> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> 
> Contact:
> 
> Steve Jacobs, President
> IDEAL Group, Inc. and,
> CEO, Apps4Android, Inc.
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> 
> Open Source Android Video Magnifier Released
> 
> Open Source, Android Video Magnifier Released in Support of Raising the
> Floor, Reducing the Cost, and Leveling the Playing Field for Individuals
> with Low Vision.
> 
> HILLIARD, OH August 2, 2010 - IDEAL Group Apps4Android, Inc. announced
> today the release of an open source, Android video magnifier. Just like
> its name implies, IDEAL Magnifier turns your Android device into a
> portable video magnifier.
> 
> This application goes beyond merely magnifying text and objects. It
> takes advantage of the processing power of Android to apply filters
> which make the objects and text being viewed much easier to see. For
> example, users can use a black and white mode to eliminate distracting
> colors. Users can invert colors for high contrast viewing of white on
> black images and text. Tinting can be applied. For dim light conditions,
> the user has the option of turning on the phone's flash LED as a light
> source. All magnification and filtering happen in real time. This makes
> the video image smooth. There is no time lag. If what is being viewed
> appears blurry, all the user needs to do is tap the screen and it will
> automatically refocus.
> 
> This application has been open-sourced in support of the Raising the
> Floor Initiative. http://raisingthefloor.net/
> 
> IDEAL Magnify uses advanced features which were only introduced in
> Froyo, the most recent release of Android. Froyo provides developers
> much more control over the Android camera. As a result, your Android
> device must be running Froyo in order to use this application!
> 
> The source code may be found and downloaded from the following page:
> http://apps4android.org/ideal-magnifier.htm
> 
> As with all of their previous development projects, IDEAL will be
> contributing their open source code to Google's Eyes-Free Project.
> 
> According to Steve Jacobs the President of IDEAL Group, "About three
> months our developers downloaded and tested all the video magnifiers
> available on Android market. It became apparent that there was a need
> for a higher-quality, more feature-rich magnifier, so we decided to rise
> to the occasion."
> 
> Given the high cost of dedicated devices that perform similar
> magnification functions, Jacobs hopes this free, open source,
> high-quality video magnifier will benefit millions of individuals with
> low vision.
> 
> According to Gregg Vanderheiden, Director, Trace Center, University of
> Wisconsin-Madison, "We are pleased to see this latest in IDEAL Group's
> the series of open source apps. These apps both raise the floor for
> people with disabilities and create an open source platform that people
> with disabilities and others can build on in developing ever better tools."
> 
> About IDEAL Group Apps4Android:
> 
> Apps4Android, Inc. is an Android software development company dedicated
> to developing free/low-cost, high-quality, mobile applications that
> enhance the quality-of-life, independence, employability and educational
> success of individuals with disabilities... and everyone else! They have
> 775,000+ active users in 46 countries. For more information:
> http://apps4android.org/
> 
> About Raising the Floor (RtF):
> 
> Raising the Floor is an international consortium of organizations and
> individuals focused on ensuring that people experiencing disabilities,
> literacy problems, or the effects of aging are able to access and use
> all of the information, resources, services, and communities available
> on or through the Web. Of particular concern are those with limited or
> no resources. For more information:
> http://raisingthefloor.net/about
> 
> This work is supported in part with funds from the National Institute on
> Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education,
> grant number H133E080022 to the University of Wisconsin Trace R&D
> Center. Users of The IDEAL Accessible K9 E-Mail and IDEAL Item
> Identifier should not assume endorsement by either the Department of
> Education or the federal government.
> 
> ###


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