Talking Tech for March 29 2016

CSUN 2016

 

A number of items that caught my attention from the CSUN Conference this year, including some resources for further reading/listening.

 

The Great Big List from the CSUN 2016 Conference

 

Great resource link for CSUN 2016.

 

http://curbcut.net/events/csun16-disabilities-technology/

 

Blind Bargains Interviews from CSUN

 

Great audio interviews from Blind Bargains with more to come.

 

Get their app for iOS or Android or go to the following link to access their website:

 

http://www.blindbargains.com

 

Blind Bargains Android app:

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ATGuys.BlindBargains&hl=en

 

Blind Bargains iOS app:

 

https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/blind-bargains/id510213718?mt=8

 

Microsoft at CSUN

 

Microsoft Had a Number of Sessions at CSUN including:

Getting to Know Windows 10, Accessibility in Windows 10, What’s New in Microsoft Edge, Accessibility Improvements in Office 365 etc.

 

Google At CSUN

 

Amongst other presentations, Google introduced the beta of Voice Access which allows a user to control their google device simply by using their voice for basic navigation (“Go back” “Go home”), interact with items on the current screen (“scroll Down), and voice dictation.

Access help by saying “What can I say”.

Once Voice Access is downloaded, activate it from Settings, Accessibility, Voice Access and run through the tutorial.

Link to join the beta:

 

https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.google.android.apps.accessibility.voiceaccess/join

 

Google also has released their Accessibility Scanning tool so that developers can test there apps for accessibility.

 

http://thenextweb.com/apps/2016/03/24/google-launches-tool-test-android-app-accessibility-issues/

 

Amazon at CSUN

 

Amazon has done more work on their latest Amazon Fire tablet running Fire OS 5, introducing their own screen reader: Voice view which has a number of changes to that of the default screen reader in Android: Talkback including Jog.  You will still need to use BrailleBack to support Braille displays.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000632481

 

The Dot Smart Watch

 

The prototype of this watch was shown based around 4 Braille cells which are scrollable to read notifications from your iPhone or Android device.  The watch will also come with its own app to allow setup of the watch for such things as what apps do you wish the watch to notify you about.  The watch is due to ship in August with a possible price of $290 US.

 

http://www.dotincorp.com

 

 

Quite a few Braille products announced/shown at CSUN

 

This seemed to be the year for announcing/showing  new Braille products including the ElBraille, BrailleNote Touch, Orbit, B2G, InsideOne, the Commute, NeoBraille, and the Dot Pad (same company for the Dot Smart Watch).

 

ElBraille

 

Modular Braille Tablet: Windows 10 dock, JAWS, and Focus 14.  Beauty of this system, is that if you already have JAWS and a Focus 14, you can just buy the Windows 10 dock: a fantastic idea.

 

There will be an English page at the following link at the End of March:

 

http://elbraille.com

 

BrailleNote Touch

 

Android tablet running KeySoft with touch screen Braille key input or physical overlay keyboard.

 

http://www.humanware.com/microsite/bntouch/index.php

 

Orbit 

 

Low cost Braille display: not yet available: around $500 US.

 

http://www.aph.org/orbit-reader-20/

 

InsideOne

 

From Insidevision. Windows 10 with a Braille display all in a tablet design.  Braille keys where you rest your fingers are etched in to the touch screen.

 

http://www.insidevision.fr/insideone_UK.html 

Commute

From Bristol Braille Technology.  Braille eBook reader: not yet available.

 

http://bristolbraille.co.uk/canute.htm 

Dot Pad

 

Currently in research and development.  Either will come in a 16 by 16 or 20 by 20 Braille display grid.  Can read content from a sd card or connect to iPhone or Android devices (and other O

s’s as well).  Prototype out after March next year.  Company says trying to get the cost below $1000 US.

 

http://www.dotincorp.com 

B2G

 

National Braille Press (NBP) Releases their B2G 20 Cell Android Braille Notetaker.  Appears to be only sold in North America.

 

http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/technology/b2g/index.html

 

NeoBraille

 

Android Braille tablet.

 

https://irie-at.com/content/neobraille-notetaker