What the heck has the Serotek team been up to? Working hard in the basement for you of course! And what has all that resulted in? Well, one of our most comprehensive updates. In fact, you might call it the mother of all updates! We’re calling it Sero. On the surface, it’s going to be a universal experience that will bring together our software services under a single app. “Sero,” after all, means “connected,” so it only made sense to develop an interface that will keep you connected across different platforms. It’s the first time in assistive technology history that users can enjoy a consistent user experience regardless of whether you’re on Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV. The move to a single app means a great foundation for upward mobility. We can now deploy faster updates across the board. It means voice chat and text chat at home on your computer or on the road via your smartphone. It means the ability to download content from our ever expanding library, starting a movie on your Mac or PC and finishing it up on your tablet. You’ll be able to better rate, share, and favorite the content you want and lots more! Yes, there will be some changes. For one thing, you’ll note … [Read more...] about Sero: The Mother of All Updates
Pneuma Solutions Blog
Customer Service Makes a Comeback!
In this day of automated voice response systems there is still one place where there is a real person. Serotek is bringing back the personal touch. We tried the automated system thinking it might be more efficient but we’ve come back to where we started. We think our customers deserve the kind of personal attention our customers had gotten used to. I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Rhonda Partain. I am the voice you’ll hear if you call with customer service issues, tech support problems, or any other concerns. I live in Georgia with my husband of thirty one years and my guide dog Caesar. I believe Serotek has wonderful products and know I will enjoy learning even more about them. I am new here so may not have all the answers, but I am not afraid to ask for help and love helping others. I appreciate the kind welcome I have received. I believe the best thing we can do for each other is listen. I look forward to meeting more of you through the forums and via the phone. There are no stupid questions, only those that need answers. I look forward to doing my best to providing them. … [Read more...] about Customer Service Makes a Comeback!
What’s New at Serotek?
You guys may’ve heard the Tek Talk broadcast the other night where Mike Calvo and Matt Campbell covered some changes at Serotek. Didn’t catch it? Click here and listen at your leisure. Or, if you’d rather read about some of our changes, here’s a breakdown: Windows 10 It's clear by now that although Windows 10 attempts to make Windows 7 users feel at ease with the return of the Start menu, the new operating system unapologetically builds on the foundation that Microsoft laid with Windows 8. The cornerstone of this foundation is an application platform and user interface style that has gone by many names. It was once called Metro. Microsoft later referred to apps based on this technology as "Windows Store apps". We have often called them "modern apps". Microsoft currently prefers the name "Universal Windows Platform". Whatever you call it, it's even more pervasive in Windows 10, from the moment you enter your password on the Windows sign-in screen. You'll also find the new style of user interface in the Action Center, where you can review and respond to notifications, and in the Settings app, which is the modern equivalent of the Control Panel. Even the Start menu, meant to entice … [Read more...] about What’s New at Serotek?
Back to School Means Back to Discounts!
In light of the excellent response to our Keys to K12 reminder, we've decided to revive a promotion we ran during the month of July. DocuScan Plus V3.0 for Windows and Mac are being sold at a discount now through Labor Day! Yeah yeah. We've heard about the update. Okay, but have you tried it? Remember our products now come with a free 14-day trial. Check out these new features for DSP: You can count on clearer text results with the help of an updated OCR engine. With the new DSP, it’s possible to grab your favorite bestseller from Bookshare right from within the DSP application. Rely on nimble navigation of large files with better heading detection and place marking. Speaking of large files, launching and navigating PDF files is now a breeze. Want to convert between formats? We heard you, and now you can convert text to DAISY, MP3, or Braille, and store them in the cloud; formats include: .epub, .doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt, .html Now it’s even easier for you to open image files, including: .jpg, .png, .tiff, .gif, .bmp Why launch an OCR application and then open a file when you can open files in DSP directly from Windows Explorer? Do you find yourself switching between … [Read more...] about Back to School Means Back to Discounts!
Grab Your Keys to K-12
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires children and youth ages 3-21 with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate public school education. Unfortunately, there are too many cases of schools unable to provide the necessary resources to provide and maintain a quality level of education. Serotek is playing a small part in putting a dent in these disparities. It’s disheartening to think that in this age of technological proliferation, there are still blind and visually impaired students who come home from school without the means to jump on a computer and complete their own homework. The cost for a screen reading solution with technical support remains out of reach of the average family bank account, and with budget cuts everywhere, school districts equally struggle to outfit one computer station with a screen reader, let alone several. We’d like to remind you of our Keys to K-12 program. It’s a means for students elementary through high school to have ready access to a fully functional screen reader at no charge. System Access will enable students to equally participate in the classroom and complete homework assignments outside of it. If you or someone … [Read more...] about Grab Your Keys to K-12
Our Position on Windows 10
If you're running most versions of Windows 7 or Windows 8, chances are good you've received an invitation to upgrade to Windows 10. You'll find a new icon in your System Tray that says as much, but is it a good idea to be an early adopter? The short answer, in our opinion, is unless you require Windows 10 for work, you should hold off on upgrading. Windows 10 is changing the way we receive updates. Up until now we've been able to schedule, postpone or refuse Windows updates, but moving forward, consumers will automatically receive the latest revisions. Automatic updates are not a bad thing. The new approach could make for more secure and stable systems. Nevertheless, at this early stage it is not unreasonable to find accessibility glitches for screen reader users. It would be worth considering allowing early adopters find major issues, accessibility or otherwise, and let Microsoft iron them out before jumping in so as not to impact your productivity. For Serotek's part, we are actively developing for Windows 10. We've always updated System Access as needed. If you were to run Windows 10 on Day 1, there are aspects of the new operating system that will work just fine with our screen … [Read more...] about Our Position on Windows 10
DocuScan Plus V3.0 is Hhere and It’s Brought Discounts!
After extensive development and excellent feedback from the community, we’re ready to unveil the final release of DocuScan Plus V3.0 for Windows and Mac! Already the most affordable assistive technology OCR package in the industry, we’re saving you even more money in the month of July. Keep reading for details. What is DocuScan Plus? DocuScan Plus, or DSP, is your affordable gateway to the written word. There are excellent mobile apps that let you snap pictures of items to read text, and while amazingly convenient, you sometimes need the efficiency of a dedicated computer app to consume books, brochures, bank statements, manuals, and important documents without fretting over camera views and proper angles. Every technology has a time and place. With DSP, we’ve taken what you know about using a computer and created an intuitive means of converting print to spoken audio. Each upgrade brings a new wave of features and improvements. Introducing DocuScan Plus V3.0 Is the new upgrade worth it? Well, check out these new features: You can count on clearer text results with the help of an updated OCR engine. With the new DSP, it’s possible to grab your favorite bestseller from Bookshare … [Read more...] about DocuScan Plus V3.0 is Hhere and It’s Brought Discounts!
DocuScan Plus 3 Release Candidate Now Open for Testing
Download the DocuScan Plus V3 audio demonstration here. Serotek proudly announces the first public release candidate for DocuScan Plus V3, a powerful and affordable OCR option with cross-platform support. Before we deem it final, we’d like you to help us kick the tires. You do not have to be a current Serotek customer to participate, but note that certain features may only be available for customers who have pre-ordered the product. New features Updated OCR engine OCR for other languages, including: Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (including Brazilian), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish Bookshare integration Improved heading detection Place marking within large documents Ability to import documents in popular text formats so users can convert them to DAISY, MP3, or Braille, and store them in the cloud; formats include: .epub, .doc, .docx, .rtf, .txt, .html Ability to open image files, including: .jpg, .png, .tiff, .gif, .bmp Ability to open documents in DSP directly from Windows Explorer More efficient processing of long PDF documents Better consistency in functionality and UI between the Windows … [Read more...] about DocuScan Plus 3 Release Candidate Now Open for Testing
Help friends and family with PC woes, it’s easy and cheap too!
Have you ever needed an easy way to remotely get someone out of a pickle with their PC? Do you wish it was possible to remotely access your friend's PC regardless of their choice of screen reader? Or even, gasp, remotely help a sighted friend or family member? Have you found yourself wishing the solution could be as intuitive as it is affordable? Since 2007, Remote Incident Manager (RIM) has been a reliable solution for assistive technology trainers and tech support providers seeking to provide assistance computer to computer, and in its latest iteration, remote assistance is easier and more affordable than ever for everyone from the tech know-it-all to the green novice. We're rolling out RIM day passes, and here's how we roll. For the person offering help: 1. Buy a day pass from us. No sense in shelling out hundreds of dollars if you only need remote access every now and then, right? 2. Download and run a small program on your PC to start the remote session. 3. The program will give you a 9 digit code you will share with that PC user in need. For the person receiving help: 1. Head over to SeroHelp.com, then download and run a small program to set up the remote connection. 2. When … [Read more...] about Help friends and family with PC woes, it’s easy and cheap too!
Self-service Just a Call Away
Don’t you hate it when you call your tech vendor only to find out you’ll need to try again when someone is available? We do too. That’s why, in addition to changing a number of account settings within your Serotek product, you can now also make adjustments via the telephone. The self-service options are available via telephone at: 866-202-0520, or 650-249-1000. By calling either number, you will be able to: 1. Reactivate suspended service 2. Schedule an appointment with technical support 3. Update payment information 4. Repair Serotek software on any of your computers that are connected to the net Please note: You must call the system using the telephone number on file to be automatically identified as a current user. From now on, if you’ve lost your SAMNet password or PIN, you can reset it via e-mail, or the system can call you at the telephone number on file to reset it. Note: We have chosen to eliminate PINs moving forward. From now on, new customers, and customers resetting passwords, must choose a stronger password. This will help ensure the security of your account and personal information. If you choose to reset your password via phone, you will receive a temporary PIN which … [Read more...] about Self-service Just a Call Away
