I know that sounds really drastic but it is true. Why should we care though? Because, fact is, disabled people need the internet.

There are a lot of things that make me want to question all humanity, simply because it seems that common sense is becoming more and more a luxury than anything else today. Why? Today, I read an article that’s just promoting nothing more than false intentions.

I’m on twitter a lot and I read what my followers post a great deal. When I saw the article about the notion that Verizon was fighting against Net Neutrality to benefit the disabled populace, I didn’t have anything clever to say. I didn’t have a retort to utter. I didn’t even have a tweet to formulate in wake of this. Ladies and gents, there’s simply no other word to describe what they are claiming and the propositions that they claim, other than one. It’s a word that fits all, I believe, given this context and the huge array of just false debauchery that Verizon is trying to cook up.

LIES.

If you have not heard about the FCC and their latest plan to destroy the internet do a Google search for FCC and net neutrality. You will get some really interesting articles that basically outline what their new rules will entail.

It’s a proposal that would ban Internet providers from blocking or slowing down access to websites but may let them charge content companies for faster and more reliable delivery of their traffic to users.

It sounds good on paper and in a simple sentence like that. It’s not. I will briefly explain why.

Anything can be abused, including this new law. Internet service providers (ISPs), like Comcast or AT&T—believe that, as providers of internet access, they should be able to distribute bandwidth differently depending on the service.

They’d prefer, for example, to create tiers of internet service that’s more about paying for priority access than for bandwidth speeds. As such, in theory, they could charge high-bandwidth services—like Netflix, for example—extra money, since their service costs more for Comcast to provide to its customers—or they could charge users, like you and me, extra to access Netflix. They can also provide certain services to you at different speeds.

For example, perhaps your ISP might give preferential treatment to Hulu, so it streams Hulu videos quickly and for free, while Netflix is stuck running slowly (or we have to pay extra to access it). If you don’t think that won’t wrack up a huge bill, you are wrong.

How many people use cell phones and access Facebook, twitter, Netflix, ETC. This will affect everything that’s connected to the internet and they can all have a separate charge attached for that device to access websites and content.

This will also affect your tablets, game systems, ANYTHING that is hooked up to the internet. Knowing the USA, those fees can be taxed. enough said.

Imagine that Verizon or AT&T don’t like the idea of Google Voice, because it allows you to send text messages for free using your data connection. Your cellphone carrier could block access to Google Voice from your smartphone so you’re forced to pay for a texting plan from them. Or, they see that a lot of people are using Facebook on their smartphone, so even if they have the bandwidth to carry that traffic, they decide to charge you extra to access Facebook, just because they know it’s in high demand and that they can make a profit.

Obviously this will be great for people who have money spilling outa their pockets and who live in a financial bubble ignorant of the rest of us but I don’t think the FCC remembers that not everyone has money, If this rueling gets past it will ban some disabled people from using the internet. Let’s be real here.

Take SSI. How much is your internet bill per year now and how often do people on SSI rely on the internet and websites that host special content like Facebook, for social collaboration and school websites that often hold YouTube videos, which can have a steep price on it too on top of your internet bill if net neutrality is killed.

People on SSI or even SSDI won’t be able to pay all of that, given the fact that disabled people use the internet more than anything else for more than just socializing. People host teleconferences on Facebook, promote goods on blogs, the list goes on and I should not even have to point these out.

These ISP;s certainly won’t remember that not everyone has money because they want to have the money and they will want to have the money that they think they should have any way that they can get it, including charging people like you and I to use an email provider that isn’t with your default ISP like, for example, if you’re using Comcast and you look at your Gmail. Comcast could charge you to access Gmail even though Gmail is free.

The reason why blind people use Gmail is that it offers a lot of customization. For example, it offers free IMAP and POP3 access to mail clients. Yahoo does not.

This is why I say that Verizon is spewing illogical banter. There’s a stereotype about us Americans that say, frankly, we are greedy.

Verizon and Comcast really want to have this new rueling passed just so they can get more money and the fact that Verizon is using disabled people as a valuable excuse to justify why they want to kill Net Neutrality just so they can have more money really makes me, well, disappointed at my own country.

Hears the claim Verizon makes. Without a fast lane, disabled Americans could get stuck with subpar service as Internet traffic increases.

The issue that’s a constant problem isn’t even about the speed of access but, rather, the simple act of accessing something. I don’t understand how this will help us access something such as a website that isn’t designed to be accessible or obtaining some key information that’s in an accessible element on the inaccessible or partially accessible website. Since the internet often has inaccessible websites, even today, we would just turn to the phone, or, in my case, text one of my minions to look something up for me, adding a winking smiley at the end just because. The issue of speed doesn’t even culminate into a logical fit within this particular claim, if people really knew about screen readers and magnifiers and such. Instead of slower speeds dolling out a subpar service it’s the incomplete and botched content that we cannot access because developers didn’t make whatever accessible.

If there were, indeed, a way for ISPs to create two lanes of internet access, one slow, with costs to use all these demanding sites like Netflix and such, and one fast, combined with services like Facebook, it would ban a lot of disabled people from accessing some very key information all together all because of costs that would be designated by the ISP and then that would be yet another contender blind and visually impaired activists would have to constantly advocate for.

State rehabilitation will not pay for internet as is, and that’s just one monthly cost to access all websites and services. If this were to actually be enforced people with disabilities wouldn’t have access to certain sites at all because of the high costs that will, without a doubt, be determined by the ISP.

This could lead to loss of employment, fewer educational opportunities because this will affect schools too, and overall fewer productivity and would make the unemployment rate for disabled people increase because a lot of disabled people work from home, using many sites and services every day that wouldn’t be able to be accessed because, oh no! The bill is really high!

Speed is not the issue and it infuriates me that Verizon even uses that as a claim. If people know about screen readers, magnifiers, and accessibility issues with software and sites then they will see right through this fallacy. If they don’t know about disabled people and access technology it would be a simple conclusion that would make sense in their minds even though its hugely false, that speed would help us.

Access is an issue but the irony is access would be an even bigger issue, coupled with taxes and stuff, I’m sure, will be added onto these extra speed costs and costs to access content, thereby bridging the disabled homeless and otherwise on an even wider separation all because of money. Access won’t be an issue, it will morph into a barrier, one that will always be up.

This is just for work. Could you only imagine how disabled people wouldn’t have access to sites like twitter, where news is happening all day, every day? Oh my god!I don’t even want to entertain that nightmare.

I just cannot believe that Verizon would even say such a disingenuous thing. It won’t help disabled people at all. It would ban some from even using the internet, even some who are not disabled. I don’t think people who work at these companies know that not everyone works at Verizon or otherwise, but hey, in America, it’s all about the money. It’s all about the money.

It’s the sentence, “I need that.”

A dictionary has many definitions for the word need. Until October, when I decided to take up a challenge by a friend to not use any Internet for a whole month, I didn’t really understand what I needed or even why I needed it.

In September 2014, the sun speckled the ground with bursts of bright light even though the weather was cold in Chicago. I was sitting in a park with an engineer friend of mine, stealing his fries as we talked about the internship that I applied for but didn’t make. The topic nestled into the internship miss until, suddenly, he blurted out an exclamation of “oh my god, Robbie, you have GOT to read this!”

And so I did, or rather, listened, having limited vision and everything. It was an article that said that killing net neutrality would help the disabled. Verizon was saying that, if the Internet were split into a fast lane and a slow lane, disabled people would have much better Internet. Naturally, the irony wasn’t lost on me. In most cases, no matter how politically correct people wanted me to be ever since I started saying it, a good portion of the disabled populace were very poor, so the idea Verizon had was just utter nonsense.

“That’s a complete fallacy!” I spluttered, shifting my weight so my good eye could stare at Marcus full on in the face. “That’s just plain wrong!”

“I know,” he agreed, but we ranted and raved for a bit, just to make sure our thoughts were out in the open. Suddenly, though, as I was stealing a fry, he commented, “I have an idea. Why don’t I give you a challenge, you know, like a dare?” I liked the prospect of a dare so I accepted his challenge before having the intellect to ask what it was.

“Why don’t you, as a disabled person, live without the Internet for one month, and this means using Internet in schools and in libraries and the like, don’t use the Internet at all for one month.”

And that’s how it began.

Now, my memoir details my journey of living offline. Through my words and reflections, readers will know what adapting to a new kind of world is like. I was soon swept up in a different world, a world that was inaccessible to me and a world that I had to learn how adapt to, on my own since I live in an apartment complex by myself. I really did learn the difference between needing something and wanting the convenience of something.

I assumed I was going to do the everyday things that people did, such as walk outside, even though it was starting to get cold in Chicago. I thought my entries were going to be filled with sentences outlining what I did, rather than what I’d think about and declarations and observations of people. I thought that I’d write more about what I did and why I did it, rather than my observations about the Internet-less life and how it changing everything from communication to education to human interaction.

In the memoir, many aspects of life are examined. Why? Because I had a lot more free time to share with myself. The memoir is a diary that’s intimate and allows for a glimpse into the human psyche before being connected to everyone.

Living offline changed me in many ways that I didn’t even see coming. For the first few days, I needed to get online, I wanted to look up something. I wanted to type in the commands and the search strings that would get me exactly what I wanted, how I wanted it, where I wanted it. Without that power, for a few days, I was utterly lost because I didn’t know how to cope after that power had been taken away.

Even though I felt as though I was going to back down on the first few days, I gave it a shot still, and kept on with the challenge.

The fact is, the Internet is a requirement, especially for the disabled. I experienced much frustration simply because I could no longer do something so basic, such as hooking up a landline phone because I couldn’t download the manual from the website. I had to rely on the sighted population more than I have ever needed to.

This is because there isn’t as much accessible information offline as there is on the Internet. On the Internet I can look up any news I want to look up or any manual, for that matter. Take news content: Writers are not filtered by space and advertising columns so they can pepper the Web page with in-depth reporting and I could read it all.

Mainstream offline media doesn’t tell you about all the news that’s happening or the kind of topics people want to know. The fact is, people want to know. On the radio and TV everything is delegated by space and time. When you have limited options to get information, information becomes a need, not a luxury. I had to cope with losing that by asking more questions from other people and relying on their answers. Sometimes, it was effective. Other times, it left me feeling as if I was being denied information simply because I didn’t use the Internet.

We live, however, in a world that needs the Internet. I learned that the hard way when I didn’t get hired for a job because I couldn’t use the Internet. It really has shocked me how it’s turned into an unclassified utility. Sure, apartment owners are saying it is a utility but not the government, not the people higher up. It should be. Why? Because I know what it’s like, as a disabled person, to live without the Internet for one month. A disabled life without Internet is not a completely independent world. The Internet breaks down barriers, even if we can’t see them.

Serotek’s own Richard Wells recently had the opportunity to attend the American Foundation for the Blind’s 2014 Vision Expo held in Waco, Texas. While he was there, Richard managed to snag some great interviews which he brought back to the team. We are pleased to feature those interviews in this month’s episode of SeroSpectives. Be sure to visit the Websites of the respective organizations mentioned in this podcast so that you can learn more about what they have to offer.

Neva Fairchild talks with Richard Wells about the American Foundation for the Blind’s 2014 Vision Expo held in Waco, Texas.

Richard visits with a representative of HIMS Inc.

Heather talks about the Texas Talking Book Program.

Steven Thompkins talks with Richard Wells about NFB Newsline.

Kathy visits with Richard about the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services of Texas.

Philips Lifeline offers many health aids such as talking prescription information.

Tracey represents the Dallas Services Low Vision Clinic.

Teresa tells us about Ridgecrest Retirement Village.

Learn about emergency preparedness from a representative of the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry.

Jan tells us about the programs available from the Area Agency on Aging.

Welcome to a very special SeroSpectives program for the month of August. For this podcast, we decided to turn the spotlight on ourselves. Whether it’s Lisa Salinger’s thorough training on how to use various aspects of SAMNet or our In It to Win It chats available exclusively to our SAMNet community, we offer you a glimpse into what we do here at Serotek. To learn more and become a part of our community, why not sign up for a 14-day free trial of our products right now!

Join Lisa Salinger and her special guests Chancey Fleet, Jeff Bishop, Joe Steinkamp and Jamie Pauls as they share their observations of this year’s ACB and NFB conventions.

You can also check out SPN’s ACB 2014 and NFB 2014 convention coverage.

Finally, be sure and listen to ACB Radio Main Menu’s convention specials featuring interviews by Jeff Bishop from Las Vegas.

Replay the Accessible Event archive of This Month in Tech for May

Jeff Bishop is an IT Accessibility Analyst at the University of Arizona. He describes himself as a “Developer, technologist, Window-Eyes scripter, Broadcaster and family oriented guy” and is probably best known for his broadcasts on various community radio stations.

Janet Ingber has been writing for AccessWorld since 2005, and cohosts two podcasts on How to be Blind. Her new book, “Learn to use the Mac With VoiceOver” is now available from National Braille Press. Janet has a Masters Degree in Music Therapy and provides services for adults who have developmental disabilities. Additionally, she is certified as a special education teacher. Janet lives in New York City with her husband, daughter and guide dog, Jack.

Byron Lee is a Ham Radio Operator (KC9EEK), Broadcast Personality, Audio Engineer, Voice Over Artist, Web Designer, IT Professional, and most importantly, a huge geek! He is currently employed by Horizons for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired, and is currently working on the DirectionsForMe project, a one stop source for accessible packaging information. In addition, Byron hosts two Internet radio shows. The Talk Zone is a two hour program about adaptive technology, disability rights, science fiction, pop-culture, and just about any other topic. The Fun Zone is a one hour program featuring comedy music. His shows are simulcast on ACB Radio Mainstream, and several other online radio stations. Byron has also been involved in other radio shows and podcasts, and is a frequent contributor on the SeroTalk Podcast Network. Find out more about Byron on his website or take a look at his newest project, the Low Vision Rants Website.

In the Community

HIMS Inc. Releases New Pocket-sized Media Player that Gives Blind and Visually Impaired Near-Instant Access to Printed Text

The Penguin Random House/Bookshare Partnership

BlindSquare celebrates two years; releases Version 2.0.

General Tech

Amazon, Twitter link up for easy shopping through #AmazonCart

Text-to-911 is here, but it isn’t everything you might think

Windows Phone 8.1 Launching June 24

WWDC

Information on iOS 8 now added to the Apple website

Information on OS X Yosemite now added to the Apple website

Apple publishes Swift programing language guide on iBooks

32 Hidden Features in Apple iOS 8

About Our Presenters

Erin Edgar is a lawyer currently working for Legal Aid, which is a non-profit lawfirm that assists low-income clients with various issues. She and her husband, Rodney, co-host a podcast called Tech Access Weekly which focuses on news and events  in assistive and mainstream technology. She also co-hosts the Book Hoarders Annonymous Podcast, which is dedicated to book lovers of all persuasions. Follow her on Twitter, or reach her via email.

Rodney Edgar is a low vision IT Professional in the banking industry. In 2009 he co-founded the Tech Access Weekly Podcast which discusses a variety of accessible technologies. He is also the host of High Contrast on SPN, technical director of Tech Access DemoCast, and shameless promoter of the Book Hoarders Annonymous Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter

Allison Hartley is an avid technology enthusiast, and co hosts the Tech Doctor Podcast with Dr. Robert carter. She currently works as a rehabilitation counselor for a state agency. She is also a trained singer. She and her husband Jeremy share a love of music and technology in common, and are working on putting together a jazz ensemble. They also enjoy kicking back and watching mindless comedies on Netflix. You can follow her on Twitter.

Jeremy Hartley has a strong passion for technology and music. He is a former owner of a small Internet Service Provider, former host of the Whole Note program for blind musicians, and member of several bands in the San Francisco Bay area as a singer, trumpet and keyboard player. He was also the voice of the narrator in the audio game, Entombed. He currently works at a web accessibility company in San Francisco. Along with his wife Allison, he is putting together a small jazz ensemble. They also share a love of reading and discovering new local restaurants.

Mainstream Tech

CES 2014: Wearables, connected appliances, automated cars, and curved TVs

New lease on life? AOL reportedly selling Winamp to Radionomy

Apple execs reflect on the Macintosh at 30

Microsoft faces new brand dispute over OneDrive name

Google Glass finally works with prescription glasses, frames cost $225

All About Apps

MBraille 1.7.2 updated to include Facetime calling support and bug fixes

Seeing Eye GPS 1.3 includes 17 notable changes and a NEW Monthly subscription option

Announcing the AppleVis Golden Apples of 2013

Hey iOS peeps! Now you can school your Android friends in SpellStack.

Digit-Eyes 2.0 has a completely NEW and simplified user interface design plus other New features

Announcing Fleksy VO for iOS. A new keyboard for VoiceOver users.

Clarification of Fleksy VO for iOS

Interview with Fleksy developers on SeroTalk 185

In the Community

GW Micro Announces Global Window-Eyes Initiative for users of Microsoft Office

A Toast to GW Micro

How gaming can help blind people navigate buildings in real life

The Beauty of Space Comes to the Visually Impaired

About Our Presenters

Erin Edgar is a lawyer currently working for Legal Aid, which is a non-profit lawfirm that assists low-income clients with various issues. She and her husband, Rodney, co-host a podcast called Tech Access Weekly which focuses on news and events  in assistive and mainstream technology. She also co-hosts the Book Hoarders Annonymous Podcast, which is dedicated to book lovers of all persuasions. Follow her on Twitter, or reach her via email.

Jason Meddaugh is a cofounder of BlindBargains.com, one of the most popular deals and news websites for the blind and visually impaired. He also manages A T Guys, a website featuring low-cost tech gadgets and accessories. He is also a cohost on That Android Show. Follow him on Twitter.

Jamie Pauls, [Producer and host of the SeroTalk Podcast, plays keyboard professionally, and has shared the stage several times with current X Factor winner Tate Stevens. He is a music therapist who has worked with both the elderly and children, and teaches a music Appreciation class one evening a week at a community college. In the current setting, he is best known for his work as Content Director for Serotek. You can follow him on Twitter.

Joe Steinkamp is cohost of the SeroTalk Podcast as well as several other SPN podcasts. You can follow him on Twitter, and can read his personal Top Ten list on his blog.

Top Stories — 6-10

Story 10: X+Y = Math Access

SeroTalk Podcast, including an interview on the T84 Calculator

Story 9: A Tasty Google Treat

That Android Show

Story 8: Real Potential in Access to Set Top Boxes

Comcast Website

Stories 7 and 6: A Tie! Between two A T Giants

Victor Reader Stream: Second Generation

Sendero GPS

This Year at Serotek

Introducing Our New, Redesigned Website

Serotek Ambassadors’ Club is Launched

Serotek Podcast Network Reaches Highest Listener Count Yet

Serotek Launches the Newly Updated Socializer

The Top Five Stories

Story 5: You Down with UEB?

Unified English Braille to become official code in 2016

Story 4: Love Em or Hate em, Apple Gets People Talking

Apple iOS 7 Page

Triple Click Home

Story 3: The Tap Tap See Controversy

Tap Tap See Review

Triple Click Home Interview

Story 2: The Holy Grail of iPhone Apps

Story 1: Amazon Helps and Fights A T in the Same Breath

Kindle Fire HDX Product Page

Kindle Fire HDX: Usable By the Blind At Last?

Replay the Accessible Event archive of the show

About Our Presenters Luis Arellano is an instructional assistant for California School Districts and a regular, helpful participant in the SAMNet Community. He enjoys comparing, contrasting, and demonstrating various mainstream technology solutions.

Rick Harmon manages various email lists related to blindness and technology. He also runs the Blind Geek Zone website and Podcast. Since their launch in 2006, the site and podcast have served as portals to hundreds of free tutorials and demonstrations for the blind community. While he did the majority of these, he has selected high-quality submissions by others for tinclusion as well. In 2007, Rick began offering paid training and support services, both in person in his local area, and by phone.

Laura Legendary is a speaker, author, and educator specializing in disability awareness, advocacy, accessibility, and assistive technology. Read the Accessible Insights Blog. Most recently, Laura has added entrepreneur to the list with her Elegant Insights Braille Creations. Follow Laura on Twitter at either @Accessible_Info or @ElegantInsights.

In the Community

Dr. Abraham Nemeth, inventor of the Braille math code, dies at 94

Jaws 15 has been Released

Serotek: a Fresh Season of Updates

FCC adopts TV rules for blind and deaf

Microsoft

Goodbye Microsoft Security Essentials: Microsoft Now Recommends You Use a Third-Party Antivirus

Do I Need to Stop Using Microsoft Security Essentials?

Windows 8.1: What a difference a year makes

Android

The Google Nexus 5 is finally here. Get all the details

Android 4.4 KitKat is here at last. Take a deep dive into the new OS

Apple

From iPad Air to Mac Pro: everything you need to know about Apple’s fall event | The Verge

Papa Sangre II on the App Store on iTunes

[Technically Speaking

I’m the original voice of Siri’

Amazon Launches Kindle Fire HDX Tablets, Fire OS 3.0

Turn on Accessibility Features on your Kindle Fire HD or Kindle Fire HDX

The latest SeroTalk Podcast contains an interview about the Kindle Fire HDX.

Replay the Accessible Event archive of SeroSpectives: This Month in Tech for August

ABOUT OUR PRESENTERS

Byron Lee is a Ham Radio Operator (KC9EEK), Broadcast Personality, Audio Engineer, Voice Over Artist, Web Designer, IT Professional, and most importantly, a huge geek! When asked about Byron, people often say “He’s just this guy, ya’ know?” He is currently employed by Horizons for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired, and is currently working on the DirectionsForMe project, a one stop source for accessible packaging information.

In addition, Byron hosts two Internet radio shows. The Talk Zone is a two hour program about adaptive technology, disability rights, science fiction, pop-culture, and just about any other topic. The Fun Zone is a one hour program featuring comedy music. His shows are simulcast on ACB Radio Mainstream, Radio Free Dishnuts, The Beyond Radio Network, and Dementia Radio. He has also been involved in other radio shows and podcasts, and is a frequent contributor on the SeroTalk Podcast Network. Find out more about Byron on his website

Joe Orozco handles marketing for Serotek. He is a freelance writer and aspiring author of young adult horror. You can learn more about Joe at his website

MICROSOFT

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within the next year

Windows 8.1 shipping, online and physically, on October 18th

New Windows 8.1 build reveals built-in tutorial and tips

ANDROID

Hands on: New Nexus 7 review

Nexus 7 receives bug fix update, should solve multitouch and GPS issues

APPLE

Report: iOS 7 may come to iPhones and iPod touches first, iPads later

ASSISTIVE TECH

Announcing the Newest Inductees into the AppleVis iOS App Hall of Fame

HIMS Releases Braille Edge 40 1.1 Upgrade with .RTF, .DOCX Support, More

New version of Nearby Explorer, Here’s what’s New

Announcing the release to the Apple Store of the first update to The Seeing Eye GPS app for the iPhone, version 1.1.

NVDA 2013.2 now Available

The Next Chapter

Moving Forward

GENERAL TECH

Twitter has a new dedicated accessibility team

Inclusive Gaming

Interview with Donald Katz, CEO & Founder of Audible.com

Replay the Accessible Event archive of This Month in Tech for July

About Our Presenters

Mike Arrigo works in the computer field, and provides technical support for church management database software. He loves gadgets of all sorts, but especially computers and smart phones. Aside from that, he enjoys walking, singing, reading and chatting with others. Mike frequently contributes podcasts to various sites regarding Android, iOS, Mac and ChromeBook. Look for his podcasts on The Blind Geek Zone or contact him via E-mail.

Brie Rumery, 43 lives in Jasper, Georgia with her husband Scott, daughter Makayla and their two German shepherd guide dogs. At eight years old, she began losing her sight due to the progressive eye condition known as Retinitis Pigmentosa. Ms. Rumery experienced first-hand the frustrations of blindness in regards to education, employment and the lack of affordable access technology. However, her determination to be a self-sufficient, independent member of a sighted society gave her the strength and perseverance to learn how to use assistive technology at a young age, be the only blind individual to graduate with honors from her local technical college and to work for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta for nearly ten years. Currently, Brie is a Junior Partner for Fedora Outlier, LLC — an Atlanta based assistive technology firm that believes in providing top quality, better than excellent consulting, teaching and support for Apple’s iOS devices and computer products for the blind, by the blind. As junior partner for Fedora Outlier, LLC, Ms. Rumery wears many hats and the one she is most proud of is the fact that she is the co-author of the firm’s first book, the Old Hat Guide To iPhone Accessibility which tells the story of how she overcame her fear of using the iPhone and that “if Brie can do it then so can you!”. Another hat that Ms. Rumery has acquired is that of being Public Relations Production Manager/Twitter Moderator for two types of unique interview series known as #AccessChat and Follow Friday (#FF) which are produced and moderated by Ms. Rumery via Fedora Outlier’s Twitter Platform. When she isn’t working hard for Fedora Outlier, LLC you can find her sending tweets via Twitter, emailing friends old and new, writing short stories and poetry, spending time with her family and of course using her iPhone. Brie also loves quotations and mantras and the one she uses on a daily basis is her own: “Just Because You Have Lost Your Sight Does Not Mean You Have Lost Your Vision!” If you would like to learn more about Fedora Outlier, LLC, #AccessChat and #FF, or you would like to personally contact Brie, feel free to do so by sending her E-mail, following her on Twitter, or following Fedora Outlier on Twitter.

Android

How Google just quietly made your Android phone more secure – Computerworld Blog

Seven reasons to buy the new Google Nexus 7

Chromecast isn’t a Roku/Apple TV killer — but at $35, it doesn’t need to be

Mobile Tech

How the new Nexus 7 and iPad Mini compare

Zombies, Run! studio will get you to walk to Scotland in neo-noir thriller The Walk

Apple

Apple ‘completely overhauling’ developer site after intrusion

In the Community

The Seeing Eye GPS app is out!

You can find the Seeing Eye GPS User Guide here:

Kickstarter Campaign: The Bradley Tactile Time Piece

Check out this web-based Smithsonian exhibit on the history of people with disabilities in America

Minneapolis woman creates new way to learn Braille – Pioneer Press

Mor information available in the Braille Monitor:

The Death Of Screen Reader Innovation

Screen Reader Failure: Innovation, Deterioration, Despair

General Tech

Mozilla’s Firefox OS: accessibility to be included

Microsoft readies Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 too, confirming the older OS won’t be left behind–for now

Microsoft releases final version of Office 2010 SP2

Leery about the cloud? Chances are you’ve been using it for years

Join Serotek as we take part in an Access chat via Twitter which takes place on August 6 beginning at 8:00 PM Eastern. The event is sponsored by Fedora Outlier. Use the hash tag #accesschat to participate in the event. You can also follow Fedora Outlier on Twitter.

Join Lisa Salinger on August 19 at 8 PM in the Pat Price Tech Talk Training room over at Accessible World to discuss our exciting new SAMNet Socializer. We look forward to seeing you there.

Do you enjoy our SPN Podcasts? You can help us out a whole lot by taking this very short survey.

Replay the Accessible Event archive of This Month in Tech for June

Join Lisa Salinger, Steve Sawczyn, and Jamie Pauls as they discuss the top news stories for the month of June.

Apple
What Apple revealed at WWDC 2013 | Apple – CNET News

WWDC 2013, A Lot of Announcements | MacForTheBlind

Apple announces ad based iTunes Radio, ad free for iTunes Match subscribers

OS X Mavericks First Impressions: A Little Good Going a Long Way

Microsoft

Microsoft goes public with Windows 8.1 upgrade policies

All the New Stuff in Windows 8.1

In the News

White House defends snooping of Verizon phone records | Security & Privacy

Miracle In Marrakesh: “Historic” Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed

International Copyright Treaty for the Blind – Sowing the Seeds

The Book Famine for the Blind May Soon Be a Thing of the Past

In the Community

From Blind Bargains: Buy Your Version of Chicken Nugget Today

Introducing the SAMNet Socializer

AN objective look: iOS vs. Android for the visually impaired. (2 parts)

Part1

Part2

MBraille Home Page

Tech Doctor Podcast: MBraille Advances Touch Screen Braille

Weight Watchers Announces Comprehensive Accessibility Initiative

Accepting Physical Credit Card Payments: the Accessible PayPal Solution: a Podcast by Steve Sawczyn

Serotek at the NFB and ACB National Conventions

Feel free to follow SeroSpectives on Twitter.

We are joined this month by three guests from the UK who will discuss the wide variety of tech that made news during June, 2013. SeroSpectives airs at a special day and time this month. It will take place Wednesday, July 3 at 3:00 Eastern.