Stream News Wire – New Multi-Lingual Releases

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Dear Victor Reader Stream Customer:

New Stream software version 1.2 multi-lingual TTS (Text-to-Speech) releases
are now available for download at:
http://www.humanware.com/en-canada/support/victor_reader_stream

These multi-lingual versions are available in: Danish, French, German,
Norwegian, and Swedish. Each multi-lingual version has its recorded prompts
and messages in the local language. As well, each multi-lingual version has
two Vocalizer TTS languages: the local language and the default English
female Samantha. You can move from one TTS language to the other by pressing
and holding key 7 on the Stream. Samples of each TTS Language are available
to listen to following the documentation list for each language.

If you have a Stream version 1.0 or 1.1 and you wish to upgrade to the new
version 1.2 with the multi-lingual TTS then follow these steps to upgrade:
– download the appropriate zip file for your language
– Unzip the single UPG upgrade file. You do not require special unzip
software with Windows XP or Vista.
– Copy the UPG file to the root of your Stream SD card
– Insert the card into the Stream, connect the Stream to the power mains ,
and turn it on.
– The Stream will recognize the special UPG file and initiate the upgrade
process. Audio messages will inform you of the start and end of the update
process.

Complete installation instructions and the list of new features for version
1.2 are available in the What's New document in the English documentation
list on the same support page.

The version 1.2 User Guide is only available at this time in English.
Multi-lingual User Guides will be made available with the next release of
Stream.

If you want to hear a sample of any of the multi language TTS voices there
is a link to listen to each sample following the documentation for each
language.

Thank you.
The HumanWare Support Team

Stream News Wire – English Tom TTS Voice

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Dear Victor Reader Stream Customer:

The alternative Stream software with the English U.S. male (Tom) TTS voice
is now available for download at:
http://www.humanware.com/en-canada/support/victor_reader_stream

This English alternative version 1.2 software has a male TTS voice (Tom) and
can be downloaded to replace the default software with the female Samantha
voice currently shipped on all English Streams. The Tom voice is an
alternative download zip file that contains a single version 1.2 UPG upgrade
file that you install on the Stream. If you wish to change back to Samantha
female TTS voice you can download and re-install the alternative UPG from
the same page. The functionality of the software is the same for both
downloads. Only the TTS voice differs. The complete list of new features for
version 1.2 and the installation instructions can be found in the What's New
document in the documentation list that follows the software links. After
this documentation list there are links to samples of both the Samantha and
Tom TTS voices that you can listen to.

We are currently working on a third English version 1.2 with the UK male
voice named Daniel which we expect to release soon. Again, this will be a
single UPG file with the single UK Daniel TTS voice. The link to listen to
the sample Daniel voice is on the page now.

To summarize the Stream software Installation:
– download the zip file with your choice of Samantha or Tom TTS voice
– Unzip the single UPG upgrade file. You do not require special unzip
software with Windows XP or Vista.
– Copy the UPG file to the root of your Stream SD card
– Insert the card into the Stream, connect the Stream to AC power, and turn
it on.
– The Stream will recognize the special UPG file and initiate the upgrade
process. Audio messages will inform you of the start and end of the update
process.

Thank you.
The HumanWare Support Team

Introducing NonvisualDevelopment.org

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It looks like Jamal Mazrui has an interesting new initiative going for blind
computer programmers. See his public announcement below:

As you know, the web page of EmpowermentZone.com has not been updated for
years after I began focusing on software projects. I knew the site needed
a redesign, but wanted to work on Windows GUI development, so left it there
as a community service for whoever still found it useful, and instead posted
direct links to program or documentation files that I added to the site.
Inthane, Jeff Bishop, and others gathered some of these links on pages of
their sites in order to ease finding them — collaboration I appreciate.

Last year, I agreed to take over a community project, begun by Chris
Hofstader, to develop a C# tutorial for JAWS users. I expanded the scope to
any .NET language and any screen reader, naming the project Nonvisual
Development with .NET. List members suggested a wiki as a vehicle for
collaborating on the tutorial, and for months, Pratik Patel and I have been
investigating how best to do this.

Recently, I concluded that the content management system (CMS) called
Drupal, available at http://drupal.org
has the optimal balance of power and friendliness among free, open source
choices of a CMS at this time. I decided to try to achieve multiple
objectives in a Drupal-based site that provides a complete directory of
programs and documentation I have posted, and promotes collaboration on
developing nonvisually with various languages and tools. With
encouragement from Jim Homme, webmaster of BlindProgramming.com, I am now
introducing a site called Nonvisual Development, located at
http://NonvisualDevelopment.org

The site is under construction, and your collaboration is sought to help
make it as valuable a community resource as possible. So far, its design is
by me, but its coding is by a blind developer, Chetan Bakhru, whose
services I have hired and would recommend to anyone interested in working
with PHP, Drupal, or other web technologies. Chetan is the webmaster of
http://blind-planet.com

At present, the content of NonvisualDevelopment.org is primarily either mine
or links I have collected. I intend to build ways for other developers to
add content and collaborate. We are working within the
capabilities and constraints of Drupal 6.1 and the Zen theme. Feedback,
suggestions, and other contributions can help move this project forward.

Jamal

Coming up on Main Menu for the week of March 19 – AT&T Wireless Accessibility

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Hello Everyone,
 
This week on a one hour Main Menu Live, we hear from Susan Mazrui with AT&T Wireless all about the company’s accessibility initiatives for delivering screen readers and smartphones into the hands of blind and visually impaired customers.
 
Here is how to participate in the show:
 
The number to call into the show is 866-400-5333.
 
You may email your questions to: mainmenu@acbradio.org
You may also interact with the show via MSN (Windows Live) Messenger. The
MSN Messenger ID to add is: mainmenu@acbradio.org
 
Would you like to interact with a group of Main Menu listeners about the
topics heard on Main Menu and Main Menu Live? You can do this by joining the
Main Menu Friends email list. The address to subscribe is:
main-menu-subscribe@googlegroups.com
Come join an already lively group of users.
 
Would you like to subscribe to podcast feeds for Main Menu and Main Menu
Live? The RSS feeds to add to your podcatching application are:
 
 
Main Menu can be heard on Tuesday evenings at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific, and at 1 universal (GMT) on Wednesday mornings on the ACB Radio Main Stream channel.
 
Follow this link to listen to the show:
 
 
Jeff Bishop and Darrell Shandrow
The Main Menu Production Team

Online with Caroline Interview

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Shownotes

I chat with Caroline Congdon about her brand new Online with Caroline podcast. Everyone is invited to subscribe to the feed using their favorite RSS reader, or visit her LiveJournal blog to manually download the newest episodes as they are released and enjoy other content not posted as part of the podcast. The first episode was released last night, delivering instructions on the addition of new search providers in Internet Explorer 7.0. This is definitely a show you will not want to miss.

Download and Listen

Dear Colleague Letter Extended, Calls Needed Monday to Help NLS Talking Book Program

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Fellow Federationists:

We are continuing to make a difference on Capitol Hill. Our "Dear
Colleague" letter to support the Talking Books program now has 68 members of
the U.S. House of Representatives signed on in support. Congressman Towns,
the sponsor of this letter, has now agreed to hold the letter open through
the close of business on next Monday, March 17.

I am asking you to make one phone call Monday morning to your member of the
House of Representatives, and urge him or her to sign on to Congressman
Towns' "Dear Colleague" letter to support the Talking Books program. I have
listed the members that have already signed this letter below. If your
member of Congress is on this list, I would like you to call them and thank
them for supporting the Talking Books program. You can be connected with
your member of Congress by calling the Capitol switchboard at (202)
225-3121.

I have included my contact information at the bottom of this message in case
you have any questions. Thank you all very much for your hard work on this
important project.

Members that have cosigned Dear Colleague Letter:

Congressman Towns, New York
Congressman Hinchey, New York
Congressman Nadler, New York
Congressman Bilirakis, Florida
Congressman Wexler, Florida
Congressman Ellison, Minnesota
Congressman Oberstar, Minnesota
Congressman Walz, Minnesota
Congressman Peterson, Minnesota
Congresswoman Davis, California
Congresswoman Woolsey, California
Congresswoman Capps, California
Congressman Filner, California
Congresswoman Sanchez, California
Congressman Berman, California
Congressman Moran, Virginia
Congressman Scott, Virginia
Congressman Whitman, Virginia
Congresswoman Schakowsky, Illinois
Congressman Gutierrez, Illinois
Congresswoman DeLauro, Connecticut
Congressman Larson, Connecticut
Congressman McDermott, Washington
Congressman Wu, Oregon
Congressman Blumenauer, Oregon
Congressman Markey, Massachusetts
Congressman Delahunt, Massachusetts
Congressman McGovern, Massachusetts
Congressman Lynch, Massachusetts
Congressman Tierney, Massachusetts
Congressman Capuano, Massachusetts
Congressman Gordon, Tennessee
Congressman Cohen, Tennessee
Congressman Allen, Maine
Congressman Michaud, Maine
Congressman Sarbanes, Maryland
Congressman Cummings, Maryland
Congressman Van Hollen, Maryland
Congressman Wynn, Maryland
Congressman Payne, New Jersey
Congressman Passcrell, New Jersey
Congresswoman Capito, West Virginia
Congressman Carney, Pennsylvania
Congressman English, Pennsylvania
Congressman Platts, Pennsylvania
Congresswoman Shea-Porter, New Hampshire
Congressman Hodes, New Hampshire
Congresswoman Johnson, Texas
Congresswoman Jackson-Lee, Texas
Congressman Ortiz, Texas
Congressman Kucinich, Ohio
Congresswoman Sutton, Ohio
Congressman Chabot, Ohio
Congresswoman Cubin, Wyoming
Congressman Fortuno, Puerto Rico
Congressman Skelton, Missouri
Congressman Jefferson, Louisiana
Congressman Moore, Kansas
Congressman Welch, Vermont
Congressman Abercrombie, Hawaii
Congresswoman Baldwin, Wisconsin
Congressman Langevin, Rhode Island
Congressman Kildee, Michigan
Congressman Butterfield, North Carolina
Congresswoman DeGette, Colorado
Congressman Loebsack, Iowa
Congressman Johnson, Georgia

Jesse Hartle
National Federation of the Blind
Government Programs Specialist
Phone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2233
Email: jhartle@nfb.org

Possible Trouble at Podshow, Or How a Company’s Reputation Might Relate to its Failure to Deliver on Public Promises

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According to Rumormonger: PodShow said to lay off 20 out of 60-plus employees, it appears Podshow has suffered a significant setback, resulting in a reduction of almost a third of its total staff. Although I certainly empathize with those who lost their jobs today, I am also not very surprised. The disappointing way in which Adam Curry publicly pledge to make accessibility a part of the company’s core DNA, then utterly failed to deliver on that promise, is a bad sign of the character and ethics of the company’s leadership. I posted the following comment to the above cited article, which is awaiting approval:

Adam Curry did a great deal in 2005 to promote podcasting. I feel we should all appreciate him for his positive contributions. Nevertheless…

At the 2005 Portable Media Expo and Podcasting Conference, I had a conversation with Adam regarding the accessibility of the Podsafe Music Network and other Podshow products and services for the blind and visually impaired. At that time, he indicated that Podshow would make a serious effort toward positive change, make myself and others part of the development and testing processes, and generally work with the disability community to ensure full participation by everyone.

Adam further made this pledge a day later on his Daily Source Code, and in several podcasts in December 2005 into January 2006. The only single act that ever came from this pledge was a Skype conversation between Andrew Grumet, myself and a blind programmer friend of mine concerning ways in which the accessibility of Add to Playlist and other Podsafe Music Network features could be increased.

I feel Adam’s total lack of follow through and responses to my requests for ongoing communication have represented a sad state of affairs with respect to his character and, by extension, the company he leads. The issues with PMN continue to exist despite the fact it has been around for almost two years and most of the rest of Podshow contains serious accessibility barriers that inhibit full participation by people with disabilities. When the leadership of a company makes promises to an underserved population, those people believe him in good faith but the promises are never delivered, that should tell everyone a great deal about the character, ethics and lack of good corporate citizenship involved. It should also tell all of you about the quality of customer service and technical support you may not receive when doing business with Podshow.

Back in early 2005, I was introduced to the concept of podcasting by Adam Curry through his Daily Source Code. At the time, I thought it was an experimental, fun new way to deliver and present content directly to anyone with an Internet connection for listening anytime, anywhere. Adam said he was going to do business in a brand new way, far different from today’s conventional media companies. I didn’t really care about his previous MTV career; I was a fan since he seemed determined to turn the delivery of information on its head. In accordance with the things Adam said to me and a few others, I also thought he was sincere about making sure “new media” would be accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. I was very disappointed to learn, over time, that Adam Curry is really very conventional, representing the unfortunate rule rather than the exception. He hasn’t done a thing to communicate with the disability community or made any modifications to reasonably accomodate accessibility as promised all the way back in November of 2005. It has been my experience over the years that companies willing to accomodate the accessibility needs of people with disabilities also seem to be the same ones that provide solid value for money to all their customers. I wish Adam Curry and the Podshow crew would have stepped up to the plate as promised.

Live Webcast and Archived Recording of CSUN Keynote by James Fruchterman

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We thought you might wish to know about the following:

Who: Opening Remarks and Keynote Address by Jim Fruchterman, one of the
leading innovators in the field of assistive technology
When: Live webcast today – Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 7:30 am
Where to access the live stream: (copy and paste into your browser):

mms://67.19.222.187/CSUN

Where to access the archived recording later in the day:
http://letsgoexpo.com/expo/index.cfm?EID=80000093

The LetsGoExpo Team