In this week’s podcast, Jamie Pauls, Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp must do battle with a thunderstorm and a really loud lawn mower. There is one casualty as a result of the ensuing battle, but the show must go on and so it does. Who is forced off the island, so to speak? What are the top stories of the week? All of that and more awaits you as you listen to this week’s episode!

Entertainment

Social Media

Why Facebook needs to build a browser

Legal Department

Apple prepared to go to trial in the US over e-book pricing

Internet

FedEx Office teams up with Google Cloud Print

Windows

Computer Maintenance Tools Available In Windows 7

How to bring the Start menu back to Windows 8

Cell Phones

Next iPhone said to ditch glass for Liquidmetal, arrive in June

Carriers ponder Apple iPhone subsidy uprising: Will it work?

Will Windows Phone 8 makers be more free to tweak the OS?

Ebooks

Why e-book DRM will die, and why this will make no difference to Amazon and Apple

AT

Product Evaluation: BrailleNote Apex from HumanWare

Roundabout

This week, Jamie Pauls, Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp once again discuss the top stories of the week which include:

Social Media

Should I Keep My Personal and Professional Identities Completely Separate Online?

Facebook buying Instagram for $1 billion, won’t cut off access to Twitter

Facebook hits a tired tech playbook: The rollup

Security

 Does Your Password Pass the Test?

 RIM executive calls Google Play “chaotic cesspool”

Cell networks to form phone database to fight theft

Are Macs safer than PCs?

General Tech

Iran expected to permanently cut off Internet by August

Cell Phones

AT&T’s iPhones: Free at last

Smartphone charging over an open fire

One-fifth of third-graders own cell phones

Mailbag

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones-for-seniors/

Roundabout

 Remind yourself to take stretch breaks with BreakTaker

Can you handle total silence?

April Fools Day

Introducing Gmail Tap

The Amazing Race to CSUN

The Biggest Note Taker Just Got Larger

Last year’s original G.T.O. Announcement

LSocial Media

3 Twitter Rumors and What They Could Mean for Brands

Twitter and Facebook degrade humanity, says Skype

Apple

Apple should dump the iPod Touch

New iPad ranked top tablet by Consumer Reports

6 Tips to Improve Typing on the iPad

AT

iTunes Hotkeys 1.0.0.0

Download the Braille version of the iPhone user guide here

Zello Brings Real-Time Group Chat to Your iOS Device

Say Zello To The World!                                                           

Hadley School for the Blind podcasts

Assistive Technology Movie Review – The Hunger Games

American Cancer Society Continues Information Accessibility Initiative

General Tech

Google Nexus tablet images leaked?

Dropbox doubles referral rewards, offers up to 32GB for those dripping in charisma

Mailbag

Kind regards,

Jake Joehl, Illinois

Hi all,

I finally got into the 20th century and started listening to podcasts and one of the first was your 101st broadcast. Great job.

I first wanted to address the article you all mentioned about the boy getting a guide dog as he loses his sight.

I can’t talk directly about the GDB program to allow this to happen, but I do work for a guide dog school, Guide Dog Foundation, and I can say generally that all of the schools are looking for ways to expand their services because, let’s face it, funding is hard to find these days and whatever works, works. You can argue that this could, and I say could, not will, hurt the average blind guide dog handler, but whether it’s veterans, service dogs, dogs for kids with autism or whatever the program is, if it brings in money to support the entire program, that’s good. Believe it or not, some of these additional programs do benefit the average handler in that instructors learn new skills that can make guide dog use a better experience for all of us. That’s not just the company line either as GDF does have a program, America’s VetDogs, that trains service dogs and from that we’ve learned a lot about how to help people who are encountering additional disabilities to blindness.

All that said, is this idea of giving blind children dogs, either as pets or as guides, a good idea? I won’t professionally berate my colleagues at GDB, but honestly, no, it’s not, as guides anyway. Pets are a great idea, but why not just a pet dog? Pilot dogs did an experiment in the 1970′s with blind children getting dogs at age 11. The kids raised a litter of puppies donated by someone who demanded that the dogs be given to kids. The dogs were then matched, not necessarily with the kids who raised them, and all were trained to use them as guides. This worked only in a few cases where the parents were supportive. Only 2 of the kids, and I want to say there were around 6 kids involved, remained guide dog handlers after the first dog retired.

Any time you have people under age receiving guide dogs, you have that third factor of parents and other family members, not that this doesn’t happen with legal adults too, but we’re talking legal control with parents.

GDF does accept people who are 16 and in rare cases we make exceptions to that, but those applicants have to be mature and able to direct the dog. And yes, guys, you really do need to have the orientation part of O&M down before getting a dog because, and I wish I knew who said this, “You can get lost faster with a dog than with a cane.”

Enough about dogs. As you see I can go on and on forever about that subject.

Thanks for the tip about changing categories of people on Facebook. It is somewhat accessible but as with so many things on facebook, it’s clunky and not accessible from the mobile site. I did relegate many of those unfortunately chosen “friends” to “acquaintances” and make my viewing of Facebook much more pleasant. So giant thanks for that tip.

Love the podcast!

Jenine Stanley

Thanks guys and gals for that wonderful piece of comedy.  I always enjoy the content that comes from your company.  Keep up the great work!

Thanks,

Steven Whiteker

Comments on “The Biggest Note Taker Just Got Larger” ‹ SeroTalk — WordPress

Sue Ward

Wow have we come a long way in speech synthesizers. When I heard that how in the world could you understand that? It reminded me of keynote gold, and that old computer in the background with the loud fan, sounds like the kind of system I worked with in school in the 80s back in the days of MS dos. Windows is so much better along with NVDA and Window Eyes, along with the other screen readers that are out in the market, glad we have choices.

John Herzog

I purchased a GTO last year, and I love it! It is the best computer I’ve ever used. What’s most  impressive is that when it broke two days after I ordered it, Serotek was able to return the unit to me in an impressively short ten month time frame. I love the highly customized parts that cannot  be replaced anywhere else other than Serotek’s top secret headquarters. These last two months have been the most productive of my life. I owe it to Rusty Metals and Hew Morris who convinced me last year to purchase this product. I cannot wait to purchase the S.U.C.K.E.r, and I am pleased Serotek 

is continuing to innovate with the government money spent on this gadget. Now my only question is, when are you selling the speech upgrade you demonstrated as the GTO read its press release?

I’m familiar with various discussions you’ve had regarding braille in previous podcasts but haven’t had availability to respond.  I would argue that with the advancement of computer technology and the improvements in accessibility braille is more important than ever and cheaper to obtain long-term with the advent of electronic braille displays.  As I’m constructing this email I’m able to focus in on conversation without being distracted by speech because of my ability to read braille and make use of a display.  In a business meeting I can see many scenarios where braille will allow me to multitask more efficiently because I will be able to contribute to conversations while reading power points, checking emails, and performing other essential tasks as it relates to my occupation. 

It will be far less expensive to provide textbooks in braille as electronic displays are slowly becoming compatible with more devices. 

Finally, there are some real social advantages to making use of braille.  Students are becoming more mobile and completing their studies with multiple devices in varies places.  I think it would be fantastic if students were able to use a braille display as an avenue to keep up with their peers while in social situations like when watching televisions or movies in a non-intrusive way.

These are just my thoughts.

Thanks,

Greg Rogers

Roundabout

Jamie Pauls and Ricky Enger welcome Joe Steinkamp back to this week’s podcast. After a brief discussion about Joe’s recent computer problems, the three of them tackle the news of the week.

Smartphones

iPhone Vs. Android Phones, Which One is Dominating the Market?

Feature Writer Steve Famiglietti – A Personal Journey Through the iPhone 4S

Hospitals Warn Smartphones Could Distract Doctors

iPad

Apple: iPad charging fine, keep it plugged in

General Tech

AT&T striving to retain customers through new loyalty program

Twitter bug makes it seem you’re unfollowing people

Google Drive due as soon as April

Harry Potter Flies Onto eReaders as Pottermore Store Opens

Windows 8 Release Candidate rumored for June, retail release in October

AT

Volunteer for Exciting New Image Description Project!

A screen reader for everyone: why the world needs NVDA | Media Access Australia

Electroactive polymer key to durable full-screen Braille displays

Roundabout

Coming to SPN.. you liked our coverage of ATIA, you loved our coverage on the new Apple thing that may or may not be released this fall and you were indifferent about our coverage of the Westminster Kenel Club.. but all that is nothing when compared to what we have in store for you in 2013 when SeroTalk brings you .. the Amazing Race to CSUN.

Yes, that’s right. We took your feedback from our popular “Road2CSUN” travel log and we turned it to 11 with these crazy new aditions to next year’s road trip….. just think. From New York to San Diego by way of .. public transportation?

To learn more, listen to our full announcement here!

A word that gets over used and over hyped is “innovation”. Why single out a few features as a revolutionary advancement in your product,  when in all honesty these additions are just evolutionary in nature? How can you redefine a term like “Inovation” in a business that now thrives and depends on you buying the same thing each year? More to the point, why should you bother? We looked deep within ourselves and asked these questions, along with what indian food places delivered to our area, when we considered our next step in refreshing the hastily but lovingly cobbled together G.T.O. As you no doubt remember, the G.T.O. was our initial splash in to the note taking pool.

Last year we took mature technologies to a whole new level. This year we were kind of looking to do something bold and new and fresh. Then we sobered up and realized that we could just release an accessory to the G.T.O. and then go play “hanging With Friends” for the next three months of the Development Cycle instead. With this goal in mind we sent out for some great Chicken Vindaloo and began the 35-minute wait for the food to arrive by designing our newest addition to the G.T.O. product line.

What if you took the flexibility of the G.T.O. and combined it with the power of portability? 30 hours of battery life sounds pretty attractive, right? But aren’t you so tired of companies advertising long battery life and never living up to expectations? Wouldn’t it be nice if you, the user, had full control of how long your battery lasts? Well, dream no more! We are excited to unveil our fantastic new accessory, the Somewhat Unwhieldy, cumbersome kinetic energy recharger, for your G.T.O. device.

Now you can enjoy your G.T.O. on the beach, in the airport or just about anywhere you need to be with the knowledge that your device’s battery life is in your capable hands. The S.U.C.K.E.R. gets its energy from your body motion, not from some antiquated wall outlet. Need to send an important tweet about the delicious sandwich you just ate? The G.T.O. doesn’t support Twitter, but if it did, all you’d have to do is do the hokey pokey for 15 minutes, and the S.U.C.K.E.R. could deliver just enough power to your G.T.O. unit to allow for the input of those precious 140 characters. And remember, you’re not getting your power from the electric company. It’s coming right from your own awkwardly flailing self.

How green is that? But wait! We can be even greener. We have created the carrying cases for all our products out of clothing we have found from the finest of second hand stores. This means that every carrying case is highly unique, blending an array of colors and fabrics in a way that’s sure to grab the attention of everyone. Yellow corduroy and purple polyester is just one stunning example that we’ve created. We have also worked to repurpose all our plastics by melting down a virtually endless supply of AOL SignUp Discs we have collected over the years, and we smear this mixture haphazardly on every carrying case to give it that shiny look.

But we didn’t stop there. At the launch of the G.T.O. last year, we heard from lead developer Rusty Mettles about his inspiration for the product. This year, he had this to say about the S.U.C.K.E.R.: “I was reading this awesome book about a contest to find an Easter egg in an online virtual world. All the references to 1980s geek culture and old technology really resonated with me. But another thing that got my attention was the part where the kid charged the battery in his space heater by working out on an exercise bike. I thought, poor kid, if only he’d had a dog to do that for him.”

While the rest of the team gulped Jolt Cola and debated whether Kirk or Picard was the better captain, Rusty Mettles set out to build the Rotational Operating Flywheel  Linkature, or ROFL. With the R.O.FL., you can use that lazy service animal that lies listlessly at your feet to power your devices. Using our pattent pending “PawsAtraction” technology, your service animal can climb inside the 6 foot in diameter wheel to spin your devices back into the green in no time. Just place the optional squeak toy, rawhide bone or Bacon Bite a little out of reach of your furry capacitor and you are off to clean, green battery bliss.

Need a cumbersome and unwieldy way to haul around your cumbersome and unwieldy device and accessories? How about the collapsible rolling cart. Well, it’s more of a little red wagon than a cart, but it does collapse whenever the S.U.C.K.E.R. or the R.O.F.L. is placed on it.

But why take our word for how fantastic these new accessories are. Instead, read this testimonial from Mrs. Myrtle Shleppenhauser and judge for yourselves.

“Last year, Mr. Shleppenhauser, maybe I should just call him Fred. Anyway, Fred got me the G.T.O. for our fiftieth wedding anniversary. All our friends were going on cruises, but not us. My Fred wanted to give me a gift that would leave it’s mark on the world. This year, when Fred heard about all this exciting stuff, he said he’d have no argument from me. So he went right out, and he sold his dentures and his toupee. He bought me a shiny new S.U.C.K.E.R., an R.O.F.L., and, of course, that collapsible cart.

“So here I was, on the day of our anniversary. I had just let Fluffy–he’s my Rotweiler guide dog–back in the house, when I felt this strange rumbling, and it got louder and louder. Then I heard my Fred shout, “I love you, Myrtle!” Then there was a crash so loud, it scared Fluffy and me real bad. There was a puddle on the floor, but I guess I won’t say any more about that.

“So, I went outside, and right in front of the door was my wonderful gift. The cart did collapse, just like the ad said, and there wasn’t a dent or scratch on any of it. At first, I thought one of them pretty carry cases got stuck under the wheels, but they were fine. My Fred, as the younger generation says, “Not so much.” A neighbor told me he saw the exact point when it all went downhill, and I mean literally downhill. We live at the bottom of Mile High Hill. Fred was doing pretty well until the cart picked up some momentum. I don’t want to say it ran him over and collapsed on him. I much rather think of it that now, my Fred has the long, lean body he has always dreamed of.

And the S.U.C.K.E.R. and this other fine stuff has made my dreams come true. Thank you Fred, and thank you, Serotek. My life will never be the same!”

So what are you waiting for? Pick up the phone to order your S.U.C.K.E.R., fashionable carrying case, R.O.F.L. and collapsible rolling cart today. We’ll be happy to take your … oh … Indian food is here. We’ll be too busy cramming our mouths with vindaloo and naan to take your order. Chimpanzee-Bonobo hybrids are standing by.

This week, Buddy Brannan joins Jamie Pauls and Ricky Enger to discuss the top news stories of the week. Then, Mike Calvo talks with Jamie Pauls about Apple’s new iPad.

Privacy

Thank you, Facebook: A way to demote annoying ‘friends’ on the sly

ACLU: Employers demanding Facebook passwords is privacy invasion

What Happens to My Gmail Account When I Die?

Internet

Building a ‘Blind-Friendly’ Internet

Gaming

Blizzard ‘looking into’ World of Warcraft on iPhone

More moms turn to video games to relax

AT

Windows 8 Narrator overview

 VoiceOver features in iOS 6: a pronunciation editor

VoiceOver features in iOS 6: Reference apps and a new reading mode for HTML content

iOS VoiceOver Gesture, Keyboard & Braille Shortcuts | AxS Lab

Audacity 2.0 Guide

Opportunity lost with Nokia Maps audio direction

$300 Refreshable Braille Display

A video demonstration of THE NATESAN REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAY

A T Guys has released a free iOS app for BlindBargains. An Android app is also out.  Blind Bargains: Audio: A Makeover for Accessible Event

iOS

iPads keep charging for “up to” an hour after display shows 100%

iOS 5.1 code hints new iPhone could have 4G LTE

Roundabout

 Zach Thibodeaux, 9-Year-Old Boy, Gets Guide Dog Before Going Blind – The Huffington Post

In our final SeroTalk special from CSUN 2012, Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp conduct interviews with representatives from the following companies:

Perkins

Humanware

Sendero

AFB

Click and Go Maps

Dolphin Guide

GW Micro Windows 8

Look Tel

Optelec

Stepp

In part two of our three-part special, Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp continue their interviews from CSUN 2012.

 Switch Equipment iPad

Book Share

Optelec

Design Science

Magnisight

HIMS

Job Accomodation Network

Isist

Learning Ally