All Deals

A seller has listed a used Pac Mate QX440 40-cell braille display PDA for $2,000 on the Star Technology Exchange. The item is listed in excellent condition and comes with carrying case and A/C adapter.

Back at Buy.com, it's the D-Link 7DBI Omnidirectional Antenna for $13.99 after a $20 mail-in rebate. That's a $2 drop from our last mention and the lowest price we could find. This antenna connects to many 802.11G routers and will increase your wireless range. Check your router to see if it is compatible with this antenna. Deal ends February 11.

An Ebay seller has listed a Braille Blazer embosser with a starting bid of $9.99. Though the item is, as usual, advertised as is, it does power on and speak when buttons are pressed. Auction ends February 6.

TheNerds.net has the Olympus DS-40 Digital Voice Recorder for $141.78. With about $10 for shipping, that's over $50 off retail and the lowest price we've seen. This is the 512MB version of their new line of accessible voice recorders.

A seller has listed an HP Ipaq 2410 PDA running Windows Mobile 2003, 520 megahertz processor, 1 gb SD memory card, USB Cradle with AC adaptor with Mobile Speak Pocket and Microsoft Voice Command for $700. This item is listed on the STAR Technology Exchange a classified ads service that promotes the reutilization of assistive technology.

Thursday we posted a phone that has basic features. Today, we wrap up phone week with a PDA phone from HP with a lot of functionality. The HP Mobile Messenger HW6920, available from TheNerds.net for $524.29 plus shipping, this phone includes many features that make it an attractive option. Supported by Cingular Wireless, the PDA includes a built-in GPS receiver, Bluetooth capabilities and a mini SD slot. It runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 and also has a full QWERTY keyboard. The accessibility comes from Mobile Speak Pocket from Code Factory, and although not all features will be accessible out of the box, the software does include a script language that could allow you to make other features talk. The combination of all of these features in one handheld device is the beginning of where the future of technology is happening, with the buzzword being convergence. Expect many more devices like this one very soon.

TheNerds.net has the 802.11G Wireless Skype phone for $136.91. With about $10 for shipping, we couldn't find this particular item for less elsewhere. This phone will let you use Skype over any 802.11G network without the need for turning a computer on. Note: We are unsure as to the accessibility of this phone, though we'd assume that basic dialing would work fine.

ANTOnline via Amazon.com has the brand new Olympus DS-30 DigitalVoice Recorder for $113.01. With about $8 for shipping, that's $12 off our last mention and the lowest price we could find. This unit records at up to 44.1kHz and is billed as Olympus's most accessible digital recorder. It also includes a detachable stereo microphone, noise cancelation, and automatic downloading of Podcasts.

An Ebay seller has listed a Powerbraille 40 for $89 plus $9.99 for shipping within the U.S. No cables are included and the item is sold as is. Auction ends February 3.

With all of the talk about phones that are made accessible using special software, there continues to be a lot of people who are happy with a more limited amount of accessibility. LG has continued with their line of talking phones with the VX8300, a CDMA phone primarily for Verizon Wireless. This newer model improves on the accessibility features of earlier talking phones including the ability to send (not receive) text messages, more voice feedback while navigating the menus, and a better voice for reading text-to-speech information. The phone itself also includes a MicroSD memory card slot. The prices on these cards are falling dramatically, with a 1GB card available for under $20. The phone can play MP3s and has Bluetooth capability, which I successfully set up without sighted assistance. Check the link on this post to find this phone on Ebay at some very decent prices.

Buy.com has the Epson Perfection scanner, model V350, for $115.68. With free shipping, we couldn't find this model for less elsewhere. It features a scan area of 8.5 by 11, USB connectivity and a 35 millimeter automatic film loader. This bargain is no longer available.

Phone week continues with a hot new offering from Motorola. The Q is a CDMA phone that works with Verizon and Sprint among others. This phone runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 so it is compatible with Mobile Speak Smartphone. Available from TheNerds.net for $460.78 plus shipping, it includes Bluetooth connectivity, QWERTY keyboard, stereo speakers and MiniSD memory slot, 240 minutes of talk time. Use the EVDU capability to connect to high-speed networks like Verizon's Broadbandaccess.

StarSurplus.com has the 3-in-1 USB VoIP phone, sound card, and 256MB flash drive for $26.95. With about $5 for shipping, that's the lowest price we could find for this item by about $3. It includes a 5.1 channel sound card, phone handset compatible with Skype, and an integrated flash memory drive.

Today, phone week continues with the new Nokia E70 GSM cell phone, which was just made accessible by the latest version of Mobile Speak from Code Factory. This $385 phone with free shipping from Buy.com has several features that put it in the next generation of cell phone technology. Not only does it connect to GSM networks, but it also supports 802.11G networks allowing direct connections to the PC world. Also included is a mini SD slot, 2 megapixel camera (most phones only have 1 megapixel), and over 7 hours of talk time. As with all of the phones we're featuring this week, this model is unlocked and not tied to any specific carrier.

Ruckus Networks offers over 2.1 million songs free of charge to any student with a valid .edu Email address. The service is advertiser-supported and includes several social networking features such as shared playlists. Ruckus has copyright agreements with every major record label and is a legitimate legal service.

Welcome to the Blind Bargains phone week. Each day, we'll feature a different accessible cell phone. Today, it's the Nokia 9300 GSM cell phone from Buy.com for $234.99 shipped. This Symbian Series 80 phone runs with the Nuance Talks software and features a QWERTY keyboard, several connectivity options such as Bluetooth, USB, and infrared, and many bundled PDA applications. This GSM phone will work on networks like Cingular and T-Mobile. Check back each day for a new accessible cell phone option.

An Ebay seller has listed a Braille 'n Speak 2000 with the latest software update for a starting bid of $50. As usual, it is sold as is but most likely works. Auction ends January 30.

Ending Wednesday, Skype's deal for one year of unlimited calls from the U.S. to locations in the U.S. and Canada for $14.95 or just over a dollar a month. On Thursday, the rate doubles to $29.95 per year. Skype allows you to make free calls to millions of other users of its software and low-cost calls to regular phones around the world. Deal ends January 31.

The Desert Skies has kindly posted an accessible manual for the new series of Olympus recorders. Use the link off this post to read the instructions for the DS-30, DS-40 and DS-50 recorders. We posted a deal for the DS-30 last week on this site.

Starting Monday, it's the Blind Bargains Phone Week. Each day, we'll feature a different accessible cell phone. Since most of our readers already have a cell phone plan, we'll be featuring unlocked versions of these phones, meaning that they do not require a new contract to activate. There are now many accessible cell phone options to choose from, so check back all next week to help make your decision a bit easier.