We’re calling it Sero. On the surface, it’s going to be a universal experience that will bring together our software services under a single app. “Sero,” after all, means “connected,” so it only made sense to develop an interface that will keep you connected across different platforms. It’s the first time in assistive technology history that users can enjoy a consistent user experience regardless of whether you’re on Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV.

The move to a single app means a great foundation for upward mobility. We can now deploy faster updates across the board. It means voice chat and text chat at home on your computer or on the road via your smartphone. It means the ability to download content from our ever expanding library, starting a movie on your Mac or PC and finishing it up on your tablet. You’ll be able to better rate, share, and favorite the content you want and lots more!

Yes, there will be some changes. For one thing, you’ll note we have done away with the System Access Browser. We’re no longer exclusive to Internet Explorer. Sero makes room for the kind of choices everyone else enjoys at their keyboard, but the intuitive nature of DocuScan Plus, System Access, and the former SAMNet will not be lost. Experts and novices alike will be able to immediately learn and leverage all the tools you’ve come to love and rely on for work and personal leisure.

We’re very excited about this step in our development. We think it has a lot of promise and is one more sign that times for the traditional assistive technology industry really have changed.

And, we would love for you to be a part of the final stretch of the development. We want you to be a beta tester. You’ll be among the first to kick the tires on our new universal app, and as long as you’re a participant in the beta program, you’re going to be able to enjoy all our services completely free of charge, but please sign up now because there is a limited number of seats to hand out. Please note the beta program will launch Sunday, May 8.

Ready? Join us in this next chapter of our persistent growth!

Blindfold Games creates iPhone, iPad and iPod audio games for the visually impaired community.  They’ve built over 20 games, including Blindfold Bowling, Blindfold Dominoes, Blindfold Solitaire, Blindfold Pong and Blindfold Air Hockey to name just a few.

To enter the give-away, send an email to xmas@blindfoldgames.org. 

You need to send an email each day you want to participate, and tell us which game you want to win.  You’ll get that game, and coupons for all the upgrades and unlimited use that the game offers.

Happy Holidays

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.

Serotek does not simply serve the community; it is very much a part of it. For fourteen years we have faithfully met you where you needed us, so in that spirit of fair exchange, we invite you to listen to a special edition of the SeroTalk Podcast for a candid conversation between Joe Orozco and Serotek’s co-founder, Mike Calvo, to cover everything from the Serotek product line, SPN, staff departures, and more.

Feel free to send your feedback on this show to resources@serotalk.com

You can always find the latest on this show and others on the SeroTalk Podcast Network

using iBlink Radio for your iOS device, the Kindle Fire, the Mac or your Android device. You can even leave us an iReport right from the iBlink app.

Thanks for listening!

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.

When Apple launched the original iPhone, there wasn’t anything quite like it. iOS transformed the way that consumers interacted with cell phones, and the App Store unleashed an unprecedented wave of developer creativity. This creativity and ingenuity has lead to leaps forward in accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

Independent Living Resource Center Of San Francisco, in partnership with The Serotek Corporation, will be providing live commentary on today’s Apple event.

Please note this is not an in-person event.

Various community leaders including Mike Calvo, Founder of Serotek, Derek Zarda, Assistive Technology Educator, and Jessie Lorenz Executive Director of ILRCSF will be providing commentary on what may be the most accessible version of iOS yet. Please join us today at 1 PM Eastern as we continue the dream of Steve Jobs, who had a vision of a world where technology erases limitations. Live tweeting and bloggers welcome!

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!

Buddy Brannan joins Jamie Pauls and Ricky Enger for this episode of the podcast. Along with the top news of the week including an announcement from Serotek, jamie demonstrates our newly-released version of iBlink Radio for the Mac. Stories covered in this podcast include:

Serotek Announces iBlink Radio for the Mac

Why is Skype forcing a software upgrade on all of us?

GWConnect ends August 4

Free Online Training – Using Skype for Windows Desktop with Window-Eyes

Short Skype course from CAVI

Orbit Research and the Transforming Braille Group Announce Agreement to Produce Low-Cost Refreshable Braille Display

NV Access | Speech Synthesizer Survey 1

Mosen Consulting eBook, “iOS 8 Without the Eye”

Announcing: ChAPPters

Redbox agrees to provide better access for blind customers

Revisiting the “Switch to Android full-time” experiment

Microsoft is finally killing support for old versions of Internet Explorer

4 Reasons Microsoft’s Surface Might Bite the Dust

Windows ‘Threshold’ to drop charms, add virtual desktop

BlackBerry still on shaky ground, but it continues to secure lucrative security clearances

Dial-Up Still a Cash Cow for AOL

Apple, Samsung Agree to End Patent Suits Outside U.S.

Report: Sprint to Drop T-Mobile Bid, CEO | News & Opinion

Roundabout

70 Years of Smokey: The Story of America’s Firefighting Bear

Toddler squeezes through White House fence

With an All-Deaf Wait Staff, New Restaurant Asks Guests to Order in Sign Language

We open the program with one of our SPN Summer Show sponsors to talk jewlery, charms and those wonderful Elegant Insights

Books are their business at the national Library Service

Serotek, through iBlink Radio, is happy to be a long time supporter of IAAIS

Jamie goes on a quest with EnVision America

Wagging tails and Guiding Eyes

Jamie goes back to class with the Hadley School for the Blind

Not to far away from nevada, here’s what’s going on with the Missouri Council Of The Blind

New help coming to those suffering with Non 24 Sleep Disorder with Hetlioz

Mr. Lakey stops by to discuss all the new changes at Freedom Scientific

Jamie goes for a walk with Leader Dogs

Custom products from Navajo Jewlery

While Jamie and Mailbag were both busy in Vegas, Joe Steinkamp, Ricky Enger and Lisa Salinger were back at home recording another podcast. After the news, Lisa demonstrates some of the new features found in the latest update of iBlink Radio.

Stories covered in this week’s podcast include:

iBlink Radio updates live, Amazon Fire support added

SPN Special: Eight Interviews From NFB 2014

NFB 2014 Interview Special 2

NFB 2014 Interview Special 3

HIMS Part 1

HIMS Part 2

New Access World for July 13, 2014

DAISY Consortium is looking for a new CEO

A grant and new hire means A more certain future for free screen reader NVDA

Job Access With Bugs?

Easter Seals Crossroads on full page Braille tablet and more

Zoomtext for Mac Free v1.1.3 Update released. Adds smooth panning and tracking changes

APH releases Visual Brailer app

Access Note has gone free

Career Connect for iOS released

Happy Anniversary to Seeing Eye GPS app! To celebrate we have a new release. By popular request, users now have the option of Google maps.

Ios 7.1.2 changes

KNFB Reader for iOS at end of August, $99 and audioboo demo

Comments on Resolution 12 from President Rickabono

NFB says Apple has done more for access than others

Apple urged to increase accessibility for the blind and deaf

The power and promise of accessibility

Apple does more for accessibility, Android users frustrated

Accessibility in Google Apps – an overview

Roundabout

The potato salad Kickstarter is “the Woodstock of our generation”

This is the sound of electric cars racing

D&D 5th Edition Basic Rules Free Download

Our thanks go out to Andre Louis and Patrick Purdue of PD Audio Productions for the theme music heard on this podcast.

To help remake accessibility training as we know it, visit to view training subscription options and make your contribution to EZFire’s A11YTV funding campaign.

Welcome to the 200th episode of the SeroTalk podcast. Our thanks go out to Andre Louis and Patrick Purdue of PD Audio Productions for the new theme music that you will hear on the SeroTalk Podcast from this point forward. Jamie, Ricky and Joe reflect on how far the SeroTalk Podcast and SPN have come over the years. We also discuss the top news stories of the week. After the news, Lisa Salinger reviews Status Report, an iOS app that lets you read the most recent 100 status updates from your favorite social media services. Finally, Jamie Pauls, Patrick Purdue and Buddy Brannan take a look at the Bradley timepiece. Stories discussed in this episode of the podcast include:

48 billion bucks later, ATnT buys Directtv

Google takes Twitch for YouTube

Peace in our time, Apple V Google

Apple Releases OS X Mavericks 10.9.3

Seven Unsung Built-In Gems of Mac OS X

Apple’s iCloud punishes you for being a good customer

Why high bit-rate and HD audio are all about marketing, not music

iPhone Calls Sound Weird? Try Turning Off Phone Noise Cancelation in iOS

New update to BlindSquare.

Back In The Game

New Access World for may

My Initial Thoughts on the RNIB Navigator App

Foursquare’s Swarm And The Rise Of The Invisible App

Pay for Google Play stuff with PayPal around the world

Psst! Wearable Devices Could Make Big Tech Leaps, Into Your Ear

The Next Big Thing You Missed: One Day, You’ll Google the Physical World With a Scanner Like This

The Trick That Makes Google’s Self-Driving Cars Work

New Urgency for Tighter Drone Rules After Near Crash

a nod to the past, Robot Guide Dogs?

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

Windows Phone 8.1 Launching June 24

Microsoft sticking to its guns so far, leaving XP unpatched and exploited

Roundabout

Got Gas? It Could Mean You’ve Got Healthy Gut Microbes

The Utopian Origins of Restroom Symbols

After 32 years, town lifts arcade game ban

A visit to Galloping Ghost, the largest video game arcade in the USA

Join Jamie, Ricky and Joe as they reconvene after a bit of an absence to discuss the top news stories of the week. Following the news, we bring you one last interview from CSUN as Joe visits with Chet of Ability Magazine about all they have to offer.

All of Google’s Jokes for April Fools’ Day 2014

SeroTalk Podcast 193: News for April 1, 2014

Triple-click Home Episode 28: Turn Right On “A” Street

That Android Show Episode 26: Your Android Is Not My Android

The Great Big List from the 2014 CSUN International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference

If you missed last week’s HadleySchool seminar by ricky Enger on exploring the Socializer, catch the archive here.

The “Re-Invention” of Braille Card Games

Avoiding BT keyboard issues in iOS 7.1

Boston Marathon Visually Impaired Participants Increases to Most Ever

Amazon’s Fire TV Is Powerful, but Voice Search Limitations Hamper User Experience

Amazon Fire TV vs. Chromecast vs. Roku vs. Apple TV

Amazon’s Fire TV: It’s about the off-Prime engagement, e-commerce

Mouse and keyboard-friendly Windows 8.1 update arrives April 8

Windows 8.1 Update 1 Review

Windows 9 ‘Threshold’: Rumors, Release Date, News, Features and More

iBeacons and airports: Results from a real-world test

inMarket lets specific brands, not just retailers, target shoppers using iBeacons in-store

United Nations uses iBeacons to simulate a minefield & raise awareness at NY museum

Mailbag

From Brett:

Hi SeroTalk.

I was listening to podcast 191, and I wanted to comment on some reasons I believe so many people are still using Windows XP. First, I’ll cover some reasons why some blind users still insist on using XP. Games (such as those written by Robert Betz don’t run on more modern operating systems. Other games (such as Grizzly Gulch and Chillingham from Bavisoft) will work on newer operating systems, but users who run them on a modern OS will experience stability issues.

The biggest reason why people (both blind and sighted) insist on staying with XP in my opinion is that they simply don’t believe/understand the security risks. Some users feel that Microsoft is simply trying to snatch their money by scaring them, and that as long as antivirus software is supported, everything will be fine. Also, I believe that more computer users then we might expect don’t understand the importance of Windows Update and the security patches Microsoft releases for supported operating systems. There you have the reasons I was given by friends and family members still insisting on using Windows XP. I’ve done my best to encourage my friends and family members to upgrade. Sadly, some XP users will likely have to face the consequences of staying on XP after support ends, not upgrading until after they’ve experienced malware and data theft. XP’s popularity will then sink, just as WINDOWS 98’s did. I hope you’ve found these comments useful, and thanks for producing such a great podcast.

Roundabout

Helen Keller Letter on Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony Goes Viral

How I heard for the first time

Why You Shouldn’t Share Those Emotional ‘Deaf Person Hears for the First Time’ Videos

BBC News – Stolen Gauguin painting ‘hung on factory worker’s wall’

Wheelchair Users Can Go Down Stairs with New Invention

In this week’s episode of the SeroTalk Podcast, Facebook breaks stuff, Twitter resets stuff, Apple releases new stuff, and blind people complain about stuff. If that isn’t enough to keep us busy, Mailbag gets itself into a real mess! After all that, it’s time for …

Roundabout

Wedding photographer Chris Thornton captures Mr and Mrs Potato Head’s marriage

1 in 10 in a survey think HTML is an STD

Toilet stolen from hotel room, Cops have nothing to go on

Make music from junk with Mogees and your smartphone

In this CSUN 2014 presentation, Joe Steinkamp, Ricky Enger and Dave Wilkinson demonstrate cloud-based solutions, mainstream tablets, PC’s and iDevices along with assistive technology from HIMS, Inc. and Serotek Corporation for complete access to information from anywhere.

What do zombies, counting, feeding pigs, time travel and chainsaws have in common? These are all things featured in the SeroTalk Podcast Network’s 2013 outtakes. In recording over 100 hours of audio, there are bound to be at least one or two minutes, or hours of content which should never see the light of day. Our incredible audio engineers have the unenviable task of sorting through all the SPN material, both good and bad, to bring you the pristine and professional content you’ve come to expect. It’s only fair … well maybe not fair but we apparently made some agreement or other that once a year the audio production team could produce a show highlighting our less than stellar moments behind the microphone. Hear your favorite personalities from all six SPN shows as you’ve never heard them before, and probably hope never to hear again, in the 2013 SPN Outcast. Give us feedback on the best, or worst moments of the show by commenting below, sending an email to or with an iReport through iBlink Radio. We give huge thanks to the guys at P&D Audio Productions for putting the show together. You can approach them for your own audio production needs as well, secure in the knowledge that an outtake reel just like this one will be kept somewhere. We also thank you, the listener, for your support and your interaction with us. While we retreat in to seclusion and promise never to speak near a recording device again, we’ll leave you to enjoy our 2013 outtakes.

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?

As the clock races toward Christmas day, are you still frantically racking your brain to figure out what to buy for that special person in your life? Once again, the Serotek team comes to the rescue with our annual holiday review special. As you listen to the podcast, be sure to follow the links below to learn more about the respective products discussed in this podcast–and Merry Christmas!

Lisa Salinger starts us off with a discussion of the FitBit One

She also mentions MyFitnessPal which has become more accessible of late.

Joe Steinkamp reviews the Keurig K75 Platinum Brewing System

The K 75 is a great gift for the person who wants a brewing system if, and this is a big IF!, they don’t mind memorizing menus and buttons. The unit sports a blue backlit screen with hard to see text. And it has a menu system for changing things like cup sizes and the like. Yet, for the package as a whole, it comes with lots of accessories and it has 72oz of coffee or tea at the ready. Its kind of big too, possibly due to the built in K-Cup tray underneath, so you can’t hide it behind the toaster. All and all, it’s a great gift to give someone [especially if you find it for under $149] but you may just want to stick with the Travel Keurig models if you want to avoid all the frills, menus and memorization.

He also recommends Lola Savannah Coffee – Cozy Winter’s Night (Whole Bean)

Next, Ricky Enger discusses four devices that will make your life easier in the kitchen.

Polder 6631-75 Stainless-Steel Sink Strainer with Extending Rubber-Grip Arms

Artisan (2 pk.) Non-Stick Silicon Baking Mat Set. 16 5/8″ x 11″

Edge of Glory Knife Sharpener

Alton Brown Salt Cellar

Buddy Brannan interviews the developer of The Bradley Braille Watch

Matt Campbell helps us be more productive with the Asus Transformer Book T100.

Richard Wells introduces us to Lee Oscar harmonicas.

Finally, Jamie Pauls reviews the Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker.

Are you exhausted after running from one Christmas party to another? Have you shopped until you are truly about to drop? Why not grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage, sit in your favorite comfy chair and listen to our our annual Christmas concert featuring performances by Serotek staff and our wonderful SAMNet community?

After listening to this year’s performances, you’ll be so inspired that you just might want to join our community and participate next year. In the meantime, enjoy the show!

The holidays are upon us and there is lots of excitement in the air. Along with the top news stories of the week, Jamie, Ricky and Joe have a few holiday treats to share, so let’s get started.

News in A T

NVDA 2013.3 Released

QRead 2.31 released!

iBlink Radio – Android Apps on Google Play

NFB Jernigan Institute Helps Santa Answer His Mail

Are You Ready for Unified English Braille?

Help raise funds for week long Braille immersion for blind children

Resources for Accessible Nutrition Education

Financial Transaction Survey for people with Disabilities

Jamie: Kindle Fire HD By Amy Mason

Breaking Barriers: Celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Seeing Eye GPS: Three Organizations, One Stellar Effort!

Meet PAC’s Sina Bahram: The Brains Behind our Soon-to-Launch Accessible Website | Eone

Mainstream Matters

Report: $1.7 Billion Spent Online in Biggest Cyber Monday Ever

Companies Embrace ‘Giving Tuesday’ After Cyber Monday Rush

Positive News Pushes Apple Stock to Highest Close in Nearly a Year

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Pulls No Punches on the iPad Air

10 Tips for Safe Online Shopping

President Obama Still Uses His BlackBerry Rather Than An iPhone For ‘Security Reasons’

Steeri

amazon Drone

Roundabout

A woman bought a ‘new’ iPad Air on Black Friday–full of someone else’s stuff

Why did someone just open a huge new record store in 2013?

Pa. museum tells blind visitors: Please touch!

Welcome to this week’s edition of the SeroTalk Podcast. After Jamie, Ricky and Joe discuss the top news stories of the week, Joe interviews Justin of Solo-DX about their new MovieReading app for iOS that will allow you to listen to audio descriptions of movies from any theater or even from home. In addition to visiting their Web site, you can follow them on Twitter or send them an email.

News in A T

Listen to the NVAccess podcast for info about NVDA 2013.3 & exciting news about Open Office

RIP Winamp: iconic media player to be discontinued December 20th, 2013

AOL reportedly wants to sell Winamp to Microsoft

Accessing Spotify on the PC using the new app Blindspot

Experience Descriptive Audio at the Theater with a New iOS App MovieReading

An Immersion into Excel 2013 with Jaws for Windows

Help make Bookshare better, take the survey:

DoItWrite

Learn about DoItWrite from The Blind Educator

Mainstream Matters

Kindle Fire OS 3.1 Integrates Goodreads, Introduces Chromecast-like Second Screen

What “devices and services” really means to Microsoft

Why I may never install Office for Mac again

Hi again: Apple’s ‘lost’ iWork features find their way back

Samsung owes Apple $290M more in damages, jury says

30 days with OS X 10.9 ‘Mavericks’

FCC to consider proposal allowing airline passengers to make cell phone calls above 10,000 feet on some planes.

Is Voice the Key to Wearable Technology?

Mailbag

Blog Comment from Terry Miller

Not related to any present discussion, however “Tiz the Season”, I’m perplexed by the extremely loud Music played at each establishment within a Mall, or such place; when a Blind person chooses to investigate a place of Business. This is of course to draw in, “sighted Customers”. What results is a cacophony of mixed “loud” Music that doesn’t allow an independent Blind person to navigate or (for that matter) to interact with the Proprietor of an individual Store. The Lighting is another matter; because, many “pop-culture” establishments like to hi lite their individual articles for sale, with neon, or black lighting. All this constitutes non-verbal transactions. Both of these issues are on the rise. What say you?

Roundabout

How Music Affects and Benefits Your Brain

Toddler knows the name of all U.S. presidents, in order

Someone Recorded Crickets then Slowed Down the Track, And It Sounds Like Humans Singing

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

Welcome to this very spooky edition of the SeroTalk Podcast. Will Jamie, Ricky and Joe be able to pick their way through this week’s maze of stories? Is the mailbag finally over its cold? These and many other intriguing mysteries await you in this week’s episode of the show.

Papa Sangre II (Official Launch Trailer)

End of Line » EOL Extra: Halloween, Ghosts, and the Number 27?

a trip through a haunted maze by Drew Webber

Blind Bargains: Ian Humphreys of Spoonbill Software Has Just Released Six New Games

A Fresh Season of Updates

My experience with an Android product, and my return to the iPhone

Android 4.4 KitKat more for TVs than phones, report says

Samsung patents smartphone-connected ‘sports glasses’ that could compete with Google Glass

Microsoft reportedly testing its own version of Google Glass

Google’s iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary

The Rave Reviews For BlackBerry’s BBM App Might Be Fake

Samsung Paid Commenters to Write Negative HTC Reviews

The Decline of Wikipedia: Even As More People Than Ever Rely on It, Fewer People Create It

iPad vs. Galaxy vs. Nexus vs. Kindle vs. Surface: Which tablet should you get?

Why Apple’s A7 Chip Will Really Shine in the iPad Air

Mavericks: The end of Macs in the enterprise?

Microsoft cuts another $100 off first-generation Surface Pro price

Mailbag

Blog comment from Russ Kiehne

Listening to The Kindle Chronicles podcast at http://feeds.feedburner.com/thekindlechronicles/blogListeing to Len Edgerly has a weekly tech tip. One of these tech tips is how to use dropbox with a Kindle fire.

I was wondering, will Serotek be doing An Accessibility Review of The new Amazon Kindle fire hd and hdx with built in accessibility?

From Luis:

Hi guys & lady,

After listening to your episode 174, there are a lot of stuff I would like to reply to. Specially replying to one of your iReports you had. But I rather share something similar that happened in Houston at the beginning of this year.

It relates to your story about the $20, the blind customer. and the good deed. This story, I’m pasting because it also hit home with something that the school I work for has been doing for the past 3 years. That is the campaign of “Spread the Word, to End the Word”. Which relates to the word “Retard”. I won’t bored you with the details. But, with this deed that the employee did towards the blind customer. Here’s a similar news story that a waiter did for a special needs child.

Waiter refuses to serve customers who insulted special needs child Friday, January 18, 2013 Miya Shay

HOUSTON (KTRK) — A waiter at a restaurant near downtown took a stand for a special needs child. Now, support is flowing in from all over, thanking the waiter and the restaurant, Laurenzo’s on Washington. The waiter has been working at the restaurant for about two years, and the family members at the heart of the story have been regular customers about the same length of time. But it’s what took place two days ago that has a lot of people talking. Michael Garcia loves serving his customers. On Wednesday night he greeted two groups of regulars — Kim Castillo and her family, and another group who sat in the adjacent booth. “So we were sitting there and all of a sudden I noticed that the family across from us got up and moved to the back of the restaurant,” Castillo said. “I thought, I wonder if they’re moving because of us?” The Castillo group included five-year-old Milo, who has Down syndrome. But neither Milo’s mom Kim nor Garcia could have imagined why the other family moved. Garcia recalled, “I didn’t think much of it until I heard him say, ‘Special needs children need to be special somewhere else.'” After hearing that, Garcia just reacted. “It was very disturbing,” he said. “My personal feelings just took over and I told this man, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t serve you.'” That family quickly left. But it wasn’t until later in the evening that the Castillo family found out that their waiter had stood up for their son. Kim Castillo said, “What went through my mind was that I was just so impressed and felt so good that somebody would stand up for another human being.” Garcia said, “It upset me because he’s a five-year-old little boy. He’s an angel. He’s precious!” Since then support has poured in, from the Internet and from regular customers. Customer Bill Baker said, “I think he did the right thing — there’s the door.” And most of all, he earned the thanks of a grateful Castillo family. Kim said, “He’s good in our book!” Garcia says if the other customers return, he will serve them just like anyone else. As for the Castillo family, they plan to remain loyal customers.

From Timothy Hornik

Greeting Serotalk Team,


I greatly appreciated the article from Scientific America on why some with visual impairments possess capabilities to understand higher rates of speech. Often people ask me the same questions you all stated if blindness has enhanced my hearing. Instead of entering into a conversation of what happens, the link will help. One thing I have noticed with my ability, it is voice dependent, plus it took a long time to acclimate to the rate. Is this something you all experienced?

When the article mentioned Brain Strokes, it lead me to wonder if they will test for whether neuro-protective or nuero-plasticity factors helps with this phenomenon for those later in life blinded. Some examples of these includes playing music or speaking multiple languages, especially if learned early in life.

To toss in a grey area population, how about those who lose site in their mid 20’s? At this age, the brain has completed its adolescent development. In particular, I am thinking of my fellow war blinded comrades, but will caveat that this depends on the nature of the injury.

Thinking about this population, I am interested in learning your thoughts on the differences between low vision and functionally blind. This topic captivated my attention and have researched it along with talking with a couple of nuero-ophthalmologists at a convention recently.


Thank you for your assistance,
Timothy Hornik

Roundabout

Why We Hate Change

Why you think your phone is vibrating when it is not

In this podcast, Serotek’s own Matt Campbell drops by for his regular visit to the show. Did you know there was a pattern to his appearances? You’ll have to listen to the podcast to see what it is. In addition to referencing several stories, Jamie, Ricky and matt mention quite a number of books and authors. There are too many to mention here, so you’ll want to take notes as you listen. After the news, Lisa Salinger tells us about The Serotek Ambassadors’ Club and how you can become a member. Stories discussed in this podcast include:

NLS BARD Site Back Online Despite Government Shutdown

Is Congress catastrophically broken, or is it doing exactly what it was designed to do?

Zoom H6 Recorder Review

The New iPhone 5c and Walk-Through of the Initial Setup Process for VoiceOver Users

The Journey Toward Braille: Potential and Limitations of using Braille with iDevices

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

The technological terrors of Tom Clancy

Valve Steam Machines, Steam Controller, and SteamOS: Visionary or Vapor?

Valve details specs for Linux-based Steam Machine prototype gaming PCs

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

Why the blue screen of death no longer plagues Windows users

Facebook makes statuses editable… but is this open to abuse?

Facebook Pushes Passwords One Step Closer to Death

iOS 7 nausea and cybersickness: What causes it, and why it’s a sign of things to come

Mailbag

From Mike Arrigo

Thought you might be interested in this. It’s an interview with Susan Bennett who is definitely the voice of Samantha. I actually emailed her from her site, told her who I was and mentioned that her voice is used in a lot of products for blind people. She actually wrote back, she had no idea that her voice was so well known to blind people. She was actually very happy that her voice had made such a difference for us, regardless of whether you like Samantha’s voice, the person who created it sounds like a really nice person. http://tube.majestyc.net/?v=fL5s3pNJECk

From Aaron Linson

Hey guys, I’ve been a faithful listener to all of the Serotek podcasts. I have a point to make on the button issue with portable reading devices. As a college student I find my book port plus to be invaluable to me. I can jump through a book as fast if not faster than a sighted college student. I also find that I’m faster with the book player than a touch screen., pushing a button is faster than swiping and the kickback is instantaneous where as a flick takes a millisecond longer. Just my thoughts and opinions.
Thanks, Aaron Linson My vision is good, it’s just my eyes that are not

From Timothy Hornig

Greetings,

I appreciate the information and stances you all took with regards to visually impaired owning and using firearms. As long as the 2nd Amendment stands in it current interpretation and regulatory stances, we as a demographic should be allowed the ability to receive training, licensure, and ability to legally use them. Earlier this year, I received the chance to go turkey hunting, where my guide and I scored two birds. The ability to do this comes in large part due to the iPhone and a system called iScope (http://www.iscope.com)./ Before actually heading out, it took a little bit of time to work out our communications preferences with targeting.

Likewise, those who wish to own personal handguns should go through the most thorough set of training possible. However, I strongly concede to the point that these individuals, regardless of their personal abilities, should really look at the difference between owning for personal safety/defense and owning to own. A handgun in the hands of an ill-trained or familiarized individual is more dangerous to that person then in the hands of an highly trained person. As a reminder, it is perfectly fine to ask your local police department, firearm store, or shooting range to potentially store your weapon if you have concerns of home storage.

As for the iPhone 5S, one thought comes to mind, vid for I’ve Got a Golden Ticket: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_uSlEEPSk

Enjoy, Tim

Roundabout

In new TV role, Michael J. Fox a pioneer

Fake Service Dogs, Real Problem

‘I’m the original voice of Siri’

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

This week, Jamie, Ricky and Joe return to their familiar places on the podcast. Topics discussed in this week’s episode include:

Extra Extra, Read all About it: the NLS Bard Mobile app is on its way!

JAWS 15 Public Beta

NCBI Podcast #16 Features Sendero GPS, the Serotek Socializer, and more

Amazon.com: Out of the Whirlpool: A Memoir of Remorse and Reconciliation eBook: Sue Wiygul Martin: Kindle Store

ATI Seminar Subscription

Keyboard shortcuts – Perform common Firefox tasks quickly

Homophones are Not Mistaken in Braille

Keeping Students with Disabilities Safe from Bullying

National Federation of the Blind Comments on Gun Ownership by Blind Individuals

Apple launches iPhone 5C: Color, costs aimed at emerging markets

2015: 64-bit ARM chips in iPhone 5S serve up taste of Intel-free future for Apple

Apple provides details on Touch ID’s privacy features

What’s right (and wrong) with the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s

10 new iOS 7 features for the enterprise

iCloud Keychain Removed in iOS 7 GM

OS X 10.8.5 update more than doubles 802.11ac file transfer speeds

Blast Processing

Microsoft’s Cortana shapes up to take on Siri, Google Now

Facebook suddenly deletes Social Fixer’s Facebook pages

Facebook testing videos that autoplay in mobile News Feed

Mailbag

From Luis

Hi Jamie, Joe, Ricky, or whom ever else that will join this week’s podcast,

After just finishing listening to Podcast 168 and listening to RoundAbout. The last story covered about the Simpson’s creator finding funny with his cancer fight. It reminds me about a story on CBS’s Today show back in February. On how creative a cancer survivor became with his wealth. Here’s the story that I got back then from a Houston morning show. By the way, as far as I know, no one has located the treasure yet, but be aware. That people have needed to be rescued when trying to follow the clues. Enjoy.

This Riddle Will Lead You To Millions! If You Can Solve It! Sarah Pepper February 28, 2013 A man was dying of cancer and so he hid a box with jewels and treasure in it! He wrote a riddle and if you can solve it the treasure is yours! I know, sounds like “The Goonies” but it is legit, it was on the “Today Show”! Here is the riddle. “The Thrill of the Chase”. As I have gone alone in there And with my treasures bold, I can keep my secret where, And hint of riches new and old. Begin it where warm waters halt And take it in the canyon down, Not far, but too far to walk. Put in below the home of Brown. From there it’s no place for the meek, The end is drawing ever nigh; There’ll be no paddle up your creek, Just heavy loads and water high. If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, Look quickly down, your quest to cease But tarry scant with marvel gaze, Just take the chest and go in peace. So why is it that I must go And leave my trove for all to seek? The answers I already know I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak So hear me all and listen good, Your effort will be worth the cold. If you are brave and in the wood I give you title to the gold. Happy hunting!

From Mike Arrigo

The plextalk update is really good. Samantha actually sounds decent now, that was a change that is long overdue. I used to have a tech net subscription and I’m also sorry to see this disappear. It was a great way to get access to Microsoft software at a good price, and it’s how I got windows 7. I don’t know, some of the decisions Microsoft is making these days do not seem to be in their best interest. I have yet to hear anyone say that they really like windows 8, now they’re purchasing Nokia’s hardware division, and they’re discontinuing a service that is clearly still in demand. they are going to have to rethink some things if they intend to remain competitive.

Roundabout

First Blind Solo Kayaker Goes Down Entire Length of Grand Canyon

Why Do We Clap?

Surgeon live-streams knee repair with Google Glass

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

Join Jamie Pauls, Ricky enger and Lisa Salinger as they discuss the top news stories of the week. topics covered include:

NVDA 2013.2 now Available

NVDA Podcast 6 what’s in the upcoming NVDA 2013.2 release, and their new release process

New Prerelease of Chicken Nugget 0.74, the accessible twitter client!

Learning About Accessible Apps for IOS and the Mac on Applevis.com

It’s here! The Accessible App List!

Mobility Tips For People Who Are Blind

Pre-order eBook, ‘iOS7 without the Eye” by Jonathan Mosen and get 50% off ($9.95 before Sept 10 release:

Learning Ally Releases Audiobook App for Android Devices

Archive: ACCESSIBLE WORLD TEK TALK PRESENTS THE SOCIALIZER, LISA SALINGER, SEROTEK

Improving accessibility of twitter.com

Blind Comcast exec developing a talking TV channel guide

Louisville: A Tour of the American Printing House for the Blind, Part I

Louisville: American Printing House for the Blind, Part II

SPN Special: An Audio Tour from the American Printing House for the Blind

A Blind Researcher Takes Aim at the Future of Accessible Tech

Apple Retail Stores To Introduce An iPhone Trade In Program In September

Apple’s new iPhone trade in program will help them in emerging markets, and here’s why!

Gazelle announces price lock offer through Oct. 15 for iPhone trade-ins

Where Should I Sell My Smartphone to Get the Most Money?

Apple looking for plastics master to join iPhone, iPad team

Apple’s Siri now takes swipes at Google’s ‘half-empty’ Glass

Google’s Android is a trojan horse — past performance does not guarantee future results

Google Self-Driving Cars Should Record Driver Moves Despite Privacy Fears, U.S. Official Says

Nissan pledges affordable self-driving car models by 2020

Roundabout

Is tech wrecking the middle class?

Sleep-Texting Becoming An Alarming Trend, Experts Say

Audioboo / the Juno Dance, I.E. doing bad things with a Dolphin Juno speech synthesizer

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

If there is one thing that can be said about a SeroTalk Podcast, it is that you never know what you’re going to get. Petting cheetah cubs, riding in self-driving cars and rapping about science are just a few of the stories we cover on this week’s episode. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that the SeroTalk podcast team will get you where you need to go all in one piece. Join Jamie, Ricky and Joe as they discuss the top stories of the week including:

The Next Chapter

A Review of the Socializer System Access Mobile Network App from Serotek

Entertainment Apps For The Blind And Visually Impaired

Papa Sangre II

Blind games: The next battleground in accessibility

Blind Bargains: Introducing the Cosmo Braille Writer

Life – A tactile comic for the blind

Using the Victor Reader Stream as an audible teleprompter

Now Hear This! Musings of a Blind Hearing Aid wearer

From Fedora Outlier: Managing Your Wireless Settings On Windows & Mac

Campaign for a more accessible Netflix

New release of the Kindle app for iOS adds Accessibility Quick Reference to the FAQ section in Settings

Amazon and Sony Don’t Want to Build E-Readers for the Blind

Blind Bargains: Amazon and Sony Are Requesting That The Accessibility Requirement Be Waived for E-Book Readers

Dropbox Folder Management Using JAWS for Windows

Screen Reader Failure: Innovation, Deterioration, Despair

Roundabout

H E A R and There Audio Magazine: Petting Cheetah Cubs at the Cincinnati Zoo

Science Rap B.A.T.T.L.E.S. Bring Hip-Hop Into The Classroom

What it’s like to ride in a self-driving car

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 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.

Summer is still upon us and so we again turn to flights of fancy and log flooms of fun at America’s amusement parks. This time around, Byron lee talks about his day at Six Flags. Then joe offers ways to be a backseat driver or assist the family with apps in the car. Followed by Maurie’s experiences at the Visions conference in Baltimore. Plus a great app review as well. Oh, and there maybe a mention of attending rock concerts both good and bad. Keep your ears open for some crazy remarks this month! Wonder if there is a Six Flags theme park near you? Check out their official site and see…

And the world is yours with Navagon

BlindSquare for iOS

Oakley is Joe’s sunglasses brand of choice

**App Review: Solara

If you follow Joe on Twitter, if you have heard SeroTalk 162 or if you stand next to him in a crowded room, chances are you have heard him mention Solara once or twice or two hundred times a day. He admits he is addicted to this tower building game and he has convinced several others on the SPN Staff to install this iOS app too. Try it and you may find yourself questing with as well!

Check out Serotalk 162 to hear an interview with Paul from Esper Labs.

And hear how Alena Roberts enjoys the game just as much as Joe in Triple Click Home Episode 20.

**Mailbag:

We are saving the majority of the feedback for Rodney’s return, however, we thank Michele for this email; “I have mixed feelings about visiting Disney in Florida as someone with Stargardts. Before I was diagnosed as an adult with Stargardts’s 6 years ago, I visited Disney many times in my life and loved it. When I was there for my anniversary in September 2011, I had a difficult time. The sun is very bright, much brighter than in the Northeast where I live and I had a very difficult time dealing with the brightness even while wearing sunglasses and a hat.. I was there with my husband, who is sighted, but if I were there on my own, I think I would have had a difficult time with needing to read all the transportation signs and the restaurant menus and maybe even getting on and off the rides with unfamiliar steps. Although I loved visiting Disney for many years, I now avoid traveling to locations with very bright sunlight such as Florida. Michelle”

Finally, even though Rodney could not be with us this month, he did pass along this tasty nugget of audio goodness: “Those absolutely fabulous folks over at Tech Access Weekly just released a StandScan review. These people rock! They used Say Text, Prizmo & Zoom Reader.”

**How can you find out what our hosts are up to outside the podcast? Follow Maurie Hill on Twitter Check out Maurie’s writing on the AI Squared Zoomed In Blog Follow Rodney Edgar on Twitter Check out Rodney on the Tech Access Weekly Blog and Podcast Follow Jeremy Curry on Twitter Follow GW Micro on Twitter. Feel free to send your feedback on this show to resources@serotalk.com. You can always find the latest on this show and others on the SeroTalk Podcast Network using iBlink Radio for your iOS device or your Android device. You can even leave us an iReport right from the iBlink app.

Thanks for listening!

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.

Each month, members of Serotek’s System Access Mobile Network are able to participate in live training sessions on how to use various aspects of SAMNet. These training sessions are conducted by our own Lisa Salinger and are made available for on-demand listening later. We are pleased to bring you Lisa’s demonstration of the new features of the SAMNet Socializer. Once you have listened to this training, try out the new features of the SAMNet Socializer for yourself. If you aren’t already a member, {why not begin your seven-day free trial today?

In this special discussing the state of technology, Ricky Enger is joined by Mike Calvo and Joe Orozco to explore happenings in mainstream and assistive technology.

The talk begins by exploring Serotek’s view on the screen reader in general, and expands to cover specifics about System Access as well as free screen readers such as Voiceover, Narrator and NVDA. The team then discusses the role that the SeroTalk Podcast Network plays in bringing unbiased news about mainstream and assistive technology to the community, and provides a way for AT companies to work together for the benefit of all.

The community talk continues with a discussion of Serotek’s new Socializer, available with a SAMNet or Accessibility Anywhere subscription. After that, the discussion turns to updates in mainstream technology, focusing on accessibility of and availability of ebooks. The Amazon Kindle app was discussed in detail, along with the Nook and iBooks apps. Bookshare, Audible and NLS are discussed, and the group explores what it means for the blindness community to have access to more books than ever before. The group closes with Mike Calvo giving a brief glimpse of the future of Serotek as well as a look at the future of mainstream and assistive technology in the blindness community.

This week’s podcast is packed with a lot of great content. After Jamie, Ricky and Joe discuss the top news stories of the week, Jamie visits with Duyahn Walker about a recent television interview where he talks about playing video games from a low-vision perspective.

Facebook announces video on Instagram

Facebook’s Video Ads Now Likely Delayed Until Fall

Amazon adds group gift cards to Facebook

Microsoft on Xbox One reversal: Dude, E3 held us up

LG phone to sport always-on voice commands in 2014

Big Apple TV update adds HBO GO, WatchESPN, Sky News and more

Apple Updates Siri’s Response To Possible Suicide Risks

What’s Wrong with the iOS 7 Icons? by Ian Storm Taylor

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

Introducing MBraille, the most feature-rich braille app on the app store.

Outdoor Play Tips for Toddlers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

Blind Bargains: Buy Your Version of Chicken Nugget Today

Blind Bargains: Purchase “Record Tech Demos Like A Pro” by Jonathan Mosen for $19.95

Vocalizer for NVDA driver 3.0.5 is available.

AN objective look: iOS vs. Android for the visually impaired.

Google Glass Already Banned In Many Places Months Ahead Of Release

One year later, the Nexus 7 has gone from the best to worst tablet I’ve ever owned

Feedly Launches New Cloud Platform to Replace Google Reader Ahead of July Shutdown

Google Fiber spawns startup renaissance in Kansas City

Roundabout

Google Patents Image-Capturing Walking Sticks

Edgbaston Queen Elizabeth Hospital offers doggy daycare for blind patients

In this podcast, Jamie pauls, Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp discuss the top news stories of the week including Apple’s WWDC keynote.

Reddit, Mozilla Join Coalition Demanding End to NSA Snooping

Chirpify Goes Beyond PayPal To Bring Direct, In-Stream Payments To Facebook, Twitter And Instagram

Bing’s U.S. search market share continues to climb

Amazon’s New Grocery Service: For $299, You Never Have to Leave the House Again

What I learned about the Xbox One from E3 | E3

Microsoft exec on Xbox One: No Internet? Get an Xbox 360

Download Chicken Nugget twitter client

Qube update available, works with new Twitter API. Start The Qube and auto update, alternatively, have an installer

iOS 7 looks great, but can it lure this Android user?

Editorial: The subtexts of Apple’s WWDC keynote

iFixit finds a plethora of minor tweaks inside the 2013 MacBook Air

Why the MacBook Air didn’t get a Retina display

Apple’s Rising Star: Craig Federighi

Report: Apple Ads Not Working Very Well

As Apple reorients its Maps, Google forges ahead

Our Position on the Posting on AppleVis of Information about Beta Versions of Apple Software

Roundabout

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The NFB13 agenda is now available online! Start planning your convention schedule now

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Mailbag

Thanks guys for the shout out. Here’s some info from the guide dog training perspective on taking your dog to an amusement park.

First off, the parks aren’t obligated to watch your dog while you go on the rougher rides so if you want to ride things like roller coasters, you may want to take along a person to serve as the dog holder while you ride. Know your dog before you go is really the key to going to any type of tourist attraction. If you’re going with people who can do sighted guide or if you want to ride a lot of rides and so do the rest of your party, making use of the amusement park kennels is a really sound alternative. Most kennels will require a health certificate which you can get from your vet at home prior to your trip.

So, what rides are safe for dogs? This really depends on your dog and if there’s anything that bothers him or her. Simple rides that just involve a sort of train car moving through things may be fine but there may be loud noises, deep booms, things flying around over your head, virtually or in reality, that can set some dogs off.

As dogs get older they tend to get more sensitized to loud noises and may shake, pant or even try to escape.

Of course any ride you need to wear a restraint on isn’t one that’s safe for your dog. Most general amusement park rides like trains, monorails, trams and such are fine and don’t require seatbelts. They have enough floor space for the dogs to lie down comfortably. This was certainly the case with the Disney World Frontier Land train, the Monorail, the boats on It’s A Small World and the tram on the energy Ride.

Some of the other rides like the dinosaur ride in Animal Kingdom might be a little rough for some dogs as the car simulates movement but again, that’s an individual dog decision.

I was told that if we did visit Animal Kingdom and did the Safari train, the dogs must be lying down and could not sit up and watch the animals. That’s fair as these animals might be distracted by the dogs.

One of my dogs hated anything that looked or smelled like a horse and would go into a barking, growling jag upon seeing one. I didn’t test it but suspected that it went for things like elephants and hippos too.

Back to the park trip, you want to make sure your dog is well hydrated. We found many water stations for people and dogs in Disney.

Then there’s the relief issue. Disney has set places for service animals to relieve. They are scattered throughout the parks and any cast member can tell you where the nearest one is. We found several with no problems at all. We also found misting stations for people that sprayed a fine mist of water. We let the dogs walk under these as well and it helped to keep them both cool.

Finally, remember that your dog is going to be working very hard if guiding you through an amusement park. There are people going every direction, most of whom are oblivious to your presence. The dog will be doing a lot of weaving, dodging and stopping. Be sure to praise a lot during the day.

If you’re at a park for multiple days, give your dog a break in the kennels for a half day or so to keep from exhausting him or her.

We were worried about burnt paws too but whatever they pave the Disney grounds with stayed fairly cool. Then of course it rained and that was a moot point. Check your dog’s feet throughout the day to make sure they haven’t gotten burned while standing in line. Now there’s a good excuse to take the short line route.

If you don’t know about the accommodations for a particular park, ask. Most major parks and park chains do have information about service animals and kenneling. Your guide dog school will also most likely have some information or know who to call to get it. If you have questions about your particular dog’s abilities to handle things in an amusement park environment, by all means call your school and talk with the training staff.

I’ve had my dogs in a number of parks and other tourist venues over the years, including a jeep ride in sedona, Arizona that rivaled some roller coasters. Looking back, I might not have taken my then older dog on that one but he faired well, better then me actually.

Just use common sense, don’t get so caught up in the experience that you forget the other living being with you, your dog, and have fun!

Jenine Stanley

Roundabout

Domino’s Pizza testing pizza-delivering drones

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

Liam Erven is best known for the computer games he produces for blind users. Games are released via his company LWorks His latest endeavor, Audio Archery, is now free for Android and iOS. Follow Liam or LWorks on Twitter for the latest updates.

Cara Quinn embraces a wide variety of artistic and technical interests. She enjoys a successful modeling career which allows her to express herself in print and promotional venues.
She teaches guitar, performs, and composes in a variety of genres with a focus on loop-based music, and enjoys mixing elements of rock, pop, jazz, and progressive styles. She has also created compositions for plays, documentaries and short films and has engineered and produced projects for musicians who sought rich and progressive sounds for their music.
Cara manages two very busy mailing lists: VIPhones and MacVisionaries. She is also involved in various podcasting endeavors and develops software for Looktel and Draconis Entertainment Contact Cara via Twitter or email.

Windows 8.1 given first official outing, and yes, the Start button is back

Microsoft confirms public preview of Windows 8 in late June

Screen readers “see” websites differently than sighted people do. Why links should have real text

NVDA 2013.1 has been released, with support for PowerPoint, an improved laptop keyboard layout and some enhanced Braille support

Captcha Fail Leaves Blind People Unable To Sign ‘We The People’ Petition To Help The Blind

The Top 5 Announcements From Google I/O

Tablets devastate laptop market

Google’s virtual assistant invades Siri’s turf

Audio Archery has been released for iOS

And Android

New Podcast: Audio Archery: Use Your Ears and Reflexes to Hit the Target with this New iOS Game

Twitter API v 1 retirement date extended to June 11

Cross the streams with Facebook, Twitter, Google, Skype messaging and more with Socializer. Accessibility Anywhere.

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SPN is a household name in the realm of digital information and entertainment. People from domestic and international locations dial into our growing base of unbiased and authoritative headline news coverage. SPN works in tandem with iBlink Radio, the world’s largest repository of up-to-date podcast shows, community broadcast, and localized radio reading services for the blind. SPN is the brainchild of Serotek Corp, itself a blind-owned business with intimate familiarity with setting new standards in the world of business development.

Competing advertisement platforms charge a fortune for one-time hits with singular exposure. SPN deploys highly skilled content producers and on-air personalities to cover breaking events across dedicated podcasts and websites. Take advantage of our competitive rate of $50 for an audio spot on your choice of SPN podcasts, or make the aggressive investment of $250 to splash your message across all six SPN broadcasts reaching a growing base of 16,000 monthly subscribers.

Join the platform of industry leaders. Reach the people you need to hear about your services. Act now to secure your place in the dominant game changer taking the web by storm!

For more details, contact our sales department at: 612-246-4818, or send an email to info@serotek.com.

Internet Taxation Coming Soon to a Link Near You Syria cut off from the Internet once again No joke: The Onion tells how Syrian Electronic Army hacked its Twitter Twitter API v 1 retirement date extended to June 11 Don’t throw dirt on the grave of Windows 8 just yet Microsoft confirms public preview of Windows 8 in late June What’s new about Windows Blue Windows Start button could make a comeback, Microsoft exec says Tablets devastate laptop market T-Mobile USA moves half million iPhone 5’s in first month, spurs first subscriber growth since 2009 New Apple patent suggests that future iPhones could sport invisible buttons Apple closes in on 50 billion app downloads, offers $10,000 to the person who hits it David Woodbridge: Review of the Accessible Kindle app with VoiceOver NFB Grading of Kindle Accessibility on iOS Chris Danielsen from NFB comments on Buddy’s Kindle opinion post. “Poisoning the Treaty for the Blind” Blind advocates: Hollywood lobbying threatens deal for accessible books Here is a related article from Matt Campbell about HTML5, W3C and DRM Serotek blog post: Consumer Tip: Protect Yourself from Bill Shock A user review of NVDA in the Braille Monitor: My Constant Search for Accessibility The 2013.1rc2 version of NVDA has been released [ChromeVox 27 Released! Math support, ChromeVox context menu, and more] Viber more accessible on iOS but not PC and Mac Looktel Money Reader Gains New Currencies Join CathyAnne on May 18, 4:00 PM for An Introduction to Word 2013

Roundabout

Poll: 90% of parents admit to multitasking while behind the wheel, even with kids in the car Typing with Brain Waves Do you enjoy our SPN Podcasts? You can help us out a whole lot by taking this very short survey.

Amazon Bringing New Accessibility Features to Free Kindle Reading Apps

Kindle for iOS Can Make Siri Read Your Books Aloud (Sort of)

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National Federation of the Blind Comments on Amazon Kindle App

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New update for Fleksy

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Freedom Scientific Announces Departure of Jonathan Mosen

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Google’s virtual assistant invades Siri’s turf

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I’m still here: back online after a year without the internet

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Roundabout

Your brain could be your new password Arlington Marathoner Guides Blind Runner Away from Explosions Visually impaired Texan’s fun-filled journey through Boston Marathon finishes just minutes before explosions

Sponsor

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To learn more about these amazing headphones, and to read about the new Bluez with wireless options, visit Aftershokz.com. You can also catch SPN’s own Mike Calvo, from last year, reviewing a pair of the Aftershocks that he uses in his daily work.

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Roundabout

Why sighing makes you feel better What did the Big Bang sound like? Take a listen

Sponsor

Looking for headphones with a safer open ear design so you can still talk with others around you or hear your environment? Aftershokz Headphones utilize Bone Conduction audio that lets you listen to your favorite tunes, or SeroTalk network podcasts, yet still be able to hear your nearby surroundings. You can get 40% off if you use the promotional code SPN40 at the checkout area on the Aftershokz website just for being a listener of this very podcast!

To learn more about these amazing headphones, and to read about the new Bluez with wireless options, visit Aftershokz.com. You can also catch SPN’s own Mike Calvo, from last year, reviewing a pair of the Aftershocks that he uses in his daily work.

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

Welcome to this week’s episode of the SeroTalk Podcast. Join Jamie, Ricky and Joe as they discuss the top news stories of the week which include:

Facebook invades Android’s Home

Report: Google Prepping Cheaper Nexus 7 for Summer Release

Countdown clock: Microsoft marches toward its Messenger phase-out

Microsoft’s Windows Blue looks to be named Windows 8.1

SkyDrive app is Microsoft’s ‘new normal’

Amazon extends AutoRip to vinyl records

Amazon Hires Former Windows Phone Exec to Work on ‘Something Secret’

Rumor has it that Apple’s iOS 7 development is delayed

Steve Jobs Shaped Next Two iPhones

Tim Cook’s apology did its job. Apple earns respect in China.

The first call from a cell phone was made 40 years ago today

April Fools’ 2013: From Twttr to Google Nose to Nokia’s microwave

Serotek Introduces TrikeTech For Tots

A BlindBargains Exclusive: Milieu Smartphone for the Blind Community

SeroTalk April Fools Podcast

Dropbox 2.0.4 adds workaround for screen readers

Walmart Expands Program to Provide Talking Prescription Containers

J-Tools will be re-released and will be free!

Rebuttal to Mike Calvo on WSJ Live

Aftershocks

Looking for headphones with a safer open ear design so you can still talk with others around you or hear your environment? Aftershokz Headphones utilize Bone Conduction audio that lets you listen to your favorite tunes, or SeroTalk network podcasts, yet still be able to hear your nearby surroundings. You can get 40% off if you use the promotional code SPN40 at the checkout area on the Aftershokz website just for being a listener of this very podcast!

To learn more about these amazing headphones, and to read about the new Bluez with wireless options, visit Aftershokz.com. You can also catch SPN’s own Mike Calvo, from last year, reviewing a pair of the Aftershocks that he uses in his daily work.

Mailbag

From Jake:

Hello Jamie, Ricky and Joe. I just got through listening to your April Fool’s Day podcast and loved it. I do indeed remember Vocal-Eyes, although I used it a few years prior to 2003 at a Jesuit college I attended which is no longer in existence. Vocal-Eyes was a great screen reader though. I can remember I had an Audapter speech box and how cool it was playing with all the parameters. I cannot remember what make the computer was, but obviously I used DOS. It is indeed amazing to think how far we’ve come in terms of assistive technology. Happy 4/1/13 to Serotek!

Jake

Blog comment: Aleeha Dudley

Wonderful podcast as usual! Let’s see: cn 2003 I was 10 years old and used borrowed computers running Windows XP. I used a Braille N’ Speak in classes and that was the extent of it. I now own a Windows 7 Dell laptop, an iPhone, iPad mini, iPod Shuffle, BrailleNote Apex, BookSense and Brailliant display. Thank you Apple for not staying in the accessibility dark ages. I don’t know what I’d do without my Apple stuff. Once again, a great podcast as always and I look forward to more awesome content from the SeroTalk team!<

Roundabout

Guided By Touch: Indianapolis Museum of Art Tours

Google Glass Early Adopters Want To Build Learning, Healthcare, Accessibility & Safety Apps