Hi Harry

This is GREAT!

Now some questions:

How can people help back you up?

Have you reached out to any local or national blind orgs or other orgs 
representing people with disabilities?

Maybe I am just getting middle-aged, but I would rather not be taking 
on a big monster corporation all by myself. Plus, I assume the comment 
about seeing if there is market will not be the last aggravating 
comment you will hear. When I hear comments like that sometimes my 
brain just leaves the room. So I am better off if there is someone else 
still listening and hopefully if that person's brain is going to leave 
the room at different times than mine.

Um, cough, IT'S THE LAW so by definition there is market.  And the law 
is the same for everybody including the competition. Of course it is 
not necessarily terrible if the forces that enforce the law help back 
things up, but...

Anyway, GOOD LUCK with the next steps.

DoreneC

-----Original Message-----
From: Harry Brown <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:16 am
Subject: [VICUG-L] progress, but, I'm discusted

Hi all,
Harry here, and here's the latest, for those of you who want to know 
the
latest.
Here's what I wrote and here's where I'm going with Motorola.

"The blind and disabled require
the following accessibility features:
1.  Start a process where Motorola and
disabled folks=2
0who want to use their phones and can’t, can get together 
for a
monthly meeting to discuss what accessibility features these users need 
on the
Motorola phones.  Harry will find
those who want to serve on this access board.
2.  Motorola should contract with existing
screen reader developers so that the software is installed on the 
phones at the
users request without users having to pay extra, because sighted folks 
don’t
have to pay extra for this software to simply use a phone.  We’re part 
way there, because the folks
at Handytech North America, will install the speech software on 
Motorola phones,
but they don’t sell the phones, so, Motorola needs to get ahold of them 
and let
them sell their phones with screen readers built in.  Here’s how to 
contact Handytech North
America:
Phone: (651) 636-5184
Fax: (866) 347-8249
E-mail:
[log in to unmask]
The President and CEO of the
company is Earl Harison, and that’s who you want to talk with about 
getting this
done.
3.  The buttons on all Motorola phones
should be separated from each other, and slightly raised so those with 
limited
touch can find the right buttons.
4.  The menus must be spoken, meaning, each
icon on the screen must be spoken, and when the user clicks on the 
icon, then
you’re in a menu, and all menu items must speak, because currently, a 
blind user
would not be able to c
hange telephone settings at all.
5. Currently, none of the keys
are spoken when pressed, and that must change.
6.  There must be a voice indicator that
tells the user when the phone is roaming.
7.  the caller ID doesn’t speak when a call
comes in, and that must change.
8.  The battery indicator doesn’t speak and
tell the user if the battery is low or not, and that must change.
9.  The blind user cannot enter contacts in
the phone book, and that must change.
10.  The GPS feature must speak, and I know
how to get that done.
11.  The text in text messages (both sent and
received), cannot be spoken as well, and that must change.
12.  The web browser doesn’t speak, so the
user cannot use the web.  Now if web
browsing on these phones lets the user get news, sports scores, and 
stock quotes
and not whole web pages, then, as I told Scott, Heather, and Katie in
yesterday’s conversation, then it’s not necessary.  But, if entire web 
pages can be read on
these phones, then we have to have access to that as well.
13.  Voice input must be put on these phones,
because there are users, (both blind and sighted), who cannot use their 
hands.
 So, all features must be interacted
with and used by just speaking what the user wants.
14.  higher volume, meaning amplification,
for those with hearing difficulties.
I require that Motorola Inc.
respond to me i
n detail.
Motorola Inc. has violated
section 255 of the communications act.
The following codes of federal
regulations have been violated by Motorola Inc.
Motorola Inc., has violated:
Under 36 CFR § 1193.31,
telecommunications equipment shall be accessible to and usable by 
individuals
with disabilities.
36 CFR § 1193.41 requires that
input, control, and mechanical functions shall be locatable, 
identifiable, and
operable by at least one mode that does not
require user vision.
36 CFR § 1193.43 requires that
all information necessary to operate and use the product, including 
text, static
or dynamic images, icons, labels, sounds,
or incidental operating cues,
shall be available through at least one mode in auditory form.
Harry’s note--This auditory form
must be in speech, because beeps, and other sounds is not good enough.  
The words on the screen must be spoken
or we cannot and will not, buy their phones."
So folks, that's where we
are.
Now, the part that disgusts
me.  It's all about the money folks, it's all about the money.  Harry
doesn't think that way, however.  I talked with someone from Boost, and 
he
said "well, it's all about the market, we'll half to see if we have a 
market for
that technology."
This capitolism stuff is junk,
sometimes.  People are more than dollar signs, darn it all, anyway.
So, Friday at 4 PM eastern time,
I will be having round 2 with Motorola.  I wi
ll tell them, we will not 
take
half hearted access!
Harry
 




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