Welcome to this week’s episode of the SeroTalk Podcast. Once again, Jamie, Ricky and Joe discuss the top news stories of the week. After the news, Buddy Brannan talks with the developer of the RiVO Keyboard, an innovative new input system for iOS devices.

A T Talk

Blind Bargains: Results of the 5th Screen Reader Survey from WebAIM Released

Why screen reader detection on the web is a bad thing

Thoughts on screen reader detection

Assistive Technology Detection: It can be done right

Apple ends security updates for Snow Leopard

Apple Releases OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 with Security, VoiceOver, and Other Improvements

New audio game from the Papa Sangre team looking for Kickstarter funding

Beta testers wanted for new audio zombie game. Fill out this form to apply

New album just released: Andre’s Idea Factory volume i

A rugged talking phone: how good is the Convoy 3?

Google’s Project Tango cuts the rug at Mobile World Congress

Mainstream Matters

Everything You Didn’t Know You Could Do with Google’s Voice Commands

Microsoft’s Cortana Described As A Mix Between Siri and Google Now

Microsoft experimenting with free version of Windows 8.1

Mac and iOS users, here’s how to install that major security fix

Apple preparing software update to enhance functionality of iPhone 5s Touch ID

Apple Patents Solar Charging System for Laptops

Apple TV sales topped $1 bilion in 2013, becoming Apple’s fastest growing hardware

For a few days, Apple TV comes with a $25 iTunes bonus

Tim Cook Soundly Rejects Politics of the NCPPR, Suggests Group Sell Apple’s Stock

10 questions successful wearable device makers will have to address

Everything’s Amazing And Nobody’s Happy

Mailbag

Blog Comment from Luis:

Hi SeroTalk podcasters,

I would like to comment in a couple of stories. Well, The first is a question about Fleksy as an alternative keyboard or default for iOS apps. Although I think it is a good thing for this to happen. To be honest, I have not read any of the stories talking about Fleksy as an alternative keyboard. But since a couple of apps have adapted this, I’m just curious as to which Fleksy keyboard is being used? For example, I believe Fleksy was introduced to BlindSquare before the whole controversy of Fleksy Happy Typing and Fleksy VO came up. Does this mean, that BlindSquare has an old version of Fleksy Happy Typing, or did it switch over to Fleksy VO? And if so, when or if Fleksy Happy Typing becomes accessible again, Will all of the adapted apps switch from VO to Happy Typing? I understand that maybe VO is an earlier version of Happy Typing, and if so, then why aren’t the users up in arms with this fact as they were when the people of Fleksy announced the 2 versions. Main Stream and Blind friendly version of the keyboard?

And my comment is related to RoundAbout. When Mrs. Enger and Ms. Salinger were sharing how great of athletes they were 5 years ago when they were in there early 20s. That took me back, when I was in college and played pool with my brother. Back then, I had some sight. But wasn’t a great player. Every time we’d played. At least once, I somehow hit the cue ball too low and at just the right angle. That instead of the cue ball rolling toward a pocket to sink a ball. It took flight and twice just missed a window and the door. Which at one point, someone had just came into the play area and if they would have been standing for a second longer. The ball would have gone between their eyes. So I can relate.

Roundabout

Blind Film Critic Hears Oscar Picks

Steve Jobs to Be Honored With Commemorative Postage Stamp in 2015

A $30,000 Waterbed That Vibrates With Music

Amazon Bringing New Accessibility Features to Free Kindle Reading Apps

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

Did you know you can send documents you’ve scanned using DocuScan Plus directly to your Kindle hardware or iOS app?

Amazon Kindle for iOS Now Accessible to VoiceOver Users by Justin Romack

National Federation of the Blind Comments on Amazon Kindle App

Amazon Kindle Accessibility: What?!

How to get the Kindle for iOS Accessibility Gestures – Quick Reference Guide

New update for Fleksy

Personality, Android and iOS

ChangeReaction 2 Is Released for Windows Operating Systems

Top Reader

Free Webinar: NetEcho by Internet Speech

Five Things I Didn’t Know About Writing a Book

iOS Success: Making the iPad Accessible, A Guide for Teachers and Parents

The Human Error with Humanware

Here are the results of a March 2013 survey of computer users with low vision conducted by WebAIM:

Freedom Scientific Announces Departure of Jonathan Mosen

Eric Schmidt Is Right, Using Google Glass Is Weird — Here’s My Experience

Google joins FIDO’s crusade to replace passwords | Security & Privacy

Google’s virtual assistant invades Siri’s turf

Microsoft ‘Mohoro’ Could Be A Whole New Way To Use Windows

Bloomberg: Jony Ive said to be considering ‘more dramatic’ changes to email and calendar amid iOS 7

How much is too much to pay for coffee with Tim Cook?

Roundabout

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

Happy birthday, Web! Public Internet turns 20

Sky News: Blind people ‘have better memories’

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

This week, Lisa Salinger joins Jamie Pauls and Joe Steinkamp to discuss the top news stories of the week. Topics covered in this podcast include:

The @AP Twitter feed was hacked and no, the White House has not been bombed.

AP Twitter account is back, but it seems to be missing a few million followers…

Twitter said to be testing two-step security in wake of AP hack

Google: More government takedown requests than ever before

Eric Schmidt: Google Glass not coming to you until 2014:

Don’t hold your breath waiting for NFC on the iPhone. Mobile payments are still in their infancy, says Tim Cook

Apple CEO Tim Cook: Customers had to wait too long for the new iMacs after they were announced in October

Apple announces June 10 through June 14 dates for WWDC 2013, tickets go on sale April 25.

Tim Cook Offering Coffee Meeting at Apple HQ in Charity Auction

Voice search coming to Direct TV IOS app.

Netflix Surpasses HBO In Subscribers For First Time – 29.17 Million U.S. Subscribers to 28.7 Million

From Jeffrey’s Soapbox comes a post, “The must have accessible apps for blind android users”

TalkBack Update

Hims Gets It Right With Braille Sense Version Eight

Letter to Humanware: are you killing the Braillenote and hoping no one notices?

We are delighted and proud to announce The Nightjar game — featuring Benedict Cumberbatch — is now on sale

Window-Eyes 8.2 is Now Available

Outlook 2010 from the Keyboard – free basics of using Outlook without a mouse

Mailbag

From Mike Arrigo: > I also have a chrome book that Google sent me for testing. If you want to see how the accessibility works, install google chrome on your pc or mac, then install the chromevox extention. The chrome books work the same way. In my view, the chrome book is good at what it does, it just doesn’t do enough. You can play media files and view pictures locally, other than that, you must have an internet connection to be able to do anything with it. It really does not run any applications locally besides the chrome browser of course. So, there is no skype or messenger applications, no local office suites or any games that run on the device. You would need to use web sites that offered this. In a nut shell, I would say the chrome book is an internet appliance in a laptop form factor. For someone who just wants to do email and surf the web, it’s something to consider. Other than that, I would say to go with a full laptop.

> Hi Serotek team, my name is Tamer Zaid and I live in Houston Texas.

> Well, I have a question with which OCR app is officient with blind and visually impaired people to use. Is it Prismo? Or is there other apps such as those? I am a bigg fan of the i-Phone and specially the i-Phone 5. It is so fast! So, have a great day!

From Snow Bunny on Podcast 145: > Hey, guys, yes, I know, I’m way behind, thanks again for having content on demand! That service animal story was doggone interesting, ha ha, I’m a punster too! Owing to having no usable hearing on the left side and total blindness, my orientation and balance are much worse than in prior times and I get disoriented in my home. Do you guys know of a system with, say, some kind of tags which I could place on prominent objects and a handheld device to use to point around a room when I become dizzy and directionally unplugged? The device could speak, saying, “fridge in front of you”, for example. Here is something I came across. Please discuss indoor navigation more on the podcast sometime. Thanks and keep up the great work! Beth

Roundabout

Blind adventurer relies on his ears & a guide to ski. He’s also the first blind person to climb Mt. Everest!

How one man’s life changed from completely disconnecting for ten days:

McDonald’s burger bought in Utah in 1999 looks exactly the same as the day it was first flipped

128-Year-Old Recording Surfaces of Alexander Graham Bell’s Voice

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

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

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