Archive for the ‘Internet’ Category

Podcast 36 – Great Software That Works Great With System Access and Accessible RPG With Music and Sound

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

In SeroTalk Podcast 36, Ricky enger and Michael Lauf discuss what’s new!

Victor Reader Stream Firmware Version 3.1 Released.

Problems for Users Who Upgrade to MobileSpeak 4.

Purchase 2GB Flash Cartridge for NLS Digital Talkingbook Player for $11.99 from APH, But Don’t Expect A Cable!

Gizmo’s 46 Best Ever Freeware Programs.

Ricky Enger demoed the new

Fully Accessible RPG for the Blind with Music and Sound Effects, Called Entombed.

Michael Lauf reviewed great programs that work great with system Access:

Skype 4.2 Released, Even More Accessible with System Access, But Be Careful When Installing.

Qwitter Twitter Client for Windows.

File Hippo Update Checker.

FileZilla FTP Client and Server.

WinPatrol 2010.

EdSharp 3.0 Powerful and Free Text, RTF and HTML Editor.

Juice Podcast Client Version 2.2.

Dropbox computer File Synchronization Software and Service.

Listen to SeroTalk Podcast 36 – Great Software that Works Great with System Access, and First Fully Accessible RPG for the Blind.

Tech chat 52 – Effective Advocacy

Friday, February 26th, 2010

In SeroTalk Tech Chat 52, our focus was effective advocacy. We covered advocating for internet and web site access, ATM and banking, education, creating effective letter writing and email campaigns, using radio and print media, online petitions, social networking, contacting elected officials and giving presentations. We were honored to have a distinguished group of threeaccomplished guests:

Kelly Pierce,

David Lepofsky

and

Brian Charlson

each successful in a variety of different initiatives.

Kelly Pierce works as an advocate for victims of crime with disabilities at the prosecutor’s office in Chicago. He has been active in helping people get adaptive technology at their college, obtain free talking cell phones and free cell phone screen readers, training and equipment from rehabilitation agencies, high quality audio interfaces for transit bus stop calling systems, voting machines and meaningful and useful ATM access at large banks; has written several guides on choosing adaptive technology and qualified trainers, and on forming assistive technology teams for acquiring technology.

Listen to 45 Minute Presentation by David Lepofsky on Advocacy, November 7, 2007

David Lepofsky, located in Toronto Ontario Canada, successfully navigated the complaint process to force the Toronto transit agency to install automatic stop calling equipment on its buses.  He also worked to include people with disabilities into Canada’s Charter of rights and Freedoms.

Brian Charlson has been one of the driving forces behind several of
the transformational legal settlements in the past few years. Recently he was one of the claimants that worked extensively with Major league Baseball on making its website and digital services fully accessible
to the blind. There was a profile in the Boston Globe in the past week
regarding this effort. He also worked with Fleet Boston financial on
ATM and banking access. Brian was one of the most visible disability
leaders that challenged the claims of Sun Microsystems and
International Business Machines Corp, (IBM) regarding the
accessibility of the OpenDocument file format and the Open Office
software suite that the State of Massachusetts wanted to use instead
of Microsoft Office. Sun, IBM and the state said the technology was as
accessible as MS Word and MS Office. Brian currently works at The
Carroll Center for the Blind and serves as vice President of Computer
Training Services. Brian has been instrumental in developing the
training program for the Adaptive Technology Center. His work has led
to the successful employment of many persons with visual impairment
who had been considered unemployable. Previously, Brian was a Vice
President of Talking Computer Systems. He attended Willamette University in Salem, majoring in
political science. He also served as Assistant Sergeant at Arms during
three terms of the Oregon State Legislature. He also worked as the
Human Rights Coordinator for the city of Salem and ran a food service
stand in the state agriculture building. Brian has used his nationally
recognized leadership and consensus building skills to advance the
employment and education of persons who are blind through the use of
adaptive technology. He is currently a director and Chairman of the
Budget Committee, American Council of the Blind (ACB); member,
Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the American
Foundation for the Blind (AFB); Chair, Information Access Task Force,
(Washington, DC); member, Statutory Advisory Board of the
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind; and a member of the World
Blind Union North American Regional Board.

Tech chat 52 – learn to Effectively Advocate for Change, Via Accessible Event.

 Listen to Tech Chat 52 – Strategies for Effective Advocacy

Read Show Notes with Links, for Tech Chat 52 – Strategies for Effective Advocacy

 

February 25 Tech Chat on Effective Advocacy

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

In SeroTalk Tech Chat 52, thursday, February 25, from 9:00 to 10:00 PM Eastern, our focus is effective advocacy. We’ll cover advocating for internet and web site access, travel and transportation, ATM and banking, service animals, education, creating effective letter writing and email campaigns, using radio, tv and print media, online petitions, social networking, contacting elected officials, giving presentations and more.

We’ll also utilize

the power of Accessible Event technology to display relevant and useful web pages, Microsoft Word documents, Excel Spreadsheets and Powerpoint slides

to equip interested persons with the tools they need to effectitvely advocate for change.
 
We are honored to have a distinguished group of three accomplished guests:

Kelly Pierce, David Lepofsky, and Joyce Scanlan, each successful in a variety of different initiatives.

Kelly Pierce works as an advocate for victims of crime with disabilities at the prosecutor’s office in Chicago. He has been active in helping people get adaptive technology at their college, obtain free talking cell phones and free cell phone screen readers, training and equipment from rehabilitation agencies, high quality audio interfaces for transit bus stop calling systems, voting machines and meaningful and useful ATM access at large banks; has written several guides on choosing adaptive technology and qualified trainers, and on forming assistive technology teams for acquiring technology.

David Lepofsky, located in Toronto Ontario Canada, successfully navigated the complaint process to force the Toronto transit agency to install automatic stop calling equipment on its buses.  He also worked to include people with disabilities into Canada’s Charter of rights and Freedoms.

Joyce Scanlan earned Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from the University of North Dakota with minors in Social Studies, Latin, Education, and History. She taught high school English, Latin and History in North Dakota and Montana before moving to Minnesota. She joined the National
Federation of the blind of Minnesota in 1970, and was first elected
its president in 1973. In 1974, she was elected to the national NFB
board of directors, where she served until 2006, including the offices
of secretary and first vice-president. Since arriving in Minnesota,
she and other young blind leaders believed the home for the blind the
Federation operated was and inappropriate focus for an organization
that stressed and attracted people for the aim of increasing
independence and opportunity. Eventually, Joyce spearheaded the sale
of the home for the blind and opened the residential training center
Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND, Inc.) in 1987. She
served as its executive director from 1987 to 2003. She was elected
president of the NFB of Minnesota every two years from 1974 until her
retirement from that position in 2007.

Join us Thursday Feb. 25 at 9PM Eastern to Learn How to Effectively Advocate for Change, Via Accessible Event.

 

Serotek’s iBlink Radio Makes the Front Page in the iTunes apps Store

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Thanks to everyone responsible for

Serotek’s iBlink Radio Making the Front Page in the Apps Section of the iTunes Store.

This proves that the blind community does have a voice, and that we can, and should, promote quality applications, and vote down those that are not accessible. We hope you will spread the word to people in other countries, submit reviews, and take time to rate applications before removing them from your iPhone.

 

The SeroTalk team!

 

 

SeroTalk Podcast 34 – Blio Reader, Booksense, Oratio for Blackberry, Mobilespeak 4, and Talks 4.5

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

In Podcast 34, we begin by hearing the first public demo of the

Blio Reader for the PC and iPhone to Offer One Million Text and Audio Books.

Michael lauf and Ricky enger discuss highlights from

ATIA 2010,

including Serotek’s latest product they call

AE Hotspot.

We spoke with GW Micro about the announcement that owners of the

Booksense can now download and listen to SAMNet content.

We spoke with Michel Pepin from Humanware about the release of

Oratio Screen Reader for blackberry PDA Devices.

And we finished with two interviews from ATIA:

Mobilespeak 4 from codeFactory providing access to touch screens on Windows Mobile and Symbian phones

and Nuance Talks 4.5 for Symbian Series 60 phones.

Listen to SeroTalk Podcast 34 – Blio Reader, Booksense Supports SAMNet content, Oratio for the Blackberry, Mobilespeak 4, and Talks 4.5

 

28 Interviews from ATIA 2010

Monday, February 1st, 2010

SeroTalk was able to get 28 interviews on January 27 and 28 at

ATIA 2010

held in Orlando Florida

Adaptive Switch labs

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Programs and Services

Fitness Products from A P H

Assist Touch System for A L S and ChatterVox Voice Amplifier

Demo of BookPort Plus from APH Coming in March 2010

GW Micro Announces Support for SAMNet Content in the Next BookSense Release

Click and Go Maps from In Touch Graphics Offer directions Via TTS or Telephone

EnableMart Products

EVAS (MIS) – Reader and Multi-Purpose Information system

Great Talking Box Company

HandyTech North America iRead OCR and Easy Braille Displays

Latest from Humanware as of January 28, 2010

Independent Living Aids – Kapten GPS, PenFriend Labeler, Large Display Cell Phone, Fully Talking Cordless Phone and Franklin Money Identifier

Inclusive TLC – Alternative Input Devices

Judy Lynn software – 18 Cause and Affect Applications

KNFB Reader latest Version

LevelStar Icon Update, October 2009

MacSpeech 1.58 Personal, MacSpeech Medical and MacSpeech Legal

CodeFactory Newly-Released MobileSpeak 4.0 for Windows Mobile and Symbian Phones

News-2-You Newspapers with Images Helping children Learn to Read

Two New Magnifiers from Optelec

Perkins Products – NLS Cartridges, New Braillers and Seka Braille Displays

RFBD Latest Supported Devices

Soft Touch – Software for Special Needs Children and Adults

Talks 4.5 Will Give Access to Touch Screens on Nokia Symbian Phones

TextHelp Fluency Tutor

Vizzle – 2,000 Plus Lessons with Visuals That Sizzle

ZoomText 10.0 Rewritten Will Run from USB Device in Summer 2010

 

Serotek Debuts Accessible Event Hotspot at ATIA 2010

Friday, January 29th, 2010

Serotek today unveiled its newest product, the AE HotSpot, at the 2010 ATIA conference in Orlando, FL. This revolutionary appliance, based on the same technology as Serotek’s Web-based Accessible Event service, gives people with disabilities access to classroom presentations, seminars, and other events. For the first time, people who have hearing or visual impairments can take full advantage of all aspects of any online or on-site event/presentation.

By leveraging our Accessible Event platform and secure wireless networking technology, Serotek’s AE HotSpot appliance allows event participants with disabilities to access slides, Excel spreadsheets, Web pages, and Word documents using their own wireless-enabled computers and access technology in real time. With the AE HotSpot, an event can be accessed from the Internet if the event coordinator wishes, but an Internet connection is not necessary for on-site participants to have full access to the event. That’s because the AE HotSpot appliance is a completely independent WiFi access point. This allows the event coordinator and/or presenter to decide what content will and will not be available to the attendees. The self-contained nature of this appliance enables a closed, secure Intranet environment, regardless of whether Internet connectivity is available. However, where Internet connectivity is available, the event coordinator can configure the AE HotSpot appliance to provide wireless Internet access as well as access to the event. The AE HotSpot can also record all event content and publish it on a web site or intranet with no need to install additional software on the target server. This enables anyone to deploy an accessible recording of an event, even if they don’t subscribe to the Web-based Accessible Event service.

Serotek will release the AE HotSpot soon. Learn more about the AE HotSpot by watching this accessible presentation.

Serotek at ATIA 2010

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Serotek Corporation cordially invites you to drop by booth 520 at the 2010 ATIA conference at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, January 28 – 30.  Come and see hands-on demonstrations of all the latest Serotek technology, including a new surprise or two.

 

If you’re wondering which sessions to attend at this year’s conference, Serotek’s CEO, Mike Calvo, is conducting a presentation that you won’t want to miss.  “The Art of Being a Change Agent” will be presented on January 28 in the Curacao room ¾, from 1:30 to 2:30. 

 

When you’re not attending sessions, drop by our booth and learn how you can have access to powerful and portable assistive technology without breaking the bank.  Serotek is the first company offering you the ability to purchase screen reading technology on an as-needed basis through our “Build A Bundle” service.   Starting at just $9.95 per month, you can now have access to one license of the System Access screen reader, with additional machine licenses for only $5 per month.  Try out the System Access Mobile Network, known as SAMNet, with over 2,100 described movies, thousands of radio stations, recipes, TV shows, the Socializer for instant messaging and social networking, voice chat to meet other interesting people, web-based email, and so much more for just $9.95 per month.  For an additional $5, you can provide remote support and training to other Serotek customers, and even access your own computers remotely from anywhere!

 

When you’d like to carry your SAMNet content with you, you can do so by transferring it to your favorite portable device.  SAMNet supports a wide variety of audio players, allowing members to sync a wealth of content from the network including movies, email, and now, books from the National Library Service BARD program. IN addition to the Victor Reader Stream from Humanware, the Icon from Levelstar, and Braile Plus from the American Printinghouse for the Blind, SAMNet content is supported on the Plextalk Pocket. Serotek is also proud to announce that we will very soon be supporting the BookSense player from GW Micro and we’ll be demoing this upcoming support in our booth.  If you don’t yet have one of these sleek and powerful players, drop by the GW Micro booth #413 and pick one up, or visit www.gwmicro.com for more information.

 

Ask about Serotek’s free Keys for K-12 program, offering free portable screen reading technology for all grade school, middle school and high school students, ensuring that truly, no student gets left behind.

 

Serotek’s Accessible Event offers true Section 508 compliance to corporate meetings, webinars, classroom lectures and government projects.  You won’t want to miss getting a look at the very latest exciting innovation from Serotek and Accessible Event, so be sure to drop by our booth and see the technology that organizations and corporations like The Federal Communications Commission and Humanware are using to make meetings accessible to their entire staff.

 

If you’re not able to make it to Orlando this year, you can still keep up with the latest happenings at ATIA by putting

http://serotalk.com/feed in to your favorite RSS reader or podcatcher,

or simply by visiting http://www.serotalk.com, where we’ll be bringing you news and interviews from the show floor

 

The Serotek Team

 

Tech Chat 48 – Internet Power Search

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Tech Chat 48 covered power searching the internet including sites for news, hard-to-find information, useful search engines and search techniques.

View Tech Chat 48 – Internet Power Search.

Listen to Tech chat 48 – Internet Power Search, 50 Minute MP3

 

SeroTalk Podcast 33 – Skype for Windows and iPhone and Dr. Robert Carter

Monday, January 18th, 2010

In SeroTalk Podcast 33, Michael Lauf and Ricky Enger discussed our dissatisfaction with

Navigon Mobile Navigator GPS

and their decision to remove voice navigation from pedestrian mode. We encourage everyone to

contact Navigon to tell them you want voice navigation restored to pedestrian mode in Mobile Navigator.

We also discussed:

Serotek monthly subscription packages for System Access Mobile and/or SAMNet starting at $9.95 per month

Free Accessible Event accounts, good for up to three participants, through January 31, 2010

EASI free webinar on access to Google’s Android phones on Wednesday, January 20 at 19:00 GMT or 3PM Eastern, 2PM Central or Noon Pacific

Free RFB&D keys available for use on the BookSense

Tek Talk on What was cool for blind users at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show January 18 at 8PM Eastern

 

NFB Access Technology Blog on the Consumer Electronics Show

RCA voice-activated remote with macros for $39 to be released this spring

We also did two segments on

Skype for Windows and the newly accessible ap for the iPhone

and finished by speaking with Dr. Robert Carter, one of fifteen staff psychologists at

Texas A&M University.

Listen to SeroTalk Podcast 33 – Skype for Windows and the iPhone, and Interview with Dr. robert Carter.