Software Deals, Sales, and News

Our sister site, ATGuys.com, is now an authorized reseller of the KNFB Reader Mobile software and bundled packages. Purchase the software with a Nokia N82, your choice of Mobile Speak or Talks, and Wayfinder Access GPS software for $1,895 plus shipping. Or get the reader, phone, and screen reader for $1,595 plus shipping. Other bundles are also available.

Several leaked hints appear to lead to the imminent release of version 6.0 for the KNFB Reader Mobile, the software-based mobile scanning solution for the Nokia N82 phone. First off, a new version of the reader for people with learning disabilities, the kReader, has been released as version 6.0.7. Here's a link to the release notes. These notes mention the ability to translate between different languages using a data or wireless Internet connection. It also appears from these notes that additional language support is licensed separately, though no exact cost is given. In addition, James Gashel, Vice President of Marketing for KNFB Reading Technologies, mentions a release around the first part of January in this message posted to the Reader-users mailing list. Other messages have also mentioned the possible support for the Nokia 6220 Classic as an additional phone model. Current users are promised a year of free upgrades, though we expect the language support to carry an additional charge. We'll post more information as it becomes available.
Update: Based on the user manual for version 5.6.3 of the KNFB Reader Mobile in Europe, the volume keys on the phone can now control the reader volume. Also, two voices: a message voice and a reading voice are selectable. We're unsure if these features will be available in the U.S. release.

Some assistive technology companies are also offering holiday weekend deals. Starting Friday, Serotek offers a $200 discount of orders of $399 or more. Use it to purchase System Access 3.0, System Access Mobile Network subscriptions, Neospeech, Document Scan, or the
MSI Wind Netbook computer with System Access pre-installed.
Follow the link on this post to go to their site, or call 866-202-0520. System Access 3.0 is the first mainstream screen reading product to offer support for newer 64-bit operating systems, sold on many newer desktops and laptops. Deal ends December 1.

JAWS 10, the latest screen reading version from Freedom Scientific, was released last week. We've linked to the list of new features for all the dirty details. The most talked-about feature, perhaps, is called Tandom and allows for remote training and support opportunities.

As a follow-up to our previous post, here's a list of the 42 changes and improvements for Sendero GPS version 5. The new version was released Monday.

The Sendero Group has released version 5 of its groundbreaking GPS software for the BrailleNote family of PDAs. This version includes expanded points of interest data with more than 3 gigabytes of new data for the United States alone. Among the most interesting new features is the ability to find a business in a particular direction from you. This would make it possible to find upcoming restaurants on a highway, for example. Borrowing from many of the mainstream GPS programs, a speed alert feature can tell you if you are going too fast on the highway. Enhancements to the replay capability, and simpler route creation are also included. The upgrade costs one SMA count or $149 and is available now.

Another free screen reading option has recently been introduced, which offers speech access from virtually any computer, regardless of the operating system. WebAnywhere is the latest entrant in the field of web-based access products, and offers access to websites using a centralized program. The software was developed at the University of Washington and is currently available in English, though other languages are planned. Programmers may be interested to know that the source code of this project has been released, making this what we believe to be the first web-based screen reading product with publicly available source code. We'll be watching this one as it develops over the coming months.

GW Micro has released the hugely anticipated free public beta of Window-Eyes 7.0. The big news for this release is the robust support for scripting, as demonstrated by the dozens of scripts already available on their Script Central site. These include highly-advanced scripts for the Winamp media player, a handy script which speaks chat history and other info in Skype, and many scripts for performing tasks from converting units of measure to looking up dictionary terms. Not to be overlooked, this version also includes improved support for international languages, a website place marker feature, better support for Firefox 3, and new commands to navigate through web pages.

Over at our sister site, ATGuys.com cut the price on the Mobile Speak Pocket screen reader to $295. That's a $200 drop and the lowest price we could find. This screen reader works with many Pocket PC phones such as the HTC Tilt and XV6800. Update: the price has fallen to $265.50 through July 31.

The accessible GPS market is getting even more crowded with the announcement of a beta program for Code Factory's Mobile Geo. This forthcoming software will run on Windows Mobile and Pocket PC smart phones and is based on the features of the Sendero GPS. Code factory is currently looking for beta testers, and we've linked to the details. Update: the link has been fixed.

The GW Micro blog points us to an upcoming resource for the pending Window-Eyes 7.0 called Script Central. It's a website with dozens of scripts which could enhance the next version of the popular screen reader. Scripts range from enhancements for Winamp to a weather applet. You can actually browse the page now, but the scripts will be pretty useless until the public beta is released.

Mobile Speak and Mobile Speak Smartphone are available at our sister site, ATGuys.com, for $249. Plus, delivery is free. This is Code Factory's popular software for Symbian phones like the Nokia N82 and 6682 and Windows Mobile Smartphones like the Motorola Q. Deal ends April 30.

Though no products have been released yet, the promises by upstart software company Beacon Sys, Inc. are certainly intriguing. Among them is a bill identifier using the phone's camera which they say will cost in the tens of dollars. It would certainly be the cheapest such software program available for phones. A bar code reader and navigation software for transit systems are also on the horizon. We'll report more as products are released.

It looks like you didn't have to attend CSUN to get a copy of the free promotional release of Freedom Scientific's MAGic screen magnification product. The download, which gives you free access until August, is available now. MAGic 11 is reported to be better-suited for working in combination with JAWS 9.0, highlighting text when spoken, for example.

Dolphin reminds us that there are more screen access programs that are worthy of our attention. Version 9 of all of their reading and magnification products, such as HAL and Supernova, has been officially released. It boasts better Internet navigation, simplified browsing of page elements in Word and Excel, and the introduction of online quick keys. Thanks to the Ranger Station for the press release.

Serotek, who perhaps produces the screen access program with the most frequent updates, is back at it again with version 2.4 of System Access and System Access to Go. The latest release allows for magnification up to 6X the original size, which can be adjusted in .25x increments. Also, many of the media content features found in the Victor Reader Stream will now also be coming to LevelStar's Icon. This will happen once a firmware update for the Icon is released. Many of these features are available both on System Access and the free online System Access to Go product.

NVAccess, the nonprofit largely responsible for the development of the free NVDA screen reader, will be demonstrating their new speedier support for Firefox version 3 at CSUN. Two members of the development team are attending thanks to a grant from the Mozilla Foundation. Read the complete details by checking the link on this post.

The CSUN pre-press has definitely started to roll. Freedom Scientific is giving a huge push to their low vision products including offering CSUN attendees a free MAGic version 11 trial that will work until August. Other sessions for the Pac-Mate Omni, magnification aids, and a happy hour are also announced in this press release. We're unsure if those not attending the conference can obtain the MAGic trial.

First it was Sendero GPS for the BrailleNote. Then, Sendero reached out to the Voice Sense by GW Micro and hinted of more GPS partnerships to come. Now, Code Factory will become the third technology company to bring Sendero's award-winning GPS products to a new device, this time to the Windows Mobile platform. More details about this and other Code Factory releases wil presumably be available during CSUN next week.

If it's any comfort to the Ranger Station blog, you're not the last place to report on the release of OpenBook 8.0. We figured we probably should mention the latest version of Freedom Scientific's scanning and OCR product sooner rather than later. All kidding aside, this upgrade looks pretty packed with features and includes better OCR engines, new speech synthesizers, better keyboard integration with JAWS and MAGic, better support for currency reading, and a laundry list of other improvements. It's $150 for current users to upgrade or $995 for a new copy.