users

5) Accessibility of Apple Watch Series 4

iMore tells us 'What Apple Watch Series 4 Means for Accessibility':
https://www.imore.com/what-apple-watch-series-4-means-accessibility

6) Not Everybody Likes Face ID

This blog post expresses 'thoughts about how as a VoiceOver user, Face ID, although accessible, is not very efficient:'
https://kevinrenatojones.wordpress.com/2018/09/14/my-thoughts-about-how-as-a-voiceover-user-face-id-although-accessible-is-not-very-efficient/

7) History of Speech Synthesis and Voice Assistants

This transcript contains lots of examples from the history of computerized voice communication:
http://decks.tink.uk/2018/london-a11y/transcripts.html

8A) FS Open Line on JAWS 20-19 Beta; Vispero

The next Open Line brings several high-level staff together to answer questions about the JAWS 2019 public beta. The show is live at 18:00 GMT on Thursday, 27 September:
http://blog.freedomscientific.com/FsOpenLine

8B) Meanwhile, Freedom Scientific's parent company has a new name and brand:
https://www.freedomscientific.com/About/News/Article/198

9A) Cheat Sheets and Tutorials

The Statewide Resource Center in Victoria, Australia, offers some tech tutorials:
http://svrc.vic.edu.au/tutorials/

9B) And some "Cheat Sheets" on different programs:
http://svrc.vic.edu.au/tutorials/cheat-sheets/

10A) Free Class, Website Building Tutorial from Mystic Access

The free Mystic Access class for September 2018 guides us on "Transitioning from Internet Explorer to Another Web Browser." It takes place on GMT Friday, 28 September 2018 at 00:30 GMT, 8:30 PM EST:
https://zoom.us/j/979681355

10B) They will offer an extensive course on building a web site with WordPress, details to come in October 2018:
https://www.mysticaccess.com/

11A) iOS and Mac Resources

Jonathan Mosen discusses his book on iOS12, and the new OS, on Tek Talk on GMT Tuesday, 2 October 2018 at 00:00 GMT, 8:00 PM EST. This may be the last event he hosts for Freedom Scientific, as he is leaving to pursue other opportunities:
https://zoom.us/j/839935813

11B) The latest Tech Doctor podcast covers new operating systems and hardware:
http://dr-carter.com

12) Survey opportunity:

Researchers from Indiana University Bloomington are conducting a study to understand the use of camera-based assistive technologies by people with visual impairments. Participants can enter a drawing for a $20 gift certificate:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_kcfYGKoQ_hUZJznxYe-bmzPAZ6C4ttwmjA9MCHAfW2GzjQ/viewform

13) Access to National Parks

Access to national parks is the focus of Eyes on Success #1839:
http://eyesonsuccess.net

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Flying Blind, LLC Highlights:

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1.) The Paciello Group - Introducing Your One-Stop Shop for All of Your Accessibility Consulting and Training Needs - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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Struggling to manage the adverse risk posed to your organization by the deployment of inaccessible content? Seeking guidance on building accessibility best practices into your development cycle? We offer a comprehensive range of services to address your accessibility needs - from accessibility testing of your websites, web applications and mobile apps to identify accessibility issues ...

2.) JAWS Inspect - Your Visual Resource for Accessibility Testing - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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If you are employed by, or lead an Organization committed to providing manual, accessibility test services for web content using the JAWS screenreader, but your testing and developer teams have individuals who are not JAWS users, then the newly released JAWS Inspect Solution is your missing ingredient for optimizing your test processes while maximizing your accessibility efforts ...

3.) Introducing TPG Tutor - Your eLearning, One Stop Shop for Accessibility Training - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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Have you been directed to make a website or mobile app 'accessible', but have no idea where to begin? Or perhaps you know a bit about accessibility and really want to immerse yourself in the field, but you can't afford to have you or your ...

4.) Introducing ARC, Your Agile and Affordable Path to Accessibility - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

http://bit.ly/2ueyjtk
Whether you are a novice to accessibility or a seasoned pro, sometimes your best start to accessibility is to let technology do some of the heavy lifting. Designers, developers and testers dealing with an accessibility project or program are looking ...

5.) Welcome to OWAC! Operating Within A Cloud! 'OWAC: Where The Sky's The Limit!' - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store
OWAC Onsite = $1,000.00 USD + Pre-approved travel expenses. | OWAC Remote = $500.00 USD

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The OWAC Professional Development Workshop marries decades of assistive technology know-how with the fast-paced expectations of a predominantly sighted world. Are you serving students ...

6.) 'iOS in the Classroom: A Guide for Teaching Students with Visual Impairments, iOS 9 Edition' Authored By Larry L. Lewis, Jr., President, Flying Blind LLC, and Published by AFB Press - AFB Online Store

Paperback: $29.95 | Online: $17.95 | ePUB: $20.95 | Kindle: $20.95
http://bit.ly/iOS9-ITC-AFB-FBLLC
This book represents a 'must have' for any direct service provider working with vision impaired consumers who are using iOS technology within their educational or pre-vocational settings ...

7.) Silver Indoor Outdoor Talking Thermometer for $16.95 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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Indoor and outdoor temperature spoken at the touch of a button, Fahrenheit or Celsius, volume control and on/off switch. LCD visual display can show either indoor or outdoor temperature ...

8.) Large Print Address Book for $16.00 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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Spiral bound book. Holds up to 500 address listings. Three address listings per page. Includes 20/20 pen. Durable covers with inside front and back pockets. Alphabetical tabs and ample room ...

9.) Large Print Check Register for $8.75 USD - Flying Blind, LLC Online Store

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Spiral bound register helps keep better control of check recording. Contains spaces for 14 entries per full page. Size: 5" x 9" ...

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