Dorrie's Sight - Accessible Technology Blog

That Was Easy!

2012-01-13T22:12:00.003-05:00

On my desk sits an “Easy Button” (from Staples). It reminds me that when things are working well, they’re easy. This pertains to people, it pertains to process, and it pertains to technology.

Just imagine if you always had two choices -- the easy way -- or the hard way. Which would you take? Me, I’m opting for easy. I find way more satisfaction accomplishing a task without sweat and anxiety. I love a little Zen.

Tonight I hit the easy button, quite accidentally, while downloading a book on Audible.com. I have been buying audiobooks exclusively from the iTunes Store because they made it simple. I do not venture out looking for free or discounted titles because a cheaper book does not thrill me nearly as much as getting it on my iPod ASAP.

This summer I tried out the Kindle on my vacation at the beach. I loved the simplicity of downloading books on to the Kindle and I set up an Audible.com account. The experience of reading (listening) to an audiobook on the Kindle was not nearly as good unfortunately. That is how I ended up with credits on Audible. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and figure out how to download books into iTunes from a source other then the iTunes Store.

I logged on to Audible.com several times and could not figure out how to get my downloaded book into iTunes. There were many options, but not one that said simply “download to your ITunes library.” I even Googled “Download from Audible to iTunes” and the results made me dizzy.

So finally I broke down and called Audible’s technical support and got ready for the Tech who would start rattling off all the circuitous steps to the eventual resolution of my issue.

My Audible Tech told me first I’d have to download some software by going to the very bottom of the webpage and clicking on an obscure little “Software” option. I did that and he asked me if I was on a PC or Mac. I said, “Mac” and he said, “Oh, you don’t need the software, just go to the “My Library” tab and click the “Download” button the title you want. Now Open iTunes.”

iTunes opened and my book started to read. That was easy!! With just two clicks I was reminded how technology is supposed to be -- intuitive. I was also reminded why I love my iMac!!

It is no coincidence that the book I downloaded is Walter Issacson’s biography “Steve Jobs.”

Grand Central Through My Eyes

2011-12-15T16:58:00.005-05:00

New York's Grand Central is the largest train station in the world (according to Wikipedia). Step inside this terminal and there is no denying it's grandeur, it's beauty, it's history. And sometimes you also must acknowledge --- it's insanity.

Last Friday evening during the maddest of Grand Central's rush hours I was joined by three graduate students from NYU's Journalism Institute. Laura Edwins, Tracy Levy, and Nadja Popovich worked like true professionals filming my sometimes awkward journey through the high anxiety of Grand Central --- on low vision.

Their objective: to report on an often "under covered or overlooked topic."
My objective to bring attention to the little things that could make a big difference --- for everyone!

Watch the video "Grand Central Through Other Eyes" now.

Get Me to an Xbox

2011-12-08T15:48:00.004-05:00

Never did I think I would be interested in Xbox ---- until now. The New York Times reported Microsoft’s Xbox Live entertainment service will allow subscribers to access television and video content right from their Xbox 3600 console.

Okay, so that’s nice, but not enough to get me on an Xbox.

I continue to read and learn you can search for the programming you want with Voice Commands. Yes, that’s right; just tell your Xbox what you want to watch – verbally.

Apparently I am not the only one having difficulty operating (the now almost archaic) remote control and cable programming guides. The clunky old cable box may soon be an antiquity.

“In a demonstration of the technology last week at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash., Michael Suraci, director of marketing for Xbox Live, told an Xbox to “Bing Sandra Bullock,” which promptly found “The Blind Side,” “Crash” and several other movies starring the actress that were available through various sources of video on Xbox Live.”

“Mr. Suraci also used a sequence of voice commands to switch to an app for Verizon’s FiOS TV, within which he could flip among live channels by using more voice commands or a swiping motion with his hands.”

Now I have one very important question. Does it talk back?

Read the New York Times article:
“Xbox Live Challenges Cable Box”

Next Stop SoHo

2011-11-26T11:04:00.003-05:00

Good things come to those who wait.

Apple SoHo is about to host it's own accessibility event.

What: Accessibility Out of the Box
Where: 72 Greene Street, New York City, NY 10012
When: Tuesday, November 29th at 4pm - 5:30pm

I'll be there and I will be joining two other speakers to share some of the ways we use Apple's Accessibility in our daily life.

See you there!

It’s Not You George, It’s Me

2011-11-18T15:08:00.003-05:00

George pointed out to me earlier this week that the formatting of my blog looked strange to him. He mentioned something about a “style sheet” and ‘word wrap,”but I do not know what he is talking about. I call a colleague and ask him what this means and he tells me to tell George it’s not my blog, it’s his browser. As I am about to relieve myself of all responsibility, my colleague calls back to say there is indeed something funky about the way my last blog post (Out of the Box Again) looks. He thinks I may have posted it inside a table.

I dread the thought of even looking at it, so I don’t. I go through Blogger instead and attempt to edit it. Easier said then done. Copying and pasting does not work, only a few sentences come through. I go back to the original draft and copy it to repost, but this one wipes out all of my carefully embedded hyperlinks. While trying to restore the links I hit the enter key and somehow accidentally publish the messy draft.

The erroneous posting is published with no links and with my notes exposed at the end. Each time I edit a post it gets posted to Facebook (and maybe Twitter) over and over again and I have no clue how to stop it.

I decided to give it one more go and fixed the post and published it. I hope you'll forgive me George, it still looks different and I'm just going to have to let it be.

Does this have to be so difficult -- really?

Out of the Box Again (Again)

2011-11-05T09:53:00.008-04:00

Good things deserve repeating. That’s why Apple West 14th Street last night hosted “Accessibility Out of the Box“ for the second time. This time I was invited to take part in a panel discussion along with Dan Etra, Rethink Autism and Leslie Schect, District 75.

In August I wrote the first “Out of the Box” post, moved by the experience and hoping that the attention to accessibility would continue and grow. It has. I’ve heard from Apple SoHo that they too are getting in on this good thing and will soon be offering Accessibility Workshops (stay tuned).

I see this attention to the needs of special people happening at Apple Stores around the globe. You can help move the process along – go to your friendly neighborhood Apple and ask them to do the same. Get involved in a movement! (No sleeping in tents – I promise.)

This is way too good to keep quiet!

Thank You Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T23:58:00.001-04:00

When I got home tonight and clicked on to CNN I learned that Steve Jobs died today. I felt the loss of a friend. I certainly didn’t know him personally -- yet it seemed I did. The reports of his health issues prevailed, but I chose to believe he would live forever.

He said, “No one wants to die, and yet death is the destination we all share.” I recently watched the video of his 2005 commencement address at Stanford on my iPad. My love for Apple began with the iPod, then I became intimately involved with the iPhone. It all synched seamlessly with my iMac, creating my first perfectly integrated relationship.

None of this is so different from the relationship anyone had with Steve Jobs or with Apple. That is the beauty of it. My experience was like the experience of everyone else...except I could not see the words on the screens of any of these devices. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple did something no one else had the guts to do -- they gave text the ability to speak with Voice Over.

He revolutionized a culture and he allowed everyone around him to think of everyone around them. And, I have no doubt that this legacy of inclusion will continue and his powerful spirit will continue to change the world.

In realizing his dreams he also realized mine.

Thanks Steve -- you changed my life!

Out of the Box

2011-08-12T16:16:00.007-04:00

My conversion to Apple has been something of a religious experience, and this week my faith was elevated to a whole new level. It happened as I attended “Accessibility Out of the Box” at Apple 14 Street in New York. This event, the first of its kind as far as I know, brought my favorite topic --Universal Access -- front and center.

As I listened to the speakers and looked around at the audience I could not help reflecting on how far we have come. Just a few years ago there was not one big mainstream technology product that was fully accessible to me --- not even one. Today Apple delivers everything with full accessibility --- ready to go right out of the box! If you can’t see or hear well, or you have physical or learning challenges – you get the same product at the same price as everyone else.

The reality of all this brought on a surge of unexpected emotion. I was welling up a little. These were not the tears of misery that technology used to evoke in me --- they were the tears of joy. I realized this was not just about how you see --- it was about how you hear, how you feel, how you think. It was not just about some of us, it was about all of us. Now I really had to fight back the tears!

I was inspired to step out of the box myself and ventured over to the demonstration of accessibility options for Learning and Literacy. There was more good stuff here for me: spotlight search, announced alerts, and text to speech. The gifts keep coming.

If you have not quite experienced the level of understanding you were looking for at your local Apple Store --- Don't Give Up! Today we know Apple 14th Street has accessibility specialists – and tomorrow maybe all the other apple Stores will too. Amen.

Secret Abilities

2011-07-06T18:21:00.006-04:00

The secret is out! There are amazing "abilities" being built right in to our everyday technology. I like to call it the “era of inclusion” and it is beautifully illustrated in this article published today in BusinessWeek.

“The iPad's Secret Abilities”

By Rachel King

The Apple tablet is helping people with disabilities by reading e-mails, voicing directions, and zooming in on text Jonathan Avila uses his iPad in ways most people might not realize are possible: The device reads e-mail to him while he’s traveling to work, tells him which way to walk when he is lost, and even lets him know if there’s a sidewalk on the other side of the street. Avila needs these features because he’s visually impaired.

"Work bought it as a testing device, but I’ve claimed it as my own since it makes me more efficient," says Avila, chief accessibility officer for SSB Bart Group, a firm that helps companies implement technology for people with disabilities.

(APL)Apple has added features that make the iPhone and iPad easily accessible, not only to visually impaired people but also to those with hearing loss and other challenges. The iPhone 4 and the iPad 2, for example, come with VoiceOver, a screen reader for those who can’t read print, as well as FaceTime, video-calling software for people who communicate using sign language. Apple has said that iOS 5—due later this year—will contain improvements to VoiceOver and LED flash and custom vibration settings to let users see and feel when someone is calling.

More such devices as the iPad and iPhone will make their way into the workplace to assist people with physical challenges in the next five years. Disability and aging go hand-in-hand: As baby boomers work past age 65, companies will increasingly face this issue. The incidence of disability in the workplace is 19.4 percent at age 45 and rises to about 50 percent by age 70, according to Jennifer Woodside, chief executive officer of the Disability Training Alliance. Those disabilities can include vision and hearing loss, issues with mobility and dexterity, and learning and cognitive challenges—as well as communications problems.

A Boom in Assistive Technologies
The global market for assistive technologies, including those used in the home, is projected to reach $40.9 billion in 2016, up from $30.5 billion this year, according to a report from BCC Research that’s scheduled to be released this month. In addition to Apple, (MSFT)Microsoft, (IBM)IBM, (GOOG)Google, and (HPQ)Hewlett-Packard make workplace technologies that are accessible to people with a range of abilities.

"Boomers will demand products, services, and workplaces that adapt to their needs and desires," says Rich Donovan, chief investment officer at WingSail Capital. Crossover technology such as the iPad, which works well both for people with disabilities and the broader consumer market, are the "holy grail" of business and disability efforts and will drive growth in disability-related capital spending, he says. Donovan, who has cerebral palsy, just received his first iPad as a Father’s Day gift. "I love it, it’s simple to use and it’s the ideal accessible technology," he says.

Companies such as Apple are motivated, at least in part, to create products that work for people with disabilities because the population is aging, says Dorrie Rush, marketing director of accessible technology at Lighthouse International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting vision loss.

Read More...

This is Your Brain on a Cellular Network

2011-06-04T06:33:00.012-04:00

My sister instructed my (almost) twelve year old nephew

Evan to take the phone out of his pants pocket because it may cause
sterility. Before that she insisted he keep the laptop off his lap for
the very same reason.

We called our favorite pediatrician for advice and he said "there is no
literature." Evan asked, "What does that mean?" I said, "I guess it
means there is no warning as of now, in writing, from the American
Academy of Pediatrics." He put the phone back in his pocket.

Then my most trusted advisors, Anderson Cooper and
Sanjay Gupta, challenged the very reports that previously gave
us a false sense of security. Apparently there is evidence that

radiation from a mobile phone pressed up against your ear does have an
effect on your brain cells. In fact they discovered that the instructions that come with the

Blackberry and the iPhone recommend keeping the phone approximately 1
inch away from your head when in use. This is printed in black and white
right inside of their user's manual --- that no one ever reads!

Anderson, Sanjay, and I have stopped this risky behavior. We are
talking only while plugged in to an ear piece. And the phones are no
longer in our pants.

So, now Evan has to move the phone away from his head --- and so does
his Mom. And might I suggest...so do you!

Bing Go

2011-02-21T22:54:00.026-05:00

I was a little devastated, in November, when I learned that my favorite free directory assistance, GOOG 411. was about to be discontinued. What? How could this be? I stuck with GOOG for almost two years and I'd grown to love it.

Turns out GOOG 411 had a hidden agenda. Google was using my 'Long Island accent' to develop other, more advanced, speech recognition programs like Voice Search, Voice Input, and Voice Actions for mobile phones. In order to build a robust speech model they needed to collect thousands of pronunciations, syllables, intonations, and inflections.

The discovery that I was a participant in Google's ambitious project to move voice activated computing to a new level turned my devastation into delight. Among other things, maybe this massive collection of utterances will minimize the number of times I hear-- "Sorry I didn't get that," because the program is not processing my manner of speaking.

Directory assistance is quickly becoming a thing of the past -- it's demise accelerated buy the ridiculous $2 charge per call. Our phones are smart and the options for free information are abundant. A simple Internet search will deliver the phone number or address you need in less time than it takes to ask.

Just as I was learning to live without GOOG one of my best informants hooked me up with Bing 411 (compliments of Microsoft). I immediately got into it. Bing 411 will search by city for business listings and can connect to other directories for weather, movies, sports, news, time, travel, driving directions and even cheap gas. I like it.

Try it, you might like it too...800-BING 411 (800-246-4411).

Apple Leads the Way for EVERYONE

2011-01-19T12:24:00.007-05:00

Last Friday I joined Mark Ackermann, Lighthouse CEO, in a phone conversation with Mark Kellner of The Washington Times to talk about the phe-nom that is accessible technology. I'm delighted to report that this journalist really got the point.

KELLNER: Apple leads in 'assistive technology' for the blind
By Mark A. Kellner
-
The Washington Times
4:44 p.m., Tuesday, January 18, 2011

If there's anything that can scare most of us - and with good reason
it's the prospect of losing one's sight, or having it severely damaged.
It's not just total blindness; diseases such as macular degeneration, in
which damage to the retina causes a loss of vision in the macula, the
center of vision, often strikes older people, but it can also affect
young adults and others.

(That anxiety is, apparently, widely shared: According to an October
2010 poll by Harris Interactive, 82 percent of Americans fear losing
their vision, the highest proportion among the five senses, and more
than 10 times the next-highest fear, loss of hearing at 8 percent.)

The introduction of the Braille alphabet, which lets people "read" by
touch, has been an advancement, but as then-Gov. David A. Paterson told
the New York Times on Dec. 26 of last year, "You can't Braille the daily
newspaper."

How can those with limited vision, or even no vision at all, be
mainstreamed in today's tech-intensive world? Mark Ackermann and Dorrie
Rush have some answers. Mr. Ackermann is president and CEO, and Ms. Rush
is director of marketing for "assistive technology" at Lighthouse
International, www.lighthouse.org, a New York-based agency helping those
with vision-loss issues.

The 105-year-old Lighthouse is widely known in New York City, having
provided education, job training and living assistance for those who
need it. The group has a massive facility on East 59th Street in
Manhattan that has served thousands.

Today's distributed world needs distributed solutions, however: People
can live and work just about anywhere, and, as Ms. Rush's example would
suggest, even thrive, despite her having Stargardt's disease, which, she
writes, "results in progressive loss of central vision."

But Ms. Rush uses an iPhone and an iPad, both from Apple Inc. She works
on a Windows-based personal computer at her office, and an Apple iMac at
home. She's a blogger (http://dorriessight.blogspot.com/) and an
enthusiast.

"I'm 52 years old and I want to be like the other kids," Ms. Rush said
in a Jan. 14 telephone interview. Having assistive technology which
either greatly enlarges the screen display or reads aloud text on a
computer screen is vital, she said: "It means I can continue a
relatively normal life; I can work. It is something that everyone
dealing with vision loss fears losing, which is his or her ability to
work."

More important, Ms. Rush's iPad and iPhone look just like yours and mine
would. Instead of carrying something which shouts "I'm using a special
product," users can fit in with the crowd, and that's a plus.

Read more...

Verizon Comes to the Party

2011-01-12T20:10:00.010-05:00

Yesterday Verizon made an honest woman of me, finally. I was beginning
to doubt my certainty that Verizon would get the iPhone when AT&T's
exclusive expired. Over and over I assured Verizon customers unwilling to switch wireless carriers (as I did) that the iPhone was coming to Verizon - for sure!

It was surprising that many Verizon customers were more attached
emotionally than contractually. Even in the face of the most popular
mobile phone in the world becoming fully accessible to people with
impaired vision - many customers of Verizon would not budge. It was not
as if they had a viable option -- In terms of accessibility no other
mobile phone comes close.

Last January I began stating with pure certitude that Verizon's iPhone
was imminent. When the first quarter of 2010 came and went I
repositioned my prediction into Q2. By the third quarter I was so sure I
was ready to bet money on it. Then in the fourth quarter I realized my
best bet was to shut my mouth.

Disillusioned, I consulted my reliable sources at Apple and at Verizon -
their lips were sealed. Clearly I had been outsmarted by Apple's wildly successful no-hype approach to all launches - SWEAR EVERYONE TO SECRECY!

So I stopped offering my predictions on the coming of the iPhone to Verizon and I told myself to not to be so sure of things I am not sure of.

And then the announcement comes - Verizon is indeed coming to the party!!

The news not only pleased me immensely, it also put a "spring" in Jon Stewart's step, as he too apparently had been anxiously awaiting another iPhone option. For his hilarious tribute to AT&T on the Daily Show click here.

Too Many Messages

2010-11-27T17:11:00.002-05:00

There is TMI (Too Much Information) and then there is TMM (Too Many Messages). TMI is when someone shares with you a personal detail about themselves that you wish they hadn’t. TMM is when you have too many open channels on which messages are sent to you and you just can’t manage them all.

Have you noticed that messages do not get answered as swiftly as they used to --- if at all. Why are we experiencing more and more lost emails, unanswered voice mail, unread text messages? In an age of constant contact --- our connection often seems completely unreliable. How many times have you asked (or been asked) in an exasperated tone, “Did you get my message?!!”

We know that digital messages can destroy relationships and wreck careers. It seems they can also do a fair amount of damage when they are not retrieved. Even a nonresponse has the ability to conjure up devastating scenarios in our heads that may have no basis in fact whatsoever.

Did I send the message to the wrong person? Is she mad at me? Was it something I said? Did they find my message disturbing? Have I offended him?

It happens, messages slip through the cracks. I have 3 email addresses, 3 different voice mail accounts, and add on that text messages. This is probably pretty average these days. I don’t check everything every day and miss a message here and there and I have been especially negligent with my FaceBook and Twitter accounts. I apologize.

Obviously, we all need to learn to manage our messages more efficiently. In this environment it is no wonder people are not getting back to us. The lack of response to your message may not be personal at all – it’s probably just TMM.

An Error Has Occured

2010-11-02T20:50:00.006-04:00

On Tuesday morning, Election Day 2010, I walked the short block to my polling place to vote. I did not feel any of the nervous anticipation I had in the past and thought about writing a blog post titled,"I Love to Vote!" Unfortunately, my exuberance did not last as I attempted to place my vote using a very uncooperative BMD (Ballot Marking Device).

I guess my false sense of comfort in the accessible voting experience was built over the 3 previous elections in which I voted privately and independently using the BMD with minimal fanfare. In fact I was feeling rather smug about my “easy” method of voting since the City of New York switched to a system of paper ballots that have such tiny font size everyone is having trouble reading them.

When all goes well I sit at the BMD, plug in my earphones, choose my language, and push a button to adjust the sound. I listen to the choices for each contest, make my selections, and advance through contests and candidates, and press the selection button to cast my vote. Once I have voted all contests the BMD gives me the option to review my selections and mark the paper ballot that is inserted into the BMD.

Everyone else is standing at a funny little desk in bad light straining to mark their ballot with a pen.

This time things did not go quite so smoothly. Carmen the poll worker who bravely volunteered to help me get started had a bit of trouble figuring out where to insert the paper ballot. We were not off to a great start. Carmen leaned toward me and in a soft voice, as if she was giving me an inside tip, she said, “You know the best way to do this is just to mark the ballot with a pen.” I smiled and told her that if I were able to see the ballot I would not be putting her through this.

She now also needed assistance and she called for help from a colleague. Two heads are definitely better than one and together they found the flap that was hiding the slot to feed in the paper ballot.

With ballot inserted I plugged in earphones and started to proceed with my voting and waved to Carmen that I could take it from here. Once I got going it all came back and I was able to advance through all contests and place my votes in a relatively short period. After reviewing my choices I pressed the selection button one more time to mark my ballot. That is when I was stopped cold with a message from my BMD that said “An error has occurred. Contact your election official.”

Carmen and company came back and heavy consternation ensued, not quite sure even what the error message was trying to tell them. They pulled out the BMD instruction guide and decided to do what we all do when we don’t know what else to do with a temperamental computer --- shut down and reboot.

Carmen made another suggestion, “Do you think you could use the magnifier?” She was referring to a sheet of plastic, a weak magnifier, tethered to the “booth” where voters marked their ballot by hand. I answered, “Not unless it magnifies 10 times.”

I may have given up and forfeited right about here, were it not for the fact that it had been instilled in me, by both my parents, that you must exercise your right to vote. And, I could not get their voices out of my head.

We all persevered. The shut down and reboot took an extraordinarily long time and it felt as if the BMD was testing my resolve.

The next attempt was abruptly ended by another message from the BMD, it said, “The ballot you have inserted has already been marked.” Carmen wanted to argue with the machine, but I asked her please to just give me a new unmarked ballot. She agreed.

Another few minutes passed as they unregistered my corrupted ballot and reassigned a fresh one. I wondered if I was going to be there all morning.

The third try was the charm. I was back in the voting business, this time racing through the selecting and marking process. I pulled the marked ballot out of the BMD and held my breath as I approached the scanner. I hoped for the best and fed the ballot smoothly into the scanner and saw the American flag appear signaling my vote had been counted successfully!

I felt victorious and raised both hands in the air. I high fived Carmen and several of her colleagues and I headed for the door --- looking as if I had just won a contest myself!

Read my comment on the Wall Street Journal about the new voting system:
http://on.wsj.com/9TKBzJ

Tandem Technology

2010-10-29T16:45:00.007-04:00

On October 23 I rode in the Lighthouse’s Double Up 4 Vision Tandem Bike Event with my favorite Pilot Neil at the controls. He guided us briskly down the 3 mile track from 125th Street to 77th along the Hudson River on New York’s west side. Without concern for the road ahead I was completely absorbed by the beautiful scenery.

Neil, as if under the impression we were in a race, was busy speeding by our fellow tandem bikers. We got to the finish line way too fast and wanted to go back and start again. We wished for a 10 or 15K ride --- maybe next year.

The tandem bike is a fabulous piece of accessible technology and it reminds me that impaired vision should not prevent you from connecting with the things that bring you joy. Sometimes you just need a little help from your friends.

This event supports the work we do every day to help people get back to doing the things they love when affected by vision loss and we thank everyone for the very generous support that made this event a great success.

Technology Overload Syndrome

2010-10-22T16:29:00.001-04:00

When it comes to learning new technology my advice is always --- one thing at a time. It is good sound advice, but even I cannot always take it. This booming technological world does not always allow me to be comfortable with my current “one thing” before dropping another right on my head.

I am the one who refuses (almost all) software updates because I cannot stand the thought of things changing place on a screen (that I already have trouble seeing). I do not get giddy when the newest version of anything is released, I get nervous. It does not keep me from wanting all the hottest newest things --- I just do best when they come in measured doses.

For the last several weeks I have been sometimes overwhelmed with too much new tech, most of which was not my choosing. It is not a good feeling when everything you need to do takes ten times longer than (the five times longer) it usually takes! Progress moves to a snail’s pace and the anxiety mounts.

It started out with a budget proposal in Microsoft Excel, a program I had not used to any great extent in years. Well it’s not like riding a bike, I can assure you. The last time I used Excel it was 6 versions ago and my computer screen was not quite so magnified back then. It was unrecognizable and quite difficult to navigate at 8 times larger than norm.

It’s a good thing I did not get too cozy with whatever Excel version I was on because the very next week my computer at work was upgraded to Microsoft Office 2010 and all hell broke loose, I mean we were practically leaping from the past into the present. It was a hard landing. Everything in the toolbars looks different --- the drop down lists I had so become accustomed to now look like a lot of cartoon icons I cannot identify. My comfort with Outlook and Word is under siege, but I am certainly not alone in this, all of my colleagues are also adjusting. My adaptation is a little different because when the screen is magnified 8x you can only zoom into about 1/8 of it at a time.

My challenges transitioning to Office 2010 were compounded by the prickly and often outright unfriendly nature of assistive technology. ZoomText (software) the lifeline to my PC which gives me the magnification and speech I need was undergoing its own issues adjusting to this new environment. Text was disappearing when magnified (too much) and the speech now had a funny accent and was mispronouncing every few words. Work was becoming hell -- proofreading a total bitch! Now everything was taking me 15 times longer.

While all this is going on I have to deal with fundraising for Double Up 4 Vision the tandem bike ride I am participating in to support the Lighthouse. I am participating in tomorrow to support the Lighthouse. It is to be set up online using a program by Convio which is not accessible to people using screen readers --- and not that accessible to anyone else either. Following two sessions guided step by step through the many, many steps required to register and start the fundraising process I discover there are two options for fundraising --- the easy way or the hard way. I choose to minimize the torture on this one and instead of using the complicated Convio system I simplify --- sending email notes with this link to my donation page: http://lhi.convio.net/goto/Dorrie

To keep your brain healthy and sharp I know it is essential to keep learning, challenging, stretching your mind. But does it have to give you a headache?

The Field is Growing

2010-10-10T19:57:00.002-04:00

Today President Obama signed the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. I have referred to this bill as A Field of Dreams (posted on July 25, August 3) and it is safe to say this field is growing into a reality.

I love when two parties come together and agree on something very important to me --- and millions like me. Accessibility for all! Let's applaud our representatives in Washington for this one and let's embrace all that it promises to deliver.

Here's what I'm looking forward to:

Required accessible onscreen cable television menus and program guides.
Required accessible features for mobile devices.
Required access to accessible Internet services built into mobile phones.
Requires a clearinghouse of information on accessible products and services and public education and outreach.

I wonder if they can get those accessible cable TV menus up and running first --- I need to DVR Oprah!

Double Up 4 Vision

2010-09-29T12:26:00.026-04:00

Dear Visitors,

I recently accepted the challenge to raise funds to support Lighthouse International by participating in Double Up 4 Vision, a tandem bike ride /walk on October 23rd in Manhattan.
For over a century, Lighthouse International has been helping people of all ages to overcome the challenges of vision loss. Through low vision exams, vision rehabilitation services, a preschool and a music school for the visually impaired and through career, academic and social services, Lighthouse helps clients maintain independence and gain the confidence and skills they need to achieve their potential.
Please help support me in this important fundraiser by contributing generously.
It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause by making your tax-deductible donation online using the link below. If you would prefer, you can send your contribution to the address listed below.
Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Sincerely,
Dorrie Rush

To make a donation online,
visit my personal page and click on "Support Dorrie":
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Video Inspiration

2010-09-24T13:39:00.008-04:00

Click here to view video clips from our LITE Seminar on August 25 titled “iPad, iPhone, I Vote.” Check out all the videos and MP3s featuring Apple's built-in accessibility features, Zoom and Voice over!

Getting in Touch with iPad

2010-09-15T16:43:00.039-04:00

I wrote this article to encourage people living with age related macula degeneration to get their hands on an iPad. I'm delighted to report that they are trying it and then they are buying it, and loving the iPad as much as I thought they would.

Published on AMD Alliance

There is a beautiful concept in technology today. It’s called universal access, and it’s on fire! This means that what’s good for one is good for all — it is the great equalizer. If you are visually impaired, like I am, and you wish you could use the same electronic devices everybody’s talking about, your time has come ...

Read the entire article on:
http://dorriessight.blogspot.com/p/getting-in-touch-with-ipad.html

Voting Under the Magnifier

2010-09-14T09:53:00.005-04:00

It appears that a lot of people voting in New York City’s Primary Elections today may be experiencing something all too familiar to me – the need for magnification. Apparently our new paper ballots are printed in font so small that just about everyone is having difficulty reading them.

Is this what we call progress? We moved from the ancient lever system of voting to a paper ballot that has to be marked with a pen while using a magnifier that is chained to the voting booth).

It's ironic, I am way ahead in this game. I relish my ability to cast a private and independent vote with the ballot marking device that allows me to listen to audio prompts and make my selection. Today it seems many people could benefit from this option. It

It's a clear cut case -- accessible technology is better for everyone!

Don't Give Up

2010-08-27T12:21:00.004-04:00

This morning as I walked to work my iPod (in shuffle mode) played a Peter Gabriel song, “Don’t Give Up.” Its title seemed the perfect follow up message to our Lighthouse seminar ”iPad, iPhone, I Vote“ on Wednesday evening.

We focused on the universal accessibility in New York City’s new voting machines and in two of Apple’s most popular products. The turnout was impressive and the crowd was interested and enthused. I did however come to the realization that my own mostly joyous perspective on these technological developments was not shared by all.

I do understand those feelings, I’ve experienced them myself many times in relation to some of the assistive technology products I have encountered that I found extremely disappointing and obscenely expensive.

There is something so lovely and so inclusive about going to my local polling place and being able to cast my vote privately and independently. There is something glorious about texting from my iPhone and searching the web on my iPad – just like everyone else. The positives far outweigh the negatives, removing barriers vision impairment can create.

Of course there will be a poll worker who doesn’t know how to plug in the headphones. Don’t give up! There will be someone at the Apple Store who does not know that you can get One to One Training for the iPhone and iPad without the purchase of a Mac. Don’t give up. You would be surprised how you can turn a “no” into a “yes” – if you keep asking. Don’t give up.

Universal access is empowerment and the more we use it the better it will get. Don’t give up!

For more information on the seminar and links to some very useful references, click here.

Stump the Genius

2010-08-19T09:16:00.001-04:00

A few days ago I encountered a little glitch when using the accessibility feature Voice Over in iPhone 4. Because I have had an exceptionally good experience with my Apple products, especially my iPhone 3GS, I just assumed I was once again playing “Stump the Genius.”

It’s a fun game, and it is not meant to make the Genius look bad. The game was launched in my head when I first ran into, and could not get out of, touch typing in the iPad, and again when I lost the “spoken menus” in both my iPod Nanos. Come to think of it, “Stump the Genius” always involves accessibility, and that is because it is a rare Genius that really knows Apple Accessibility.

So I’m trying to help a lovely friend get comfortable entering contacts with multiple phone numbers into her new iPhone 4. Yes, that would be the iPhone 4 I told her she just could not live without. We found it was not possible to enter multiple phone numbers while using Voice Over. Her husband, however, discovered that this feature did work just fine in Zoom.

Informed by my past experience (Just Genius) I have learned not to take no for an answer. I’m asking for the fix to a problem and never feel satisfied without a solution.

When we pulled up two stools at the Genius Bar, I was certain we would be walking out happy. It quickly became clear that our Genius was not aware of this iPhone 4 Voice Over problem. My friend looked at me and said proudly, “I think we’re teaching the Genius something he doesn’t know.” I smiled and shook my head in agreement. Still I was confident that he would figure it out.

After several consultations and a fair amount of searching their Geniuses explained why this was not working – something to do with database interaction that I did not understand. No cure yet available, the only way around the glitch, for a Voice Over user, was to input your multiple fields in contacts by computer and sync back to the phone.

Although it is never a win, I felt sure we had stumped the Genius. I was wrong.

I sent several email messages to the accessibility group at Apple, where I usually get the answers I’m looking for. This time I was not prepared for the polite acknowledgement I received quickly in response, it said politely, “This is a known issue that our engineers are looking into. Thanks for your feedback.”

I was very disappointed – not sure if I should continue to recommend the iPhone to people in need of Voice Over. And, not sure if I should upgrade my iPhone software and deal with this glitch. Would the benefits of the new version be worth the loss of this feature (temporarily)?
I haven’t quite made the decision, but I’m leaning toward the update. I asked a couple of iPhone Voice Over aficionados – and they seemed unfazed by this problem as they sang praises to new features like “Touch Typing” and the improved speed and ease. It may be a bit of a trade off – but still well worth the gains. We shall see.

Street Smart...Or Not

2010-08-09T20:42:00.004-04:00

Something is happening in the streets of New York lately and it's probably happening in your town too. Have you noticed people fixated on the electronic device in their hand -- not noticing you at all?

At first I felt surely it was because I did not see them coming upon me, but then I realized they did not see me either. It has caused me many times to LOL, actually happy to know it is not my lack of sharp eye sight causing this near-miss. I bet this is happening to everyone. I mean Oprah did not establish the "No Phone Zone" for nothing. "Crack Berry" is not just a cute play on words. We are way too enamored with our wireless devices.

It’s funny because I have a slight advantage here – I can usually see the person buried in their iPhone before they see me. It’s another kind of vision impairment. The good news is – it’s correctable!

A Field of Dreams Moves Forward

2010-08-03T09:37:00.001-04:00

With an impressive vote of 348 to 23 last Monday, the House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (H.R. 3101), authored by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.).

This bill outlined in my post A Field of Dreams will potentially set the stage for universal access, and that means providing alternatives to visual access, namely audible access. So in this dream cable companies would make their program guides and selection menus accessible to people with impaired vision, and provide descriptive narration for programming. It would mandate mobile phone companies to make web browsers, text messaging, and e-mail on smart phones fully accessible, among other things.

Now it moves to the Senate, in a related bill, S.3304, the Equal Access to 21st Century Communications Act, introduced by Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) and reported out by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Yes, it is ambitious and these are just a few first steps. God only knows what the legislation will look like when all is said and done, or how long it will take. But, I am a believer that it will come out right because the fact is these changes make telecommunications better for everyone!

iPad, iPhone, I Vote

2010-08-02T16:20:00.004-04:00

You are invited to join us for a LITE Seminar:

iPad, iPhone, I Vote

Don’t miss this chance to bring yourself up-to-date on Universal Access. Learn from a panel of iPad and iPhone users about Apple's built in accessibility features, Zoom and Voice Over. Learn from NYC's Board of Elections about the new accessible voting machines - and try one out.
Date: Wednesday, August 25
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Location: Lighthouse International 111 East 59th Street (between Park and Lexington Avenues)NYC

Seating is limited! Please click here now to RSVP.

Lighthouse International http://webletter.lighthouse.org/cgi-bin5/DM/y/hwxM0Fi1320QLm0mPq0Ee

A Field of Dreams

2010-07-25T13:39:00.002-04:00

During my time as a Development Officer at the Lighthouse, I began to hear a phrase that goes like this, “Technology levels the playing field for people who are visually impaired.” It was a pretty good sound bite, impressive to those unknowing. Unfortunately, it simply was not true. The field was totally out of whack.

Eight years later, I can say that the field is getting a little more level every day and tomorrow when the US Congress votes on, and passes, The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2009 (a.k.a. HR 3101), I will feel the earth move.

It seems a bit dreamy, but here is what H.R. 3101 proposes to do:

1. Restore and expand requirements for video description of television programs, in addition to requiring cable companies to make their program guides and selection menus accessible to people with vision loss;

2. Mandate mobile phone companies to make web browsers, text messaging, and e-mail on smart phones fully accessible;

3. Require television distributors to ensure captioning of programs when also shown on the Internet;*Allow users of different forms of telecommunications relay services to connect with each other;

4. Require smart phones to be hearing aid compatible;

5. Ensure people with vision loss have access to emergency broadcast information;

6. Provide $10 million in funding each year for assistive technology for deaf-blind individuals;

7. Improve enforcement of disability accessibility communications complaints.

COAT (the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology), which Lighthouse International is a member, took the lead on this important legislative effort. I love a good coalition.

I am told, by a reliable source, that they have enough votes to pass this bill, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed anyway.

Testing 1, 2, 3

2010-07-16T16:02:00.001-04:00

As I was preparing to record a podcast for the Macular Degeneration Support Group I was deep in the grips of the very subject I was speaking about --- Technophobia. There is a limit to the amount of new technology that I can deal with in any given timeframe, before I go over the edge. I was teetering.

I was told it was “easy” to set up and connect to the conferencing program that would record my podcast online. Sure -- it is. I listened, followed instructions, clicked here, and clicked there to no avail. Then I called in a good pair of eyes, and a better brain or two. Still it was not happening.

The stress was mounting, my neck was tense, heart racing, temperature soaring. No less than six people were involved when the discovery was made --- the microphone attached to my headphones was not working. And, that was the only headset with a microphone in the building.

It was hard to believe how difficult it could be to do something “easy.” I kept telling myself, “There has got to be a better way!”

The answer came to me when I pressed the home button on my phone to check the time. I could record this podcast with the Voice Memo app on my iPhone. Yes I can!

And, yes I did. Take a listen to my podcast “Facing Technophobia.”

Talk to Me (More)

2010-07-10T15:10:00.001-04:00

My friend GM, (introduced in “No Comment”), sent several comments to me this week via email. He was responding to a post from a month ago titled “Talk to Me,” in which I was looking for some (hands-on) user experience with speech recognition programs that can operate a computer without sight, without a mouse, and without full use of the keyboard. The question was precipitated by another friend, Ben, who had been using an assistive technology program called “Guide” and was now hoping to find something better.

GM wrote:
“Dorrie, if the answer is anywhere it ought to be known at lighthouse.
Where should we look? Have you Googled it? Quizzed other Lighthouses? The AT community?”

My reply:
Yes GM, there you have it in a nutshell. If the answer was known at Lighthouse or Google, I would not be writing a post about the problem; I would be sharing the solution (with glee).

GM wrote:
“I asked around and got these replies;
Michael McCarty at APHB wrote: I know that with J-Say, one can speak to the computer and control it and use JAWS at the same time. I’ve heard of this being done, never have watched it myself, but folks say it does work. Only problem I know of is that the program is rather expensive.Ike Presley at AFB said much the same”

My reply:
Yes, I’ve heard as well, but this is an expensive solution (about $3,000) for someone trained in the use of JAWS screen reading software. For the rest of us, it is no solution, at all.
GM wrote:
”The VA is using Guide.”

My reply:
Well GM, this is what Oprah would call “a full circle moment.” We are right back where we started.

Thanks GM, lets’ not give up – one day soon when we are looking for something else – the answer will inevitably arrive.

The Set Up

2010-06-25T19:00:00.006-04:00

Figuring out how some electronic device works is not my idea of a good time. The sight of a User’s Guide or a Manual, gives me the willies. I could blame this shortcoming on my impaired vision, but to be perfectly honest, I was not any better at doing these things when my vision was a clear 20/20.

To avoid feeling like a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown, I have instituted a hard and fast rule – I do not buy electronics without making sure they are programmed and operational, before I leave the store.

From the smallest thing like the talking pedometer I bought and believed it was “easy” to set up just pull the tape to start the battery. I pulled the tape and the battery started, then I put it back in the package, where it sat for months, because I had no idea how to set it. Then I bit the bullet and invested 45 minutes figuring out how to set it up and clock my miles. Sadly, during its first excursion, the pedometer popped off my waist band and fell to the pavement, forever stopping the clock at 3.7 miles.

A “60 Minutes” report on CBS titled “Get Me the Geeks!” helped me to realize, I was not the only one having trouble. It was a relief to know that most of us were struggling for control over our technology, regardless of visual ability. Figuring out how to operate a new refrigerator, coffee maker, alarm clock, today can be problematic, “giving rise to the Geeks.”

I bought my last television at Best Buy and the Geek Squad set me up. I bought my last computer at the Apple Store and the Geniuses set me up. I had Mobile Me set up so my iPhone and iPad will wirelessly update and back up automatically, so the data and the settings will never be lost, even if the device is.

Same goes for watches, telephones, electric toothbrushes, and all kitchen appliances – I do not leave the store unless they are properly set up and fully operational. If I did not stick to this rule, many things would never leave their packages.

Recently, I had a momentary lapse and (foolishly) attempted to set up my iPad data plan with AT&T. I heard it was “easy.” Not for me. For one hour I grappled with the (not-so-accessible) form on the touch screen. It timed out twice and I had to start the excruciating process over again. Then I came to my senses, walked into the Apple Store, and in three minutes they had my 3G activated.

It’s not about you, and it’s not about me.

It is totally about The Set Up.

Just Genius

2010-06-18T20:17:00.003-04:00

I must admit I have been spending quite a bit of time at the Genius Bar. It can be a happy hour, but no liquor is served. In fact, what I get at this bar is technical support with an Apple Genius. .

I don’t mess around, any more, when I can’t figure something out about my iPod, iPhone, iPad or iMac – I go straight to the Genius Bar and get the answer. Appointments are easy to schedule on line or in person and they’re even lined up to help you 24 hours a day at Apple Fifth Avenue. It’s an incredibly powerful (and priceless) perk that comes with the purchase of any Apple product.

My experience with the Geniuses has been very good. They are smart, and kind, and never judgmental. They are incredibly well trained and most of the time they are spot on with the answers. On the occasions they don’t know, they will consult with the literature and with their fellow Geniuses.

Although I generally chalk up my technology issues to my own, sometimes embarrassing ineptitude, I have come to realize the Geniuses are learning all the time too!

As good as they are there are some things about accessibility settings like Voice Over that they are learning right along with me. In fact, I’ve even had the chance to show a Genius a thing or two.

My nephew was showing a friend of his how the iPhone works with Voice Over. He returned the phone to me and asked how to turn back on the screen? I did not know you could turn it off. We shut down and rebooted, pressed all available buttons, the phone was fully operable, but no picture on the screen.

To the Genius Bar I went and they recommended restoring the settings. I agreed. The very next day I was talking with another iPhone user and he showed me the feature he loved most – the screen curtain. Three fingers tapped twice blacks out the screen in Voice Over; two more of the same taps bring it back. It was a lesson learned, just a day late.

During the first week of getting acquainted with my iPad (using Voice Over) I apparently performed a gesture on the iPad screen, unknowingly. As well versed as I am with the double tap and the split tap, suddenly my keyboard was responding to a single tap. It was strange and I did not understand how to type this way or how to get back to the double tap typing (now so comfortable).

Several Geniuses were consulted but we could not return my iPad two-tap typing. When all else failed they recommended “restore settings.” Not so fast, I decided to look further for the solution.

I sent an inquiry to someone who specializes in the development of these brilliant things and got back the answer. There is a new iPad accessibility option in Voice Over for touch typing. I accidentally turned this on with an inadvertent two fingered twist, which activates the ‘rotor,’ followed by a flick that switched mode to touch typing. In this mode you can touch type on the iPad keyboard (I admit I have yet to practice). You can also simply scroll the keyboard with one finger and lift it to type, when you hear the letter, number, or symbol you want. It takes some getting used to.

My most recent opportunity to give back came just a day ago. I have two iPod nanos that tragically lost their ability to speak the menus. Not sure how or why this happens and no one else I encountered seemed to know either. By now I do not take “restore” for an answer, so I reached out for a little insider information and I’m delighted to report my nanos are telling me everything I need to know, again.

I’m going to share this solution with the Genius Bar and with you too: Before you restore, try this: disable voice, sync, then re-enable voice and sync again. This should re-generate the spoken phrases for the contents of your nano. If that doesn't work, then you can certainly try restoring.

It worked!

There is a little genius in everyone – just dying to come out.

Talk to Me

2010-06-11T18:51:00.005-04:00

I am often asked about “talking computers.” It took me a while before I understood the question was not so much about computers that talk to you (voice out) – but about computers you talk to (voice in).

The concept is pretty fabulous; just tell the computer what to do. Forget about the screen, and the keyboard you can’t see, and pay no attention to that pesky mouse. This is what we all want, isn’t it, to give a command and have it carried out?

It is voice recognition that allows us to tell our phones who to call, ask 411 to give us a number, get schedule and fare information for trains or buses. The Mac OS lets us use some voice commands, Windows has built in a speech recognition feature, and Dragon programs are perceived as pure magic. They all require serious set up, and if you have trouble reading the screen, or operating a computer, you won’t get very far.

There is one person I know – only one --who uses a computer strictly with speech recognition. His name is Ben. He is not able to see the screen and was not previously a computer user. Yes, pretty remarkable, I would agree. What he doesn’t have in visual acuity he compensates for with pure tenacity.

Ben explored the Mac, and the PC, and Dragon – only to learn that they were not solutions for Ben. He came across assistive, third-party software called Guide and with a LOT of help from his family and friends, he began using it successfully to dictate emails and get to some web pages.

While he’s been happy to join the email generation and take a peek into the World Wide Web, Guide is no nirvana. It possesses the key characteristics of assistive, third-party programs – very glitchy and very pricey.

Ben dictated an email to me yesterday, telling me that he is getting ready to replace his computer and wanted to know if there is anything new that would do a better job for him. He thought we should show Guide to Apple and perhaps we could inspire their developers, who have proven to be the best of the best, to build us a comprehensive program that is as accessible, and as simple to operate as Voice Control in the iPhone.

I told Ben everybody wants exactly what he wants, and we will get it…soon. I’m sure Apple, Microsoft, IBM and many, many others are working diligently to make our wishes come true. It’s just not quite ready…yet.

There must be someone else out there, other than Ben, who has successfully integrated accessible speech recognition into their computing.

Talk to me ---tell me what you know.

No Comment

2010-06-04T16:19:00.004-04:00

For almost a year now, I’ve been engaged in a digital dialogue with a gentleman who goes by the initials “GM.” We began our conversation around the time I started to write this blog. He once commented, early on, in the “Comment” field, but generally he likes to comment via email.

GM was not pleased with my post last week titled, “The Easy Button,” in which I ask why the majority of comments about topics discussed on this blog come to me via email, instead of using the comment field (accessed right under the post being commented on).

Here is what he wrote…

“Dorrie, you blew it big time.

First, there is no obvious way to respond via comments. You have to mouse over the quote zero comments unquote link before it reveals itself as a link. Click on it and you are taken to the box.

Second, who wants to put up with all that registration business. I have a Google account but it never works the first time. An email is far easier than commenting to get through to you. It’s only disadvantage is not knowing that you read it.”

My reply to GM…

“This is why comments are so important…I learn something from you…and get to share with others.

Now that you mention it, the steps to submit a comment on my blog are not very clear. The first couple of times I tried it, it was rather confusing. Once I figured it out and posted a few times, I lost touch with the fact that everyone else may experience the same difficulty. And, come to think of it, I often have trouble myself, when I attempt to comment on another blog.

I’m going to see what I can do to improve this, but meanwhile let me give you the steps, below, to posting a comment. There is no registration necessary, you can comment as Anonymous, or simply put your name (or an alias) in the Name/URL box (No URL is necessary, just a name, any name will suffice).

To post comment:

1. Below blog post click “Comments”

2. Type message into comment box

3. Go to “Comment as” and select “Name/URL” from drop down box.

4. Enter name (real or nickname), click continue. Your email address will not publish.

5. Click “Post Comment.”

It’s really easier than it looks.

Thanks GM, I learned something – perhaps you did too!

The ongoing conversation with GM is exactly the conversation I hoped to have established by now on this blog. It just wound up happening mostly in my inbox.

When we use email to comment on a blog, it’s like whispering in someone’s ear. No more secrets --- let’s tell everyone the good (and not so good) stuff we know about accessible technology.

Many of you, like my friend GM, have great questions and thought-provoking comments. Why would we want to keep it to ourselves?

Go ahead --- put it in the comment box. No need to whisper in my ear.

Just Push the Button

2010-05-28T18:02:00.002-04:00

On my desk sits the “Easy Button” – you know the one (from Staples). When pressed it says (with a touch of surprise in a kind of funny, raspy voice) --- “That, was easy!”

Most things can be done in one of two ways, the easy way or the hard way. Still we tend to default to the expectation that some things, like technology, have to be difficult, and then forget to look around for the easier approach.

Recently I have been seeing this phenomenon manifest itself in this very blog. The posts about experiences with my iPhone and iMac (and next, iPad) have generated interest from readers to do the same, and to contact me with an enthusiastic thank you, or a request for some more advice.

I am delighted to receive the comments and questions but wonder if they are missing their easy button.

The correspondence relating to my blog posts, almost all, comes to me via email. Now that is not the easy way, there is a box for your comment, right below the post. On the other hand, finding my email address, which must be searched around for, is a lot more trouble. Yet, nearly 100% of my correspondence comes in via the hard way.

I am also getting comments and queries about accessibility training for Apple products. My answer is “the easy way of course.” Sign up for One to One Training at the nearest Apple Retail Store. Any other way is the hard way. There is nothing better than one year of unlimited training sessions for $99. There has never been a better value, and there is no better training. They just make it easy.

Look no further, you are holding the button!

Can You Say CAPTCHA?

2010-05-21T18:24:00.003-04:00

When I wrote a post titled “What’s Up with Visual ID?” a few weeks ago, I had no idea the appropriate technical term was CAPTCHA. I should have become suspicious when my Google search for Visual ID turned up almost nothing related to those squiggly distorted words and numbers that tell a computer you are a person.

Had I searched for CAPTCH, an acronym which roughly stands for “Completely Automated Public Test to Tell Computer and Humans Apart, I would have found a lot more dirt on this spam busting creation, including the whole CAPTCHAs history in Wikipedia.

Having the appropriate term did not change much about my understanding of these little enigmatic pieces of text that are practically impossible to identify if your vision is impaired, and even difficult to identify if it’s not. I was not surprised to learn that people in the business of accessible technology, at Google, Apple and Microsoft, harbor a deep dislike of the CAPTCHAs, as do I.

So, do me a favor, try a couple of CAPTCHAs on the live demo at reCAPTCHA…and try out the “audio challenge” while you’re there. What do you think? Have you seen, or heard, any better ways to prove you’re only a human.

I was surprised to read that some 200 million CAPTCHAs are solved every day.

Makes me wonder how many aren’t solved?

App Happy

2010-05-13T19:21:00.002-04:00

App Happy

As if Tap Happiness was not enough, my iPhone provides another seemingly endless stream of satisfaction – the App. At first, I’ll admit, all the icons on my iPhone were of little interest to me. The whole app conversation elevated my anxiety. I wanted to keep it simple, so I began by learning one application at a time.

No, I did not read the manual, in fact, it doesn’t come with one. I did it the easy way – One-to-One Training at the Apple store (on Fifth Avenue). They make the learning as good as the knowing. This is real empowerment!

App by app I began to see that making calls was just the tip of the iceberg. There are over 100,000 optional apps available for the iPhone, but much of my happiness, so far, has derived from the standard apps that Apple loads on every iPhone.

Contacts: The perpetual home for all of my contacts. It all goes into the iPhone: names, multiple phones and emails, addresses; and it’s synched to my computer, so I won’t ever have to start up a new phone book again.

Messages: For text messaging. Yes, I am a texter – did not even think it would appeal to me – but it does.

Camera: I can – take a picture, email, text it, or save it to my photos.

Weather: Love having the current weather and the forecast for home, and as many other cities as I wish.

Voice Memo: This is my big bonus, a voice recorder for reminders, instructions, meetings, interviews. I have recorded One-to-One Training and travel directions. It is both usable and useful.

Notes: This I totally love too. It’s simply a yellow-lined pad that you type notes into. I am a compulsive list maker (who was having a hell of a hard time reading her own scribble). Now I have all my multiple lists stored in the phone. At this moment, there is a list for Whole Foods, Target, Things to Discuss with My Sister, Books to Read, and naturally, the general To Do List. Notes can be emailed and are simple to create or delete. Editing I have not completely figured out, but I will.

Clock: World clock is the best reference – no more counting on fingers what time it is in Rome. There is an alarm clock with snooze, and a timer--all things I use.

Calculator: A fabulous, simple to use, talking calculator built right into my phone. I can figure 40% off at Bloomingdales, or divvy up a restaurant check among friends, in a matter of seconds. It’s one of those apps I use every single day.

iPod: The iPhone battery seems to have a life of its own and there is often no telling how long the charge will last, so I tend not to listen to music or read books on my phone. A One-to-One Trainer suggested creating a playlist of my favorite tunes, and I do use it from time to time on the treadmill, when I can plug into a charger.

Compass: I was in Chinatown shopping the produce markets, when I realized I was completely lost…no idea how to get back to Canal Street. I had ventured into unknown territory and could not read the street signs to get myself out. Then I remembered the compass and pulled out the iPhone and clicked on the compass and kept moving in the direction most north. I found my way back to Canal, got my bearings, and felt a little like Dora the Explorer.

All of these apps will talk to me with Voice Over, or they can be magnified with zoom. They can be used, equally as well, with whatever vision you have, or don’t have. Everybody gets these apps. Anybody can use them. That’s what I call Happy!

Tap Happy

2010-05-07T17:18:00.001-04:00

Since “Overcoming Techno-Crastination” I have become one happy tapper. Using the iPhone with Voice Over requires just a tiny bit more interaction – and I don’t mind at all. We give a double-tap to activate and a three finger swipe to advance a page, as opposed to the typical one finger touch or swipe.

I have been asked several times if it’s just too much tapping, a notion that makes me laugh out loud. Trust me on this one, there is no degree of difficulty in tapping twice.

There is actually a lot of flexibility, using the iPhone with Voice Over is not strict. For instance, one of my favorite discoveries is that once the icon of button has spoken – letting me know that I have touched on “Contacts” -- a double tap anywhere on the screen will open the list. No need to hit the exact icon or text box. This forgiveness is especially helpful on the keyboards, where landing a thumb on those tiny keys more than once, can be challenging.

It sounds like a lot more to do than it actually is, after a short while, I think the actions become imperceptible.

The voice that comes out of my iPhone does get some attention. It can be turned down low or off completely, or I can keep it private by having the buds in my ear.

I can be on an elevator or in line at Starbucks and my phone will announce an incoming caller, or read a text message. It’s a sound I love to hear.

Coming next…learn where all this tapping takes me.

What's Up With Visual ID?

2010-04-30T17:33:00.003-04:00

Have you ever forgotten your password and been sent to the “Visual ID?”

Last week, for some reason, I was locked out of my Google Accounts. After a number of attempts and under pressure, I decided to go for the password reset.
Not the immediate solution I was hoping for, the reset sent me to the dreaded VID, a screening tool designed to tell a human from a machine to prevent malicious spamming.

I have trouble identifying the color of a car, and certainly could not accurately pick the perpetrator out in a lineup, so you can imagine the degree of difficulty encountered when asked to decipher letters and numbers twisted and curly-cued around each other.

Having experienced this exercise in futility before, I clicked on the “wheelchair” button. The wheelchair symbol is supposed to allow you to hear the ID audibly, if you cannot see it --- that makes perfectly good sense, right?

The audible ID was as incoherent as the VID. It sounded like an alien transmission from another frequency and I could not make this out any better than the visual.

Luckily, at the moment of near abandonment, a colleague with a good set of eyes arrived at my office door. I pulled him into this unfortunate mess of unintelligible sights and sounds. He said he had no idea what the audio was saying, and reluctantly took a shot at the letters, announcing in advance that he never gets these things right.

But, he got it right, and bingo, I was back in business.

I just want to know one thing…should it be this hard to prove that we are human?

Join the Conversation

2010-04-23T17:29:00.003-04:00

Laurie Silbersweig is a wonderfully talented writer, a cherished colleague, and our meticulous Editorial Director at the Lighthouse. She supports and encourages me as I march, usually, against the parade. Through Laurie I have learned that a good editor is like a fashion stylist – always able to make you the best you can be.

In an article titled, “Join the Conversation on Dorrie’s Sight” (published in Shared Vision and posted on www.lighthouse.org Laurie again pulls together her great gifts for writing, editing, and styling, to make me look good.

The iPad Speaks for Itself

2010-04-16T16:48:00.004-04:00

“A magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price.” That is how Apple describes its latest must have, the iPad. There is a lot more to this statement than meets the eye.

Apple’s magical revolution delivers, yet again, on Universal Access, and it just keeps getting better and better. Not only does the iPad make reading easy for people with seriously impaired vision, or no vision at all --- it makes reading easier for everyone!

You can make it your own with Zoom magnifying font to 40 pt., then turn the 10 inch screen to landscape and it gets even bigger. You can reverse the screen contrast to white-on-black, making it easy on the eyes. Or, just relax and listen with Voice Over.

If you do not see well, the iPad is equipped with all the features you want in an eBook reader. We need wait no longer for Amazon to deal with the shortcomings of its Kindle, although I’m sure they are scurrying to get it done now. That’s okay, that’s actually also good for everyone.

The fact that it looks like a big iPhone is a plus because I already know how to use it. On the bigger screen I can view (close up) many things I cannot see at all on my iPhone; photographs, movies, and TV. Email looks quite easy too, the key pad is jumbo.

And yes, the price is unbelievable, because it’s the same price for everyone. This is as it should be. Perhaps the days of obscenely priced, mediocre products in the assistive tech industry are coming to an end as well. Let the scurrying begin!

Add iPad to iPod, iPhone, Mac, and we are looking at a paradigm shift. Apple has reset the bar on accessibility and they are way ahead of the curve, addressing the needs of a huge demographic – the aging population.

Go to the nearest Apple store and see for yourself. I bet it makes you giddy!

The Speed of Sigth

2010-04-08T17:24:00.005-04:00

The Speed of Sight

Recently I received an email with questions pertaining to the “speed of sight”. There was a time, I believed, as many do, that just making print big enough for me to see would allow me to read much in the same manner I read small print. It doesn’t really work that way.

The Question:
Dorrie, as I understand it, you can see gigantic letters on screen and you use a speaking screen reader. What is the time difference for doing the same task? And, how much longer than for a sighted person? The same questions for Braille? I have never seen this discussed, but it must be significant.

My Answer:
I do magnify print to about 10X and I like a lot of speech with my giant words. At work, on a PC, I use assistive software called ZoomText. It is technically not a screen reader, but a text-to-speech engine. At home, I am now on the iMac, which does have a “screen reader” that I mix with big, big print.

It does take me longer to complete tasks that require reading, simply because, it’s complicated. The way I “see” is not fast or easy. My experience tells me that most reading-related activity takes me two or three times longer than it did pre-retinal degeneration, and reading a page in Newsweek, without a computer, could take me as long as 30 minutes.

I was never a speed-reader to begin with, so it would be unfair for me to completely blame bad eyes. It is certainly a major factor, and another major factor is how well I use the technology.

Reading giant words, without the speech option, would slow me down even more, tire me faster, and make comprehension very difficult.

I cannot speak to the experience of a person who is blind and uses a computer with screen reader and no visual access, or to that of a Braille reader.

Like most things, the speed of sight is very much dependent on the individual.

GPS Where Are You?

2010-03-26T18:36:00.005-04:00

This week I attended a demonstration at Baruch College’s Computer Center for Visually Impaired People (CCVIP), titled: “GPS Solutions for Visually Impaired People.”

GPS is an intriguing topic, and it seems it would be a particularly important “solution” for people who can’t read the street signs. I often wish for the button I can push that will tell me exactly where I am.

In this day and age, it’s really not an unreasonable expectation. GPS, nowadays, makes an average driver into a brilliant navigator. You can even have your turn by turn directions delivered by the voice of Snoop Dogg, Ozzy Osbourne, or Homer Simpson.

The seminar was presented by a fabulous guy named Gus, who is a former colleague of mine at the Lighthouse, and now heads up the newly developed Demo Center at CCVIP. The audience was a good mix of people with varying visual acuities, looking for the GPS solution of their dreams...

Gus began his fair and balanced review of the Trekker Breeze by Humanware, with a video of his experience starting at Point A. Apparently, the user manual states that it could take up to 20 minutes for the device to figure out “where you are.” As he waited for the answer, Gus mused about how much easier, and quicker, it would be just to ask someone, and not wait for the GPS to figure it out.

The next issue was a biggie. The trekker will not allow you to enter your destination, Point B, unless you have already gone there with the device. Huh?

Through the rest of Gus’s video, (which will be linked here as soon as it is posted online) the Trekker Breeze delivered information at about 50% accuracy. I wondered could GPS be so successful in cars, if it was wrong half the time.

I asked the price of this device, and Gus replied, “$895.” Is that a rip-off? Yes, I believe it is. I understand that this device is known to not perform well in cities with tall buildings. So why do they sell it to visually impaired people who live in cities (with tall buildings)?

Funny thing though, the audience did not seem nearly as appalled by these facts as I did. Could it be that phenomenon I’ve witness before, where visually impaired people are just used to accepting mediocre products at obscenely high prices? They even pointed out the places where the Trekker seemed to work best, for instance in a cab or a bus. Huh?

Gus, whose good nature prevailed, finished his presentation by mentioning several other GPS devices which were of questionable value.

I recalled having experienced great GPS once. It was my nephew Evan giving me turn by turn directions, via my cell phone, taking me from the entrance of FAO Schwarz to the Lego (City Site) he had asked me to get him for his 10th birthday.

That's what I call -- a "solution!"

The Seven Year Itch

2010-03-19T16:40:00.004-04:00

For seven years I’ve been in a dysfunctional relationship --- with my personal computer. Yesterday, in Apple Fifth Avenue, I ended it. No one was surprised. My dissatisfaction was obvious, really from the beginning.

I must admit I’ve had my eye on Mac, for a while. To further explore my feelings, I schedule a date with a personal shopper, who would totally focus on my needs. We looked at the iMac desktop with a 27 inch screen. It’s not just a nice computer; this is a work of art. Apple’s Personal Shopper demonstrated its “Universal Access” essential to my computer use. Zoom enlarged everything on the screen to a size I can see. Voice Over is available to read out loud, upon request. Voice Control will allow me to ask the computer to go to my favorite websites. All of these features, built into the operating system, at no extra charge. (My ex, PC, required a third party assistive software license, at a cost of $700).

My personal shopping appointment was not pressured; I had as much time as I needed. There was no heavy sales pitch, no empty promises, just amazing product and incredible customer service. How could I help, but fall in love?

I should have known my relationship, with my last PC, was not going to work. In order to get it at all, I had to hire an IT Guy, at $85 an hour, to order the computer, from Del, and to set it up. This was my first mistake. We did not communicate well, I did not understand him. He did not understand me!

It was a replacement, and upgrade, so it should have been an improvement. It was a better computer with a bigger monitor. But it just didn’t work for me…the chemistry was gone. The reason it lasted so long is because I used it, almost exclusively, for iTunes, until it could hold no more.

Apple made it so easy to make the move. They told me the simplest way to do it --- if you don’t mind schlepping --- is to bring your PC to the Apple Store and they will transfer your files into the iMac, at no additional charge.

That’s what I did. Yes, it could not have been easier. This morning, less than 24 hours later, they called to say my iMac is ready.

There are no guarantees for success in a relationship, but this one already has a lot going in its favor, including a year of One-to-One therapy – I mean Training.

Overcoming Techno-crastination

2010-03-12T16:33:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I am a procrastinator, and sometimes I am a technophobe. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Procrastination is the putting off, and avoidance, of things you know you should (or must) do. Technophobia is, in my case, fear of letting go of the comfort of the old, and embracing the new, specifically: my iPhone.

Until last week, I was holding on to a decrepit old cell phone. The screen fell off regularly and collected dust and debris each time it was stuck back in place. I realize now that this was the first phone I have ever replaced before its death. It became my security blanket, when I did not turn its service off immediately, I told myself, “I’ll do it next week.”

Each next week ran into the next week. I was carrying around my beautiful new iPhone in one pocket, and the old, broken down, sad story in the other. It felt kind of safe.

Evan, my nephew (ten, soon eleven) would not allow me to continue my techno-crastination. He would ask to see the iPhone, and inquire as to whether I got rid of the “other” phone. I would tell him “next week.” Then, as if to say, “The blanky has got to go,” Evan said, “Dor, you just have to shut that old phone off.”

He was right, and I could hide my techno-crastination no longer. I turned off the old, and moved my mobile number to the iPhone.

Looking back at my blog post titled, "The iPhone Cometh," published in mid-July of last year, I became aware that I have been procrastinating for much longer than I realized. Three months, six months, eight months…but who’s counting?

Thanks for the nudge, Evan, I needed that!

If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It

2010-03-05T17:31:00.001-05:00

Things get messed up, accidentally, all the time. It’s like going from good to worse. Sometimes, the updated version just does not live up to its predecessor. I wonder how this happens, did the designers get too cocky, did they pay no attention to the detail in the follow-up version, and did they fail to test it on actual users?

In the case of accessible technology, it constantly amazes me how rarely it is tested on the end user. I believed that there was some sort of protocol that requires testing your product before releasing it to market. I have been told by a software designer that he tested a program for people with low vision --- on himself and on his wife. The fact that neither is visually impaired, a minor technicality.

It surprised me to learn that a large manufacturer of elevators for skyscrapers had tested the accessibility of their newest product on only one person with low vision, and one person with no vision. Now this is an elevator that can easily transport thousands of people each day only tested on two for impaired vision…is that enough?

This morning I encountered, yet another, obvious testing faux pas. It’s disappointing, to say the least, that my favorite talking ATM’s at Bank of America, have been updated, but not for the better.

At first, as is typical, I blamed myself. In Donald Norman’s “The Psychology of Every Day Things”, he confirms that most of us think it is our fault when things don’t function properly. Our automatic assumption is that we are the problem, not that bad design is the culprit.

After a number of months, I was just not adjusting to the new audio prompts. They didn’t flow, seemed like too many steps, and literally got frozen after getting a balance, or a transfer between accounts. The point of an ATM is to get money quick, right? Well, the new talking ATM gets stuck and beeps 53 times, while you are waiting for it to end the transaction. During the prolonged beeping, you can push Cancel, Clear, and every other button on the keypad, and it just keeps beeping and won’t stop until it has beeped 53 times.

I must ask Bank of America, how many people with impaired vision tested this baby?

Use Your Voice 2

2010-02-26T16:05:00.001-05:00

I turned my TV on one night last week to settle in for an evening at the Olympics. As I pressed 4 on my remote, to change from NY1 to NBC, I heard a slight little “pop” and my picture was gone. Ugh! I held my breath, hoping it was just a temporary cable, or network, problem that would rectify itself.

I started changing channels, the cable guide at the bottom of the screen, which I can barely read with my nose pressed up against it, was changing to reflect that I was changing channels. The only thing on the screen was the channel guide – no picture, no sound. Ugh!

Lately, I’ve been noticing that many people are afraid of their TV. I’ve seen mothers completely freaked out by the sight of the clicker in the hands of their child, fearing one wrong touch of a button and the TV may be out for days. I’ve seen grown men cry when they accidentally knock the cable off line during a football game and have to call the cable company and have the nice lady walk them through the reconnect. I’ve been told by a friend, in her own home, that she did not know how to turn on “that TV”, then her husband came home and he couldn’t get it on either.

It’s hilarious…when it’s not happening to you.

So there I was turning the TV off and on, over and over, as if to purge the demons from it. When that did nothing, I turned the DVD player on and off a few times – for no good reason, really. Then I looked at the remote up close in my video magnifier, hoping to find a button labeled “fix it,” to no avail.

I had to break down and call the cable lady myself and I was not looking forward to chatting with her. She always asks questions beginning in “Can you see? Can you see the serial number on your cable box? Can you see the teeny tiny symbols in grey on your silver remote? Can you see the television…at all? Ugh.

As I dialed her number, I tried to visualize success, the way our Olympic athletes do. Keep your eye on the prize – TV on! My dread of the cable lady’s questions prompted me to choose the “automated system” for technical help (an option I almost never pick).

Once again, it reminded me how amazing voice recognition programs are when they work. This one, much to my surprise, was like magic. The automated voice never asked, “Can you see?” instead it somehow just took me through the steps one by one, asking a few questions, but mostly made it easy and pleasant to refresh my cable. No impatience, no emotion, no judgment – exactly what you want from a machine.

Within minutes I was reunited with Apolo Anton Ohno, thank goodness.

Use Your Voice

2010-02-19T17:19:00.003-05:00

Voice (or speech) recognition, when it works, is a very beautiful thing. It’s all around us, more and more.

I regularly pay my American Express bill by phone (800-IPAY-AXP), verbally giving my account number and stating the amount I want to pay, and which account I would like it deducted from. I find it much easier than writing a check. Voila…bill paid.

The easiest way to get schedules and fares for the Metro North and Long Island Railroad is their telephone information lines. All you do is answer the “lady’s” questions: What station are you leaving from? Going to? When? She can’t yet sell you a ticket, or tell you what track, but she is getting smarter all the time.

I love Fandango for the movies (phone
800-FANDANG). It’s all there for the asking: Do you want to find a theater? Find a movie? Get show times? Buy tickets? I give my AMX number to Fandango, with my voice, and purchase the tickets. At the theater I swipe my card and the tickets are mine.

Could it be simpler? Maybe…but only if they could read my mind.

Ground Control to Major Tom

2010-02-12T16:43:00.003-05:00

I like to talk about technology. I claim no technical acumen; I am the voice of the purely average user. I do not speak, or understand, tech talk, but I do have tremendous respect for those who do. I just hope and pray they do not speak “geek” to me.

A good technology experience can put you over the moon, without requiring a degree in rocket science. I find no joy in tinkering or toiling over a computer or electronic device, and I know I’ve got trouble when I continually default to the ‘shut down and reboot’.

Last week I decided it was high time I deal with some chronic problems I was encountering with a very important computer program, critical to my work. I had been shutting down and rebooting for months, and felt empowered as I sent off an email to the support desk, anticipating that my problems would be magically corrected with the checking, or un-checking, of an obscure box or two.

The very prompt and polite response appeared to come from another planet, in a completely unfamiliar language. However, it did give me an answer to my problems: I’ll just continue to live with them.

Below, is just a portion, of the alien instructions I received…

“1. Click on the Start button
2. Click on Control Panel
3. If you are using Windows XP Category view click on Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices (if you are using Windows Classic view skip to step 4) 4. Click or Double Click if you skipped step 3) on Sounds and Audio Devices 5. Select the Audio tab 6. Make sure that "Use only default devices" is unchecked 7. Click the OK button

Look for a file called tts.ini. Its location is the following:
C:\\Program Files\\ZoomText 9.1. Open the file in notepad. Look for something in that file that looks like what I have below:

[TextToSpeech]
EnableOnlyDefinedTTS=0

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Speech\\Voices\\Tokens\\VW
Kate 16k]
comment=NeoSpeech Kate - AiSquared engine
VALID=1
FAMILY_GUID=4C46D835-4C95-4b15-9147-48939B6060D3
VOICE_GUID=A7D57D51-E96D-4a0b-97C6-BEC1544F5E8A
ENGINE_NAME=NeoSpeech English [Ai Squared (v2)] ENGINE_NAME_LOW=NeoSpeech English [Ai Squared (v2)] VOICE_NAME=Kate DESCRIPTION=
PBR_RATE=35
PBR_PERIOD=100
PBR_STEP=0
COLUMNPAUSE

In the section that has the following: EnableOnlyDefinedTTS=0 change it to read this:

EnableOnlyDefinedTTS=1

Then save the changes and do a reboot and then see if that helps.”

THEN, TAKE YOUR PROTEIN PILLS AND PUT YOUR HELMET ON!

Apple Takes Another Bite

2010-02-04T16:17:00.003-05:00

The much anticipated introduction of the iPad clearly positions Apple to, once again, shift a culture or two.

As we anticipated the tablet’s introduction, there were so many questions: what does it do, how does it look, what is it called, what is the price? For me, there is one question that supersedes all others --- is it accessible? The answer is “YES!” The iPad did not disappoint.

This sets a precedent. While Apple has been quietly executing their seamless commitment to “Universal Access” for some time now, the iPad marks the move up, to first generation standard, for Voice Over and Zoom.

I say hooray! From the get-go, Apple is making their superstars accessible right out of the box for people with impaired vision. It’s big and bold and warm and embracing. It’s about inclusion; we don’t have to wait for years for someone to cobble together a “third party” solution that is mediocre, at best, and costs 4 times more than it’s worth.

And, as if this were not already enough goodness, I do believe the iPad will also answer my call for access in my last post titled “Make It So”) to Kindle menus and Digital Video Recording. Never mind. My wishes appear to be granted by iPad access to the iBook Store and to TV and movies, as well.

Ah yes, the sweet taste of progress.

Make It So

2010-01-22T12:51:00.002-05:00

I spoke with a Microsoft executive last year about the inaccessible nature of Speech Recognition in Windows Vista. I was excited by the prospects presented by Microsoft – “You can dictate documents and emails in mainstream applications use voice commands to start and switch between applications, control the operating system, and even fill out forms on the Web.”

I expected it to work. Seemed like a natural for people with impaired vision. Unfortunately, it was not up to the task, and my friend at Microsoft told me that I was expecting “Star Trek Technology” and they were not quite there yet.

All I could think of were the words used by Captain Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek, when commanding his crew to execute an order --- “Make it so!”
I know, we are not on the Starship Enterprise, but it is 2010 and there are a few things that cannot wait for the next generation:

Speech Recognition is still at the top of my list. I want an easy to access program built right into my computer. We can, after all, get movie tickets, conduct banking transactions, and pay our bills, at this point, just by speaking into the phone. Ford put Sync in cars to dial the phone or find our favorite music. It’s high time our computer can do the same.

The Kindle should make those menus talk!
In order to enjoy the text-to-speech feature, I must find the publication I want to read, but the print is not big enough, so I need it to speak. I can live with the Authors Guild restrictions, but I cannot use a Kindle without spoken menus.

Mobile phones should make their menus talk too! Not such a leap, if Apple could make it happen on a touch screen iPhone, it’s time to make it a build in option in all phones.

Give me access to the GPS that is apparently in mobile phones, at the touch of a button, I want to hear my exact location: You are on the northeast corner of Seventh Avenue at 24th Street.

The DVR (Digital Video Recorder) needs a voice as well. I want to DVR my favorite programs, like everyone else. Then again, will Web TV make the DVR mute?

I want to hear from the bar code scanners, too, in the grocery store, the drug store, the department store. It should just be standard…like the talking ATM.

Make it so.

Luxury Or Necessity?

2009-12-18T10:24:00.006-05:00

Having the Intel Reader at my disposal for several weeks did feel like a little luxury. Passing it on to a colleague yesterday definitely stirred up some separation anxiety.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ease it brought back to recipe reading, and the angst it took away from the mail and the (dreaded) form. I used it as my own private teleprompter, to practice and give prompts, for a speech. I used it for reading printed documents, on a daily basis; I actually cleaned up the piles of paper I wanted to read, but had not quite figured out how – until now.

The Intel Reader passed two of my critical technology tests. It helped me feel like I could read anything, and it made me feel good about doing it. It also passed my usability test, with flying colors, which means: if I can operate this device…anyone can.

I, like Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, got better at Intel Reading each day. I originally thought I would be flipping through the pages of Vogue and the New Yorker, but this was not as easy as it looked. There were some articles that I photographed again and again, before I got a readable shot. Newspapers were equally as difficult, clearly a skill to be acquired over time.

I did take a few books off the shelf and read excerpts from a couple of them, once read by my eyes. This, for some reason, I excelled at; however, it also gave me a real appreciation for the Capture Station, an accessory available with the Intel Reader, for photographing entire books (without breaking them apart).

So now I will decide which category does the Intel Reader belong: luxury or necessity? At $1,500, and in the month of December, it can only come from one place…Santa, are you listening?

The Intel Reader Takes Form

2009-12-11T13:38:00.001-05:00

I like my font big and bold (about 2 inches high) and at eye level; in this format I can read just about anything. Well, then again, I could not exactly call this reading. Let’s say, in this format, I could identify one word at a time, slowly. For me, “listening” is the new “reading.” It is far more enjoyable and, definitely, more efficient to hear printed words spoken, than to undergo the arduous process of deciphering words, which sometimes appear to be moving or broken. It can be like reading a book under water.

A few days ago, a former colleague asked if I would write a recommendation for grad school. I was happy to do it until she handed me the (dreaded) form. I am not fond of forms, especially the instructions about how to fill out the form. So I decided to take a picture of it with the Intel Reader and have it read me the instructions, where I learned that I could answer the questions on a separate page. I listened to each question and answered it in a word document in my computer, printed it, attached it, and voila, another form bites the dust.

Stay tuned for …Intel Teleprompter.

The Intel Reader Is My Sous Chef

2009-12-07T17:06:00.002-05:00

There are many traits embedded in my DNA. One of my best inheritances is the joy of cooking. My passion for the food experience begins with the thought, the prep, then moves through the process, the aromas, the taste, and ends with a great sense of satisfaction.

The cooking gene was dominant in my father, who passed to me a penchant for turning Sundays into culinary events. He would fill the day with food and football, running in and out of the kitchen, so as never to miss a touchdown or a Hail Mary Pass, while garlic and herbs wafted about the house.

My mother’s genetics in the kitchen were a bit more recessive, but none the less, she instilled in me an early interest in the delicious chemistry of baking cakes and cookies. Instead of giving me a requested Easy Bake Oven at the age of 8, she got me started with my own set of cookbooks, baking the real thing.

My joy appeared to be in jeopardy, when my vision declined below the acuity required for cookbook reading. Of course, I did not put the cookbooks on the shelf without a fight. I tried magnifiers. I tried funky glasses. I typed recipe favorites into my computer and made the font very large. I pulled up recipes on the Internet and ran, back and forth, from kitchen to computer, measuring and mixing, one step at a time. I became very good at memorizing and improvisation but had to cut back on the baking, because the chemistry of sugar with butter and flour with baking soda requires strict adherence to measurement.

Cut to now.

The Intel Reader is my Sous Chef; it photographed a bunch of my favorites like Apple Cheesecake Tart, the best Banana Yogurt Bread on earth, Zebra Shortbread and Chocolate Decadence Cake.

Hearing my recipes, converted to speech by the Intel reader, was like being reborn. It works like a charm…a cup of this, a tablespoon of that. I can stop and start the reading with the push of a button, or go back and review with the push of another. Some recipes are formatted perfectly, while others require a bit of toggling between ingredients and instructions. Sometimes the pronunciation is funny, in which case I look at it in the screen (zoomed to big letters), or listen to the spelling by holding down the “ok” button. I have to admit, sticky fingers may be a potential hazard; remember, the Intel Reader is not dishwasher safe.
I think this is another one of those things that happens to be good for me, but really could be better for everyone. Last week I watched a segment of Martha Stewart and one of her guests was a Wall Street Journal reporter who brought a new digital recipe reader. I watched with intense anticipation, waiting for it to speak, but there was no voice: this ‘reader’ required you to read to yourself. Isn’t that so last year?

Coming next…how I used the Intel Reader with forms and meeting notes.

Mastering the Mail with Intel Reader

2009-12-01T17:53:00.000-05:00

Every day, since I’ve had temporary custody of the Intel Reader, I’ve tackled my daily delivery of mail, with, almost, glee. Truth be known, reading mail was never something I did well, not even with 20 / 20 vision.

It’s one of those embarrassing things: the stigma of severe mail aversion. I know it’s dangerous to say I’m cured, but, for eight consecutive mail days, I’ve identified each piece and dealt with it.

Thanks to the Intel Reader! For me, a little like mail rehab, I photograph the envelope first, then the contents. Works very well on postcards, which I can’t usually even figure out where they’re from. No intense concentration necessary to read a page or two, I just listen to page after page and toss the majority of junk, eliminating the build up of mail.

It is the freedom of speech!

Coming next…the joy of cooking with Intel.

The Intel® Reader is Friendly

2009-11-25T14:30:00.002-05:00

A great benefit of working at the Lighthouse is that I get to try out new items that fall into the category of “vision-friendly technology.” Recently, I had the luxury of borrowing one of the newly released Intel® Readers.

I am pleased to report that I find the Intel Reader is as user-friendly as it claims to be. This, I know, is no small feat, because just about every device I come in contact with makes this same assertion, and way more often than not, I don’t make it past “Step 2” or “3.”

The key to my success…the relative simplicity of good design, along with the quick-start guide built right into the Reader. The user manual is also built in, eliminating the anxiety I usually feel upon encountering an instruction book that I will never be able to read. The buttons are tactile, each unique in its shape and position.

I’m feeling pretty proficient and I know that if I can operate this little machine…anyone can. (In fact, it feels kind of like one of those things you’ve borrowed from a friend but really don’t want to give back.)
Its function and assistive nature have grown on me, and it will be interesting to see what happens when I have to return it. Until then, I am discovering new ways to use it every day, and I am going to share my experiences in coming posts to talk about how the Intel reader works for me. Stay tuned.

The Freedom of Speech

2009-11-13T17:00:00.003-05:00

This week, Intel made a big, bold move, stepping squarely into my world with the launch of the Intel Reader. Frankly, I could not have dreamt up better company, and I applaud their interest in changing the world a little bit by creating a product that just might take the sting out of reading for millions who have difficulty with print due to dyslexia and declining vision.

The mastermind behind the Intel Reader is Ben Foss, a kid from New Hampshire (now 36), who managed his way ― all the way ― to, through and beyond Stanford Law School with severe dyslexia. While reading print, admittedly, was not one of his strengths, strategy clearly was! He knew early on that if he could get all those words past his dyslexia, the rest might be easy.

Last week, I had the great pleasure of participating in a number of press briefings on the Intel Reader, serving as an advocate for people with low vision, as well as sharing my perspective as a person in need of a “reading machine.”

The Intel Reader is coming home with me this weekend ― and we have big plans! First, I’m going to read my mail, which has been piling up. Then, I’ll break open a magazine or two, maybe Vogue first, then The New Yorker. And on Sunday, my plan is to take some of my favorite cookbooks off the shelf and try a new recipe. These things are suddenly possible again because the Intel Reader has a camera that photographs pages of text and converts it to speech. The technical aspects are of little interest to me; I just want to know if it will help me get back to things that I enjoy but have been unable to continue to do with less and less vision.

Everything happens for a reason. I’d like to think that Ben Foss was very successful at overcoming the challenges of dyslexia. And his endeavors may save millions of children and adults the embarrassment of having to say, “Sorry, I can’t read this.” Not to mention the unfortunate misperception that lack of intelligence or illiteracy is to blame.

Your Booming Market Awaits

2009-10-30T17:02:00.002-04:00

I met Andy Karp, of the Jobson Optical Group, at LITE 2009 and he graciously extended an invitation to write a guest column for Vision Monday, an online and print publication covering the optical industry. I was delighted to do it and used my 350 words to reconfirm (just in case anyone was wondering) that we (people with low vision) want good looking things, too!

Read my column titled, “Your Booming Market Awaits.”

Signs of The Times

2009-10-16T16:24:00.001-04:00

The printed newspaper, before long, will be a piece of nostalgia. I understand the desire of some to hang on to their dependence on newsprint, as I was forced to quit some time ago. It was not a habit I particularly wanted to kick, but one of the first things to go with declining vision is the ability to read newsprint – small fonts, bad contrast.

With such difficulty, one might think it best to let go, turn on CNN and be done with it. I tried, but quitting for me proved equally as difficult. It is no surprise that I moved with the herd to The New York Times on the Web, and while a definite improvement, it was still not the news-reading experience I was dreaming of.

Then, just a few months ago, I had, what I consider, a major breakthrough. Having signed up (reluctantly) for nytimes.com daily emails with “Today’s Headlines,” I was delighted to discover that I could scroll through article headlines, synopses, and links to full articles. Once linked, I click on “Print” to get a cleaned-up version of the article, which makes reading much easier with my eyes--or with my computer’s speech, a satisfying experience.

Sounds like a pretty simple solution, and indeed it is. Took me a while, but today I’m feeling it was worth the trip. Especially since so many people I’ve shared this with are switching, happily, to my method of reading nytimes.com, whether they were struggling or not. Good for me, better for everyone. Try it!

I continue to dream of the day I will be able to choose how I read the “paper” online. I will be able to select the font, the contrast, the layout, and I even get to choose the voice in which the paper is read to me, aloud. I know that day is coming!

Share The LIKE

2009-09-24T14:04:00.004-04:00

I want to hear from You!

Last week, hundreds of you joined us for LITE 2009, Lighthouse International Technology Expo, showcasing a variety of accessible tech items, designed to make life a little easier, for people with impaired vision.

I, like you, am seeking information, and my best resource, always, is people, passing the word. I have a long list of tips from others, and I always hope to repay the favor, by passing it forward, sharing it with another..

I’ll kick off the sharing with my biggest “LIKE” from LITE 2009 – Universal Access. Wickopedia’s definition: Universal access refers to the ability of all people to have equal opportunity and access to a service or product from which they can benefit... (read more). Certainly not a new concept, but somewhat of an emerging movement in accessible technology, driven by the massive ageing population, which I am delighted to be advantaged by.

This is the stuff my dreams are made of. LITE presentations by Apple and Google representing their passion and commitment to Universal Access. Their success proven by the fact that I use many of their products every day; iPod, iPhone, Google Accessible Web Search, Gmail, Blogger, Goog411.

Now it’s your turn to “share the like.”

What did you like at LITE?

Did you find what you were looking for?

LITE 2009

2009-09-15T15:41:00.004-04:00

Lighthouse International Technology Expo 2009

The day we've all been waiting for is almost here! Join us on Thursday, September 17, from 9:30am -- 4:30pm for LITE: a FREE technology expo showcasing assistive and everyday accessible technologies that make life easier for people with vision loss.

Throughout the day, see demonstrations, ask questions and get the latest information from more than 25 exhibitors showcasing their products and services. Visit www.lighthouse.org/LITE for a full list of vendors.

And don't forget to RSVP for one (or all) of our exciting seminars, including:

11:30 am Apple Innovations in Accessibility
1:30 pm Google's Accessible Solutions
3:00 pm Jitterbug's Simple Approach

All seminars are completely free, but sign up early, last year's events were crowded! To RSVP, or for more information on each of the seminars, visit www.lighthouse.org/LITE
See you Thursday!

Goog-411 Will Set You Free

2009-08-26T13:07:00.003-04:00

I lean heavily on 411. I use 411 information not only for the obvious telephone number searches, but also as my own (backup) navigation tool. For instance, if I am trying to find a store or restaurant in a location unfamiliar to me, I will call my destination ahead via 411 direct dial and ask for specifics like side of street, how many buildings from corner, color of awning, what is next door? With the push of a button and a few clearly spoken words, I can find the nearest Starbucks, or talking ATM at Bank of America. It’s my own version of the “easy button.”

Everyone needs 411 from time to time, and at a rate of $2 per call, just one call a day can double your cell phone bill for the month. If your vision impairment is significant, you may qualify for a 411 exemption with Verizon or AT&T (documentation required).
Or anyone can use 800-GOOG-411, Google’s free 411 business directory. It’s simple and I find the results better than the ones you pay for. Remember, GOOG-411 provides business listings and you can search by name or category. Program it to your speed dial: 800-466-4411.
Come on, get yourself free!

The iPhone Cometh

2009-07-16T13:39:00.003-04:00

A few days ago, I became the proud owner and user of the iPhone 3GS. I walked into Apple Fifth Avenue and asked a specialist to show me the iPhone’s new features like VoiceOver and Voice Control, which enable access to the screen without seeing it. I was introduced to Ian, a personal shopper, who knew of these upgrades to the iPhone but had not experienced them himself -- until now. He enthusiastically grabbed a phone. We were then joined by Gilbert, an Apple specialist, and we let the festivities begin!

With the push of one external button and a voice command or two, dialing calls and getting music was ours for the asking. Then VoiceOver was turned on, and at the tip of my fingers was the reality of audible access that I only dreamed could be this good. We all burst into big, big smiles, again proving my point: Good for me, better for everyone!

Now I’m on the iPhone learning curve (which, incidentally, everyone must go through). Rhythm is required. It’s a little like learning to dance: one click to hear what button you’re on, and two clicks to activate it…one, two-three…one, two- three…now you’re dancing! I’m learning one step at a time. First, I’ll master the waltz: sending, receiving calls, retrieving voicemail and managing contacts. Then I’ll learn to tango: texting (a first for me), music, e-mail, photos, videos, recordings. Then, I’ll conquer the world -- I’m sure there’s an app for that!

I’m still smiling.

Let me tell you again. I walked into an Apple store and bought the iPhone 3GS, the same phone that everyone buys. In the same store. And at the same price. No extra charge for the special features I need, they’re built in for everyone. Never thought being like everyone else could be so good.

For this, I give Apple a standing ovation!

Three Steps To A Smarter Phone

2009-07-10T13:47:00.005-04:00

There are smart phones (with email, Internet capability), and there are phones that are not smart --- shall we call them dumb? It’s never too late to help your dumb phone get a little smarter.

You may be able to set these features in your phone, but I suggest opting for the easy method, go to the tech desk at your local Verizon Wireless store (or the carrier of your choice), or make an appointment with a “Device Specialist” at a Verizon location, and ask to activate the features (listed below) in your cell phone. It makes a huge difference to ease of use, especially when you cannot see what’s on the screen.

1. Caller ID and Menu Readout:
announces incoming calls, menu names

2. Voice Commands: ask phone to dial contact by name, get messages, get time/date

3. Largest Font, Highest Contrast & Brightness: make screen text readable

My experience has been at Verizon, but I know you can get the same "smarts" at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile. Go ahead, ask.

Listen To Me

2009-06-12T14:00:00.006-04:00

It’s no secret that I love technology that speaks. For me, audible access is the last word. It is, after all, the problem-solver in the evolution of accessible everyday things. A few excellent examples: Talking ATMs, the iPod Nano with spoken menus and the Shuffle’s voice over. I applaud these big moves, and I anxiously await more to come.

At the top of my (soon to be published) Wish List is audible access on the web. Yes, that’s correct. I want websites to talk to me (and you). Why not? Wouldn’t you like the option to listen while the webpage is read to you?

I know how good this could be, because I get a taste of it now using ZoomText speech. Unfortunately, it is not consistent. Way too often, I will ask ZoomText to read a webpage, and it refuses, without explanation.

My wish is, now, your command. Thanks to Odiogo you can experience the beauty of speech, right on this blog. Just click the “Listen Now” button at the top and enjoy!

I’ll say it again--vision- friendly technology is good for everyone!

Thanks for listening --- now talk to me. Do you like this web option as much as I do?

Google Made Even Easier

2009-06-02T14:28:00.003-04:00

“Accessible” means: “easy to deal with.” As if Google was not already easy, Google’s Accessible Search (I kid you not) is even easier.

Before I discovered “Google Accessible Web Search, web searching was an activity I seriously considered giving up altogether because I seemed to often end up in a mess of links that led to pages I had tremendous difficulty reading.

Google Labs Accessible Web Search for the Visually Impaired (to some degree, that’s about half the US population, isn’t it?) delivers clean, uncluttered search results that are easy to read, no sponsored links, and pages are ordered by site accessibility (easiest to deal with first).

I know it’s great for me, and having converted many to Google Accessible Search users, I think it could be better for everyone.

The Kindle Too?

2009-05-22T11:47:00.004-04:00

So much comment is swirling around Amazon’s Kindle 2, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s all good (yes even the bad). Let’s face it – everyone is talking about it – everyone is aware of the Kindle 2! It’s brilliant.

The controversy stirred by the text-to-speech (tts) feature, which was to allow the Kindle 2 to read any ebook “aloud,” is good, too! It put this topic right out front. It seemed to peak when Roy Blount, the President of the Authors Guild, wrote an Op-Ed in the NY Times in defense of authors getting their fair share of the audio rights being infringed upon by the Kindle’s computerized voice. Amazon agreed to only activate the speech feature when authorized by the publisher.

I remain delighted and excited by the Kindle 2 and the literary experiences it can open to me (and to many millions).

With badly impaired central vision, my reading options have been drastically curtailed over the last few years. I am one of the people using “the software” Mr. Blount referred to, a program called ZoomText, which gives me the choice of magnifying print or having it read aloud. In fact, without it, his NY Times Opinion piece would not have been accessible at all to me. Even still, it would not be my favorite way of reading books.

I am an avid reader (buyer) of audio books. Although I revel in the thought and the reality of text turning to speech electronically, I would never choose a “tts” reader over the voice of the author or that of the professional reader. The voice of the reader can change everything for better, and sometimes not.

While I am quite fond of the voice in my computer, and the voice in my iPod, there are inevitably pronunciation errors, pregnant pauses, and instances where it just refuses to read a word entirely. At times, the lack of intonation and inflection becomes mind-numbing. Far from perfect and I dare say no competition for a human being.

Text-to-speech in the Kindle would solve a problem I’m facing right this minute; a couple of books I must read that are not available in audio version. I’ve attempted to convert “The Huffington Post Complete guide to Blogging” from “tts” with the KNFB Mobile Reader – one tortuous page at a time – I do not recommend it. Also, tried to read it under my video magnifier with print enlarged by 10x, so arduous and laborious that comprehension is extremely diminished. Both exercises left me longing for the mellifluous, Greek-accented voice of Arianna Huffington.
Have no fear, Authors Guild, computerized speech is simply an alternative that technology affords us, they will never replace humans in the business of audio book reading.

How are you reading? What are your thoughts on the Kindle 2?

Giving Credit To The Bank

2009-05-14T14:31:00.004-04:00

Giving Credit to the Bank

On my way to work this morning, I stopped at the ATM machine and checked my balance, moved money between accounts, and got cash. So, what’s the big deal, millions of people do this every day; it’s just that I was not one of them, until I discovered Talking ATM’s at Bank of America.

I’d been dreaming of ATM’s that talked, because banking on the fly was out of the question. I could go, only, to the ATM at my (former) bank, push the buttons (as committed to memory), and pray that the machine would spit my requested currency out. Success was like hitting the jackpot!

Then, my dream came true. I learned that most ATM’s today are built to speak, some just are never given a voice. I was shown to the precious earphone jack, at the right of the keypad. Plugged my iPod earphones into the ATM and experienced euphoria!

It was so good, I couldn’t stop. Some mornings, I’d drop in at four or five banks on my way to work…looking for the earphone jack, seeing if they all would talk to me. I was rolling in cash, and racking up the ATM fees (a small price for freedom!).

The conclusion of my ATM Listening Tour: Bank of America, hands down the best in accessibility. (You know, accessibility is one of my favorite words, meaning easy to deal with.) ‘B of A’ definitely does that, and they even call it “Accessible Banking.” Their ATM’s were so consistently good, and their “red” Banking Centers, so easy to find; I, without hesitation, became a Bank of America customer.

I am, certainly, no Talking ATM expert, but an enthusiastic advocate, who recommends everyone give it a whirl. I think you’ll like it. I’ve heard Wells Fargo (now also Wachovia) does a good job. HSBC has the jacks, but, so far, no freedom of speech. People have told me that Chase has talkers, but they, for some reason, will not speak to me.

Go, take your ear buds, and try it. If it’s not available at your bank, ask why? By now they should all have voice, don’t you agree?

Simply Jitterbug

2009-05-07T15:57:00.006-04:00

On more than one occasion, I have overheard a frustrated customer in a cell phone store asking for “an uncomplicated phone for sending and receiving calls, that’s all, no cameras, no music, just calls!” Well, have I got a phone for you! the Jitterbug cell phone was designed for simplicity and marketed to baby boomers (and their parents). I am told constantly how simple some electronic or tech device is to use – nine out of ten times, it’s not true. The Jitterbug’s simplicity, however, I can vouch for. This is a phone that really takes the angst out. This phone does come with a little something extra. Imagine calling the Jitterbug Operator for help in setting up your phone book and learning how to use the phone. No need to read pages and pages of a user’s manual to figure out the obvious, because all the features are obvious. The keypad is high contrast and very tactile. Voice dialing as easy as it gets. The screen is big and bright, and the phone book comes up in large, clean type. We’re not at all surprised that the Jitterbug is great for people who are visually impaired because that darling Jitterbug Operator is always standing by to get you where you want to go, with just the push of the O. This is a concept that I am wild about, wish I had a Jitterbug Operator for everything, don’t you? Jitterbug is not carried by any of the usual suspects; its service provider is Great Call Inc., Jitterbug’s parent company. You will not find Jitterbug everywhere, but you will find it here in the Lighthouse Store (111 East 60 Street, NYC Ph: (212)821-9687). It sells for $149 plus a one-time activation charge of $35 and service plans begin at $10. And I hear Jitterbug will soon make text messaging easy too. (You know you want to). Go ahead, take the step…simplify.

Does simplicity interest you?

In A Nano

2009-05-06T15:36:00.007-04:00

Could not be more pleased that it is Apple’s “Vision” to so boldly embrace the concept of universal accessibility ….great for people who cannot see so good, better for everyone. In fact, their symbol for Universal Access, a figure with open arms, is clearly about inclusion. At this point, having an iPod is sort of like having a computer…you just do, and you may even have a couple. I received my first iPod, a gift, all set up and ready to go. I was taught (patiently) to navigate the menus which, for the most part, I could barely see. Having mastered the art of navigating in the dark, I happily joined the ranks of millions of iPod music lovers and audio book readers. And then, last September, enter the iPod nano (4th generation) with the life-changing option: spoken menus (and the very recent release of the iPod shuffle with voice over). This took me from happiness to heaven! Could literally find an artist, album, song in seconds --- click, scroll, click --- hearing what I don’t see, every step of the way. Actually, now it feels like I do see. I highly recommend the experience. Good for everyone, don’t you agree?

What's It All About

2009-05-05T13:02:00.002-04:00

For a while, I have been collecting items in a virtual folder labeled “Easy On The Eyes,” which I often pull from and share with people I encounter everyday. Over the last few years, I have come to realize that this resource filed in my head has relevance that reaches far beyond the population of people, who like me, have a serious vision impairment, well into the general population.

Most of us experience the same degree of difficulty in reading the text on a cell phone screen, or a Blackberry, or an iPod (until recently). Who isn’t reaching for the readers and the pocket magnifiers?

Happy to report, these issues are not going unnoticed. More and more mainstream corporations and makers of widely used electronic and technology devices are stepping into the arena of accessibility (simply means making things easy to deal with). After all, who can ignore a market 100 million strong and growing?

I am delighted to have the opportunity to launch this blog, and share with you the many wonderful developments in ‘vision-friendly technology.’ A good many things that make life easier for me, I've learned about from others, word of mouth, and I am pleased to be able to pass it along. So here we go, blogging our way to many, many times the numbers that good old word-of-mouth can reach.

There is a lot to cover already…and so much to come. Great news like crossing over of the iPod nano and shuffle with voice over for spoken menus) and the Kindle 2’s six font sizes, text-to-speech option and (soon) a big screen version, over-the-counter cell phones with voice recognition and audio output, talking ATMs and Metro Card Vending machines; and how Disney is making theme parks accessible with descriptive narration and GPS, and how IBM sees personal technology developing in the near term. And, more, more, more, more!
Remember, the fact is, when it’s good for people with impaired vision, it’s actually better for everyone!