The Access Technology Blog

eBook accessibility!

Our final session for the technology day at convention, then, will be "a look at the rapidly expanding market of digital books and the devices used to access them". Thanks to all the people who voted, it's great to hear from our readers.

Clara Van Gerven

On these cold and snowy days it may be hard to imagine the scorching heat of Dallas in July, but here in Baltimore the planning for convention has begun. The AT Team (should I say the A team?) has been lining up sessions for the Technology Day at convention, and we’d like to get your opinion on what our fourth session should be. The topics under consideration are the following:

-          Accessible cell phones – we’ve run this session many times before, but the topic is ever-changing and very popular

-          DAISY production – how to create DAISY books from a variety of sources and using a range of tools

-          eBook accessibility – a look at the rapidly expanding market of digital books and the devices used to access them

Please send submit your vote in the form below before the end of the month, and I will announce the winning session on February 1st.

Which session would you like to see during the Technology Day at the National Convention in Dallas? Accessible cell phones DAISY production eBook accessibility

Thanks!

Clara Van Gerven

The Consumer Electronics Show covers multiple venues and encompasses hundreds of electronics products of all sizes, price ranges, and feature sets.  As I walked the show floor over the past few days, there were a few highlights that I thought I would share.

One of the central pieces of a home theater system is the universal remote.  Basic universal remotes can be accessible to blind users if the buttons have differing shapes, spacing, and are grouped logically.  One remote that I discovered has these features, but also contains voice recognition.  It is manufactured by RCA, and will be available in the spring.  The remote allows you to issue commands by voice.  You can also set up macros, in which you speak one command to perform multiple tasks.  For example, "Watch DVD" might power on your DVD unit and switch your TV to the proper video input.  The RCA representative stated that all functions should be available by voice, including remote setup.  The manual will be available online, including a list of product codes used to program the remote.  Its suggested retail price is $39, and it will be available from www.rcaaccessories.com.  In the same booth, AR Acoustics featured several higher-end remotes.  These remotes have several clusters of buttons and LCD screens to control various facets of a home entertainment system.  The representatives stated that these remotes are programmed via software, and this is evidenced by a USB connector on their ends.  For those remotes without touch screens, the buttons seemed easy to distinguish and locate.  Unfortunately, it was not possible to test their accompanying software to determine its accessibility.

Another intriguing product comes from Blackfire Audio Research.  It is a speaker system that can be logged onto any Wi-Fi network.  Then, using software on other connected devices, audio can be played through the speakers or amplifier that has been added to the network.  Representatives at this booth say that an included Ethernet jack allows one to connect a computer to the device to configure Wi-Fi settings on the device through a web interface.  It is then the job of the Blackfire software on each device to play the audio through the device.  As with the AR Acoustics remotes, we were unable to verify the software's accessibility.  You can find out more about these systems at www.bfrx.com.

Wes Majerus

This week, I am attending the International Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, NV.  One of the technologies blind consumers have been wishing for is an accessible digital TV set top box.  Through the work of a firm called Ocean Blue Software, such a device may soon be a reality.  Ocean Blue, along with ST Micro Electronics, makers of chipsets for digital boxes, is exhibiting here in Vegas.  The group of us attending CES on the NFB’s behalf were able to see a private demo.

Using pre-recorded BBC content, the box seemed to work well.  As channels were changed, the box read out the new program to which it was being tuned.  The speech was clear and human sounding.  Information about the program’s duration, and special attributes like subtitles or audio description were also announced.  If one wished, one could enter the set top box’s configuration menus to change preferences like toggling the DVS track on and off.  The electronic programming guide (epg) was also able to be read.

I am intrigued and fascinated by Ocean Blue’s work on this set top box.  You can see a demo at http://www.oceanbluesoftware.co.uk/talkingtv-video-form.shtml.  The company hopes to roll the software out in the US once they find a broadcast partner to include it in their set top box.  We in the NFB are working with the firm to help this become a reality.

Wes Majerus

This Christmas, if you are looking for a robust, accessible mp3/media content player as a gift for yourself or for your loved ones, then perhaps the BookSense XT just might be the right choice for you.  For music enthusiasts, the BookSense XT is the only player designed for the blind that is compatible with the Apple iTunes software.  Users can easily download audio or video contents from the ITunes store and synchronize the contents in the   iTunes library from the computer with the BookSense.  This pocket-size player is also an ideal product for the users who want to take advantage of the vast amount of music available from the iTunes store, but who prefer not to use the iPod.  Audible users will also appreciate the Book sense's ability to play the Audible enhanced format which has a higher audio fidelity than audible format 4.  The BookSense XT has an integrated FM radio; this feature may be important to you if you are stranded at the airports while traveling for the holiday and prefer to listen to the radio rather than paying a fee to use the airport's Wi-Fi services to access the internet.

NLS users can use the BookSenseXT to play the downloaded digital books from the service of their choice; RFB&D support will be available soon.  The BookSense XT is a DAISY player with internal speech synthesizer. It is compatible with both full DAISY and text-only DAISY.  One can also use the BookSense XT to read Microsoft Office 2003 files or Microsoft Office 2007 files.  The BookSense XT is compatible with other file types such as HTML, Braille formatted BRF, and txt files.

The BookSense XT comes with 8 GB internal flash memory and SD card slot.  Users can always add more memory utilizing a larger capacity SD card.  This nifty product is also Bluetooth enabled, so you can go ahead and get a Bluetooth headphone and you may never have to untangle your headphone cord again. 

Anne Taylor

These days, the gift of Netflix is becoming more and more popular. The online service makes it easy for users to receive their beloved series and movies on DVD by mail, and uses a rating system to make recommendation for future viewing based on how you liked previous movies and series. You can give gift subscriptions (http://www.netflix.com/GiftPurchase) for one to three DVDs a month for up to twelve months. So should you give a subscription to a screenreading friend? Well, maybe. The sign-up process for Netflix is accessible, as is adding movies to your queue and rating movies. The basic service – selecting and receiving DVDs – is entirely usable then; but there is a catch.  Instant viewing of movies, a free service which Netflix provides to its subscribers for a limited number of movies and TV shows, is not available to any but the most wily, persistent and tech-savvy of screen access software users. Individual episodes of instant watch series are yet harder to get.

In short, before you go ahead and get a gift subscription to put under the tree, you may want to check two things:

-          Is your loved one patient enough to wait for one-day shipping?

-          Are the series and movies he/she loves available on DVD, in instant watch, or in Blu-Ray - that is to say, in their desired format?

If the answer to both of these questions is yes, then well, you have a good gift idea.

Tony Olivero and Clara Van Gerven

The iBill from Orbit Research is an exciting advancement in currency recognition technology. This truly pocketsized paper money identifier is barely wider than the short end of US paper bill.

Inserting a bill into the reader and pressing one of the two identical buttons on either end of the device yields a clear voice identifying the denomination. The user also may toggle between spoken, tone, and tactile prompts to control what those around them hear. The vibro-tactile feedback also makes this device an ideal choice for def-blind users.

The iBill retails for just under $100.

Tony Olivero

One great deal in the quest for Christmas gifts this year is the iPod Touch 3G.  The iPod Touch is essentially a pocket-sized computer, which is operated through the use of its touch-sensitive glass surface.  Built on the premise of the iPhone, the Apple iPod Touch lets one gain access to music and playlists.  In addition to shipping with applications like a calendar, world clock, email client, and web browser, the iTunes App Store lets you download third-party applications like Twitter clients, games, and streaming Internet radio applications.  The iPod Touch's hardware configuration includes built-in Wifi and Bluetooth.  Any applications that let you input audio will require you to use the microphone on the ear buds that come with the IPod.  The iPod Touch 3G does not contain a camera, so any applications that require camera access will not work.

The iPod Touch 3G, and all of the applications that ship with it, can be made fully accessible.  VoiceOver for iPhone was added to iPod Touch when the 3G arrived this fall.  It can be activated directly on the device through the Settings > General > Accessibility menu.  Nonvisually, you can activate accessibility features from the Summary tab in iTunes once you have connected the device.  It is important to note that iTunes is the focal point of iPod access.  All music and other content that goes onto the iPod Touch must be synced through iTunes.  New content can either be purchased or subscribed to through iTunes on your computer or by using the iTunes mobile client on the iPod Touch.

iPod Touches with built in VoiceOver start at $299.00.  You must purchase either the 32 GB or 64 GB version of iPod Touch and you must ensure that you are purchasing the iPod Touch 3G.  3rd generation iPod Touches can be identified by checking the Settings > General menu for an accessibility option, under which VoiceOver is found.  Verify with the retailer that VoiceOver is present or that the iPod Touch is the 3G (latest 32 or 64 GB model available).  Note that the 8GB iPod Touch models do not have VoiceOver access.  You may find our November 2009 Braille Monitor about the iPhone to be helpful as the concepts it covers apply to iPod Touch with VoiceOver.  A list of third-party applications that have been tested and confirmed to be usable are at www.maccessibility.net/iphone/apps.

Wes Majerus

It is almost Thanksgiving time, and once the turkey has been cut up, some of you will start thinking about Christmas presents. The bad news is that access technology is not known for doing extravagant Black Friday sales. The good news is that there are plenty of choices for those of you looking for a new gadget for a loved one, and this week we will look at some of the options in access and mainstream technology.

When it comes to low vision, the most useful thing you can stuff in a stocking is likely a portable CCTV (a closed circuit TV, a digital, camera-based magnifier). Handy in grocery stores, restaurants and hotels, as well as at home, a portable CCTV can be a real boost to the user’s independence and efficiency.

Two popular examples of these small units are the Optelec Compact + and the Freedom Scientific Ruby. Both devices are small enough to fit in a purse, magnify up to 10X on the page, and have five color presets. Both have 4.3 inch screens, and the ability to freeze an image. On the face of it, then, they are fairly similar. There are some significant differences between these two CCTVs also; and I will relate some of these through feedback visitors to the IBTC have given.

First of all let me point out that visitors liked these two portable CCTVs over any other models we have here. They liked the size and ease of use of both. Some people felt that the high contrast, primary color buttons and broad, grippable handle of the Ruby were a real asset. The fold-out handle of the Compact + was a little harder to find, as was the on/off button. The fact that you can slide the Compact + camera from side to center can be a useful feature, but few people felt it made a significant difference in the user experience. The biggest difference between the two? The price tag - the Compact + retails for $595, while the Ruby sells at $745. Given that the units are so close in functionality, the price difference of $160 will give the Optelec product the edge over the Ruby for many buyers, though feedback for the latter unit was slightly better than for the Compact +.

If neither of these CCTVs appeal to you, you may want to look at a new unit which we haven't reviewed yet - G.W. Micro's SenseView Light, which sells for $595.

Enjoy your shopping - and look for more gift ideas here tomorrow!

Clara Van Gerven

This Friday the Access Technology team presented to the parents of blind children at the Maryland State Convention in Ocean City, and we wanted to make some of the resources mentioned in that session available, not just to attendees, but to anyone who might be interested.

General NFB Access Technology Resources

Technology Center - http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Technology_Center.asp

Links to:

- The Technology Resource List

- The Access Technology Blog

- The Access Technology Tips

- The Access Technology team by email: access@nfb.org

Accessible Games

7-128 Software – http://www.7128.com/

Digital Talking Books

NLS BARD application – http://www.nlstalkingbooks.org/

Bookshare – http://www.bookshare.org/

RFB&D – http://www.rfbd.org/

Training Opportunities

Manufacturer resources:

• Freedom Scientific - http://www.freedomscientific.com/training/JAWS-training-hq.asp
• GW Micro Videos and Tutorials for Window-Eyes - http://www.gwmicro.com/Audio_Video_Archive/Window-Eyes_Tutorials/
• Humanware BrailleNote Nemeth Code Tutorial - http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/support/braillenote/nemeth_code_tutorial
• Main VoiceOver Page – http://www.apple.com/accessibility/voiceover
• The Maccessibility Network Guides and Tutorials Page – http://www.maccessibility.net/guides

 Other resources:

• Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped trainings (Computing, Basic Keyboarding, Zoomtext, Kurzweil 1000 and Introduction to Jaws)
• AT institute: online learning for Microsoft Office 2003,2007, Vista, ...; also textbooks (http://www.accesstechnologyinstitute.com/index.html)
• DeWitt & Associates (for trainers): http://www.4dewitt.com/; Word 2007 Using JAWS, Word 2007 Using MAGic, Word 2007 Using ZoomText, Internet Explorer Using JAWS
• And of course...your local affiliate and the NFB listservs (http://www.nfbnet.org/)