Hi Peter,  Great information.  I am still looking for a cell phone I can
use with my fat feelingless fingers.  Here in San Diego we are examining
ways Sedgways are not endagering blind and/or disabled persons.  Roller
blades and bicycles are dangers to blind and physically handicapped
person right now.  We don't need one more silent wheeled vehicle on our
sidewalks.  A talking remote to set my TV, VCR, Microwave, Sterio, Tape
deck player and tape recorder, DVD player, Oven timer, Security Systen
Program etc.  Gosh, it all sounds so wonderful I can hardly wait for my
new voice activated one piece remote that does it all.  Peter, keep the
good news coming.  Gordon Wahl
####

Peter Altschul wrote:
>
> Check out esp. the first two items.
>
> Peter
>
>                 NEWS NOTES FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE
>
> For the week ending August 1, 2003.
>
>       *  Blind couch potatoes Unite!  Your time has come.
>
>       Tired of all those remotes hanging around the house and you
> have no idea where the kids, the dog, or you put them all?  Worse
> yet, you have to keep straight all the different combinations to
> turn on the cable, the TV, the VCR, SAP and who knows what else
> and then remember how to get them all to cooperate just to watch
> a program.  What's a blind couch potato to do?
>
>       Well charlie Crawford got a demo talking remote control this
> week and just can't wait to set it up.  Imagine just walking in
> the room and with your voice saying "channel 4 please" and all of
> a sudden all the stuff turns on and there it is.  You can even
> say "sap" and it will turn on the secondary audio channel if you
> have a setting for it on your equipment.  Not bad eh?  News notes
> will let you know more if charlie ever stops watching TV.  the
> remote is called the Accenda and looks like it just might be a
> winner.
>
>       *  Talking cell phone is here, but not all quite there.
>
>       Imagine the anticipation when Charlie Crawford got an email
> from President Gray pointing to a web site where we could hear
> accessible cell phone software.  Yes, it works and even with a
> couple of domestic cell phone carriers, but wouldn't ya know it,
> there are problems.
>
>       First, the software is licensed in europe and they want a
> fee for their product.  This means another round of potential
> problems with the cell phone service providers who might forget
> their obligations under Section 255 of the Telecomm Act to not
> charge for accessibility.  So we will need to make sure companies
> don't charge blind folks for just having access to the info
> others use.  Next there are only a couple of phones with which
> the software currently  works for the moment and these are poorly
> designed for the use of blind users.  New phones will be
> accessible soon enough though.  That's the bad news, the good
> news is that we can demonstrate a real application for access to
> cell phones which overcomes industry representations that the fix
> is not readily achievable.  We have a strategy to move this ball
> along rather quickly and you'll know about it real soon.
>
>       *  ACB meets with Segway reps: hope springs eternal?
>
>       None of us have been too impressed with the political
> activities of the Segway makers who have been busy trying to get
> state legislatures to allow segways on sidewalks.    ACB even has
> a resolution against such a dangerous situation from evolving.
>                 So with the above in mind, we met with some political people
> who work with the company and we are looking to find ways of
> protecting our safety.  we believe we have made a bit of
> progress.  The exact nature of what is to come is still
> uncertain, but we can stay faithful to the reasons for our
> resolution while exploring ways to enhance the positive
> pedestrian environment that resolution seeks to promote and
> protect.
>
>       *  National office bids a fond farewell to our interns.
>
>       Just when we get all comfortable with our summer interns, it
> always seems we have to let them go on with their lives.  ACB has
> been very fortunate to have had Rebecca and Carlos with us this
> summer and we will miss them around the office.  A big thanks
> from all of ACB for your work, your participation in our lives
> and we look forward to seeing you often at ACB activities in the
> future.  Be well, be happy and we are pleased to have been
> helpful in whatever little way we have been able to contribute to
> your success.
>
>       *  ACB sends letter of support for GDUI complaint at DOJ.
>
>       In compliance with a resolution on the matter at convention,
> ACB has sent a letter to the Department of Justice in direct
> support of the need to move their process along to make sure
> proper attention is paid to the complaint of Guide Dog Users
> Incorporated on behalf of Ms. Stephanie Dohmen to uphold the
> rights of guide dog users seeking to participate in
> rehabilitation programs.
>
>       *  ACB fiscal year 2004 budget process about to launch.
>
>       Are you ready?  Get Set, Go!  ACB Executive Director Charlie
> Crawford will soon be analyzing all the data from our budget
> tracking systems and talking with the President and Chief
> Financial Officer and Budget Committee to see if we can get a
> budget up and ready for Board consideration soon.  This process
> is very time consuming but vital in protecting the interests of
> our members and operations of our organization.  To paraphrase an
> old country song: So pour me another cup of coffee, cause I got
> the budget in my hand.  Put another nickel in the jute box, cause
> I'm a numbers driving man.
>
>                                 ***
>
>       News notes is a compilation of the highlights of the events
> of the preceding week and is not intended to provide a
> comprehensive listing of all activities, or treatment of the
> topics mentioned.  For information and more detailed treatment of
> especially legislative concerns, call the Washington Connection
> at 800-424-8666 nights and weekends eastern time.  Be sure to
> read the Braille Forum each month and check in with the ACB web
> site and radio at WWW.ACB.ORG a
> nd WWW.ACBRADIO.ORG respectively.
>
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VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
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[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
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 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
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