Back when I was seven, many things were accessible, and if they weren’t, my grandmother would help make them so.

Not being able to see, my primary way of learning was through reading, touching objects, and listening to explanations. Of course, all my other remaining senses came into play, but hearing and touch were, and are, my primary link to the world not constructed by books.

Even though I had never heard the word Accessibility, I was an early adopter of its concept.

One day, my grandmother took me to a museum that was new in town. It was different from the ones we frequented, and I was very eager to feel exotic artefacts under my fingertips, and experience paintings through verbal descriptions given to me via headset. I eagerly speed-walked with my grandmother into the museum, my stomach full with butterflies over the soon-to-be.

When the tour started, I could sense the body heat of a dozen people beside me. I waited for my grandmother to take me to the artefact so I could explore it. She didn’t. I began to tune into the many exclamations beside me describing how wonderful the artefact was. Why was it so wonderful? I wanted to know too! I wanted to feel it and see what people were talking about. I soon began to cry, and people’s feet shuffled as they turned and stared at me. With steely resolve, my grandmother picked me up and pushed her way to the front of the crowd with my white cane dangling in my grip. When she reached the front, she ducked under the rope and placed my hand on the elegant statue carved with dynamic symbols. People started complaining that a sign said ‘Don’t Touch’. Soon, a stern sounding man cleared his throat next to me.

“Miss? I’m the manager here.”

I felt the air whoosh as my grandmother whipped around. With slicing syllables, she told the manager:

“If you tell my blind grandson to take his hands off this statue, I will take every ‘Don’t Touch’ sign down and burn them all. I will then tell the police what I did and sue you for lack of accessibility.”

nineteen years have passed since then, and I have heard and witnessed countless instances in which companies and people just don’t exert any will to include the blind and the visually impaired whatsoever, unless forced by law.

The Americans with Disabilities Act was a huge breakthrough for our inclusion, but it didn’t merge us with the sighted world. People didn’t want to include us, so often we had to go to special groups, events, and even jobs for the blind. We also had to fight for education as well. Entertainment was, and still is an issue accompanying all the other accessibility barriers.

It took a law in 2010 to make Audio Description available on television. Before the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, we couldn’t watch movies, TV shows, or any visual media with audio description as frequently as today. Audio Description is as important to us as closed captioning is for the Deaf. It opens up a whole new mode of entertainment that we’ve never been able to experience before.

However, there are still a lot of companies that don’t want to offer it, and are not forced to by law. Many of these companies reside in the internet realm, a place the law hasn’t even scratched yet. Audio Description is available on TV, and more DVDs, and even more movie theatres. The law applies to the top 25 TV networks now but will increase.

But even with all this inclusion, no Video on Demand service, such as Netflix and Hulu, has Audio Description.

I’ve wondered why Netflix won’t provide Audio Description, or even accessible interfaces so that our adaptive software can interact with their website and web player fully. I’ve examined this through all different angles, even finding out for myself the cost of describers, and other production costs. It’s not all about cost however. The BBC has shown that cost doesn’t matter when it comes to Accessibility, offering an Audio Description On Demand service through the BBC iPlayer. Many other companies and organisations also show that having audio description on the web is not hard at all. All of these can be found on our audio description on demand page.

It wouldn’t be hard at all to include Audio Description on Netflix. Two methods could be done to achieve this. Closed Audio Description, where the viewers would need to select a language track, requiring less bandwidth and less server space on Netflix’s part. There would definitely be downsides to this as well, such as that Audio Description wouldn’t be able to be available on every Netflix compatible device, such as the Nintendo Wii, as the Wii even has a hard time with closed captions.

Another way is to have a separate blind version of the same movie or TV show, like iTunes has it. But this will require that the film or TV show be uploaded twice. From a technical point of view, this would be the easier thing to do, but who knows, the servers might buckle.

For years, the blind community has asked and even begged Netflix to make their site and service accessible, with accessible web design and Audio Description, but Netflix have said “No” repeatedly, and eventually the blindness advocacy groups just give up.

I refuse to give up though. Which is why I started the Accessible Netflix Project.

Our aim for the project:

Netflix is a popular internet streaming and rental service that streams TV shows as well as movies. It also allows subscribers to rent DVDs. The Netflix platform isn’t accessible and that’s what this project aims to change. With the help of the community we will make Netflix a truly accessible place for everyone to enjoy.

The Purpose (Mission)

1. To provide accessible software and interface to Netflix users

Implement and ensure future accessibility practices and consideration

1. Ensure that relatively all types of disability are taken into careful consideration at all times

These are the targets we want to meet

1. Provide a screen reader friendly experience to all Netflix functions on the PC and mobile devices with all screen readers

Provide an easily navigable interface for the mobility impaired using adaptive technology.

1. Provide easy access to audio described content for the blind and the visually impaired on streaming services as well as DVD selection currently and in the future.

Regardless if it’s inconvenient or costly, Netflix should provide Accessibility solutions. Many blind people pay for a service they can barely use, whether they are a novice or advanced Screen Reader user.

It has been a long 2 years since I began the project. So far, they have told us “No”, directly, nine times and counting.

Determined to have the freedom to enjoy Audio Description on the Internet, a place that has become a utility for my work and entertainment needs, I decided to ask them why they said no. The first time, they said that:

“We don’t have control over the content that makes the Audio Description, so we’re not the people who you should be contacting.”

So, I started contacting studios for the next three months, often going through back door connections to get to producers, and explaining the situation. Seth MacFarlane, the producer of Family Guy, a show that has Audio Description on TV, was one of these connections. I wanted to make it as cheap as possible for Netflix, so I asked these producers if they would simply give the Audio Descriptions to Netflix at no charge. Many, including Seth, agreed to this.

I replied to Netflix with the fantastic news, and this was their response:

Hi Robert,

Thank you for being a Netflix fan and for being so passionate about making Netflix more accessible. At this point we have no immediate plans to add Audio Descriptions to our service. We continuously evaluate this and we will let you know if there’s a change, but don’t expect it to come in the near future.

I don’t understand why they’d say no. Even after contacting 56 different people in the company, they all said the same – don’t expect it anytime soon, even with the studio support.

It deeply disappoints and frustrates me that access to a service that’s so accessible to my wallet is impossible for me to use independently, simply because I require adaptive technology. I can’t even manage the site independently, no matter how many advanced keystrokes I learn or new Screen Reader tricks. Blind and visually impaired people shouldn’t be banished to outside sources to get described content. We are millions and millions strong, and our revenue would help grow Netflix. And, small aside, they’d surely be given excellent publicity for being the first mainstream company to do this.

The accessible Netflix project has grown and, with it, we have dedicated team members who will ensure equal access to entertainment simply because it should have been done a very long time ago. There isn’t an excuse anymore as to why this can’t happen. My team and I are here for entertainment equality and we will continue to be for years ahead.

The ADA was meant to include and not divide. Blind people should have reasons to spend their income. We should be able to laugh with glee with our family, enjoying an Audio-Described comedy. We should be able to proudly call ourselves a Netflix customer. My team and I will do whatever we can to ensure everybody gets past the unnecessary velvet rope and touch an accessible Video on Demand service that is accessible to everybody else. I don’t understand why Netflix doesn’t want to give us that inclusion, and I possibly never will, but I do understand one thing for certain – it should happen. It will happen, with our leadership.

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!

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

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

Screen Readers at a Crossroads

Huawei Vision with Ray

There has been a significant update to TapTapSee

Introducing the new Socializer from Serotek

A brief tour of the Samnet Socializer

Developer suspects Facebook app is behind iPhone battery drain

Why you should always read the small print from Facebook

Fired Zynga Staff Hits Reddit to Talk Life Before the Massacre

WWDC 2013 Rumor Roundup: iOS 7, OS X 10.9, iRadio, and New Macs

New iRadio Ad Details Surface Ahead of Expected Launch Next Week

Eight changes I want to see in iOS 7 | iPhone

Apple vs. Samsung: It’s Thermonuclear War

HTC bleeding continues: Operations chief reportedly steps down

Microsoft goes public with Windows 8.1 upgrade policies

Amazon plans big expansion of online grocery business

Bose Reveals SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker And QuietComfort 20 In-Ear Headphones With “Aware Mode”

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

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

Pepsi vending machine takes Facebook love, not money

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

View the Accessible Event archive of our SPN special: Accessibility Anywhere

Here are the links that accompanied the Accessible Event presentation of our SPN special: Accessibility Anywhere:

Our Story at Ten

Lack of Sight Doesn’t Mean Lack of vision.

System Access: the Alternative Commitment

What is the Future of Screen Readers Anyway?

” Mike Calvo at the General Session of the 47th Annual ACB Convention

” Mike Calvo Presents at the General Session of the 68th Annual NFB Convention

Remote Incident Manager

Mike Calvo reviews the iGrill.

Out of the Ghetto and into the Digital Lifestyle

Anywhere, Everywhere, That’s Accessibility

We were the first to say that Twitter would be important.

DocuScan Plus

SeroTalk Podcast Network

The Serotek Ultimatum

Rest in Peace SMA

SAMNet Vets

Anywhere, Everywhere, That’s Accessibility

First Ever Freedom Box Talk.

Please take this screen reader user survey and help spread the word about System Access.

Join us live on Accessible Event this Thursday, August 23, beginning at 9 PM Eastern.

One of the misconceptions about Serotek is that we are a traditional software vendor. that is partially true. Our cloud-based screen reading technology, OCR package, webinar platform and social network are features that have each disrupted the way traditional assistive technology manufacturers meet and mingle with consumers, but for us, it was never enough to drop products into a supply and demand chain to feed our bottom line.

Serotek was launched in response to the elite class system that existed at the outset of the 21st century. If you could spare $1,200 in 2002, you could buy a copy of a screen reader, minus the cost of a software maintenance agreement. If you could fork over almost $1,500 more, you could buy the computer systems that worked best with the expensive screen reader. We rejected the idea that access had to come with a price tag, and we set out to build a line of products that would be equally attainable for all blind people regardless of their income status. It never made sense to us that the only people who could afford to keep their products up-to-date were those with well-paying jobs or active cases with their states’ rehab agencies. Ten years later a number of people continue to agree with us.

Our model of grassroots enterprise has propelled Serotek to a position of leadership in the assistive technology industry. We build products we ourselves use in our personal and professional lives. The fact that the majority of our staff is blind is key in that we know what our customers are looking for and understand what they can reasonably afford.. When we plant new products, we cultivate them with an eye to the community’s reaction, because our community was as responsible for our creation as it continues to be for our mutual success.

Our products are constantly evolving with emerging technology. What is relevant today may be forgotten next week. We count on our examination of breaking developments through our SeroTalk Podcast Network and feedback from you to tell us where we need to pull back and where we need to concentrate our efforts. That is the essence of a community-driven operation.

Today we are excited to see so many choices in how we approach daily tasks. There are several ways to read newspapers, listen to music, chat with friends, and play games alongside our sighted peers. It is now possible to walk into an Apple store and walk out with a fully accessible operating system, and for people who choose not to buy into Apple products, that’s okay because this too is your choice. Now, in a continuing effort to keep pace with the times, we want to give you one more option.

Serotek is a company by the people for the people, and that mentality took us back to the drawing board to think of an even better way to bring you the products you need at a price you can afford.

Consider this: How much will you get for $21.95 these days? Well, you may score a Friday night date to the movie theater if you skip refreshments. You could swing a nice dinner if the restaurant is not too nice and your date agrees to go Dutch. You could maybe buy a gift online for that special occasion, if free shipping is included. These days it seems our transactions are ruled by conditions, but at Serotek, we are going to give you the kitchen sink without sacrifices.

For $21.95 a month, or $240 a year, how would you like all the benefits of DocuScan Plus, System Access, and SAMNet? What would you say if we told you that this incredibly low price will see you through all future upgrades with absolutely no interruption in your service? And, what kind of 21st century operation would we be without these products coming to a mobile device near you?

When we speak of accessibility anywhere, we literally mean it is possible for you to take these tools on the go and have instant access to e-mail, documents, movies, your music library, and social networks from any available computer. Whether from a thumb drive or from the convenience of logging into SA to Go, you have as much access to the information you need as your neighbors. Gone are the days of paying a premium price for access that should by all accounts be affordable to the students, professionals and everyday consumers who demand instant access to online content, where ever they are..

Why step back from conventional pricing structures? Two reasons:

First, your time is valuable. When you call or write, you do not want half a dozen variations. You want a simple price and a compelling list of features to make that price worthwhile.

Second, we want to thank you for making us a leader in assistive technology. With so many choices, you have chosen to invest in our mission of putting cutting edge technology into the hands of as many blind consumers as we can reach. $21.95 a month grants you unlimited access to three competitive products and gives you a stake in the future course of a company devoted to keeping pace with emerging technology. We believe you deserve a permanent place at the table where innovative minds are busy bringing universal access one step closer.

At home, in school, at work, and on the streets, Serotek is working day in and day out to make accessibility anywhere a tangible reality. Will you join our thriving community of thinkers and doers? Visit this link to get started.

Listen to Mike Calvo’s interview with Chris Allen of iDevices

Let it never be said that I don’t enjoy smoking something every now and again … pork, beef, chicken, I like them all. Just like many other blind people, I love to get together with my family and a few of my friends, hang out in the back yard, and drive everyone crazy with the delicious smell of cooking meat. In an effort to do this right, I went on a quest to find devices that were built with quality in mind, and were easy and accessible to use by a blind person.

Today, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Chris Allan, founder and CEO of a company called iDevices. I first discovered iDevices when I was looking for an accessible way to test my meat temperature when cooking with the Bradley Smoker. Before I share my own thoughts about the iGrill and other devices made by the company, I give Chris an opportunity to shamelessly promote himself and his products.

Chris explains that iDevices was born from the concept of app-enabled devices, meaning that the hardware is only the first step in making a product the best it can be. Through patented Bluetooth technology with a range of up to 200 feet, iDevices products can be controlled from an app on iOS, and Android support is coming soon. With an app, functionality can easily be added to a device in a matter of days rather than designing an entirely new model of hardware just to implement requested features. It also opens up the possibility of incorporating things like social networking, so you can make everyone on Facebook envious with pictures of the meat you’ve cooked. Not only that, but with a device that pairs via Bluetooth, you don’t have to be right beside the product in order to control it. This will come in especially handy with the new product coming soon from iDevices, called the iShower. With this product, you won’t have to take your Bluetooth-enabled device in to the bathroom with you in order to enjoy music while you’re showering. You just pair the iShower with your device of choice, including PC, MAC, Android, iOS or any other Bluetooth-enabled device, and stream the audio to the speaker in your shower.

I’m really excited to take the iShower for a spin and review it once it’s released, but for now, let’s talk about the iGrill. When I first heard about the iGrill, I had to get one immediately. I had tested several other meat thermometers and found that the quality was just not that impressive. When I got the iGrill, everything went perfectly until I tried to actually monitor what I was cooking. At that point, Voiceover crashed, and I was understandably pretty disappointed. I’m sure you all know by now that I’m not one to give up so easily when something doesn’t work for me. Rather than taking the unit back, I decided to engage in a little advocacy. After all, I can’t possibly be the only blind person looking for a high quality, accessible solution to test the temperature of my meat, right?

I contacted the folks at iDevices and politely explained my situation. Their response was incredibly gratifying! Like many developers, they hadn’t really even considered the blind population as a viable market, but once they understood that we could use the device with a few modifications to the code in the app, they were happy to do it. Believe me. A little advocacy can go a long way. It’s not surprising that companies who develop apps for mobile devices don’t initially consider us as a viable market. After all, I myself was pretty skeptical about using a flat piece of glass to do anything productive, so I can’t fault anyone else for not immediately thinking of blind people when they develop for iOS or Android.

In any case, all it takes is to start that initial dialogue, and I think you’ll be surprised at just how often developers are willing to work with you. I was thoroughly impressed by the corporate environment that Chris has created. I first spoke to Livia in customer service, and from there began working with a developer. With every interaction, the folks at iDevices were enthusiastic about helping me to get the most out of the product, just as they would be for any other customer. Soon, the app was doing almost everything I needed it to do. There are still a couple of minor accessibility quirks to work out, but overall the device and the app are both quite usable.

There’s a whole lot to like about the iGrill. Unlike other thermometers I’ve tested, like the Oregon Scientific thermometer, the iGrill has two probes. One tests the temperature inside the meat, and the other reports the ambient temperature inside the smoker or other cooking environment. You could also use the second probe for monitoring meat temperature if you’re cooking more than one type of meat. The app allows you to choose the meat you’re cooking, and from the label in the app you can determine which probe is monitoring which cut of meat. Also, iGrill provides a comprehensive list of foods and their suggested temps, which is nice since most of us don’t carry that sort of knowledge in our heads. You can use the device inside the oven as easily as you can use it with the smoker. Just place the thermometer in the oven and shut the door on the wire, and the device monitors your meat in the same way as when you’re cooking outside. When you first bring up the application, a very accessible web page containing product videos is displayed. The videos are quite helpful, even if you’re only listening to them. The learning curve is very simple, and best of all, you can’t beat the price. The unit can be found on Amazon for $79. I encourage every blind person with a love of cooking to go out and get this device. With it’s well-designed products, excellent customer service, unbeatable prices, and commitment to accessibility, iDevices deserves every bit of support and gratitude that we can give them.

Before we close, Chris gives us some contact info for the company, and encourages your feedback. In fact, at the time of this writing, if you post an iGrill review on the app store or on Amazon and send iDevices a copy of the review, they’ll send you a free apron to protect your iGrill. To contact the company, you can send them an email, visit their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter.

Our thanks go out to Chris for taking a few minutes to visit with us, and to the entire iDevices team for making such a fantastic and accessible product!

On this week’s podcast, Mike Calvo joins Jamie Pauls, Joe Steinkamp and Ricky Enger live from the Road To CSUN.

Be sure and listen to all of our CSUN coverage on SPN Radio.

You can also listen to Triple Click Home Episode 4: Beefed Up Book Reader Thing and an upcoming episode of That Android Show coming very soon.

After their visit with Mike, Jamie, Joe and Ricky tackle the news of the week.

AT

Neal Ewers’ Review Of The Olympus Ls100 is now available on Blind Cool Tech.

Extra Extra Read All About It: Exciting Sendero Announcements

Blind Bargains: Ask the Readers: What Would You Pay for a Truly Accessible Phone-based GPS System

@ariadneGPS: Version 2.0 is on the store. Podcast on the web site at http://www.ariadnegps.eu/

Georgia Tech’s BrailleTouch is a Braille writer for iPhone

Apple

Beatles Ringtones Come to Apple’s iTunes Store

Apple’s latest sandboxing deadline delay signals moving goalpost for devs

Rumor Mill

Ignore Microsoft, Office will be coming to the iPad real soon

Smaller iPad in ‘testing stage,’ says research firm

Don’t discount Apple’s interest in a smaller iPad, says analyst

iPhone 5 rumoured for autumn, not summer

iPhone and Android apps now required to have privacy policies

Mailbag

Among the many emails we received for this week’s podcast, Dave from Dublin, Ireland provides a link to some accessibility features of Sky TV, available in the UK and Ireland.

Round About

Google to release heads-up display glasses before the end of the year: what can we expect?

@AccessSanDiego: San Diego Zoo has an Accessibility Guide in Braille! Get it at Guest Relations.

Is Skype a social network? Microsoft’s dark horse has legs…

‘Smart cows’ can text owners when mooood strikes

Contact The Show

Feel free to write us by sending a message to: resources@serotalk.com

Follow the SeroTalk Podcast on Twitter

This week, Jamie Pauls, Ricky Enger, and Joe Steinkamp discuss the top news stories of the week. Then, Jamie Pauls and Mike Calvo discuss three Christmas gift ideas for the holiday season. Items reviewed by Mike include:

Twelve South PlugBug All-in-One Dual Charger for MacBook and iPad, iPhone, or iPod

Price: $34.99

Nespresso Pixie Espresso Maker

List Price: $249.00

Price: $149.40

50 NESPRESSO Capsules Varieties COFFEE NEW

Price: $53.89

The news stories covered in this week’s podcast include the following:

Holidays and Shopping

Having a Secret Santa gift exchange at work? These gifts, all under $20, are useful, memorable, and just plain cool

Why you should avoid cheap tablets

Amazon Kindle Fire owners are reporting a Wi-Fi bug

Hackers hit supermarket self-checkout lanes, steal money from shoppers

More people were affected by a Lucky Supermarkets credit card scam than initially thought

U.S. smartphone owners gravitate towards mobile shopping (survey)

Apple

Apple’s secret code names for iOS revealed

Do you miss Snow Leopard? Lion Secrets can help take you back

The iPad is not a PC, and neither are Windows 8 tablets

System Access: The Alternative Commitment

Apple interested in improving noise cancellation via voice recognition: Apple is investigating the use of user-s…

Downcast v2.5 is now available with iCloud sync support, revamped video player, many bug fixes and much more.

Behringer Announces 700 Pound, 10,000 Watt, $30,000 iPhone Dock..

Browsing

Facebook Accessibility feedback form

Facebook to launch a Subscribe button for websites

Gowalla confirms: Facebook acquires location-based social network

How Google can deal a death blow to Firefox

Avoiding Common Website Accessibility Mistakes

Symantec: Spam is at its lowest level in almost three years

Mailbag

Once again we present emails, BLAB line calls, and iReports from our listeners.

Round About

Vet fights for mobility iBOT has given him

Voice controls let blind gamer ‘hang’ with friends online

Can sitting all day make your butt bigger?

This week, Jamie Pauls, Joe Steinkamp, and Mike Calvo discuss the news of the week. Also, Mike reviews several SoundDock options from bose for iOS and other devices including the following:

Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker – Nylon

Bose SoundDock Portable Digital Music System (Gloss Black

Bose SoundDock Series II Digital Music System for iPod (Black

AT

The twitmonger users list is now active. subscribe using twitmonger_users-subscribe@lists.shaned.net

Qwitter replacement in alpha testing. go to: http://twitmonger.shaned.net/ and grab a copy.

I’ve modified Qwitter 4.5.1 to use the new API, so it can now receive direct messages. Also added mentions streaming.

Purchase Hope, the accessible PC client for Pandora which is still in active development by Christopher Toth.

NVDA 2011.3rc1 released!

HumanWare is seeking input on the future of the Victor Reader Stream via Survey Gizmo

ZoomText 10 feature leak alert – introducing the ZoomText Camera!

November 2011 AccessWorld is now live! Holiday edition (gift ideas 4 ppl w/vision loss)

Self Promotion

Serotek Conquers a New Frontier for Blind Veterans.

SeroSpectives Deck the Dogs.. and the Canes Too!

Amazon

New on Suntimes: My review of the Kindle Fire. At last, a great alternative to the iPad.

The Kindle Fire is getting great reviews … except not. Wired: Is This Really The Tablet Everyone’s Talking about?

A Kindle smartphone may be coming in 2012

U.S. authors: Kindle lending library is ‘contract breach’

Amazon’s cloud is the world’s 42nd fastest supercomputer:

Holidays

NFB – National Federation of the Blind Partners with Santa to Promote Braille Literacy:

Assistive Technology for Young Children: A Parent’s Perspective – YouTube

Chicago Lighthouse pairs with electronics retailer to help the visually impaired

Starbucks Holiday Cups Come to Life With Augmented Reality App

Google

DAISY Player for Android goes live, on sales for a limited time. :Darwin Reader Website:

Best Android Apps and options for disabled users

Ivona free update for Android voices

Google Music hits almost all the high notes

Cloud Music Showdown: Google vs. Amazon vs Apple

Apple

Apple launches iTunes Match: music hoarders need not apply:

How to Enable iTunes Match On Your iPhone or iPad: Apple released iTunes Match today, and users can now access t…

More on iTunes Match’s new ID3 tags

Apple Can’t Handle The Demand For iTunes Match, Temporarily Halts New Sign-Ups

Apple kicks off worldwide iPod nano first-generation replacement program

Apple’s iCloud inaccessible for some users

iPhone owners might want to avoid iOS 5.0.1 update

RT @papasangre: I’m back. Hit the App Store now-ish.

Tests suggests iPhone battery issue not a hardware problem

The iPhone 5 Was Real, Says A Source Who Played With A Prototype

Mac OS X has its own sandbox security hole:

Apple fixes iTunes man-in-the-middle security hole

OS X Lion growth stagnates at 16% Mac market share

Web stats indicate Mac OS X Lion still growing very fast

MacBook Air supplies almost one-third of Apple notebook sales:

Sirispective

A Comprehensive Audio Demonstration of Siri

Siri’s security sabotaged, developer releases crack tools

SPN Launches Triple Click Home

Kickers

Support new regulations encouraging service dog relief areas within security @ airports.

[NFBAustin] awesome BELL Video, complete

In the fourth and final part of our MacBook Air review, I am joined by Jamie Pauls, Patrick Perdue, and Lisa Salinger. When I started evaluating portable solutions, I looked at both the MacBook Air and the iPad. They are similar in size, for all intents and purposes. Of course the iPad has built-in 3G, which is a factor, but not a big one for me personally, since I can use my phone as a hotspot. So I’ve come to the conclusion that for a blind person, the MacBook Air is the more productive tool. Apple has really gone out of its way to make sure that the iPad is a viable alternative to a netbook or laptop for a sighted person. I am not faulting Apple because programs like Pages are not totally accessible on the iPad. Everything takes it’s time, and we will get there eventually. However, the fact that you can’t produce everything on the iPad that you can on the computer makes it more of an entertainment device for me, and I can get that from my iPhone. As a totally blind person, screen size really doesn’t matter to me, so there’s no compelling reason for me to use an iPad. I performed my test with the Sena Leather Case with Bluetooth Keyboard. It’s a great case and a great companion. If you’re going to just be doing email, notes, or some primitive document creation, the iPad would be fine, but if I could only take one device with me on the road, I would have to leave it at home, and would take the MacBook Air instead.

Lisa had a chance to play with the iPad, and stresses the fact that it has more screen real estate. However, this can present difficulties for someone who is blind. For example, dragging an app to a specific location and going in a straight line can be more difficult, because there is more area to cover. You do have more of a spatial view of a web page, so the experience is a subjective one, and what may be workable for one person may not suit the needs of another.

Patrick had extensive testing with an iPad 1. The extra real estate handled things like columns nicely, although finding and navigating them was a challenge. He was looking to buy an iPad primarily to work with a piece of sound editing software, but it was not accessible.

When I’m on the road, I need access to production-quality tools, and programs like Garage Band were not accessible on the iPad. My next priority was email, which I don’t really like on the iOS devices, although email with Siri on the iPhone 4S is great. I still feel much more comfortable using SAMNet email or Outlook. Next, I looked at the ability to write letters or review spreadsheets, and could not find any compelling reasons to do these tasks on the iPad. Even entertainment-related apps are often barely accessible on the iPad. On the MacBook Air, I can run Windows, either through VMWare or BootCamp, and I can run Lion. This is very important to me because I can run Windows on a Mac, but I can’t run Mac on anything else.

Lisa is of the opinion that the iPad might be inconvenient for some because a Bluetooth keyboard would be a needed accessory for increased productivity, but would just be an additional item to carry. She also observes that all of the iPad discussion is from the point of view of those who used an iPhone or iPod Touch first, and says that even though the iPad is different, it might involve less of a learning curve, especially for someone who has never used an iOS device. While Lisa contends that the smaller devices like the iPhone or iPod Touch are a better choice for someone with little or no usable vision, I feel that the iPad is “the way to go” because it is so versatile and it does have many options for peripherals. If someone already has his or her phone needs met, or doesn’t want the expense of not only the iPhone but the monthly charges, I feel that the iPad is a better choice than the iPod Touch because the extra space makes the learning curve that much less steep. Also, with the iPad, you can turn 3G on and off, and you don’t need a contract in many cases. So, you could use 3G for a month, maybe while traveling, and not use it for the next few months.

Patrick observes that the concepts learned on the iPad transfer more easily to the smaller iOS devices, but that it is harder to go from the smaller devices to the iPad. I love the fact that Apple has implemented the same gestures into the track pads on their desktop and laptop computers, so that your knowledge is transferable. As a blind consumer, I would like to continue to buy from Apple because they have met my needs. And the MacBook Air configuration I reviewed in  Part One is, in particular, an awesome device.

Lisa got this same configuration about two weeks ago, and describes the initial, out-of-box experience, beginning to learn Lion, and ultimately, the transfer of information to Windows:

She says: “When I first unpacked the MacBook Air, I was in awe of how small and light it is. But then I opened it up and was not sure which was the power button. The Escape, Function keys, and Power button run in a single unbroken row across the top. There’s really no space to label often used keys. Of course, I can count, but that is a little slower. Also, my previous experience with a portable computer was a netbook. Men and those with larger hands will find the MacBook Air is easier to type on because the keyboard is nearly full-sized.

“I found the setup to be fairly easy, but not without problems. When I was asked for a password, it did not click every time I entered a key. I understand this is a security feature, but as a new user, I thought that all key presses were not being registered. Using it was and is a bit of a challenge. I wouldn’t say it is harder or easier than Windows. It’s just a different way of thinking, interacting, and doing. Part of the reason I decided to get a MacBook Air is that the OS is becoming more popular, and I wanted to learn more about the world of Apple so I was better informed. I’ve decided my approach will be to try comparable Mac apps first, and to only use Windows on that machine if the Mac apps, for whatever reason, are not meeting my needs.

”Currently, I’m liking Mac Mail a lot better than Outlook. So for work, I’m running Windows 7 under VMWare Fusion, and I’m using IE and SAMNet. And then, I’m using Lion for mail and Twitter with Yorufukurou, commonly referred to as the Japanese Swear Word Twitter Client. It has many nice features, and with the possibility that the Qwitter client for Windows may not undergo any further development, this is an excellent solution. I don’t feel like I have to be tied down to using exclusively Mac or Windows. I can just use whatever works best to get the job done. (End comment).

Jamie asks about a comment I made in Part One, and it still stands. I have never found Lion or Leopard to be productive for me. I don’t want to paint with a broad brush and state that it is not productive, but for me, I have not found it to be the case. What I am waiting for is the merger of iOS and Lion, or whatever the Mac OS is at that time. Then, I will be able to use my MacBook Air the same way I would use an iPad, an iPhone, or an iPod, but with the strength and features of a computer behind it. When I want to get work done, I don’t use it on the Mac side. But I do use it in the studio. I’m not a Mac person per se, but I love the hardware and the fact that it works with both platforms.

Patrick weighs in on the productivity aspects of the Mac: “I’m more of an audio guy, and I do as little of the typical office productivity stuff as I can. I use a program called Reaper for editing. I’ve used it in Windows, but wanted to try it on the Mac. It is accessible, but it’s not laid out in such a way that it is productive. I use the Mac for everyday tasks like email, Twitter, and the web. If I really want to get any work done though, it’s definitely Windows. I was using a MacBook Pro, and now I have a Mac mini. I also ordered a MacBook Air which is on its way. One thing I do have to say is that when you transfer from one Mac to another, the migration process is really awesome, and I wish it were that simple in Windows.” (End comment)

Jamie summarizes the issue of productivity: “In visiting with a lot of people who use both Mac and Windows, I hear very consistently that mail, Twitter, and in some cases browsing, is very pleasant. But when it comes to productivity, most of those people go back to Windows.” (End comment)

Maybe this is elementary to those of you who are using this feature on your iPhones, but I believe that a company that takes the time to vocalize how many faces are visible in the camera app on a cell phone so that a blind person can enjoy taking pictures like anyone else, will ultimately fix whatever is wrong as long as we advocate properly. I think Apple does care about us as a consumer group, and they have demonstrated it beyond the shadow of a doubt. It goes far beyond anything that they would be constrained to do, and shows an incredible attention to details. I have no fear in saying that I know that Apple will ultimately fix whatever is not working properly, which is why I will continue to be a very satisfied Apple customer. It’s priceless to me that my wife can just hand me her iPhone, and I can turn on VoiceOver and fix whatever is wrong with it.

Before closing, I’d like us to discuss accessories, to find out what you are using, and how it is working for you.

Lisa begins: I like the sound of the Verbatim hard drive Mike covered in the last segment. I may also get a USB card reader. I have a Victor Stream, and even though I can use the cord for transfers, I’m very accustomed to using the SD card. The one thing I felt was a priority was to get a case. I was looking for something a bit more in my price range. Because I don’t travel extensively, I don’t need something that is quite as rugged as some of the bags that have been discussed. But finding a case took quite a bit of time. I looked at approximately 120 cases which ranged from decorative skins, to books, to neoprene sleeves. I wanted something I could carry separately, and after much searching, I found the rooCASE Netbook Carrying Bag for Apple MacBook Air 11.6-inch Laptop. This looks like a miniature laptop case with the standard handles and shoulder strap. There are some features I like, and some which I feel could be improved. I especially like the way the handles felt in my hand. I feel they are nicely shaped, and neither too large or too small. The inside is padded, and there is a compartment with a velcro closure into which you slide the MacBook Air. The bag has more of a briefcase feel, with defined borders, which means that it is difficult to put much more in it than is essential. The Mac adapter will fit inside, as will a pair of small headphones. There are compartments on the front which can be accessed with a zipper. The compartments are lined up in a row so that your equipment is organized and that streamlined look is maintained. One compartment fits the iPhone exactly, so you may have trouble if you have it in a bulky case. I was surprised by the compartment which is meant to hold an MP3 player. Since the bag is designed in part for the MacBookI did not understand why they did not make that compartment slightly larger. It did not fit the iPhone, nor would it fit an iPod Touch, and roughly an inch was all that was lacking. However, this pocket has some interesting features in that it can be accessed via a magnetic flap on the front of the case. It also has a port for attaching earbuds, but since it does not fit my iPhone, I will probably store my tissues in that quick-access compartment. I bought this case for about $35, and although it is not as feature-rich as some, it is more than adequate, especially if you do not travel extensively.” (End comment)

Patrick weighs in on accessories: “I’m probably going to get the Waterfield Designs case mentioned in Part Two. I need an external drive larger than 640 gb. What I just bought is a Toshiba Canvio 1.0 TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive – HDTC610XK3B1 (Black), and it’s $99. The verbatim drive is beautiful, and I looked to see if there was a 1TB version of the Verbatim drive. I chose the Toshiba because I needed a larger capacity drive. I also got the Duracell inverter mentioned in Part Three.” (end comment)

One of the things I would like to do but haven’t yet is to see if I can pair the MacBook with my Bluetooth headset. The camera is also very nice and can be used for Skype. This machine is extremely useful, and is going to be with me until it doesn’t work anymore. It is a great balance between price, power, and productivity.

I encourage you to go to our website and read the other parts of this review to get the big picture and fully understand all that we have discussed. You are welcome to send email to resources@serotalk.com, leave a comment on the Blab Line, at (866) 997-blab or 2522, or send us an iReport on iBlink Radio.

By Ricky Enger

My life was first affected by Steve Jobs when I was nine years old, and  got my hands on an Apple II-E. I had no real insight about the situation at the time. I wasn’t profoundly grateful. I didn’t recognize Jobs as an innovative force whose vision would change the world. I didn’t stop to consider that a speech synthesizer might never have been made for the computer. The only thing I knew was that there were three kids in my fourth-grade class who were cool enough to have access to the cutting-edge technology of a personal computer, and I was one of them. I was able to ditch the loud electric typewriter and use the computer to do my schoolwork, and when I was finished I could play classic games like Blackjack, Lunar Lander, and Oregon Trail. I accepted these things as the natural course, and why shouldn’t i? Though I didn’t know it at the time, that first experience would shape the way I  viewed technology and accessibility from then on. Because of that initial positive experience, I approached each new technology with a sense of optimism, and a conviction                                                      that my ability to use that technology was a right, not a privillege.

By 2008, I had come to understand just how rare it was to find out-of-the-box accessibility in mainstream technology. That’s not to say I understood why technology without built-in accessibility was so prevalent. I didn’t, and still don’t for that matter. I continued to expect to get my hands on a brand-new device and be able to use it without much fuss, and I was often  disappointed in that regard. Then, Apple released the 4^th generation iPod Nano with spoken menus. Finally! Here was a device that was tiny, sleek, sophisticated, accessible, and it even came in purple. Who could ask for more? I no longer had to carry around some bulky and unattractive  device that no one else had ever heard of just to play my music. I didn’t have to feel left out every time someone mentioned the word “iPod”, because I had one too. I was finally seeing accessibility implemented the way it should be, seamlessly and without additional cost or complexity. This time, I did know enough to be thankful.

I’m not going to trace out Apple’s entire history of accessibility, beginning with Voiceover in OS X Tiger and continuing today with Voiceover on Mac, iPhones, iPods, iPads and Apple TV, but suffice it to say that Steve Jobs and his company have remained committed to providing out-of-the-box accessibility. This has profoundly affected my life in ways I can’t even begin to describe. I can walk to a restaurant in a new neighborhood by using the GPS on my phone. I can communicate with my family at home when I’m on the road, and even show them video of the hotel room I’m staying in. I can identify the cans in my cabinet with an app. I can play word games on my phone while waiting at the doctor’s office, and I can hand that same phone to my sighted son so he can play Angry Birds. All these things may sound like simple things that anyone should be able to do without much thought, and thanks to one man’s vision, I can.

Thank you Steve, for understanding that technology belongs in the hands of everyone, not just the geek, or the business guru, or the person with eyesight. Thank you for being such an inspiration through your willingness to take risks that no one else would, and your refusal to accept anything less than the best from yourself and those around you. Thank you for making accessibility as important a part of your vision  as style and ease of use. And thank you for sharing your vision with the world. There will never be another quite like you, but your legacy will continue to give all of us the inspiration to take something ordinary in our lives and make it magical.

Rest in peace.