All News and Views

Terrill Thompson has once again posted a completely accessible NCAA March Madness bracket which you can fill out and monitor. It uses accessibility best practices to create one of the most usable brackets for screen reader users. Check the source link on this post to check it out or fill out a bracket. The first main tournament round starts just after noon on Thursday.

A public beta of the Version 1.4 firmware for the Baum VarioUltra has been posted. We covered the bulk of the changes in a post last week, which includes UEB support and the ability to unlock your phone from the device. There is a long list of changes available in the source link from this post.

Google had a full slate of sessions at this year's CSUN conference and showed off some of the features for the next version of the TalkBack screen reader for Android devices. Google's Victor Tsaran highlighted several changes for version 5.2, which is set to enter public beta in a couple weeks.

As we announced earlier, KNFB Reader for Windows 10 is here. At that time, we did not have much information as to the specifics, but that has changed with the release of the app The Windows version boasts, among other things, full support for Narrator as well as compatibility with other popular screen readers including NVDA, JAWS and Dolphin SuperNova. It also supports Microsoft's text-to-speech voices."

Today at CSUN, HIMS is officially unveiling its latest product in the line of Braille Sense notetakers known as the Braille Sense Polaris. The Polaris, unlike previous Braille Sense models which have run on Windows CE, will run on Android 5 Lollypop. It will contain many of the Sense suite of applications and also retain much of the menu structure found on all previous models. Features like the Bookshare Downloader, Bard app, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and others which can be downloaded and are usable from the Google Play store are not included.

According to a press release, Sendero has announced the rlease of Sendero GPS 2017 for notetakers and the PC. For the notetaker side, the update is to the points of interest (POI) database and map data. For the PC version, version 2017 introduces the ability to virtually explore by POIs along a street and it also allows the user to virtually enter, display details and exit a POI.

The National Federation of the Blind and Sensotec NV have announced that it will be demoing the upcoming release of KNFB Reader for Windows at the CSUN conference. It appears, from the release, that this app will only run on Windows 10. It will have support for multiple screen readers, as well as its own TTS and support for braille displays. The release further indicates that it will be using similar technology found on the iOS and Android versions of the app, including nearly instant OCR results for pictures, the field of view report, and other options found on the already existing KNFB Reader apps.

UPDATE!
KNFB Reader for Windows will cost $19.95 for a limited time, and is compatible with most scanners and available for Windows 10.

An episode of the Blind Abilities podcast tells us of a new 16-cell braille display from HandyTech. According to Earle Harrison of Triumph Technology, the U.S. distributor for HandyTech, the Actilino is a new 16-cell braille display which includes HandyTech's Active Tactile Control, a technology which can automatically advance the braille display based on your hand movements.

ElBraille isn't the only product that has undergone changes and hopes to be available soon after showcasing at CSUN. NeoeAccess is back with a new flavor for the NeoBraille. originally announced just prior to CSUN last year, the device was running on Android and was going to be sold by Irie-At in the U.S. The Irie-At Twitter account has been sending out tweets teasing an announcement, which is now here.

Many of you may recall the VFO Group, then known only as Freedom Scientific, announcing the ElBraille just prior to last year's CSUN conference. This year, ElBraille is back with some upgraded specs and now seems destined for release.

Amazon is the latest company to launch a help desk for disabled customers. To access it from the U.S., call toll-free (888) 283-1678. In addition to the usual technical questions one may ask about using the website or Amazon's services, agents are able to describe product pictures or assist in the shopping process. Of note, they are not allowed to actually place an order for you. It's open from 6 AM-1 AM Eastern time, 7 days a week. Thanks to the Fred's Head Blog for the info.

Those of us who have participated in what is now known as the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference are used to typing a few short characters to use the conference's official Twitter hashtag. Last year it was #CSUN16. But conference organizers have made a change which has resulted in a new hashtag format for this year, #CSUNATC17.

Though not publicly available for download, Baum has unveiled what's coming in version 1.4 of the firmware for the VarioUltra braille display. Among the included features is the public beta release of support for Unified English Braille (UEB).

Some of today's braille displays do a lot more than just display braille, but which one is right for your needs? In this in-depth article, I compare the VarioUltra (VU) from Baum and the Braille Edge from HIMS. I chose These 2 units because they both have 40 cells of braille and are what the market seems to now call "smart displays", a term given to devices which do not perform all of the functions of a traditional notetaker such as playing music, GPS navigation, downloading email directly to the device, or browsing the internet. At the same time, these devices are able to accomplish more than just connecting to an external gadget such as a computer, tablet, or smart phone. While these braille devices are in the middle in terms of functionality, they're also in the middle in terms of their price point when compared with other categories of braille devices. This article will examine both the Braille Edge and VarioUltra for their connectivity, support while connecting with some external devices, their internal applications, and physical appearance.

NVAccess has Published the official release for NVDA 2017.1, the first milestone release of the new year. In addition to previously mentioned support for Kindle reading on PC, this update improves support for several Microsoft products including table reading in the Edge web browser and various improvements and changes for Word, and Excel as well as a variety of bug fixes. In case you missed it last week, the complete changelog is below.

Researchers at Ohio State University have posted a short survey to examine racial perceptions as it pertains to people who are blind or visually impaired. According to the survey page, "The purpose of this research survey is to examine how indi viduals who are blind or visually impaired perceive race and culture. Through the results of this survey, it is our hope to better understand the perceptions of individuals who are blind within these areas in an effort to improve education and raise awareness of diversity among all individuals, including individuals with vision loss." No compensation is being offered, and the survey is expected to take 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Check the link on this post to learn more or take the survey.

Amazon continues to add accessibility to its lineup of products, and a recent blog post focuses on current and forthcoming improvements for Fire TV, Amazon's connected Smart TV product.

Amazon is focusing on the experience for speech and low vision users, including easy access to adjust the rate of speech, a review mode which can be used to reread information or spell names of actors and show titles, and global settings for higher contrast and closed captions. Apps like Netflix and Hulu now also play nicer with accessibility services, according to the blog post.

Amazon's Fire TV is a small device which plugs into an existing television or video display and displays and plays video content, such as television shows, photos, or videos. It's a direct competitor to the Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast among others.

You can read more from the Amazon blog post. Stay with Blind Bargains for more Amazon coverage from CSUN 2017.

Google's Chromebooks have come a long way since their initial introduction, and now the ChromeVox screen reader is taking a major leap forward as well. The new version includes a variety of enhancements including an enhanced keyboard layout, stereo earcons which provide contextual and positioning information, a panel for teachers so they can follow along with what the student is hearing, and USB braille support with the ability to use braille keyboard commands. New ChromeVox menus allow the user to find various menu options, links lists, and other features. All of this and more is explained in more detail on Google's blog post.

It's time for what has become a bit of an annual tradition around here. This will be our 8th time attending the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference, the largest such conference for the blind. We often 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.

NVAccess has Published the Release Candidate for NVDA 2017.1, the first milestone release of the new year. In addition to previously mentioned support for Kindle reading on PC, this update improves support for several Microsoft products including table reading in the Edge web browser and various improvements and changes for Word, and Excel as well as a variety of bug fixes. The complete changelog is below.