We would like to acknowledge the following contributors to this month’s STAE issue.
The Sterling Creations accessibility team, the Sterling Creations research team, Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison who are our resident business consultants, Scott Savoy our managing editor, Christian Robicheau our assistant editor, and Donna J Jodhan our president.
Meet Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison
Our resident experts with over 45 years of business consulting experience between them. These two are the authors of several books, articles, and newsletters. They are highly paid consultants to the US, British, and Canadian governments and they continue to “Walk the talk” on a daily basis.
They and their team of consultants work tirelessly to produce daily blogs that are jammed packed with up to the minute news wires and headlines from around the world, business news and trends, and current strategies. Marquis and Harrison are also motivational speakers and are booked solid till the end of 2008. They and their team also help countless businesses and individuals to research and write complaints and editorials so that the voices of their clients can be heard.
Their books include:
Secrets to Financial Success, Untapped Wealth, and Untapped Wealth Discovered first and second editions. They are presently at work on other books.
You can purchase a copy of any of their best sellers from www.amazon.com, or from any other large bookstore. You can check out their daily blogs on the business desk page at www.untappedwealth.com as well as at:
Hello there! Hope everyone out there is enjoying the beautiful summer. This month we’d like to answer or at least try to answer a very frequently asked question and that is: Has the evolution of the Internet helped blind and visually impaired persons?
We at Sterling Creations strongly believe that as the Internet continues to evolve blind and visually impaired persons are being left more and more behind. We have seen some encouraging and conscientious efforts on the part of several web developers to improve accessibility for blind and visually impaired persons, but unfortunately it is not nearly enough. In a recent survey published in Britain, it was revealed that over 97% of websites in Britain are still not accessible to the blind and visually impaired and the picture is not much different for America. The following article will give you some insight into the types of difficulties that blind and visually impaired persons are facing today. Hope you find it of value and that web developers out there are listening and paying close attention.
As Web evolves, blind left behind
By Tim Spangler
Chicago Defender, IL, February 09, 2007
The last time Ray Campbell tried to buy Cubs tickets online, Tickets.com
asked him to enter the text in a distorted image in order to prove that he
was not a robot programmed to automatically buy tickets for scalpers. .
The only problem: Campbell couldn't read the text in the image. In fact, he
couldn't see it at all - he's been blind his entire life.
"All I want to do is buy tickets and I can't do that, because there's this
verification and they have not provided an audio link to it," Campbell said.
For America's nearly 2 million blind or visually impaired Internet users,
problems like these can prevent them from taking advantage of all the Web
has to offer.
"The two challenges with Web accessibility are not just being able to access
the site, but being able to use the site," said Leah Gerlach, director of
counseling at the Diecke Center for Vision Rehabilitation in Wheaton.
Gerlach said the growing use of multimedia video on Web sites creates a
significant accessibility challenge, saying that Internet video can confuse
the screen reading software that blind and visually impaired people use to
browse the Internet.
Blind Browsing
Blind and visually impaired people use special software called screen
readers that "speak" to them in a synthetic voice what is happening on the
screen.
When browsing a Web site, a screen reader examines a page's code and
determines how the page is laid out and what links are on it, then reads the
content of the page to a user.
Screen readers rely on explanatory text, defined by webmasters, to interpret
images. Because of this, the World Wide Web Consortium, which sets Internet
standards, requires developers to define alternative text for every image on
a page.
Multimedia content, like Adobe Flash, is unintelligible to screen readers
and is skipped entirely when the page is read. Sites that rely heavily on
Flash should be sure to offer accessible, text-only versions of their pages.
Screen reading software uses text-to-speech conversion, machines that
translate on-screen text to Braille or a combination of both to present a
Web page to a blind or visually impaired user.
The challenges
Campbell is a technician at the assistive technology help desk at the
Chicago Lighthouse, an organization for the blind and visually impaired. A
former software engineer at Lucent Technologies, he now takes calls from
blind and visually impaired people across the U.S. and Canada and helps them
solve computer problems and navigate Web sites.
Campbell identified what he said are the Web's three major accessibility
problems: graphics without descriptive text, required plug-in installations
and visual registration tests, called captchas, an acronym for "Completely
Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart." Captchas
are particularly troublesome when it comes to accessibility.
Why captchas?
Many major sites require users to verify that they are actually human - not
automated robots. By presenting the browser with a captcha - an image of
distorted text that is difficult for a computer to decode - and asking the
user to enter the text they see in the image, robots can be blocked from the
site while human users who can see the text are given access. Campbell said
that captchas can be made accessible by using audio clips in addition to
images to verify users as human. Some sites, like LiveJournal.com, already
do this.
What works, what doesn't
Blogging, a growing Internet phenomenon, is still largely text-based and
tends to be more screen reader friendly than other applications.
"My experience has taught me that [blogging] is pretty accessible," said
Campbell, who keeps his own blog on LiveJournal.
"Screen readers can handle a lot of the current techniques that are being
used in Web design," Campbell said, as long as designers take extra care to
make their sites accessible. These include avoiding the use of images to
display text, providing audio narration for videos and offering text-only
versions of pages with multimedia content.
As interactive, multimedia Web sites become more prevalent, blind and
visually impaired users might find themselves behind the curve as designers
forgo accessible pages for glitzy ones and screen reading software lags
behind, said Leah Gerlach at the Diecke Center
"We don't drive change. We have to follow it and keep up with it," Gerlach
said. "We're always six months behind cutting edge because we have to be."
Tim Spangler is a reporter for the Medill News Service.
Hello there! We sure hope that everyone is enjoying summer 2007. This month we’re going to make our contribution short and sweet.
We’d like to highlight the Wal Mart initiative that started a few months ago re this company offering downloads of movies and other types of videos for a very affordable price of $19.95. On paper this sounds like a very fabulous offer for millions of Americans but there is one very important hole in this picture and that is: Only those whose homes are completely wired to take advantage of the Internet will be able to benefit from this offer. Yes, and believe it, there are still millions of homes across America that are not wired for the Internet. The Internet has still not made it to millions of homes across America because of various reasons such as distance, outlying areas that are difficult to reach at the present time, other types of technical reasons, and so many not being able to afford the necessary technology that would enable them to take advantage of the Internet at its fullest.
Many experts are openly predicting that America will probably not become completely wired at least for the next 10 years. Add to this the following reasons for many others not being able to take advantage of the latest Wal Mart initiative:
Millions of Americans are still using older and slower technology. IE, older computers, slower connections, and older and slower software. This comes about because many of these persons are financially unable to afford faster and newer technology. Believe it or not, there are millions of Americans who struggle each day to put food on their table let alone being able to afford newer and faster technology.
Older and slower technology is unable to deal adequately with downloads from the Internet. A person using older and slower technology has lots of difficulty downloading such things as videos, graphics, images, and icons and often times whenever they attempt these types of tasks they get disconnected from the Internet.
There are also millions of Americans who are still using dial-up connections to access the Internet and if you ask any dial-up user to give you their opinion on how easy or not it is to download from the Internet let alone access the Internet, we can assure you that 9 out of 10 times they are going to tell you that it is a very big pain to do so, almost impossible.
So, whereas the Wal Mart initiative could turn out to be a very enjoyable experience for many, and a potentially great revenue bearing resource for the company, there are going to be millions of Americans who for the time being will be shut out.
From the soap box
Wanted! Very special types of financial planners
July 2007
By Scott Savoy
Hey there! This month I’d like to put out a call for a special type of financial planner and I’m simply echoing the call being made by several other groups, business experts, chambers of commerce, even Uncle Sam, but most importantly, by millions of consumers who are approaching retirement.
If you’re a financial planner who is skilled and interested in helping baby boomers, then you’re wanted for your skills and interests.
If you know how to help those millions of baby boomers who are swiftly approaching the retirement age, those who are concerned about being able to live comfortably upon retirement, then your services are in great demand.
If you can help retiring persons to keep their incomes safe, help them to enjoy traveling to long dreamed of destinations, and show them how to do all of this plus leave some of their earnings and savings for loved ones then you need to start advertising your services now.
There are financial planners, and then there are financial planners who know how to help the oncoming rush of retiring baby boomers. For at least the next 10 years there are going to be millions of Americans who will be seeking your skills and services and they are going to be seeking a special type of financial planner who will be fully in tune with their needs, their demands, and their concerns. What financial planners need to understand is that in order to be of service to these types of consumers, they need to do their homework thoroughly. They just can’t simply expect to use the mainstream financial planning skills. No! They’re going to have to take the time and do their research. They will need to listen, understand, and be creative in their offerings. In short, they will need to use a different type of approach. Listen and understand instead of trying to impose their ideas and suggestions on this group of consumers.
At the present time the demand for these types of financial planners is much ahead of the supply so now’s the time for you to start acting. One final word of warning: Think hard before you leap into this market. One little slip up on your part and you could easily lose a potential customer. Much more easily than in the regular scheme of things.
The president’s feature
A unique travel experience for the visually impaired
July 2007
Sponsored by Donna J Jodhan
Hello there! I am just brimming with excitement this month and why? As an avid traveler I recently came across an article that I hope will attract the interest of fellow blind and visually impaired travelers. I have already been in touch with the Traveleyes folks and I am planning a trip in the fall through them.
I know only too well how difficult it is for us blind and visually impaired persons to be able to truly enjoy the pleasures of traveling. I am just hoping that Traveleyes would be the solution to most of our travel woes. Hope you find this article of great interest and value.
A Unique Travel Experience for the Visually Impaired with Traveleyes and
Trekker Talking GPS System
Canada NewsWire, February 21, 2007
LEEDS, UK, and LONGUEUIL, Canada, Feb. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - Traveleyes, a
company that specializes in organizing overseas trips for the visually
impaired, now provides its clients with HumanWare's Trekker Talking GPS
system. Recognized internationally for helping blind people move around,
Trekker will offer more autonomy and independence to travellers using
Traveleyes by enabling them to enjoy the places they visit even more.
The mission of Traveleyes, founded in 2005 by Amar Latif, who is himself
visually impaired, is to offer people with visual impairment a wonderful
travel experience without the usual restrictions and limitations. Before the
emergence of Traveleyes, very few customized holidays were available for
visually impaired people. Those that did exist were generally restrictive in
terms of destinations, and often tended to be inflexible and very expensive.
With Traveleyes, the visually impaired world traveller is no longer required
to "tag along" as either a welcome or tolerated appendage to the peer-group
holiday.
"I strongly believe that blind people do not just have to follow in the
wake of the sighted, but that they can indeed be trailblazers," Amar Latif
said.
The GPS Trekker system seamlessly integrates into Traveleyes' services,
offering more than just a simple tour, but rather allowing blind tourists to
actively and independently participate. Thus, with Trekker, Traveleyes
globetrotters will have even more freedom and autonomy when visiting tourist
sites. For example, they can make their way from their hotel to a museum by
relying on the information provided by Trekker.
Introduced by HumanWare in 2003, Trekker is a talking GPS system that
uses digital maps to help blind persons find their way everywhere in the
world. The users can pinpoint exactly where they are, learn about area
attractions, and find out in real time how to get to specific destinations.
Fitting in the palm of the hand, Trekker offers the visually impaired
greater freedom, raising their confidence in their ability to travel. It
also helps them access and enjoy the most valuable and interesting
opportunities their surroundings have to offer.
"Accessible travel guides, GPS technology and electronic tactile maps
can now open up new horizons to the visually impaired traveller," Latif
Hello! Hope all of our readers are enjoying a very pleasant month of July. This month I’m going to publish an article that was sent to us by Barry Jensen of London England and I’ve chosen this particular article because of the potential good news that it can bring to millions of blind persons around the world. I am always excited to read about medical breakthroughs especially when it pertains to breakthroughs for blind and visually impaired persons.
Thank you Barry for sending us this article and I truly hope that the news contained in it will ring true.
Bionic eye 'on market in two years'
By Nic Fleming
London Daily Telegraph, February 16, 2007
A bionic eye that can restore sight to the blind could be on the market
within two years, according to scientists.
The first six patients to try the revolutionary devices have learnt how to
detect light, distinguish between objects and perceive direction of motion.
American scientists were this week given approval to test a more
advanced version of the electronic retinal implant on up to 75 subjects.
The breakthrough offers new hope to millions of people around the world who
have lost their vision to degenerative eye diseases, particularly those with
macular degeneration - the most common cause of blindness in western
countries. Up to 15pc of over-75s are affected by the condition.
It will also help those with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of incurable
inherited eye diseases that cause the degeneration of the photoreceptor
cells whose job it is to capture and process light. The device takes the
place of the photoreceptors.
Prof Mark Humayun, from the University of Southern California, who is
eading the research, yesterday said he had received approval for a
clinical trial of the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System.
Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science
conference in San Francisco, Prof Humayun said: "We have successfully
implanted six patients in the trial.
"We expected that all they would be able to do would be to
differentiate between light and dark, but were amazed to find they can tell
the difference between objects such as a plate, a knife and a cup, and tell
which way people are moving across their field of vision.
"If the new trial hits its milestones the second generation implant
could be commercially available in two years."
The device, manufactured by the California-based company Second Sight
Medical Products, comes in two parts.
A tiny camera in the lens or on the bridge of a pair of light-weight
glasses captures images in real time. This information is transmitted
to a radio receiver implanted behind the patient's ear which converts
it to electrical signals that are sent to a grid of electrodes
implanted in the retina.
These electrodes stimulate retinal nerve cells to produce electrical
impulses which send signals to the brain so that the patient can see
spots of light occurring in different patterns.
For example, the technology can be programmed to represent a as a
U-shaped pattern of light dots, while a circle of dots might indicate
the presence of a plate.
The first six patients, who all have retinitis pigmentosa, took one to two
months to learn to use the device, with those with higher
educational standards taking less time.
While the first generation device had 16 electrodes in a square on a
4mm by 5mm silicon and platinum chip attached to the retina, the new
one has 60 electrodes, hopefully giving patients higher resolution
images of more objects.
The Argus II, which costs around £15,000, is also approximately one
quarter the size of the original, reducing surgery and recovery times. It
cannot help those whose optic nerves that had been cut or in
patients who have had strokes that have affected the brain's
information to process nerve signals.
Prof Humayun added that he hoped to produce a third generation implant with
1,000 electrodes which could allow more advanced tasks such as face
recognition within seven years.
Helpful Tips
July 2007
By the Sterling Creations research team
Hello there! It’s the happy go lucky research team and for our first contribution this month we bring you our helpful tips. Enjoy!
Helpful tips for July:
Are you looking for a way to help protect yourself from identity theft?
One of the most common tactics that identity thieves are using these days is to get a-hold of your written cheques and change it so that they are the payees.
There is a new product out on the market and it's call the Uniball 207 gel pen.
This pen possesses ink that practically binds to paper so that no one can erase or remove your writing.
It's available on amazon.com and you should also check out those outlets that sell office supplies.
We've tried it and it is fabulous.
It does exactly what it says.
Which two pieces of identification thieves most use to steal your identity?
Believe it or not, it's your social security number and your driver's license.
Another way to get the most juice out of a lemon?
In addition to rolling it around in your hands, try rolling it on a kitchen board.
It works like magic.
Looking to keep sandwiches fresh while waiting to serve them?
First, do not make them more than two or three hours before you're ready to serve.
Next sprinkle some water on a paper towel and cover sandwiches.
Finally, place sandwiches in your fridge and take them out just as you're ready to serve.
You won't be disappointed.
Having problems getting your avocados to ripe properly?
Make sure that you buy ones that are firm to the touch.
When you bring them home put them out in a tray and leave them to get a bit soft to the touch.
When they are just a bit soft put them in a brown paper bag and place them in your fridge.
Watch them each day till they turn a deep green. At this stage they're ready to be eaten.
Want to know a bit more about Canaries?
Only the males sing.
Males are prettier and their plumage is brighter than that of the female.
Canaries are very sloppy eaters.
They hate digging down into their troughs for food.
They love to eat such things as apples, carrots, lettuce, in addition to their staple seeds.
Not all canaries love to have baths.
Could there be side effects from taking a combination of vitamin supliments and prescription drugs?
Definitely so.
If you're already taking prescription drugs then you should check with your doctor before adding vitamins to your daily supliment.
Things you need to know about abdominal obesidy?
It certainly exists.
Here's how you know if you have abdominal obesidy:
Remove your shirt or sweater and make sure that your pants or skirt does not cover the area between your hips and your belly button.
Place your measuring tape right above your hip bone and make sure that it covers your belly button.
If as a woman you're more than 32 inches then you have abdominal obesidy.
If as a man you're more than 37 inches then you're definitely a victim of abdominal obesidy.
Accessibility news
Talk me through it
July 2007
By the Sterling Creations research team
Hello again everyone! For our second contribution for July, we’d like to bring you some news on third-party screen-reader software. This article gives an in depth evaluation of two different products. Hope you find it of value and interest.
Talk Me Through It: A Review of Two Cell Phone-Based Screen Readers
By Darren Burton
AFB Accessworld, American Foundation for the Blind, February 01, 2007
Product Evaluation
As the September 2006 AccessWorld article on off-the-shelf cell phones
promised, this article takes an updated look at the TALKS and Mobile Speak
third-party screen-reader software products. These screen readers are
compatible with a select list of cell phones running the Symbian operating
system, and this article compares their performance on the Nokia 6682, a
Symbian cell phone that was released in 2006. This evaluation goes beyond
the normal Sweet 16 evaluation that is familiar to readers of the previous
articles on cell phones. This time, it also reports more of the
functionality of the phone and software, including compatibility with a
wireless keyboard and headset.
Caption: The Nokia 6682 cell phone.
The Software Products
Mobile Speak and TALKS are third-party software applications that provide
text-to-speech access to nearly all the cell phone's features and functions.
Mobile Speak is manufactured by Code Factory, and TALKS is manufactured by
Nuance. They both provide a level of access that is far greater than that of
the off-the-shelf phones, accessing the phone's interface similarly to how a
screen reader like JAWS or Window-Eyes would access a PC. We, at AFB TECH,
evaluated the most current versions of each application as of October 2006:
TALKS and Zooms Premium Edition, version 3.0, and Mobile Speak, version 2.8.
Zooms, the screen-magnifier product from Nuance, is now bundled along with
TALKS as part of the Premium Edition. However, you must purchase a separate
license for Zooms in order to use it. TALKS Standard Edition is still
available, but it does not include Zooms or the dictionary and graphics
labeler tools that are described later in this article. Mobile Magnifier,
Code Factory's screen magnifier, will also be bundled with Mobile Speak in
version 3.0, the next update. However, this article evaluates only the
functionality of the screen reader. Each product has several synthesizers
and voices to choose from, but Eloquence, used by TALKS, and Fonix DECtalk,
used by Mobile Speak, are the synthesizers that are probably most familiar
to users of screen readers.
Currently, TALKS and Mobile Speak can each be installed on about 20 Series
60 Symbian cell phones, mostly from Nokia. In addition, TALKS has a version
that is compatible with about 5 Series 80 Symbian phones, which are
"minilaptop"-style phones like the one that was evaluated in the January
2004 issue of AccessWorld. See the Product Information section of this
article for the entire list of compatible phones. Not all the phones are
offered in every market, so you need to check on their availability with the
service providers in your area. Also, the list of compatible phones is
always being updated as new Symbian phones come on the market, so it is a
good idea to check the TALKS and Mobile Speak web sites if you are
interested in a particular phone.
The Nokia 6682
The Nokia 6682 is similar to the 6620 model that was evaluated in the
November 2004 issue of AccessWorld. It is another flat, "brick"- or
"candy-bar"-style Series 60 Symbian cell phone with the control buttons
exposed. It is slightly smaller than the 6620 phone, measuring 4.2 by 2.2 by
0.8 inches, but it is slightly heavier with a more solid feel, weighing 4.62
ounces. It has a large 1.7-inch by 1.5-inch color display screen and
includes many of today's popular features, such as web surfing, text and
multimedia messaging, a sound recorder and digital music player with stereo
audio, and a digital camera for capturing still images as well as live
video.
Menus are navigated with a circular five-way scroll button, along with two
"soft" keys placed to its left and right. The function of these soft keys
varies and is dependent on the icons that are adjacent to them on the
display screen. The dialing keys are arranged in a stylized version of the
standard 3-by-4 grid, with two nibs placed on the left and right of the 5
key for orientation. The grid is slightly curved, dipping down in the middle
and rising up toward the sides, and the keys get slightly smaller as you
move toward the bottom of the phone. There are also two control keys that
are placed vertically on the left edge of the phone and three that are
placed on the right edge. There is a memory-card slot on the right side
panel just below the power button, and there is another button on the top of
the left side panel that is used to activate the voice-recognition dialing
feature. The camera lens is on the back of the phone and is protected by a
lens cover that slides down to reveal the lens. The phone uses the GSM
network and features the Symbian operating system, which gives it the
capability of downloading and installing software, such as video games and
the TALKS and Mobile Speak software.
Taking a Different Perspective
I take a different tack in this article. This is the point where I normally
introduce the Sweet 16, where I discuss our evaluation of the accessibility
of the 16 cell-phone features that were ranked highest in a survey of cell
phone users who are blind. However, when I began to write all that down, I
noticed that this article began to sound a whole lot like my 2004 article
that evaluated Mobile Speak and TALKS. This time, to shake things up a bit
and to try not to bore you, I just update you on the Sweet 16 features that
have changed since my 2004 article. I also include a few sections that
discuss some of the other interesting things you can do with these software
products.
Voice Output
Both products still provide speech access to nearly every feature of the
cell phone, and we found both to be even clearer and more responsive to key
commands. Both also provide extensive configurability to control how they
speak display-screen information. They now offer several synthesizers to
choose from, and you can visit the companies' web sites to sample the
available voices. Our testers preferred the Eloquence voice from TALKS and
the DECtalk voice from Mobile Speak, which are voices that will be familiar
to people who have used computer screen readers over the years. However, the
quality of a voice is certainly in the ear of the beholder, so we suggest
that you visit each company's web site to sample the various voices.
Accessible Documentation
Both Mobile Speak and TALKS have accessible electronic documentation, but
the documentation is still somewhat limited, designed to get you started so
that you can learn more of the phone's functionality on your own. We think
that the documentation of both could be expanded. For example, both now have
a "Training Mode" that is used to learn the names and functions of the cell
phone's keys and keystroke combinations, but the Mobile Speak manual says
nothing about this feature. I learned about it by accidentally turning it
on, and I then tried about every possible key combination before I finally
figured out how to turn it off. By the way, you turn it on or off by twice
pressing the Edit key on the bottom right edge of the phone. With TALKS, to
get it to work while on a call, you have to give the Mute/Unmute command,
which is done by pressing the Edit key followed by the Clear key, which is
just above it. However, the manual says nothing about that.
Battery Level Indicator
Both systems still provide speech output for the battery level indicator,
but we want to report that there is no battery problem on the Nokia 6682.
Many users of the Nokia 6620 reported a firmware bug that caused the battery
to drain quickly because of a conflict with the speech synthesizer. That bug
does not exist with the 6682, and users of the 6620 can contact Nokia to fix
their firmware bug. TALKS version 1.40 and later versions come with a new
release of Eloquence that fixes the battery drain issue.
Ringer Volume Control
Both systems still feature accessible ways to change the ringer volume and
to turn the Vibrate mode on or off, but they both now also let you choose
from various ring tones, hearing both the name of the tone and a sample of
the tone.
Caller Identification
With both Mobile Speak and TALKS, you can still press the right soft key to
silence the ring during an incoming call and then hear the phone number or
name of the caller. In addition, TALKS can be configured to repeat the
caller ID in case you do not hear it the first time.
Speed Dialing
You can still use either TALKS or Mobile Speak to access the One-Touch
Dialing feature to assign telephone numbers to the 2 through 9 keys on the
dialing keypad. Then you can press and hold one of these numbers, and a call
is placed to the corresponding number in the phone book. Mobile Speak has
taken this one step further, allowing you to turn off the Speed Dial feature
and instead assign the 2 through 9 keys to applications on the phone. This
way, you have one-touch access to your favorite applications on the phone.
Beyond the Sweet 16
I now discuss some of the other things you can do with these software
products and Symbian phones, as well as some other aspects that I think will
be interesting to you.
Downloading and Installing
In my November 2004 AccessWorld article that evaluated TALKS and Mobile
Speak, I reported that the process for downloading and installing the
software on a cell phone was not accessible and must be done with sighted
assistance. This is no longer the case. You can now download the software on
your PC and transfer the software onto a memory card using a card reader
that can be purchased at your local electronics store for as little as $15.
Card readers are also being built into many of today's new PCs. After
transferring the software, you can then place the card in the phone, usually
in a compartment beneath the battery. With TALKS, the final step of
installing the software must be done on the phone itself with sighted
assistance. However, this is only a one-time process. Mobile Speak actually
has an installation program on its web site, along with clear instructions
that allow you to use your PC to install the software directly on the memory
card. It is then ready to go once you place the chip in the phone. If your
PC is equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology, you can transfer the
software directly to your phone wirelessly. In addition, you can purchase
the software products already installed on a cell phone if you buy the cell
phone from one of the vendors listed on the manufacturers' web sites.
Caption: AFB TECH volunteer Tara Annis uses the wireless Think Outside
Stowaway keyboard wtih the Nokia 6682.
Bluetooth Keyboard and Headset
The Nokia 6682 is equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology, and it is
compatible with wireless Bluetooth keyboards and headsets. We wanted to test
how well these technologies work with TALKS and Mobile Speak, so we
purchased the Stowaway QWERTY keyboard from ThinkOutside.com and the Voyager
510S headset from Plantronics.com. With a retail price of $149, the Stowaway
is a small, fold-up QWERTY keyboard that fits in a shirt pocket when folded.
It does not have a number row or traditional row of function keys, but it
does have a function key on each side of the space bar. You can press the
left function key, along with the Caps Lock key, to turn the QWERTY row into
a number row. Priced at $200, the Voyager is a small headset that fits over
one ear and has a short one-inch microphone that extends down your
cheekbone. It has three small control buttons: an On/Off button with a nib
for identification; an Up/Down Volume Rocker; and the Activate button, which
is used to initiate and end calls.
Although the headset requires no software installation, the keyboard does
have software drivers that must be installed. However, installation is
accessible with either TALKS or Mobile Speak, and the instructional software
is a PDF (portable document format) document that is also accessible with
Window-Eyes and JAWS. A wireless connection process, called "pairing," is
necessary to get the devices to interact properly with the cell phone, and
that process is also accessible.
These wireless devices are also accessible, and they make several tasks more
convenient and efficient. The headset makes it possible to hear the
software's speech privately, which is useful because the Nokia 6682 allows
the speech to be heard only through the speaker, not through the phone's
earpiece. You can also leave your cell phone in your pocket or briefcase and
answer incoming calls by simply pressing a button on the headset. In
addition, you can press and hold the same button and speak the name of a
person in your contacts list to place a call using the phone's
voice-recognition technology. The headset also echoes characters or numbers
as you enter them on the Stowaway keyboard and plays the TALKS and Mobile
Speak responses to keyboard commands. For those who would like to save $200
and do not mind being tethered to your cell phone by wires, the Nokia 6682
that we purchased from LetsTalk.com came with a wired headset, and it worked
the same as the wireless headset.
Although the keyboard takes some getting used to and is a bit cumbersome for
entering phone numbers, we found it to be useful. For those who are
interested in text messaging or e-mailing, using this keyboard is much
faster and many times more efficient than tapping away on the phone's
buttons. It also makes using the phone's web browser more efficient.
We also took a look at how practical it may be to use these Bluetooth
devices with the phone as a notetaker. The Symbian phones have a Notes
application, which is a basic word processor that is somewhat comparable to
the Microsoft Windows Notepad application, and have plenty of internal and
removable memory. We wondered if this may be a less expensive alternative to
traditional notetaking assistive technology devices. I tried it out by
taking notes during a one-hour teleconference, but my results were not
entirely positive. Although the Notes application was fine for typing in my
notes, it was not easy to navigate to different sections of the document to
reread my notes. For navigation, all you can really do is press the Up and
Down arrow to move up and down a line at a time. You can move a word at a
time, but the application does not speak the words as you move from word to
word. Editing out mistakes is inefficient because you can only use the
Backspace key to delete text. There is also no way to switch between files,
which is important if you are in a classroom and need to access your class
notes as well as your homework assignment. The Notes application works fine
if you just need to take some notes and do not plan to make any mistakes,
but it has nowhere near the effectiveness or efficiency of a traditional
device, such as a BrailleNote or PAC Mate. To find really effective and
practical notetaking functionality with these wireless devices, you probably
need to look into a handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) running the
Windows Pocket PC applications. Some of these PDAs include cell phones, and
Code Factory's Pocket Mobile Speak and Dolphin's Pocket Hal screen readers
promise to provide the accessible interface, but that is the subject of
another article.
Web Browsing
Both Mobile Speak and TALKS provide access to the web browser on the Nokia
6682. The web browser is certainly accessible, but the usability and
efficiency of the process come into question. Web browsing on Symbian phones
can be accomplished with practice and patience, but it is nowhere as
efficient as using Window-Eyes or JAWS on a computer. The process reminds me
of the early days of web browsing with early Windows screen readers, but
with a more awkward keypad. The Stowaway keyboard makes it easier, but we
still found it a bit cumbersome to do a lot of web surfing. However, if you
find some sites that you would like to visit and then bookmark them, it is
then easy to go to them quickly.
I have found the browser to be helpful on several occasions. During a recent
trip, for example, I was able to learn the status of my connecting flight
while I was waiting in the airport. The browser also came in handy at a
local college football game that I was attending with friends. I was able to
get instant updates of scores from across the country and to inform my
buddies of how poorly their wagers were going.
During our testing, we discovered a bug with the Mobile Speak software that
caused it not to speak the content of web pages on the particular Nokia 6682
cell phone that I use with my Cingular service. As it turns out, a Symbian
phone like the Nokia 6682 can have several firmware versions. Firmware is
like software, but it is code that is hardwired into the phone. I found that
the firmware version on the Nokia 6682 phones that are used by Cingular is
not compatible with the 2.3 version of Mobile Speak that I was originally
testing. I communicated this fact to the people at Code Factory, the
manufacturers of Mobile Speak, and they were quick to respond and fix the
problem. They sent me the version 2.8 update of Mobile Speak, which has
fixed the bug. Mobile Speak now works well, and Code Factory has assured me
that this will not be an issue in future releases of Mobile Speak.
Voice Recorder
The Nokia 6682 has a built-in voice recorder, which is useful for recording
short memos or phone conversations and can be used to record your own ring
tones. I used it to record a personalized ring tone for when my wife calls,
so now when she calls, instead of hearing a normal ring, I hear my voice
saying, "It must be the old ball and chain." Needless to say, my wife is not
fond of it at all, and I will have to set up a more complimentary ring tone
if I want peace in my house.
The voice recorder is accessible with both TALKS and Mobile Speak, but with
TALKS, it works better if you mute TALKS just before you start the
recording. You just have to remember that the left soft key is Pause/Start
and the right soft key is Stop. Mobile Speak worked well without having to
mute, and it can access more information about the recording, such as the
length and the time and date that it was recorded. After you have recorded
your memo, everything else you may want to do with it is accessible with
both TALKS and Mobile Speak, including replaying, renaming, moving it to a
folder, and e-mailing it to a friend.
RealPlayer and Music Player
The Nokia 6682 includes the RealPlayer software for viewing and listening to
video clips and has Music Player software for listening to sound clips and
music in several formats, including MP3. The sound quality of its built-in
speaker is not the highest, since it can sound a little tinny. However, the
sound is greatly improved when you use an external headset.
The RealPlayer software is compatible with TALKS, but you have to mute TALKS
just before you start a video. The RealPlayer interface is not accessible
with Mobile Speak, but you could use Mobile Speak to find a video clip on
your phone and then mute Mobile Speak just before you play the video.
The Music Player application is more accessible than the RealPlayer
application with both TALKS and Mobile Speak, but it is still not entirely
accessible. With both TALKS and Mobile Speak, you can access most of the
interface to find and play songs and can pause and restart songs by pressing
the joystick. However, the buttons for Next and Previous track and for Fast
Forward and Rewind are not accessible. There is also a progress clock that
displays how far you have progressed into a song, but it is presented only
visually.
Code Factory has developed an MP3 player that you can download and install
that is completely compatible with Mobile Speak. All the buttons and
controls are accessible, and you have access to all the information that
sighted people do.
Other Applications on the Nokia 6682
Several other applications come on the Nokia 6682 and other Symbian phones,
and I discuss a few of them now. As has been reported in the previous
AccessWorld articles, the built-in calculator, currency converter, clock,
and calendar are all still accessible.
Mobi TV and Mobi Radio are subscription-based services that are used to play
certain radio and television channels on a cell phone, similar to a
satellite radio service like XM or Sirius, but we could not get either of
them to work with Mobile Speak or TALKS. Our phone also came equipped with a
version of the Adobe Reader software, and computer users will be familiar
with the PC version that is used to access PDF documents. However, although
we have seen great improvement in the accessibility of Adobe Reader on a PC,
it is not yet accessible on a Symbian phone. Our phone also came equipped
with a suite of office software applications called Quick Office, including
a word processor, spread sheet, and presentation software. We tested Quick
Word, the word processor, and it was accessible. However, it is certainly
not as efficient as using a word processor on a computer because it does not
have all the navigation keystrokes that are available on PCs.
The Nokia 6682 also has a still camera and video camera. You simply slide
the lens cover on the back of the phone away from the camera lens, and you
are automatically placed in the camera application. Both the still camera
and video camera functions are completely accessible, as long as you take
some time to practice aiming. Everything is accessible, including setting
such options as turning the flash on and off, setting the camera to Night
mode, and setting the timer. You can also save and name your images and
videos and e-mail them to friends.
More from Code Factory and Nuance
Both manufacturers have additional functionality and software products that
are accessible with their screen-reader products. Both have
screen-magnifying software to accommodate people with low vision, and you
can look for the article evaluating ZOOMS from Nuance and Mobile Magnifier
from Code Factory in the next issue of AccessWorld. TALKS has a version that
supports a handful of Series 80 Symbian phones, and Code Factory has other
screen-reader and screen-magnifier products that support "Smart Phones" that
run the Windows Mobile operating system and PDAs that run PocketPC
applications. Look for future AccessWorld articles that will evaluate Smart
Phone and PDA access products.
Complementing Mobile Speak, Code Factory bundles several accessible
applications. In addition to the MP3 player and sound recorder that were
already discussed, these applications include a calculator; a game called
Mines; a color recognizer; and FExplorer, which is a file-system browser.
They also have a DAISY (digital accessible information system) book reader,
which is a great way to read books in that format on your cell phone while
you are on the go. A software product, called Mobile Keyboard, makes your
standard PC keyboard compatible with your cell phone.
TALKS now has a pronunciation dictionary application similar to those found
in PC screen readers that allows you to configure it to pronounce words,
such as proper names and foreign cities, correctly. TALKS also has a feature
that allows you to create labels for graphics that are found on your phone,
so you can use TALKS to improve the accessibility of third-party
applications on your Symbian phone. Furthermore, TALKS is compatible with
the MiniGPS application on the Symbian phones. Although this software is
nowhere near as robust as GPS (global positioning system) location software,
such as Sendero Group's GPS product or HumanWare's Trekker, it still could
be useful. It is not satellite based, but instead uses cell towers. A
typical use may be to set your cell phone to alert you with a tone or sound
clip when you reach the cell tower near your local train stop, so you will
know when your train stop is coming up. Of course, this is not anywhere near
as accurate as the Sendero GPS or Trekker, which use satellites to pinpoint
your location within 10 feet. However, Nuance reports that it is working on
greatly improving the accuracy of MiniGPS.
Braille Display Compatibility
For those of you who are interested in using a braille display to access the
screen information on your cell phone, both TALKS and Mobile Speak are now
compatible with some of the refreshable braille displays on the market. This
would also be a way to accommodate a person with both vision and hearing
limitations. Mobile Speak works with the EasyLink braille keyboard and the
EasyLink12. It also works with the Pronto and VarioConnect displays, and
Code Factory reports that they will be adding support for other devices
during 2007. TALKS currently supports the Handy Tech BT devices and Baum BT
devices. A display manufacturer that wants to support a specific device can
get the free Braille Driver Software Development Kit.
Pricing
TALKS and Mobile Speak products are sold through their networks of vendors,
and you can find a complete list of vendors on their respective web sites.
We found prices for Mobile Speak ranging from $199 to $245 from its U.S.
vendors, and TALKS was priced at $295 from all three of its U.S. vendors.
Cingular Wireless still offers a rebate of the full price of TALKS, but the
rebate is available only on the Nokia 6620 phone. That phone comes with
version 1.0 of TALKS, and you can upgrade to version 2.1 free of charge.
However, there is a fee to upgrade to version 3.0. Those who are interested
in this deal from Cingular should call its National Center for Customers
with Disabilities, at 866-241-6568, because most local Cingular retail
outlets are not aware of the deal.
The Bottom Line
We came to the same conclusion about these products as we did in the
November 2004 evaluation. They are both outstanding products that provide
extensive access to Symbian phones. Both companies should also be applauded
for continually upgrading and improving their products, adding more and more
functionality with the release of each new version. Although these Symbian
phones are really minicomputers and occasionally crash just like a computer,
crashes are rare, and the software products are stable and consistent. These
products would satisfy the access needs of a technologically savvy person
who is blind. We hope that this article will help readers decide between the
two on the basis of the access they provide, but we do not recommend one
product over the other. Each company offers free 30-day trial versions, so
you can take them out for a test drive before you decide whether to purchase
one. For readers who want full access to their cell phone's features and
functions on an equal footing with sighted people, one of these products
will do the trick.
Finally, we want to stress that the cell phone world is indeed rapidly
changing. Readers who are interested in the more basic accessibility
provided by off-the-shelf cell phones will want to know that the LG VX 4650
from Verizon Wireless that we evaluated in the September 2006 issue of
AccessWorld is now obsolete. Verizon Wireless has replaced it with the LG VX
5300 and VX 8300, and these phones provide the same access as the 4650 did.
In addition, TALKS and Mobile Speak will be supporting the new Series 60
Third Edition handsets. These new phones promise to provide access to even
more features. Some of the new functionality will include extended access to
digital books, access to the Blackberry network, MP3 players with a 4GB or
even an 8GB hard drive, and Internet Telephony. Stay tuned to AccessWorld to
monitor this continuing evolution of the world of cell phones.
Manufacturers' Comments
Code Factory
"Code Factory thanks AccessWorld for the evaluation of Mobile Speak. Like
TALKS, Mobile Speak works with Wayfinder and also has a pronunciation
dictionary. The training mode can be activated with a long press of the Edit
key. Code Factory currently provides all updates for free to customers who
purchased Mobile Speak from a distributor or a telco. For Mobile Speak,
several interesting add-ons are available like Mobile Magnifier, a colour
recognizer which works with the camera of the phone, and a DAISY Player.
Please check out our other products, such as Mobile Speak Smartphone for
Windows-based smartphones which are currently sold by different carriers in
the U.S., and Mobile Speak Pocket, our screen reader for PocketPCs and PDA
phones. Visit our web site www.codefactory.es for voice samples, demos and
information about the software. Send an e-mail to info@codefactory.es if you
have any questions."
Product: Mobile Speak.
Manufacturer: Code Factory, S. L. Rambla d'Egara, 148, 2-2, 08221 Terrassa
(Barcelona), Spain; phone: 0049-171-3797470; web site: <www.codefactory.es>
I came across this magazine and I’m writing to ask if anyone knows whether or not there are cricket leagues for blind persons in North America? It would be nice if someone could get something going up there especially after the success of the world cricketing competition that took place down here in March/April.
From Lisa Griggs of Maine:
I notice that several others are asking for Donna Jodhan to focus more on women’s issues. I’d like to add my voice to this. Do you think that we could get this magazine to focus more on women’s issues? Things like health tips for women, business tips for women, ideas for single female parents, etc?
From Robin Hartley of Manchester England:
I recently had the chance to meet Kerry J Harrison in person as she was giving a seminar at one of our colleges. I enjoyed it immensely and I have to say that this lady truly means what she says. She and her associate Jeff are very hard working people with lots to impart, lots of very interesting and valuable info, and most of all their book stands tall among many other business books. I urge you to buy Untapped Wealth Discovered and read for yourself.
From Matt Chance of Missouri:
What’s Bush doing for all of our returning wounded soldiers? These young boys and girls need oodles of help. Many of them are returning to us injured mentally and physically. They’re so young and their lives and futures are in shambles. They need to be provided with special services! Hurry up America!
From Kurt Neilsen of Vienna Austria:
I’d like everyone to know that Austria is very accessible to the disabled. Come see for yourself. Here in Vienna we have sidewalks that are easy to walk, people are aware of how to help the disabled, and Austria is always working for the disabled.
From Alex Bond of New Jersey:
I’m getting ready to retire and I’m looking for some info on types of businesses that are suitable for retirees. I started to read the daily blogs at www.untappedwealth.com and they’re quite good but could the team at the business desk do more to provide retiring persons with appropriate info? You think?
If you’d like to send us an email with your comments or questions then please do so at info@sterlingcreations.ca. We’d be happy to print your contribution but please do not send us any profanity.
Editorial
July 2007
By Donna J Jodhan
Hello again! This is my first attempt at writing an editorial for the STAE magazine and if I get a passing grade from the editorial desk then you can expect to see my editorials each month. I recently suffered a personal loss when I lost my brother a little over two months ago. He had been battling cancer for the last year and it was so hard to see him go but at the same time, I know that he’s in a better place now. For my first editorial I’ve chosen an article by George Carlin that best portrays my feelings about life.
My brother’s death has given me a brand new perspective on life and allowed me to see things and persons much differently. I thank all those who have taken the time to support and help me through this difficult time for only time will heal this great loss.
Robbie I love you and my first editorial is for you!
Here now is the article.
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but
shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but
have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller
families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less
sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems,
more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too
little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our
possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and
hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to
life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but
have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer
space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom,
but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but
accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more
computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we
communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small
character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of
two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are
days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night
stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to
quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and
nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to
you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just
hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going
to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because
that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the
only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most
of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes inside of
you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will
not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious
thoughts in your mind.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments
that take our breath away.
- George Carlin
Notes
If you would like to contribute an article to our magazine then please contact us at:
Comments to the editor can be submitted free of charge.
All submissions are reviewed and you will be notified if yours is chosen. If your submission is chosen we will print it upon receipt of payment.
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