Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 279
The Week's News in Access Technology
Distributed by Flying Blind, LLC
http://www.flying-blind.com/
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Greetings,
1) The October, 2010 issue of AccessWorld from American Foundation for the Blind is available, including an introduction to Twitter, a comparison of two illuminated magnifiers, a guide to getting the most from the Vocational Rehabilitation system, and more.
http://www.afb.org/accessworld
2) For a bit of comedy, watch the Harry Potter-style battle between the synthesizers used by JAWS and NVDA on YouTube.
http://goo.gl/nAOM
3) This Fred's Head post described a couple sources for educational videos.
http://www.fredshead.info/2008/05/educational-videos-at-teachertube.html
4) In Android news, J.J. at BlindBargains has produced an audio demo of Intersection Explorer,and Adroid app that lets you virtually explore a map for orientation.
http://www.blindbargains.com/redirect.php?redirect=5567
5) Here is an updated, admittedly incomplete,listing of accessible apps for Android phones.
http://eyes-free.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/documentation/android_access/apps.html
6) Accessible Android is a blog detailing ways to use Android phones without vision.
http://accessibleandroid.blogspot.com/
7) Version 1.02 of the vOICe for Android is out, featuring an improved color identifier.
http://www.seeingwithsound.com/android.htm
8) Moving on to window-Eyes script news, Jeff Weiss has written several games which are available as free scripts. They include Word Scramble, Play Back, Spelling Test, Lunar Lander, Mission Impossible and States.
http://www.gwmicro.com/sc
9) Jeff has also upgraded his Text to Clip script to version 1.3. This script lets you collect blocks of text for later reuse.
http://www.gwmicro.com/sc
10) Finally n this domain, Gw Micro staff tries to help those switching from JAWS to Window-Eyes with JAWS Quick Key. You turn on Quick Key mode, then press the JAWS keys you know and are told the equivalent Window-Eyes hotkeys for them.
http://www.gwmicro.com/scripts/JAWS_Quick_Key
11) Gizmo has updated his list of Best FreeOnline Backup Sites. Both the article and the subsequent comments are interesting.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/best-free-online-backup-sites.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmosbest+%28Gizmo%27s+Best-ever+Freeware%29
12) Another article from that site teaches us How to Repair Corrupt or Damaged Windows System Files
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gizmosbest/~3/_iapqLnf5Sc/how-repair-corrupt-or-damaged-windows-system-files-system-file-checker.htm
13) And another one presents 13 Laptop Security Tips
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gizmosbest/~3/Nt5029XZOAo/13-laptop-security-tips.htm
14) RoboBraille, the European site that lets you email files for translation to braille or conversion to audio, now accepts scanned images and some other image formats for conversion.
http://robobraille.org/new_input_and_output
15) How to is a UK site containing a growing number of free e-books providing information on a wealth of topics.
http://www.howto.co.uk/
16) Serotalk Podcast 52 gives us the tech news of the week and an interview with a blind couple raising twins.
http://www.serotalk.com/2010/10/12/serotalk-podcast-52-tech-news-for-october-11-2010-and-blind-parents-raising-twins/
17) Accessibility reviews of Aqualung, TotalRecorder version 7/8, Non-Visual Desktop Access version 2010, Chit Chat for Facebook version 1.41, Google Chrome version 7x Dev Branch, DECTalk Demo version 4.64, FonixTalk Demo version 6.1, XMPlay version 3.5.1, and foobar2000 version 1.1 have been added to the Access Watch database.
http://www.accesswatch.info
18) EASI presents Moodle, Desire2Learn, Sakai and Blackboard accessibility, A Four-part fee-based Webinar Series on the Accessibility of Learning Management Systems, Oct. 19, 26 and Nov. 2 9 at18:00 GMT.
https://www.secure.servsite.com/easi/enrollment/enrollment_pal.shtml
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.
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