The VFO Group has released Zoomtext Fusion, which combines Zoomtext and JAWS in one product release. Now blind and visually impaired people can have access to magnification software, screen reading software, and braille display support all in one package. Many people have ever changing vision, and also see better in certain situations or on better on certain days. This software solution makes it easier to have access to all of the accessibility tools that can provide feedback of the information on the screen.
Listen to our interview with the VFO Group at CSUN earlier this year on Zoomtext Fusion.
NVDA Update Supports Audio Ducking and Microsoft Edge.
NVDA 2017.2rc1 is available for download, and includes several updates for the popular Windows screen reader. NVDA now supports audio ducking in the Windows 10 Creator’s Update. Audio ducking automatically lowers the volume of media content so that a visually impaired user can still hear the speech generated by the screen reader.
NVDA has also made improvements on how the screen reader works when using Microsoft Edge, and it has corrected some selection problems that occur when using browse mode with NVDA.
If you would like to go ahead and download the latest version of NVDA, you can do so here.
Spotlight Interview with Andrew Lahart: Head of Accessibility, Enablement, and Competency at IBM
In this exciting Spotlight Interview, James Oates sits down with Andrew Lahart, the head of accessibility, enablement, and competency at IBM, to talk about:
Echo Look: Hands-Free Camera and Style Assistant.
Introducing a new product in the line of Echo devices from Amazon. This is a camera that can take full length photos and videos, share them with social media, and get advice on what fashion items make you look your best. The camera has all of the features of a normal Echo product, so you can still ask Alexa anything. Not only can Alexa give you the news, play music, check your calendar, and run third party skills, but she can also control the camera through voice activation. Considering that the Amazon Echo is priced at $179.99, and the Echo Look is priced at $199.99, you might want to consider paying the extra $20 to get a voice activated camera as part of your Echo platform. Currently, the Echo Look can be obtained by invitation only.
The Google Play Award Nominees for Best Accessibility Experience at Google I/O 2017.
The Google Play awards are back again at this year’s Google I/O, and we are happy to announce the apps that have been selected for the Best Accessibility Experience.
Google’s Project Soli Makes Touchless Gestures a Reality.
Google announced the availability of Project Soli, which is a chip that is embedded in any device; such as a smart watch, phone, computer, or tablet. It allows developers to come up with a set of gestures that can be performed without having to physically interact with a device. For example; a developer could design a virtual dial that the user can interact with by making a gesture that resembles turning a dial. Sense the user doesn’t directly touch the device, the number of gestures that can be created is only limited by the developer’s imagination.
Apple Users Can Now Download and Read Books From Bookshare in iBooks.
Now that Bookshare is offering their books in an epub format, you can now download and read their books in iBooks on both MacOS and iOS.
VIP: Beaming Directly in to Your Brain
Join James, Jessica, and Nelson as they discuss some of the top stories from CBT this week.
Tandem Bicycles Distributed to Visually Impaired Students.
The department of health has begun distributing tandem bicycles to visually impaired students in Istanbul Turkey in an effort to encourage physical activity amongst young people dealing with vision loss. One of the more common side effects of vision loss is a tendency to avoid physical activity. The tandem bike project is limited to Istanbul for now, but the department of health plans to expand the project nationwide. Hopefully, this idea will take hold in many other countries.
Source.
Talking Typer from the American Printing House for the Blind is now Available on iOS.
With Talking Typer, an iOS app developed by the American Printing House for the Blind, you can work on improving your typing speed and accuracy. This is a skill that many blind people need to improve upon, especially those who have recently lost their sight. The app can be used with the on-screen keyboard, but it is designed to be used with an external keyboard. Currently, the app is priced at $4.99 on the app store.
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