AccessTech News

Free v12.07 for all SuperNova v12 customers

2012-02-10T10:48:00.001-05:00

Calling all SuperNova version 12 customers! A free update to version 12.07 is immediately available for Access Suite, Reader Magnifier, Magnifier and Screen Reader users in 23 languages.
What's new in version 12.07

When reading documents continuously, Vocalizer's speech and SuperNova's visual focus highlighting are now more accurately synchronised.
Improvements in Windows Live Messenger, Skype and Yahoo Messenger.
Speech, magnification and Braille fixes in Microsoft Word and Lotus Notes.
64-bit Terminal Server Environments are now supported.
Plus more than 60 other fixes and improvements.

Did you know?

SuperNova version 12 is more than 30% more stable than version 11!
SuperNova's Customer Feedback system reports version 12 on average runs for one third longer than version 11.50, and unique crashes have halved!
SuperNova version 12 automatically corrects thousands of Vocalizer mispronunciations!
SuperNova products with speech support include over 2300 UK English exceptions for the Nuance Vocalizer text-to-speech synthesiser. For example words like: "hedgerows", "phonebook" and "tradeshow" are announced correctly.
Download your free version 12 update

To download your free SuperNova version 12.07 update, visit the Help menu in SuperNova's control panel and select 'Check for Updates'. Need some support or advice? Contact Dolphin's product support teams.
Which languages is version 12.07 available in?

UK English, US English, Arabic, Australian English, Belgian Dutch, Belgian French, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Icelandic, Italian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish and Welsh.

Free v12.07 for all SuperNova v12 customers
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:54:17 GMT

2012 National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Conference - July 3 - 7

2012-02-10T10:45:00.001-05:00

The 51st Biennial NAD Conference will be held July 3 - 7, 2012 in Louisville, KY. The theme of this year’s conference is "Nothing About Us, Without Us!". NAD will be partnering with DeaFestival Kentucky and Deaf Youth USA. The conference will include workshops, exhibits and opportunities for networking and socializing. Check out the schedule. Register online.

2012 National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Conference - July 3 - 7
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Scholarships Available for 2012 National Alliance on Mental Illness Convention

2012-02-10T10:44:00.001-05:00

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is holding its national convention in Seattle, WA, June 27 – 30, 2012. “Think, Learn and Live: Wellness, Resiliency and Recovery” is the theme, which focuses on developing effective programs and resources to increase resiliency and advance recovery. Register online. Limited scholarships for financial help to attend the convention are available to mental health consumers who are U.S. citizens. Read about the requirements and download the application to apply for the scholarships. Application deadline is March 12, 2012.

Scholarships Available for 2012 National Alliance on Mental Illness Convention
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Accessible Voting Technology Initiative - Submission Deadline March 28

2012-02-10T10:43:00.001-05:00

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation is holding an Open Innovation Challenge with winners to be announced on March 28, 2012. The challenge is "How might we design an accessible election experience for everyone?" The purpose of the challenge is to generate ideas to improve the accessibility of elections and allow more people with disabilities to engage in civic life. The initiative uses a collaborative online environment that allows everyone, from election officials to accessibility advocates, to participate in the design process.

Accessible Voting Technology Initiative - Submission Deadline March 28
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

New Licensing Deal Brings Viacom Shows to Amazon Instant Video

2012-02-10T10:37:00.003-05:00

Older shows from Spike, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon will be added. Amazon is working hard to add new content to its video services, and a new deal with Viacom does just that. Episodes of shows...

New Licensing Deal Brings Viacom Shows to Amazon Instant Video
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Streaming Super Bowl Sets Records for Viewers, but Drops the Ball in Quality

2012-02-10T10:37:00.001-05:00

Lag, poor quality, and a lack of easy access made the stream an overall failure. Good news first. Super Bowl XLVI, the first Super Bowl ever to be made streaming by the NFL, brought in 2.1 million unique...

Streaming Super Bowl Sets Records for Viewers, but Drops the Ball in Quality
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Motorola loses 3G/UMTS patent lawsuit against Apple

2012-02-10T10:35:00.003-05:00

It looks like in the ongoing battle between Apple and Motorola in Germany, the latter company may have been dealt a major blow as the German courts have ruled in favor of Apple, which means that Motorola will not be awarded an injunction against Apple’s products regarding the 3G/UMTS patents. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Apple seems to have beaten Motorola's injunction in Germany, German court grants Motorola injunction against Apple's iCloud and MobileMe push email service and client devices (Update: Apple to appeal),

Motorola loses 3G/UMTS patent lawsuit against Apple
Tyler Lee
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:28:16 GMT

10 Free iPhone Apps You’ll Use Every Day

2012-02-10T10:35:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows the iPhone isn’t just for making and taking calls — it’s a slim supercomputer at your fingertips, with the potential to improve your daily efficiency. But it can be a difficult task to sort through all of the available apps and find which ones can help, especially those that are free.
Have no fear: We’ve compiled a list of free iPhone apps that will help get you through each day, whether it’s waking up in the morning, keeping up with the news or managing your to-do list. Download these apps and you’ll be more organized and productive in no time.
1. Alarm Clock HD

Start the morning off right with this app that wakes you up to your favorite music, has built-in weather information and can be integrated with Facebook and Twitter updates.
Click here to view this gallery.
Thumbnail image courtesy of Flickr, Jorge Quinteros
More About: features, free, iphone, iphone apps, mobile apps

10 Free iPhone Apps You’ll Use Every Day
Matt Petronzio
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:59:38 GMT

Motorola DROID 4 available today

2012-02-10T10:31:00.001-05:00

A few days ago Verizon announced that the Motorola DROID 4 will be available this week, and just like it promised – the phone is available today. The Android phone featuring a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and LTE connectivity is now up for order on Verizon’s website and should be in stores as well. The DROID 4 features a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, a 4″ qHD display, 1GB of RAM, 4G LTE, Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, a five-row QWERTY keyboard with backlit edges, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera, and a 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot feature.
The Motorola DROID 4 is available today with a price tag of $199.99 with a 2-year contract. Just head over to Verizon’s website if you’re keen on picking one up.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Motorola DROID 4 demo unit surfaces, More DROID 4 renders discovered,

Motorola DROID 4 available today
George Wong
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:21:20 GMT

Kindle for Android updated to version 3.4

2012-02-10T10:29:00.001-05:00

Amazon has officially updated their seminal Android Kindle for Android Application today and brings the firmware version to 3.4. This new update brings only two major things to the tablet which are sure to make it an essential install.
The main thing that has changed with the application is the physical size. In past updates it blew up to over 10 MB and they have managed to bring it back down to about 8. It is not a huge difference but size does matter to some. The only other good option was the addition of ‘real page numbers.’ This was a feature that mainly was developed last year and makes sure your ebook syncs up exactly the way the printed version does. In the past when you had an ebook and were on page 16, it would be different then the page 16 of a tangible book. This was mainly due to the formatting and the way the table of contents was laid out. If you are in a bookclub or reading a textbook this is an install you will want to get.
You can download the update from our very own Good e-Reader APP Store to install it to your phone, e-reader or tablet. Be sure to get our upgraded Good e-Reader Android Client App today! We added some great new features such as ratings, commenting and pushed update notifications.
Kindle for Android updated to version 3.4 is a post from: E-Reader News

Kindle for Android updated to version 3.4
Michael Kozlowski
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:08:08 GMT

Netflix for Android update fixes bunch of bugs

2012-02-10T10:12:00.001-05:00

With each software update (regardless of whether it is on a piece of hardware or a software), you as the user can expect more or less additional improvements – and the same goes to Netflix for Android. While Verizon and Coinstar has teamed up to give Netflix a run for its money, that does not mean Netflix is just going to sit back and see others gnaw away at their market share in entertainment rentals. With Netflix for Android, they are moving into the mobile arena, offering more support for additional phones while improving performance with software updates after that. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Netflix for Android tablets sport a new look, Netflix for Android updated,

Netflix for Android update fixes bunch of bugs
Edwin Kee
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:11:00 GMT

Mozilla Firefox 10.01 Final

2012-02-10T09:09:00.001-05:00

Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source Web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win XP/2003/08/Vista/Windows7 | Size: 15.0 MB]

Mozilla Firefox 10.01 Final
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:40:42 GMT

Chromium 17.0.963.46 - Fast and stable open-source browser.. (Free)

2012-02-10T09:07:00.001-05:00

Chromium is an open-source browser project that aims to build a safer, faster, and more stable way for all Internet users to experience the web.
FreeSMUG-Free OpenSource Mac User Group build is based on the stable Chrome code plus "Check for Updates..." command.
Version 17.0.963.46:

New Extensions APIs
Updated Omnibox Prerendering
Download Scanning Protection
Many other small changes
Security fixes

Mac OS X 10.5 or later
Download Now

Chromium 17.0.963.46 - Fast and stable open-source browser.. (Free)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:51:49 GMT

Google Chrome Portable 17.0.963.46

2012-02-10T09:06:00.001-05:00

Google Chrome Portable is a web browser that runs web pages and applications with lightning speed. It's designed to be simple and stylish. It's packaged as a portable app, so you can take your browsing experience with you. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win 2000/03/08/XP/Vista/7 | Size: 1.38 MB]

Google Chrome Portable 17.0.963.46
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:54:18 GMT

Google rolls out small change to Navigation Bar (Jake Smith/9to5Google)

2012-02-10T09:05:00.001-05:00

Jake Smith / 9to5Google:
Google rolls out small change to Navigation Bar — Google rolled out their new black navigation bar in November of 2011, and today it is seeing a small update. Google just detailed the change over on the Official Google Blog. The update includes links to top Google properties …

Google rolls out small change to Navigation Bar (Jake Smith/9to5Google)
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:25:00 GMT

Today’s Top Stories: Wolfram Alpha Goes Pro, Google’s Home Entertainment System

2012-02-10T08:38:00.001-05:00

Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. Today, we’re looking at three particularly interesting stories.
Wolfram Alpha Goes Pro
Online computational engine Wolfram Alpha has launched a Pro version of its service, adding numerous input/output options for a price of $4.99/month or $2.99/month for students. A free trial of Wolfram Alpha Pro is also available.
Google Working on a Home Entertainment System
Google is working on a home entertainment system that will let you stream music and movies wirelessly throughout your home, the WSJ reports citing people familiar with the company’s plans. If the report is true, this would be Google’s first major foray into hardware, positioning the company as an even bigger competitor to Apple.
LinkedIn Reports Strong Q4 Earnings
LinkedIn’s Q4 2011 earnings are in, and the results beat analysts’ estimates. LinkedIn reported net income of $6.9 million on a $167.7 million revenue, compared to analysts’ expectations of $159.7 million. The company’s revenue for the entire 2011 was $522.2 million, a 115% year-over-year increase.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Today’s Top Stories: Wolfram Alpha Goes Pro, Google’s Home Entertainment System
Stan Schroeder
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:57:32 GMT

HTC Announces Initial Ice Cream Sandwich Rollout Plans

2012-02-10T08:35:00.001-05:00

A while back, HTC announced the first suite of devices that it would be rolling out Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich updates to. The devce lineup included the entire HTC Sensation line (XE, XL, and 4G), followed by the Rezound, Amaze 4G, and new EVOs (Design 4G and 3D). Today, HTC has announced (also on its Facebook page) some further timing on just when devices will get those updates, and a few more devices making the cut.
First to the fray will be the HTC Sensation series (XE, XL, 4G, and sans moniker), which will get their ICS update before the end of March. Other devices getting an ICS update will see their update by a slightly more ambiguous and underwhelming "later this year." It's nice to see HTC committing to a date here, even though it's only for the Sensation line of devices. Hopefully as updates for the rest of the lineup draw closer those respective phones will see update timelines as well.
HTC also added a few more devices to its official list, which brings the tally to the following:

HTC Sensation (XE, XL, 4G, and sans moniker)
HTC Rezound
HTC Vivid
HTC Amaze 4G
HTC EVO 3D
HTC EVO Design 4G
HTC Incredible S
HTC Desire S
HTC Desire HD

Source: HTC (Facebook)

HTC Announces Initial Ice Cream Sandwich Rollout Plans
Brian Klug
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:17:00 GMT

Barnes & Noble seeks to reverse ruling in Microsoft patent flap

2012-02-10T08:31:00.001-05:00

The giant bookseller files a motion, saying the decision by an administrative law judge reached "erroneous conclusions" and was based on "a misstatement of the facts."

Barnes & Noble seeks to reverse ruling in Microsoft patent flap
Jay Greene
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:17:51 GMT

Microsoft ends preorders for Nokia Lumia 900

2012-02-10T08:30:00.001-05:00

The company has stopped the preorder deal for the Windows Phone Lumia 900 after just a week with no specific reason why.

Microsoft ends preorders for Nokia Lumia 900
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:16:31 GMT

Google Drive Cloud Storage: Is Google Preparing To Muscle In On Dropbox?

2012-02-10T08:09:00.001-05:00

Google's sticking its proverbial fingers into a whole lot of proverbial pies right now: search, social media, advertising, smartphones, restaurant reviews, self-driving cars and a ton more. A rumor swirling around the 'Net says the company's about to offer all those, +1 more: a cloud storage service similar to Dropbox. Yes, the long whispered-about GDrive service has reared its elusive head again -- but now it's just called Drive.
The Wall Street Journal just released a report claiming that the mythical Google Drive project is actually on the verge of launching sometime in "the coming weeks or months." (Way to be vague!) Allegedly, the storage service will -- duh -- allow users to upload files and access them anywhere there's an Internet connection. Sharing should be supported, in the form of SkyDrive- or Megaupload-esque links to the stored file. Additionally, the WSJ reports that Google Drive will include a synching function across numerous devices, similar to the way portions of Google's own Calendar/Gmail and Apple's iCloud currently work.
Plus, since Google already owns its own cloud servers and doesn't have to rent space from others, the company reportedly hopes to be able to undercut Dropbox's current pricing scheme.
Sounds awesome, eh? Rumorware always does, and GDrive's been on the tips of waggling tongues for a while now. Still, if Google Drive (as described above) hit the virtual streets today, I'd be all over it, new privacy policy and all. We'll let you know if Google confirms, well, anything.
Image credit: bizcloudnetwork.com

Google Drive Cloud Storage: Is Google Preparing To Muscle In On Dropbox?
Brad Chacos
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:03:14 GMT

Microsoft to issue more critical patches next week for Win7 than XP

2012-02-10T08:07:00.001-05:00

Microsoft today said it would deliver nine security updates next week, four of them critical, to patch 21 vulnerabilities in Windows, Internet Explorer (IE), Office, .Net and Silverlight.

Microsoft to issue more critical patches next week for Win7 than XP
gkeizer@computerworld.com (Gregg Keizer)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:27:00 GMT

Roku adds BBC iPlayer channel as it starts shipping in the UK

2012-02-10T07:29:00.001-05:00

Just as Netflix is nearly ubiquitous on media streaming platforms in the US, BBC's iPlayer is pretty much a default app in the UK so it's no surprise to see it show up on Roku's boxes just as they start shipping across the Atlantic. As detailed in the press release after the break, those shiny new Roku LT and Roku 2 XS hockey pucks are well on their way to punters who've shelled out £50 / £100, respectively, with over 40 available channels. Unfortunately, that announcement doesn't extend to global iPlayer support outside the UK and Republic of Ireland, so we'll have to catch up on Spooks some other way.
Continue reading Roku adds BBC iPlayer channel as it starts shipping in the UK
Roku adds BBC iPlayer channel as it starts shipping in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink

Roku adds BBC iPlayer channel as it starts shipping in the UK
Richard Lawler
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:41:00 GMT

Microsoft details Windows for ARM at length: desktop Office applications confirmed, first devices expected with Windows 8 release

2012-02-10T07:26:00.001-05:00

We've been getting some mixed signals about Windows 8 for ARM-based devices as of late, but Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky has now returned with another of his exhaustive Building Windows 8 blog posts and cleared up some of the confusion. The short of it is that Windows for ARM promises to offer the same out of the box experience as the x86 edition of Windows 8. That includes the full Windows desktop (complete with File Explorer and the like), and the same desktop Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint (but only Office applications, it seems). So-called Metro-style apps from the Windows Store will also be able to support both Windows on ARM and Windows for x86/64, and you can expected hardware-accelerated HTML5 support with Internet Explorer 10.
What's more, Sinofsky also notes that PC manufacturers are now working on devices designed specifically for WOA (or Windows on ARM), and that their "collective goal" is for them to ship at the same time as PCs designed for the x86 edition of Windows 8. While details on those devices remain light, Sinofksy did offer a new peek at one of the devices Microsoft used during the initial development of Windows for ARM when ARM-based tablets were hard to come by: an early Windows Phone. You can see it running the full desktop environment after the break (along with a video overview of WOA itself), but Sinofsky emphasizes that it is "not a product plan or even a hint at a product." Plenty more details can also be found at the source link below, though you may want to prepare a cup of coffee before diving in.
Continue reading Microsoft details Windows for ARM at length: desktop Office applications confirmed, first devices expected with Windows 8 release
Microsoft details Windows for ARM at length: desktop Office applications confirmed, first devices expected with Windows 8 release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink

Microsoft details Windows for ARM at length: desktop Office applications confirmed, first devices expected with Windows 8 release
Donald Melanson
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:35:00 GMT

Five smart ways to handle multiple tabs in Chrome

2012-02-10T07:21:00.001-05:00

We've all gone one tab over the line and found ourselves lost or frustrated, unable to find that map or article that was so crucial. Tabbed browsing is great, but too many tabs can lead to desperate clicking. Chrome provides quite a few extensions that help manage large groups of tabs. Here are five of the best:

The aptly named TooManyTabs gives you quick access to your tabs through an icon in the top right which lets you know how many tabs you've got open. Click it to bring up a sortable list of tabs with previews of those you've visited since starting the extension. It's easy to find tabs, reopen closed tabs and even export tab sets for use on other machines.
TooManyTabs
(Credit: Rob Lightner)

Tab Menu is extremely simple, which makes it perfect for those who just want to find tabs with minimal fuss. Click on its icon in the upper right at any time to get a vertical list of open tabs in the current window. Select any one of them to switch to it. This is great for those times when you've got so many tabs open that you can't read their titles. ... [Read more]

Five smart ways to handle multiple tabs in Chrome
Rob Lightner
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:27:30 GMT

Cloud Storage Startup Offers Better Security and Also Lets You Run Your Own Server

2012-02-10T07:18:00.001-05:00

Services such as Dropbox, which sync a folder on your PC with the cloud and also with your other devices, have one major drawback. Your files get copied to the internet, and to someone else's server. So they're not as secure as they might otherwise be. A new player in the cloud storage/backup market aims to change all that by bringing some additional layers of security.
This service, like Dropbox, gives you 2 GB of storage for free. If you need more, you'll have to pay. But unlike Dropbox, they encrypt your information before it gets copied to the remote servers, so (the company claims) there's no way that anyone but you can gain access to your files. And as a bonus you can run use the service to run your own server for free.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/cloud-storage-startup-also-lets-you-run-your-own-server.htm

Cloud Storage Startup Offers Better Security and Also Lets You Run Your Own Server
Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:35:10 GMT

Window-Eyes 7.5.3 is Now Available!

2012-02-09T14:56:00.001-05:00

Greetings,GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.5.3. This version includes a...

Window-Eyes 7.5.3 is Now Available!
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:00 GMT

ZoomText 10.0.1 is released!

2012-02-09T14:53:00.001-05:00

ZoomText 10.0.1 is Released!

We’re excited to announce that the first update in the ZoomText 10 cycle is here! To celebrate, we're offering $25 off any upgrade from now until February 15th for those who mention "No Snow in Vermont" when you place an order (US & Canadian customers only).

Already own version 10? Then this is a free update for you! If you've got ZoomText set to download updates automatically, you're good to go - the next time you launch ZoomText it will install the update for you. Otherwise, just go to the Help menu and choose "Check for Program Updates...".

So what's in this update? ZoomText 10 is now available electronically in the following languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Slovak, Spanish and Swedish.

In addition, we have optimized the ZoomText Camera feature to provide faster video performance on systems equipped with a multi-core processor. Controls have also been added in the ZoomText Camera dialog providing manual selection of the camera video frame rate, allowing you to balance overall camera and system performance.

And that’s not all - we’ve made further improvements for our iTunes and Java Access Bridge support plus a whole bunch of bug fixes.

We plan to have the CD version ready mid-February. To order your copy, call us at 800-859-0270 or you can go online and contact your local dealer. Feel free to reply to this email with any questions.

Read more about 10, read the release notes, or download a free 60-day trial to give it a try yourself.

Ai Squared Manchester Center, VT (800) 859-0270 www.aisquared.com

Source: Email

Save $800 on New TOPAZ HD Video Magnifiers

2012-02-09T14:52:00.001-05:00

Greetings!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Brad Davis
800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000
www.FreedomScientific.com
Sales: info@FreedomScientific.com

Freedom Scientific Announces $800 Promotion on New High Definition Video Magnifiers

High Definition for the Price of Standard Definition

(St. Petersburg, Florida – February 9, 2012) – Freedom Scientific, the world leader in assistive technology for those who are blind or low vision, today announced an introductory promotion on their new TOPAZ® XL HD High Definition video magnifiers.
For the next three months, U.S. and Canadian customers can purchase a TOPAZ XL HD model for the same price as a TOPAZ XL standard definition model – that’s a huge savings of $800 on any High Definition model.
“This is a great opportunity to obtain the latest technology at a substantial discount,” said Brad Davis, Freedom Scientific’s Vice President of Hardware. “Our new HD models offer improved efficiency, because the clear high contrast image, even at magnification levels below 2x, can fit more text on the screen than any other video magnifier now available. For many users, this means they can display an entire standard page of text across a widescreen monitor and read comfortably without moving their document back and forth under the camera."
Other video magnifiers can share their monitor with a PC to save desk space, but the TOPAZ XL HD goes beyond that. With Freedom Scientific’s optional GEM™ software, low vision users can bring the magnified image to their PC, control the TOPAZ XL HD from the keyboard, and work in multiple split screen views so that they see their magnified document and their application at the same time. Users can quickly capture multiple images, review them with a single keystroke, and select which ones to save.
The new TOPAZ XL HD line offers 20-inch, 22-inch, and 24-inch widescreen models, as well as 17-inch standard monitor and camera only models.
For complete specifications and pricing details, visit www.FreedomScientific.com or contact Freedom Scientific at 800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000.
Freedom Scientific offers a broad range of technology solutions for those with low vision, including:

MAGic® screen magnification software
RUBY® and SAPPHIRE® handheld video magnifiers
ONYX® portable distance, document, and self view cameras
PEARL® OCR camera with OpenBook® and the SARA™ and SARA CE scanning and reading appliances for both blind and low vision users

About Freedom Scientific

Freedom Scientific is the leading worldwide provider of assistive technology products for those with vision impairments. The Company sells its products worldwide and has offices in Florida and Switzerland. The Company’s products have been translated into 24 languages and are available in 55 countries. Freedom also has a line of software products for those with learning disabilities.
Freedom Scientific®, TOPAZ®, MAGic®, RUBY®, SAPPHIRE®, ONYX®, PEARL®, OpenBook®, SARA™, and GEM™ are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and/or other countries.




Freedom Scientific \| 11800 31st Court North \| St. Petersburg \| FL \| 33716-1805

Source: Email

Use AudioNote for Synchronized Recording and Note Taking on iPad

2012-02-09T14:51:00.001-05:00

When students need support for lectures and notes, take a look at AudioNote ($4.99) and AudioNote Lite (free) for the iPad.
AudioNote allows notes to be handwritten in pen mode for drawings and notes, or typed with the keyboard.The lite version can record a lecture and track notes written during the session and sync them to the recording. Tap anywhere on your notes and go to playback and it will replay the lecture recording where you tapped.
The highlight feature re-traces letters in blue as the recording plays so you are reviewing and tracking at the same time. You can email your notes and wi-fi share with the upgraded pay version.
You can buy a Livescribe pen for as low as $99.99 to use with real paper, but you can use this lite app for free with your iPad and get many of the same options open to you - for free. Real pens and real paper are great to have for certain settings, but the tools are there for you with synchronized notes and playback on an iPad.
This tool can be a real support for students with traumatic brain injuries and students that need help with organizing and memory. Check it out.
Here is a video review of Audio Note:
All the best!

Check out more at http://nolimits2life.com/blog

Use AudioNote for Synchronized Recording and Note Taking on iPad
Lon
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:49:00 GMT

Modesto Retailer Settles Disability Discrimination Suit

2012-02-09T14:49:00.001-05:00

Buy Rite Thrift has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged Buy Rite with illegally firing an employee who has epilepsy after having mild seizures at work. Instead of asking the employee to take a fitness exam or provide medical documentation that he was fit to work, the store fired him. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to an employee with a disability, unless it causes significant difficulty or expense for the employer.

Modesto Retailer Settles Disability Discrimination Suit
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

DOJ Signs Agreement with the City of Humboldt, KS to Improve Access for People with Disabilities

2012-02-09T14:48:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached an agreement with the city of Humboldt, KS that will improve access to all aspects of civic life for individuals with disabilities. Several important steps will be taken to improve access for individuals with disabilities. These include making physical changes so that parking, routes into the buildings, entrances, service areas and counters, restrooms and other areas are accessible. The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access (PCA), the department's initiative to make sure that cities, towns and counties comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

DOJ Signs Agreement with the City of Humboldt, KS to Improve Access for People with Disabilities
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Home Depot Settlement

2012-02-09T14:47:00.001-05:00

Home Depot has settled a class action lawsuit brought against the home improvement retailer by deaf workers in California. The suit accused Home Depot of violating ADA law by failing to provide interpreters at interviews, trainings and meetings. The agreement puts sign language interpreters in each of these places - and Home Depot agreed to make sure there are visual alarms for emergencies in its retail stores as well as provide technology the technology necessary to improve communication with deaf employees.
Read More at DeafNewsToday.com

Home Depot Settlement
Deaf News Today
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:28:00 GMT

SeroTalk Podcast 94: Walk Without Sticks

2012-02-09T14:46:00.001-05:00

Listen to SeroTalk Podcast 94: Walk Without Sticks
This week, Jamie Pauls, Ricky Enger, and Joe Steinkamp return with all the top news of the week. After the news, Jamie is joined by Mike Calvo who discusses his recent trip to Disney using an audio device that provides vivid descriptions of his surroundings. We also hear some actual audio from the device.
AT
Hope is back!
NVDA 2012.1beta1 Released
GW Micro Announces Release of GWConnect (Formerly GWSkype)
GW Micro Releases New Vocatex Plus
Reaper: Implement accessibility through MS UI Automation support
100 Excellent Hints and Tips for every Computer User
How to add keyboard shortcuts to Netflix
Jim Bliss, co-developer of the Optacon dies
Catch ATIA coverage right now on SPN Radio, formerly known as SAMNet Radio,
And listen to SeroSpectives for more information about the top stories in January.
Jailbreaking Your iPhone 4S Or iPad 2: Not Nearly As Scary As It Might Sound
Apple
Apple Releases OS X 10.7.3 [Direct Links]
Problems with the OS X 10.7.3 update? Combo updater to the rescue
Remember you can also listen to Triple Click Home for great Apple stories ..
iPhone Tactile Screenshot Quick Reference Guide
Why it’s time for the 13-inch MacBook Pro to go away
Straddling the tablet/ laptop divide; Time for Android and iOS laptops
Remember you can catch more talk about Android 4 on That Android Show
Internet
Firefox 10 is officially released.
Facebook files to go public, plans to raise $5B
Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook has a ‘social mission’
Catch more crazy antics with EOL 6 on iBlink Radio or at eolshow.com
Mailbag
We discuss several Emails and iReports from our listeners.
Round About
A device that helps visually impaired walk freely
The Disney Standard

SeroTalk Podcast 94: Walk Without Sticks
jpauls
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:53:24 GMT

EEOC Settles Disability & Age Discrimination Suit against DXP Enterprises

2012-02-09T14:45:00.001-05:00

DXP Enterprises, Inc. has agreed to settle a disability and age discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). DXP had hired a woman and then fired her days later after learning she had had a prior back injury. The lawsuit claimed that DXP had fired the employee because of her disability and/or both disability and age. Disability discrimination violates Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits employment discrimination based on age (over age 40).

EEOC Settles Disability & Age Discrimination Suit against DXP Enterprises
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

HBO To Air New Film Tackling Disability Caregiving

2012-02-09T14:44:00.001-05:00

A new documentary chronicling one woman's experience as she assumes care of her sister with an intellectual disability is set to premiere on HBO later this month.

HBO To Air New Film Tackling Disability Caregiving
Michelle Diament
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:17:49 GMT

Professional Media Corporation to Pay $58,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Bias Suit

2012-02-09T14:43:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Professional Media Corporation with violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for forcing employees to sign a "health warranty" certifying their health and that they did not use medications. The company also harassed and then fired an employee who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and an auditory processing disorder. It violates the ADA to discriminate against a person with a disability. The law also states that employers may not ask job applicants and employees about the existence, nature or severity of a disability.

Professional Media Corporation to Pay $58,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Bias Suit
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

DOJ Settles Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Lawsuit with Michigan's Henry Ford Health System

2012-02-09T14:42:00.003-05:00

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached a settlement with the Henry Ford Health System to provide effective communication for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing when receiving medical services. The company did not provide sign language interpreters to a deaf patient and his family members. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by hospitals. The ADA also requires doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to provide equal access to patients and companions who are deaf or hard of hearing.

DOJ Settles Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Lawsuit with Michigan's Henry Ford Health System
disability@dol.gov (Disability.gov)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

2012 Video Update from Catalyst For a Cure

2012-02-09T14:42:00.001-05:00

Research updates from the Catalyst For a Cure team of investigators, working collaboratively to speed the cure for glaucoma.

2012 Video Update from Catalyst For a Cure
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:09:39 GMT

Apple iTV Prototype May Be In The Hands of Canadian Cable TV Providers

2012-02-09T14:28:00.001-05:00

It seems that Best Buy isn't the only one that is preparing us for the upcoming Apple entry into the LCD TV market, but reports are now circulating that a Canadian cable TV operator(s) is(are) now testing an actual prototype of the 42-inch Apple powered set.
Although details are not being confirmed (or denied) by any of those supposedly directly involved, some claims regarding the forthcoming set include the incorporation of both gesture and Siri voice control, keyboard plug-in control option, and access to many of the apps that are now used on iPads and iPhones - and will also be able to interact directly with those devices.
Keeping in mind that nothing is final until the product is actually unveiled to the public, check out some of the speculative details so far in the reports from The Daily Mail, The Register, and The Globe and Mail.
Frankly, regardless of its Apple Smart TV-like functions, once this TV does come to market, those of us that report and review TV and home theater products will also want see how the TV performs with regards to its core image display and video processing capabilities, as well as its physical connectivity with other home theater components.
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Apple iTV Prototype May Be In The Hands of Canadian Cable TV Providers originally appeared on About.com Home Theater on Thursday, February 9th, 2012 at 13:00:33.
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Apple iTV Prototype May Be In The Hands of Canadian Cable TV Providers
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:33 GMT

Asperger's Syndrome Could Disappear in Autism Criteria Revamp

2012-02-09T14:26:00.001-05:00

The American Psychiatric Association is redefining Autism, and, if Asperger's syndrome could no longer be recognized as the Autism spectrum is more strictly defined.

Asperger's Syndrome Could Disappear in Autism Criteria Revamp
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:29:58 GMT

TDF's Autism Theater Initiative To Host Autism Friendly B'way Performances

2012-02-09T14:25:00.001-05:00

TDF's Autism Theater Initiative will present autism-friendly performances of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh 's Mary Poppins on Sunday, April 29, at 1pm, at the New Amsterdam Theatre and Disney's The Lion King on Sunday, September 30, at 1pm, at the Minskoff Theatre .

TDF's Autism Theater Initiative To Host Autism Friendly B'way Performances
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:37:03 GMT

Talk and Drop: DropVox Voice Memo Recorder for iOS

2012-02-09T14:22:00.001-05:00

In this approximately 14-minute podcast, Allison Hilliker and Darrell Shandrow demonstrate the DropVox voice memo recording app for iOS.
This show features a special surprise musical treat sung by Allison!

Listen or Pause – DropVox Demonstration
Download – DropVox Demonstration

We love hearing from our listeners! Please feel free to talk with us in the comments. What do you like? How could we make the show better? What topics would you like us to cover on future shows?
If you use Twitter, let’s get connected! Please follow Allison (AlliTalk) and Darrell.

Talk and Drop: DropVox Voice Memo Recorder for iOS
Darrell Shandrow
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:57:36 GMT

Netflix Launches 'Lillyhammer' - its First Original Series

2012-02-09T14:18:00.001-05:00

The success or failure of this series could have a huge impact on the future of Netflix. The first original series from Netflix has officially launched. 'Lillyhammer' stars Steven Van Zandt of 'Sopranos'...

Netflix Launches 'Lillyhammer' - its First Original Series
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:45:00 GMT

Google Wallet Security Concerns Raised - PCWorld (blog)

2012-02-09T12:57:00.003-05:00

Google Wallet Security Concerns Raised
PCWorld (blog)
By Sarah Jacobsson Purewal, PCWorld Feb 9, 2012 4:23 AM Google's new NFC system that purports to turn your phone into a credit card can be compromised using a brute-force attack -- and that raises questions about its security. Security firm Zvelo has ...
zvelo Researcher Discovers Google Wallet PIN Security VulnerabilityMarketWatch (press release)
all 29 news articles »

Google Wallet Security Concerns Raised - PCWorld (blog)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:35:24 GMT

Google to pay users to track their movements online

2012-02-09T12:57:00.001-05:00

Amid widespread concern about its new privacy policies, Google is now facing criticism over an offer to give users Amazon gift certificates if they open their Web movements to the company in a program called Screenwise. Google says the program launched "near the beginning of the year," but the company's low-key offer was disclosed Tuesday night on the blog Search Engine Land.

Google to pay users to track their movements online
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:28:54 GMT

T-Mobile offers its whole 4G phone selection for free Feb. 11 to spread the love (Jake Smith/9to5Google)

2012-02-09T12:56:00.001-05:00

Jake Smith / 9to5Google:
T-Mobile offers its whole 4G phone selection for free Feb. 11 to spread the love — As our hearts prepare for Valentine's Day, T-Mobile announced today a new sale happening this Saturday, Feb. 11. T-Mobile will offer its entire 4G selection free on a two-year contract.

T-Mobile offers its whole 4G phone selection for free Feb. 11 to spread the love (Jake Smith/9to5Google)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:05:13 GMT

Windows 8 bundled Metro apps revealed

2012-02-09T12:37:00.001-05:00

Now due on February 29, the new Windows 8 Consumer Preview will offer several built-in Metro apps, including Music, Video, Mail, Messaging, and SkyDrive.

Windows 8 bundled Metro apps revealed
Lance Whitney
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:45:48 GMT

AT&T and Verizon lobby for less FCC spectrum control, Sprint and other carriers respond

2012-02-09T12:36:00.001-05:00

Since 1993, the FCC has held the ability to restrict bidders' participation in spectrum auctions based on their current spectrum holdings, needs and dominance in the marketplace. Given that wireless spectrum is a public resource, the current law tasks the FCC with the responsibility to ensure competition in the marketplace and prevent monopolies and duopolies from forming. A new proposal contained within the JOBS Act, H.R. 3630 -- a sweeping bill that primarily addresses the extension of unemployment benefits -- threatens to strip the FCC of this authority and return spectrum auctions to the freewheeling wild west era. The bill is so controversial that former FCC chairman, Reed Hundt, recently called this proposal "the single worst telecom bill" he'd ever seen, and, "a repudiation of the smartest auction theorists in the world." Today, the CEOs from many of the US's smaller telecoms -- which include Sprint, T-Mobile, Cricket, C Spire and Bluegrass Cellular (among others) -- officially lodged their objections to this proposed bill based on the notion that, left unrestricted, AT&T and Verizon Wireless could start bullying smaller carriers in the race to acquire more spectrum.
While the majority of the bill deals with making additional spectrum available, Section 4105 of Title V -- the controversial bit in question -- is ostensibly the work of lobbying efforts on behalf of AT&T and Verizon. Are the nation's top two carriers legitimately concerned that the FCC will limit their ability to participate in future auctions? Sprint contends that the current law has worked rather well for both top dogs, which together control approximately 73 percent of the spectrum under 1GHz. There's no doubt that spectrum is the bread and butter of the wireless industry, but as a public resource, it deserves to be allocated in a way that promotes competition and best serves the citizens. Regardless of your gut reaction, it seems that the topic deserves some legitimate debate. If the proposed bill hits the Congressional floor and is mired down amongst discussions of unemployment benefits and flood insurance reform, just how much of this important discussion will fall on deaf ears?
[Tower photo via Shutterstock]
AT&T and Verizon lobby for less FCC spectrum control, Sprint and other carriers respond originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink

AT&T and Verizon lobby for less FCC spectrum control, Sprint and other carriers respond
Zachary Lutz
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:26:00 GMT

Apple will reportedly unveil iPad 3 in early March

2012-02-09T12:31:00.001-05:00

AllThingsD reports that Apple is preparing an event for the first week of March to unveil the next iPad.

Apple will reportedly unveil iPad 3 in early March
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:05:43 GMT

New AppGuide: Best iOS Radio Apps

2012-02-09T12:29:00.001-05:00

Like they’ve done for so many other forms of media, apps have transformed radio. Whether it’s traditional radio stations, or those made for Internet only, apps have become a popular way to access these audio streams. Radio has traditionally differed from on-demand music services, in that it delivered an endless feed without allowing the listener much control (other than changing the station). Lines are blurring, however, as personal radio services now offer customized playlists and a greater amount of user input. This AppGuide features the best radio apps available, which includes apps with traditional radio stations, Internet radio stations, and also personal radio playlists. It does not cover subscription-based on-demand music services, such as Spotify, Mog, or Rdio.
Best iOS Radio Apps

New AppGuide: Best iOS Radio Apps is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

New AppGuide: Best iOS Radio Apps
Lenny Liang
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:55:55 GMT

Apple Loses Bid to Ban German Sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N (Karin Matussek/Bloomberg)

2012-02-09T09:45:00.001-05:00

Karin Matussek / Bloomberg:
Apple Loses Bid to Ban German Sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N — Apple Inc. (AAPL), maker of the iPad and iPhone, for the second time failed to win a ban on sales of Samsung Electronics (005930) Co.'s Galaxy 10.1N from a German court. — The Dusseldorf Regional Court rejected the bid today …

Apple Loses Bid to Ban German Sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N (Karin Matussek/Bloomberg)
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:52 GMT

iOS 5.1 out on March 9?

2012-02-09T09:44:00.001-05:00

Operator profiles are not exactly the kind of documents that you would dive into even when you have run out of sites to visit on the Internet, and are the perfect material to read if you have difficulty in sleeping. However, thanks to at least one brave soul who decided to give it a go, it was discovered that Apple actually published another 11 new profiles for different iPhone operators, where such files will play nice with iOS 5.1 and are tipped for a March 9 release. This might have just given the game away that iOS 5.1 will be rolled out then, and will apply to the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 3G/4G, iPad, and iPad 2. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iPhone 5 details leaked by Foxconn employee?, iDesk concept looks awesome,

iOS 5.1 out on March 9?
Edwin Kee
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:45:16 GMT

Apple Sues Samsung Over Patent Dispute in California

2012-02-09T09:43:00.001-05:00

Apple Inc. filed a patent complaint yesterday against Samsung Electronics Co. in federal court in San Jose, California, according to court records. A copy of the complaint wasn’t immediately available.

Apple Sues Samsung Over Patent Dispute in California
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:31:42 GMT

Apple updates EFI firmware on 2010 Macs: offers Lion internet recovery, not much else

2012-02-09T09:28:00.001-05:00

Staring forlorn at that two-year-old MacBook, just sitting there in the corner? Well, there's good news; Apple's decided to furnish those 2010 models with a new EFI firmware update. Arriving on its MacBook Air (late 2010), iMac (mid 2010) and MacBook Pro (early 2010) models, it adds support for Lion's internet-based recovery feature -- something that's very useful for those optical drive-less MacBook Airs and Mac minis. The update also fixes a bug on Air models, where it would reset if the power button was pressed immediately after booting from deep sleep mode. You can consult your Mac's software updater for the new firmware -- it's out there now.
Apple updates EFI firmware on 2010 Macs: offers Lion internet recovery, not much else originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple updates EFI firmware on 2010 Macs: offers Lion internet recovery, not much else
Mat Smith
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:49:00 GMT

Today’s Top Stories: Google’s Cloud Storage, iPad Rumors

2012-02-09T09:19:00.003-05:00

Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. Today, we’re looking at three particularly interesting stories.
Google to Launch Cloud Storage Service [REPORT]
Google plans to launch a cloud storage service similar to Dropbox, according to a report by WSJ. Google’s service will be called Drive, and it will let users store and share photos, videos and other documents in Google’s cloud, say sources familiar with the matter.
iPad 3 Might Come With Different Screen and Thicker Case
A supposed iPad 3 case suggests the next generation iPad might have a thicker profile and a different screen from iPad 2, 9to5Mac reports. The mounts for the logic board are also different than the current model, which suggests a bigger battery, and the camera might also be new and (hopefully) improved.
Lenovo’s Q3 Earnings Report
Lenovo just posted its Q3 2011 earnings report, and it’s brimming with big numbers and positive trends. The company’s net profit of $153 million on an $8.4 billion revenue is a 54% increase year-over-year. The Chinese electronic goods manufacturer was doing particularly well on its home turf, where it currently holds a 35.3% market share.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Today’s Top Stories: Google’s Cloud Storage, iPad Rumors
Stan Schroeder
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:36:38 GMT

DirecTV takes its TiVo HD box nationwide, but will its users care?

2012-02-09T09:19:00.001-05:00

(Credit: DirecTV)
TiVo and DirecTV's on-again, off-again, really off-again, kinda on-again relationship is now completely back on again.
After a 10-city roll out in December of a new TiVo HD box to DirecTV customers, the satellite TV provider is making the box available nationwide.
The TiVo HD box mainly gives users access to TiVo's excellent interface and features like WishList Searches so you can automatically record programming based on things like an actor's name, sports team, or personal interests and TiVo's Swivel Search will find shows across TV and DirecTV Cinema.
Related stories

TiVo Premiere Elite HD interface (screenshots)
Android Atlas Weekly 80: It's a camera, it's a phone, it's a tablet! (Podcast)
DirecTV TiVo DVRs coming to select markets this week?

The box itself is capable of recording up to 100 hours of HD or 400 hours of SD programming and has two tuners for recording two shows at once while watching a third recorded program. Everything's controlled with a standard TiVo peanut remote, too.
If you're not sure... [Read more]
Related Links:
Verizon Fios, LG team up to bring live TV, VOD to smart TVs
Take that, Dish: Samsung, DirecTV partner on 'boxless' DVR streaming
The future of home video limps forward at CES 2012
Microsoft bids adieu to CES
What mattered on CES Day 1

DirecTV takes its TiVo HD box nationwide, but will its users care?
Joshua Goldman
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:30:00 GMT

Google+ for Android now shows you what's hot

2012-02-09T09:18:00.001-05:00

Google+ for Android got a major update today, boosting its performance and adding a couple of significant features designed to improve your social networking experience.
Overall, the app runs a lot faster, and scrolling through the Stream is easier, as posts are truncated so you can see more content per scroll. Also, the app no longer jumps to the top of the feed when it refreshes, making it less, well, annoying.
As for features, the app now lets you see who +1'd a post or comment. Previously you could only see the number of +1's, but now you can tap the number to bring up a window listing the users who +1'd.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe | CNET)
The other big addition is the What's Hot section of the Stream, located just a swipe away from your All Circles feed. What's Hot is similar to Twitter's Trending Topics, in that it shows you which posts on Google+ are attracting the most activity.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jaymar Cabebe | CNET)
The newly updated Google+ (download) is available now in the Android Market.
Related stories

Justice Department set to OK Google-Motorola deal, WSJ says
... [Read more]

Google+ for Android now shows you what's hot
Jaymar Cabebe
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:01:51 GMT

PlayBook Update Will Allow the Tablet to be Controlled With the BlackBerry Phone

2012-02-09T09:17:00.001-05:00

How about being able to control the PlayBook tablet device using your BlackBerry smartphone? Well, such a scenario is all set to unfold later this month when we would be getting version 2.0 of the BlackBerry PlayBook OS.
So while native e-mail, contacts and calendar apps along with support for some Android applications are some of the missing features that would be part of upgrade package, there already are reports of something more coming our way.
Like the BlackBerry Bridge software that was used to pair a PlayBook with a BlackBerry Smartphone is also being updated. What makes this special is that the new software would make the phone as a remote control for the tablet.
What this means is that one can show a presentation on the PlayBook display screen using the BlackBerry as the tool to move the presentation. One would also be able to use the keyboard on the Smartphone to type on the PlayBook screen. Further, there would also be the possibility of sharing photo between Blackberry Smartphone and the tablet without the need to transfer the file in real time.
Sounds too tempting? Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long to get to the bottom of it all as the upgrade is set to be launched this month itself.
via pocket-lint
PlayBook Update Will Allow the Tablet to be Controlled With the BlackBerry Phone is a post from: E-Reader News

PlayBook Update Will Allow the Tablet to be Controlled With the BlackBerry Phone
Sovan Mandal
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:25:56 GMT

NVIDIA to showcase Tegra 3 products at MWC 2012

2012-02-09T09:16:00.001-05:00

NVIDIA has started sending out invitations to its press conference at Mobile World Congress this year and it’s no surprise to what they’ll be showcasing. Clearly stating it on the invitation, the company will be showing off “the latest quad-core innovations from NVIDIA”. With 2012 being touted as the year of the quad-core SoCs (just like how last year was all about dual-core), it’s no surprise that we get a preview of upcoming Tegra 3 devices this early in the year. There aren’t any specific details on what will be shown off at NVIDIA’s conference but we’re pretty sure there will be plenty of Android devices to feast our eyes on. What are the quad-core devices you’re looking forward to at MWC 2012?
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Fujitsu shows off prototype Tegra 3 quad-core phone, ZTE 7" Tegra 3 ICS tablet shown off,

NVIDIA to showcase Tegra 3 products at MWC 2012
George Wong
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:02:28 GMT

Vonage dials up new mobile apps

2012-02-09T09:09:00.001-05:00

Vonage on Wednesday rolled out Vonage Mobile, new iPhone and Android apps, that allow for texts and calls while undercutting Skype rates.
(Credit: Vonage)
It remains to be seen whether Vonage can make much traction against Skype’s installed base. Vonage’s international calling rates are 30 percent less than Skype's.
But that’s only part of the story. The larger tale here goes well beyond a mobile app. Just a few years ago, Vonage was on financial death watch. The company has rebuilt a balance sheet that looked like it wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on. Mark Lefar, CEO of Vonage, talked last month about how the company refinanced its debt twice in the last 13 months, cut those liabilities in half and trimmed interest rates in the 20 percent range to less than 4 percent.
In other words, Vonage is poised to report positive earnings growth on Feb. 15. Today, Vonage is known for more than its quirky commercials. So what’s the strategy? Can Vonage really grow beyond its U.S. base?
The answers to those questions were outlined during Lefar’s talk a month ago. Here’s the short version of Vonage’s strategy.
Grow international. Fifty percent of Vonage cu... [Read more]

Vonage dials up new mobile apps
Larry Dignan
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:41:25 GMT

Google Voice app for Android updated

2012-02-09T08:20:00.001-05:00

Users of the Google Voice app on Android will be glad to know that it has received a new update today. The update brings the app up to version 0.4.2.44 and introduces a useful new feature: asynchronous SMS sending aka offline queuing which means you can now write text messages and save them as drafts when you have no Google Voice connection (i.e. while you’re in a tunnel or a plane) and automatically send them out as soon as you’re connected again.
The updated app also introduces Ice Cream Sandwich styling for the user interface, making it feel more like an integrated part of the Android experience. The app also now delivers an official user feedback menu on each screen. Google Voice for Android is available now from the Android Market (free) – download it today.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Starbucks Cup Magic AR app updated for Valentine's Day, Transparent Screen app lets you avoid walking into walls,

Google Voice app for Android updated
George Wong
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:05:35 GMT

Facebook’s Amended S-1 Exhibits Zynga Agreement Filed Last Year

2012-02-09T07:54:00.001-05:00

Facebook has just filed an amendment to its S-1 that exhibits the agreements between it and Zynga. These 2 developer agreement documents are the same as those filed in Zynga’s own S-1 amendment from last year and don’t include significant new information.
The exhibits do spell out how Facebook has promised to help Zynga with advertising on Zynga sites such as FarmVille.com, and share revenue from such a partnership. This should not be confused to mean sharing ad revenue from Zynga’s games on Facebook.com. Facebook also included its 2005 stock plan, and employment letters to key executives.
The developer agreement documents appear to have the same redactions as when Zynga filed them. Last year, TechCrunch writer Eric Eldon reported on these docs explaining how they show that:

Facebook also appears to have guaranteed Zynga certain growth targets in exchange for continuing to invest in games on the platform, whether web or mobile. Facebook has given Zynga permission to create some sort of “Zynga Platform”. It also has given the developer access to new features, including a proposed “Game Friends Protocol” API, apparently offering a new way for social gamers to find and play together.

Regarding ad revenue sharing:

At first glance, the terms read as if Zynga had a special deal with Facebook, where it gets a portion of the ad revenue from Facebook ad units that run alongside its games in canvas apps. However, the terms specified that it is not canvas app ad revenue — instead, it’s referring to Zynga web sites [also known as Zynga Game Pages, which do not include Canvas Pages or any other pages on www.faceboook.com.].
We asked Facebook about the matter and got this response: “We don’t have agreements with any developers, including Zynga, to share revenue from ads next to their Facebook canvas apps. We did agree with Zynga to work together in the future on providing ads on their properties beyond Facebook, but we have no current timeline for when we might start working on that.”

This could be the first sign of a future Facebook off-site ad network, in which sites could host ads that employ Facebook’s own targeting system to present relevant ads to visitors that are currently logged in to Facebook. This could become a huge revenue stream for Facebook if it ever rolls the system out to sites beyond Zynga’s.
Some specific points from the agreement: the Facebook Platform will be integrated into the Zynga Mobile Games and Zynga Properties and FB will be the sole and exclusive Social Platform

For Zynga’s own websites, “the Facebook Platform will be integrated into the Zynga Mobile Games and Zynga Properties and FB will be the sole and exclusive Social Platform”. This permits Zynga to build games on other social networks such as Google+, but not to use other identity providers to power games on its own sites.
“FB shall not offer or otherwise make available on the Facebook Site or the Facebook Platform any Facebook Game”, meaning Facebook can’t create its own first-party games that could compete with Zynga.
Zynga will exclusively use Facebook Credits as its in-game purchase processing method on all its “Covered Zynga Services”, including Mafia Wars, FarmVille, and any other games that utilize Facebook data.
Zynga is responsible for “all content and materials, maintenance and operation” of its own gaming websites, except for the Facebook ads it hosts
Zynga will not “remove, minimize, frame, or otherwise inhibit the full and complete display of any Page” such that it could obscure Facebook ads hosted on its sites or overlays that pop up when these ads are clicked.

Facebook’s Amended S-1 Exhibits Zynga Agreement Filed Last Year
Josh Constine
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:05:11 GMT

GigaOm Acquires PaidContent to Create ‘Powerhouse’

2012-02-09T07:51:00.001-05:00

Tech blog GigaOm announced Wednesday it has acquired paidContent‘s parent company ContentNext.
GigaOm founder Om Malik cited location and staff as reasons for the acquisition.
ContentNext — which owns MocoNews, paidContent:UK and ContentSutra, in addition to paidContent — has offices in New York and Europe.
Staci Kramer will remain the editor of paidContent. The site’s executive editor, Ernie Sander, will become executive editor of Giga Omni Media, and the majority of ContentNext’s staff will remain with the sites — bringing the combined GigaOm editorial staff to a total of about 20.
“The combined group will be a powerhouse,” Kramer and Sander wrote in a post on paidContent that announced the acquisition.
GigaOm is purchasing ContentNext from Guardian News & Media, which acquired ContentNext in 2008 and will take a minority stake in GigaOm.
Though the 6-year-old GigaOm has 4.5 million monthly unique visitors and is building out a premium subscription model, it was expected to turn a profit for the first time in 2011.
It has accepted $15 million in funding to date.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, photographeer
Disclosure: paidContent is a publishing partner with Mashable

GigaOm Acquires PaidContent to Create ‘Powerhouse’
Sarah Kessler
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:12:16 GMT

Microsoft to host Windows 8 Consumer Preview on Feb. 29

2012-02-09T07:48:00.001-05:00

The software giant takes another step toward releasing its next computer operating system, holding an event at Mobile World Congress to unveil the Windows 8 beta.

Microsoft to host Windows 8 Consumer Preview on Feb. 29
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:28:37 GMT

Liberkey 5.6.0207

2012-02-09T07:44:00.001-05:00

Liberkey is a collection of portable apps in a variety of categories that can be run on your local PC or from any portable media. Take these important apps with you and use on any computer. [License: Freeware| Requires: Win 2000/03/08/XP/Vista/7 | Size: 4.30 MB]

Liberkey 5.6.0207
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:36:08 GMT

Tweetbot for iPad Blows Away The Competition

2012-02-09T07:39:00.003-05:00

Tweetbot — A Twitter Client with Personality for iPad ($2.99) by Tapbots is the Twitter app that we’ve all been waiting for. I’m not kidding.
If you have used Tweetbot for iPhone at all, then you know what to expect from the new iPad version. I nearly squealed from excitement once I saw the first tweets zoom by in my timeline, and I must say, the iPad version does not disappoint.
The iPad version has a slightly different color scheme – it seems to be a tad lighter in the iPad version, and even features a light gray gradient. I actually found this to be a welcome change, because the colors still go very well together. But enough of that, let’s get on to the real stuff.
The iPad version of Tweetbot can be viewed in both portrait and landscape mode. I actually prefer the landscape mode more, as it just feels more comfortable to use the iPad in this way. Regardless, both screen orientations will feature a split pane view, though the portrait version is more like a slim sidebar, and doesn’t show text.

The Timeline (and Mentions) view features everything that we know and love from the iPhone version, even the stuff from the huge update earlier. Links and usernames are now tappable with a single tap, and you can view images (from supported services) right from within the timeline. The Auto-Refresh feature works flawlessly (an interval of every five minutes), and you will see a count of how many new tweets have arrived with the thin, translucent gray bar at the top of the Timeline (depending on your setting).
If you want to switch out of the normal Timeline to one of your lists, just tap on that button on the upper left corner, select a list, and it will replace the Timeline. Repeat the process to get back to the normal Timeline. Fast and flawless, it’s the perfect implementation of Twitter lists.
A single tap on a user’s avatar image will take you to their profile, where you can view their stats, as well as see their tweets, @ mentions, favorites, and lists. The top half of the profile turns into a separate pane when you scroll down, which will allow you quick access to toggle between the other tabs (mentions, favorites, and lists). And just like the iPhone app, you can manage their list membership, view in Favstar, mute, block, report spam, or unfollow.
The Direct Messages section utilizes the new, iChat-like interface that was introduced in Tweetbot 2.0. Of course, thanks to this new UI, reading your messages is even better, as it’s much easier to follow along compared to that rather cluttered view (comparatively) that they were previously using.
The Compose screen is pretty much the same as in Twitter on iPhone, but with a lot more space. If you are using multiple accounts, you can quickly select which account to send the tweet from by tapping once on your avatar.
Two of the most used features for me on Tweetbot for iPhone was the Conversation view and Replies view. The conversation view could be accessed by swiping left-to-right on a tweet, and it would reveal a Twitter conversation between multiple people (if they replied correctly). Replies to a tweet could be seen if you swiped right-to-left on a tweet.
Now, while both of these gestures have come over to the iPad version, you may think that a short conversation (such as two or three tweets back and forth at each other) would not make the best use of the screen space of the iPad. While this is true, I discovered that this space under the conversation or related tweets can be used to navigate back to the timeline view with a two-finger swipe from left-to-right.
Tweetbot is a fully interactive app, and there are plenty of gestures (both swipes and taps) to be found. If you are familiar with the gestures from the iPhone version, then you will more than likely feel right at home with the iPad version, since they are pretty much the same. If you don’t know them, try them out! They all feel natural and intuitive, so just play around with it – you may end up discovering something new.
One of the new iPad features is the ability to hide elements of the navigation bar that you don’t use. To do this, just tap on Settings, then Navigation. This allows you to toggle which views you want to be access from the sidebar. You can have Favorites, Search, Profile, Lists, Retweets, and Mute Filters. This allows you to make Tweetbot for iPad fully your own, and get rid of unnecessary gunk that you never check. It’s a feature that is really great for power users.
When you view a link, there a native Readability toggle that will provide a better reading experience. When this toggle is activated, you get a clean, text-only (and images) version of the website, with no ads. This is genuinely a welcome feature that could justify the purchase alone, if you are always finding content to read from Twitter (people share great links!).

These are all very small, minuscule details, but that’s what I love about Tapbots — their attention to detail. Their devotion to the app and getting it just right, it is simply astounding.
Just like with the iPhone version, you can customize the appearance of Tweetbot even further from the Settings. Options like sounds, display (font size, display name, date format, and hiding or having a persistent new tweets bar), triple tap on a tweet (you can reply, retweet, favorite, translate, or view in Favstar). Each account you have can also get their own notification alerts, and various services.
After using Tweetbot for iPad for several hours, it has become one of my favorite ways to browse Twitter. I love the fact that I have the same gorgeous pixels, smooth animations, and soothing sounds, now native on my iPad. I have been using the app on my first gen iPad, and have not had any real issues. I have gotten an occasional crash here and there, but that’s expected from my old hardware. I’m sure the performance is much better on an iPad 2.
I only wish that they would allow you to change the interval of the auto-refresh (one minute would be nice), but maybe this can be a feature added in the future (along with the iPhone version).
Prior to today, there hasn’t been much choice in finding a great Twitter app on the iPad. But now there is Tweetbot, and nothing even comes close. This app is well worth the $2.99 admission price (in fact, it’s worth so much more than that, honestly).
If you haven’t grabbed Tweetbot for iPad yet, do it now! It’s truly a great app that will justify your iPad purchase.

Tweetbot — A Twitter Client with Personality for iPad

Tweetbot — A Twitter Client with Personality for iPhone

Tweetbot for iPad Blows Away The Competition is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

Tweetbot for iPad Blows Away The Competition
Christine Chan
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:13:53 GMT

Evernote Updated: Adds Predictive Note Titles, Makes Performance Improvements

2012-02-09T07:39:00.001-05:00

The universal Evernote app recently received an update, adding a new feature – “predictive note titles” – and making a variety of performance improvements. The new version of the app (4.1.8) is available to download now in the App Store.
As outlined in the app’s release notes, changes made in the update include:

NEW: Predictive note titles – untitled notes are assigned a title based on location, time and other contextual info
Note editing performance improvements
Easier access to notebook sharing options
Improved ability to apply styles, edit, copy, and paste within notes
Fixed numerous synchronization issues
Improved login and registration experience
Fixed cropping problems
Improved stability

The new predictive note titles feature is handy, as users who wish to quickly add an item in Evernote can choose to let the application create a title, rather than typing one in themselves. Furthermore, the general improvements made in this update mean fans of the app will find Evernote much stabler, and using the application should be a more enjoyable experience.
You can download Evernote in the App Store free of charge. For more information on the update, check out the Evernote blog.

Evernote

Evernote Updated: Adds Predictive Note Titles, Makes Performance Improvements is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

Evernote Updated: Adds Predictive Note Titles, Makes Performance Improvements
Joe White
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:00:50 GMT

New Grammy App Brings Three Days Worth Of Live Coverage To Your iDevice

2012-02-09T07:34:00.001-05:00

The 54th Grammy Awards is set to be held this Sunday, Feb. 12, and ahead of the event touted as “Music’s Biggest Night” comes the release of Grammy Live. Grammy Live is the award ceremony’s official companion iOS app, and with the variety of Grammy-related multimedia items it has in store it may as well be an electronic backstage pass to the awards show.
Grammy Live is a free universal app, and while the iPhone and iPad versions are considerably different in layout, they only differ slightly in content. The app, regardless of which iOS device it’s installed on, has sections for relevant news, videos, and photos, all of which are updated daily before the actual event. Lists of the nominees for this year’s awards and the winners and nominees of the past two years are also included. It’s very much like the official Oscars app, which was released a year ago. I wonder why The Recording Academy took so long to realize the feasibility of coming up with their own app.
A couple of features I particularly like in the app require a certain level of user participation. One is an interactive poll that lets users guess the winners in every category, and the other is a multiple-choice trivia quiz with questions pertaining to Grammy history.
But the app is apparently not called Grammy Live for nothing. That’s because beginning Friday, Feb. 10, users will gain access to a live video stream of highlights featuring many of the most popular figures in the music industry. This live coverage will run for three days, culminating in the awards show itself.
So, if you’re a fan of either Kanye West, Katy Perry or even both, make sure you download and tune in to Grammy Live. It’s available now in the App Store for free.

GRAMMY Live

Oscars

New Grammy App Brings Three Days Worth Of Live Coverage To Your iDevice is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

New Grammy App Brings Three Days Worth Of Live Coverage To Your iDevice
Aldrin Calimlim
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:48:20 GMT

AppList Updated: Apps For Valentine’s Day

2012-02-09T07:32:00.001-05:00

Valentine’s Day is a very special occasion and well, as usual, there is an app for that. Actually, there are tons of apps for that so we decided to put together a selection of apps you might enjoy or find useful for the most romantic day of the year.
Apps For Valentine’s Day

AppList Updated: Apps For Valentine’s Day is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

AppList Updated: Apps For Valentine’s Day
Karen Freeman
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:41:21 GMT

Redbox Buys NCR Entertainment Division – Blockbuster Express Comes With It

2012-02-09T07:30:00.001-05:00

If the partnership between Redbox and Verizon wasn’t impressive enough for you, Redbox has just made another huge announcement. There was never any real debate over whether Redbox or Blockbuster would...

Redbox Buys NCR Entertainment Division – Blockbuster Express Comes With It
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Home Theater Term of the Week: DVD Region Code

2012-02-09T07:28:00.001-05:00

Region Codes are a DVD coding system enforced by the movie industry that is intended to preserve movie distribution rights and agreements.
Movies are released in theaters in different parts of the world at different times. That Summer blockbuster in the U.S. may end up being the Christmas blockbuster overseas. If that occurs, the DVD version of the movie may be out in the U.S. while it is still showing in theaters overseas.
DVD players and DVDs are labeled for operation on within a specific geographical region in the world. For all the details, read my entire glossary entry for the term: DVD Region Code.
For additional terms and definitions, check out my Home Theater Glossary
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Home Theater Term of the Week: DVD Region Code originally appeared on About.com Home Theater on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 10:00:41.
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Home Theater Term of the Week: DVD Region Code
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:00:41 GMT

Fix home button delays on iOS devices

2012-02-09T07:27:00.003-05:00

The home button on Apple's iOS devices not only brings you to the home screen to see your apps, but is also used to bring up the multitasking menu and wake the device from sleep, which makes it one of the most frequently used buttons on the device.
Usually the button is quite responsive and will quit to the main menu after a short period of time, but at times when you press the button there can be a delay or it can even take a couple of tries before it responds.
If the home button on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch is not working as it used to, there are a couple of things you can try to get it working again:

To calibrate the home button, open a built-in program (1), hold the power button (2) until the red slider appears, and then press the home button (3) until the slider disappears.
(Credit: Screenshot by Topher Kessler)

Reboot the device Generally people rarely fully reboot their iOS devices and instead set them in sleep or standby mode when not in use, which is convenient but might allow any problems that occur to not be properly cleared over time, resulting in odd slowdowns or other unwanted behavior. Therefore, the first thing to try is to reboot the system by holding down the sleep/wake button on the side of the device until you see the red slide contro... [Read more]

Fix home button delays on iOS devices
Topher Kessler
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:42:56 GMT

How to walk safely while using your Android device

2012-02-09T07:27:00.001-05:00

Smartphones have a way of insinuating themselves into every aspect of our lives. Most of the time, this just leads to accusations of rudeness or hypergeekiness, but walking down the street while browsing, texting, or whatever can pose more serious hazards. Transparent Screen is a great, free Android app that uses your device's camera to give you a heads-up of what lies ahead. Here's how to use it:

Install Transparent Screen here.
Launch the app to start it, stop it, or change the settings.
Before you begin, you may want to tinker with the settings. I set it to the lowest resolution, as I only care about whether signs are in my path, not what they say. Certain settings can only be adjusted if you buy the premium app, but you get the good stuff for free.
Step 3: Start, stop and choose settings for Transparent Screen.

Tap the big Start & Stop bar at the top to fire up the transparency.
It doesn't take long for the background image to show up, and you may want to fiddle with the transparency level slider to get the right balance for your phone and eyeballs.
Walk and text, browse, or navigate to your heart's content, knowing that you're somewhat safer than the other smartphone users around you.
Step 6: Avoid walking into telephone pole... [Read more]

How to walk safely while using your Android device
Rob Lightner
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:25:57 GMT

Gain easy control of your music with Mac app Skip Tunes

2012-02-09T07:26:00.001-05:00

Skip Tunes provides quick menu-bar access to iTunes, Spotify, and Rdio.
(Credit: Matt Elliott)
Skip Tunes is a 99-cent app that puts a convenient control in your Mac's menu bar for controlling music in iTunes, Spotify, and Rdio.
When I'm working, I'm often listening to music. And when I'm working, I can get very ~~lazy~~ focused, to the point where opening iTunes or Spotify to find out the name of a song I don't recognize feels like an arduous chore. (In my defense, iTunes can be slow to appear from its hidden state.) Because of this, I found the 99 cents I spent on Skip Tunes in the Mac App Store to be money well spent.
Skip Tunes places a small control panel in the menu bar at the top of your Mac's display. It provides play/pause and fast-forward buttons, and if you click on the musical note button, a small window opens below the Skip Tunes control panel that shows album art and artist and song information. You also get a larger play/pause and fast-forward buttons, along with a rewind button.
(Credit: Matt Elliott)
From this window, you can open Skip Tunes preferences by clicking the gear icon in the lower-right corner. Here, you can check boxes to open Skip Tunes at log-in and display the play/pause and fast-forward controls in the menu bar. You can also set your default m... [Read more]

Gain easy control of your music with Mac app Skip Tunes
Matt Elliott
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:04:20 GMT

How to find flights with Wi-Fi and other amenities

2012-02-09T07:24:00.001-05:00

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
What do you do to keep yourself occupied during a flight? Read a magazine? Listen to music? Sleep?
Onboard amenities like, Wi-Fi, movies, or live TV, can make a flight more enjoyable or productive. To help you find flights with Wi-Fi and other amenities, CheapAir.com has added a new feature letting you know which flights have those services.
When you search for a flight on CheapAir.com, the flights will come up with the usual information--departure times, arrival times, fares, etc. In the last column, however, you'll notice a set of icons. Highlighted icons indicate that those services are available on that flight. Hovering over the icons provides additional information, including the breakdown of amenities on different legs of your flight.
(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)
That's it. Keep in mind that airlines can change the in-flight services at any time, so CheapAir.com cannot guarantee their availability.
[Read more]

How to find flights with Wi-Fi and other amenities
Ed Rhee
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:27:16 GMT

Free Tool Tells You Exactly What Codecs are Used On Your Video and Audio Files

2012-02-09T07:23:00.001-05:00

Downloading a video or audio file from the internet and then playing it on your computer is often fraught with difficulties. Mostly, Windows will play the file just fine. Frequently, though, you'll receive an error message about Windows not having the correct codec installed and thus being enable to play your file.
Most codecs can be downloaded for free but you first need to know what codec you need. That's where this free utility comes in handy. Just point it to a media file and it will tell you exactly how it is encoded. Once you know that it is usually easy to locate and download the codec you need to play the file.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/free-tool-deciphers-video-and-audio-encoding-methods.htm

Free Tool Tells You Exactly What Codecs are Used On Your Video and Audio Files
Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:54:32 GMT

February 2012 AccessWorld is now available!

2012-02-08T14:41:00.001-05:00

AFB

American Foundation
for the Blind

Expanding possibilities for people with vision loss

The February issue of AccessWorld is now available on our website.
This issue features:

· Editor's Page —AccessWorld App Version 1.8 Is Now Available!
· Product Evaluation: A Review of the IBIS HD Video Magnifier (CCTV) by Tagarno, by John Rempel —Though the high definition capability of the IBIS does not result in an improved reading experience for those who require a high level of magnification, if you use lower magnification and perform tasks that require a higher level of detail and clarity, the IBIS HD may be worth considering.
· Product Evaluation: The Readit Scholar by VisionAid International, by Morgan Blubaugh —If you require an easily portable document scanner and distance viewer that works seamlessly with your laptop, the Readit Scholar might be just what you’re looking for.
· Diabetes and Visual Impairment: An Update on Accessible Blood Glucose Meters, by Darren Burton, John Lilly, Matthew Enigk, and Ricky Kirkendall —Things have certainly improved with blood glucose meter accessibility since we began tracking it in our AFB Tech labs nearly ten years ago. Today, we have four highly portable meters with comprehensive speech output from which to choose, and all of them have improved visual displays.
· From the AFB Policy Center: Using Legislation and Advocacy to Respond to a Changing Technology Environment, by Paul W. Schroeder —Strong and decisive consumer action will, hopefully, convince the technology industry to implement, improve, and maintain accessibility across their products and services.
· Access to Museums and Parks for Patrons who are Blind or Visually Impaired, by Joe Strechay and Tara Annis —While much work has been done to improve accessibility in cultural institutions, there is still more to do to ensure people with vision loss can participate equally.
· From Canada With Love: Debbie Gleeson Changes Lives in Rwanda, by Deborah Kendrick —In addition to providing software training and sewing lessons, distributing white canes, providing one blind couple with assistive technology, constructing homes or schools and sponsoring children to attend elementary school, Gleeson carries information and plenty of hope to people who are hungry for more than just food.
· Letters to the Editor —Manufacturer Comments on AccessWorld Product Evaluation
· AccessWorld News
AccessWorld® is the American Foundation for the Blind's technology magazine.
Be sure to sign up on the AccessWorld home page to receive AccessWorld Alerts, an e-mail announcement letting you know when new issues of AccessWorld are posted.
Source: Email

Electronic Magnifiers Made by Bierley Associates Now Offered by Rehabmart.com

2012-02-08T14:38:00.001-05:00

Bierley's designs include electronic magnifiers for people with low vision. These varied magnifiers are used for reading newspapers, books, magazines, letters, prescription bottles, cooking instructions, food labels, bills and statements.
(PRWeb February 08, 2012)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/magnifer/low_vision/prweb9176624.htm

Electronic Magnifiers Made by Bierley Associates Now Offered by Rehabmart.com
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:23:24 GMT

HHS to Boost Alzheimer's Research Funds

2012-02-08T14:32:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Obama administration plans to increase federal funding for Alzheimer’s disease research and caregiver support by more than 25 percent over the next two years, the Department of Health and Human Services announced today. The decision will provide $156 million in added...

HHS to Boost Alzheimer's Research Funds
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:53:44 GMT

Best 2D-only televisions

2012-02-08T14:21:00.001-05:00

Despite the industry's best efforts, 3D in the home has brought about little more than a yawn and a shift in the seats for most of the buying public.
The problem is very simply this: there's no content. TV manufacturers will quickly tell you it doesn't matter, that's what 2D-to-3D conversion is for, but when major studios can screw up a major conversion job on a movie like "Alice in Wonderland", what chance does your TV have?
Most TVs come with 3D these days, and the ones without tend to be on the cheaper side. If you're one of the people who would rather not pay for 3D, then while the pickings may be slim, they are significant.
We've chosen from the best "non-3D" TVs of the last twelve months, and present them below. As bare-bones TVs you may miss out on some advanced Smart TV features, but this is something that a $50 Roku box could help fix.

Sharp Aquos Quattron LC-70LE732U (70-inch)For people craving a colossal flat-screen TV who don't want a plasma or a projector, the 70-inch Sharp LC-70LE73U series LED-based LCD offers very good picture quality, especially in bright rooms. ... [Read more]
Related Links:
Boxee now selling Live TV tuner for cord-cutting users
Samsung brings apps, video conferencing to smart TVs
Samsung brings voice, gesture control to TVs
Get a 32-inch Coby HDTV for $169.99
Super Bowl: Where to watch online, and more

Best 2D-only televisions
Ty Pendlebury
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:43:22 GMT

Microsoft celebrating leap year right by launching Windows 8 Consumer Preview at MWC

2012-02-08T13:56:00.001-05:00

Perhaps celebrating a push toward the mobile space with its traditionally desktop-bound OS -- or maybe just doing its best to further confuse the similar naming conventions with its forthcoming smartphone operating system -- Microsoft today sent out invites for a February 29th Mobile World Congress event that will see the launch of its Windows 8 Consumer Preview. Details are scarce about the two-hour event, but you'd better believe that we'll be there in Barcelona with bells on.
Microsoft celebrating leap year right by launching Windows 8 Consumer Preview at MWC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft celebrating leap year right by launching Windows 8 Consumer Preview at MWC
Brian Heater
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:33:00 GMT

First Windows 8 'Consumer Preview' preinstalled apps revealed (Tom Warren/The Verge)

2012-02-08T12:58:00.001-05:00

Tom Warren / The Verge:
First Windows 8 ‘Consumer Preview’ preinstalled apps revealed — Microsoft's Windows 8 “Consumer Preview” is nearing release and the company is putting the finishing touches on the preinstalled application list. We have learned from sources familiar with Microsoft's plans that the company …

First Windows 8 'Consumer Preview' preinstalled apps revealed (Tom Warren/The Verge)
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:25:00 GMT

Boxee clashes with cable companies over encryption

2012-02-08T10:07:00.001-05:00

Boxee’s live TV dongle has only been available for a few weeks, but the company is already embroiled in a fight with cable giants like Comcast and Time Warner Cable over it, and is now getting support from groups like Public Knowledge and the Consumer Electronics Association.
At the core of the issue is whether cable companies should be allowed to encrypt their basic cable programming, something that existing regulation doesn’t allow. Unencrypted signals can be used by tuners built into most modern TV sets as well as equipment like Boxee’s live TV tuner to access these basic cable channels straight from the coax cable that comes out of your wall, without the need for any set-top box.
Cable companies have asked the FCC for waivers to these restrictions, arguing that encrypted channels would reduce piracy and that encrypted cable connections can be remotely serviced, eliminating the need for many service visits. The FCC is currently hearing all sides on the issue as it contemplates whether or not to do away with the restrictions and allow all cable companies to encrypt basic cable. Boxee has filed multiple letters with the commission and met with its staff last week.
On Wednesday, the startup wrote on its blog:

“(The cable companies’) real motivation is to prevent you from being able to connect the cable from the wall directly to your TV or Boxee Box. You will need to rent a set-top box from your cable provider, pay an extra $5-$15 per month and it will no longer work with your Boxee Box or similar devices. The cable companies are losing subscribers every quarter. If they want to reverse that trend they should look into building better products, reducing prices and improving customer service, not going to the government asking for rule changes to force consumers into spending more money and blocking start-ups from competing.”

Boxee’s position has been share by Public Knowledge as well as the Consumer Electronics Association and consumer electronics manufacturers like Hauppauge, which makes the Boxee dongle. The cable companies on the other hand have been getting support from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) as well as some municipalities, including Miami, Florida.
Altogether, more than 80 documents have been filed with the FCC on the issue. Many of these filings from both sides make it clear that this isn’t just about what’s going to happen to those basic cable channels, but also about the role consumer electronics manufacturers, cable companies and start-ups like Boxee will play in the future of pay TV.
Consumer electronics makers have long favored a new standard called AllVid that would provide a new interface between traditional pay TV services, online competition and connected devices. Cable companies opposed the standard; Boxee on the other hand came out in favor of AllVid in the presentation to the FCC last week, stating on one of its slides that “AllVid holds exciting potential for development of new consumer devices delivering integrated entertainment experiences.”
Check out our video review below to see how Boxee’s live TV tuner works:

Watch this video for free on GigaOM
Image courtesy of Flickr user familymwr.

Boxee clashes with cable companies over encryption
Janko Roettgers
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:40:59 GMT

Apple TV Now Has Genius Recommendations [Apple]

2012-02-08T08:11:00.001-05:00

Apple has recently integrated its Genius recommendation system, already an iTunes staple, into the Apple TV environment via a silent update. The service will be available for both episodic content as well as movies, based on your previous content purchases. It's accessible from the new Genius menu option for the 4.2 million or so households that have purchased the Apple TV so far. [Apple Insider] More »

Apple TV Now Has Genius Recommendations [Apple]
Andrew Tarantola
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:40:58 GMT

Mr. Reader Gets An Extensive Update With Plenty Of New Features

2012-02-08T08:08:00.001-05:00

I first reviewed Mr. Reader last year, and I thought it was a very good competitor to Silvio Rizzi’s Reeder for iPad, which seems to be the RSS app king around these parts.
In my initial review, I loved the app because it had a better way to manage your feeds than Reeder, and also has various color themes that make the reading experience even better. The best thing was that you can even add a new task or note to OmniFocus, Things, or Evernote from an article item. Now, the app has just gotten a rather large and beefy update, and includes a lot of new stuff.
The biggest new feature is the ability to download more themes. You can install new themes from their website, and they have a guide on editing your own themes. Other awesome new features include Posterous for sharing, new fonts for the article viewer (specifically ‘Helvetica Neue’ and ‘Optima’), improved Twitter support (insert the feed name beside the link), better settings, and defined mail settings.
The complete change log is rather extensive, and includes plenty of new features, improvements, and fixes. You can check it out for yourself:

[NEW FEATURES]
• Additional themes can be installed from the website: http://www.curioustimes.de/mrreader/themes/
• Theme Editor added. You can find more informations about it on the website: http://www.curioustimes.de/mrreader/themes/themeeditor.html
• You can send your created themes to other Mr. Reader users by mail. The recipient can install it directly from the Mail app.
• Added Posterous as new service
• Added SENDtoREADER as a new service for your Kindle
• ‘Read It Later’ Mobilizer added as a additional article viewer
• Adjust the content width of the article viewer
• Display the article content justified
• Added ‘Helvetica Neue’ and ‘Optima’ as new fonts to the article viewer
• Twitter: beside the article title and link you can insert the feed name (source)
• Settings: Now you can re-order your used services
• Mail Settings: Define mail recipients, when you frequently send links and articles to the same persons
[IMPROVEMENTS]
• Tap and hold a link in the article viewer to open the service menu
• Merged the two service groups for composition and configuration into one called ‘Service’
• Displaying all or at least more images of subscribed eBay searches in the articles table
• Some improvements and fixes of the pull up functionality to ‘mark all items as read’ in the articles table
• Revised the Tumblr dialog and made it possible to refresh the Tumblr blogs
• Resolving ‘http://feedproxy.google.com/’ urls when using the supported services (Mail, Twitter, Diigo, Tumblr, …)
• When only one service (Safari, Mail, Posterous, …) is enabled, it gets executed immediately without showing the popover
• Deletion of web cookies on App exit is no longer the default (Settings->Miscellaneous)
• Send2Mac settings revised
[FIXES]
• ‘Mark All As Read’ did not work as expected, when the ‘Articles Table’ option ‘Hide Read Items Immediately’ was enabled and while displaying ‘All Items’ in the articles table
• Solved some rarely occurred encoding problems in the web view
• Fixed some crashes and memory leaks
• Restored the sound quality (used in v1.6 a sound compression with a lower quality)
• The table display mode (All Items / Only Unread Items) could be changed where it should not be possible
• Facebook logins after each App start, when deletion of web cookies was enabled
If you like Mr. Reader, please rate it in the App Store every time an update comes out. That helps me a lot, thank you very much!

What do you think of this extensive update for Mr. Reader? Let us know what you think of this fine iPad RSS app in the comments!

Mr. Reader

Reeder for iPad

Mr. Reader Gets An Extensive Update With Plenty Of New Features is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

Mr. Reader Gets An Extensive Update With Plenty Of New Features
Christine Chan
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:06:27 GMT

Potential ‘iTV’ Partnership Already In The Works With Major Carriers; ‘iTV’ Already Being Tested?

2012-02-08T08:06:00.001-05:00

Just a week after we reported that Apple was looking for display components from major suppliers, two new rumors have just come up.
Apparently Apple is now in talks with both Verizon and AT&T to provide access to exclusive and non-exclusive programs for its rumored upcoming television. “Lower margins and higher risks” is what is keeping Apple away from creating its own content according to Jefferies & Co. analyst, Peter Misek.
Apart from these potential partnerships, another very interesting story also just came up: Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, claims that Canadian telecommunication giants, Rogers and Bell already have their hands on prototypes of the “iTV” in their labs. When asked about this, the companies declined to comment. The paper states that Apple is looking to partner with Canadian carries after being unable to reach a deal in the U.S.
Of course, both stories are pure speculation, but we will keep you posted if anything new develops.
Source: BGR and The Verge
Potential ‘iTV’ Partnership Already In The Works With Major Carriers; ‘iTV’ Already Being Tested? is a story by AppAdvice.com
AppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News

Potential ‘iTV’ Partnership Already In The Works With Major Carriers; ‘iTV’ Already Being Tested?
Ammaar Reshi
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:35:33 GMT

How to sync tabs between Chrome desktop, Chrome Beta for Android

2012-02-08T08:03:00.001-05:00

It may have taken a long time for Google to get around to releasing its popular Chrome browser for the Android platform, but that day has finally come.
In order for your tabs to sync from the desktop version of Chrome to the Android Chrome Beta, you will first need to install Chrome Beta on your Android device, and ensure you are running the latest version of Chrome on your desktop.
Once you have both apps installed and up to date, sign in to each respective browser using the same Google account. You can sign into Chrome desktop under Preferences > Personal Stuff. Chrome Beta on Android will prompt you to sign in the first time you launch the app.
Now that you're signed in under the same account in both browsers, launch the desktop version of Chrome and open the Preferences tab.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

When viewing the Preferences tab, click on Personal Stuff and then under Sign In, click on Advanced.
(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

Under the Advance menu, you will need to ensure the "Open Tabs" box is checked. If you have enabled Chrome to sync everything, you won't have to change anything. However, if you are manually managing what Chrome syncs, you will need to check the box next to open tabs.

That's all there is to setting up tab sync with Chrome desktop. You can repeat these steps as ... [Read more]

How to sync tabs between Chrome desktop, Chrome Beta for Android
Jason Cipriani
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:08:49 GMT

How to browse Incognito with Chrome Beta for Android

2012-02-08T08:02:00.001-05:00

Google just released Chrome Beta for Android.
Chrome Beta brings all of your favorite Chrome features to your favorite smartphone or tablet, including Incognito mode. Here's a quick rundown of how to open and manage Incognito tabs.
Before we begin, you will need to download Chrome Beta from the Android Market. If you aren't using a device running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, you won't be able to download Chrome Beta as it's only compatible with ICS devices.

To open an Incognito tab, tap on the Menu icon on any screen. (Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)
Select New Incognito tab from the list of options. (Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)
You will then see a blank Incognito session open. The information displayed is letting you know anything you do in a Incognito tab isn't tracked. If you want to open an additional Incognito tab, tap on the tab icon. (Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)
You will then see a cardlike preview of the tabs you currently have open. Tapping on the New Incognito tab option up top will open an additional tab. (Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipr... [Read more]

How to browse Incognito with Chrome Beta for Android
Jason Cipriani
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:41:38 GMT

How to use Dropbox with keyboard shortcuts

2012-02-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Dropbox integration with smartphones, tablets, and computers, makes it extremely easy to access your files from any device or computer.
However, you may still need to use the Dropbox Web site on occasion to access and manage your files. To make navigating the Dropbox file browser a bit easier, try these keyboard shortcuts:
a : select all files/select no files n : deselect all files c : copy selected files m : move selected files u : move up a directory level p : select deleted files i : invert selected files d : show/hide deleted files j : highlight next file k : highlight previous file spacebar : select highlighted file o : open highlighted file esc : hide popup window / : search ? : show keyboard shortcuts
That's it. Keep these shortcuts in mind when you use the Dropbox file browser to permanently delete your files from Dropbox; they'll save you a ton of time.
[Read more]

How to use Dropbox with keyboard shortcuts
Ed Rhee
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:12:36 GMT

Keep Track of Changes to Your PC with This Free Microsoft Tool

2012-02-08T07:59:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder exactly what is being added or modified on your PC by that new application that you are trying out? This free utility from Microsoft does just that.
It's yet another of those wonderful Microsoft utilities hidden so deep in the Microsoft site that only insiders can locate them.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-keep-track-changes-your-pc-free-microsoft-tool.htm

Keep Track of Changes to Your PC with This Free Microsoft Tool
Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:15:58 GMT

ZoomText 10 Tips and Tricks – Optimizing your ZoomText Camera

2012-02-07T13:57:00.001-05:00

Lighting can play a big part in photography, or even your home movies. As a kid, I remember watching, or at least trying to watch our family trip to Disney World, and how Pirates of the Caribbean looked more like The Blair Witch Project.
Luckily, we realized how varied these lighting scenarios can be, and provided some very useful clarity controls in ZoomText 10 to help optimize the camera image for any lighting situation!
Watch the video right here by clicking on the play button below or go onto YouTube and watch it there.

ZoomText 10 Tips and Tricks – Optimizing your ZoomText Camera
Derek Bove
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:14:30 GMT

The U.S. Senate Committee Hearing - The Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities

2012-02-07T13:55:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is holding a hearing on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:30-4:00 pm EST, The Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities, Dirksen Senate Building Room G-50. The hearing will focus on the importance of accessible technology and how this issue is impacting K-12 and higher education.
Witnesses include:

Panel I with Eve Hill, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice
Panel II with Mark Riccobono, Executive Director, Jernigan Institute, National Federation of the Blind
Dr. John B. Quick, Superintendent, Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation in Columbus, Indiana
Mark Turner, Director, Center for Accessible Media, Accessible Technology Initiative, California State University.

The hearing will be broadcasted live online at www.help.senate.gov. Real time captioning and sign language interpreters will be provided at the hearing.

The U.S. Senate Committee Hearing - The Promise of Accessible Technology: Challenges and Opportunities
VLuceno
Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:41:35 GMT

Take the Super Bowl XLVI Caption Survey

2012-02-07T13:53:00.001-05:00

Did you count the captioned commercials and promotions shown during Super Bowl XLVI? Help us by filling out this survey.
The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (NVRC) created the Super Bowl XLVI caption survey to compare what was shown on television sets throughout the country. The deadline for completion of this survey is Wednesday, February 8 at 5 pm EST.
read more

Take the Super Bowl XLVI Caption Survey
admin
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:23:51 GMT

Super Bowl Snub

2012-02-07T13:51:00.001-05:00

More than 1500 people have signed a petition asking for an apology from NBC and the NFL for not showing NAD's Miss Deaf America sign the national anthem and America the Beautiful. The television cameras did not show Rachel Mazique even one time during the Super Bowl. Mazique was not shown on the Jumbotron or invited to stay to see the game. The network and the NFL have yet to comment. You can see the petition here.
Read More at DeafNewsToday.com

Super Bowl Snub
Deaf News Today
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Able to Travel Produces New Accessibility Guide to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

2012-02-07T13:48:00.001-05:00

Our accessible travel program has produced a new wheelchair guide to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico--a major port for accessible cruise ships.

Able to Travel Produces New Accessibility Guide to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Administrator
Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:48:45 GMT

iOS Medical Peripherals: Convenient and Connected

2012-02-07T13:45:00.001-05:00

iOS devices and operating systems are taking the world by storm. Whether it’s as simple as an addictive game like “Angry Birds” or something a bit more complex like “HeyTell,” the capabilities of iOS are tested all the time. The newest test comes in the form of health care and what an iOS device can do to keep a patient more informed as well as more connected with their doctor. Katie Matlack, the Medical Software Analyst at Software Advice, a startup based in Austin, Texas, contributes a guest blog today to dive into the arena of health care and iOS devices, both available and what’s to come.
The iPhone and iPad are changing the world of medical devices as we know it.
Thanks to their familiar interface, Web connectivity, and powerful processing capabilities, with the right app and plug-in these iOS devices can work as super smart medical devices that make sharing as easy as the push of a touchscreen button. Consumers can now access increasingly high-quality medical devices, making it easy to be more actively engaged in their own health. And home and rural care givers can benefit from the portability and versatility of iPad and iPhone based devices.
Below I’ll discuss three examples of powerful iOS medical devices I’ve found that already exist.
1) The Withings Blood Pressure Monitor
French company Withings developed this blood pressure monitor that features an app and a cuff that fits most average-sized people. Accurate data on your blood pressure can help you monitor hypertension, which can lead to serious consequences for your heart, brain and kidney. The Withings monitor can even work with an iPod Touch, and runs at $129. You can use the device to share your data with your doctor.
2) ECEM Pulse Oximeter
This device isn’t yet available to the masses, but given its utility I imagine it will be soon. It features a small clip that attaches to your fingertip. The clip beams a light through your fingertip to a receiver on the opposite side; the amount of light received is used to determine how much oxygen is saturated in your blood. Developed by the Electrical and Computer Engineering in Medicine research group together with the Pediatric Anesthesia Research Team at the University of British Columbia, it was originally created to help make anesthesia care safer in the developing world, but can also be useful to patients with heart of lung problems such as emphysema.
3) iBGStar Glucose Meter
From Sanofi-Aventis comes this glucose meter app and plug-in. The glucose meter is a well-known device to anyone with diabetes. Today, diabetics test blood sugar with needles and a clunky kit; the iBGStar offers a small add-on to the iPhone that’s said to give better, more accurate results. Plus, getting your data on your iPhone means you can share it easily, and you can get reminders on your iPhone when it’s time for another check.
For more discussion of the benefits of these iPhone and iPad based devices, plus commentary on two more devices not discussed here and commentary from an expert on medical devices, visit the Software Advice blog for the original article.

iOS Medical Peripherals: Convenient and Connected
Anne
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:03:54 GMT

Indian Engineers Modify Kinect To Help the Blind Walk With Confidence

2012-02-07T13:37:00.001-05:00

New submitter albinobee writes "The Kinect for Xbox 360 isn't only about gaming; it can also be used to help compensate for impaired vision, as a team of Indian engineers is working to prove. A device called viSparsh, still in its nascent stage, is a motion sensing belt that can help alert the blind to obstacles that lie in their path."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Indian Engineers Modify Kinect To Help the Blind Walk With Confidence
Soulskill
Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:59:00 GMT

Accessible Van Provider and Manufacturer Acquires New Jersey Mobility Dealer – Expands Reach to 15 Wheelchair Van Showrooms

2012-02-07T13:36:00.001-05:00

Expansion to provide more alternative driving solutions for paraplegic and amputee drivers in the New Jersey & New York markets
(PRWeb February 07, 2012)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9169969.htm

Accessible Van Provider and Manufacturer Acquires New Jersey Mobility Dealer – Expands Reach to 15 Wheelchair Van Showrooms
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:12:24 GMT

Easy Wheelchair Transfer Systems Designed by BeasyTrans Now Offered by Rehabmart

2012-02-07T13:35:00.001-05:00

The patented Beasy technology places the user on a safe, stable seat, and the seat moves easily across the base of the system, and not the user's skin. Consequently, the shear forces and friction associated with other transfer techniques and that cause or contribute to tissue breakdown, are eliminated. This sliding transfer technology can be applied to a wide range of transfer and therapeutic functions in both the clinical and home environments.
(PRWeb February 07, 2012)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/wheelchair/wheelchair_accessories/prweb9172563.htm

Easy Wheelchair Transfer Systems Designed by BeasyTrans Now Offered by Rehabmart
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:21:34 GMT

Lifestyle Lifts Launches New Website for the Pandect Wheelchair Lift

2012-02-07T13:30:00.001-05:00

Lifestyle Lifts, an Australian company specialising in disability lifts for residential and commercial environments, today announced the launch of a new website showcasing the Pandect, a low-rise wheelchair platform lift. http://www.lifestylewheelchairlifts.com.au provides information and enquiry details on this easy to install low rise platform lift.
(PRWeb February 07, 2012)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9169134.htm

Lifestyle Lifts Launches New Website for the Pandect Wheelchair Lift
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:21:34 GMT