Blind Bargains: Deals & News for the Blind & Visually Impaired

It could be de described as the biggest botched software release of the past five years. Oratio, Orator, or whatever they're calling it these days has finally been released by Humanware with a price tag of $449. Promised since 2007, the software brings access to Blackberry smart phones. Correction, make that one AT&T Blackberry smart phone. If you bought any Blackberry phones, including some we listed as deals last summer because of the planned screen reader compatibility, you can toss them right out the window. The Blackberry Curve 8520 from AT&T is the only currently-supported phone. The Verizon Wireless or Sprint 9630 Tour, or the T-Mobile 8520 Tour are not on the supported phones list. There's also some lively discussion over on the Accessible BB website about the lack of Humanware involvement in their mailing list. No official Blackberry mailing list is known to exist at this time, other than an announce-only update stream. Still interested? orders are being taken now. If you have comments or thoughts on Oratio for Blackberry, please post them. Here's a quote from a message on the Accessible Blackberry list from list owner Carlos Palomino: "No matter what has taken place from July until today, one thing has remained constant, and that is Humanware's shady business practices and abhorrent public relations methods. So, whether we waited patiently for news or attempted to gather info from the company itself, we were ignored. And being the largest collection of potential customers, it seems aweful inconsiderate and blatantly stupid to take such a stance against us." Other things to note about Oratio are after the jump. Read more

We've finally been able to hear an audio demonstration of the forthcoming Blio software. In this audio clip, James Gashel demonstrates the Blio software running on a laptop computer and the iPhone at the National Federation of the Blind's Washington Seminar.

Optelec has made improvements to the Clearview Plus, offer a new one-on-one magnification option while the recently-released Compact Mini offers portable magnification for under $500. We speak with Kelly O'Neill, Marketing Director for Optelec, about the latest magnification tools from the company and their new line of custom skins to personalize your device.

For nearly 20 years, AbleData has provided a free, searchable database which provides information on thousands of assistive technology products and companies. To learn more, we speak with Project Director Katherine Belknap about the services offered at this popular, free website.

Earlier, we posted a quick audio demo of a ClickAndGo Map, a new service which provides pedestrian-friendly directions taylored for blind and visually impaired travelers. We speak to Joe Cioffi, founder of InTouch Graphics, the company behind these innovative maps in this audio interview.

It's often interesting to talk with some of the companies which provide tools to help those with other disabilities and understand how they overcome challenges that are presented. Roberta Scherf, Founder of Thinking Moves, talks about a new DVD called Me Moves, designed to help in theraputic sessions and in the classroom.

Dancing Dots is primarily known for their music editing software, but now have announced their expansion into a new market with the introduction of a product for low vision users. Founder and President Bill McCann, explains how a new touchscreen music magnification system can provide new opportunities for students and musicians alike in this audio interview.

A lot is happening in the world of accessible GPS solutions. In this audio interview, We talk with Mike May, CEO of Sendero Group about the latest versions of their GPS software, some of the new features of version 6.3 and version 7,, the upcoming integration of Google Transit feed data for GPS users, and the hole left by the departure of Wayfinder Access.

After much anticipation and the casting of hundreds of votes, the results have been released for the 3rd annual Blind Bargains Access Awards. The awards recognize the achievements of companies and individuals in the assistive technology arena and beyond and were decided by visitors to BlindBargains.com, a leading online resource for the blind and visually impaired. Follow the link to view the full press release and this year's deserving winners.

Remember the TransCend? It was an innovative device which allowed you to put print and braille on the same page. Now, the device has been reborn. Charlie Kiefer, Product Manager for Enabling Technologies, explains how it works in this audio interview.

Deane Blazie was a recipient of the 2010 Migel Medal, for his work on the Brraille 'n Speak and his contributions to the assistive technology field. In this exclusive audio interview, we talk to Blazie about his career and some history of Blazie Engineering, as well as his involvement in a project which may yield a forthcoming affordable notetaker.

Talks will soon be available for many Symbian touchscreen devices, including the N97. We speak with Torsten Brand, Talks and Zooms Product manager for Nuance, about the upcoming release of Talks 4.5, which also includes Email support for newer Nokia devices, in this audio interview.

Educators, parents, and students are always seemingly looking for new ways to learn how to to use their assistive technology. To help solve this problem, we speak with Amanda Peters, Product Manager for Atomic Learning, about their online video and audio tutorial service, which includes more than 5,000 solutions for over 80 products including JAWS for Windows and other hardware and software.

So how fast is the MIS OCR solution? Don Leary, Software Developer for EVAS, demonstrates the software as it processes and OCR's a page in the booth in this audio podcast.

The options for portable and semi-portable OCR solutions continue to multiply. Jerry Swerdlick, CEO of EVAS talks about a new all-in-one solution called MIS which will read a page in about 6 seconds, in this audio interview.

Guerrilla Technologies, Inc. has announced Visionary, a portable OCR solution for $1500. The system consists of a Dell Mini netbook, capture stand and digital camera. At launch, the product will only be sold with this netbook, although a version without the computer is being considered. This product is expected to be released within the next 30 to 60 days.

GW Micro has announced that the Book Sense audio player will be supporting content from the System Access Mobile network in the near future. This is similar to the feature found on the Plextalk Pocket and the Victor Stream. This will be a free update to existing Book Sense owners and SAMNet subscribers. A release date has not been given.

Code Factory has officially launched version 4 of Mobile Speak, their screen reading solution for mobile phones. Version 4 eliminates the need to purchase a different version of the product for different operating systems, as Mobile Speak is now cross-platform. Users can move their license from one device to another free of charge, provided their phone number remains the same. A device-based licensing system is also available. Version 4 supports a wide selection of new phones, including numerous touchscreen devices as well as Windows Mobile 6.5. Those who purchased Mobile Speak on or after September 1, 2009 will receive a free upgrade. Learn more at Code Factory's website. Note: the website may experience delays as many people are browsing the information.

Humanware has been busy over the past few months with new product releases and several free updates for existing products. In this extended audio interview, we speak with Dominic Gagliano, Vice President of Sales for the U.S. market and Greg Stilson, Product and Support Specialist for Humanware about a variety of topics. We discuss the design of the BrailleNote Apex as well as some of the changes planned for the next release of Keysoft, the forthcoming free update to the Victor Reader Stream which includes support for a new book format, a free update to the Trekker Breeze, the status of Trekker, Humanware's take on the Intel Reader, and the current status of Orator.

InTouch Graphics has provided pedestrian-friendly directions for navigating around the hotel and conference center here in Orlando, taylored for blind and visually impaired travelers. In this podcast, we put a ClickAndGo map to the test, as we locate one of the meeting rooms for an interview.

A Blind Bargains reader has listed a Voice Sense and SyncBraille 32 for sale on Craigslist. Both can be had for $3,000, or they will piece them out separately, a bit more than half the cost of these units new. The Voice Sense is GW Micro's portable notetaking solution while the SyncBraille 32 is a portable, compatible, braille display from the same manufacturer. All original accessories are included.

The BBC has posted another article with some more details about the upcoming release of the free Blio Ebook reader. "We will run on all platforms," said Mr Kurzweil "People don't want an extra piece of hardware. They want to take one device and do everything with it and they want colour screens." KNFB Reader President Peter Chapman is also heavily quoted, expressing his thoughts about the next generations of book readers. The software will include over one million free titles and 200,000 paid offerings, according to the article. Blio is still scheduled for a February release. Via BBC News

ATGuys.comm will soon be ending the preorder special for Mobile Speak 4. The current price of $148 is good until the day of release, which is imminent. Suggested retail is $195,. Mobile Speak and Mobile Geo upgrades can be purchased in combination for $278. It's delivered as a download, so there is no shipping cost. This upgrade applies to owners of mobile Speak, Mobile Speak Smartphone, or Mobile Speak Pocket. The new version 4 combines these into one product, supporting more phones and including many new features. If you purchased Mobile Speak or Mobile Geo on or after September 1, the upgrade is free.

Ending much speculation, Code Factory has announced that the release of Mobile Speak 4 is imminent. Marketing Director Caroline Ragot writes: "The release date is coming soon. The beta cycles are closed and we are going through the signing process of all the Mobile Speak downloads. This process can take from 1 day to 15 days. So If all goes according to plan, Mobile Speak 4 should arrive very soon. You can start counting down the days!" We will post more as we receive it. --

Accessible Electronics, a recent entrant in the accessible MP3 market, has relaunched their website to improve accessibility. The new site offers the ability to purchase their selection of media players modified with the Rockbox software. Weekly specials and accessories are also available. The new address is http://www.talkingmp3players.com.

Some early press is starting to roll in for ATIA 2010. gh has released a Macintosh version of their accessible DAISY player. ReadHear Mac reads several popular DAISY formats including Bookshare titles and offers a wide array of keyboard shortcuts and options for low-vision users. The cost is $119, according to the press release. Despite the claim in the release of being the first such player for the Mac, a free, open-source player called Olearia was announced last fall.

We know you love those compilations of 99 classical music tracks for two bucks, so here's a new one. Amazon.com has The 99 Most Essential Brahms Masterpieces for $1.99. That's about two cents per song. Usually these deals only last for about a day, so get it now if you want to get the works of another great composer.

We're receiving a lot of pre-ATIA press releases, but this one from Guerilla Technologies caught our eye. Sure they promise their products will be "the talk of the show". But they're giving away a $200 gift certificate to Omaha Steaks. Register in booth 1102 for a chance to win. Oh, we'll check out their new products while we're there as well and report back.

For those who need to carry their diabetic supplies while traveling, here's a cool item that may allow you to avoid the need for a refrigerator. The Insulin Case Shop via Amazon.com has the Frio Duo Insulin Cooling Wallet for $25.60. With about $4 for shipping, we couldn't find this item for less elsewhere. It holds a pen and refill or two vials and will stay cool for up to 45 hours. It's design allows the item to be reused dozens of times, making this a great solution for frequent travelers.

Amongst all of the fanfare of new mobile OCR solutions, HandyTech has launched a new desktop OCR product. iRead competes in a marketplace which already includes OpenBook, Kurzweil 1000, and Serotek's Document Scan not including mainstream solutions. The initial press release touts its simple, one-button scanning process, ability to automatically recognize headings and create a table of contents, and support for several image formats including .PDF. Unlike Openbook and K1000, it is not self-voicing, though there are, of course, free screen reading options available if this is an issue. Available now, iRead costs $750 and a 30-day trial is available. Does iRead bring anything new to the table? Why not download their 30-day trial and post your reactions in the comments.

If you've ever been confused by reCAPTCHA, the Captcha alternative used by thousands of sites, Solona has produced a mini-tutorial and program to practice filling them out. The site explains the process of solving these multi-word challenges, which usually involve typing several words from a randomly-selected phrase. Check it out to learn more about reCAPTCHA.

Taco Bell offers a free Fresco Taco using this printable coupon. It's available to the first million who use it. There's some fine print here, and each location has the right to refuse, though most should accept it. You may want to call ahead first.

Next week, Blind Bargains travels to Orlando to present wall-to-wall coverage from the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference. We'll be featuring podcasts with some of the biggest names in the business, hands-on demonstrations of new and emerging products, realtime reactions from the exhibit hall floor, and a few surprises. ATIA is the first major opportunity of the year for companies to launch new products, and this year promises to not disappoint. Check Blind Bargains often for the latest updates from one of the biggest technology conferences of the year.

We're continuing to feature some of the many new phones supported by the forthcoming Mobile Speak 4. The HTC Tilt2 from AT&T gets its name from the tilting screen on the device. It also happens to be a touch-screen tilting screen, which you can fully use with version 4. If you prefer the more traditional methods of entering text, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard is also housed in the phone. It features Wi-Fi, a built-in GPS, 3.2 megapixel camera, and a MicroSD memory card slot. Also, it includes the latest version of Windows Mobile, version 6.5, which includes enhanced web browsing and Microsoft Office support, among other new features. Amazon.com has it for $99.99 with a new contract and data plan from AT&T. Deals are also available for current customers. Code Factory has posted much more information including audio demos.

While Master's degrees can be attained for the general blindness field, Cal State Northridge, organizers of the annual CSUN technology conference, have begun to offer a new major focusing on assistive technology. 14 students have enrolled in the new program, on route to earn a Master of Science in Assistive Technology Studies and Human Services. According to the press release, The CSUN master's program encompasses research and design; law, ethics and policy; counseling education and the dynamics of play." In this context, assistive technology applies to all disabilities, not just blindness. Assistive technology training certifications have been available from CSUN and others for some time but don't carry as much weight, especially when applying for government-based jobs. It remains to be seen whether this new major will be recognized by these employers when attempting to fill their positions.

Here's a great item for the kitchen. Blind Mice Mart stocks the complete line of Pourfect measuring spoons, bowls, and cups (notice the spelling of pourfect). What makes them perfect is the use of bold large print and braille labels on each cup and spoon, making them quite easy to identify while looking through your kitchen drawers. Get the complete set for $59.75 plus shipping, or just the bowls, just the spoons, just the cups, etc. Many of the sets are available for under $20, but you naturally save when you buy them all together.

Over the next few days, we'll be posting deals on a few of the new phones supported by the upcoming release of Mobile Speak 4. Version 4 supports touch-screen devices for both the Symbian and Windows Mobile operating systems. Amazon.com has one such Symbian device, the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, for $232.94 with free shipping. Mobile Speak 4 makes these touch-screen devices accessible by the use of gestures, allowing you numerous ways to input text, select commands, or adjust settings using different types of motions on the screen. Apple proved this was all possible with the release of the iPhone 3GS with VoiceOver, and Code Factory is now bringing similar functionality to a host of new phones. As for the 5530 XpressMusic, it naturally has enhanced music capabilities including over 24 hours of continuous music playback. A 4GB MicroSD card is included, and the phone also supports Wi-Fi and includes a 3 megapixel camera.

Geeks.com has a great deal on a refurbished desktop. It's the Dell Optiplex GX280 for $119.95 with about $19 for shipping. It features an Intel Pentium-4 3GHz processor, 512MB of memory, 40GB hard drive, DVD ROM drive, and runs the venerable Microsoft Windows XP Pro operating system. It's a good starter or backup system as it is, or slap in some more memory and a bigger hard drive to make it even more useful.

We've relaunched our mobile site, making it easier to follow our site while on the go. It offers many of the features of our regular site using a stripped-down interface. If you visit blindbargains.com from most mobile phones, you'll be directed there automatically. Or, visit http://m.blindbargains.com to get there directly.

For all you iPhone and iPod touch users out there who may have had "living a healthier lifestyle" as one of your new year resolutions, we've received a resource list of accessible health-related applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. This list is not complete and was compiled by a BlindBargains user.

A user reminded us of some great deals on religious items. Here's the message they sent: Bartimaeus Alliance of the Blind is a non-denominational Christian ministry which has a huge online library of public domain books that anyone can access or download. However, they have a few items that are free or at low prices in hard copy or audio form which are free or which involve a small donation. These include the popular Solar Talking Bible, which they call the "Pocket" Bible", in either King James or New American Standard (NASB) versions. Proof of visual impairment or reading disability is required. They have a 7 volume Brail Bible Dictionary for a "donation" of $100 They also offer two Bible story books for kids and several versions of the Bible in various formats. Applications are available on the website, but there will be an additional phone call for verification of information relating to disability. This is a great deal for the pocket Bibles. They sell anywhere from $70 to $119 from commercial sources.

It looks like the team over at Handy Tech North America is having a huge clearance on their Serotek product line. For a limited time, purchase System Access Mobile for only $299.99. This screen access configuration gives you the ability to license Serotek's award winning screenreader on two machines as well as a U3 enabled USB thumb drive allowing for ease in intuitive usability and portability. Please navigate to the link above to take advantage of this special.

If you've been wondering what MobileSpeak 4 sounds like, your wait is now over. Please navigate to the link above to hear an audio demonstration of this innovative cross-platform screenreader being used on a Nokia N82. MobileSpeak 4 is slated to be released by the end of January.

Remember our story on Verizon shaking up their phone plans? Well AT&T didn't want to be outdone, so they now have the same unlimited planf for $69.99 a month. They also offer similar family plans and an unlimited data plan for $99.99 per month. Current and new customers can sign up starting today without extending your contract, according to a press release. Via Boy Genius Report

We knew this day was coming. Samsung has announced the availability of 32GB MicroSDHC memory cards next month. They're currently in the testing phase. This should mean some price drops for their 8GB and 16GB cousins. Other brands will certainly follow. Of course, when they become available, we'll be on top of the best deals. Via Boy Genius Report

There are plenty of stories floating around about some major rate changes coming to Verizon Wireless. Among the highlights is a $30 drop for their unlimited voice plan to $69.99. In addition, some low-end accessible phones will require a new data option. More details after the jump, and don't worry, we won't use silly graphics and charts like those other sites,. Read more

More details have emerged concerning the apparent end of support for Wayfinder Access, the GPS software package for Symbian-based phones. Neil Barnfather of TalkNav, the largest dealer for the software, posted this note on the Access mailing list about the current status of the product. Read more

LetsTalk.com has the new LG eXpo for $49.99 with new voice and data service from AT&T. That's $50 off our last mention, and the best deal we know to be available for this model. To recap, AT&T recently introduced one of the coolest-sounding high-end phones to their product lineup. It's not often such feature-packed phones are offered by U.S. carriers. The LG eXpo is the first phone offered by any carrier in the United States with a 1GHz processor (most have one about half as fast). The phone includes a QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen interface, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, MicroSDHC card slot, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi, GPS, and Windows Mobile 6.5. Alternatively, Amazon has it for $99.99 and may have deals for renewing customers as well. While no official support has been announced by Code Factory, the next version of Mobile Speak is said to support several Windows Mobile 6.5 devices, though we can't make any guarantees this one will be on the list. As with all smartphones from AT&T, a qualifying data plan is also required.

Vodafone has acquired Wayfinder and states on this webpage that their products, including Wayfinder Access, will no longer be available. We will investigate this news further and report more as we learn details. Wayfinder Access offered GPS navigation for Symbian-based handsets. Talks had been ongoing about a major new release of Access, but no news has been heard in a few months.

According to this official press release from Serotek, users signing up for a Build a Bundle plan starting at $9.95 per month will receive the Eloquence speech synthesizer as a part of their access for free, a $25 value. Alternatively, users of the free System Access to Go offering, Serotek's free web-based screen reader, can purchase Eloquence for $40 for use with this service. No end date is given.