Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, August 24, 2023 - Volume 925The Week's News in Access Technology A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication Top Tech Tidbits. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in access technology. Subscribers: 10,956 Opt-In Subscribers were sent this issue via email. 183 Premium Subscribers were sent this issue via email. This Week's Featured Advertisement: 4 Sponsorship Packages Currently Available. Join Industry Leaders And Begin Reaching Over 29,000 Access Technology Professionals, Educators and Enthusiasts, All Over The World, Each Week. All While Supporting The Ongoing Distribution of Top Tech Tidbits For Those Very Same Readers. Only $100 USD Per Month. While Packages Last. This Issue Made Possible By Support From The Following Sponsors:Ongoing Distribution Made Possible By Support From: A. T. Guys, GuideLights And Gadgets, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adaptations Online Store, HumanWare, Freedom Scientific, Pneuma Solutions, Carroll Center for the Blind, HIMS, Inc., Double Tap TV, Clusiv, Fable, Aira, WayAround, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., Sterling Adaptives, LLC, AYES.ai, Echobatix, Glidance, The Accessibility Guy and Wordvoyance.Dear Tidbits Subscriber,Submit a Tidbit for free, with timing and placement determined by our editors, here: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-news. Submit a Sponsored Tidbit, with timing and placement determined by you, here: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-sponsored-news.1) Top 5 Most Clicked Tidbits From Last Week🎙 Listen to the podcast.A.) Duxbury Braille Translator: DBT 12.7 for the Mac is Now ShippingDuxbury Systems leads the world in software for braille. The Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT) is used by virtually all of the world's leading braille publishers. No one supports more languages than Duxbury Systems. DBT supports over 180 languages in either uncontracted or contracted (when such rules exist) braille. Their software can produce contracted and uncontracted literary, mathematic, and technical braille: B.) Yes, iOS 17 Is Changing Where The 'End Call' Button Is Located | 9to5MacA change that Apple introduced with the first beta of iOS 17 back in June is going viral this week. As part of a number of changes to the Phone app and the calling experience, Apple has relocated the positioning of the red "End" button. The change, perhaps unsurprisingly, is drawing quite a bit of criticism on social media: C.) JAWS Power Tip: How To Create A Desktop Shortcut To A Folder, File, Or Web Page | Freedom ScientificYou can create a desktop shortcut to a folder, File, or web page so it is easy to access. Before you begin, we recommend copying the path of the item to your clipboard so you don't need to search for it during the process of creating your shortcut: D.) VO Starter: The First App To Teach Blind And Low Vision Users To Use The iPhone And iPad Is Back With All New Content | AppleVisVO Starter teaches new blind and visually impaired iOS users how to use their device with Apple's built in screen reader, VoiceOver: E.) Install Windows 11 Without All The Annoying Bloatware With This Trick | PC WorldIt's all thanks to a weird Windows bug. A new bug lets you install Windows 11 without all the annoying bloatware. As Windows Latest reported this week, the inclusion of third-party applications such as the game "Candy Crush" or test versions of antivirus software can be prevented with just a few clicks when you're installing Windows 11. This trick wasn't intended by Microsoft, but caused by a bug: 2) Sponsored By Guidelights and Gadgets: GuideLights And Gadgets Announced As National Representatives For The New Victor Stream 3 and SensePlayer OCRGuideLights And Gadgets is excited to announce that we are now national representatives for both the new Victor Stream 3 and the SensePlayer OCR. As we already make leather cases for both products, we have put together two bundles for each player. The first bundle contains the player, a set of Bluetooth earbuds, our leather case, and a 128GB SD card and they are priced at $600 for the Stream and $850 for the SensePlayer. The second bundle substitutes a set of Bluetooth bone conduction high volume and lightweight open ear headphones with the prices being just $625 and $825 respectively. For more information, we can be reached at: 3) Sponsorship Package UpdatesAvailability: There are 4 Top Tech Tidbits Sponsorship Packages currently available. Join industry leaders and begin reaching over 29,000 access technology professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. All while supporting the ongoing distribution of Top Tech Tidbits for those very same readers. Only $100 USD Per Month. While Packages Last. Please consider joining us today: 4) Premium Subscriber UpdatesNext Issue: Premium Subscribers will receive their 6th issue of the 60 Most Clicked Tidbits for April, May and June 2023 on Monday, October 2, 2023. Back Issues: There are currently 5 back issues available. Premium Subscribers are entitled to all back issues, anytime they sign up. All available back issues will be sent to you via email within 24 hours of purchasing your subscription. Please Join Us: If you would like to receive a perfectly formatted and searchable Word Document with each of the 60 Most Clicked Tidbits of the last 3 months listed neatly within it, please consider joining us today for just $1 a month: 5) Sponsored Tidbits Now AvailableUse Sponsored Tidbits to reach the access community when you need to. Whether you are a current Sponsor or not. Drive traffic to your access product and service announcements, events, updates or fundraisers using this incredibly cost-effective and easy-to-use advertisement tool. Learn more today at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/sponsored-tidbits.html. 6) Follow Top Tech Tidbits On Your Preferred ChannelIn addition to receiving Top Tech Tidbits via email every Thursday morning at 6:00 AM ET you can also pick up the newsletter and its trending articles on any of the following channels: 7) AI UpdatesSkip this Tidbit to skip all updates on AI. A) The Future Of Artificial Intelligence In AccessibilityAI is already playing a massive part in our lives; however, what role does artificial intelligence play in accessibility? Here, Mike Taylor, Senior Accessibility Analyst, Comms and Training Manager from the Digital Accessibility Centre explores: B) Introducing Eleven Multilingual v2: Our Most Advanced AI Yet with 20 New Languages | ElevenLabsOur new, enhanced model now supports 28 languages, bringing marked improvements in expressiveness, stability and quality. Eleven Multilingual v2 can automatically discern all languages from a single prompt and maintain each speaker's unique accent and voice characteristics across all the languages. To dive in, simply select Eleven Multilingual v2 from the drop-down menu in Speech Synthesis and enter text in your preferred language to generate spoken audio. To get the perfect accent, select an appropriate voice from our Voice Library or clone your own: 8) Apple UpdatesSkip this Tidbit to skip all updates on Apple. A) Voice Control More Important Than Siri, Yet Has Fallen Behind, Say Disabled People | 9to5MacDisabled people who rely on Apple's accessibility features say that Voice Control has fallen behind Siri in both accuracy and capabilities, despite being an essential rather than a nice-to-have. They say it's frustrating to see the Cupertino company continue to make improvements to Siri, while Voice Control — which is key to many disabled people being able to use Apple tech — has apparently been forgotten: B) Apple Support App Update Brings Accessibility And Specialty Services Details | August 21, 2023 | 9to5MacAfter launching a big overhaul of the Apple Support app in May and expanding it to Vietnam, Apple has released a small but useful update for the app today that brings more details about nearby locations: C) The Top New Features in Apple's iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 | Wired: Subscription RequiredLearn about the NameDrop, Contact Posters, and Adaptive Audio — all coming to your iPhone later this year: D) How Apple's WatchOS 9 Can Help You With Tech | AbilityNetDid you know you can control your Apple Watch using hand gestures and wrist movements? Apple's watchOS 9 release has unveiled even more sophisticated accessibility options, and here we provide tips about how to access them. Benefit from a new set of guidance which outlines simple step-by-step instructions for how Apple's watchOS 9 release will transform how you interact with some of your tech: 9) JAWS with Microsoft Office Power Tip: How To Enable or Disable Protected View in Office Applications | Freedom ScientificProtected View is a read-only mode in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. It is available in MS Office 365 and all versions dating back to 2010. By default, when you open a file from an online location or email attachment, it will open in this view to protect your computer from harmful malware. JAWS will indicate the file was opened in Protected View, but you will not be able to navigate it using your arrow keys. Activating the Enable Editing button will permit you to read and edit the file, but these buttons can be difficult to locate. You can disable Protected View, which allows you to read and edit files as you ordinarily would when opening them: 10) JAWS Power Tips: Using JAWS Commands to Extract a Microsoft Teams Chat Transcript and a Similar Bonus Tip With Excel | David Goldfield | Tech-VI ListMy employer regularly hosts internal talks on Microsoft Teams relating to accessibility. As often happens during these meetings there is a chat which can optionally take place among the meeting participants where questions and comments can be written for others to view and respond. These meetings are hosted by my manager who one day asked me if I could provide him with a transcript of a chat session from these events. I researched this and couldn't find any native commands from within Teams for extracting and saving a chat transcript. However, using commands which are specific to JAWS I figured out a fairly easy way to accomplish this task: 11) An Amazing JAWS Power Tip From Leo Bado: How to Modify Voice Parameters of Eloquence Such as Pitch Fluctuation, Roughness, Head Size and Breathiness | David Goldfield | Tech-VI ListLeo Bado posted this tip to the JFW discussion group and in doing so he has done a great service to users of JAWS. There are a few things I should say by way of introduction along with some warnings: 12) Boost Your Browsing Experience With The Ctrl + F6 Keyboard Shortcut | National Council Of Blind IrelandI am a JAWS user and recently I have discovered a good hotkey that I find myself using a lot more when I am browsing the web or working on a website. It's CTRL + F6. What it does is get you back to the main page, regardless of what part of the website you were at the time you pressed it. Have you ever found yourself tabbing through a webpage, going too far, going past the bottom of the page, and realizing that what you may have wanted is nearer to the top? And so, in the past, you may just have pressed TAB numerous times to get back to the page content. But an easier way is to press CTRL+ F6 and it will get you there in one keystroke: 13) Follow Conversations With Ease Using Spatial Audio In Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft released spatial audio for Teams to improve communication and reduce meeting fatigue in audio and video conferences. Spatial audio aims to mimic an in-person conversation by spatially separating the voices of individual meeting participants, which results in a more natural listening experience. Creating realistic and engaging audio and video experiences that simulate dynamic real-world scenarios comes with challenges. For example, we rely on binaural hearing (that is, we use both ears) to help identify and distinguish the sources of sounds in the physical world. However, most audio and video communication applications today provide monophonic audio where speech signals from different participants are transmitted in a single audio channel, thus stripping away valuable spatial context our minds may be anticipating: 14) Connect 12 Tutorial No. 35: Dictionary App Overview - Prodigi 4.8 | YouTubeEmbark on an exciting journey through the latest Connect 12 update (version 4.8) as we introduce an innovative addition that transforms the way you learn and comprehend. Get ready to explore the all-new Dictionary application, meticulously crafted to enhance your reading experience and provide unparalleled support for educational activities: 15) How To Get Siri To Read Articles Out Loud On iOS 17 | Cool Blind TechOn your iPhone, you can now ask Siri to read articles out loud. While speech-to-text has been available for a while, asking Siri to read any open articles is a new iOS 17 feature: 16) Tips And Tricks For New Mastodon Users | AllThingsTechHere I focus on tips and tricks for new users that will help get you started and hopefully get you connected with others in a better, quicker way: 17) Beginner's Guide To Accessible Tables | August 22, 2023 | PopeTechAccessible data tables use proper HTML like table headers, captions, and the scope attribute. This HTML helps screen reader users by announcing how many rows and columns there are and telling them the table headings before reading the information in the cell. That way the user knows what header the data relates to: 18) Fix for Narrator Released for Windows 11 22 H2 KB5029351 (OS Build 22621.2215) PreviewThis update addresses an issue that affects Narrator. It does not correctly identify the search box on the taskbar and search highlights within the search box: 19) Version 2.0.2 — Brailliant BI X and Mantis Q40 Update | HumanWare | YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgbMJ5GnF04 20) Announcing BrailleBlaster 2.1.1-betahttps://www.brailleblaster.org/ 21) Google's New Feature Ensures Your Pixel Phone Hasn't Been Hacked. Here's How It Works | Wired: Subscription RequiredPixel Binary Transparency is the latest security benefit for Pixel owners: 22) The Braille Transformation Has Begun: Meet Monarch | Andrew Flatres | HumanWareFor years, accessing braille textbooks and tactile graphics has been a global challenge, leading to limited exposure for blind students due to time and cost constraints. However, #Humanware and #APH are working together to overcome these barriers through their partnership and commitment to innovation. The "Pixel" project, also known as Monarch, is making significant progress in creating an evolutionary new braille highway, bringing textbooks and tactile graphics to the fingertips much sooner. We will soon be conducting beta and field testing and are still seeking organization that want to join our ambassador group. If you are interested in being an early adopter of the technology please email monarch@humanware.com alternatively if you are interested in being involved in beta testing and a teacher training program please visit the following website and submit your application: 23) Robot Uses Sign Language to Communicate with Deaf-Blind Persons | Voice of America News | YouTubeFor the deaf-blind person, the combination of vision and hearing loss can make for a confined and isolating existence. A startup in Boston is developing a robot to expand communication and access to information. VOA's Tina Trinh has more: 24) Did an Amazon Update Accidentally Brick Fire TV Devices? | PC MagazineA number of Amazon Fire TV Sticks are stuck at the logo screen following a recent update. Amazon appears stumped by the problem: 25) Introducing Soundscape Community: A New Era for Soundscape | David Redmond | National Council of Blind IrelandWhat is Soundscape Community? We had a really exciting episode of Talking Technology this week as we revealed the first details of Soundscape Community. In an NCBI Labs live event on the 4th of August 2021, Microsoft announced that their Soundscape app was coming to Ireland. However, just 495 days later, they announced that the app would be sunset and its code made open source. This meant it was up to developers to decide what happened next. Back when this announcement was made it was devastating for avid users of the app. We had a chat in our Christmas special last year about the news, and it seemed very unclear what the future had in store. What happened next though was really exciting, and an outcome that seemed far-fetched back in December. A consortium made up of NCBI (National Council of Blind Ireland), Inclusion and Accessibility Labs (IA Labs), and others came together to resurrect the app: 26) Announcement of LibreOffice 7.6 Community | August 21, 2023https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2023/08/21/libreoffice-7-6-community/ 27) List of Technology Guides for Blind Users | National Braille PressBelow is a list of current Technology Guides for Blind Users compiled by the National Braille Press: ➜ Featured SurveysSubmit your access-related survey for consideration within this section using this form: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-survey.Closing: Ongoing | Surveys From APHSurveys help inform APH of the greatest needs in the community so they can gear their efforts toward making sure those needs are met. Ongoing APH surveys can be found here: Closing: August 25, 2023 | Photo Privacy Management Accessibility StudyWould you like to participate in a paid research study to improve the accessibility of photo applications? The University of Washington, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and University of Colorado Boulder are researching ways to design accessible privacy preserving features in photo applications. We are recruiting blind people with experience taking photos for this research project. If you meet our recruitment criteria, we will invite you to take part in a survey study and a 2-hour session where you will try out a screen-reader-based application for detecting and removing private content in photos. Each participant will be compensated with a $65 Amazon gift card. Please feel free to forward this to anyone who you think may be interested. To participate, please first fill out a screening survey in the following link: Closing: September 1, 2023 | Autonomous Vehicle Perceptions by the Blind and Low Vision | Abigail Kuborn, Graduate Student, Indiana University School of OptometryI am Abigail Kuborn, a graduate student at the Indiana University School of Optometry researching user accessibility within autonomous or self-driving vehicles. We are investigating how diverse types of vision loss create different challenges and needs in transportation. Specifically, this project is investigating how blind and low vision users would prefer to interact with an autonomous vehicle. The future of this project is to partner with car manufacturers and shape the design of accessible technologies for users with any level of vision. I am looking for low vision and blind adults over the age of 18 who live in the United States to participate in my study. To be eligible for this study, participants must: Be over age 18. Speak English. Be blind or have low vision. This study consists of one phone call lasting about half an hour. We will have you complete a questionnaire over the phone about general characteristics about yourself, your travel behaviors, and your views about autonomous/self-driving vehicles. All of your responses will be anonymous and confidential. Participants who complete the questionnaire will be entered into a drawing for three $100 gift cards. To begin the study, please go to: https://redcap.link/participateIUSO. If you would prefer to talk to me directly, you can call me at (262) 416-3386 📱️. If you have any questions before, during or after the study, feel free to contact me at (262) 416-3386 📱️ or by email at amkuborn@iu.edu 📧️. Thank you in advance for your time and participation in my research study. ➜ Featured Podcast EpisodesSubmit your access-related Podcast Episode for consideration within this section using this form: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-podcast-episode.August 12, 2023 | LBPD TUG: YouTube App & SiteOn Saturday, August 12, the Technology User Group (TUG) will profile the YouTube website and the YouTube app. Learn how to use both applications effectively: managing play controls, subscribing, skipping ads and saving. Finding premium content will also be discussed: August 17, 2023 | Learning Braille for Everyday Use | Hadley Presents: A Conversation with the ExpertsListen in as Hadley member, Wendy Spencer Davis, shares why she decided to learn some braille and how it's helping her in everyday life: August 18, 2023 | Manage Google Calendar with JAWSAre you looking for ways to navigate and manage Google Calendar with JAWS? If so, this podcast is for you. We'll provide an overview of navigating Google Calendar with JAWS, plus show you how to: Create events, tasks, and appointments. Access and change Settings. Access a list of Google Calendar keyboard commands. Change to a different view. Go to a specific date. Share your calendar. Use add-ons: August 18, 2023 | Could ChatGPT Soon File For Bankruptcy & Lazarillo Comes To BlindShell | Double Tap TVToday on the show, Steven and Shaun dive into the Inbox once again to read through more of your comments, but first Shaun wants to question where our world's morals have gone. It's a tech show, honest! Also, the guys discuss the news that ChatGPT is close to filing for bankruptcy after losing $540 million since it launched in 2021. And Michael Babcock drops in with news of a popular travel app called Lazarillo coming to the BlindShell Classic 2 smartphone: August 19, 2023 | Seleste, Kapsys, Audio Sunglasses & A Birdcall Identification App | DoubleTapToday on the show, Steven and Shaun review the big tech news stories of the week with Grace Scoffield, and we hear some of the big interviews and reviews from this week on Double Tap. There's also the chance to hear from Seleste's Shubh Mittal about the Canadian company's new audio and video glasses that connect to a smartphone, and Robert Felgar tells us about the new SmartVision 3 mobile smartphone from Kapsys. Plus, we have two listener reviews this week: Gordon gets in touch to talk about his new audio sunglasses, while Lena tells us about an to identify and discover bird calls called Merlin Bird ID: August 19, 2023 | Blind Android Users Podcast Episode 141: History of the Samsung UI and Android 14 Beta 5.1In our Android Basics segment we highlighted the 4 fixes that Android 14 Beta 5.1 addresses. Next, we highlight the history of the Samsung UI, beginning with TouchWiz up to its current UI, the One UI. Review Of The Samsung Zflip5. John Dyer reviews the Samsung Galaxy ZFlip5. The HIMS Sense Player. HIMS has a new Sense Player with a screen reader and not only so, but it allows the side loading of Android APK's. Our friend Jerry Jicha shows you how to go about side loading an APK to the Sense Player. Kareen Kiwan updates us by showing us the new features or the “What's new” found in CSR for the months of July and August 2023. Tip Of The Week. In this episode's “Tip of the Week,” John demonstrates how you can use the launcher of your choice for the outer cover of your ZFlip5. | Android 14 Beta 5.1 Release Notes | Samsung Galaxy Flip 5 | The HIMS Sense Player | REP: August 20, 2023 | Living Blindfully Episode 244: iOS 17 Towards The End Of Its Test Phase, Listeners Comment On SensePlayer 2.0, And Some Concerning Absences From MastodonAugust 23, 2023 | Eyes on Success Episode 2334: Going Beyond the Words in Documents and PresentationsCreating impactful documents and presentations is important for connecting with sighted individuals in all walks of life. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Judy Dixon about her latest books, "Designing Documents for Appearance" and "The Power of PowerPoint", that give tips on how those who are visually impaired can produce such material: August 24, 2023 | Top Tech Tidbits Podcast for Thursday, August 24, 2023Tune in each week as we announce the Top 5 Most Clicked Tidbits of the week. These 5 news items represent the most popular news and trends in access technology today, as voted on by Top Tech Tidbits readers: ➜ Featured Webinars, Training Courses and EventsSubmit your access-related Webinar, Training Course or Event for consideration within this section using this form: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-event.August 29, 2023 — August 30, 2023 | Web Accessibility in Mind ConferenceThe second annual Web Accessibility in Mind Conference is presented by WebAIM in partnership with Pope Tech. This virtual conference will provide conference participants with content that will help them mature their practice in digital accessibility. Our goals include: Provide a diverse range of perspectives from a diverse group of speakers. Share solutions to accessibility challenges. Give advice and guidance that helps our participants to actively contribute to providing more accessible digital spaces. Bring together a cross section of public and private sector technology professionals from organizations large and small. The Web Accessibility in Mind Conference will be held online on August 29-30, 2023 from 12pm-5:10pm US Eastern Time (with a one-hour break at 2:10pm) each day. Register: August 30, 2023 | JAWS: Testing for Website Accessibility (Assistive Technology Webinar) | Access Ingenuity10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT August 31, 2023 | FSOpenline | Freedom Scientific5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT on 9/1 September 7, 2023 | Using JAWS Inspect and JAWS Connect for Testing | TPGi9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT September 7, 2023 | Zoom Basics Using JAWS | Computers For The Blind | Marci Duty and Stephen Guerra4:30PM PT, 5:30PM MT, 6:30PM CT, 7:30 PM ET, 11:30PM GMT September 13, 2023 | Connect 12's New Dictionary Powered By Oxford Languages HumanWare9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT September 21, 2023 | Inclusive Design 24Inclusive Design 24 (#id24) is a free 24-hour online event for the global community. It celebrates inclusive design and shares knowledge and ideas from analogue to digital, from design to development, from planners to practitioners, and everything and everyone in between: September 26, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day September 29, 2023 | Blindness and Mental Health Webinar | Accessible Pharmacy9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT October 4, 2023 | FEMA Nationwide EAS Test11:20AM PT, 12:20PM MT, 1:20PM CT, 2:20PM ET, 6:20PM GMT October 13, 2023 | Blindness and Clinical Trials Webinar | Accessible Pharmacy9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 4PM GMT October 24, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 12AM GMT Next Day November 6, 2023 through November 10, 2023 | Accessing Higher Ground | Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference. Hilton Denver City Center, Denver, Colorado: November 28, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 11PM GMT December 1, 2023 and December 2, 2023 | Blind Health Expo 2023 | Exhibitor and Attendee Registration Now OpenThe Blind Health Expo is the largest virtual event of healthcare information, products, services, and medication for individuals in the blind, low vision, and disability communities. Exhibitors can: Register for free. Interact with thousands of attendees. Showcase their products and services: December 26, 2023 | Tech It Out | Monthly Hadley Discussion Group5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 11PM GMT ➜ Directories1) Top Tech Tidbits Blind And Visually Impaired App Directoryhttps://toptechtidbits.com/app-directory.html 2) Top Tech Tidbits Blind And Visually Impaired Game Directoryhttps://toptechtidbits.com/game-directory.html 3) Top Tech Tidbits Blind And Visually Impaired Listserv Directoryhttps://toptechtidbits.com/listserv-directory.html 4) Top Tech Tidbits Blind And Visually Impaired Podcast Directoryhttps://toptechtidbits.com/podcast-directory.html ➜ Buy, Sell or TradeList your new, gently-used or refurbished item in FOUR (4) consecutive issues of Top Tech Tidbits for just $5 USD by filling out this short form: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-buy-sell-trade.1) FOR SALE: One Gently Used Braille Labeled Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK MixerListing Date: 8/24/2023 | Price: $950.00 USD | Condition: Gently Used. | Description: Price includes shipping in USA. Product still under warranty. Dive into a world of superior audio mixing and recording with the Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK. This analog mixer is in like-new condition, having been carefully maintained and presenting no signs of wear or tear. The detailed pictures, available upon request, clearly showcase the immaculate state of this unit. Features: Multi-Track USB Interface. Iconic Soundcraft Ghost Mic Preamps. Soundcraft Sapphyre British EQ. Lexicon Effects Engine. High-Quality Metal Construction. Braille Labeling (can be removed if not required). The Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK offers a comprehensive mixing solution for both live and studio environments. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an aspiring audio engineer, this mixer is sure to elevate your creative endeavors. | Contact: Mike via email at: mike@mikecalvo.com 📧️ or by phone / text at: (612) 246-4818 📱️. | 2) FOR SALE: One Buy, Sell or Trade Advertisement (Just like this one.)Price: $5.00 USD | Description: List your new, gently-used or refurbished item in FOUR (4) consecutive issues of Top Tech Tidbits for just $5 USD. | Buy an Ad: Fill out this short form to secure your Buy, Sell or Trade Advertisement today. | Learn more at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/buy-sell-trade.html. ➜ Sponsor Classified AdsSponsors may submit or update their Classified Advertisement at any time by submitting this short form: https://toptechtidbits.com/submit-sponsor-classified.Sponsor: Wordvoyance➜ Classified Advertisement: FREE: Wordvoyance: A Scrabble Game For Screen ReadersIntroducing: The first and only scrabble app that blind and sighted players can play together! 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I have made over 100 thousand documents accessible, provided hundreds of trainings in the areas of accessibility and document remediation, and reviewed many websites and mobile applications for accessibility. I have developed and reviewed VPATs, LMS courses, and other pieces of training. I am the accessibility swiss army knife. Let me be your personal accessibility expert. ➜ Over 13 years of experience in the field of accessibility. ➜ Passionate about providing equal access to information for everyone. ➜ Wide range of project experience, including document accessibility, training, and more. ➜ Expertise in captioning, assistive technology, and accessibility best practices. I'm here to help you create a more accessible world. The Blog: This blog covers topics like making Word, PDF & PowerPoint files accessible, Closed Captioning, assistive technology, and other important accessibility topics. Training and Consulting: Offering customized training and consulting for implementing accessibility best practices. Accessible Document Service: Providing top-tier document remediation services for all types of files, ensuring compliance with WCAG, 508, and PDF UA standards. Sponsor: GlidanceSponsor Since: July 20th 2023 Website: https://glidance.io/ 🌐 About: Fun and easy, you'll just love going out. You walk with confidence, and Glide will simply guide you where you want to go. Just Grab Your Glide And Walk With Confidence Portable, Light And Versatile Easy To Use Affordable Quick To Learn Feel Confident Get started with Glide today at: https://glidance.io/. Sponsor: EchobatixSponsor Since: July 20th 2023 Website: https://echobatix.com/ 🌐 App: Download the Echobatix App from the Apple App Store here. About: Echobatix develops accessibility products and indoor navigation systems for the blind, the DeafBlind, and those with low vision. Our technology complements the use of a cane or guide dog and your existing Orientation and Mobility (O&M) skills. Our first app is an accessibility tool for printed text, touch screens, kiosks, and signage. Read what's at the end of your finger. Speak to search for a word. Sponsor: Ayes.ai➜ Classified Advertisement: Every Traffic Light Accessible With The OKO ApplicationAYES is happy to announce the launch of our new application OKO. OKO uses artificial intelligence and the back camera to recognize the pedestrian traffic light and inform the user of the walk, don't walk and the countdown state. We bring this state back to the user with three types of feedback, visual overlay, vibrations and audio feedback. The application does not rely on any adaptations to the traffic light and runs locally on the smartphone, this means that it works at every intersection. We always recommend to hold the phone at chest level with the camera pointing towards the direction that you want to cross. You can then rotate your chest between 10 to 15 degrees to locate the pedestrian traffic light. The moment we see that light the software immediately reacts. This helps to orient in the right direction and also stops you from veering off into traffic because the moment you veer off the feedback stops, you reorient and receive feedback to continue in the right direction. https://apps.apple.com/be/app/oko-by-ayes/id1583614988Sponsor Since: March 16th 2023 Website: https://ayes.ai/ 🌐 App: Download the OKO App from the Apple App Store here. Email: hello@ayes.ai 📧️ About: AYES was founded by three experienced AI engineers that are defining autonomous navigation for blind and visually impaired people. AYES.ai is the creator of the OKO App. Simply point the back camera of the phone towards the intersection that you want to cross and the OKO application will instantly detect the traffic light and inform the user through audio and haptic feedback. The OKO application can provide multiple services for your company, city or your country, all independent of physical infrastructure. This can increase your accessibility to 100%, overnight. OKO provides an accessible traffic light at every intersection. And, best of all, all OKO data is completely anonymized, ensuring your personal privacy at all times. The OKO app is fully independent from infrastructure and does not require a Wi-Fi or Cellular connection to operate at full capacity. The algorithm runs locally on your device, meaning that it works consistently and reliably every single time. The application has been trained on more than 150,000 images and continues to improve. Download the app today. Sponsor: Sterling Adaptives, LLC➜ Classified Advertisement: Limited Time Introductory Pricing On The New Victor Reader Stream 3!With the NEW Victor Reader Stream 3, it's so easy to take your books, music, and more wherever you go. Imagine being able to listen to the latest novels, magazines, or your favorite music, podcasts, and your own voice recordings, all in the palm of your hand. With its sleek, compact design and easy-to-grip edges, the digital media player gives you hours of listening wherever you are and a superior text-to-speech experience in multiple languages. Take advantage of our introductory pricing on the NEW Victor Reader Stream 3! Order today or call (415) 878-2922 📱️. Use promo code TOPTECH for Free Shipping! https://sterlingadaptives.com/products/humanware-victor-reader-stream-3rd-generation Sponsor Since: March 9th 2023 Website: https://sterlingadaptives.com/ 🌐 Shop: https://sterlingadaptives.com/collections/vision-products Phone: (415) 878-2922 📱️ Email: info@sterlingadaptives.com 📧️ Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, Pacific Standard Time Social: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram About: Based in California, Sterling Adaptives supplies the most technologically advanced equipment and software currently available. We serve those who are blind or have visual impairment and also others with disabilities. We have a showroom in Santa Rosa and can also meet in the comfort of your home. We supply a full range of computer hardware, software, peripherals, and assistive technology products. We are able to provide demonstrations, installations, troubleshooting, and ongoing product training. We work with private individuals, non-profit agencies, private organizations, educational establishments, and commercial enterprises. We help our customers fully realize their potential. We are known for providing you and your clients with the standards of service that you demand and that result in the right product at the right time and with the right backup service. We look forward to hearing from you and being afforded the opportunity to show you just how Sterling our service is! Sponsor: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc.Sponsor Since: December 29th 2022 Website: https://lhblind.org/ 🌐 Phone: (800) 914-7307 📱️ Fax: (206) 329-3397 ░ Contact Us: https://lhblind.org/contact-us/ About: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit social enterprise providing employment, support, and training opportunities for people who are blind, deafblind, and blind with other disabilities. The Lighthouse has provided employment and support to people who are blind in our community since 1918. The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. is a successful manufacturing organization with over 60 years of experience in precision machining. We produce an array of machined parts and plastic injection molding for various aerospace manufacturers, as well as a host of office products and hydration equipment sold to the Federal Government and the U.S. Military. We also own and operate stores on military bases along the West Coast. Our products and services include: • Manufacturing: We are a successful manufacturing organization committed to making jobs accessible to individuals who are blind. Our manufacturing operations center on making quality products for the Federal Government under the AbilityOne Program and producing parts for aerospace manufacturers. • Managed Services: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. offers a variety of services to our commercial, federal, and military customers. These include Contract Management Support (CMS) services for government contracting offices. • Base Supply Centers: We operate 12 AbilityOne Base Supply Centers (BSCs) that offer easy customer access to Lighthouse products, direct feedback and communication with customers, and employment opportunities for individuals who are blind in geographic areas not served by larger nonprofit agencies. Sponsor: WayAround➜ Classified Advertisement: Have You Tried The Best Way to Label Things if You're Blind or Have Low Vision?WayAround is a smartphone-based labeling app that works with your preferred accessibility settings. You just need the free mobile app and some WayTags ® to label items in the kitchen, garden, closet, office & more. If you want to label something that's inside, outside, wet, dry, hot, or cold, there's a WayTag that will attach securely. WayTags come as stickers, buttons, magnets, and clips. Each of the different styles of WayTags work exactly the same. Simply choose the WayTag that's best for what you want to label. ➜ Label your kitchen, clothing, or medication. Keep adding more WayTags! Use any style of tag, in any order. There's no limit to the number of WayTags you can use. So you can rely on one system to label all your things. Try our Starter Pack to experience ALL of the different types of WayTags! Sponsor Since: January 5, 2023 Website: https://www.wayaround.com/ 🌐 General Sales & Support: (888) 898-4465 📱️ Business Sales & Support: (888) 898-4465 📱️ Email: connect@wayaround.com 📧️ About: WayAround is the app for your smart device that provides on-demand details about everyday things. The simple tag-and-scan approach lets you quickly and easily identify things around you. It also provides extra details, like how something works or when it expires. The result? Doing more of the things you want, with more confidence and more independence. All the information you want with just a tap of your phone. No more waiting around to ask someone. You need just two things to get started: The free mobile app for iOS or Android and some of our smart WayTags®. Accessible labels for the blind, deafblind, and anyone with vision loss. Your biggest problem isn't poor eyesight. It's that so much of the information in the world is visual. But you shouldn't have to wait around for someone else to get the information you need. Or carry around a bulky, outdated device. There is a better way to get accurate and complete information every time. So you can reduce stress and gain independence. Download The App (Apple): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wayaround-tag-and-scan/id1294361140?mt=8 Download The App (Android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wayaround.wayaround Sponsor: AiraSponsor Since: August 4th 2022 Website: https://aira.io/ 🌐 Download the App: Apple App Store | Google Play Store Plans and Pricing: https://aira.io/pricing/ Phone: NA: +1.800.835.1934 📱️ | AU: +1.800.765.096 📱️ | UK: +0.800.046.5668 📱️ | NZ: +1.800.425.451 📱️ Text Message: NA: +1.858.242.4457 📲 | AU: +61.488.839.767 📲 | UK: +44.149.320.2474 📲 Email: support@aira.io 📧️ Social: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram About: Aira's mission is to remove barriers and make the world more accessible with visual interpreting. We provide a live, human-to-human professional assistance service, an accommodation or productivity tool, that enhances independence by delivering on-demand, skilled and reliable visual interpreting for just about any task. Using the powerful combination of a camera and the Aira app on someone's device of 'choice', a professionally-trained agent will assist by visually interpreting what is in the camera's view or on screen, from describing to reading, from explaining to navigating - just about anything, safely and securely. Aira supports a growing range of devices including smart and tactile button phones, desktop computers and soon, wearables. Whether you are involved in the work of business, the work of school or the work of life, Aira enhances everyday efficiency, engagement, and independence. Used by employees and customers of hundreds of organizations including airports, banks, the largest software companies, financial firms, retailers and universities, we invite you to join the community, access the Aira app today and try it for free. Step One: Subscribe and Download. Pick the plan that lets you explore on your terms and on your time, sign up in a few minutes, and download the Aira app to your smartphone. Plans shown are for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Add or cancel at any time. Step Two: Connect with an Aira Agent. On the first call, connect with one of our certified, specially-trained Agents and learn how everything works. Step Three: Real-time Assistance. At the touch of a button, Aira delivers instant access to visual information, when and where you want it. Sponsor: Fable➜ Classified Advertisement: Learn Management Skills For Free. Get The Job You Want.Everyone deserves equal access to the internet which is why Fable works with people with disabilities who use assistive technologies like switch controls to improve the accessibility of websites and apps. Fable Pathways, a free, accessible, and on-demand skill-building program, is an extension of Fable's mission. Fable Pathways provides new opportunities for people with disabilities to gain the skills they need, from experts like Judy Heumann and Kelly Ford, to contribute to improving digital accessibility. Sponsor Since: June 30th 2022 Website: https://makeitfable.com/ 🌐 Email: community@makeitfable.com 📧️ Phone: (888) 212-3532 📱️ Extension 810 About: Just like curb cuts help everyone get on and off sidewalks, designing digital products with accessibility in mind helps make the internet more accessible for everyone. Fable is an accessibility platform powered by people with disabilities. Fable connects people with disabilities to accessibility managers, user researchers, designers, and developers to build incredible and accessible user experiences. Opportunities: ➜ Fable Pathways: Fable Pathways is a free skill development program for people with disabilities interested in working in the tech sector. Sign up to take your career to the next level. Courses include "Getting started in web development" taught by Kelly Ford, a screen reader user, and Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, and "Becoming a manager" taught by Fable's Head of Accessibility Innovation, Kate Kalcevich. Instructors are subject matter experts in their fields and have lived experience with disability. Pathways courses are free, self-paced and assistive-technology-friendly. Sign up now at https://makeitfable.com/. ➜ Fable's Community of Accessibility Testers: Work from home to contribute to real changes in digital accessibility and make the internet a more accessible place for everyone. Ever leave a website because it was too hard to navigate? Because it was missing button labels? Because it didn't respond to voice commands? Us too. Our community of testers who use assistive technologies work from home and contribute to real changes in digital accessibility with recognizable brands. Earn money to share your feedback on websites and apps of your favorite brands and work with companies that care. No experience required and no resume required. Fable is looking for assistive technology users in the USA and Canada to work the hours that they want, from the comfort of their own homes. Learn more at https://makeitfable.com/community/. Sponsor: Clusiv➜ Classified Advertisement: Looking For Blind Job-Seekers Wanting To Advance Their Salaries, Careers And Digital Accessibility For The BlindAre you interested in learning new tech skills and working remotely while earning a competitive salary? At Clusiv.io we have created the world's first digitally accessible e-Learning platform built by the blind, and built for the blind. Visit the link provided and request Clusiv through your Vocational Rehab counselor for lifetime access to our e-Learning platform with courses such as Business Applications, JAWS, and more: Sponsor Since: June 9th 2022 Website: https://clusiv.io/ 🌐 About: As there are many challenges people in the blind community face in employment and education, Clusiv has built the world's first e-learning platform designed for the blind to provide the training, tools, and resources needed to remove barriers to the modern workforce. Our courses teach you occupational and technology skills you need towards employment. Plus, we are working to connect our graduates to internship and job opportunities. Our courses are remote, self-paced, and we provide support throughout your whole journey through our student success team, and even provide lifetime access to our courses so you can keep up to date as technology evolves. You can request Clusiv training through your vocational rehabilitation counselor and fill out the form in the link below on our website. If you are a counselor wanting to learn more about Clusiv for your clients, or an employer looking to hire Clusiv graduates, click the respective link below and fill out a form to get more info. ➜ Person Looking To Enroll In Clusiv Courses ➜ Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Looking To Learn More About Clusiv For Their Clients ➜ Employer Looking To Hire Clusiv Graduates Sponsor: Double Tap TV➜ Classified Advertisement: Subscribe to the Double Tap PodcastDouble Tap is the show where blind people talk tech! If you're blind or partially sighted and have an interest in technology, this is the show for you. Everyone is welcome no matter how old you are or how much or how little experience you have with technology. Each week the team will help you better understand how technology can help your everyday life, even if you have little or no sight. Join the conversation and add your voice to the show either by calling in, sending an email or leaving us a voicemail! Email: feedback@doubletap.online 📧️. Phone: +1 (844) 971-1999 📱️ Sponsor Since: December 23rd 2021 Email: feedback@doubletap.online 📧️ Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3BQmUTl About: Double Tap TV is a weekly tech show on AMI-tv, (also available on CBC Gem in Canada and YouTube). Each week join hosts Steven Scott (@blindguytech) and Marc Aflalo (@marcaflalo) as they help viewers better understand how technology can assist in everyday life. Its tech from an accessible point of view! The show features interviews with some of the biggest names in consumer tech and features up and coming companies and services. Sponsor: HIMS, Inc.➜ Classified Advertisement: SensePlayer 2.0 Firmware Upgrade Details RecordingDid you miss the SensePlayer firmware upgrade webinar last week? No worries - HIMS inc. has uploaded a recording of all the details discussed on our YouTube! This video is a recording of HIMS inc.'s international podcast, called SenseCast, where the latest SensePlayer update has been discussed in detail. You can find the recording at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqvtB6Ek65U. Be sure to like the video and subscribe to our YouTube channel to have quick access to HIMS inc.'s tutorials, webinars, and more. As a reminder, this update brings fixes and enhancements that are sure to delight users of the popular accessible multimedia powerhouse such as the inclusion of the new mobile screen reader that now allows for easy installation of relevant Android apps known to work well with the SensePlayer such as Apple Music, NLS BARD, Audible and more: Sponsor Since: September 30th 2021 Website: https://hims-inc.com/ 🌐 Shop All Products: https://hims-inc.com/shop-all-products/ 🛒 Phone: (512) 837-2000 📱️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R9NjA1nfWo Sales Email: sales@selvasblv.com 📧️ About: HIMS, Inc. is a global manufacturer and distributor that has provided braille, magnification and accessible healthcare devices since 1999. Sponsor: Carroll Center for the Blind➜ Classified Advertisement: Attend the Screen Reader User Tester Training Program at the Carroll Center for the BlindLaunch your career in the digital accessibility field! The Carroll Center for the Blind's new 7-week intensive Screen Reader User Tester Training program allows participants to learn and grow their ability to professionally explore, test, and report findings regarding the accessibility of websites, mobile applications, and digital document files using screen readers. Want to learn more? Start your journey to becoming a Screen Reader User Tester by visiting: Sponsor Since: August 5th 2021 Website: https://carroll.org/ 🌐 Phone: (617) 969-6200 📱️ Fax: (617) 969-6204 ░Shop: https://carroll.org/store/ 🛒 Donate: https://carroll.org/donate ❤ Social: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram About: The Carroll Center for the Blind is the foremost leader in vision rehabilitation services for individuals confronted by the challenges of vision loss. Our mission is to empower those who are blind or visually impaired to achieve independence and to lead a fulfilling life. Established in 1936, the renowned Carroll Center for the Blind has been serving those with vision impairment for over eight decades; we are known nationally as a premier Vision Rehabilitation Center. Located just outside of Boston on a sprawling campus in Newton, Massachusetts, we proudly serve ALL ages and ALL stages of vision loss. With the ongoing promise of improving the lives of people with vision-related problems, The Carroll Center for the Blind has pioneered many innovative services allowing people who are blind or have low vision to learn the skills to be independent in their homes, in class settings, and in their work places. Our services include vision rehabilitation, vocational and transition programs, assistive technology training, educational support, and recreation opportunities for individuals who are visually impaired of all ages. For over 80 years, the expertise of Carroll Center staff has provided help for thousands of blind and visually impaired persons with diverse opportunities for success and independent living. Sponsor: Pneuma Solutions➜ Classified Advertisement: Only $60/Year! BlindShell Classic 2 Now Integrates Sero for Accessible Audio Content & MoreFor just $60 a year until September 30th, 2023, users of the BlindShell Classic 2 phone can now leverage the robust Sero platform, creating an accessible, user-friendly experience for the visually impaired. Sero provides streaming radio, thousands of hours of audio content, news, forums, podcasts, and voice chat rooms, fostering an empowered community. Use the BlindShell's famous t9-driven interface, or ditch the keypad entirely and leverage Alexa on the BlindShell for hands-free access to your Sero content! This collaboration between BlindShell and Pneuma Solutions, Sero's developers, unlocks productivity features and entertainment options that enhance digital lifestyles. The future of accessible tech is here! Integrate the feature-rich Sero platform into your BlindShell device phone for only $60 a year! Sponsor Since: June 3rd 2021 Website: https://pneumasolutions.com/ 🌐 Email Newsletter: Click here to receive periodic news via email concerning Pneuma Solutions products for business, consumers and education. Sales: (866) 202-0520 📱️ Support: (650) 249-1000 📱️ About: Backed by two decades of creating award-winning accessible cloud technologies for people with visual impairments, Pneuma Solutions is the global leader in accessible cloud-based solutions. Pneuma Solutions was founded by long-time accessibility developers Mike Calvo and Matt Campbell. For more information on their individual profiles, click on their respective bio pages. We're proud to be the first company to develop cloud-based accessibility at the network level. Our tools provide organizations, like yours, a way to deliver secure, accessible information right from your network or from our secure servers. You can provide your print disabled consumers, students, employees, and citizens with a multitude of accessible options. Additionally, we offer a suite of cloud-based applications to blind and print disabled consumers directly from our website. Our consumer products are designed to make the day-to-day lives of blind and print disabled individuals more accessible and simpler to manage. Access to information is not a privilege, it's a right. It's also your right to obtain affordable, accessible cloud solutions to serve your end user. When organizations like yours implement our tools, together we help make it a more inclusive world for people with disabilities. Want to know more about how we can help you become more inclusive? Contact us here. We'll be happy to discuss how our tools can help with your accessibility needs. Sponsor: Freedom Scientific➜ Classified Advertisement: Freedom Scientific Focus Blue 5th Generation Refreshable Braille DisplaysOur world-class refreshable Braille displays deliver efficient Braille input and outstanding output for your PC or mobile device. The robust Bluetooth® connectivity provides seamless use with Windows®, Mac®, iPhones®, iPads®, and Android TM smartphones and tablets. Ergonomic navigation features allow quick, natural hand movements for greater productivity. When used with JAWS® screen reading software, they support our popular Braille Study Mode, an interactive tool for teaching and learning Braille. Learn more today: Sponsor Since: April 15th 2021 Website: https://www.freedomscientific.com/ 🌐 Email: info@vispero.com 📧️ Phone: (800) 444-4443 📱️ Facebook | Twitter | YouTube (Training) About: Freedom Scientific, a Vispero brand, is a leading worldwide brand of assistive technology products for those with vision impairments. We offer products designed to promote independence, allowing blind and low vision individuals the same access to information as their sighted peers. World-renowned JAWS (Job Access With Speech) screen reading software and ZoomText screen magnification software provide users the independence and ability to seek education and obtain or maintain a career after vision loss. Our expansive product line includes both low vision and blindness technology for all aspects of daily living. The wide range of RUBY, TOPAZ, and ONYX desktop and portable video magnifiers are designed for their ease of use and assist with daily activities. Our impressive line of blindness hardware products include refreshable Braille displays and scanning and reading devices, offering many options tailored to fit individual needs. Sponsor: Humanware➜ Classified Advertisement: BRAILLIANT Renewed! The NEW Brailliant BI X Series is here!The wait is over! A redefined family of Brailliant refreshable Braille displays has arrived! The NEW Brailliant BI X Series will help you stay connected, download books from many participating online libraries and share information easily with your peers. You will enjoy the intuitive, seamless user experience of KeySoft Lite, the HumanWare flagship accessibility suite designed to make you more productive. Including the Brailliant BI 40X and the Brailliant BI 20X, this is the Brailliant idea you need! Sponsor Since: February 4th 2021 Website: http://humanware.com/ 🌐 Phone (Asia): +61 2 9686 2600 📱️ YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRWVYiggn-w 🎥 About: HumanWare is the global leader in assistive technology for people who are blind or have low vision. HumanWare offers a wide range of innovative products, including the BrailleNote Touch, first Google certified braille tablet, the iOS compatible Brailliant braille displays, Victor Reader®, the world's leading family of digital audiobook players, the unique Prodigi® family of desktop and portable vision and reading systems, and the ultra-portable explore line of electronic handheld magnifier. Sponsor: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adaptations Online Store➜ Classified Advertisement: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adaptations Online Store Featured ProductsRevolution 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: GuideLights and Gadgets➜ Classified Advertisement: July Convention SpecialsNew Watches! Announcing our partnership with Auguste Reymond of Switzerland, maker of the best Braille watches in the world. Their prestige line for both ladies and men, in gold and silver, have CZs as Braille dots, with 4 o'clock stem openings. GRAB BAGS. We have collected a lot of useful items that for one reason or another were never sold or are the last remaining from a popular item. We have $25 $50 and $100 bags, Each will have at least 4 items with twice the bag retail value. Our 60 inch locking titanium telescopic cane is on sale for $60. we also now can supply ball and teardrop rolling tips. We have new custom leather cases at a fraction of the cost of competitors for the Stream 3, Stream 2, SensePlayer, and the Blind shell phone. Purchase an Orbit Braille display and get one of our leather cases for free. If you are at ACB, come visit Barry and Lisa at Booths 25 and 26. 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, affordable, and, whenever possible, fun! Our inventory is constantly changing, so a visit to us is never the same experience twice! Sponsor: A. T. Guys➜ Classified Advertisement: Pluggable USB-C 7-in-1 HubIf 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 Pluggable USB-C 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: Sponsor Since: June 11th 2020 Website: https://www.atguys.com/ 🌐 Phone: (269) 216-4798 📱️ Email: support@atguys.com 📧️ Skype: atguys ✆ X (Formerly 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 📱️. Your Name Here
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In addition to serving as Publisher for Top Tech Tidbits Aaron also serves as Publisher for the Access Information News Publication and is also the President and Senior Project Management Professional for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
As Publisher Aaron oversees the weekly distribution of Top Tech Tidbits as a not-for-profit project on behalf of Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Aaron also serves as a Volunteer Editor to Top Tech Tidbits.
Aaron Di Blasi, PMP
Publisher (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits
The Week's News in Access Technology
https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐
Publisher (2022-Present)
Access Information News
The Week's News in Access Information
https://accessinformationnews.com 🌐
Sr. Project Management Professional (2006 - Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
https://mvsltd.com 🌐
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A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication: https://mvsltd.com
Volunteer Editor Since: June 4th 2020
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST/MDT) (GMT-7/GMT-6)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits, John also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News Publication and is also an attorney-at-law specializing in long-term disability claims for blind and visually impaired persons.
John is also a long-time contractor and member of the Board of Trustees at Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
John Hanlin, Esq.
Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits
The Week's News in Access Technology
https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐
Editor (2022-Present)
Access Information News
The Week's News in Access Information
https://accessinformationnews.com 🌐
Board of Trustees (2006 - Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
https://mvsltd.com 🌐
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A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication: https://mvsltd.com
Volunteer Editor Since: June 4th 2020
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST/CDT) (GMT-6/GMT-5)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits, Jenna also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News Publication and runs her own advocacy foundation.
Jenna also serves as a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Jenna's son was born blind and she is always seeking new and innovative ways to empower him through technology.
Jenna Lang, PMP
Editor (2020-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits
The Week's News in Access Technology
https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐
Editor (2022-Present)
Access Information News
The Week's News in Access Information
https://accessinformationnews.com 🌐
Project Management Professional (2022 - Present)
Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd.
Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform.
https://mvsltd.com 🌐
Email: editors@toptechtidbits.com 📧️
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A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication: https://mvsltd.com
Editor Since: October 7th 2021
Location: Los Angeles, California
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits, Alex is also an Accessible Technology Coordinator for California State University, Dominguez Hills. He has worked in accessibility in higher education since 2005, is certified by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, and in his spare time plays for the San Gabriel Valley Panthers Beep Baseball Team. He can be reached on twitter at: @samarositz.
Stephen (Alex) Marositz
Editor (2021-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits
The Week's News in Access Technology
https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐
Accessible Technology Coordinator
California State University, Dominguez Hills
https://csudh.edu 🌐
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A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication: https://mvsltd.com
Editor Since: January 1st 2022
Location: Newcastle, Australia
Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits, Ben is also an Access and Technology Advisor for Guide Dogs, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT).
Hi, Tidbits readers, my name's Ben Moxey and I'm based in Newcastle, Australia. I'm really happy to be part of the Tidbits Team and look forward to supporting this valuable publication.
A bit about me and how I came to work in the BVI area. I grew up with very low vision in one eye due to retinal issues and relied on magnification and speech throughout school. They also tried to teach me Braille, but let's just say that I wasn't the best student! I was determined to use my remaining vision, no matter how impractical it was becoming.
When I was 20, the other retina came off and I've now been totally blind for about 21 years. This is when my love for assistive technology, and technology in general, really kicked in. I'll be honest, I was a bit of a computer nerd anyway, but I could quickly see how technology was my key to enhanced independence and lifestyle. I embraced screen readers, early smart phones and mobility aids. I even finally realised the huge value of Braille and finished off the course, though I'm still pretty slow!
Long story short (not one of my strong points), I've worked in the BVI area for 12 years with much of that spent reviewing, recommending and teaching assistive technology that suits the individual. I'm currently a proud employee of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT where I was the Practice Lead for the assistive technology service, and I've now moved into an Access and Technology Advisor role. Basically, this involves a strong focus on accessibility and technology innovation.
Feel free to look me up on LinkedIn, but I'll warn you in advance that I haven't given my profile the recommended attention!
All the best and happy reading!
Ben Moxey
Editor (2022-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits
The Week's News in Access Technology
https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐
Access and Technology Advisor
Guide Dogs, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT)
https://nsw.guidedogs.com.au 🌐
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A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication: https://mvsltd.com
Volunteer Editorial Contributor Since: February 6, 2023
Location: Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia
Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10)
In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits, David also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News Publication and is also the National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor for Vision Australia where he has worked since 1990. Over this time he has assisted people who are blind or vision impaired in their home, education, and work settings to take advantage of the benefits of using assistive and main stream technology.
In the last seventeen years, he has also been involved with evaluating technology for use by people who are blind or vision impaired covering both low and high tech equipment (including Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and Apple). David is also one of the key spokespersons for Vision Australia relating to technology.
He has been an Apple Ambassador for Apple Australia since 2009 with a group of other Ambassadors / Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE)'s covering the range of Apple's Accessibility solutions throughout Australia.
David produces a range of podcasts (since 2011) covering Apple and other technologies which are distributed on his own podcast (http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com). In addition, he also has a regular Talking Tech program (since 2013) which can be heard every Tuesday at 4:30 Eastern Summer Time on Vision Australia Radio Melbourne (available online) or via https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio
David also runs a weekly Tech Monday where people can chat about assistive and main stream technology, share information, and any tips and tricks.
David lost his sight when he was 8 years old and had to learn Braille. Since then, he completed high school, went to Sydney University receiving a Social Work degree, spent 4 years drug and alcohol counselling, and then moved into his current job.
As a person who is blind, David believes that as a user of the technology that he recommends to others, that he is well situated to look at the strengths and shortcomings of the assistive technology that he comes across in both his professional and personal life, in particular, mainstream technology that is accessible.
X (Formerly Twitter): @dwoodbridge
Mastodon: woody@dragonscave.space
iSee Podcast: https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com
Vision Australia Radio Talking Tech: https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio
In addition to his weekly contributions to Top Tech Tidbits and Access Information News, David's regularly occurring activities are his weekly tech radio show, bi-monthly exploring tech webinars for Vision Australia, his iSee podcast when something of note grabs his attention, and the weekly Tech Monday chat sessions.
David Woodbridge
Editorial Contributor (2023-Present)
Top Tech Tidbits
The Week's News in Access Technology
https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐
Editorial Contributor (2023-Present)
Access Information News
The Week's News in Access Information
https://accessinformationnews.com 🌐
National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor (1990 - Present)
Vision Australia
Live the life you choose. We're here to support all Australians who are blind or have low vision.
https://www.visionaustralia.org/ 🌐
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A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication: https://toptechtidbits.com
Founded in 2004, Top Tech Tidbits is the world's leading not-for-profit access technology publication that reaches over 29,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here. Access Technology broadly encompasses technologies that enable access to information and communication systems for persons with disabilities. Adaptive Technology is a subset of Access Technology designed to assist individuals in performing tasks that might otherwise be challenging due to their particular disabilities. Assistive Technology includes any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. Top Tech Tidbits is a Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication. Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi. Contributing Editors: John Hanlin, Jenna Lang, Stephen (Alex) Marositz, Ben Moxey, and David Woodbridge. Top Tech Tidbits is a sponsor and reader supported publication.
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