As I place my hand gently on the counter, I feel the cool metal of my latest culinary gadget, the Breville Joule Turbo Sous Vide Cooker. A sense of anticipation tingles at my fingertips. I am a blind man, but sight is not necessary to the fervor with which I pursue my passion for cooking. Sous vide cooking, a method that involves vacuum-sealing food in a bag and cooking it to a precise … [Read more...] about My Love Affair with Sous Vide Cooking: A Blind Cook’s Perspective
Accessible Digital Lifestyle
BlindShell Classic 2 Integrates Sero: A Leap Forward in Assistive Technology
Over the last few years, we have witnessed incredible advancements in technology designed to aid those with visual impairments. Two companies, in particular, have stood out: BlindShell, a pioneer in assistive technology communication, and Pneuma Solutions, the current developers of Sero, the world's most comprehensive and easy-to-navigate social network and multimedia repository for the … [Read more...] about BlindShell Classic 2 Integrates Sero: A Leap Forward in Assistive Technology
Thank You Steve!
“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 … [Read more...] about Thank You Steve!
Crowdsourcing as a software development tool
With the recent release of DocuScan Plus, the product development team would like to share with the community what we believe to be a new and exciting method of developing assistive technology. We feel that this tool is especially useful when developing assistive technology because of the unique challenges involved with creating this type of software. Assistive technology, unlike some other types … [Read more...] about Crowdsourcing as a software development tool
What is the Future of Screen Readers anyway?
A week or so ago, the American Council of the Blind held a Future of Screen Readers panel as part of the Information Access Committee seminar at the ACB annual convention. Serotek was one of the companies invited to attend remotely via Skype. Other remote participants were GW Micro and NVDA. Unfortunately technology failed (through no fault of Skype) and we remote participants did not get to … [Read more...] about What is the Future of Screen Readers anyway?
A History Making Day For The Blind
This week, Serotek’s iBlink Radio app for the iPhone and iPod Touch is in the “Featured apps” section of the iTunes Store. On the surface, this may appear to be a nice feather in Serotek’s cap, but the implications go far beyond company recognition. This listing recognizes the blind community as a worthy market as well as putting Serotek on display as a contributor of high quality software and … [Read more...] about A History Making Day For The Blind
Access to iTunes 9.0 is here!
This past Wednesday, Apple held a media event to showcase new products. With a musical theme, Apple announced many exciting developments, particularly of interest to people who are blind. With the introduction of the Voiceover screen reader for the iPod Touch and an updated Voiceover interface for the iPod Nano, as well as accessibility updates to the iPhone OS utilized on both the iPhone and iPod … [Read more...] about Access to iTunes 9.0 is here!
Why is it that Apple always seems to get to the future first?
I just purchased an iPhone. I paid the same price as any other person -- $299 for the 32 gigabyte version plus tax. Like anyone else I had to subscribe to AT&T’s network – at least for a couple of months. We can see about changing phone networks later.VoiceOver, the screen reader which has shipped free in every Apple computer since 2005, is built right into the iPhone 3G S. There’s nothing … [Read more...] about Why is it that Apple always seems to get to the future first?
Ipod and Itunes are now accessible to the blind!
This was an important week for blind people. Apple, a company that has long ignored the need for accessibility in it’s consumer devices brought out a new 4th generation version of the Ipod Nano that, when combined with Itunes version 8,is accessible. GW Micro took Apple where no other AT company has been able to lead them. It is a wonderful success and a gift to blind people everywhere.Us … [Read more...] about Ipod and Itunes are now accessible to the blind!
Changes in System Access 2.5.0
Accessible Digital Lifestyle Fixed a problem which prevented the SA Mobile Network browser from starting the Amazon MP3 Downloader.Eliminated an error message which was appearing when logging into Napster from the SA Mobile Network browser. Note that other error messages still appear when using Napster with the current beta of Internet Explorer 8; this isn't a problem with System Access or the SA … [Read more...] about Changes in System Access 2.5.0
An Open Letter To Independent Living Adult Blind Professionals
Independent Living Adult Blind (ILAB) service organizations face a unique challenge as baby boomers become seniors and many experience vision loss. The impact of a rapid loss of vision can be devastating. In very short order, a person loses every point of reference. They feel cut off, isolated, disoriented, and afraid. A once-friendly world is suddenly an alien place with everything that was once … [Read more...] about An Open Letter To Independent Living Adult Blind Professionals
Are we nuts?
People are asking that question since Serotek elected to make its AFB Access Award winning product, SAToGo, available to all, in conjunction with The AIR Foundation, for no charge.For the record, the answer is “No. We are not crazy. This makes good sense both from a humanitarian perspective and from a business perspective.”Stop and think a minute. Does Google charge for using its search engine or … [Read more...] about Are we nuts?