Good evening!  I'm Kerry J Harrison at the business desk and it's time for our weekly feature on women in business.

As more and more women venture into the business world, we are finding that more and more people are taking notice.  There was a time when women felt that their place was at home.  No more!  As women continue to gain in confidence, we're finding that more and more of them are taking the big step to start their own businesses.  According to a recent CNN report, about 25% of small businesses in the United States are owned by women.  In addition, women small business owners grew by about 23% last year, twice the rate of new business openings.  I'd like to see more women take the plunge. 

Women have something to contribute and it's time for them to realize it.  There's a very buoyant trend presently taking place across our nation these days and experts are calling it "the small business idea for woman."  You can read more about this trend by visiting www.untappedwealth.com/business-strategies.html and go to the small business idea for women link. 

The small business idea for woman trend is doing really well these days as more and more women are coming to the conclusion that the only way for them to take back their lives is for them to take control and create their own business ventures.  I'd like now to hand things over to our associate Donna J Jodhan as she has a special message for you.

 

Do women have a place in the small business arena?

 

I have been a small business owner for over 13 years now and I say yes!  In a world where men still rule, and there's still a glass ceiling for women, I truly believe that there is definitely a place for us.  I am a woman, I am visually impaired, but I've managed to make it!

 

Did you know that women are the owners of about 25% of small businesses in America today?  Did you also know that they are the owners of 10 of the top Fortune 500 companies?  Did you also know that women business owners is one of the fastest growing trends in America today?  According to CNN news, the growth of women owners of small businesses outstripped the growth of new companies in 2006 by about 23%.

 

The number of battered women across America continues to increase.  The number of women as single parents also continues to skyrocket, but at the same time and despite all of this, women are still making it in the business world.

 

The challenges for women are many, but it is definitely doable.  Persistence is one of the ingredients for success.  Another is making sure that our voices are heard on a constant basis.  We need to constantly keep reminding the rest of the world that we have something to contribute.  We can think for ourselves and we are independent enough to pay our own taxes, earn our own incomes, and live our own lives.

 

What we need to keep in mind is that we have to keep ourselves focused on the prize.  We need to remember that both men and many of our fellow women will always be questioning our abilities both in and out of the boardroom and we have to find ways to keep proving them wrong.  I know that it's often hard to keep our cool, but losing our cool will only give them ammunition for more attacks on our abilities.

 

So, don't give up!  As women we have to stick together and help and support each other. 

 

I hope you pay close attention to Donna's message and now I'd like to shine the spotlight on her business.  The following is a brief summary of what Donna's company is all about.

 

They call themselves a "One Stop Writing Shop" and well they should.  There are not too many companies around at present that are able to do this and do it so well.  The experts call them unique!  They offer complete services that can help you do research, write, translate and transcribe your info into multi languages.  For absolutely free they can help you to keep abreast of important trends and news items if you're either too busy to search for them or you don't know where to find them.  They can help you to increase your revenues, reduce your costs, and expand your customer bases.  They can offer you a free online monthly magazine filled with info designed to help you keep abreast of market trends and consumer habits and articles that will point you in the right direction when it comes to finding opportunities that are explosive, lucrative, but above all safe.
To learn more visit them at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

 

At the business desk, I'm Kerry J Harrison wishing you a pleasant weekend.

Hey there!  I'm Alix Shadonnay at the business desk and today I'm kicking off a brand new feature.

We've been receiving lots of requests from translators for us to shine the light on what's going on the world of translators and interpreters.  There's always lots going on in this arena and with the rapidly increasing growth of global trade, the rising prominence of economies such as China and India, it's time for all you translators and interpreters to come forth and take your rightful places on the global stage.  So, without much ado, here now are our first weekly tips.

Hope you find it of interest.

 

 Special Offer For Translators
The True Global Economy · How T. J. Clark Factory Outlet Stores Work · How To Have A Successful Business · Opportunities For Translators ...
For more detail check out:
http://www.sexage.net/health_103/tjclarkco/small_business/translators.htm

 

The Most Common Complaints about Translation Services
By Jocelyn
By Marian Marcinkowski Within past years modern electronic communication has created extensive business opportunities for freelance translators. They are able to reach clients from all over the world and perform their jobs at their own ...
norel - http://norelfouillard.blogs.friendster.com/norel/
For more detail check out:
http://norelfouillard.blogs.friendster.com/norel/2007/08/the_most_common.html

 

Verztec Consulting Announces Best Practices for Internet Marketing
Emediawire (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
Verztec has invested heavily in web technologies that allow Translators, Interpreters, Voice Talents, Copywriters and other personnel to register themselves ...
For more detail check out:
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/8/emw547714.htm

 

ProZ.com SDL TRADOS
"This strategic partnership reflects the strength of SDL TRADOS Technologies and ProZ.com's commitment to enhancing professional opportunities for translators and further benefiting the industry as a whole. ...
Vincent's Workspace -
For more detail check out:
http://wilson0603.spaces.live.com/

 

Lost in Translation
United States - Houston,TX,USA
Some believe that anyone who can speak a foreign language well can excel as a translator but few realise the amount of time translators pour into their work ...
For more detail check out:
http://www.liftedmagazine.com/index-2.asp?ID=161

 

 My Bondage, My Freedom
The Nation. - New York,NY,USA
But unlike these and other giants of European Modernism, and despite the advocacy of Susan Sontag and translators Christopher Middleton and Susan Bernofsky, ...
For more detail check out:
http://www.thenation.com/docprem.mhtml?i=20070910&s=smallwood

 

"Lost in Translation"
By Percy Balemans
Translation is big business in an increasingly globalised world and the demand for language skills is stronger than ever. The rise of the 'tiger economies' of the Far East have led to greater career opportunities for speakers of Chinese ...
Translating is an Art - http://pbtranslations.wordpress.com
For more detail check out:
http://pbtranslations.wordpress.com/2007/08/23/lost-in-translation/

 

I'd like to close by giving you another website that you can use as a great reference for obtaining translation services plus much more. 

 

Are you looking for experienced multi lingual translators and writers?
Experienced professionals who can help you to write and translate, proof read and edit, and research plus more?
Are you looking for professionals who can help you to write and speak flawless English?
Having problems getting that right someone to help you proof read, edit, and research the appropriate information?
Then you need to contact the staff at www.translationpeople.com.
You can even download free useful information updated weekly and at absolutely no cost you can also keep abreast of the latest trends and headlines updated daily.

 

At the business desk, I'm Alix Shadonnay wishing you a peaceful evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi everyone!  I'm Heather DeMarco at the business desk and it's time for our weekly feature.

We'd like to thank all of the wonderful emails of encouragement and we hope you enjoy this week's chosen articles.

Here they are.  Enjoy!

 

Table of contents

August 29 2007

 

1  Web Site Readability for the Visually Impaired
2  A Simple, Low-Cost, Effective Reading Application *- the business desk.
3  Launch of Insight Radio on the airwaves *- the business desk.
4  Sound Rts! New Real Time Audio Stratogy Game. *- the business desk
5  CallBurner: Finally, Fully Accessible Skype Call Recording is Here at Last!*- the business desk.
6  Internet TV Tuner for the Blind
7  The Impressor: Braille Business Card Embosser

 

Chris.Pirillo.com (Blog)
Monday, July 09, 2007
 
Web Site Readability for the Visually Impaired
 
By Chris Pirillo
 
July 9, 2007 at 2:22 pm
 
Lin (from the live chat room) has sent me an idea tht will turn into an upcoming video segment:
 
Friends are always asking me to look at their website and tell them if I like it. What about the colors, the images, how about the spelling, the grammar, the placement of everything? The one thing they seldom ask is; how easy is my site to read?
 
Many people who use a pc are to some degree visually impaired. They are either nearsighted, have astigmatism or any number of other vision problems that can make reading web pages difficult, annoying, or next to impossible. I often get the feeling the designers are way more interested in impressing people with their cleverness, their technical abilities and their artistic sensibilities, than making a site user friendly.
 
I am constantly surprised, when I go to huge websites, run by giant companies, even worldwide corporations, to find their websites are virtually unreadable, or give me such terrible eye strain, I lose interest and go elsewhere.
 
Often, these websites want to sell me something. How anxious do they think I will be to give them my money, if they don't even have the courtesy and good sense to make their site easy to read and easy to navigate through? How much time am I going to spend, trying to find the link I need to click, to see product details, or to pay for something? I am usually not in the mood to be playing Where's Waldo, when I'm shopping online!
 
Why do so many sites insist on using a font size that would be more appropriate for writing the great American novel on the head of a pin? I see this on very small personal websites, where they have only a small amount of text on each page, so they certainly aren't cramped for space. I see the same on large business websites, I guess because they want to cram as much information onto each page as possible, but what good is that, if everything is so small, half the people who go there cannot easily read or navigate through the site?
 
When I arrive at a website, I also want to be greeted by font styles where all the letters and numbers are clear as to what they are, without me having to take time to decipher the characters. I don't want an S that could maybe be a 5, or a 5 that could maybe be an S, or an R that
looks nothing like any R I've ever seen before. I like artistic and unique font styles, but not if they are puzzling and somewhat illegible.
 
Another problem is the combination of colors and images designers use behind the text. Often the background obliterates the text, or makes it at least somewhat difficult to read. Again, do you want it pretty and artistic, or do you want it readable? Pretty is nice, but readable is most important. In my opinion, a designer who can accomplish both is the good designer.
 
Another readability problem is lines of text that are too close together. Many people have trouble keeping their eyes on one line of text, if it's too close to the line above, and/or the line below it. When I read a book, a magazine or a newspaper, I need to place a 3 x 5 card or a ruler horizontally below the line of text I am reading. There's no easy way to do that on a webpage you are viewing on a vertical, upright monitor.
 
Bottom line: People of all ages have vision problems, and even though the internet is considered a young person's medium, all those young users, who currently have 20/20 vision are aging, along with the rest of us. At some point, their vision will no longer be 20/20 either and the farther we travel into this technological age, the more visually impaired users there will be.
 
I have a brother who is six years younger than me. He was born with 20/20 vision. He teased me mercilessly about my 'blindness' all of my life. until he turned 50, and had to give in and get his first pair of prescription glasses. Funny thing about that - he teases me no more. 8-)
 
Web Site Readability for the Visually Impaired

 

As Your World Changes (Blog)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
 
A Simple, Low-Cost, Effective Reading Application
 
By Susan L. Gerhart
 
As Your World Changes
 Adjusting to vision loss with class, using technology
 
Simple Reading Applications
 
Let's assume you can find your way around a screen through a combination of vision, memory, keyboarding, and mousing but can't read much of the text in documents you access. Is there a low-cost Windows application to read the text for you?
 
Yes, lots to choose from. Search for the phrase "text-to-speech" and you'll find advertisements and websites for freeware, shareware, and all kinds of products at less than $100. This blog article is for beginner Vision Losers as well as those looking for alternatives to higher cost assistive technology products.
 
My main reader for years is TextAloud from http://www.nextup.com, which I'll discuss as a representative of this class of desktop applications. Some use cases are:
 
1) In order to read a .txt file on your disk, you open the file for TextAloud to speak it to you. Ditto for .doc, .pdf, and other standard formats.
 
2) While browsing you find a page you can't read in screen font form. You click the TextAloud toolbar to read the page in a voice and at a rate you choose.
 
3) You just do not feel like sitting straight-up with your eyeballs glued to your screen to read a long document. You copy the text to the clipboard, which TextAloud monitors for changes and then reads the text to you.
 
4) You want a bunch of files in audio form for an MP3 player. Open the files in TextAloud to convert to mp3 format and save in a directory for downloading.
 
5) You're editing a document and want to hear how it sounds for tone, style, and mistakes. Beyond audio editing, maybe you'd like to compare male and female sounding voices to see how your writing is perceived by gender-wired brains. Open or copy the draft into TextAloud, choose voices, and listen to your writing as if being narrated.
 
In other words, TextAloud is a simple word processor with special features for reading the text to you or converting text to mp3 (or WAY) format to be read on another device. One piece of Windows magic is the "copy to clipboard" which transfers text to TextAloud for optional immediate reading.
 
And, it's so helpful to have TextAloud right in your browser. Depending on versions and types of browsers, you can have TextAloud as a up there with Search, Favorites, History, etc.. Simply select text to read, wave your mouse over to the easily seen button, click "Speak", and text is read, even if the desktop application is not loaded. But, wait, there's more, a bonus zoom plus and minus to avoid a trip into the menus to change text size. As long as you can see the toolbar buttons, text-to-speech is just a click away.
 
Uh, oh, I'm starting to sound like a commercial here, but my point is simple: this particular product in the low-cost text-to-speech application space performs a lot of functions your vision may not be able to handle.
 
Really, synthetic voices are a miraculous technology that enables your brain to understand text as if human-read. Older, i.e. 1990ish voices, the ones built into Windows, sound robotic while newer voices are "natural" derived from slices of human speech. We'll explore these more in a future posting, including fascinating studies about how our brains are socially biased in their speech wiring. Listen to sample readings on an informative and vision-friendly podcast, Allison Sheridan's NosillaCast at http://www.podfeet.com
 
TextAloud can be purchased with a bundle of voices which sell individually for around $30. Yes, indeed, buy yourself a choir of male-female, old or young, American-Brit accented voices for a variety of listening experiences. Beware if you are low on GB of disk space as these voice data files are large, upwards of 200 MB to 800 MB. Get to know Kate and Paul, Mike and Crystal, Ray, Claire, Alex, and their developers at RealSpeak, NeoSpeech, ViaVoice, Microsoft, Cepstral, and the home grounds at ATT Labs.
 
OK, here's the down-sides of this product. It comes with "skins" to change its look, but they are all way too bright for my photo-receptors so only the No-skin look is available, but it can be customized for font size and color. I like Ariel, size 14 or 16. White or Yellow on a Dark Blue background. Another problem is that opening a Microsoft Word file means suffering template and installation messages as Word itself is opened, and, no, I can't take it back to the former employer I got it from .For my eyesight and keyboard skills, a drop-down box listing the currently active files is confusing and hard to use. But none of these are show-stoppers nor any worse than other products.
 
Other applications I've used with satisfaction for similar tasks, especially the "read from clipboard" function, are CoolSpeech from http://www.bytecool.com and ACE-HIGH from http://www.textreader.net/ Unfortunately, CoolSpeech ran afoul of my virus checking software and lost its clipboard functionality. This blog post isn't a product review but here's one Disability Professional's product assessment from Beth Case at Disability411 podcast #YYY at URL.
 
As both a visually impaired user and a software developer myself, I've noticed one significant difference among applications in their model of handling multiple requests for readings coming from browsers and other apps copying to the clipboard TextAloud uses a Blocking model, where any request to reads is rejected until the current is done, with an accompanying beep if desired. CoolSpeech uses a sequential reading model where requests are queued and read to completion, one after another. ACE HIGH uses an Interruption model where a read may not completed with new requests starting immediately. Your satisfaction with a product may depend on how well your usage profile matches its read sequencing model.
 
One final note of warning is that all the voices and applications I've tried are easily over-loaded by multiple requests or voice changes, starting to slow down, stop, or speak at the same time, or otherwise babble. TTS isn't perfect but works amazingly well.
 
So, here's a type of desktop application, and one particular satisfied customer for one leading product that Vision Losers can consider. In our theme of "As Your World Changes", you may find tools like this necessary and/or sufficient some days, or in some lighting situations. With a modest investment in software and voice data files, you now have a classy interface for reading on your PC or mp3 or CD players. Of course, sighted people can use these tools also, but often seem, in our terminology, to be happy with "their eyeballs glued to their screens", or printed pages, reading the old-fashioned way. Visually impaired people are sometimes the early adopters of technologies like these and go through an evolutionary phase of learning to listen in order to survive in an information-rich world.
 
Check these out:
 
Voice samples in NoscillaCast #102 and #103 at http://www.podfeet.com.
Other assistive technology information, also.
 
Disability Professional's take on many low-cost assistive technology products http://disability411.jinkle.com/show23.htm
 
TextAloud product from
http://www.nextup.com
 
CoolSpeech product from
http://ww.bytecool.com
 
ACE HIGH Text-to-Speech from
http://www.textreader.net.
 
Future blog articles: "Wired for Speech" book and studies by Stanford professor Clifford Nass; "synthetic voices all around", co-evolving with humans; high-and-low cost screen readers; how applications speak.
 
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 at 12:51 am and is filed under Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

 

Susan L. Gerhart
Prescott Arizona
July 2007
slger123@gmail.com
 
http://asyourworldchanges.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/a-simple-low-cost-effective-reading-application/

 

National Music for the Blind (Blog)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
 
Launch of Insight Radio on the airwaves
 
For everyone  Jul 10, '07 1:03 PM
 
The Sony Award winning station, already broadcasting world wide on the internet, now broadcasts on 101FM in Glasgow.
 
Insight Radio, Europe's first radio service for blind and partially sighted people, celebrated its arrival on the airwaves at a reception at the Lighthouse, Glasgow, on 5 July.
 
Ross Macfadyen, Radio Services Manager, RNIB, said: "Today we are marking the official launch of the radio service on 101FM in Glasgow and our new name, 'Insight Radio'. Since going on air we've had a brilliant first six months winning a Sony Award and great feedback from our listeners. Now we're looking forward to more exciting developments."
 
Insight Radio is funded by a consortium of organisations led by RNIB Scotland and including Glasgow City Council, British Wireless for the Blind, East Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire
 
Radio community
 
John Legg, Director of RNIB Scotland, said: "This is an exciting opportunity. We are creating a very special community of broadcasters and listeners, listening to each other. We're not just providing blind and partially sighted people with information and entertainment; we're enabling them to feel part of the radio station."
 
Overcoming isolation
 
Insight Radio provides blind and partially sighted listeners with quick and easy access to information and public services as well as leisure, recreational and social opportunities to help reduce feelings of isolation.
 
The station currently broadcasts from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, with evening and weekend programmes in the planning stage. Listeners enjoy a varied programme mix ranging from newspaper and magazine reviews through music request programmes to interactive phone-ins and lifestyle and feature programmes, all presented with the blind or partially sighted listener in mind.
 
Training opportunities
 
Insight Radio also creates training and employment opportunities. Sixty percent of full-time employees at the station are blind or partially sighted including all its presenters who are assisted on-air by sighted volunteer co-presenters.
 
The station aims to enhance the service to its listeners by encouraging external agencies who have information or advice for people with sight loss to contribute directly to the output.
 
Read more at - http://www.insightradio-net.com/
 
http://music4blind.multiply.com/journal/item/34

 

AudioGames.net
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
 
Sound Rts! New Real Time Audio Stratogy Game.
 
By dark empathy, Super Audio Gamer
 
Sound Rts! New Real Time Audio Stratogy Game.
 
It's always fantastic when a game just suddenly appears out of the blue, particularly when it's a game in a genre which I've personally been absolutely aching to play more of. I'm speaking of course about real time Audio stratogy war games.
 
sound Rts is a free audio stratogy game developed by Jean-luc Pontico, based upon the popular warcraft series of fantasy battle games.
 
In this game you become the general of an army, commanding peasants, foot soldiers, knights, archers, catapults mages and dragons against enemy forces, and only wise leadership and optimal use of resources will win the day.
 
You may play against the computer, carry out a number of military missions, or connect to and challenge other players over the internet. the game is also available in French!
 
So, what are you waiting for! go here to the sound rts page to download the game and begin your campeign of conquest!
 
LINK:
http://jlpo.free.fr/soundrts/
 
Please note, that the game is stil a beta version, but is nevertheless incredibly playable. Feel free to discuss the game in our forums.
 
Now please excuse me, I have troops to train!
 
Last edited by dark empathy (2007-07-03 06:24:46)
 
Let your dream begin,
Let your darker side give in,
to the power of the
music that I write.
Help me make the music of the night.
 
http://forum.audiogames.net/viewtopic.php?id=1407
Blind Access Journal
Saturday, July 07, 2007
 
CallBurner: Finally, Fully Accessible Skype Call Recording is Here at Last!
 
By Darrell Shandrow
 
The people at Netralia, developers of the Skylook Skype call management and recording application for Microsoft Outlook, have recently released a new Skype call recording product that does not depend on Outlook. The new CallBurner application enables annotation and recording of all Skype calls while providing a clean, simple user interface.
 
LINK:
http://www.callburner.com/
 
After learning of the existence of this new product, I downloaded a trial copy of the software. While finding it reasonably usable for basic call recording, I found the call detail window largely inaccessible with any screen reader, including JAWS, System Access and Window-Eyes. I promptly wrote a short note to the company's support e-mail address requesting accessibility enhancements to permit full use of CallBurner with screen reading software. On Thursday, July 5, I was absolutely flabbergasted to receive a response from the company's senior developer offering a beta copy of an accessible version of the software for my testing! This response came in less than three weeks of my initial request!
 
After downloading the test copy of CallBurner, I immediately began to put it through its paces. After enabling "Screen Reader Compatibility" in the Accessibility sub-menu of the program's System Tray icon, I was instantly delighted to discover extensive keyboard navigation, a tabbed Call Details dialogue box and full accessibility without need of screen reader configuration or scripts. Follow these steps to enable "Screen Reader Compatibility" after downloading and installing CallBurner:
 
Minimize all running programs and focus on the Desktop by pressing Left Windows+M.
 
Press JAWS Key+F11, Modifier+F11 (System Access) or Insert+S (Window-Eyes) to open the System Tray menu.
 
Down arrow to CallBurner and press enter to right click its System Tray icon.
 
Press enter on the Accessibility sub-menu.
 
Press enter on "Screen Reader Compatibility". This is the only option currently found in the Accessibility sub-menu.
 
The following dialogue box is shown: "Screen Reader Compatibility is now turned ON. NOTE: You need to restart CallBurner for this change to become effective."
 
Press enter on the OK button to accept the change.
 
Press JAWS Key+F11, Modifier+F11 (System Access) or Insert+S (Window-Eyes) to return to the System Tray menu.
 
Down arrow to CallBurner and press enter to right click its System Tray icon.
 
Up arrow to the Quit option and press enter.
 
Press the Left Windows key or CTRL+Escape to open the Start menu.
 
Press p to open the All Programs menu.
 
Down arrow to CallBurner and press enter to open its sub-menu.
 
Press enter on CallBurner to start the program. The Call Details window opens, presenting a tabbed dialogue box that delivers a fully accessible user interface to all CallBurner functions.
 
Press the End key to move to the Help tab.
 
Press the Tab key once to select Browse On-Line Help and press enter to open CallBurner's documentation in a typical web browser window. This help will serve to get you started with CallBurner in short order.
 
The latest version of CallBurner, incorporating the "Screen Reader Compatibility" enhancement, has been made available as of Saturday, July 7, 2007. I highly recommend CallBurner to anyone, blind or sighted, who needs to record Skype calls. The ability and willingness of the developers to make their software accessible in less than three weeks of such a request demonstrates the commitment of this company to high quality, reliable customer service and technical support. We should all send a quick note of thanks to the CallBurner Team expressing our appreciation for their prompt attention to our accessibility needs and encouraging their developers to continue the excellent work in this area for all their software.
 
LINK: The Callburner Team email
callburner@callburner.com
 
Stay tuned to Blind Access Journal and other blind community online resources for demonstrations, reviews, tips and other information covering the use of this excellent application.
 
posted by Darrell at 12:38 PM

 

http://www.blindaccessjournal.com/2007/07/callburner-finally-fully-accessible.html

 

The Fred's Head Companion
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
 
Internet TV Tuner for the Blind
 
By Michael McCarty
 
Internet TV tuners are nothing new. There are tons of programs that claim to have the most stations, best interface and best performance for your computer. The truth is that most of these programs are totally useless by the blind and most of their links don't work.
 
I have found a program that does what it says. You truly can tune into over fifteen hundred internet TV stations and the links actually work. The program works well with JAWS and Window Eyes and is really fun to use.
 
JLC's Internet TV is a program for watching free online TV channels. It automatically finds over fifteen hundred channels and has an online updater to keep the channel list updated. This program is completely free of charge and is 100% accessible to people using screen readers and screen magnification programs.
 
Features:
 
Watch over fifteen hundred online TV channels for free!
 
User friendly interface with built-in channel list.
 
Channel updater which keeps your list synchronized with the list at World Wide Internet TV
 
LINK:
http://wwitv.com/
 
Program updater automatically keeps your program up to date.
 
Powerful search function lets you easily find any channel.
 
Favorite list to keep a track of your favorite channels.
 
Absolutely NO spyware/adware or malware included!
 
Requirements:
 Windows Media Player
Real Player or Real Alternative
 
Click this link to download - JLC's Internet TV.
http://jlc-software.com/index.php?page=internet_tv.html
 
Posted by Michael McCarty at 11:36 AM
 
http://fredsheadcompanion.blogspot.com/2007/07/internet-tv-tuner-for-blind.html

 

The Fred's Head Companion
 Wednesday, July 11, 2007
 
The Impressor: Braille Business Card Embosser
 
By Michael McCarty
 
Easily create your own braille business cards! Similar to the stamp used by notary publics. The die which embosses braille on your card is custom-made with your information.
 
Features
 
Easy to use: insert a standard 3 1/2 x 2 inch business card into the embosser.
 
Squeeze - and your card is brailled instantly!
 
Metal construction
 
Acrylic base for one-hand operation
 
Embosses up to 4 lines, 13 braille cells per line
 
Call us at 800-223-1839 to initiate an order. Then mail us a copy of your business card. We will then call you to confirm your information as it appears in braille.
 
Impressor:
Catalog Number: 1-03380-00
 
Message: My office recently found 3 hand-held Braille business card embossers which contain the APH logo, which we did not know we had. We do not currently have a staff member who can read Braille, thus we do not know if the information on the embossers is still accurate. Do you know where I could send their imprints, in order to get a written translation? If the imprints are no longer accurate, do you offer replacements without buying an entirely new embosser? Thanks in advance.
Location: Washington, DC
 
The easiest and probably quickest way to get a translation of what is on the Impressors you have found is to place a business card in each of them and squeeze firmly. Then, send each of the cards to me and I will translate them and email you the text of each.
 
So that you know which message goes with each Impressor, you might number both the card and the Impressor that you use to stamp it. It may be that none, one, two or all may be fine.
 
Once you know your situation, you can have an Impressor modified. You will need to return the entire impressor to us for modification.
 
Once everyone knows the situation I can give you information about returning any units that may need modifying.
 
Please send the cards to:
 
Fred Gissoni
 Technical Support
American Printing House for the Blind
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
 
Impressor Revised:
Catalog Number: 1-03380-01
 
I hope this gives you the information you need. Note: Impressor or Revision not available on Quota.
 
Click here to purchase these items through our Quick Order Entry page: http://shop.aph.org/quickentry.asp
 
If you need assistance, click this link to read the Fred's Head Companion post "Purchasing Products From The APH Website Is Easy".
 
http://fredsheadcompanion.blogspot.com/2005/11/purchasing-products-from-aph-website.html
 
Posted by Michael McCarty at 12:01 PM
 
http://fredsheadcompanion.blogspot.com/2006/02/impressor-braille-business-card.html

At the business desk, I'm Heather DeMarco bidding you a relaxing summer's evening.

Good day everyone!  I'm Jeff N Marquis at the business desk and I'd like to bring your attention to some companies who seem to be forgetting all about the importance of customer service.

For the past few months we have been receiving emails on a continuous basis about certain companies and the bad customer service that they are presently providing.  We've decided to name these companies in the hope that they'll pay attention and do something quickly.

It does not matter the size and type of company.  Customer service is o so important to all companies and it could either make or break aa company.  Good customer service is the hallmark of a good company but on the other hand, bad customer service is the downfall of a bad company.

Let's take a brief look at the following companies.

First, IBM.  Over the years this company has been known for its excellent customer service and customer support.  However, since the early 90s when IBM went through a very rough patch, things have changed at Big Blue.

According to our emailers, it appears that IBM presently hires customer reps who are for the most part cocky, discourteous, they lack sufficient product knowledge, and the only way to get any action is for customers to scream at the top of their voices.  Not very good for IBM.

Second, a bank North of the border called the Royal Bank.  According to many emailers, this bank does not treat its blind and visually impaired customers with much courtesy.  It does not present a website that is accessible to the blind, and customers have complained to us that they have to beg, plead, and literally threaten before the Royal decides to provide them with statements that they can read for themselves.  Considering the handsome profits that this bank makes each year, why is it that they are unable to accommodate their blind and visually impaired customers?  Very sad indeed.

Third, Caribbean Airlines.  The successor to BWIA also known as British West Indian airways, this airline has been accused of violating and infringing upon the rights of special needs passengers.  According to feedback that we've been receiving, this airline has not been very good at providing special assistance services to those requesting it.  I think that CAL needs to pay attention to what's presently going on with Ryan Air in Britain.

I don't like running down any company but when we get hundreds of emails complaining about companies for whatever reasons and the reasons given are consistent across the board, then we have to help by publicly chastising the guilty parties.

 

Speaking of accessible websites, did you know that accessible websites can convert into more revenue, reduced costs, and expanded customer bases?  The info below will help you to improve your websites.

 

Looking for ideas and opportunities to crack the over 50s market?  The baby boomer market?  The seniors market?  Other niche markets?
Are you seeking opportunities in markets that are explosive, lucrative, but above all safe?
Are you having difficulty keeping abreast of important trends and news items because you're either too busy or don't know where to look?
Then you need to visit www.sterlingcreations.ca and there you'll find a suite of services that can help you to get where you want to go.
From writing to research, and translation to transcription.  There is even a free monthly online magazine that is crammed with very vital and valuable information.  You can even keep abreast of breaking trends and headlines for absolutely free.
Check it out at your convenience.

 

At the business desk, I'm Jeff N Marquis wishing you a pleasant summer's evening.

Greetings everyone!  I'm Jayna Sheffield at the business desk and today I'd like to share an article of interest with you.

This article was sent to us by our Ottawa Canada bureau and my comments to this article is that maybe, just maybe, because of the proximity of Canada to the United States, a similar pattern may already be taking place right here in our backyard.

I'll let you be the judge.  In the meantime, here's the article.

 

Increasing number of Canadians working later in life, survey finds; Changing
attitude to aging big reason older people stay in workforce
 
Shannon Proudfoot
Ottawa Citizen , Aug. 25, 2007
 
Canadians are working later in life and that may cushion a potential labour
> shortage when baby boomers start to retire, a report shows.
 
An estimated 2.1 million people age 55 to 64 were employed or looking for
jobs in 2006 -- double the number who were working 30 years before,
according to a study released yesterday by Statistics Canada. Most of their
jobs were in the service sector and the vast majority worked full time.
 
Older workers made up 12 per cent of the Canadian labour force last year,
while they comprised 10 per cent in 1976. That reflects an aging population
and the fact that more people are working later.
 
"It's not only more older people -- it's not the same older person as it was
before," says David Cravit, 62, senior vice-president of marketing for the
50Plus Group, the largest Internet portal for baby boomers and seniors in
the country. ''I look and act and think 15 years younger than my
chronological age. I'm not here to be sitting in a rocking chair playing
cribbage for five years waiting for the axe to fall."
 
Three-quarters (76 per cent) of men age 55 to 59 either had a job or were
looking for one last year, as were 62 per cent of women. In the 60 to 64
group, 53 per cent of men were still in the work force and a record-high 37
per cent of women were in the same situation. The data came from the Labour
Force Survey.
 
Baby boomers' strong attachment to work, increased education -- especially
among women -- and the near-elimination of mandatory retirement at 65 are
expected to keep more older workers on the job in the future.
 
"Employment is an important form of validation for this generation. Remember
that the 60-year-olds of today were the yuppies of the 1970s," says Mr.
Cravit.
 
The financial responsibilities of caring for aging parents or grown children
who haven't flown the nest may also be pushing the "sandwich generation" to
work longer, he adds.
 
Others may work to finance luxuries their pensions don't cover, Mr. Cravit
says, citing his favourite example of a Calgary man in his 80s who works
part time at a Tim Hortons outlet so he can spend three months in Mexico
each year.
 
Although his employer recently scrapped mandatory retirement, 60-year-old
University of British Columbia professor David Sanderson plans to leave the
workforce in five years.
 
That will give him and his wife the financial means and the time to enjoy
their retirement years, he says, even though he's not ready for it quite
yet.
 
"I love my job, but I like doing things with my wife, travelling, restoring
cars, running, those kinds of things," Mr. Sanderson says.
 
David Patchell-Evans, founder of GoodLife Fitness Clubs, is about to turn 54
and doesn't foresee himself retiring in the next decade.
 
He has a good role-model in his 87-year-old mother, who still works for the
company full time, attending every meeting and scrutinizing the balance
sheets.
 
"Most people still want to get young, we don't want to get old," he says.
"And old is a very relative thing. I'm convinced it's not a state of age,
it's a state of attitude."

I'd like to leave you with some info that you can use to help you decide if you too would like to work later, or maybe you'd like to become your own boss?

 

How would you like to keep abreast of breaking headlines, latest trends, and up to the minute news and do it all for free?  How would you like to save yourself some precious time and energy by going to a website that offers you daily updates by some very hardworking experts and all of this at no cost to you?  Would you like to learn how to keep your assets safe and protected from the fast fingers of those unscrupulous scammers, identity thieves, and cyber pirates?
The experts at www.untappedwealth.com can show you how to obtain all of this plus much more and they are offering all of this for free because they are bound and determined to help you stay away from those get rich quick schemes, those scams with broken promises and smoking mirrors, and those pitfalls that could land you in endless trouble.  Their fingers are strategically placed on what's going on minute by minute around the world and they bring it to you as it happens.  Take advantage of their knowledge and experience and do it at no cost. 

 

At the business desk, I'm Jayna Sheffield wishing you a pleasant day.

Good evening!  I'm Kerry J Harrison at the business desk and this evening I'd like to focus on a very important group of consumers and innovators. In short, they're among the  present leaders in our small business arena.

I'm referring to retirees.  within the last few years we have seen a very interesting development re retirees.  More and more retirees are choosing to keep working and they're doing this by going into their own business creations.  They're using their imaginations and experience to help themselves to lucrative and unique niches in the markets.  They're also using their skills to great advantage and they're opening up small businesses to cater to the needs of many types of consumers who have up till now been ignored by larger companies.

For who better than retirees to let us know what retirees are seeking?  That's what retirees these days are doing.  They are taking their needs and demands and building small businesses to meet these needs and demands.  They are also listening very carefully to the needs and demands of their fellow retirees and they are transforming their findings into businesses that are doing quite nicely.

I personally like this type of thinking because it shows that finally, and at last, someone is listening to the voices of retirees.  In addition, with retirees working for retirees, we are going to see more and more services and products being developed for retirees.  For too long, we have had to put up with companies not paying enough and adequate attention to the needs of this particular group of consumers.  Retirees are quickly becoming the largest group of consumers and they are also becoming more and more financially influential.  So, why not listen to what they're saying and what they're doing. 

You'll notice that in our Amazon picks of the week I have chosen a book that centers on the types of businesses that retirees are going into.

Have a read.

 

Now for our book talk of the week. 

Here are our Amazon picks.

 

The innovation formula how organizations turn change into opportunity.  

Business strategist series

By Michel Robert and Alan Weiss

This is an excellent book for any type of business and any size of company. Turning change into opportunity could easily be applied to situations such as when the economy goes from boom to recession and visa versa.

 

Retirees provide opportunity for salvage business

By Wayne Board

More and more retirees are going into their very own business and the salvation business is an upcoming one.  A very good book for all retirees to read.

 

Untapped Wealth Discovered

By Jeff N Marquis and Kerry J Harrison

Jeff and I would like to invite you to read our book as we feel that there are lots of great ideas and strategies for you to learn about.  You can learn all about four very important markets and why many experts feel that these are the ones that you should be focusing on.

 

In closing, I'd like to offer you some very important info on how you too can start your own business.

Are you tired of looking over your shoulder because you're so scared of being scammed out of your hard earned savings, your house, and your other assets?
Are you looking for ways to avoid those scams with their broken promises and get rich quick schemes?  Are you worried that one day soon someone is going to try and scam you out of your worldly possessions?  Do you know what you should be doing in order to combat those seedy scammers, identity thieves, and shady investors?
Now you can take advantage of some very potent info and daily updates plus more in order to help you stay healthy and sleep well at night.  All of this info is free for the taking and it will save you thousands of research hours, protect your savings and worldly possessions, and help you to make decisions that are safe, logical, and sound.  The experts at www.untappedwealth.com are offering you all of this at absolutely no cost because their philosophy is that if they help you then you will help others and we will become a safer and better country.  Check them out!  You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!

 

At the business desk, I'm Kerry J Harrison wishing you a pleasant weekend.

Good day everyone!  I'm Jeff N Marquis at the business desk and this evening I'd like to introduce our weekly feature focusing on women.  We've decided to name this feature "Women talk" and so let's talk for a bit about women as small business owners.

Nothing new in this arena but what we're finding as that more and more women are going into business for themselves.  The small business idea for woman is a growing trend across the United States these days and I'd like to refer you to www.untappedwealth.com/business-strategies.html and there you can check out the small business idea for woman link. 

Women need to be motivated and convinced that they do belong in the small business world and even more in the business world as a whole.  Nothing should stop our business women from making their mark.  Small business women owners have grown by over 23% within the last year, twice the rate of new business openings.  If this is not enough we have to look at other factors such as more and more women becoming CEOs of top Fortune 500 companies. 

I know, it's not an easy task to get women motivated but I'd like to help and I'd like to leave you with a message from Donna Jodhan, one of our associates and very successful woman in her own right.  Donna is blind but this has not stopped her from running a very successful consulting business.  Here now is her message.

 

Do women have a place in the small business arena?

 

I have been a small business owner for over 13 years now and I say yes!  In a world where men still rule, and there's still a glass ceiling for women, I truly believe that there is definitely a place for us.  I am a woman, I am visually impaired, but I've managed to make it!

 

Did you know that women are the owners of about 25% of small businesses in America today?  Did you also know that they are the owners of 10 of the top Fortune 500 companies?  Did you also know that women business owners is one of the fastest growing trends in America today?  According to CNN news, the growth of women owners of small businesses outstripped the growth of new companies in 2006 by about 23%.

 

The number of battered women across America continues to increase.  The number of women as single parents also continues to skyrocket, but at the same time and despite all of this, women are still making it in the business world.

 

The challenges for women are many, but it is definitely doable.  Persistence is one of the ingredients for success.  Another is making sure that our voices are heard on a constant basis.  We need to constantly keep reminding the rest of the world that we have something to contribute.  We can think for ourselves and we are independent enough to pay our own taxes, earn our own incomes, and live our own lives.

 

What we need to keep in mind is that we have to keep ourselves focused on the prize.  We need to remember that both men and many of our fellow women will always be questioning our abilities both in and out of the boardroom and we have to find ways to keep proving them wrong.  I know that it's often hard to keep our cool, but losing our cool will only give them ammunition for more attacks on our abilities.

 

So, don't give up!  As women we have to stick together and help and support each other. 

 

I'd like to end my week by giving you some info on Donna's company.

 

They call themselves a "One Stop Writing Shop" and well they should.  There are not too many companies around at present that are able to do this and do it so well.  The experts call them unique!  They offer complete services that can help you do research, write, translate and transcribe your info into multi languages.  For absolutely free they can help you to keep abreast of important trends and news items if you're either too busy to search for them or you don't know where to find them.  They can help you to increase your revenues, reduce your costs, and expand your customer bases.  They can offer you a free online monthly magazine filled with info designed to help you keep abreast of market trends and consumer habits and articles that will point you in the right direction when it comes to finding opportunities that are explosive, lucrative, but above all safe.
To learn more visit them at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

 

At the business desk, I'm Jeff N Marquis wishing you a happy weekend.

Hi everyone!  I'm Heather DeMarco at the business desk and today I'd like to make a plug for Canada.

Our neighbors to the North are really going guns these days.  Canada!  A small but very dynamic country with plenty of opportunities for the person who is serious about it all.  Canada may be known as the frozen North but what many don't know is that this very unassuming country holds the key to tons of lucrative opportunities.

Canada is multi cultural with English and French being the two official languages.  It boasts a population of a little over 33 million people and it takes in thousands of new immigrants on an annual basis.  Its main industries include:  Oil and gas, technology, agriculture, and fishing.  However, over the past decade it has developed quite nicely in other areas such as medical and scientific research. 

You may be asking yourself then what's so special about Canada?  There's lots more to tell.  The Canadian dollar has risen quite sharply against our US dollar within the last year and more and more companies are scrambling to get in on a part of the oil and gas exploration and development.  Added to this we have the Canadian government encouraging the development of more small businesses.

So what's in it for Americans?  Plenty.  There is a shortage of certain types of skills in Canada and the Canadian government is very anxious to fill these gaping holes.  Skills shortages such as:

Doctors and nurses.  Canada needs to fill its coffers with skilled medical professionals. 

Skilled researchers.  Many Canadian institutions of learning are anxious to attract researchers.

Technology skills.  Canada is also seeking to fill its computer cubicles with skilled technology professionals.

In addition, due to the rapid retirement of Canadian baby boomers presently taking place, Canada is presently experiencing a shortage in certain sectors and the experts are predicting that if this issue is not addressed today the situation will become increasingly critical and that by 2008 the boiling point will be reached.

Canada is also expanding its tentacles into such places as South America and Asia and accordingly it is seeking skilled linguists to help with the push.  So, if you speak either French or Spanish in addition to English then this may be your chance to get a headstart.

 

I'll leave you with some info that you can use to make yourself more marketable in Canada.

 

Are you looking for experienced multi lingual translators and writers?
Experienced professionals who can help you to write and translate, proof read and edit, and research plus more?
Are you looking for professionals who can help you to write and speak flawless English?
Having problems getting that right someone to help you proof read, edit, and research the appropriate information?
Then you need to contact the staff at www.translationpeople.com.
You can even download free useful information updated weekly and at absolutely no cost you can also keep abreast of the latest trends and headlines updated daily.

 

At the business desk, i'm Heather DeMarco wishing you a pleasant evening.

Greetings everyone!  I'm Jayna Sheffield at the business desk and it's time for our weekly news round-up.  We'd like to thank the many emailers who have taken the time to give us their feedback and we hope to continue this feature.

 

Enjoy!

 

Table of contents
August 22 2007

 

1  Nokia Licenses Immersion's VibeTonz(R) Tactile Feedback for Mobile Devices
2  GhostReader (Mac) offers high quality text to speech
3  Presto Computerless e-mail service emphasizes accessibility
4  The IT Director's guide to accessible IT
5  Google Book Search Gets Text Layer
6  Email service turns text into Braille for blind
7  PC Access Solution for the Visually Impaired:  GUIDE, Easy to Learn and Use, Introduced by EVAS

 

TMCnet.com (Technology Marketing Corp)
Monday, July 02, 2007
 
Nokia Licenses Immersion's VibeTonz(R) Tactile Feedback for Mobile Devices
 
By Press Release
 
SAN JOSE, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Immersion Corporation (NASDAQ:IMMR), a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology, today announced that Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK) has obtained a long-term, worldwide license for Immersion's VibeTonz(R) tactile feedback system for mobile devices. The license gives Nokia, the world's leading mobile device manufacturer, the rights to use VibeTonz technology to enhance mobile device operation.
 
"This license with Nokia supports the potential for very widespread use of our VibeTonz System -- and the VibeTonz System supports the potential for a much fuller, more multisensory experience for users," said Immersion CEO Victor Viegas. "With VibeTonz technology, Nokia can very purposefully access the sense of touch and add value throughout the mobile device."
 
A single implementation of the VibeTonz System can supply several advantages, including off-load dependence on sight and sound, which can enhance safety and ease operation in some situations. Tactile feedback has also been found to improve execution time, error rate, and information capacity.(1) More specifically, the technology allows touchscreen-based mobile devices to provide unmistakable tactile cues in response to touchscreen presses. It can enliven mobile games with touch feedback similar to that found in console games; heighten the music and ringtone fun-factor by "turning up the sub-woofers" with a vibe beat; make operation easier and more intuitive by pairing audio/visual with tactile cues for events such as call dropped, ringing, and busy; and make alerts more discernible and memorable by varying how they feel, from a reverberating gong effect to a subtle tapping.
 
Under the license, Nokia has the right to use Immersion's VibeTonz Mobile Player in its mobile devices sold worldwide. Immersion will supply its VibeTonz SDK to Nokia's Forum Nokia developer community for creating downloadable applications and content for VibeTonz-enabled products.
 
(1) The Value of Haptics: A summary of recent published findings on the value of haptic feedback in human-computer interaction. Immersion Corporation, 2007.
 
http://www.immersion.com/valueofhaptics.php
 
About the VibeTonz System (www.vibetonz.com)
 
The field-proven VibeTonz System, comprised of VibeTonz Mobile Player and VibeTonz SDK, delivers a broad range of tactile feedback effects to make user interface features, applications, and downloadable, multimedia content more intuitive and engaging. Embedded in mobile devices, VibeTonz Mobile Player exerts precise, high-speed control over the vibration actuator to produce tactile effects with unprecedented subtlety and dynamics. VibeTonz SDK provides cross-platform APIs and a suite of authoring tools for making development and customization of tactile feedback fast and easy.
 
About Immersion Corporation (www.immersion.com)
 
Founded in 1993, Immersion Corporation is a recognized leader in developing, licensing, and marketing digital touch technology and products. Using Immersion's advanced touch feedback technology (www.immersion.com/corporate/products/), electronic user interfaces can be made more productive, compelling, entertaining, or safer. Immersion's technology is deployed across automotive, entertainment, industrial controls, medical training, mobility, and three-dimensional simulation markets. Immersion's patent portfolio includes over 600 issued or pending patents in the U.S. and other countries.
 
Forward-looking Statements
 
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of Immersion Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
 
All statements, other than the statements of historical fact, are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements, including any projections of earnings, revenues, or other financial matters; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning the breadth of and timeline to implement force feedback technology into mobile devices or into games or other content, release of VibeTonz-enabled mobile devices, release of content by service providers, or any change in revenue that may occur from such implementation; any statements regarding consumer response that may occur as a result of having touch feedback in mobile devices or content, or consumer and market acceptance of force feedback products in general; proposed products or services; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; statements of belief; and any statement or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Immersion's actual results might differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties associated with Immersion's business, which include, but are not limited to, delay in or failure to achieve commercial demand for Immersion's products or a delay in or failure to achieve the acceptance of force feedback as a critical user experience.
 
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially, interested parties should review the risk factors listed in our most current Form 10-Q, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect our beliefs and predictions as of the date of this release. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of financial, business, or any other developments occurring after the date of this release.
 
Immersion, the Immersion logo, and VibeTonz are trademarks of Immersion Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

 

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/07/02/2755359.htm

 

Macworld.com
Thursday, July 05, 2007
 
GhostReader (Mac) offers high quality text to speech
 
By Peter Cohen
 
AssistiveWare and ConvenienceWare on Thursday announced the release of GhostReader 1.1, a replacement for their previously released TextParrot software. It's text-to-speech software for Mac OS X that features high quality, multilingual voices. It's priced starting at $39.95.
 
LINK:
http://www.convenienceware.com/ghostreader.php
 
GhostReader converts text to speech which you can use to listen to documents. You can export the content to iPod-ready iTunes tracks, or just use it to speak selected text instead. With some applications (like Safari, for example), you can use Ghostreader to speak text by pointing the cursor at the text.
 
GhostReader is multilingual (based on the license you purchase), and can be used in English, Czech, Finnish, French, German, Icelandic, Italian, Danish and many other languages.
 
Differences between TextParrot and GhostReader include new languages with high and medium-quality voices, German localization, buttons that let you relisten to the current paragraph or sentence, or the next one, other interface and usability enhancements and more.
 
GhostReader 1.1 is a free update for TextParrot 1.0 users (they utilize the same activation codes).
 
GhostReader requires Mac OS X v10.4 or later and is a Universal binary.
 
http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/07/05/ghostreader/index.php

 

Bryan College Station Eagle, TX, USA
Thursday, July 05, 2007
 
Presto Computerless e-mail service emphasizes accessibility
 
By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, Associated Press
 
BOSTON - By offering technology that allows people without computers to read e-mail, Presto Services Inc. took on a bold challenge. Yet Presto and its Internet-connected printer that spits out the e-mails are remarkably well conceived.
 
I tested this service with my grandparents in California, ages 86 and 87, and thought of it as a dual experiment. While putting Presto through its paces, I wanted to see how people tuned to slower social rhythms felt about becoming more connected to today's constantly firing communications culture.

 

This is not a complete transformation, because Presto is one-way: Recipients get printed e-mails but have no keyboard or computer screen for responding. For that reason, my grandfather told me he didn't think he'd enjoy Presto.
 
But it turned out that even being brought part way into the e-mail fold - which meant a steadier stream of photos of their three great-grandchildren - was elating. Ultimately, my grandfather delivered such an effusive verdict that I suspect even Presto would tone his comments down in an advertisement, for believability's sake.
>So let's just put it this way: They liked it so much I'm going to pay Presto to keep them on as customers (it's generally $100 for the printer, plus $10 a month or $100 a year for the e-mail service).
 
Here's how it works. First someone orders Presto's color printer - probably someone on the Web-connected side of the equation, because this is available mainly online, at least for now. (It also can be ordered by phone.)
 
The "Printing Mailbox" printer is custom-made for Presto by Hewlett-Packard Co. It is simplified so it has a just a few buttons - including volume controls, because the printer chimes when it has delivered something.
 
It's pretty easy to get it going. The printer has to be plugged into an outlet and an active phone jack, and fed with the ink cartridge and plain white paper. (Twenty sheets are included.)
 
I had one ready within 15 minutes of opening the box. My grandfather needed a bit more time when he set his up, because it wasn't clear to him at first where the lone ink cartridge went.
 
Either before or after the printer is running, the Web-connected friend or relative uses Presto's Web site to activate the recipient's service. In addition to e-mail, Presto can deliver newspaper columns, recipes and puzzles.
 
The person who sets this all up is the "account manager," who can monitor settings on the Printing Mailbox remotely. As account manager, I selected an e-mail address at Presto.com for my grandparents and assembled a "white list" of people who could send them messages. Anyone not on the list is barred, to prevent spam.
 
Next, I set five times of day at which the printer would dial a local Presto phone number to retrieve messages (these times can be changed), and chose how the e-mails would be formatted.
 
Another thoughtful touch is that Presto prints the last page of an e-mail first. That means the stack that greets the recipient is as user-friendly as possible, with the first page on top. And photos sent as attachments are automatically printed following the text.
 
My grandfather said Presto e-mails are better than a letter, because they are more timely. He also realized that a series of e-mail updates revealed my family's life in more detail than he could glean in weekly phone calls.
 
When you're 86 and 87, such new sources of joy aren't always easy to come by. That's a huge point for Presto, even if it's not cheap.
 
 
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/070507/business_20070705017.php

 

PublicTechnology.net - UK
Friday, July 06, 2007
 
Free download: The IT Director's guide to accessible IT
 
By Posted by: Editor
 
This was published: 2007-07-06 08:10:00
 
The Information Technologists' Company has published an important new (and free to download) guide, "THE IT DIRECTORS' GUIDE TO ACCESSIBLE IT". It should be exceedingly useful for all managers and directors in public sector IT roles.
 
LINK: You can download the document at this link (PDF)
 
http://www.publictechnology.net/downloads/index.php?IT_Directors_Guide_to_Accessible_IT.pdf
 
Information Technology (IT) underpins the operation of most organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors in delivering services to customers and in supporting internal business processes such as email, finance and personnel. For a growing number of organisations good IT can be a source of competitive advantage.
 
But for some time large companies have been aware that there are a sizeable number of customers and employees who have difficulty or discomfort using off-the-peg hardware or software and have been trying to do something about it. Making IT systems flexible enough to be as useable by as many people as possible is at the heart of accessible IT - the subject of this Guide.
 
IT has enormous potential to enable disabled people to better integrate within society and the economy through overcoming some of the barriers of communication and physical travel that can prevent them accessing goods and services or getting into or remaining in employment. There are 11 million disabled adults in the UK, 20% of the population, but disabled adults of working age are only 50% as likely to be in work as non-disabled people. Similar statistics of disadvantage are seen in further and higher education.
 
This represents not only a significant source of untapped potential for workforce talent but also a market for services, estimated by the Institute of Employment Studies to be of the order of £80 bn-a-year. Organisations have been required by law since 1995 to make reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) to ensure that disabled employees and customers are not disadvantaged. In the public sector the Disability Equality Duty, introduced December 2006, has strengthened this requirement. The recent Age Discrimination legislation has meant that organisations now need to think about age in combination with disability, as the majority of impairments which are classed as disability under the DDA will be acquired or worsen with age.
 
Most organisations of significant size have developed diversity policies, recognising the benefits of having a diverse workforce that reflects the diversity of their customer base. The introduction of the new Commission on Equality and Human Rights later in 2007 will mean an increasing focus upon understanding the needs and rights of the individual.
 
IT Directors and Chief Information Officers play an increasingly pivotal role in the transformation of business through IT. Working with colleagues in marketing, operations, finance and HR, they have the best overview of how IT needs to be integrated with those functions to deliver business benefit. Integrating disability within the organisation's IT policy and strategy is part of this. Arguably, few organisations have done this well mainly because of a lack of information or concern over costs or complexity which usually proves unfounded. They are therefore both missing out on business opportunities and also running the risk of non compliance with legislation.
 
The purpose of this Guide is to enable IT directors to understand and communicate to colleagues the necessity of taking an integrated approach to disability within IT and to provide some practical guidance on the best way to go about it. In the following pages the Guide looks at the available technology, sources of advice and how to measure and report progress.
 
There are many ways in which the IT department can help disabled employees and customers access company systems. Sometimes this will involve providing special purpose software or hardware, but in the majority of cases accessibility will be a matter of adjusting mainstream systems so that they are more comfortable to use. Often professional help from the IT department will be required to set up systems, but in many cases users should be able to make changes themselves through accessibility features built into their systems.
The degree of assistance that people need to use IT varies enormously. Users who have difficulties seeing or whose body movements are limited probably need most help. Talking computers that use screen reader software and programs that magnify text or allow users to adjust the appearance of information are invaluable to people with sight problems or who suffer from dyslexia. Solutions need not be complicated - some visually impaired people may just need a bigger screen.
 
Those with physical difficulties may require other ways of entering data and controlling a system than via a conventional keyboard or a mouse. A variety of alternative devices are available to plug into desktop systems including trackballs, switches, onscreen keyboards and adapted keyboards.
 
IT departments do not have to make decisions about exactly what adaptive equipment to buy there are specialist assessors who can be hired to advise on what is most suitable for each individual. The important thing is to consider disabled users when systems are commissioned so that accessibility is built into the fabric of enterprise computing rather than bolted on as an afterthought.
 
An effective policy for accessible IT enables a company to increase its available pool of employees, make the most of the talents of those already working for the organisation and demonstrate its concern for all employees. The testimony of many disabled people in the case studies in the appendix at the back of this Guide is that accessible IT makes it possible for disabled people to have a job and opens the door to more rewarding work.
 
Employees who are not disabled also stand to gain from an approach to IT that acknowledges the differences between people and makes alternatives to standard systems available.
 
Related links to this article:
The Information Technologists' Company
http://www.wcit.org.uk/
 
You can download "THE IT DIRECTORS' GUIDE TO ACCESSIBLE IT" at this link
 
http://www.publictechnology.net/downloads/index.php?IT_Directors_Guide_to_Accessible_IT.pdf
 
(Source URL below)
 
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=10153

 

WebProNews.com
Thursday, July 05, 2007
 
Google Book Search Gets Text Layer
 
By Doug Caverly
 
Google Book Search has, up until now, provided images of text; these were fine for reading, but not so great for anything else.  So the service is taking a step forward and offering true "text layers" of many of its out-of-copyright books.
 
"[T]his opens the book to adaptive technologies such as screen readers and Braille display, allowing visually impaired users to read these books just as easily as users with sight," explains Bethany Poole, Google's Product Marketing Manager, on the Inside Google Book Search Blog.  T.V. Raman goes into greater detail over at the Official Google Blog.
 
LINK:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/ever-more-books-to-read.html
 
"But the new plain-text layer also provides access for cutting and pasting, text-mining, and other forms of processing," notes Peter Suber, who continues, "Making these books accessible as texts, and not merely as images, is a breakthrough for all users."  If you've ever tried to retype a lengthy quote (perhaps for a book report or something of that nature), you'll heartily agree.
 
That's not to say that the new text layers are perfect - the "squished" formatting makes for rather slow reading, and something about it actually seems to have given Googlified's Haochi Chen a case of motion sickness.  Also, Google Blogoscoped's Philipp Lenssen has spied a pack of spelling errors in one of the Shakespeare texts.
 
Still, for some applications, the text layers are a big improvement over the old scanned images.  If you don't agree, well . . . the scanned images are still available, and remain Google Book Search's default mode.
 
About the Author
 
Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news.
 
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/07/05/google-book-search-gets-text-layer

 

The Irish Independent
Monday, July 09, 2007
 
Email service turns text into Braille for blind
 
Monday July 09 2007
 
PEOPLE with reading difficulties can now translate text into Braille or audio by email.
 
The innovative email-based translation service is located at St Joseph's School For The Visually Impaired, Drumcondra, Dublin.
 
Known as RoboBraille, it enables blind, partially sighted, dyslexic, the elderly and other people who find it difficult to read, to send documents as attachments by email and receive contracted Braille documents or audio files by return.
 
For more information about RoboBraille and how to use the service check out the website www.robobraille.org.
 
Contact Lina Kouzi at the National Council For The Blind Of Ireland, lina.kouzi@ncbi.ie.
 
Alternatively, call 01 8642266.
 
http://www.independent.ie/health/lastest-news/email-service-turns-text-into-braille-for-blind-995708.html

 

PRweb.com (Press Release)
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
 
PC Access Solution for the Visually Impaired: GUIDE, Easy to Learn and Use, Introduced by EVAS
 
GUIDE is an all-in-one software suite with easy-to-learn and easy-to-use applications with built-in speech and large print. GUIDE uses a simplified menu structure for each task. The menus are controlled using the keyboard and displayed on uncluttered screens, overlaying the Windows® Desktop. GUIDE is an award winning assistive technology solution providing access to computers for the blind or visually impaired, older adults and those that have difficulty working in Windows. 
 
GUIDE is unique among assistive technology software in that it requires very little training while still providing access to a full range of computer tasks. This product is also an innovative solution for those who have little or no previous experience with computers. This was confirmed when GUIDE received the Simply the Best Award from the Royal National Institute for the Blind in the UK.  
 
Westerly, R.I. (PRWEB) July 10, 2007 -- Electronic Vision Access Solutions (EVAS) announces its distribution and support of GUIDE throughout the United States. Building on its foresight that the independence and quality of life of people with disabilities can be enhanced by Computer-Based Assistive Technology, EVAS launched its U.S. distribution of GUIDE. GUIDE software is an award winning computer access solution for people with low vision or who are blind. EVAS has formed an alliance with Software Express of the UK to provide national distribution and support of this innovative yet straightforward Assistive Technology.
 
Adrian Sach, Director of Software Express said "We look forward to working with EVAS to support them as they offer and support GUIDE software throughout the United States. We are pleased to work with a company that has long demonstrated its commitment to serving people with disabilities."
 
Visit
http://www.lowvisioncomputers.com/
 
to learn more about GUIDE or request a Trial Version.
 
Jerry Swerdlick, CEO of EVAS said, "GUIDE is unique among assistive technology software in that it requires very little training while still providing access to a full range of computer tasks. This product is also an innovative solution for those who have little or no previous experience with computers. This was confirmed when GUIDE received the Simply the Best Award from the Royal National Institute for the Blind in the UK."
 
GUIDE is an ideal solution for the blind or visually impaired, older adults and those that have difficulty working in Windows, or those users who:
 
Have little or no experience with computer technology
Have little or no technical ability
Lack the motivation or capability to acquire or retain detailed technical knowledge
Have tried other assistive technology but are unable to learn or use them effectively
Want an easy to use set of applications with Large Print/Speech Access outside of Windows
 
Using GUIDE's well-designed programs, and built-in large print and speech access, documents can be created, e-mails can be sent/received, printed material can be scanned and read, the web can be surfed and much more.
 
The look and operation of GUIDE can be fully adjusted to suit individual needs. Among other things, users can change the screen background color, text color, and font and select a male or female voice. Magnification and voices can also be independently controlled and menus customized to suit user preferences. Additional interactive features include news reader, internet radio and pod casts, audio and graphic file capabilities, calendar, address book, dictionary/thesaurus and calculator.
 
"With the simple to use GUIDE software, it will be easier than ever for people who are visually impaired and have no computer technology experience to communicate effectively and gain independence and a better quality of life" said Jerry Swerdlick, EVAS' CEO.
 
EVAS also announced today availability of its new Value Series Systems. These disability specific systems are fully integrated with application software, peripherals and assistive technology, installed and configured. GUIDE Value Series Systems are based on DellT OptiplexT Computers with 19" Flat Panel Monitors, large print keyboards and all-in-one printers. The systems are covered by Dell's Three Year Warranty and protected by AVG Anti-Malware. Value Series Systems: Quality, Performance, and Prompt Delivery, at an Excellent Price, all in a total solution that runs right out of the box.
 
"Computer-based assistive technology can go a long way to meet the reading, writing, communication and information needs of people with disabilities", said Jerry Swerdlick EVAS' CEO.
 
Learn more about EVAS' Computer Access Solutions for people who are visually, physically, hearing or learning disabled at http://www.evas.com/
 
EVAS, serving people with disabilities since 1979, has teamed with DellT to create Computer-Based Assistive Technology Solutions specifically designed for people who are visually, physically, hearing or learning disabled. These Plug & Play Systems run right out of the box with Application Software, Peripherals and Assistive Technology installed and configured. EVAS' Assistive Technology Solutions are tools that can be used to gain independence - an independence, which can open the doors to further education or employment opportunities and a better quality of life.
 
Contact Information
 
Corinne Bergen
EVAS
Visit LowVisonComputers.com
(800) USA-EVAS
(800) 872-3827

 

http://www.prweb.com/releases/guide/software/prweb538432.htm

 
At the business desk, I'm Jayna Sheffield wishing you a pleasant evening.

Hello there!  I'm Matt Chadwick at the business desk and today I'd like to start with an apology for the misspelling of an author's name when we gave you our Amazon picks of the week last week.  Here now is a reprint of this particular pick.

 

Bye-bye boardroom

By Rachel Hamman

For all those women who are hesitating to take the bull by the horns and go out there and create their own business?  Excellent reading for you.  Buy it quick!

 

Today I'd like to address a few hundred emails that we've been receiving over the last months re the following topic.  How can one become an author using the Internet as the main marketing tool? 

In answer to this, we can certainly provide you with a few tips.