Blind Bargains

Blind Bargains Qast 41: Nimbus Squircle


We may be nearing the end of another year, but that doesn't seem to be stopping big events from happening. J.J. has returned from his big trip to the West Coast, Joe has returned from the Apple Store where he saw a big iPad and we open this week's round of news with a story that might end up being one of the biggest things to happen to A.T. all year. Joe also demonstrates an MFI controller for his new Apple TV... on a big screen. Then we have "Sound Off", a tip and the "Last Word". So get yourself a big hot or cold beverage of your choice. This one is going to be, sensing a theme here?, big.

In the news:

Breaking: Vector Capital Combines Freedom Scientific and Optelec to create Assistive Technology Juggernaut

A Screen Access Marriage: ZoomText Fusion Released with Magnification and Full Screen Reader

Audio Feedback, A New Accessibility Option, Will Let Your Android Wear Watch Talk Back To You

Except don't look for the watch we mention on the show. This story came in the day after we recorded. LG cancels smartwatch after just six days on the market

Introducing MLWordTips by MaLynWorks

Blind Arduino Blog Aims to Become Repository for Blind Makers and Tinkerers

Art Karshmer, champion of math accessibillity and one of the founding members of the CSUN access confrences, has passed.

Tim Nugent, father of accessibility dies at 92

Popular NLS Narrator Roy Avers has Passed

Roy's passing, and those who remembered him on social media, prompted Lulu Hartgen to post this article about popular Narrators on RNIB who also would be missed.

The Fall 2015 Xbox One update, sporting Microsoft narrator, has been released. here are two takes on how it works. One from Carlos Vasquez and another from Brandon Cole

The Xbox One Elite Controller has also been released. This controller is ideal for those who wish to customize the button layout of the device, however, it is being touted by many with physical disabilities as a game changer for allowing them to operate the controller with greater ease.

AFB's Access World Holiday Gift Guide featured in the November 2015 issue, is here to assist you with your gift giving this holiday season

Santa and the NFB Partner to Send Braille Letters to Blind Children

Demonstration: Steel Series nimbus Controller

Made For iPhone, or MFI, are three words Joe adores when it comes to iOS. It lets him play SNES classics like Final Fantasy VI and the enduring SEGA Cd/Sony PSOne "Lunar The Silver Star" the way they were meant to be played... with a controller rather than some silly grafted on touch system that might induce joe to rage quit and toss a very expensive iPad across the room. A much cheaper device for joe to destroy, although it would be hard as this little guy is built tough, is the new Steel Series Nimbus controller. The Nimbus costs around $50 and is being marketed as the MFI controller for the new Apple TV. The unit has a 40 hour internal battery and connects to a Lightning cable for charging after those late night potato chip-powered gaming sessions. in this demo, joe describes the layout of the controller, shows off the Voiceover friendly iOS companion app and then thrills to the ability to use the device to fly through all those annoying Apple TV log on menus. To learn more about the nimbus, visit the product page
or head over to Amazon to purchase one for yourself.

Sound Off;

Jan Brown writes in with a thought about, and yes this is an actual term used in social media, Inspirational Porn.

< "I have never liked those stories about blind people doing something the sighted believe is amazing.
There is so much truly amazing stuff going on in the world of AT or mainstream tech that time spent on stories which make sighted people feel good seems a total waste.
You asked so I replied.
Keep up the great work."

Twitter was a blaze with comments about our big lead story.

@jadedangel143: wrote:
watch optelec's actually good magnification products go down

@featherbear15 ponders:
here we f**king go, again. how many will lose their jobs, this round.

A BB Qast Regular provided some feedback in regards to BBQ Episode 40,

@ed_edwardson

in reference to most recent podcast, I've used 128 Gb SD cards in my Clip Zip. Works like a charm, formatted as Fat32.

Last Word:

We have "Music For Cats" and the now dead Beta video format to blame for this week's after-echo inspired end-of-show banter.
Mr. Rogers Introduces Kids to Experimental Electronic Music by Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson (1968)

Microsoft has pulled the plug on its failed music service, Zune.

here are links to some of the references made during our sidebar discussions...

National Lampoon's Mr. Rodgers And the Bass Player

Robot Chicken's "Zune Man"

next week, join us for the Blind Bargains holiday Gift Suggestapalooza. Trust us, that is just a working title. Tune in to hear about things that will fit in the stockings with care this holiday season.

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Length: 75:17

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Joe Steinkamp is no stranger to the world of technology, having been a user of video magnification and blindness related electronic devices since 1979. Joe has worked in radio, retail management and Vocational Rehabilitation for blind and low vision individuals in Texas. He has been writing about the A.T. Industry for 15 years and podcasting about it for almost a decade.


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