by Ted MC from BlindMind.net

---

Well, ok maybe I can taste just a tiny bit of poison....I think they call it iTunes.  But it gets rather lost in the vast amount of useful, and yes accessible, goodness.

I am talking about having taken the plunge and chosen an iPhone 4 to replace my Nokia N97 which was 18 months into its 24 month contract, and the provider was willing to waive the remainder of the contract in order to re-commit me for another 24 months.  I did waver and ponder for quite a while, tossing up the Nokia E7, a Symbian 3 device similar in look and feel to my N97.  Same horizontal slide-out keyboard.  But unfortunately, same thickness and even a bit heavier than the N97, which I always thought of as a brick.

So what in the world would possess me, a long-time Nokia fan-boy, and Apple Resistance League chairman, to suddenly switch teams?  To jump the proverbial fence?  I think we'll stick with the 'jumping the fence' analogy...I don't like the mental image of "team switching" if it's all the same to you all!

Well, for very practical reasons, I think.  Here's a random non-prioritized list of what was going on in my head as I tried to decide which road to take:

1. No less accessible than Nokia S60.

2. Much better touch screen implementation than Nokia.

3. Really like having the horizontal slide-out QWERTY on Nokia...could get an E7?

4. S60 has an end-of-life date of less than two years...is anyone really still making much in the way of apps for them?

5. How much real development is going to go on by Nuance to continue developing Talks & Zooms?  Won't it really just be bug-fixes and new handset-specific fixes from here on out while they ponder their future?  (This question might be less provocative if Nuance would actually say something substantive about its future...)

6. Nokia still has clearly superior hardware as I got to test in realtime pitting my N97 against both an iPhone 4 and an Android OS Galaxy Tab trying to pick up a far away WIFI signal.  The iPhone 4 barely saw it and seemed to waver back and forth...the Galaxy Tab could see it but couldn't really get a connection.  Meanwhile, I was already finished connecting and updating/downloading the 17 or 18 podcasts my phone was subscribed to.  Thanks Nokia!

7. I really like the implementation of oiceOver, but will I miss the power of things like app-specific settings in Talks, or the choice of voices?

8. Will Talks make a comeback if and when Microsoft supposedly will enable accessibility in future releases of its Windows Phone OS?  Have they been honest in past when paying lip service to accessibility in its PC platform, then not really delivering?

9. What's my best available choice for a fully accessible device for the next 2 years of my life?

10. What about all the apps and accessibility software I like to use on my phone?  You mean I can read PDF's on the iPhone?  And the store is accessible?  And things like OCR, which cost about $600 to do on a Nokia cost about $6 on an iPhone????

11. Things like the Audible app are accessible on iPhone?  Ok, I'm getting close here...

12. Local useful apps such as not only booking a taxi with a press of a button, but then seeing how far away it is using the GPS in the taxi is only available on iPhone?  And my local public transport schedule?  And being able to program my cable TV  box right from my phone?  Really?  I can only do those things on an iPhone?  Is it really likely that any of those things, with what we know today about Nokia's future, will still come out for S60?  What's the address of my mobile phone provider retail shop again?

And so the conversation in my head went.  Even more surprisingly, the voice I heard all those things spoken in was "Karen"!  Yes, that was another good thing about jumping the fence....I was already using Karen on my N97.

Please, I hope no one takes any of this as a suggestion for what is right and correct for anyone else.  I think it's great that there are multiple options available.  I have a very good friend who just re-upped with Nokia and got the E7, and he seems both happy and mostly sane, so I have to take his word for it that it is a perfectly acceptable, viable alternative to the pure bliss and joy that is Apple marketing.  <grin>

'Nuff said.

from Vision Australia News
10 Apr 2011

---

The launch of Iris, the new digital station from Vision Australia Radio will take place at 11am on Thursday 14th April at Federation Square.

Iris will be launched alongside other new community digital radio services: 3RR, 3CR, 3KND, 3MBS, PBS, 3ZZZ, 89.9 LightFm and SYN. The Melbourne launch of community digital radio will take place in the Atrium at Fed Square, and be hosted by Brian Nankervis with Mayor Robert Doyle launching the stations.

This historic event will feature a short simulcast on all nine new digital services before The Morning Paper Round's Robyn Winslow and Stella Glorie (from TV Today fame) begins the first official digital broadcast, available on Vision Australia Radio (1179am) and via Digital DAB+ Radios on Iris Digital.

by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net

---

Burning rubber, squealing tires, the smell of petrol, cheering fans, and general excitement abounded as the annual "In The Driver's Seat" day was held at world-famous Sandown Racecourse last weekend.

Sponsored by the Lion's Club, "In The Driver's Seat" has been going for years, and offers blind and visually impaired persons to drive grunty cars on one of the better known racing tracks we have here in Australia.

I was fortunate enough to be able to participate this year, and drove a 2.4 liter Mitsubishi Lancer for about 8 laps around the track.  The cars are tandem driving instructor cars, with pedals on both sides in the front, and the instructor keeping one hand on the wheel in case anything goes wrong.  At a top speed of about 110km per hour on the straight aways, it was a great day, reminiscent of the days when I did drive as a much younger man.



Hats off to the great people at the Lions Club for putting on this annual event.  Other highlights of the day were old car clubs, and motorcycle clubs showing off their fancy vehicles and offering rides to people.  Included in this post are several of the pictures my wife took from the back seat, and I'll post a video soon when I take it off the phone it was recorded on.

press release by Media Access Australia

---

Media Access Australia launches new accessible website

Australia’s only independent not-for-profit media access organisation, Media Access Australia, has launched its new accessible website, merging their sites mediaaccess.org.au and audiodescription.com.au. The site, designed by Doppio Design and built by OPC IT, showcases innovative design and the latest web technologies while meeting international standards for web accessibility.

The website is a key source of news on media access developments and practical information and resources on access to media, particularly for people who are blind, vision impaired, Deaf and hearing impaired. The site focuses on access to television, DVDs, digital technology, online media, cinema and the arts and access in the classroom.

CEO of Media Access Australia, Alex Varley said, “Media Access Australia’s core business is about accessibility. We are out there talking to the community, to business and government about the need for accessible websites and our new site shows it can be achieved. Many people won’t see the accessibility features and that is the point. They are there for the people that need them and you don’t need to put a big label highlighting an accessibility feature, it is part and parcel of standard website design which includes everybody.”

Accessibility has been at the forefront of the new website’s design, development and testing. The site has been built to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level ‘AA’ using Drupal content management system. In addition to its development by experienced developers of accessible websites, the site has undergone automatic as well as real world testing for accessibility.

Media Access Australia’s New Media Manager, Sarah Pulis said, “We didn't compromise any of the website's functionality to meet the ‘AA’ guidelines. A common myth is that an accessible website must be a boring website, a myth that desperately needs debunking. For instance, we wanted a rotating feature on our homepage. We worked with both our designers and developers to ensure the feature met WCAG 2.0 ‘AA’ guidelines and also tested it with users.”

Our brand research showed confusion over the ‘New media’ section. You will now find this content and much more in two new sections, ‘Digital technology’ and ‘Online media’. Digital technology contains information on accessible mainstream devices and technologies that make your computer accessible, for example, software and assistive technology devices.

The Online Media section focuses on the internet itself. Here you’ll find information on website accessibility and accessible media on the web, such as audio and video material (e.g. captioned videos on YouTube and movies on iTunes) and social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter).

Sign up to our new customisable news alert system for daily, weekly or monthly news alerts. You can choose which type of news items you would like to receive, whether relating to television, DVD, education, cinema and the arts, digital technology, online media or research and policy, or a combination of these. You can also choose whether you want to receive information relating to the blind and vision impaired or the Deaf and hearing impaired.

If you have any difficulty using the site, or would like to provide us with feedback please phone us on 02 9212 6242 or send us an email.

-ENDS-

For more information about Media Access Australia’s new website, please contact:

Katie Couani

Marketing Communications Coordinator

Media Access Australia

Email: Katie.couani@mediaaccess.org.au

Ph: 02 9212 6242

by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net

---

Everyone knows video magnifiers are great.  We also know they're expensive, bordering on unaffordable to many, especially the elderly or pension-based.

About 6 months ago, Vision Ausstralia decided to take matters into their own hands to offer an affordable alternative, suitable for lower magnification requirements, or for people who just want to read short items, as opposed to reading a book.

Hence, the JB Wired Video Magnifier was born.  Looking somewhat similar to the Max Mouse video magnifier from Enhanced Vision, the JB Wired looks like an oversized computer mouse with a camera and light underneath, and a cord with an AV plug on the end which plugs into any TV, as well as an AC power adapter.

Offering magnification from 2X up to 20X, it also supports several different colour schemes such as white on black, normal colour, yellow on blue, etc., and also has a freeze frame button to 'lock' the current image on the screen even if the magnifier is then moved.  The same button is pressed again to go back to live video.

It plugs into any Tv with an AV input, and will soon also have a USB adapter available for it to be used with any computer as well.

And unlike the Enhanced Vision Max Mouse product, which has a cost similar to portable handheld video magnifier at nearly $600, the JB Wired sells for only $115. 

You probably wouldn't read a book with it, but for reading small things like a letter, a bill, a prescription bottle, it works a treat, and is also quite portable.

The next version, due out in the next few months, is romooured to be a wireless version, which will hae a small base station that plugs into the TV, but then no cords or wires connecting it to the camera device.

Vision Australia are also having them make a portable handheld version similar to the Pebble or Ruby, which will retail for around $200 - $250, a big savings against other portables, the cheapest of which is $650.


See the JB Wired Video Magnifier in the VA Shop

on Vision Australia Radio's "Hear This!" program

---

Ted from BlindMind.net returns for another segment on Vision Australia Radio's "Hear This!" weekly program, discussing more recent audiobooks with Frances Keyland from VA's Talking Library Service.

---

Click the link below to hear the Podcast

---

Hear This, Season 3, Episode 3, 28 Jan 2011 (MP3, 10MB)

 

 

from Vision Australia Radio

---

Ted from BlindMind.net was interviewed on Vision Australia Radio's weekley library show in regards to the interviewing of some big name authors, and also talking books in general.

Follow the link below to hear the show!

---

Click the link below to hear the Podcast

---

Hear This, Season 2, Episode 50, 17 Dec 2010 (MP3, 10MB)

 

 

from Vision Australia News, 22 Mar 2011

---

Blind Sports Victoria (BSV) are hosting a Gala Dinner Auction on April 16 at the RACV Club, Melbourne.

BSV was established in 1977 and is a statewide body providing sporting and recreational opportunities to over 1000 blind and vision impaired people.

All funds raised at this function will directly support BSV, especially vision impaired tennis and vision impaired swimming.

In Australia, for people who are totally blind, tennis was only a dream not a reality. Just recently BSV has been conducting a modified game of tennis at the Melbourne Park Tennis Centre and whilst it is still in its early stages we need to meet the cost of hiring the indoor tennis courts, purchasing adaptive equipment, tennis balls, mini nets and tennis racquets. This is a unique program in Australia.

The aim of the swimming program is to give young blind and vision impaired people an opportunity to learn how to swim in an inclusive and supportive environment.

We have many wonderful items to be auctioned on the night in both the live and silent auctions including...

• 2 Tickets to the Men's Final of the 2012 Australia Open
• Colours' of unbeaten champion racehorse 'Caviar' signed by jockey Luke Nolen and owner Peter Moody
• 'Sunday at The Stables'- see the equine stars of the Gai Waterhouse Stables and meet with Gai Waterhouse. This is truly an experience money cannot buy as a visit to Gai's Stables are not open to the public.
• 7 nights accommodation in your choice of Australia or New Zealand at a Timeshare Resort
• Accommodation packages at 'Four Points by Sheraton, Geelong' and 'Blue Willows Bed and Breakfast'
• Tug Boat ride for two in the Port of Melbourne
• Entertainment packs eg. Eureka Skydeck family pass; Luna Park family pass
• Many, many great hampers
• Electronic items including printer, scanner, laminator etc.

Please contact Susan Marshall on 9822 8876 or Maurice Gleeson on 0407 365 962 if you require any further information.

by BlindMind.net, 25 Mar 2011

---

Accessible set top boxes are coming to Australia in the coming months.  Two manufacturer's hardware devices are currently being tested, with public trials set to begin in April.
                                            
The set top boxes have in-built TTS with adjustable speed and speaking volume, and allow access to all the set top box's features.

In Australia, anyone with a Centrelink card will have a box provided to them by the government at no charge when they are released, which should hopefully be around June or July of this year.

Lee Child shows why he's the classiest author in the business!<< MORE >>

For this Podcast, we're joined by International Best-Selling Author Michael Connelly!<< MORE >>

Please find below a complete list of the vendors who attended this year's TEXPO in Melbourne at Vision Australia's Kooyong (Melbourne) office. Where possible, web addresses and phone numbers have been provided. Texpo and Open Day 2010 Exhibitor information<< MORE >>

What a treat it was to interview The Golden Voice himself, and one of the most recognizable audiobook narrators in the world, Mr. Dick Hill. In a career that went from live theater to audiobook narrator, Dick Hill is in high demand as the voice of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, Arthur C Clarke's "2001", the early Michael Connelly "Harry Bosch" books, and even the voice of God in the 89-hr New American Standard Bible audiobook.<< MORE >>

The Vision Australia Texpo 2010 took place at Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney this past week, and BlindMind.net was there to provide some coverage of the vendors, the booths, and the goodies! This 48-Min Podcast features interviews with the event's organiser Louisa Ferronato, Optek Systems demonstrating the Poet BE, and Kris from Simply Listen and Play. We finish off the event with an in-depth interview and demonstration of Victoria's accessible voting systems which will be in widespread use for the first time in our state elections this coming November. A full list of vendors and their respective web addresses will be posted tomorrow.<< MORE >>

AI Squared today released a minor update to ZoomText bringing it to version 9.18.9. It includes support for Office 2010, and Windows Live Mail, as well as several bug fixes.<< MORE >>

Do you complain loudly if the Wi-Fi on the airplane fizzles out? Gripe if a YouTube stream falters? Own an HDTV bigger than your couch? If so, you might be spoiled by technology. Read on for more warning signs.<< MORE >>

One of the most important things for blind and visually impaired persons in terms of mobile phones and the selection thereof is battery life. Because we use magnification and/or screen readers, a battery that lasts a fully sighted person 2 days may only last us one. Therefore, this is always one of the first things one should consider about a potential new mobile phone before buying it. Does it have a sufficient battery? If not, are there 3rd party batteries available to improve the situation? Is there another phone with a larger battery that does the same things I like about this phone? And so on.<< MORE >>

by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net, 1 Sept 2010

---

Audible today released a client application for Android mobile phones that allows the user to directly download purchased titles from its library straight to their mobile device.

That's the good news.

The bad news of course, is that the Android operating system is largely inaccessible, supporting neither web browsing, nor third party applications.  To me, this seems like advocacy just asking to be done. 

Google, while trying to implement some level of accessibility, seems to be largely ignoring the blind and visually impaired community overall.  They seem not to be consulting groups offering their assistance, nor really open to the idea of approach by groups interested in the furthering of Google's attempts at making their products accessible.  I think there would be great value in a person taking the time to write directly to Google to lay out their case, but this new offering by Audible presents a new opportunity.  Audible isn't a small company, and no doubt has more influence than an individual person does.  The blind and visually impaired community no doubt makes up a more significant percentage of Audible's business than we do Google's Android operating system.

So why not enlist Audible to assist in advocating on our behalf?  Again, this shouldn't replace advocacy directly to Google, but it's a strategy that shouldn't be ignored.

While you're at it, let Audible know that oftentimes their communication to customers is likewise not accessible.  The announcement of the new Android app came in an email that consisted of a huge image scanned from marketing material, with almost no plain text in it, and did not have 'alternate text' specified for the image, so of course was totally useless to anyone using a screen reader.

I believe Audible likes our money, and wishes to continue getting it from us.  I think that anyone paying them $10 - $15 a month or more has the right to be communicated with in a manner that can be understood by said customer, and that, if they want to continue getting that $15 a month or more from me, then it would be in their financial itnerest to nudge Google in the right direction while they're at it.

If you'd like to speak your mind to Audible, their number is:  (+1) 973-820-0400.  You can also contact them by their Website
and going through the Support section and filling out the email form.

For more information on the Audible Android client, CLICK HERE

by Ted Mc, from BlindMind.net 31 Aug 2010

---

Nokia and Adobe, among others through the Open Screen Project Fund want to give you money to develop the next great best-selling mobile or PC application.

The goal of the project is to improve compatibility across platforms, and in doing so, also make the updating of plugins used in the development of such applications, such as Flash and Air more widespread and automatic.

You don't have to be a developer to apply, but be prepared to detail all aspects of your app invention, and then coordinate the fund money to get it done!  $10 million has been set aside to fund projects, so don't wait too long. 

For more information, go to http://www.openscreenproject.org/developers

Android was the top operating system in smartphone sales in the U.S. in the second quarter, with BlackBerry maker Research in Motion finishing second and Apple's iOS in third, a Gartner analyst said last week.<< MORE >>

Raul Gallegas recorded this Podcast for Blind Cool Tech demonstrating the Thunderbird email client. Note, Podcast is 35mb in size. Download the Podcast below. << MORE >>

Nokia is hardly grabbing headlines anymore, and when they do it's not related to any hot smartphone anymore. Their first Symbian^3iPhone and Android device rule the earth with Windows Phone 7 handsets rising soon to fight in this mobile battle also. handset is late and, in the mean time, the << MORE >>

"A Trojan posing as a media playerfor Android smartphones automatically sends text messages to premiumrate numbers, according to Kaspersky Lab. Company officials say theTrojan, dubbed Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.a, is the first of itskind for the Android platform, even though SMS Trojans are currently themost widespread type of malware on mobile phones."<< MORE >>

from ComputerWorld

---

---

Sam's Club will start offering WiFi services in stores, providing internet TV and browsing capabilities to its shoppers.  The service will be used to show price comparisons, and will be available in 500 stores in the U.S. by November.

---

..Read full story..

---

from PC World

---

---

Australia-based developer Cordless Dog released Stay, its first Mac application, earlier this week. Stay keeps windows on your Mac exactly where you want them.

Stay lives in your menu bar. When you position and resize your windows just the way you want them, you use the menulet to save their locations—whether for all open windows, or just the windows from a specific application. Then, if you need to move things around, you can always restore your windows to their last-saved position.

---

..Read full story..

---

News:  Vision Australia Tech Expo in Melbourne at the end of August
by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net, 8 Aug 2010

---

Vision Australia will be hosting a assistive technology expo in Melbourne at it's Kooyong home office at the end of August on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th.  Kooyong is on the Glen Waverley train line.  Those changing train lines can switch at Richmond station to the Glen Waverley line.  Kooyong is the 4th stop from Richmond, and Vision Australia's offices are directly across the street from the station.

Apple and Humanware will be attending the event, among many others, and will be displaying their latest offerings, and will have staff giving workshops and demonstrations of their products.  BlindMind.net will be attending to provide coverage of the event, and will be recording several interviews with various vendors.

Come out and join us! 

The Expo will also be travelling to Brisbane and New South Wales.  We'll announce these dates in the coming days as information becomes available. 

News:  Find Blind Mind on Twitter & Facebook!
by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net, 8 Aug 2010

---

Blind Mind is up and running on both Facebook, and now Twitter, too! 

We welcome any and all Facebook friends, and you can follow us on Twitter for the latest news items and stories that we're bringing you.  Follow us now, and find out which international best-selling author we'll be interviewing on the Unrestricted Access podcast very soon!

---

Find us on Facebook
Find us on Twitter

---

Book Review:  Lee Child, "Bad Luck and Trouble" audiobook
by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net, 5 Aug 2010

---

Released:  2007
Format:  Audio CD, and also Daisy from some libraries
Narrated by: Jeff Harding
Genre:  Thriller/Popular

If you’ve never read Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels, or at least heard of them, you may need to check what planet you’re living on.

Starting with 1997’s “Killing Floor”, Lee Child has continued to bring us the continuing adventures of Jack Reacher, recently putting out the latest installment “61 Hours”, the 14^th book in the hugely popular, international best-selling series.

“Bad Luck And Trouble” came out in 2008, and is the 11^th in the series.

Child tells the ongoing story of Jack Reacher, a six foot 5 inch former military policeman of 13 years, and having been part of a group of special investigators that comprised the most elite of the Army.

Since leaving the military, Reacher has been living a self-exiled drifter lifestyle, moving from town to town at the drop of a hat, purposely using anonymity to hide his trail “out of habit”, but still possessing a masterful command of his skills of investigation, and devastation, when and where the situation calls for it.  As likeable as he is, he’s just as ruthless and merciless where someone crosses him or his friends.  Being a former world champion rifleman and general weapons expert, as well as the ability to improvise with whatever happens to be on hand helps, too.

And that’s exactly what happens in Bad Luck And Trouble.

Receiving a distress call from one of his old unit, only to find out that another of them is dead, and two others missing, Reacher sets about to gather the remaining members of the unit to find out why one of them was pushed out of a helicopter window with legs already broken, in the middle of the desert.

When more members of the team start showing up missing, a slowly building plot begins to boil as Reacher and Co piece together the who, what,why,  where, and when.

In a high stakes race to solve the disappearances, keep the remaining unit members alive, and also involving top secret military weaponry, Child really delivers the payoff to the story as only he can.  I've yet to get to the end of a Lee Child book and ask "what?  That's it"

Jeff Harding lends his excellent narration skills providing a subtle but distinct performance, this audiobook goes for 13 hours in the unabridged version, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it.  One of the gems of the series.

While you may enjoy reading the books chronologically like I did, there’s very little serialization, and one can easily pick up any of the books in the series and not feel like they’re missing out on vitally important aspects of the character.  Having said that, there is something great about finding a character you really enjoy, and progressing as they do throughout all the adventures, and as the character evolves over time.

However, Jack Reacher is pretty much the same towards the most recent of the books as he was at the start.  A little older, but very much as he was in “Killing Floor” some 14 years ago.  One of the books in the middle even jumps back many years back to when Reacher was still an M.P. in the Army, so again, start at the beginning or don’t.  You’ll love them either way.

News:  Nuance releases Talks and Zooms v5.01 & Daisy2Go 2.0
by Ted Mc from BlindMind.net, 4 Aug 2010

---

Nuance has released a minor update for Talks and Zooms including bug fixes and new handset support.  The new version is a free upgrade for anyone who bought a premium license after 15 November 2007, or can currently run 4.11 up to 5.00.

The most significant element of the update is the inforporation of ZOOMS (magnification) to 5th edition touchscreen handsets.  It is now fully implemented and ready for use.

Also there is now support for new handsets.  Some of the new handsets newly supported in 5.01 are:

• Nokia 6700 slide (but not 6700 classic!)
• Nokia C5-00
• Nokia E73

The following new handsets are assumed to work, but have not yet generated enough test data to guarantee support:

• Nokia 5228 Xpress Music
• Nokia 5230 Xpress Music
• Nokia 5235 Xpress Music
• Nokia 5530 Xpress Music
• Nokia 5730 Xpress Music
• Nokia C6-00
• Nokia E5-00
• Nokia X5-01

For Premuim license holders, Daisy2Go 2.00 is included in the release.

For full release notes, supported handsets, and the installation files, please contact your Talks dealer.

News:  Lookup Unlisted Phone Numbers With A Reverse Cell Phone Lookup Service
from Official Wire

---

Unlisted phone numbers are those that are not listed on the white pages. In the USA, cellular phone numbers are 'unlisted' by default where as some land phone owners also get their numbers unlisted from the phone book for reasons of privacy. Wireless 411 Privacy Act, and many additional guidelines have been passed in USA for the protection of mobile subscribers. The reason triggering such measures is the persistent threat of such private information getting stolen and abused by numerous parties such as Nuisance Callers, Identity thieves etc.

This is why an unlisted phone number lookup requires you to use special online reverse cell phone number directory services rather than freely accessible white pages or yellow pages...

---

** Note:  3rd party news item.  A new browser will open if you proceed to article **
..Read full story..

---