All News and Views

NFB-Newsline subscribers soon will be able to use the service hands-free. Beta applications are now being accepted to use the new NFB-Newsline skill for Amazon's Echo, Echo Dot, and other voice-enabled hardware.

Freedom Scientific has introduced the latest generation of its Focus 40 Blue braille display with an emphasis on durability.

The 3rd update for NVDA in 2017 is a big one, and you can test out the features now with the 1st release candidate.

Just over a year after completing a successful crowdfunding campaign, the team at Dictationbridge has a near-final release version of their software for NVDA available for your use.

If you are a good braille writer and have a story to tell, you may be able to win $2,000 from Onkyo.

The San Francisco Lighthouse is once again offering maps for Burning Man, the one-of-a-kind event held each August in Black Rock City.

Hims has released their first update for the BrailleSense Polaris. The free update activates the camera and adds support for USB and Bluetooth QWERTY keyboards among other functions.

James Teh, one of the 2 original developres of the NVDA screen reader, is moving on after working with the free screen reader for the past decade.

Here's a research study that may teach you something about how your mind works. It does not pay, but it may still be fun to take.

Earlier this week, I presented a brand new workshop on conversational assistants at the library where I work. Our discussion-based tech events are a chance for blind New Yorkers to explore what's new in accessible technology, And I was pretty excited to share how Google, Apple and Amazon have designed simple, conversational interfaces that work well for blind and sighted people alike.

The American Printing House for the Blind is giving away an Orbit Reader 20 braille display to one lucky survey respondent.

If you're headed to the NFB convention in Orlando, there are a growing number of services which can help make your busy convention just a bit less busy. From rides and food to groceries and massages, one or many of the below services may help you.

Here's a super cool way to help students create bots that can talk about various topics. From Amazon:

"Get an inside peek at the Alexa Prize, Amazon's university competition to advance AI. This year s inaugural competition focuses on the grand challenge of building a socialbot that can converse coherently and engagingly with humans on popular topics such as entertainment, politics, and sports for 20 minutes. The socialbots are works in progress, and your conversations and feedback will help students develop a more engaging AI. To try one, say: Alexa, let s chat."

To learn more about the Alexa Prize, click the provided link.

Amazon is the latest company to offer audio description for many of their available movies and original series. Currently, 133 titles are available with audio description, both for Prime members and for purchase.

Sendero has released version 3.0 of their GPS apps for iOS devices, and the beginnings of indoor navigation support are among the list of changes.

Apple introduced the next version of iOS, a new speaker, and new Macs and iPads at WWDC. But there were some accessibility features that gained a brief visual mention that were not covered.

Convention registration season is in full force with both ACB and NFB forms now available.

The release candidate for the 2nd major update for NVDA of 2017 has been posted and includes a laundry list of changes.

Google's IO conference, the place where developers go to learn about what's coming up next in Android, has spilled the beans on some forthcoming TalkBack improvements in Android O.

Free Amazon Prime Video access is one of the best perks of being an Amazon Prime member. With it, you can watch tons of movies and shows for free, including Amazon originals you can't watch anywhere else.

Buzzfeed reports that Apple is planning to announce Amazon Prime Video's arrival on the Apple TV during the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 5 and the app is expected to go live as soon as this summer.

Even though the Amazon fire TV is somewhat accessible, Apple has done a much better job and have more accessible apps. Will this one be accessible with Voiceover? We'll just have to wait and see.