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The Next Chapter

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If you’ve followed this blog, or watched me on Facebook or Twitter, or if you’ve known me personally for any length of time, you know that I don’t do anything in halves. Whether I’m teaching a Bible study, conducting a podcast or even visiting Disney World with my kids, I am focused on that activity with my heart and soul, to the exclusion of all else. You also might have noticed that I never back away from a challenge. In fact, I thrive on situations where the odds are long and the goal seems all but impossible to achieve. Some might call that boundless energy and enthusiasm, and some might call it just plain crazy.

… Read the rest “The Next Chapter”

The Burden of Standards

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Has Apple really taken a tumble from hot to not? Maybe it’s the absence of game-changing devices, the long stretch between product releases, or the waning influence of the late Steve Jobs. Regardless, the distinct drop in Apple shares points to a current reality where iDevices find themselves catching up to the market rather than controlling it, which prompts the question: What does this mean for the blind consumer that made Apple the new gold standard for accessibility?

First let’s put the Apple decline in perspective. So far Apple has sold 31.2 million iPhones in 2013, 5 million more than in 2012.

… Read the rest “The Burden of Standards”

SPN Special: State of Technology with Mike Calvo

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In the latest Mobile Special the Serotek team reflects on the state of technology. Among other things we discuss ebooks, screen readers, and the future direction of Serotek Corp.

Catch up on this and other SPN updates on our SeroTalk website, or click here to download the podcast.

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Accessibility Anywhere Turns One

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July 1 marks one year since Serotek unveiled its most ambitious disruption to the assistive technology market. Other companies develop singular products and pitch them to the consumer base as standalone products. Well, we do the same, because we understand you want to choose what goes into your toolbox, but we also understand the limits on your wallet. Unlike our fellow peers, we do something about it.

So our team went to the drawing board. Reliable screen reader? Check. Outstanding document scanner? Check. Instant access to information and entertainment? Check. System Access, DocuScan Plus, and SAMNet have each resonated with the community all on their own, but what if we wrapped these up into the never-before-seen price of $21.95 a month?

… Read the rest “Accessibility Anywhere Turns One”

Announcing SPN Weekly!

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Serotek’s iBlink Radio app has been the place to find information, entertainment, news and great commentary about the world around us since 2009. If content is king, it could be said iBlink Radio remains the undisputed ruler.

Grab your choice of tablet or phone, this free application, and you’ve got literally thousands of hours of audio for everyone on iOS or Android. So much to hear, so much to explore. The app serves as one stop shopping for Blindness and Low Vision centered podcasts, as well as an astounding array of content from radio reading services across the country.

Radio Reading Services have always been an essential part of iBlink Radio, and Serotek’s partnership with the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) has been beneficial to thousands of blind and visually impaired listeners.

… Read the rest “Announcing SPN Weekly!”

Consumer Tip: Protect Yourself from Bill Shock

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The diagnosis is grim. Approximately 30 million Americans suffer from an epidemic known as bill shock. Victims report symptoms of suspicious fees, unauthorized charges, and prolonged headaches brought on by confusing jargon. Discussing the symptoms via phone is a lengthy appointment, but early termination triggers a different condition known simply as broke.

Remedies abound, but the simplest cures could include some of the following: early warning signs of monthly limits, a good dose of roaming alerts, emergency procedures to control excessive usage, and it should all be provided at the premium rate of free.

… Read the rest “Consumer Tip: Protect Yourself from Bill Shock”

The Court of Public Opinion is Not the Last Resort

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As a blind computer user, what did you do the last time you visited a site that was not accessible? Did you switch screen readers or web browsers and hope for the best? Did you get frustrated, send out an angry tweet and forget about it, or did you maybe send an e-mail to the company asking them to make the site more inclusive to all visitors?

Last week the Wall Street Journal published an article about deaf and blind consumers taking web service providers to court. Target and Netflix tried to say the ADA did not apply to web space, but they wound up settling after judges rejected their arguments. Now there are rumors that the Justice department is considering modifications to the ADA to encompass websites.

… Read the rest “The Court of Public Opinion is Not the Last Resort”

Should Serotek Start a Newsletter?

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Serotek? Newsletter? What gives! Serotek is a company that has always prided itself on breaking out of the traditional mold. Our corporate culture encourages things like hilarious April Fool’s posts like like GTO or the notetaker that just got bigger, and instances where employees offer software trial resets for everyone while the boss is too soused on margaritas to stop them.

So why is a company like that venturing in to the dry, purely informational world of newsletters? I’ll tell you why. It’s because of that one little word I tend to throw around a lot in all my talks and blog posts. You’re probably scratching your heads wondering which word I’m talking about.

… Read the rest “Should Serotek Start a Newsletter?”

Real-time one-on-one training and support with RIM

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Is your travel budget continuing to shrink? Is this getting in your way of providing top-notch training and technical support? Do you have talented blind technicians who are searching for an accessible way to remotely access computers that don’t have assistive technology installed? The economic climate is prompting a lot of desperate questions. Serotek has answers.

##What is the Remote Incident Manager? (RIM)

The Remote Incident Manager is the perfect accessible tool for field technical support and training. Technicians can:

• Remotely connect to a computer anywhere in the globe;

• Provide real-time technical support, troubleshooting, and training;

• hear exactly what is spoken on the end user’s computer;

• interact seamlessly with the assistive technology the end user has installed; and

• harness the power of voice over IP for instant communication between user and trainer;

The technician and the user work together in a shared session, so each person can see exactly what the other is doing.

… Read the rest “Real-time one-on-one training and support with RIM”

Serotek at CSUN 2013

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[The 28th Annual CSUN International Technology and Disabilities Conference](http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2013/sessions/index.php) will take place from February 25 through March 2 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel in San Diego, CA. If you’ll be at the conference this year and are wondering which sessions to attend, why not catch these spectacular Serotek presentations:

First join Ricky Enger for [Session BLV-015](http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/2013/sessions/index.php/public/presentations/view/64) located in Emma AB. This session will be held on February 27 at 12:00 PST, and will cover using Serotek’s [Remote Incident Manager](http://www.serotek.com/rim_paper)

… Read the rest “Serotek at CSUN 2013”

Egypt Revisited

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As a lot of you know, last night I had a strong reaction to Apple and its decision to reject Serotek’s Accessible Event app. The exact number of apps that do not make it to Apple’s App Store is not documented but is estimated to range in the thousands. When our app fell into that category for a third consecutive time, I admit my reaction was a little hasty.

I understand Apple only wants the best apps to maintain a superior user experience. I applaud Apple for allowing that user experience to be so inclusive of the world’s blind population. To that end, I submit my sincere apologies to Apple and to the blind and visually impaired community for having taken my frustrations as a developer to Twitter.

… Read the rest “Egypt Revisited”

Our Story at Ten

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By the Serotek Team

The vision was born out of a desire to make blind people more than just an afterthought. The heart that gave birth to the passion was one never known to cringe from an impending challenge, and the voices that have rallied around the call to action are united in their commitment to see this dream continue to become reality. It is Serotek. We are its team, and at ten years old, this is our story.

Ringing Liberty

If Serotek’s history were synonymous to the American Revolution, the company’s first shot heard ’round the world would be the release of the Radio Webcaster in 1998.

… Read the rest “Our Story at Ten”

The Disney Standard

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This past Sunday my family and I accompanied some friends to Disney World. Living in Orlando, I guess it’s not as big of a deal as it would be for the common tourist. I myself have always found it more or less enjoyable, something to do with the kids anyway. Last weekend I decided to satisfy my curiosity about a new audio description device that I had heard about somewhere, and while looking over the Disney website I was reminded of its existence once again. WOW! At the risk of sounding totally cliché, it’s like I stepped into a whole new realm.
I have always known Disney to take a special approach to all its guests.

… Read the rest “The Disney Standard”

Communication: The Themes Remain the Same By Jeffrey D. Stark

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The following is a reprint from a publication by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, entitled “Celebrating Our Accomplishments”. The publication covers issues including transportation, access, social policy, employment, and much more. We encourage you to read the entire publication, as there is plenty there to celebrate and be proud of. We’d like to share a specific section dealing with access and full inclusion here on the blog. Thanks to Jeffrey Stark for the excellent article, and thanks to all the contributors to the publication for providing such a positive illustration of how things are changing for the better for people with disabilities.

… Read the rest “Communication: The Themes Remain the Same By Jeffrey D. Stark”

System Access: The Alternative Commitment

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As you know, Serotek is not a conventional assistive technology provider. In fact, we take pride in our willingness to think outside the box and leverage products that make a distinct mark on the customers we serve, but, the price of pulling away from the pack means succumbing to all manner of speculation perpetuated by competitors and by customers who rely on bias reviews to direct their own decisions. We have never shied away from defending our approach to development, and so following in that tradition, today we address a question that comes to our attention from time to time: Is System Access a full screen reader?

… Read the rest “System Access: The Alternative Commitment”

Thank You Steve!

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“If you live every day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right” Steve Jobs quoted an anonymous source in his speech to the Stanford graduating class in 2005. Yesterday was the day Steve was right and the world lost one of its true creative geniuses – a man who has changed each and every one of our lives in important and lasting ways. And not just with his disruptive products like the Mac and the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Those are some of his innovative tools but the real innovation was in how we relate to one another.
I imagine everyone recognizes that the way we interact has changed with iPhone and iPad.

… Read the rest “Thank You Steve!”

Cloudy With a Chance of Profit: Preview

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I’ve spent a great deal of time publicly evangelizing the merits of cloud computing, both on this blog and on the Serotalk podcast. The next logical step was to expand, in the form of a book, on my experiences as an entrepreneur of a cloud-based business and share my thoughts on the effects of cloud computing on the information technology industry as a whole. Coming soon to your favorite bookstore is my first published work, entitled “Cloudy With a Chance of Profit: You, Me, And The Cloud That Binds us”. While you wait for the book to arrive, check out this exerpt.

What is the Cloud? More to the point: why should you care?

… Read the rest “Cloudy With a Chance of Profit: Preview”

Convention Coverage on the All New SAMNet Radio!

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Serotek is proud to announce the launuch of the all new SAMNet Radio, your portal to all the great past, present and future podcasts and interviews on the newly launched SeroTalk Podcast Network. We begin with coverage from the 2011 NFB Convention in Orlando Florida. Listen now and please share this link with all your friends, family members and interested persons.
Click Here to Listen to 2011 Convention Coverage on the All New SAMNet Radio!

Thanks and Enjoy!

The Serotek Team

Serotek and SeroTalk at the NFB and ACB conventions

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It’s convention time again, and as always you can expect SeroTalk to bring you quality coverage from the NFB and ACB show floors. If you’re attending one or both of the conventions this year, Serotek has a number of exciting things in store for you.

First, if you’d like the opportunity to meet staff members and ask questions about Serotek products and services, Mike Calvo and Joe Steinkamp will be on hand at the A T Guys booth A1 at the NFB convention. You can catch Mike and Joe on July 5 between 10 AM and 12 PM, or on July 6 from 12 PM to 1:45 PM. While you’re there, don’t forget to ask The A T Guys about tactile screen protectors for your iPhone, the iBill Bank Note Identifier and the affordable, customized bar code scanner which recognizes millions of items and can even interface with the popular Directions For Me web site.

… Read the rest “Serotek and SeroTalk at the NFB and ACB conventions”

Another Accessibility Slap In The Face

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While this is a personal post and I don’t make it a habit to get on my personal soapbox on this blog, I think that the issues covered in the email are relevant to Serotek’s mission of providing and advocating for

“Accessibility Anywhere.”

Below is a letter submitted to the IPad Today show on the Twit Netcast Network. It frustrates me that even so called “geeks” don’t understand how important accessibility is in both software and on the web. What do you think of this letter? Please post your comments so perhaps someone will read them and really know that accessibility isn’t just a law but that it really does allow us as a market to enjoy the same level of access to products and services that our sighted peers enjoy and take for granted.

… Read the rest “Another Accessibility Slap In The Face”