All News and Views

The NVDA Remote project we posted about earlier this week looks like it's going to become a reality, thanks to overwhelming support from over 150 donors and climbing. The project has raised $11,258 in just over two days, shattering its $10,000 goal with over a month remaining. Donations are still being accepted through April 21, and will mean more time is spent on the project. In addition, users can donate $100 or more to be a part of a beta test group for the project.

AI Squared has posted a free update to the Window-Eyes screen reader, version 9.1. This version includes support for the Chrome web browser, the ability to copy both plain text or formatted text from web pages, the return of the placemarker feature, and an enhanced element Many other bug fixes are also included. properties view for websites that may be very useful to developers. It's a free update for users of Window-Eyes 9.0 or the Window-Eyes for Office edition. We've linked to the complete change log from this post.

Remote assistance has often been one of those screen reader features that was out of reach for many, often due to its cost and complexity. Christopher Toth, the developer behind popular software programs including QRead and Chicken Nugget, is leading a team to change this. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched for NVDA Remote Access, a forthcoming add-on which will enable remote access support for the free and open-source NVDA screen reader. As explained on the crowdfunding web page, "NVDA Remote Access builds on the open source screen reader NVDA, allowing a blind person to send commands to and hear the speech from another user's computer. This provides an ideal tool for real time communication between workstations and opens doors for a variety of previously-inaccessible job tasks."

The team is currently seeking to raise $10,000 to pay for the development costs for the app, which will be released for free upon completion. In addition to helping the project succeed, various perks are available including beta access and a year of free tech support for the app. You can go here to read more or donate We've listed some of the advantages of NVDA Remote as described by the developers below:

The Android Talkback team has released version 4.1 of Google's built-in screen reader. It includes improvements which especially will benefit the upcoming release of Android 5.1, but also additional changes and bug fixes including Improved latency and enhancements to web support. We've included the changelog below and you can get it now from Google Play.

Apple has released a minor update to its iOS operating system with improvements in HealthKit and support for the forthcoming Apple Watch. iOS 8.2 is mostly a bug fixe release, and includes the new Apple Watch app which cannot be deleted. As one would expect, the Watch App is accessible according to some early users. It's available now as an update for anyone running iOS 8 or later. While VoiceOver improvements are mentioned, the changes seem minor. If you find anything we didn't mention, be sure to post a comment. Here's the complete changelog you'll see when you install the update, courtesy of BetaNews.

Problem:
Weekly rundown needed after CSUN 2015 coverage. Lack of motivation and energy precludes this from happening.
Solution:
Take all those "how to" links and non-time-sensative resource articles, bundle them all up and add a review from Jan Brown. Poof, column achieved!

Hims has posted a free firmware update for the Blaze EZ Multiplayer, bringing it up to version 1.1. This version enables playback of National Library Service titles, includes a directory for Internet radio stations, and also features improved OCR capabilities for more typefaces. A smattering of additional bug fixes are also included. The update can be downloaded wlirelessly from the Blaze unit itself. We've included the complete changelog from Hims below.

Let's see... there was the official return of VLC to the iOS app store, iAssociate saw some updates and, oh I know, some small mention of an event in March for news this past week. An event I say? Yeah, nothing major I'm sure considering that we have a launch of a new product in April. I doubt anyone will be covering it really. But, and this is a mighty big but, if you are interested in hearing Tim and co go on and on about time pieces you will want to catch the stream of the event on March 9th at 10 AM PT.

Google's Roger Benz has posted several new educational videos on Youtube which describe and demonstrate features of many of the company's web apps. The videos include how-tos and demos for Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Drive recorded using Firefox and the NVDA screen reader. The videos have also all been subtitled. We've linked to all of the videos below.

There has been a lot of talk surrounding Comcast's Talking Guide, the first of its kind in the United States. Earlier today, the company gave users a chance to ask questions of Comcast's Tom Wlodkowski, the employee leading the company's accessibility efforts. Among the topics discussed were some features planned for the future of the software, including the ability to adjust speech rate and verbosity, a talking Spanish language interface, and the ability to filter programs by audio described content.

It's time for what has become a bit of an annual tradition around here. Every March when we talk endlessly about CSUN, the largest assistive technology conference for the blind, we hear from people who would love to go, if only it was within their budget. With room rates over $200 a night, a nearly $500 registration fee, plane tickets, meals, and other expenses, the cost often seems prohibitive. With this in mind, we've updated our list of tips for enjoying the conference on a budget.

The Weekly Apple Rundown: Apple Pay It Forward Edition

It is a darn good thing I'm not held to a hard deadline on this series. No really, it is, as putting this week's look at Tim and Jony's exploits into focus was a continuing saga with more happening every day ... y'know, like a little franchise from a galaxy far, far away. More on how that reference fits in this week's stories later on.

The family at Acapela is growing with the addition of Sharon, a new female voice which was debuted recently. Sharon is an expressive female voice which features some rather natural intonations. Here's a sample posted to Soundcloud of Sharon reading part of a Sherlock Holmes mystery. You can try it out for yourself with Acapela's interactive demo. Acapela voices are available in a variety of screen readers and apps including NVDA on Windows where she is available now, as a download on Android, and as an add-on for Voice Dream apps on iOS. No word on when Sharon will make an appearance on other platforms. Thanks to Jason for the tip on NVDA.

A survey has been posted by the accessibility group of the International Game Developers Association to assess the current state of accessible gaming and what can be done to improve this. The results wil be shared at a session during the Game Developers Conference titled "Building a manifesto for game accessibility" panel on March 5. Check the link on this post to take the survey.

As a part of its merger with AI Squared, the phone number to reach the Window-Eyes team, formerly of GW Micro, in Ft. Wayne has changed. The new number is (802) 362-3612. Despite the new area code, the staff is remaining in their Indiana offices.

A new update to the knfbReader app for the iPhone has been posted with several improvements. Version 1.4 includes the ability to perform OCR on images from an Email or the camera roll, vertical tilt guidance, and a redesigned file explorer. It's a free upgrade and available from the iTunes App Store. The complete list of changes is below.

This year, many consumers and companies will need to make some tough decisions when it comes to their summer convention planning. For the past several years, the two major consumer organizations, the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind have held their national conventions on separate weeks, a departure from past practices. But this year, likely through sheer coincidence, both conventions are being held the second week of July, posing a particular dilemma for technology companies and the consumers who wish to see their products.

The first major release of 2015 for the free NVDA screen reader is imminent. NV Access has posted a release candidate for version 2015.1, which will basically resemble the final release assuming no major bugs are found. This version includes a browse mode for Microsoft Office and Outlook similar to the one used on web pages, enhanced support for Skype 7 and above including the reviewing of recent messages, a silent install feature from the command-line, and a host of additional changes and bug fixes. Follow the link to read the update post or download the new release. Here's a complete list of changes in this version.

Three Monkeys is a new PC fantasy roll-playing audiogame created by UK-based company Incus Games and they're currently seeking some funding on Kickstarter to see the project through. Currently, they've reached over 10 percent of their 28,000 pound goal. Backers will receive codes for the game upon release, a copy of the game's soundtrack, and early beta access among other perks.

Touchscreens are great for lots of things, but often it is less efficient to type using one, despite a variety of available accessories. A company called Tactus Technology is working to solve this dilemma and has announced a new product called Phorm, which will provide a tactile keyboard experience for the iPad Mini. The $99 accessory uses a lever that when pressed, exposes a physical keyboard on the iPad's screen. This is done using microfluidic technology to raise and lower buttons on demand. The product is targeted for a summer release, with iPhone and other models to follow.