Press Release: Serotek Turns 7

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Serotek is celebrating our seventh birthday, but you get the gifts.

now thru Feb. 22, 2009, get 25% off any software purchase of $399 or more. Get licenses for two computers to run System Access, with free lifetime upgrades, starting at just $299.
Try the System Access Mobile Network (SAMNet) for just $129 per year, and get the 13th month absolutely free.
And for existing SAMNet members, for every first-time user that you refer who signs up for one year of SAMNet, you will receive one free month of the network. Instruct the person to enter your name in the customer referral field during the signup process, and we'll take care of the rest.
Whether you need a better screen reading technology, or want a second option for maximum accessibility, there has never been a better time or better price for state-of-the-art computer access. Offers valid from Monday, Feb. 16 through Midnight Eastern, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009.

For more information, call (866) 202-0520 or visit
https://secure.samobile.net/signup/account_info.html

Quick News: Dolphin, Freedom Scientific And Ai Squared

Dolphin 10,02 Released: Dolphin have updated their line of products to version 10.02. This is a free update for version 10 users. Learn more about the update at the link below.

http://yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=309

Freedom Scientific Webinars: FS added a link to their main page a few weeks ago that sports some nifty stuff on training opportunities.

http://www.freedomscientific.com/training/e-LearningEntrance.asp

Zoom Text Webinar: Ai2 is also doing the Web Training thing. Here is a bit from their latest newsletter on their upcoming event.

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Free ZoomText Webinar!
Join us for a free webinar titled "Improving Screen Colors and Contrast with ZoomText and Windows." This one-hour webinar will focus on leveraging ZoomText's color and contrast features based on an individual's particular needs. We will also explore the color option s in Windows and in common Windows applications.
The webinar takes place February 24th from 2pm to 3pm and will be presented by Maurie Hill, a ZoomText user and Ai Squared technical support veteran. Space is limited, so sign up right away. Send email to training@aisquared.com.

ATIA: 64 Dolphins Going Solo

Eye Pal Solo: Like the ABISee Eye Pal but you don’t want to drag a laptop around with you every where you go to read stuff? Want something a little less complicated than the KNFB Reader? Then the Eye Pal Solo may be for you..

http://www.abisee.com/html/products_eyepalSOLO.htm

Dolphin 64: I seemed to have missed this PR blurb back when I was talking about programs in the x64 posts. But here is the link to the Dolphin site where they are looking for a few brave souls to battle the x64 bit monster. If you haven’t ever used a Dolphin product then this is a great chance to get in on a public beta and find out how the Dolphin products differ from the other major players out there.

http://yourdolphin.com/newsitem.asp?id=306

January’s Poll Results And February's Poll Added

Lets take a look at how Windows 7 did with last month’s poll.

January’s Poll Question: Are You Excited About Windows 7?

Yes, I’m there on launch day!   7 (38%)
  No, I’m fine thanks.   6 (33%)
  Yes! I’m running the Beta right now..    3 (16%)
   What? I don’t use this Windows thing you speak of..   2 (11%)

It looks like we are split down the middle again this month. That isn’t surprising since Windows 7 has a hard wall to climb in order to set it apart from its bigger brother named Vista. Still the buzz is good and we are seriously looking at a Windows 7 Winter Wonderland at the end of this year. And if you read Mark Taylor’s or Rick Harman’s blogs then you know that the barriers to access won’t be the same this go around.

Now with taxes looming on the horizon, sorry if that makes some out there a bit queasy for I too hate math, my mind has been turning to the idea of buying … something. Mind you I’m not loaded by any means. Even a Creative Zen 1 GB Stone’s price tag gives me pause in this lovely economy. So it is quite alright if you pretend to use Monopoly money when answering this month’s question. The only catch is that I get to choose the race car not the boot as my Monopoly character.

February's Poll Question Of The Month: Would You Buy A Netbook Running An Assistive Technology Program Or A Traditional Blindness Related Note Taker If Given Half The Chance?

I would buy the Netbook AT Program Combo Meal
  I would buy a Blindness Related Note Taker
  I gotta have my Braille input or Braille output Note Taker
  Whatever, I use a laptop for all things in portable computing

this question came to be when two co-workers came to me on the same day with their MSI U100s running either a Screen Reader or a Screen Magnifier on the little device. I have entertained this question with several people off line for about a year. But I will save that topic for the end of the month after everyone else has had their say on the subject.

Music: More On XM/Sirius And Other Odds’n’Ends

As a follow up to the poll question on the XM/Sirius merger, I found this post from the Derby Viewpoint interesting. I also thank this blogger for the links to Orbitcast as well. I’m adding that one to my lists for sure.

http://wesderby.blogspot.com/2009/01/post-merger-state-of-satellite-radio.html 

I have to say that not all my time post merger has been wasted. While I prefer the XM style of things, I have to say that I did hear some stuff on the other side that has now made it into rotation in my offline listening. Here are a few bands I want to shine a spotlight on that are never too far away from my MP3 Player. 

Blonde Redhead: The band would fit right at home in between Radiohead and Starsailor on a playlist. Or even next to Kate Bush if I’m feeling retro. Check out the song “23” as it was the one that I heard first and moved me to find out more about the group.

 http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=31272122

Pendulum: Some people never left the land of “drum’and’bass”. If you are searching for a more melodically inclined 80’s new wave throwback with a little ELO syth voice then you have to check out this group. For nothing else but the fact that they make the Realspeak voices say nasty things on Youtube with some killer grooves. 

http://www.myspace.com/pendulum

Billy Talent: While XM did play this Canadian fave of mine, other Sirius channels played them a bit more often. I’m looking at you Faction. The band has a new single out and it continues there take on the Millennial Punk style. Their early work is fantastic too. So going deeper into their discography will be a treat if you like what you hear from the link below.

http://www.myspace.com/billytalent

Polkadot Cadaver: I miss Faith No More. And try as I might Mike Patton’s 5,000 side projects doen’t give me that fix for the old FNM sound. Dog Fashion Disco, however, does fit the bill quite nicely. I hadn’t kept up with this band and I was stunned to hear that this new group is a reforming of some of the members out of DFD. Manic, frantic and even a bit Zappa like the band will keep you guessing on what comes next.

http://www.myspace.com/polkadotcadaver

ATIA 2009: Some Links To Chew On..

I have a friend who went to this year’s event, however, I had a work event of my own in the southern half of Texas that took my attention away from the news from Florida. And when I tried to check in to see what was going on towards the east.. I found that one of our laptops may have been hit by a “Man in the Middle” malware attack. So, I ended up doing a lot of reading over the weekend and this morning. Here is a rundown of some articles I gathered from Blind Bargains, Blind Planet and BOHICA. Man is it ever astounding that there are so many more sources for AT news beyond my lazy and inconsistent postings. Good work all!

35 Interviews at ATIA: The Serotek gang has lots for you to hear from the movers and shakers at this year’s ATIA. Check out this link to hear it all for yourself.

http://serotalk.com/2009/02/02/35-interviews-from-atia-2009/

GW Micro Sense View Desktop Video Magnifiers: I got to see these under the Himes banner at CSUN 2006 and 2007. And I have to say I was impressed with the products I saw. But this is a very crowded market and some may say that this is a weird time in the industry to release a new platform. Not me though. I wana see’em now!

http://www.gwmicro.com/News_&_Events/Latest_News/?newsNo=114

Public Beta of MAGic 11.0 for x64: More on the floor with x64.

http://www.freedomscientific.com/downloads/magic/MAGic-public-beta.asp

KNFB Reader 6.1.9 Update Release Notes: Translation on the fly is pretty neat. But I’m hurting people when we get to that face recognition jazz. Learn more about the update below.

http://knfbreader.com/doc/6.1.9/Mobile%20Reader%20Release%20Notes.pdf

Optelec Adds Two New Video Magnifiers: Who said that these guys were scaling down on Low Vision? Not me that’s for sure.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/Optelec/Technology/prweb1922304.htm

Code Factory Announces Free Update to Mobile Speak 3.0: One of the best keeps on getting better with this new update.

http://www.codefactory.es/en/press.asp?id=60&y=2009&n=54

New USB Braille Display from Perkins: I haven’t seen the new Braille Writer or this device. It is remarkable that if you still have a serial connected display at this point you are running with the old school though. Remember when you had to trade your lunch for a good working null cable? Ah memories.

http://www.blindbargains.com/redirect.php?redirect=4023

Serotek Ends SMAs: Yeah, I’m late to the party on this news. Fashionably late but late just the same.

http://blog.serotek.com/2009/01/rest-in-peace-sma.html

Keysoft 8: Shippin in March, however, I know a Rep who is going let me see it sooner than that.

http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/about_us/press_releases/unveiling_keysoft_8