A Toast to GW Micro
Serotek raises a glass in celebration of GW Micro’s latest achievement. The recently announced partnership between gW Micro and Microsoft marks the beginning of a new chapter in assistive technology history, and the team at Serotek applauds a huge step forward that can only bring positive benefits to the blind consumer.
Speaking about the recent announcement, Serotek’s CEO, Michael Fox, had this to say. “There is a misconception that in an industry with very few players, there must surely be a great deal of animosity between companies. In reality, nothing is further from the truth. While I’ve only been CEO at Serotek since August of 2013, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with representatives of numerous companies within the assistive technology industry for the past 11 years. Without a doubt, the folks at GW Micro stand out for their class, their sincerity, and their dedication to serving the needs of the blind community. Maybe it seems strange that Serotek would so enthusiastically applaud the success of a competitor, but it shouldn’t seem strange at all. Serotek was founded by a blind person, is staffed predominately by blind people, and is dedicated to creating a better world for blind people through the power of technology. How could I, or any member of the Serotek team, possibly be upset when we see a company making huge strides toward that goal.”
Customers with a license to Microsoft Office 2010, 2013 or Office 365 can now download a full copy of Window Eyes from WindowEyesForOffice.com. With very few exceptions, the product offers the same features of the retail product, and software maintenance agreements for new and existing customers have been suspended.
“GW Micro should be commended for making their flagship product attainable to thousands of blind people in developing countries,” says Mike Calvo, founder of Serotek and executive director of the AIR Foundation. “That’s universal access the way it was meant to be enjoyed.”
After this announcement, you might be wondering what will become of Serotek’s own System Access. It is a beautiful thing when a blind person can have choices, isn’t it? “We will remain strongly committed to offering our community innovative solutions, but today we tip our hats to the teams in Fort Wayne and Redmond for reshaping the industry to the benefit of all.”
On behalf of everyone on the Serotek team, congratulations to GW Micro and Microsoft. This week the assistive technology market turned a new corner. Here’s to your success in further paving the road to independence for blind people around the world.