>
>AccessWorld(R) Extra
>A bi-monthly e-mail newsletter of additional AccessWorldR content
>
>
>
>
>Volume 9, Number 3
>June 2009
>
>"Remove" instructions at bottom
>
>Contents
>1. From the Editor
>2. Readers' Corner
>3. Coming Soon in AccessWorld
>4. What's New
>5. Contact Us
>
>Note: This material is copyright C 2009,
>American Foundation for the Blind and may not be
>reprinted or reproduced electronically without
>permission. AccessWorldR is a registered
>trademark of the American Foundation for the Blind.
>
>=================
>
>
>1. From the Editor
>
>
>
>
>=================
>
>Dear AccessWorld Reader: Welcome to the June
>2009 edition of AccessWorld Extra, the e-mail
>newsletter produced by AccessWorld staff members six times per year.
>
>This month's Readers' Corner includes your
>responses to our questions about access to the
>Kindle 2 from Amazon.com. This month, we ask you
>about the digital television conversion that took place on June 12.
>
>Your comments are always welcome. What do you
>think of the articles in the current issue of
>AccessWorld? Do you have any technology
>questions that you'd like us to answer for you?
>Perhaps you have a comment on one of the news stories in this issue.
>
>This issue also includes the coming attractions
>from the July issue of AccessWorld and the latest news.
>
>AccessWorld Extra is designed to be easy to read
>for everyone. Items are numbered, and you can
>search for the beginning of the next item, since
>each item is preceded by a line of equal signs.
>
>Send your comments to
><mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>This e-mail newsletter is meant to provide more
>of what you have told us you want--more of
>AccessWorld. We hope you will love it, but if
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>We encourage you to forward AccessWorld Extra to
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>may benefit from the news and information in
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>sure to forward the entire issue, including the copyright notice.
>
>Jay Leventhal
>Editor-in-Chief
>
>=================
>
>
>Readers' Corner
>
>
>
>
>=================
>
>Here's your forum for talking to us and to each
>other. This month, we ask about the digital
>television conversion that took place on June 12.
>
>To answer this survey, go to the AccessWorld
>home page
><http://www.afb.org/accessworld>www.afb.org/accessworld
>and select the link "Take our survey on the
>digital TV conversion." If you are not
>comfortable answering surveys on the web, you
>can answer the survey below and e-mail your response to us.
>
>This month's questions are:
>
>1. How do you receive television programming?
>__Cable
>__Satellite
>__Over-the-air using a digital TV converter box
>__Over-the-air broadcast with an HDTV
>__On the web
>__Other (please specify)
>
>2. What kind of remote control do you use for TV?
>__The control that came with your TV/set-top box
>__A mainstream universal remote
>__An accessible remote
>
>4. If you answered "accessible remote" in the
>last question, please indicate which one you have.
>_____________________
>
>5. How often do you watch TV shows with video description?
>__Every day
>__A few times a week
>__Less than once a week
>__Less than once a month
>__Never
>
>6. Until June 12, video description was
>delivered over an audio portion of the analog
>channel known as the Secondary Audio Program
>(SAP.) Have you tried to access description since June 12?
>__Yes
>__No
>
>6. If yes, did the digital transmission of video description work:
>__Better than SAP
>__Just as well as SAP
>__Not as well as SAP
>__Not at all
>
>7. Do you have difficulty adjusting any of the
>following functions independently on your
>current television? Check all that apply.
>__Selecting channels
>__Controlling volume
>__Selecting video description
>
>8. How do you find out about TV program schedules?
>__On the web
>__NFB Newsline
>__From friends or family
>__Other (please specify)
>
>In April, we asked you about access to the
>Kindle 2 from Amazon.com. We received 76 responses.
>
>We asked:
>
>1. What types of electronic publications do you read currently?
>Books: 72
>Magazines: 50
>Newspapers: 47
>Other (please specify): 11
>Blogs: 2
>Podcasts: 3
>
>2. On which device or devices do you read electronic books?
>Computer using a screen reader: 55
>Victor Reader Stream: 38
>PDA/notetaker, such as the PAC Mate or BrailleNote: 30
>A software player such as WinAmp or Windows Media Player: 23
>iPod: 8
>Another commercial MP3 player not listed here: 7
>MuVo: 4
>Victor Reader Classic Series: 4
>BookCourier: 3
>Icon/Braille+: 3
>Book Port: 2
>iPod Shuffle: 2
>Plextalk Pocket: 2
>Other (please specify): 16
>
>3. From what sources do you get your electronic books?
>The National Library Service's Digital Talking Book web site: 42
>Bookshare.org: 40
>The National Library Service's Web-Braille: 33
>Commercial CDs: 32
>Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic: 31
>Audible.com: 25
>Electronic book repositories such as Project Gutenberg: 23
>Other (please specify): 19
>
>4. As you may be aware, there is a controversy
>with the Authors' Guild and Amazon.com's Kindle
>2 e-book reader and its text-to-speech
>capabilities. How important do you think it is
>for the Kindle 2 to offer text-to-speech capability?
>Very important: 58
>Somewhat important: 6
>Neither important nor unimportant: 4
>Somewhat unimportant: 3
>Very unimportant: 2
>
>5. Amazon's Kindle 2, including the
>text-to-speech feature, is not usable by people
>who cannot see the screen. If Amazon.com
>releases an accessible version of the Kindle
>2, how likely would you be to buy it at its current price of $350?
>Very likely: 24
>Somewhat likely: 18
>Neither likely nor unlikely: 10
>Somewhat unlikely: 9
>Very unlikely: 9
>
>6. At the highest setting, the Kindle 2 can
>display a book's text at size 16-point font.
>If you have low vision, are you able to
>comfortably read 16-point font for extended
>periods of time?
>Yes: 8
>No: 25
>I do not have low vision: 25
>
>7. The Kindle's QWERTY keyboard, navigation
>buttons, and onscreen menus use 6-point and
>8-point fonts. How easy is it for you to read these font sizes?
>Very easy: 0
>Somewhat easy: 1
>Neither easy nor difficult: 10
>Somewhat difficult: 6
>Very difficult: 35
>
>8. The Kindle Store offers over 250,000 books
>and magazines in a proprietary format.
>If these materials were accessible, how
>attractive would you find the Kindle Store's
>$9.99 book price?
>Very attractive: 36
>Somewhat attractive: 21
>Neither attractive nor unattractive: 10
>Somewhat unattractive: 3
>Very unattractive: 1
>
>=================
>
>
>3. Coming Soon in AccessWorld
>
>
>
>
>=================
>
>We hope you are enjoying the May 2009 AccessWorld, featuring:
>
> *
> <http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw100303>A
> review of Wayfinder Access GPS;
> *
> <http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw100304>A wrap-up of CSUN
2009;
> *
> <http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw100305>An
> article on accessible pedestrian signals in San Francisco;
> * and more.
>
>
>You can read the issue for free or download
>printer-ready or braille-embosser-ready files at
><http://www.afb.org/accessworld>www.afb.org/accessworld.
>Don't miss the July 2009 issue, coming soon. This issue will bring you:
>
>Navigating by Phone: A Review of Wayfinder Access GPS and Mobile Geo, Part
2
>Darren Burton and Tara Annis
>
>We present the second in a two-part series
>evaluating Wayfinder Access and Mobile Geo, two
>accessible cell phone-based GPS navigation
>systems that can be used in conjunction with
>cell phone screen-reading software. This article
>focuses on Mobile Geo, and offers a comparison
>of the two products' features and functions.
>Find out how well Mobile Geo performed.
>
>Lowering the Price of Braille: A Review of the Seika Braille Display
>Deborah Kendrick
>
>We review the Seika Braille Display, distributed
>by Perkins Products. Developed in Japan, the
>Seika is a 40-cell display. Its most compelling
>feature is a $2,495 price tag, making it far
>less expensive than other 40-cell displays. Read
>our review of this new display.
>
>Good News on the Home Front: An Update on Appliance Accessibility
>Bradley Hodges
>
>The author has been out again scouting the
>stores for accessible appliances. His latest
>report contains encouraging news about stoves,
>washers and dryers, and air conditioners. If you
>are in the market for new appliances, you will want to read this update.
>
>Even More Ways to Communicate: A Review of Twitter and Google Voice
>Janet Ingber
>
>We cover two new ways to communicate with
>friends, family and co-workers. Twitter is a
>social networking site that allows you to post
>short messages that answer the question "what
>are you doing." Google Voice is a service that
>allows users the option of having calls ring on
>several phones at the same time (such as home
>and cell), provides an online voice message
>mailbox and much more. Find out how easy it is
>to set up accounts and use these services.
>
>Are You on BARD? The Long-awaited Switch to Digital Talking Books
>Guido D. Corona
>
>We describe the National Library Service for the
>Blind and Physically Handicapped's (NLS)
>transition to Digital Talking Books. A growing
>number of readers are already downloading books
>from the NLS site. Others are participating in a
>beta test of NLS's new machines. This article
>covers the plans for the transition, and walks
>you through the process of downloading books.
>
>=================
>
>
>4. What's New?
>
>
>
>
>=================
>
>New iPhone Includes VoiceOver
>
>Earlier this month, Apple introduced the new
>iPhone 3G S. Among the iPhone 3G S's myriad new
>features is the addition of VoiceOver, the Apple
>screen reader. Apple says that VoiceOver will
>enable users who are blind or visually impaired
>to make calls, read e-mail, browse web pages,
>play music, and run applications. Apple's new
>universal Zoom function magnifies the entire
>screen, and the White on Black feature reverses
>the colors on screen to provide higher contrast
>for people with low vision. We look forward to
>finding out whether the addition of a screen
>reader will be enough to make the touch screen
>of the iPhone usable. For more information,
>visit
><http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/vision.html>www.apple.com/access
ibility/iphone/vision.html.
>
>New Book on Accessible iPods
>
>National Braille Press has published Using the
>Accessible iPod by Anna Dresner. The book will
>tell you how to: get started with iTunes; put
>the music, playlists, audiobooks and podcasts
>you want on your computer and into your iPod;
>get speech from your iPod; and use all
>accessible features of your iPod. There is also
>a troubleshooting section, a list of helpful
>resources, and information on how your iPod
>organizes music. This book is available in
>braille, PortaBook, ASCII text/Word, and DAISY
>formats, and costs $15. For more information,
>contact: National Braille Press: phone: 800-548-7323; web site:
www.nbp.org.
>
>New Video Magnifier
>
>The RUBY is a new handheld video magnifier from
>Freedom Scientific. The RUBY has a 4-inch
>screen, and magnifies from 2x to 14x. A single button can switch among five
>different viewing modes--full color for viewing
>photos and four enhanced contrast
>modes for reading text. The RUBY costs $745 and
>will be available for purchase in July. For more
>information, contact Freedom Scientific: phone:
>800-444-4443; web site: www.freedomscientific.com.
>
>AFB's New Accessibility Assurance Program
>
>AFB Consulting, the consulting arm of the
>American Foundation for the Blind, recently
>launched its new initiative in web
>accessibility, the Accessibility Assurance
>Program (AAP). The AAP is a program for making
>web sites accessible to all individuals,
>including people with disabilities. People with
>disabilities, particularly those with various
>forms of serious vision loss, face significant
>barriers when accessing information, products
>and services on the web. To participate in the
>AAP, companies and organizations make the following commitments:
>1. Enabling consumers with disabilities to use
>their web site(s) by applying accessible design
>standards and by providing
>accessibility-specific help features (FAQs, tips, tricks, techniques,
etc.).
>2. Enabling consumers with disabilities to
>report accessibility problems they encounter,
>and to making reasonable efforts to respond to
>and/or remediate any such problems identified in a timely manner.
>3. Providing opportunities for consumers with
>disabilities to influence the accessible design
>of future enhancements and upgrades.
>
>You can learn more about AFB Consulting by
>visiting
<http://www.afb.org/afbconsulting.asp>www.afb.org/afbconsulting.asp.
>
>Techshare 2009: Making the Most of Technology
>
>The Royal National Institute of Blind People
>(RNIB) will host Techshare 2009 September 16-18
>at ExCeL London, in London's Royal Victoria
>Docks. Techshare is a series of international
>events which highlight the importance of digital
>technology in the lives of people with disabilities.
>
>Techshare events bring together leading
>organizations and technology companies to share
>their research, products, and services with the
>international community. Those active in this
>diverse field can share best practices as well
>as learn from the experiences of other individuals and organizations.
>
>This year's event will include expert-led,
>pre-conference workshops, presentations on
>innovative digital access technology,
>high-profile key speakers, a networking drinks
>reception, and a conference dinner. There will
>also be an exhibition of leading digital
>products and services for people with
>disabilities, which is open to the public and
>free to attend. Interest in the event has
>already been high, and 90 abstracts have been
>received from people around the world keen to
>present at Techshare 2009. The hot topics this year are:
>* E-books and e-publishing
>* Netbooks and mobile telephony
>* E-Inclusion policy and regulation
>* Affordable technology
>* The significance of the touch screen
>* What might the United Nations Convention on
>the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) offer us?
>* Technology and aging related disability
>* Innovation showcase
>
>Online booking is now open, and a discounted
>Early Bird booking rate is available until June
>30. For more information, contact the Techshare
>Team: phone: +44 (0)121 665 4240; e-mail:
><mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask];
>web site: <http://www.rnib.org.uk/techshare>www.rnib.org.uk/techshare.
>
>=================
>
>
>5. Contact Us
>
>
>
>
>=================
>
>Editor in Chief
>Jay Leventhal: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>Contributing Editors
>Founding Editor: Paul Schroeder: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>Senior Features Editor: Deborah Kendrick: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>Darren Burton: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>Crista L. Earl: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>Mark M. Uslan: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>Managing Editor
>Elizabeth Neal: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>Marketing Manager
>Sharon Baker-Harris: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>Web site: <http://www.afb.org/accessworld>www.afb.org/accessworld
>
>General e-mail: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>AccessWorldR, AFB's premier technology
>publication, is a free, web-based magazine. It
>offers multiple options for reading and sharing
>content, including a braille embosser-ready
>file, a printer-friendly version, and an "e-mail
>this article to a friend" option.
>
>To advertise, contact the AFB Press Advertising
>Department; phone: 212-502-7652; e-mail:
><mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>To submit an article, question for the Questions
>and Answers column, or Letter to the Editor,
>contact: Jay Leventhal; phone: 212-502-7639;
>e-mail: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]
>
>AccessWorld Extra is published bi-monthly by
>American Foundation for the Blind, 11 Penn
>Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001. Products
>included in AccessWorld Extra are not
>necessarily endorsed by AccessWorldR or AFB
>staff. All rights reserved. Copyright C 2009,
>American Foundation for the Blind.
>
>AccessWorldR is a registered trademark of the
>American Foundation for the Blind.
>
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