Top Tech Tidbits - Volume 239
The Week's News in Access Technology

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

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Greetings,

1) Jamal Mazrui has written JAWS scripts for the e-mail client Mozilla Thunderbird version 3.0.
http://EmpowermentZone.com/tb_scr.exe

2) The Main Menu program announcement got to me in time this week: This GMT Saturday 19 December at 01:00, you can listen to a description of the new features in Mobile Speak version 4.
http://www2.acbradio.org/mainmenu/

3) A new article has been posted to the GW Micro Knowledgebase:
Deploying Window-Eyes using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007
http://gwmicro.com/kb1113

4) The Eyes-Free mailing list exists to discuss accessible apps for the Android phones:
http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free

5) J.J. of BlindBargains.com has unearthed five free games you can play un Twitter: Word of the Day:
http://artwiculate.com/
Trivia
http://twitter.com/twrivia
Calculations
http://twitter.com/twitbrain
Word unscramble
http://twitter.com/beatmytweet
And Tweetstone
http://twitter.com/tweetstones

6) Speaking of J.J., he gave a very positive review of a two-day window-Eyes Script Writing course offered by Gw Micro:
http://www.blindbargains.com/bargains.php?m=4824

7) J.J. has taken his newfound skill and co-authored Window-Eyes scripts for the TeamTalk voice chat client. Use TeamTalk version 4 in classic mode for best results.
http://www.gwmicro.com/sc

8) The Beyo CBS Reader is a simple OCR program for Symbian phones, much less elaborate than the KNFB Reader. Computer Room Services are selling it, and suggest you need Talks to use it, though this does not mean it won't work with Mobile Speak. In any event, the result of a scan can be self-voiced. Cost is 75 pounds.
http://www.comproom.co.uk/beyocbs/beyocbs.zip

9) Stevie Wonder is holding another House Full ofToys benefit concert, with proceeds going for adaptive technology which is donated to students throughout the US who cannot otherwise afford it. Last year's applicants who did not receive equipment will receive first priority. Nine companies have also donated equipment to the fund.
http://www.senderogroup.com/hftform.htm

10) Here is an article about the free Dragon Naturally Speaking app for the iPhone:
http://www.tuaw.com/2009/12/08/dragon-dictation-comes-to-the-iphone-wow/

11) Total iTV is a web site offering what is said to be a growing collection of audio-described movies and tv series, both in English and Spanish.
http://www.totalitv.com

12) All inPlay BlackJack is now ready. To celebrate, everybody can play the six games at All inPlay free until the end of the year, and there will be six 24-hour tournaments between 18 and 23 December.
http://allinplay.com/

13) A short interview with Michael Curran, one of the developers of NVDA, is temporarily available for download here:
http://www.rphadelaide.org.au/links/VE.mp3

14) SeroTalk Tech Chat 44 gave lots of ideas for Accessible Gifts Under $50
http://serotalk.com/2009/12/11/serotalk-tech-chat-44-accessible-gifts-under-50/

15) An effort is afoot to allow for sharing of special-format materials, primarily braille and DAISY, across borders, thus potentially giving all blind people access to more literature.
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0055.html
Not surprisingly, many interests in the US oppose this plan:
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/12/blind_block

16) AFB is hiring the AccessWorld and Technology Information Editor to work from Huntington, West Virginia. Interested persons should e-mail cover letter, salary requirements and resume to the Human Resources Department at
hr@afb.net

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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