A big thank you to Audible for their continuing support. Download your free audiobook at AudiblePodcast.com/SeroTalk.

Stay tuned. The full team returns next week for SeroTalk 224. We also hear the Triple Click Home team is headed for the studio soon to record Episode 36!

Meanwhile, the legislative season has kicked into gear for blind consumer groups in the United States, but even if you do not live in the U.S., there is at least one item of interest for blind listeners abroad.

Joe and Laine bring you interviews with Rose Sloan from the National Federation of the Blind and Eric Bridges from the American Council of the Blind, spotlighting issues that could have an impact on you or someone you know.

First, the National Federation of the Blind held its Washington Seminar the week of January 26. Their legislative priorities include:

• Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act (HR 188)

  • Technology, Education, and Accessibility in College and Higher Education Act

    • The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled

    Next, the American Council of the Blind holds its Legislative Seminar the week of February 23. Their two imperatives this year include: 1) The Medicare Demonstration of Low Vision Devices Coverage Act; and 2) Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act. The ACB is also tackling the Marrakesh Treaty. Learn more about these and other advocacy campaigns at the ACB’s Washington Connection page.

    Though a bit off our usual tech news coverage, we believe the issues discussed could have profound impacts on technology in daily use. We sincerely hope you will find the issues that resonate with you and add your support.

    Your comments are very important. Feel free to leave yours here, e-mail them to Resources (at) serotalk.com, tweet them @SeroTalk, or use your handy iBlink Radio app to send us an iReport.

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!

The SPN team has a lot to be proud of–hundreds of hours of content, some great interviews–but most of all, we value you, our listeners. We take this special opportunity to recognize the love you have shown to us and try to return that love and appreciation in a very small way. This SPN special salutes you, our listeners. Thank you all for everything you have done for us!

Buddy Brannan recently had the opportunity to attend the 100-year celebration of the existence of ARRL–the American Radio Relay League–in Hartford, Connecticut. He brought back back a lot of great audio, and this is just the first of several SPN specials to come out of this event.

Among other things you will hear in this special, Buddy gets to play a phonograph machine from 1905 courtesy of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut.

Then, he learns about the Morse Telegraph club and the history of Morse Code.

Next, Elecraft makes an appearance and Buddy talks about all the ameture radio equipment he has owned, currently owns and would like to eventually own.

After that, the president of AMSAT talsk with Buddy about the past, present and future of amateur radio as it relates to satellites.

Finally, the public relations director of the American Radio Relay League talks about the past, present and future of the organization.

Contrary to the title of this week’s podcast, Jamie, Ricky and Joe don’t spend all their time talking about food–unless you count Apple, that is. After the news of the week, we give you a short preview of an upcoming special featuring Buddy Brannan at this year’s Ameture Radio Relay League convention marking the 100th year of their existence. Stories covered in this week’s show include:

Jonathan Mann already has a song about iOS 8.0.1

Apple releases iOS 8.0.2 to fix nearly useless iPhone 6 models

Will Apple replace your bent iPhone 6? It depends

Apps with HealthKit integration start appearing in App Store following iOS 8.0.2 fixes

The $84.50 Reason Apple Wants You to Buy That Big iPhone

Apple will survive its terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week because that’s what Apple does

AudioBoo rebrands with a bang as AudioBoom with a newlook app

10 iPhone 6/iOS 8 Features I’d Like to See in Windows Phone

What happens to Windows 7 on October 31, 2014?

Enter the Braille-enabled tablet

From Apple Support: Type onscreen braille

Lisa Salinger offers paid iPhone classes and one-on-one training. You can learn more by stopping by her web page.

New Tech Doctor Podcast “Follow the Dream”

Roundabout

The day the Coast Guard saved America

Anonymous Acts of Generosity: What To Do When You Can’t Say Thanks

Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students celebrates 25 years of inspiring children with disabilities

SPN is excited to bring you audio from the Exhibit Hall floor from the 2014 Blinded Veterans Association National Convention from amazing Reno Nevada. This was our second time to bring our listeners coverage from this event and we would like to express our gratitude to the BVA for inviting us to this year’s convention. We would like to encourage those who may know a Blind Vet, or if you are one yourself, to contact the BVA for more details about their organization and its activities by visiting their website at http://www.bva.org/ or call 800 669 7079.

SPN would also like to thank this year’s Summer Convention sponsors HIMS Inc and Elegant Insights for helping us bring you this, and all the rest, of our Summer Convention specials. Please visit their sites and let them know how much you enjoyed our coverage!

Also, Serotek offers the SAMNet Vets program to Blind and Low Vision U.S. Veterans. This program is free and it has already attracted many to enjoy SAMNet during its availability. To learn more about SAMVets visit http://www.serotek.com/samnetvets or call us at 612 246 4818.

Interviews in this special include…

LogicMark Phone: 866 541 8387 Extension 138

Stay safe with Freedom Alert from LogicMark.

Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Phone: 860 243 5200

Learn about in-home guide dog training with Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation.

LS&S Phone: 1 800 468 4789

Joe goes shopping for canes and more with LS&S

AbiSee Phone: 978 637 2900

Joe talks portable low vision devices with AbiSee

America’s Vet Dogs Phone: 866 282 8047

Joe talks with representatives of America’s Vet Dogs.

Eschenbach Phone: 1 800 487 5389

Joe talks with Joe about handheld magnifiers and more from Eschenbach.

Audio Eye Phone: 866 331 5324

Take accessibility to a whole new level with Audio Eye.

GH Accessibility Phone: 765 775 3776

GH makes reading books easier on the PC, the Mac and the Web.

eSight Phone: 1 855 837 4448

Learn about electronic eye glasses from eSight.

Welcome to the first of three specials with recordings from the International AER Conference.

This year marked the 30th anniversary of the organization and you can hear the spirit of this momentous milestone from Ricky and Joe’s Exhibit Hall floor microphones. We would like to thank AER for allowing us to come to San Antonio and capture just some of the event for our SPN listeners. Almost every session from this event will be available from AER themselves. Be sure to follow those links to their sites, or join the organization, to learn more. We would also like to thank our 2014 Summer Show sponsors HIMS Inc. and Elegant Insights for their sponsorship of this, and our other summertime, events. In this special you will hear….

President of AER, Jim Adams, talks 30 years of the past and looks into the future with Joe

Ricky conducts experiments with independence Science

Ricky opens a window on Math with Wolf Products

Joe takes a stroll with Gord from Ambutech

Ricky talks careers and more with the American Foundation for the Blind

Billy Brookshire, of AER, interviews Joe about his thoughts of 30 years and his past time presenting at AER events

We are again very pleased to be able to bring you a portion of the NFB Assistive Technology Trainers Division meeting. This particular portion of our coverage has proven to be very popular and incredibly informative in past years. And this year is no different. In the first half of this program you will hear Jeff Baser, from Dolphin USA, showing off the new Dolphin Guide, Supernova and discussing the alternative media creation suite.

Jenny Lineback, AT Trainers Treasurer, then leads a panel discussion on some common problems Facility and On Site Trainers face today. Joining her on the panel is Chip from the Colorado Center for the Blind and Jack from the Louisiana Center for the Blind.

While this isn’t the whole Division meeting, the entire audio can be found by contacting the AT Trainers Division directly. Send an email to President michael Barber at michael.NFBI@gmail.com. Or, join the NFB AT Trainers mailing list at

You asked for more on Twitter. So here’s another interview from Baum USA

Jamie catches Jeff from Dolphin talking about their booth partner Irie A T

Perk up your ears to hear details from Guide Dogs for the Blind

Check out the services available from the Lutheran Braille Workers

Making drug bottles more accessible, listen to what Accessamed has to offer

Embossing all sorts of things with Enableing Technologies

Jamie tags in Braille Design

Find your way with GuideLights & Gadgets

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

Its always a “HIMStastic” day when Dave and Jamie talk what’s new at HIMS Inc.

Learn about the new Money Identifier program from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Jamie goes to the dogs with the Seeing Eye

Become more involved with the ACB Student Council

Reading is always fun when its with the National Braille Press

Here from the host state themselves when Jamie speaks with the Nevada Council of the Blind

We check in with Jeremy Curry, one of the hosts of SPN’s own “High Contrast”, from Ai Squared

Education is the key for the American Printing House for the Blind

Puppy power, Jamie and the Guide Dogs of America

Apple OSX support coming to Duxbury Systems

reading in many ways with Optelec

Welcome to our second NFB 2014 HIMS special. This time around, you get two presentations in one as Dave and Andy demonstrate the Blaze EZ, HIMS’ new book reader with OCR and more. Then, they discuss the latest updates to the BrailleSense firmware that powers HIMS notetakers. There’s a lot to learn, so let’s get started.

We would like to thank HIMS Inc. for being one of the sponsors for this year’s NFB convention coverage.

HIMS Inc.–sponsor of this year’s SPN NFB 2014 coverage–provides an overview of their low-vision solutions including the revolutionary E-bot Pro, a portable distance reading, writing and video magnifier with iPad connectivity.

We would like to thank HIMS Inc. and Elegant Insights Braille Creations for sponsoring this year’s NFB convention coverage.

There are many new updates coming to NFB Newsline

Make your own drawings with Easy Tactile Graphics

Purchase talking watches and more from ILA

There is a wealth of reading available from National Braille Press

Welcome to our first SPN special from NFB 2014 in Orlando, Florida. Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp have been hard at work talking with many of this year’s convention exhibitors, so sit back and enjoy the following interviews from the 74th annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind.

We would like to thank HIMS Inc. and Elegant Insights Braille Creations for sponsoring this year’s NFB convention coverage.

Matthew of Humanware talks with Ricky Enger about some exciting updates coming to the second generation Victor Reader Stream.

Joe Steinkamp visits with John Wilson of 3D Photoworks about 3D objects in real time and space.

Ricky Enger learns about Echo-Sense, a mobility aid for the visually impaired.

Joe Steinkamp explores portable low-vision solutions from Abisee.

Ricky Enger speaks with Tony of Enabling Technologies about their latest Braille embossers.

Joe Steinkamp talks with Odin Mobile about the latest news about their mobile phone solutions.

Heather of VitalSource Technologies talks with Ricky Enger about their accessible electronic textbooks.

Ricky Enger brings us some exciting news about the soon-to-be released KNFB Reader.

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.

Last December, Serotek’s own Buddy Brannan had the opportunity to join HIMS Inc. in New York City where they took part in the dedication of the very first UN Accessibility Center. While Buddy was in the neighborhood, he paid a visit to The Seeing Eye. He brought back a lot of audio from that trip, and we are pleased to bring you the second installment. Buddy had the opportunity to record a tour of the school. This is a high-quality stereo recording, so a good pair of headphones are recommended.

We would like to thank Jim Kutsch, the president of the school along with other members of the staff for making this tour one that our listeners will never forget.

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.

In this CSUN 2014 presentation by HIMS Inc., Dave Wilkinson explores the comparative efficiency of completing educational tasks using iPads and Braille displays and Braille notetakers.

The SeroTalk Podcast Network would like to thank HIMS Inc. for sponsoring our coverage of this year’s CSUN convention.

Welcome to another round of interviews from the convention floor at CSUN 2014. Our thanks to HIMS Inc. for sponsoring this year’s coverage. Please visit the Websites of the companies represented in these interviews to learn more about their products. Included in this special are:

VisionAid

LS&S

GW Micro

Freedom Scientific

Braille Edge Interview by Jamie Pauls

Welcome to another round of interviews from the convention floor at CSUN 2014. Our thanks to HIMS Inc. for sponsoring this year’s coverage. Please visit the Websites of the companies represented in these interviews to learn more about their products. Included in this special are:

Altix

Ambutech

Aumed

APH

Bookshare

Joe visits with Big E

Canon

Code Factory

Dancing Dots

HIMS Inc.–sponsor of this year’s SPN CSUN coverage–redefines magnification with their presentation on E-bot, a revolutionary new low-vision product. We trust that you will enjoy the presentation.

Ricky and Joe hit the ground running just as soon as they arrived at this year’s CSUN convention. This year’s CSUN coverage is sponsored by HIMS Inc. We trust that you will enjoy the first nine interviews to come from this year’s convention. Be sure and check out the links to the various companies represented in the following interviews. They include:

HIMS Inc

AFB

Alexandra Vision

American Thermoform

Computer application specialties

GH

Maxi Aids

Tactalis

Telorion

Welcome to our first SPN special from CSUN 2014. Joe and Ricky were both so excited about this year’s CSUN coverage, that they got started a bit early. They sat down with representatives from Dolphin, Humanware and AI Squared to find out what those companies would be showing off at this year’s CSUN convention. Be sure to visit the Websites of these companies to learn more.

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.

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!

They say “all good things must come to an end” and that is true, as this is our fith of five HIMS-sponsored SPN Specials featuring interviews from the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind 2013 National Conventions. And we go out with a blast as we have interviews with Braille Watch Dogs. No wait, that should have read Braille, Watches and Dogs. Yep, that’s better. Join Jamie, Ricky, Joe, Patrick and the unstoppable force Derek Lane as they comb the Exhibit Hall for the best of what Orlando and Columbus had to offer. Please be sure to visit the links below and mention that you heard about the goods and services offered from us and these very podcasts from SPN. Also, we extend our thanks out to our 2013 Summer Convention Sponsor HIMS Inc. for assisting us in bringing you all of the audio you heard in these SPN Specials.

Colorado Center For The Blind

Perkins Products

Freedom Scientific

Braille Design

HIMS Inc.

Enabling Technologies

Independent Living Aids

National Braille Press

Philmore Productions

Guiding Eyes

Duxbury Systems

Seeing Eye

Yep, you guessed it, this is our fourth of five specials sponsored by HIMS, Inc featuring the latest in things that beep, flash or talk from the NFB and ACB National Summer Conventions. Jamie, Ricky, Joe, Patrick and the stupendous Derek bring you the sounds of the Exhibit Hall florr from both Orlando and Columbus. Remember, to learn more about any of the other voices and companies you may have heard in this show, visit the corresponding links below to be transported to their respective websites for more information.

MegaVoice

Leader Dogs

Freedom Scientific

NLS, National Library Service

Missouri Council Of The Bllind

Vital Source

HIMS Inc

Perkins Braille

GW Micro

AccessAMed

We are only halfway through the audio goodness sponsored by HIMS, Inc that we captured from both the NFB and ACB Summer Conventions with this, our third of five SPN Specials. Jamie, Ricky, Joe, Patrick and lovable Derek bring us more from the Exhibit Hall florrs from both Orlando and Columbus. We also get a second take from a few companies we spoke to in another special who tell us even more than they did in their first appearance. Remember, to learn more about those we spoke to, visit the links below and let them know you heard about them on SPN!

Envision America

American Printing House For The Blind

Gospel Light for the Blind

eTouch Sciences

Statler Center For The Blind

HIMS Inc – Low Vision Options

Fidelco Guide Dogs

Hadley School For The Blind

Humanware

Irie-AT

Welcome back to the second of five SPN Specials, sponsored by HIMS Inc, featuring interviews from the NFB and ACB 2013 summer Conventions. Jamie, Ricky, Joe, Patrick and Derek traveled to Florida and ohio to brave the insane prices of hotel food, oh and to bring you some fantastic interviews as well. Be sure to visit the links below to learn more about the wonderful companies and organizations we spoke to in this Special.

Duxbury Systems

Dolphin Computer Access

ACB Students Homepage

NLS National Library Service Homepage

Ebay

Optelec

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Hadley School for the Blind

Welcome to the first of five specials from both the 2013 National Federation of The Blind convention from not so sunny Orlando, and the American Council For The blind Convention from ruckus Columbus Ohio. This year we have an all star cast with Jamie, Ricky and Joe, joined by our production team, Derek and Patrick, who were temporarily liberated from their audio dungeons for this event. Together, along with our sponsor HIMS Inc, we bring you the most audio coverage we have ever released in the history of SeroTalk for a single event. We hope you enjoy this and the other four specials to come. And be sure to visit the links below to learn more information about those we spoke to at the Summer conventions.

Dolphin Computer Access

Bookshare

Capti Voice Web Reader

31 Gifts

Lutheran Braille Workers

Optelec

Deque Systems

Project Ray

School of Technology for the Blind

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 part 2 of the HIMS NFB workshop, Scott Hegle and Dave Wilkinson demonstrate [HIMS Braille products with iOS devices and programs, our Deaf-Blind communication solutions, and a preview of Braille EDGE v1.1.

To learn more about HIMS INC., you can Follow HIMS on Twitter

Or Like them on Facebook

The SeroTalk Podcast Network would like to thank HIMS for sponsoring this year’s NFB and ACB convention coverage.

In part 1 of the HIMS NFB workshop, Jenny Axler and Scott Hegle demonstrate the new features of Braille Sense and Voice Sense notetaker version 8.0 including Dropbox, YouTube, RSS, Excel Viewer and the new Quick Browser as well as enhancements to Twitter and the Word Processor.

To learn more about HIMS INC., you can Follow HIMS on Twitter

Or Like them on Facebook

The SeroTalk Podcast Network would like to thank HIMS for sponsoring this year’s NFB and ACB convention coverage.

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.

In our very first SeroTalk podcast for the month of April, Jamie Pauls, Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp discuss the top news stories of the week which include:

Slammer worm slows

802.11g coming!

Linux legal battles

An overview of access on Linux

AS Windows 95 fades, a first look at the new .NET environment

Apple rumor, 20 GB iPod on its way

Mac OS 10.2 coming with no relief for those needing access

A wrap up of CSUN

Pac Mate review

A review of Open Book vs Kurzweil 1000

GW Micro to appear on Main Menu April 16^th, 2003

Ai Squaired releases ZoomText 8.0

Mobile Pal plus GPS

There are now hours and hours of reading, podcasts and videos online about CSUN 2013. And a few of those who were on the floor of the Exhibit Hall gathered to reflect on some inside baseball discussions on what were the big stories and who you should watch in the realm of Assistive Technology.

Complete Serotek’s survey for your chance to win an iPad Mini

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

Pratik Patel

is the President and CEO of EZFire, a firm dedicated to promoting usability and accessibility to devices, web sites, software, and other electronic material. He is the current chair of the Information Access committee for the American Council of the Blind

and serves as the President of ACB’s New York affiliate. His background includes legislation, access to assistive technologies, accessible books and other instructional material as well as many different forms of new devices. His Recent efforts include the implementation of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which includes accessibility to videos, interfaces to televisions, DVR’s, and other mobile software and devices.

Darrell Shandrow is a blind accessibility evangelist, Internet radio

broadcaster, assistive technology instructor, and technical writer living

in Tempe, Arizona. As the publisher of the Blind Access Journal blog and

podcast, he is part of a team of advocates, assistive technology

instructors, and reporters including Karen Shandrow, Allison Hilliker,

Jeff Bishop, and special guest contributors exploring accessibility and demonstrating revolutionary new technologies for the blind.

He also co-hosts the Desert Cafe radio show on ACB Radio

Interactive every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Arizona and Pacific Time, where all

listeners may enjoy good music and great conversation with friends.

Keep up with the latest happenings by following him on Twitter.

Joe Steinkamp is cohost of the SeroTalk Podcast and End Of Line. You can also find him from time to time on SPN’s own That Android Show and High Contrast.

Follow him on Twitter

The Panel’s picks for the Big Stories of CSUN 2013

JJ’s Picks

1. TI-84 Plus and others helping to further STEM accessibility Hands On with the Accessible TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator

2. Accessible GPS Comes to Modern Cell phones Hands-On With the Nearby Explorer GPS Software from APH

Sendero Announces Features, Preview for Seeing Eye GPS for iOS (no audio)

And…

3. The next generation of braille and notetakers and a full-page braille display B2G Android Notetaker Nearing Release, National Braille Press Offering up to$20,000 for App Developers

For more information visit this link

Pratik’s Picks

1  Microsoft’s customer support for people with disabilities  “Hearing and Seeing the Customer Experience”  Session recording:

2. Presence of consumer electronics industry at CSUN due to CVAA

3. Free Sight Compass App Helps you Navigate Hotels, Bathrooms, and More

Darrell’s Picks

1. Judy Dixon from NLS talks with Allison Hilliker and Darrell Shandrow from the Blind Access Journal all about the upcoming BARD Mobile iOS app and gives us an exclusive look at an early alpha version of the exciting new talking book reader.

2. Bookshare announces the release of new Web Reader functionality that allows members to read books in a web browser without the need for additional apps or software.

3. Soon-to-be-released BrailleSense firmware version 8.0 will add Dropbox support, giving the note taker a new, unique connection to the mainstream world of technology.

Joe’s Picks:

1 Optelec new touch screen display that can be retrofitted on to older ClearView Video Magnifiers going back to 2005

2 LVI using USB 3.0 to connect their stuff to mac/Surface and other devices

3 ABI See Eye Pal ACE and its dual camera approach

Finally, if you desire even more coverage, JJ suggests listeners visit the Curb Cut blog’s CSUN 2013 coverage page.

Welcome to yet another in a series of interviews from this year’s CSUN conference. Be sure and visit the Web sites listed below in order to learn more about the various companies and products discussed in this podcast.

Hims

Magnisight

Victor Reader Stream

Ambutech

Bookshare

AI Squared

Canon

Seeking your opinion: should Serotek Start a newsletter?

Complete Serotek’s survey for your chance to win an iPad Mini

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

Welcome to the fourth in our series of SPN specials from CSUN 2013. Remember to visit the links in our show notes to learn more about the companies and products mentioned in the interviews conducted by Ricky Enger and Joe Steinkamp.

eSight

Sensus RoboBraille

Eschenbach

Tack-Tiles

En-Vision America

Bones

GW Micro

Dolphin

NPR Labs

Perkins

Seeking your opinion: should Serotek Start a newsletter?

Complete Serotek’s survey for your chance to win an iPad Mini

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

A look at low-cost assistive technology and training solutions for blind consumers

The below talk was given by Joe Steinkamp and Ricky Enger at the CSUN 2013 conference in San Diego. It covers using social media and podcasts to build a network of professionals and consumers, and examines Serotek’s low-cost solutions for performing common tasks.

Introduction

Vocational rehabilitation professionals face a number of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Each day, these professionals must meet with consumers to determine their academic and vocational needs, find assistive technology solutions that fit those needs, provide training specifically tailored to the consumer’s learning style, and all this must be done using a limited amount of time and resources. Given the constraints of shrinking budgets and the speed of emerging technology, how can a vocational rehabilitation professional provide quality assistance to each consumer?

The task of matching technology to individualized plans is not as impossible as it seems. In this session, we will explore a number of ideas and solutions that save both time and money, and still allow for a quality experience for the rehab professional and the consumer.

What’s out there?

The first step to providing quality service to your consumers is to identify what the market is currently offering. The search for products that meet your consumer’s needs can seem like a daunting prospect when the number of solutions has multiplied in recent years. It can be tempting to choose the most popular solution, regardless of how well this solution fits a consumer’s unique requirements. Rather than taking this approach, consider the following:

Tune into the world of podcasts.

Search for podcasts that discuss assistive technology. Many AT companies produce podcasts about their own products and services. There are also podcasts with a more unbiased look at available tools and resources led by recognized experts in the field. Through such podcasts, you can learn valuable tips about using various types of assistive technology and identify key differences between product feature sets. The SeroTalk Podcast Network, produced by Serotek Corporation, contains a great deal of valuable information about mainstream and assistive technology. In addition, the free iBlink Radio for iOS and Android platforms gathers a wide variety of community resources such as podcasts and community radio that can be extremely beneficial in drilling down for details about specific solutions.

Use social media.

Social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter have become popular vehicles for near real-time communication. Beyond the purely social aspects of these tools, they can be used to gather on-the-ground information about a wide range of pertinent topics. As a rehab professional, you can build a network which includes other professionals like yourself, as well as users of the technology you are researching. In this way, you can gather a lot of useful information in a very short amount of time.

A Look at one Company’s Low-cost solutions

There is no single company who can create a product which is all things to all people. While there are many companies and products you will want to research, this presentation will focus on low-cost products and services from Serotek, arguably the most affordable option in the market today.

Screen-reading

One of the most important pieces of assistive technology for a blind or visually impaired person is a screen reader. Having a functional screen reader that the person understands how to use makes all the difference in ensuring the person is productive and successful. Serotek’s System Access is designed to be effective with very little training. Serotek aimed to make a product which was easily usable by someone brand-new to the computer, yet still powerful enough to meet the needs of the more tech-savvy professional. Furthermore, the product can be used absolutely anywhere, not just on a single PC. This level of accessibility is accomplished through a web-resident version of the screen reader, or through a version installed on a thumb drive. The screen reader is about half the cost of other assistive technology on the market, and best of all, there are no maintenance agreements for the software. Your consumers will always have the most up-to-date version of the software at no additional cost.

Scanning

For busy students and professionals, it is essential to have access to the printed word. Traditionally, it could cost over $1000 to provide a single consumer with the necessary hardware and software to scan and convert materials to readable text. Also, the software could only be accessed from a computer specifically configured for the purpose. With DocuScan Plus, the landscape has changed. This cross-platform solution can be access from both Windows and Mac, and can even be run directly from the web with no installation necessary. The software converts materials in to a variety of formats, and is approximately 1/3 the cost of standard assistive scanning solutions.

Training

Regardless of your consumers’ technology needs, it is usually necessary to provide training. This training may include how to use assistive technology, or how to be productive on the computer with email, word-processing, browsing the web, and so on. The problem with training in the traditional way is that it can be quite expensive and time-consuming. There are travel expenses and travel time to consider. Sometimes, you might even encounter a situation where a consumer’s issue could’ve been resolved in 5 minutes if only you had access to the computer, but 3 hours of total travel time were expended to solve the problem.

Remote training makes a great deal of sense. Not only can you save time and money by never needing to leave the office, but the consumer can be trained in the comfort of their own home. Serotek’s Remote Incident Manager makes telecommunication possible for both blind and sighted rehab professionals. By connecting in a shared session with your consumer, you will be able to watch and listen as the consumer performs a given task. A consumer can also watch and listen as you, the trainer, perform a task. Files can be transferred from one computer to another, and you can even maintain a voice chat session while you work. With remote training, you and your consumer can have a fully interactive session just as you would face to face, but neither of you ever have to concern yourselves with the logistics of traveling to make it happen.

Conclusion

The technology landscape is ever-changing, and we believe it is changing for the better. By being aware and taking advantage of these advancements, you can serve your clients efficiently and effectively, and you can do so without breaking the bank.

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