Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 210
The Week's News in Access Technology

Distributed by Flying Blind, LLC
http://www.flying-blind.com/

For questions and comments regarding Tidbits, please e-mail Dean Martineau at dean@topdotenterprises.com. Dean Martineau provides adaptive technology training by phone, online, and in person, with flexible arrangements, and at affordable prices.

1) Thanks to Gizmo's Best Ever Freeware, here's a good reference article from the Online College Blog, 100 Useful Tips and Tools to Research the Deep Web
http://www.online-college-blog.com/index.php/features/100-useful-tips-and-tools-to-research-the-deep-web/..

2) Flying Blind, LLC and Optelec BV announce the release of "In Touch with ALVA: A Guide To Unleashing the Power of Your ALVA Braille Controller", Version 1.0, a free, downloadable tutorial in PDF format for both Web Reading and Printing:
Optimized for Web Reading / Viewing (764 K): http://www.flying-blind.com/pdfs/In_Touch_With_ALVA_Guide_V1.0W.pdf
Optimized for Printing (6.33 MB): http://www.flying-blind.com/pdfs/In_Touch_With_ALVA_Guide_V1.0P.pdf

3) Bernard Maldonado has launched what appears to be a unique and valuable service: a web site that links those of us who want to fill out the forms on web sites thatask for us to fill in text in a picture we can't see (CAPTCHA.) The system works for anybody using any web browser and is free.
http://www.solona.net

4) Another of Bernard's ventures is worth mentioning. BlindFileSharing is a site that lets you store files online. It has a very reasonable price structure and is fully accessible, an easy online backup solution.
http://www.blindfilesharing.com/

5) This week's Innovations program features news about three new products from Caretec: a mobility aid/light probe, a versatile portable media player and a scientific calculator; a tutorial on the Winamp Playlist Editor, information about a new Yamaha keyboard, and news about new CCTV's available now from Humanware. the first broadcast of Innovations is GMT Tuesday at 17:00, so Tidbits always appears after that; you might want to listen then each week to catch the first airing. Repeats are on Friday at 14:00 and Sunday at 09;00.
http://www.theglobalvoice.info

6) Speaking of the new Humanware CCTV's, they are the Smartview Versa and Versa Plus, each featuring 4.3-inch wide screens with up to 15x magnification. The Plus unit is a media player and lets you store pictures.
http://www.humanware.com

7) Lots of Twitter-related news this week: ,tk on GMT Tuesday, 1 June will feature an experienced user, discussing how and why to use Twitter, at the usual time of 00:00.
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

8) the latest FSCast features interviews with various people using Twitter using JAWS or Pac Mate.
http://podcast.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/fscast030-may2009.mp3

9) Finally, Shane Jackson has resurrected the BlindWorld podcast, and this episode features demonstrations of Twitter clients for Symbian and windows Mobile phones.
http://www.shanejackson.net/Twikini_JibJib_Podcast.mp3

10) Enthusiastic mac user Dane Trethowan has produced a first tutorial on using the multi-track sound editor Amadeus Pro, which he claims to be far more accessible than similar programs running under Windows. The recording wil be available at Blind Cool Tech at some point,
http://blindcooltech.com
or can be gotten here:
http://www.sendspace.com/pro/g8uuzd

11) Accessible World will begin regular "Friday Night at the Movies" where people can virtually gather to hear and discuss an audio-described movie. The film for GMT Saturday, 6 June at 01:00 will be One Hour Photo.
http://conference321.com/masteradmin/room.asp?id=rsc9613dc89eb2

12) This Fred's Head posting is called Sudoku for the Blind
http://www.fredshead.info/2007/02/sudoku-for-blind.html
While the post mentions some resources, it leaves out the free computer game from Spoonbill Software:
http://www.omninet.net.au/~irhumph/blindgamers.htm

13) Brian Hartgen, with consultation from Jonathan Mosen, has created free JAWS scripts for Station Playlist Studio, a program used to create online radio stations and programs. The program is fairly accessible out of the box, but the scripts add handy keystrokes and routines to easily get information you need.
http://www.hartgen.org

14) SeroTalk Tech chat 17 discusses Mobile phone Data Cards, Plans, Speeds and discloses two "secrets" they say your carrier hopes you don't know.
http://serotalk.com/2009/05/22/serotalk-tech-chat-17-mobile-data-cards-plans-speeds-and-two-secrets/

15) SeroTalk Podcast 15 includes an interview with Bill Boules and a review of the HP DV2 12 inch Notebook, as well as offers from Serotek.
http://serotalk.com/2009/05/25/serotalk-podcast-15-for-may-25-2009/>

16) The NFB Access Technology blog lists and links to different online services provided by the National Federation of the Blind.
http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Access_Technology_Blog.asp?SnID=1332588961

17) RIGEL TECHNOLOGY announces that its summer Office 2007 Specialist Certification Course will begin on June 8 and end on August 10. Class sessions take place three days a week for two hours. Students choose whether to become certified in Word or Excel. Cost is not specified publicly. They appear to want enrollments and questions by phone only, 888-723-5011, ext. 1.

18) Chip Orange has released a Window-Eyes script for Microsoft Word that automatically announces much formatting information rather than making the userdig for it.
http://www.gwmicro.com/sc

19) Audio from a recent Gw Micro introduction to scripting course is available at
http://www.gwmicro.com/Audio_Video_Archive/Presentations/

20) Here is an article leading to a two-page pdf containing a comprehensive "Cheat Sheet" of all Google's features and services.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gizmosbest/~3/yhTSZye5s4Q/google-cheat-sheet.htm

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