Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 219
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.

This Issue's Featured Advertisement:
EYE-PAL SOLO & SOLO LV: New Instant Readers from ABISee, Inc. The Leader in Electronic Reading Assistants
 
EYE PAL SOLO: $1,995 USD - The easiest auto-reader for the Blind. Ideal as a primary reader or as a second device for kitchen or bedroom. Featuring a compact 9 inch by 11 inch footprint, it weighs only seven pounds and requires no computer or bulky scanner. A small camera above the base captures the text and SOLO instantly reads this text to you. Ready to use right out of the box, simply place your document, remove your hands, and enjoy as reading begins in just a few seconds.
 
EYE PAL SOLO LV: $2,595 - Designed for Low Vision customers, the SOLO LV model includes everything above plus it displays text on your monitor or TV in flexible ways to fit your style. Choose from three convenient modes of operation:

1. Display Only - Using wrapped text or a continuous line.
2. Voice and Display - Let SOLO LV read aloud as you follow on the screen in the size, color and format of your choice.
3. Magnification Mode - Use SOLO LV to read prescription bottles, write a check, or perform delicate tasks like changing a small battery.

2) Owners of the Pac Mate Omni can now purchase StreetTalk GPS VIP, a tailor-made GPS system using technology from Sendero Group. In the US, the software with one country map costs $1,499.
http://www.freedomscientific.com/products/fs/streettalk-gps-product-page.asp

3) The July, 2009 issue of AccessWorld is available, featuring a review of the Mobile Geo GPS program for Windows Mobile cell phones, a review of a lower-cost braille display, a more optimistic update on the accessibility of household appliances, reviews of Twitter and Google Voice, the latest on the National Library Service conversion to digital books, and more.
http://www.afb.org/accessworld

4) T and T Consultancy announces the availability of J-Say Pro, the JAWS-user addon to make Dragon Naturally Speaking accessible, version 7 in the UK, soon elsewhere. This paid upgrade gives more control over speech feedback and correction while dictating, and access to Firefox, Twitter and Skype.
http://www.tandt-consultancy.com/pages/whats_new_in_jsay.php

5) The Cisco Academy for the Vision Impaired will offer an IT Essentials course for $75 starting August 6. This course will provide training in computer maintenance skills and initial helpdesk technique. For more information, e-mail
caviinfo@gmail.com

6) This Fred's Head post is entitled Guidelines on Presenting Accessible Powerpoint Presentations
http://www.fredshead.info/2007/07/guidelines-on-presenting-accessible.html

7) Fred's Head points us to a resource from the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange: Blind Visitors to the United States: What you need to know:
http://www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/blindvisitorstousa <http://www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/blindvisitorstousa>.

8) this Fred's Head posting has several resources, and is called Create a Catalog of Your Wardrobe
http://www.fredshead.info/2005/10/what-do-you-do-when-cataloging-your.html

9) Keysoft Version8 is available for the Braille Note mPower and the PK. This paid upgrade includes support for Audible books, the ability to use some chat services like Google Chat, WPA support for wireless connections, and everybody gets a 90-day demo of Sendero GPS.
http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote/software/keysoft_8.0_upg

10) If you want a plain-language description of what DAISY is, visit this blog:
http://blog.blackspheretech.com/?p=16

11) The Innovations show being aired this week has lots of discussions about mobile phones, and we also learn what is new at Cobalt Systems.
http://www.theglobalvoice.info

12) A new article has been added to the Gw Micro knowledgebase: Window-Eyes and Mail Merge with Word 2007
http://gwmicro.com/kb1106

13) The title of SeroTalk Tech chat 26 is Managing Files With SAMNet Media Library and Nero 9.0
http://serotalk.com/2009/07/26/serotalk-tech-chat-26-managing-files-with-samnet-media-library-and-nero-9-0/

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