July 09, 2009, 04:45:09 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Dolphin has released a free 11.03 update of there screen reader and screen magnifier software Supernova, Hal, Lunarplus and Lunar.
The update include some new minor features and bug fixes.

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Technological progress has not stopped bias in workplace, blind people find

April 05, 2008, 12:59:54 PM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Technology and training have improved to the point that blind people can adeptly perform a dazzling array of jobs - soon to include the governorship of New York. The biggest obstacle still in their way, advocates say, is the negative attitude of many employers.

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ReadTheWords - Free Service That Reads Your Text Aloud

March 18, 2008, 02:32:31 PM by Peter Verhoeven in .

ReadTheWords is a free online service that will read any text you enter aloud. There are many ways to do this, but this site distinguishes itself with several interesting options.

Full Story | | | 2680 views

Zoomtext 9 will include user unfriendly anti paracy technology

June 08, 2005, 02:19:10 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

By Peter Verhoeven

AiSquared has released Zoomtext 9 beta screen magnifier. Most striking in this release, is the product activation technology designed to eliminate unauthorized use of Zoomtext.
This kind of technology imposing a burden on legitimate users and make them less flexible to access computers in a world, that realy asks for more flexibility!

Full Story | | | 2673 views

Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance Software Achieves Milestone of 200,000 Downloads Worldwide

March 04, 2008, 03:44:29 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Fujitsu Limited today announced that Fujitsu Accessibility Assistance, a set of three software tools for diagnosing and improving web accessibility, has passed the milestone of 200,000 downloads worldwide.

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Apple® introduced the new iPhone™ 3G S with VoiceOver Screen Reader and Full Screen Magnifie

June 09, 2009, 07:34:17 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

iPhone 3G S provides new accessibility features including VoiceOver, a screen reader that speaks what appears on the iPhone 3G S display, enabling visually impaired users to make calls, read email, browse web pages, play music and run applications. The new universal Zoom function magnifies the entire screen, and the White on Black feature reverses the colors on screen to provide higher contrast for people with low vision. iPhone 3G S also supports Mono Audio which combines left and right audio channels so that they can be heard in both earbuds for those with hearing loss in one ear.

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Accessible Interface Twitter

July 10, 2009, 05:52:50 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Accessible Twitter is an alternative to the Twitter.com web site. It is designed to be easier to use and is optimized for disabled users. You can use your regular Twitter username and password to login.

Full Story | | | 2655 views

Video Eyewear Could Help Macular Degeneration Patients See Again

February 25, 2008, 12:52:43 PM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Eyetonomy, the leading Video Eyewear manufacturer for medical applications, recently launches the portable video magnifier SightMate LV920. SightMate is wearable like glasses and helps people suffering from Macular Degeneration (MD) make the best of their remaining vision. Currently over 12 million people in North America are affected by MD.

Full Story | | | 2632 views

Swiss Town Rolls Out RFID System for Blind Bus Riders

June 26, 2008, 05:59:44 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

National and European Union regulations require that public transit operators across Europe to provide more information for blind and visually impaired riders. A Swiss public transport agency, the Verkehrsbetriebe St. Gallen (VBSG), is rolling out an RFID-based system that allows blind riders to check transit information at bus stops, determine the destination of passing buses and flag them down.

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Forgot your glasses? Check your wallet

February 21, 2005, 12:51:52 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Of The Daily Oakland Press
Jim Siudara always wanted to invent something. And as he strained to read small print one day, he came up with an idea.
The founder of Pocket Peepers, Siudara created an eyeglass lens that fits in your pocket.

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Serotek releases System Access 3.0

November 27, 2008, 02:57:49 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Serotek released the first full-featured screen access product with support for 64-bit operating systems. This support is not only an essential breakthrough for IT professionals working in 64-bit environments in the course of their employment, but for the average consumer as well. Blind individuals can now walk in to any of the increasing number of retail stores who stock their shelves exclusively with machines running 64-bit operating systems, and purchase a new computer without wondering whether or not the machine will be accessible when they take it out of the box. From the smallest Netbook to the most powerful server, System Access delivers fast, reliable, and easy to use accessibility.

Full Story | | | 2582 views

HumanWare expands its GPS line for people who are blind, with the new Trekker Breeze

March 20, 2008, 02:43:49 PM by Peter Verhoeven in .

At the CSUN conference in Los Angeles, HumanWare was unveiling a new talking GPS. The product is designed for people who are blind, for use when travelling in familiar surroundings. The product will also be appealing to people not comfortable with computers and screen readers. The new model is an addition to the popular Trekker and BrailleNote GPS systems, which have thousands of users worldwide. With this innovation, HumanWare will make GPS technology even more accessible to a greater number of people.

Full Story | | | 2580 views

W3C Web Standard Defines Accessibility for Next Generation Web

December 12, 2008, 07:35:52 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Web designers and developers create sites that better meet the needs of users with disabilities and older users. Drawing on extensive experience and community feedback, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 improve upon W3Cs groundbreaking initial standard for accessible Web content.

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Freedom Scientific Releases JAWS® 11

October 20, 2009, 01:44:50 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Freedom Scientific announced the English release of JAWS version 11, the worlds leading screen reader for visually impaired computer users. This new release includes features that will expand educational and employment opportunities for users at all levels. These new features include Research It, Word Index, a free software DAISY player, and enhancements specifically for Windows 7, including UI Automation support and improved ARIA support.

Full Story | | | 2569 views

Google shows off eyes-free touchscreen dialing

April 05, 2009, 07:14:41 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

virtually impossible for somebody who is vision-impaired to use the phone. Other touchscreen smart phones suffer from the same problem, so a few smartypants engineers at Google have come up with a clever way of dealing with the problem.

Full Story | | | 2557 views

System access To Go Online Screen Reaeer Now Free

February 02, 2008, 10:12:04 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

The Accessibility Is a Right (AIR) Foundation has made available System Access To Go online screen Reader free on their web site. SA to Go is a limited screen reader with only speech support and works on most latest Windows versions.

Full Story | | | 2529 views

Firms risk lawsuits for poor websites

May 16, 2005, 06:44:48 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

There is more to the art of website design than pretty pages. They must also be accessible to people with disabilities. By Reuben Schwarz.

When a company designs its website, it may ask for a sleek look, or ease of navigation, or jaw-dropping animation. Making the site fully accessible for disabled web surfers comes lower down the list, if it appears at all.
But New Zealand companies may be leaving themselves open to legal action and human rights complaints if their websites offer services and prices not easily available offline.

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Talking bus stops, launched in Bristol United Kingdom

June 29, 2005, 08:22:12 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

The talking bus stops, scheme is launched this week during National Deafblind Awareness Week and is the result of a collaboration between Bristol City Council and Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB).

Full Story | | | 2514 views

New Braille Keyboard

March 11, 2006, 06:48:19 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Researchers from the Universitat Autunoma de Barcelona and the Organizacion Nacional de Ciegos Espaoles ONCE have developed a Braille keyboard for PCs that has some unique features. The keyboard provides more applications for blind people and is particularly useful for scientific texts and musical scores.

Full Story | | | 2509 views

Freedom Scientific Adds Ultra-Portable Video Magnifier to New Low Vision Product Line

January 18, 2006, 03:08:23 AM by Peter Verhoeven in .

Freedom Scientific today announced the new OPAL™ ultra-portable video magnifier at the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) annual conference in Orlando. This exciting new product offers powerful features for low vision users on-the-go and is an excellent companion to the TOPAZ™ line of desktop video magnifiers the company announced in December.

Full Story | | | 2501 views

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