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Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, January 7, 2021 - Volume 789The Week's News in Access Technologyhttps://toptechtidbits.com/ A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication Top Tech Tidbits. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in access technology. This Week's Featured Advertisement: Don't Wait for Help: Be My Eyes Shares Reduced Wait Times, Home Covid Tests and Other New Specialized Services
Be My Eyes' mission is to deliver free video support to our users as fast as possible. So how are we doing with that goal? Well, last year we shared some data: 90% of Be My Eyes calls were answered in under 30 seconds. That's all calls, in every language, 24 hours a day. We accomplished this without ever charging users a cent. Today our wait times are even shorter (particularly in English, where wait times are often less than 10 seconds). We've grown to more than just quick connections with volunteers, though. In 2020, we added dozens of new companies to the platform. These professionals offer tech support, personal health support, vision rehab services and more, Accessible Pharmacy, our newest provider, can support with medication, medical devices, and Covid-19 testing, all without leaving your home. Their fully trained and discreet pharmacy staff are on call from 10 AM to 3 PM Eastern. For an easy, frictionless drugstore experience, call today — and never Uber to the pharmacy again! Download Today: https://www.bemyeyes.com/download. Dear Tidbits Subscriber,1) Top 3 Most Clicked Tidbits From Last WeekA.) All The Windows 10 Tutorials You'll Ever Need: (8.5% of all clicks.)https://www.techsupportalert.com/content/all-windows-10-tutorials-you-ll-ever-need.htm B.) Interactive Adventure and Escape Games with Alexa: (5.4% of all clicks.) https://www.aph.org/fun-with-alexa-interactive-adventure-and-escape-games/ C.) How to Easily Batch Rename Files on Windows 10: (4.8% of all clicks.) https://www.howtogeek.com/705534/how-to-easily-batch-rename-files-on-windows-10/ 2) The Biggest Technology Failures of 2020We all know it was a bad year, but since we can learn just as much from our mistakes as we can from our achievements we present this list from Wired Magazine outlining all of the most fantastic technology failures of 2020:https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/12/31/1015552/biggest-technology-failures-2020/ 3) 4th Annual Accessible High and Low Tech Fitness Workshop | January 9th 20212PM ET | 1PM CT | 12PM MT | 11AM PT | 7PM GMT. Learn about and share information about accessible fitness equipment, training, and more. Register for this event at:https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqfuqupj4pEtwrjCzr8yilHN_Ip__QICFb 4) SuperSense AI on Tech Time | Zoom | January 13th 20214PM ET | 3PM CT | 2PM MT | 1PM PT | 9PM GMT. This app combines OCR, money identification, bar code reading and more into one app. Tech Time is on Zoom at:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9357099741?pwd=YVhxTVg0Nm1KQytCQ0xJM1JvZDhYUT09 5) Essential Guide to Assistive Technology for the HomeYou can email Dolphin Computer Access to receive their document:https://info.yourdolphin.com/en/essential-guide-to-assistive-technology-0 6) Podcast | Eyes on Success | January 6th 2021David Bradburn, Vice-President, Global Sales at Humanware, has been involved in the access technology field for over 35 years. A lot has changed over that time. Listen in on a conversation between David as a salesman and host Peter Torpey as a user as they reminisce about the evolution of access technology equipment since the early days:http://www.eyesonsuccess.net/show%20notes/show%20notes%202102.htm 7) Thoughts on Screen Readers and Image RecognitionLeonie Watson explains why we need content-authored text descriptions:https://tink.uk/thoughts-on-screen-readers-and-image-recognition/ 8) Remote Science Learning Advancements for the BlindThis comes from the January 2021 issue of The Braille Monitor:https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm21/bm2101/bm210108.htm 9) A Complete List of VoiceOver Keyboard Shortcuts Available on MacOS:This is a well-presented list:https://www.applevis.com/guides/complete-list-voiceover-keyboard-shortcuts-available-macos 10) Podcast | 3D Printing for the Blind and Visually Impaired. An Insightful Perception Through TouchA transcript for this Blind Abilities podcast is provided:https://blindabilities.com/?p=6417 11) AppleVis Unlimited: What's New and Noteworthy for December 2020Here's the December update from AppleVis:https://www.applevis.com/blog/applevis-unlimited-whats-new-and-noteworthy-december-2020?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter 12) 21 Ways You Didn't Know You Could Use Shortcuts on Your iPhoneThis comes from Mashable:https://mashable.com/article/iphone-shortcuts-app-uses/ 13) How Refreshable Braille Enhances Braille LiteracyThis comes from the Freedom Scientific blog:https://blog.freedomscientific.com/how-refreshable-braille-enhances-braille-literacy/ 14) Podcast | Looking Ahead to 2021This is an RNIB Tech Talk podcast:https://audioboom.com/posts/7755681-a-tech-talk-special-looking-ahead-to-2021 15) Getty Images Partners with the National Federation of the Blind and Tactile Images to Deliver 25 Million Images to the World's Blind PopulationGetty Images, a world leader in visual communications, and the National Federation of the Blind, America's civil rights and membership organization of the blind, have partnered with Tactile Images to deliver more than 25 million images to the world's blind population at museums, science centers, libraries, schools, and government agencies. This initiative will significantly enhance educational opportunities and cultural inclusion for blind and low-vision individuals worldwide:https://www.nfb.org/about-us/press-room/getty-images-partners-national-federation-blind-and-tactile-images-deliver-25 16) Webinar | Hearing Loss | CaptionMate Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) | January 12th 20202PM ET | 1PM CT | 12PM MT | 11AM PT | 7PM GMT. CaptionMate is a new, free telephone captioning application that can be used with all telephone calls, including for registered individuals dialing into web conference calls like Zoom. The FCC certified CaptionMate in June 2020, which means that CaptionMate is financed by a fund administered by the FCC. The product is only available to people with hearing loss. You can self-certify your hearing loss, which means you don't need a new appointment with your audiologist. CaptionMate works on Android, iOS and Web devices. You can use your landline, flip phone or smartphone to make and receive calls, while watching captions on any smart device, including your iPad, computer screen, smartphone, etc. CaptionMate uses Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) which means that there is NO Captioning Assistant or transcriptionist in the middle of your calls:https://hearingloss.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oop-3zS-T2iLfwgRLw6UHQ 17) Internet Archive Now Has Better Scans of Computerworld MagazineThe Internet Archive has announced that it has made Computerworld's print issues from 1967-2014 available online in better quality than ever. The publication provides a historical record of sorts for computing, as it launched during a key period in the industry and documented significant events like a 75 minute Steve Jobs interview in 1995. The collection includes 50 years of reporting from mainframes to iPhones to AI, via a publication that was the progenitor of future properties like Macworld and PCWorld. The higher-quality issues are now available to all (with limited text search available for now), and can be read aloud:https://www.engadget.com/computer-world-vintage-print-issues-come-to-the-internet-archive-133040851.html 18) Braille Institute Celebrates "Technology Month" In JanuaryFor the second-straight year Braille Institute celebrates January as "Technology Month" and offers educational and interactive online technology workshops and tech-focused online content throughout the month:About: https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/braille-institute-celebrates-technology-month-in-january/article_154d0d6d-1d84-5436-9a27-5b4a42854af9.html Schedule of Workshops: https://brailleinstitute.org/technology-workshops 19) Will AI Kill The reCAPTCHA Star?An old attack method dating back to 2017 that uses voice-to-text to bypass CAPTCHA protections turns out to still work on Google's latest reCAPTCHA v3. The idea of the attack is very simple. You grab the MP3 file of the audio reCAPTCHA and you submit it to Google's own speech-to-text API. Google will return the correct answer in over 97 percent of all cases. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report. But it would seem that we are approaching a point in time in which the Turing Test can be solved by advanced AI, thus making CAPTCHAs harder and harder to implement:https://threatpost.com/researcher-breaks-recaptcha-speech-to-text-api/162734/ 20) Job Opening | Assistive Technology Specialist | Shoreline Community College | Shoreline, WA |Opening Date: 12/28/2020 | Closing Date: 1/14/2021 | Salary Range: $40,295 to $52,429 Annuallyhttps://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/shorelinecc/jobs/2927523/assistive-technology-specialist 21) JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion January 2021 UpdatesJAWS 2021.2012.48https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/JAWSWhatsNew#Enhancements ZoomText 2021.2012.48 https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/ZoomText/ZoomTextWhatsNew#enhancements Fusion 2021.2012.8 https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/Fusion/FusionWhatsNew#enhancements 22) Audio Documentation on 1Password From Mystic Access | To Be Released March 1st 2021 | $49If you'd like audio documentation that walks you through how to use this cross-platform method for securely storing, organizing and managing your passwords from a blindness perspective, then the 1Password Audio Documentation from Mystic Access may be able to help:https://www.mysticaccess.com/product/audio-documentation-on-1password/#tab-description 23) Google Docs Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10 PCGoogle Docs works with native Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts as well, so long as you're using an up-to-date web browser to access Google Docs, you can avail of these keyboard shortcuts:https://www.thewindowsclub.com/google-docs-keyboard-shortcuts 24) Imagine Being Blind and Trying to Attend a Virtual Event. Try That Next Time You Stage OneIn this very informative and in-depth article from TechCrunch their developers explain how exactly they very recently tackled this very issue:https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/30/imagine-being-blind-and-trying-to-attend-a-virtual-event-try-that-next-time-you-stage-one/ 25) Be My Eyes App Helping to Change the Lives of the Visually Impaired for the BetterWith 4.8 out of 5 stars, the app has been a hit for users on both ends. In fact, sighted volunteers seem to be getting so much out of lending a set of eyes that the ratio of volunteers to blind people is abundant:https://www.click2houston.com/features/2020/12/17/this-app-is-helping-to-change-the-lives-of-the-visually-impaired-for-the-better/ 26) AI Vision: Wearable AI Helps the Visually Impaired 'See' in Real-TimeOrCam MyEye is a voice-activated device that attaches to virtually any pair of glasses. It conveys visual information audibly in real-time, thereby helping the visually impaired or those with reading difficulties live a more independent life:https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/ai-vision-wearable-ai-helps-the-visually-impaired-see-in-real-time/2155443/ 27) Podcast | Blind Tech Guys | January 4th 2021 | How To Sort Out Your Android OS 11 Talkback Issues On A Samsung PhoneOn this episode, Kirt takes us through how to go about removing Samsung's version of Talkback on a Samsung phone running OS 11 and installing Google's version of Talkback by using ADB:https://www.blindtechguys.com/67 28) Top Tech Tidbits Buy, Sell or TradeWe have one product for sale this week. Review it below or on the Tidbits website at:https://www.toptechtidbits.com/buy-sell-trade.html#listings Top Tech Tidbits Sponsor Classified Ads:Sponsor: A. T. Guys➜ This Week's Classified Ad:If you're like me, you probably have more things to plug into your computer than available ports. That's why we've now added the Plugable USBC 7-in-1 Hub. Plug it into your laptop and you will get 3 USB ports, SD and Micro SD card slots, a USBC charging port, and an HDMI video port. It's available now for just $29.95:https://www.atguys.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=28&products_id=331
Sponsor Since: June 11th 2020 Website: https://www.atguys.com/ 🌐 Phone: (269) 216-4798 📱️ Email: support@atguys.com 📧️ Skype: atguys ✆ Twitter: https://twitter.com/atguys (@atguys) ✍ Facebook: https://facebook.com/atguys ✍ About: ATGuys.com. Your access technology experts, home for cool gadgets, accessories, and more. Our products are all tested to work great for blind and visually impaired users but also work just as well for anyone. If there's an item you're looking for, or if you have a question, please don't hesitate to send us a message or call (269) 216-4798 📱️. Sponsor: John Panarese➜ This Week's Classified Ad:A great way to kick off 2021! World renowned Apple trainer John Panarese offers you a way to get involved in the Apple world! Take advantage of his tutorials and courses! John will use your funds to help persons with disabilities to learn more! To purchase your special gift certificate visit https://donorbox.org/macfortheblind today!
Director, https://www.MacForTheBlind.com Sponsor Since: June 4th 2020 Website: https://www.macfortheblind.com/ 🌐 Donate Course Time: https://donorbox.org/macfortheblind ❤ Email: john@macfortheblind.com 📧️ About: Macfortheblind.com is a place specifically for blind people who are either users or potential users of Macintosh computers or iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, Apple Watch and Apple TV. I am a blind individual who has used the Mac ever since VoiceOver became available in OS 10.4 Tiger, and I own an iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Book Pro laptop computer, an iPhone 6S, an iPad Air, an Apple Watch and an Apple TV 4th Generation. In addition, I am an Authorized Apple Business Affiliate, and as an Apple Certified Support Professional and an Apple Certified Trainer, I offer training and technical support for individuals, agencies and organizations on the mac and all iDevices, as well as offering assistive technology consulting. Sponsor: Donna Jodhan➜ This Week's Classified Ad:High profile educator, podcast commentator, and audio mysteries writer and producer! Donna Jodhan uses her expertise worldwide to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left out or left behind! Visit Donna at https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan. Your donations will help to improve the lives of families with parents and kids with disabilities!
Author, Donna Jodhan Publications Sponsor Since: June 4th 2020 Website: https://donnajodhan.com/ 🌐 Donate: https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan ❤ About: My name is Donna J. Jodhan and I have been blind all my life, but that has not prevented me from living independently as someone who takes care of my own home and garden, travels regularly for my job, and runs my own business. I am an entrepreneur, blogger, author, audio mystery writer, advocate, podcaster, and law student. I enjoy cooking, ice skating, playing chess, composing on my electronic keyboard, and communicating with nature. Sponsor: Dean Martineau➜ This Week's Classified Ad:Would you like to learn to control your computer with your voice, or to create documents using your voice rather than the keyboard? There are several tools to accomplish these objectives. I can provide training in their use. Write to me at topdot@gmail.com if interested.Editor, Top Tech Tidbits Newsletter
Sponsor Since: June 4th 2020 Website: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/ 🌐 About: Dean Martineau is the Founder and a Contributing Editor to the Top Tech Tidbits Newsletter. Sponsor: Be My Eyes➜ This Week's Classified Ad:Accessible Pharmacy, the new, home delivery pharmacy with a blind founder, is bringing its full range of support and services to Be My Eyes. Users of the Be My Eyes app can now call Accessible Pharmacy directly to get support with medication, medical devices, and even home delivery COVID testing. With a fully trained and discreet pharmacy staff on call from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pacific, Accessible Pharmacy is the new way for blind and low vision consumers to get an easy, frictionless pharmacy experience. Call today — and you'll never have to take an Uber to the drugstore again. https://www.bemyeyes.com/blog/accessible-pharmacy-joins-be-my-eyes.Lead Contact: Will Butler, VP of Community
Sponsor Since: November 5th 2020 Website: https://www.bemyeyes.com/ 🌐 Download The App (iOS): Download The App (Android): About: Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that allows anyone who needs video support to get assistance from a dynamic range of volunteers and company customer support professionals from around the world. With more than 4 million volunteers and dozens of companies offering on-demand visual interpretation and support, Be My Eyes is a free, unlimited way to bridge gaps and get access to whatever information you need — 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in any language. Download the app today from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Sponsor: Sprint IP Relay➜ This Week's Classified Ad:One challenge someone with a combined vision and hearing loss must address is accessing the phone system without adequate vision or hearing. Individuals with no hearing but vision can access the phone system using a videophone. Those with no vision, but who have hearing can use the phone as it was intended. How would someone with vision and hearing loss continue to call doctors, contact emergency services such as 911, arrange for medical appointments, contact businesses, or friends and family who do not text? One solution, for those living in the U.S. with a form of hearing loss, is Sprint IP Relay. Come learn more at our webinars, specialized for the DeafBlind community. 11/10 at 10 AM EST, 11/12 at 4:30 PM EST, 11/17 at 1:00 PM EST, or 11/19 at 1:00 PM EST. RSVP by November 6th 2020 to deafblind@sprint.com. CART and ASL interpretation will be provided.
Sponsor Since: October 22nd 2020 Website: https://www.sprintip.com/ 🌐 Email: scott.davert@t-mobile.com 📧️ Download The App (iOS): Download The App (Android): Accessibility Customer Care: (800) 676-3777 📱️ About: Sprint IP Relay allows people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind or with a Speech Disability to make or receive phone calls using an internet connection, a computer, tablet or smartphone. Simply type what you want to say to the operator, the operator relays the message to the person you called and then types the caller's response back to you. This process is all done through text, so a user with a braille display, for example, would not need to see the screen or use their voice to communicate with the hearing caller. The Sprint IP Relay service is available at no charge for those who are eligible. Registration is required to verify an individual's identity and residency. If you are a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or have a speech disability, you will qualify to register for the Sprint IP Relay Service. The user can call anyone at any time within the United States and its territories. Email scott.davert@t-mobile.com with any questions. Sponsor: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adaptations Online Store➜ This Week's Classified Ad:Featured Products: Revolution Cane Tip: Standard Roller Tip: $14.50 | Locator Dots: Small Pack of 6 (Clear or Orange): $2.00 | NFB Metal Cane Tip: $3.00 | TMAP - On Demand Tactile Street | Map (set of two maps): $25.00 | Ambutech Aluminum Folding Cane: $35.00 | NFB Chris Park Telescoping Cane: $45.00 | BoldWriter 20 Pen (Individual or 6-pack): $2.00 | Bump Dots: Mixed (50 count): $7.00 | Braille Apple Catalina VoiceOver Guide OSX 10.15 (3 volumes) - Latest Manual: $52.00 | SpeedDots iPhone Tactile Screen Protector, Phone Layout: $12.00 | NFB Chris Park 7-Piece Folding Cane: $50.00 | Visit https://adaptations.org/ to learn more today!
Sponsor Since: October 1, 2020 Website: https://adaptations.org/ 🌐 Toll Free: (888) 400-8933 📱️ Local: (415) 694-7301 📱️ About: Founded in 1902, San Francisco's LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired promotes the independence, equality and self-reliance of people who are blind or have low vision. Adaptations is your online go-to for tools, technology, and accessible solutions for blind and visually impaired people. Sponsor: American Printing House (APH)➜ This Week's Classified Ad:APH's Braille Trail Reader LE refreshable braille display will start your students' braille journey with a positive technology experience that allows them to discover the joys of reading and writing. This 14-cell braille display features a Windows app for easy file transfer between teachers and students. Also perfect for the working adult: users can take notes, and create, edit and read text and braille files. Learn more at https://www.aph.org/product/braille-trail-reader-le/.
Website: https://www.aph.org/ 🌐 Toll Free and Customer Support: (800) 223-1839 📱️ Phone: (512) 895-2405 📱️ Fax: (512) 899-2284 ░ YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/WENRlCNDsxQ 🎥 Free Apps & Actions from APH: https://www.aph.org/free-apps-from-aph/ 📱 About: Since 1858, the American Printing House for the Blind has operated in Louisville, Kentucky as the world's largest nonprofit organization, creating accessible learning experiences through educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for people who are blind and visually impaired. APH believes that the future belongs to everyone. By offering innovative products and services, APH opens up a door of opportunities for lifelong independence and success. Sponsor: GuideLights and Gadgets➜ This Week's Classified Ad:GuideLights And Gadgets: New Year, Products, Pricing. Mystery Gadget or Doggy Bags; Through Jan. 31, we will double the value of your choice of $25 or $50 gadgets-leather or "all-things-dog" grab bags. Our new shoulder lambskin patchwork tablet and Braille display case will hold just about anything you need for a day $50; form fitting BN Touch Plus leather case $60; new $10 Stream pouch or new Orbit Writer and Phone "On the Go" pouch; write as you walk $35.00; ask about other bag deals. New! Evo 10 Daisy Player with Internet and FM Radio, Podcatcher, lots more; Ivona Joey and Sally; Mystic Access tutorial, leather case, $225. Call Barry: (617) 969-7500 📱️; bscheur@scheur.com.Director, http://www.GuideLightsAndGadgets.us
Sponsor Since: June 25th 2020 Website: http://www.guidelightsandgadgets.us/ 🌐 For Gadgets and Leather Contact Barry at: For All Things Dog Contact Kae at: About: Our Scope of Products: We specialize in 3 lines of products, all intended to assist in access to adaptive electronics, enhance experiences for guide dog teams, and offer practical solutions for organization and travel with a variety of leather bags, pouches, and backpacks. Then there are the random products that are included, just for fun! We enjoy working with our customers 1-on-1 to their money is well spent and not wasted on something they may not use. In thinking about our customers and whether we will carry a product our guiding motto is that it must be: practical, affordable, simple, tested, and accessible (the pasta principle) and it seems to work very well. What We Do: We bring our business either via zoom, phone, or to your conference or convention, to give each customer a chance for questions and where possible, "hands on" evaluation of the merchandise. Kae and I test and use each product as blind users before we put it in our catalog. In the case of products for guide and service dogs, our own three guides, Thor, Debra and Melody, are engaged in the process of evaluating the usefulness, durability, and/or fun of the product. We want each of our products to be useful, accessible, afforable, and, whenever possible, fun! Our inventory is constantly changing, so a visit to us is never the same experience twice! Your Name Here
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