$100 off Pebble!
The Pebble handheld video magnifier is on sale: buy yours today for $495 - this is $100 off!
You can read more about the Pebble and even watch a video of it in action. Use code “PEBBLE” when you place your order online or just give us a call at 800-859-0270 to order yours today! **USA ONLY**
8 Gadgets for Disabled Computer Users
ZoomText makes the list for the top eight gadgets for disabled computer users!
A greater degree of effort
With the help of University College Cork’s disability office who introduced her to ZoomText among other low vision aids, family backing and huge personal motivation, Sinead Kane completed her law degree and master’s, went on to do her training at the Law Society in Dublin and graduated in July at the age of 27 as Ireland’s first registered blind solicitor.
Ai Squared sponsored show “Cooking Without Looking” goes national
Ai Squared is a proud sponsor of Cooking Without Looking, a television show created by South Florida producer Renée Rentmeester to “empower the visually impaired to stay active in the kitchen,” gets a turn on the national stage the week of February 22nd with 6 a.m. broadcasts Monday through Thursday on the Fine Living Network.
Ai Squared Sponsors Skiing Event at Pico
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) partnered with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports to hold their Third Annual Winter Ski Festival at Pico Mountain in Killington, VT back in January. Athletes with visual impairment were given the opportunity to learn to ski or learn to race in the sports of alpine and Nordic skiing, while spending a weekend in the Green Mountains of Vermont.
Ai Squared was a proud sponsor of the event! You can read more about the festival or learn more about USABA by watching this great short video.
Another cool tidbit is the Development Coordinator who works for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, Mac Janney, is a proud 15 year ZoomText user. We were thrilled to sponsor this wonderful event!
You can also read the press release we sent out for even more information.
Ai Squared Sponsors the VABVI Annual Dinner and Silent Auction
The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI) and Ai Squared work together in their home state to bring tools, training and support services to residents in need. We are sponsoring the 2010 Annual Dinner and Silent Auction for the VABVI which will be held at the Burlington Country Club on Thursday, June 3, 2010. Attendees will enjoy an evening of dinner, music, dancing, and donations.
“We’re thankful to Ai Squared for participating in this once-a-year fundraiser to support our mission,” states Ayeshah Raftery, Director of Development and Public Education. “Ai Squared’s sponsorship is a testimony of their dedication to reaching out and enhancing the lives of Vermonters with visual impairments or blindness.”
You can read more about the VABVI or read the press release we sent out for even more information.
ATIA award winning video
ATIA Chicago award winning video: Tom’s Story: Tom boasts “You can’t read the fine print, like I can!” with his magnification devices - including ZoomText! A probation officer in his local county for 23 years and still going strong, Tom‘s main job responsibility is to prepare reports for people incarcerated in prison or jail.
ATIA Orlando Video
We had another great experience at ATIA in Orlando this year. Check out this cool video we made from the exhibit hall - you’ll feel like you were there!
August Contest Winner
Last issue, we asked you to send us your tips and tricks that you use to assist you in your daily life. We got so many great suggestions and you’ll see many of them appear in this issue of ZoomNews as well as future issues.
Kathy Kalaluhi’s name was chosen from the entries and she won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate. She sent in a whole list of suggestions, all written with a great sense of humor. One of my favorite suggestions of hers was the following:
“My primary aids for functioning in life are my CCTV and my computer which has the latest version of ZoomText. My husband and I converted one of our spare bedrooms in our two story house into an office that houses two computers and my CCTV. It is necessary to inform you of these details to understand why this set up is not conducive to cooking on our first floor. I keep several recipes on my computer and have a ton of cookbooks. Soooo….. I was running up and down the stairs several times in the course of preparing one meal. While it helps keep me in shape, it was discouraging to even want to prepare any new recipe rather than one I was so familiar with that I could do it blind folded. I have an old laptop computer that I transferred recipes from my desk top to the laptop and keep that computer on the first floor. However, I was not going to waste my life typing recipes into my computer and was still running up and down the stairs to read cookbooks under my CCTV to prepare something new and different. My son suggested that I buy a small voice recorder to read ingredients, cooking time and oven temperatures and playing it back in the kitchen as I added each ingredient. Although we all hate listening to ourselves on a tape recorder, it sure beat running up and down the stairs and taking twice as long as needed to make dinner.”
She had so many other suggestions which I’ll share in upcoming newsletters, but for now, let’s learn a little bit more about Kathy. Kathy was diagnosed with Juvenile Macular Degeneration and since that time, her condition has been called several things, retinal dystrophy being the most recent. When word spread about her deteriorating vision, people were telling her left and right all the things she’d never do – make it through high school, attend college, get married, and have children. She made it through high school, graduated from La Roche College summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and headed back to La Roche to pursue a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management. She got married, has 2 children, and is now a grandmother twice over with another grandson on the way.
Kathy has worked several jobs throughout the years including teaching classes online for the Master’s program in Internet Recruitment, and teaching Human Resource Management in a traditional undergraduate classroom. She now lives in the Pittsburgh area with her husband and considers herself retired. She has many hobbies when she’s not babysitting her grandkids, including reading (her favorites include David Sedaris, James Patterson, Robert B. Parker, and David Baldacci), listening to music, cooking, and last but not least, shopping. She doesn’t let her impairment get in her way and has dabbled in skiing, golfing, and bowling.
“There were only my parents and one ophthalmologist who gave me the confidence to accomplish what I did,” says Kathy. “I proved their predictions true as they instilled in me that the only things I could not do was to become a surgeon or a truck driver. But who knows, with technology going the way it is, I just might take on the truck driver role.”
Blind snapper ‘senses’ pics
Brian Negus is using photography — and ZoomText! — to escape his blurry world of vague shapes and shadows. And the 62-year-old is rediscovering what objects look like and seeing the expressions on people’s faces for the first time in 30 YEARS.
Blog Highlights
Ever want to watch some short ZoomText videos that will explain a feature or just show you a new tip or trick that you might not know about? Ever want to know what Ai Squared is thinking about? Ever want to read our reviews on products other than ZoomText? You’re in luck - you can find all of that information right on our blog!
Everything is easily laid out in categories across the top of the page or you can just peruse what’s on the homepage to read our latest posts. We’d love to hear what you think so feel free to leave comments!
It’s another fun way to connect with us and your peers who are vision impaired.
Call centers provide career path for the blind
Terry O’Shea works as the main telephone operator at Swale Council in South Africa. Technology plays an important role in Terry’s working life, including ZoomText which he uses to magnify text on his large 22” screen up to 28 times its normal size and convert his emails to speech and play them over his operator headset.
Check Out VisiPrint Software
At ATIA, we saw a really cool software product called VisiPrint and thought we’d share it with you. VisiPrint was created to assist schools and agencies in the preparation of printed or online documents for users with visual impairments. It works in conjunction with Microsoft Word, RTF, PowerPoint handouts, and Excel documents. VisiPrint creates a database that stores visual preferences for font type, style, and point size for any number of visually impaired end-users. It also features the option of acting like a CCTV, and can modify any document immediately into reverse contrast format with white text on black background.
Once a document is selected for processing, you choose any number of names from the database, and it queues that document for printing at the preferred settings of each user. This allows the document to be quickly batch processed for all selected users instead of manually producing large print documents - which takes a lot of time and money.
If you want to learn more about this software, visit www.visiprintsoftware.com!
Cooking without Looking Special
Thanks for tuning in to Cooking without Looking! We were thrilled to let you all know about our amazing products on this unique show where you learn that being visually impaired doesn’t mean you can’t still be active in the kitchen. And to top it off, Tom Fox, one of the chef hosts, is a proud longtime ZoomText user. We’re offering a special discount offer to viewers of Cooking without Looking.
Just send an email to Becca at and tell me what Maurie cooked on the show and you’ll get details in an email! Happy cooking!
Cool Product Alert!
Large Print Day Calendar 2010 - $13.95
Each month has its own tab with an introductory area showing the previous, current and future months and space for Notes and Appointments. On the following 2 pages is that month’s calendar with large numbers and ample space (2 inch boxes) to write notes, reminders, appointments or shopping lists.
Get more information or buy yours today from Independent Living Aids (ILA). While you’re there, check out the rest of the ILA catalog to see what other cool products they have to offer!
Cool Websites
ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful. We like the idea so much that this may become a regular “column” in ZoomNews! Below were her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for upcoming issues, please email them to Becca at !
- Smart Computing Magazine - A great source for computer troubleshooting, error messages, common problems and installation tips.
- VText - Send text messages to Verizon phone numbers for free from your computer!
- Some free audio book sites:
- What Should I Read Next? - On this site, you enter a book you like and it will analyze their database of real readers’ favorite books to suggest what you could read next.
- Readability - A simple tool that makes reading on the Web more enjoyable by removing the clutter around what you’re reading.
Court Rules in Favor of Visually-Impaired Grad
A U.S. district court in San Francisco ruled Friday in favor of Stephanie Enyart, a visually-impaired law school graduate, allowing her to use special reading assistance software - including ZoomText! - on the next California bar examination in late February.
Curb Cuts Episode #5 ::: AT for Low Vision
“Curb Cuts” is a TV show about assistive technology (AT) produced by the Central Coast Assistive Technology Center. Episode #5 deals with assistive technology for individuals with low vision. ZoomText is featured as one of the solutions used to allow individuals to function as independently as possible at home, school, and work.
Eyeing a bright future
To assist Chris Rivera, 14, with his schoolwork, the Woodbridge, VA, Lions Club purchased ZoomText for him based on a recommendation by county vision teacher Esther Riverson.
Fishing Blind
Periodically, we get email updates from Lawrence Euteneier, who is the Captain of Blind Fishing Boat .Com. The “Blind Fishing Boat” is a not-for-profit initiative to open up the sport of fishing to those living with vision loss. We thought it was definitely worth sharing with you!
From his website you learn that “as a fisher from the time he could walk, Lawrence has owned and operated a number of boats, ranging from 10-foot skiffs to an 18-foot powerboat. Lawrence also goes fishing at every opportunity, recreationally and commercially, in both fresh and salt water. He has fished for Salmon and Trout in Ontario’s rivers, for shrimp on trawlers in the North Sea, Sword Fish in the South Pacific, King Fish in the Gulf of Mexico, and for Cod from wood Dories on Canada’s East coast. Lawrence developed the Blind Fishing Boat to fish small in-land bodies of water for sport fish such as Bass, Pike, Walleye and Musky. In addition to fishing, Lawrence’s present hobbies include paddling competitively on a Dragon boat team made up of individuals with little or no sight.”
You can keep up with all his latest news and check out some fishing tips at his website, www.blindfishingboat.com.
Fresh start at education for blind Aloha man
Sidney Crouch is no longer stuck between two worlds when it comes to his education. With his use of new technologies - including ZoomText! - and the onset of reputable online education programs, the 44-year-old Aloha man is on his way to earning his bachelor’s degree through Ashford University.
How Do You Get Your Groceries
Being visually impaired, most of us don’t drive a car (hopefully). That means getting groceries requires some resourcefulness. When I first made the decision to stop driving, I lived way up in the boonies on the side of a mountain, 5 miles from the closest country store and about 45 minutes from a real store. At that time, I experimented with ordering groceries online. My groceries were FedEx delivered neatly in a box, UHT milk and all, all the way up my steep snow covered driveway. Though I never ordered again, it was a psychological boon to know that my basic human need, eating, could be met despite my situation.
Shortly after this, I landed a new job and moved to this lovely town of Manchester Center, VT where I was able to ditch my car completely. I can walk to a grocery store! I got wind of my father trying to modify a golf bag cart into a grocery cart for me. I quickly told him to hold his horses. I wasn’t ready to become a bag lady yet. Instead, I bought some bicycle saddle bags at LL Bean to carry groceries on my faithful 10 speed Motobecane bicycle. Now I use these on my Tomos Sprint moped. With the 2 saddle bags and creative bungee cording, I can transport about $60 worth of groceries and a pizza.
Sometimes I compare notes with other users and ask them how they get their groceries. Chuck Van Hise uses a Rascal 4-wheel drive scooter, max speed 4.5 mph. He hooks up one of those bike trailers that you see toddlers being towed in. Sometimes he tows his grandchildren on the sidewalk and other times he tows groceries. He has a different trailer for each purpose.
Bud Gottesman has a bright yellow 3 wheel mobility scooter he picked up at a flea market. He has no room for his grandchildren but he does take his trusty service dog, Missy. Bud and Missy ride along the sidewalk and then right on in to the grocery store. As you can see from the picture, Bud and Missy attract a lot of attention.
Perhaps we have a spouse that does the major grocery shopping but it’s comforting to know that we can rely on our own power whether motorized or not to obtain that basic staple of life, food!
In The News
Visually impaired Irish sprinter wins gold in the Paralympics – Jason Smyth broke his own record twice in one day – for more information on the Paralympics in general, click here
Blind woman out to scale new heights – Janet Etchells and her friend Janet Wilson are hoping to conquer Mt. Kilimanjaro in March next year as part of the High Sight Expedition in which 14 visually impaired people will climb the mountain, each with a sighted companion
Visually impaired student shines in Taipei Chopin piano competition – Chang Yen-cheng, a student with Cerebral Palsy, has performed in more than one hundred concerts
GPS software designed for the visually impaired – Bart Bunting is liberated using Wayfinder Access software on his phone
Touch Sight camera for the blind – a new concept camera for the visually impaired may hit stores soon
New iPod nano praised for aiding visually impaired – The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has applauded Apple’s move to make iTunes and iPods accessible to blind and visually impaired people
Cardiff University showcases photography by visually impaired – The Sight of Emotion project is designed to celebrate blind photography, aiming to empower visually impaired communities to build a dialogue with sighted people
Introducing new Spotlight Products
We’ve partnered with some great companies to bring you a few products that we know you’ll love: the Victor Reader Stream and the Pebble. Now you can buy these directly from us! Click on the links to watch videos of each product, learn more about each one and to make your purchase today!
Join our “Releases” Email List!
Did you know that ZoomText 9.18.8 was actually released on March 10? Want to know as soon as we release a new version?
You’re in luck! All you have to do is sign up for our new “Releases”
only email list - you’ll be the first to know when the latest and greatest ZoomText is available.
Join our 2 day ZoomText workshop!
On November 30th through December 1st from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM EST, there will be a ZoomText “Train the Trainer” workshop given at the NEAT Center at Oak Hill (33 Coventry St. in Hartford, CT 06112).
It’s designed for ZoomText trainers and dealers and will cover Magnifier features on the first day and Speech features on the second day. Instead of simply teaching how to set up the ZoomText features (as in the manual), there will be special focus on how to set up features with different eye conditions and situations in mind, with real-world examples and lab exercises. PCs are provided so you don’t need to bring your laptop.
It will be given by Ai Squared Product Advocate and ZoomText user Maurie Hill and Steven Famiglietti, Blind Services Vocational Manager. The cost is $500 if you sign up by September 13, 2010 ($650 after that) - and this includes a FREE ZoomText Large-Print Keyboard! To sign up or to get more information, call the NEAT Center at Oak Hill at 860 243-2869 or send an email to .
Check out our training page for a complete list of all upcoming educational opportunities.
Library systems to receive major technology upgrades
Texas County’s library system will receive a major upgrade in technology thanks to success in securing grants - including ZoomText Magnifier/Reader!
New “Easy Pay” purchase plans
In this tight economy, everyone is counting pennies and weighing options before making a purchase. For those with vision impairments and for those people who need ZoomText Magnifier or Magnifier/Reader to continue using their computer, Ai Squared wants to make sure that we help in any way we can. If money is an issue, our sales staff will work with you to set up a graduated payment plan to help defer the immediate cost of ZoomText products.
We value our customers and respect your needs, so if you or someone you know needs to access the many features of ZoomText, we will work with you to make sure you get what you need to continue living and working as quickly as possible.
Interested in purchasing an upgrade? We have Easy Pay plans available for you as well. Please call our sales team at 800-859-0270 to discuss pricing for your specific situation or to place your order.
ZoomText Magnifier/Reader Products
| Product | List Price | 6 Month Easy Pay | 12 Month Easy Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZoomText Magnifier/Reader | $595 | $105/month | $55/month |
| ZoomText Magnifier/Reader with ZoomText Large Print Keyboard | $674 | $118/month | $62/month |
| ZoomText Magnifier/Reader USB | $695 | $122/month | $63/month |
| ZoomText Magnifier/Reader USB with ZoomText Large Print Keyboard | $774 | $135/month | $70/month |
ZoomText Magnifier Products
| Product | List Price | 6 Month Easy Pay | 12 Month Easy Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZoomText Magnifier | $395 | $70/month | $37/month |
| ZoomText Magnifier with ZoomText Large Print Keyboard | $474 | $84/month | $44/month |
| ZoomText Magnifier USB | $495 | $88/month | $46/month |
| ZoomText Magnifier USB with ZoomText Large Print Keyboard | $574 | $101/month | $53/month |
* Prices above are for Domestic Single-User copies only. Offer only available for purchases made directly through Ai Squared. All "Easy Pay" purchase plans include free shipping.
In order to complete your Easy Pay purchase you'll need to verify and accept the terms of the Easy Pay agreement.
New Contest
This month, we’re curious what magazines you subscribe to and what websites you visit to learn information about your eye condition, or what’s new in assistive technology, or just about eye health in general. It could be something entirely focused on vision, such as the website for the National Eye Institute, or indirectly, like Reader’s Digest Large-Print Edition. Email your entries to Becca at by October 17th and you’ll be entered in our contest for a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate. It’ll just take a minute or two – good luck in the raffle!
New Contest
This month, we’d like to hear from you about your library - specifically their computers. Answer the following questions for us and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate:
- What is the name, address, and phone number of your local library?
- Do they have computers for patrons to use?
- If so, do you ever use them?
- Are the computers equipped with ZoomText so that you can adequately see what you’re working on or searching for?
Email your responses to Becca at by December 31st to be entered into the contest!
New Contest
We’re switching gears a little bit and asking you to fill out a short survey that tells us a little more about you, how you got to know ZoomText, and things you are interested in. It shouldn’t take more than 5-10 minutes to complete. Here’s the link: www.surveymonkey.com/s/THVHV3Z.
We’re really looking forward to looking through all the responses. Fill out the survey by August 31st to be entered into this month’s raffle for
a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!
New library touts adaptive technology
Those with vision problems need not be left in the dark when it comes to reading, and the new Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre has an area with several pieces of equipment dedicated to assisting them - including ZoomText!
Newsletter
Click here for the latest issue of ZoomNews, and you can always check out our archives for past issues.
Want to receive the ZoomNews newsletter every other month, along with product announcements and discount offers? Fill out this form to join our email list!
Next Event
Octogenarians
Maurie Hill is a ZoomText Technical Specialist and a Zoomtext user. Maurie is ZoomText’s most passionate and outspoken user advocate not to mention a gifted problem solver. Maurie frequently shares user and life stories. “Maurie’s Corner” was created as a venue for her to share these stories with the world . . .
In my profession, I am privileged to chat with scores of interesting people. My favorite “genre” of people to chat with is the “octogenarians”. They always have a story to tell. Many of them are World War II veterans and have written stories and books about their lives. I often wish these ZoomText users/writers could all meet each other. I have passed on a few of their books to my father, also a WWII vet, and he always says “that sounds like my life.”
Bud Gottesman, for example, is author of “The Reluctant Sailor” where he humorously chronicles his life and times in the WWII Navy. “I was 17 years old and in high school when I joined the navy. I gave up my toy soldiers for the real thing.” Due to a misaddressed postcard calling him to serve, he was considered AWOL before his Navy career began. So his first day in the Navy reluctantly started when 2 heavily armed Shore Patrolman recovered him from his own bed where he was suffering from a severe case of the Measles. This was just the beginning of an unusual naval career. To find out more about Bud and “The Reluctant Sailor”, go to http://www.budgottesman.com.
Macular Degeneration did not stop my great Uncle from writing his book. “Home Grown: Stories” by Richard Lippincott is about my Uncle Dick’s experiences growing up on his Nebraskan family farm and then farming it. “The Lippincott Copper Tops” is a story from his last book unfolding a comical prank among cousins that could have turned deadly for several of my relations! Incidentally, I spent one summer on this farm when I was 9 years old. On this same back porch mentioned in the story, I remember slipping out to the giant HotPoint freezer to sneak yet one more fudgicle. Hey, the days were long and blistering on the farm! Click here to learn more about his book and download it http://www.lulu.com/content/1109703 .
What I love about these characters is that they just don’t give up. In 80 or 90 years they have faced trauma and tragedy beyond their vision loss. They survive and thrive because that’s just what you do. And humor has helped them get through the hard times. It’s simply a joy to have the opportunity to speak to people like this every single day.
If you want to share your story or book with us, talk to me - .
Online Learning Opportunities
For many people who are visually impaired, completing classwork at any level of education can be difficult, especially if you don’t always have the right equipment or accommodations met. ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a great suggestion that she wanted to share with you:
“I just went on the web and surfed AARP’s Bulletin where they list their free learning classes on the web. There is a list of about 15 sites that offer free online learning classes. They even have classes from MIT, Berkley, and Harvard. They are classes to audit and are not for credit. I checked out MIT’s classes and they even have undergrad and grad classes. HP has free online classes for learning how to create a website to office 2007 plus a learning video on Vista and Windows 7 and tons on Adobe and digital photography. I think a lot of ZoomText users might find this very interesting.”
You can find all the details right here on the AARP site.
Ironically, that same day, I came across an article about Sidney Crouch, a ZoomText user who is working toward his bachelor’s degree online through Ashford University. As Sidney states in the article, “Online higher education equals the playing field among all students, regardless of whether or not they have a disability. Nobody has an advantage...or a disadvantage.”
Read onward for Sidney’s full story about how he suceeded in the online learning world using ZoomText!
Ottawa Public Library (OPL) acknowledged for digital inclusion programs
In addition to being singled out for actively using broadband and information technology to excel in today’s global economy, OPL provides assistive technology - including ZoomText! - to eliminate or diminish barriers to information and maximize user independence.
Photographer captures nature under new light
Back in 1993, Kurt Weston, a notable photographer, was diagnosed with cytomegalovirus retinitis, an inflammation of the retina that left him blind in one eye and with limited vision in the other. Gravely ill, he thought his career as a photographer was finished. Definitely not the case: among other aids, he uses ZoomText to edit his photos so that he can blow up the images on his screen!
And here’s another story about Kurt and his photography career, again with the help of ZoomText!
Pilot project allows library to offer more to those with disabilities
A pilot project at the Kennebecasis Public Library in New Brunswick Canada is making reading more accessible for everyone. ZoomText is one of the resources that they chose!
Press Release Listing
Reading on the Go
If you’re curious about your options for listening to digital audio books, magazines, and newspapers while on the move, read on.
While anyone can purchase and download audio books and magazines from websites such as www.audible.com or purchase audio books on CD from www.Amazon.com and rip these to a portable MP3 player, if you’re blind, visually impaired, or physically challenged, there are additional options. In the past, I’ve received books on cassette from my state’s Department of Libraries. The cassettes, prepared by the National Library Service, or NLS, are mailed and returned free of charge, and the cassette player is also provided on loan. However, in the very near future, this service will be upgraded to 21st century technology, adding much more flexibility. First, NLS will be providing its content digitally over the Internet, as well as on cartridges mailed to you, and will replace the bulky tape players with smaller digital audio players. This will revolutionize the service, and will allow any authorized member to download any of the thousands of digitized talking book recordings that the NLS has in its catalog including magazines, novels, biographies, non-fiction books, and many other talking book content. You’ll need to be an NLS member to access this content. For details on becoming a member, call the Department of Libraries in your state or your state agency for the blind and visually impaired.
Currently, due to budget cuts to NLS, it will still be a while before they are ready to provide digital players to all of their current customers. However, if you already have a HumanWare Victor Reader Stream, you may be in luck. The NLS is offering a pilot program for Stream users which allows you to download Talking book content now. In order to do this, you need to firstly, be a member of the NLS. Next, apply and be accepted as a part of the NLS pilot download program. Finally, activate your Victor Reader Stream for reading NLS content. If you want to know more about this pilot program, go to www.nlstalkingbooks.org/dtb.
I can’t say enough good things about the Victor Reader Stream. At $349, it is a real bargain for an AT product. It is masterfully designed for blind and visually impaired users to easily navigate audio recordings in any of the talking book formats, as well as play MP3 files, and even read text documents with a built in speech synthesizer. It is not going to read text files with the same eloquence as a human recording (as in the audio books from NLS and audible.com) or as well as ZoomText’s AppReader, but if your need is great enough to listen to text documents while away from your PC, then you will probably be quite pleased. You can even transfer and play your email messages, podcasts, RSS feeds, and audio-described movies if you subscribe to Serotek’s System Access services. Personally I don’t want my email to follow me, but I am loving the digital flexibility of having all my audio and text content on one portable device which is masterfully designed for blind and low vision users. If it’s quiet, I can dig into a good novel, or if I’m getting Arden interruptions (yes. that 4-year old little lady), I can switch to a lighter, humorous “100 Years, 100 Stories” by George Burns, for example. When feeling curious and scientific, I listen to Discover magazine or for that low point in my life when I might be interested in Brad and Angelina’s ski vacation, I switch to People magazine. I downloaded all of these from the NLS download pilot sight. The Stream can access the files from both an SD card and USB flash drive. The Stream is also getting better every day. Humanware will upgrade the Stream’s features, and it will support Windows Media files, WMAs, by June. In short, I liked the Stream so much that I decided to buy one, and not wait to get a free NLS player, which will not be as small and feature-rich as the Victor Reader Stream. To find out more about the Stream, go to www.humanware.com.
In addition to the NLS talking book content, if you’re lucky enough to live in the following states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware, California, Colorado, Oregon, or Texas then you can also gain access to the “Unabridged Talking Books for the Blind” web site. This web site contains commercially recorded audio books that you can download and play on your PC or on a WMA-enabled portable playback device. The Victor Reader Stream, as previously mentioned, will become WMA compatible this summer via a free downloadable update.
If you live in one of the above 8 states and you are an NLS member, you can call your state’s Department of Libraries to receive a library card and pin number to access the audio downloads. The 8 states pay for this service yearly, so there’s no guarantee that your state will continue this service. To find out more about Unabridged, go to www.unabridged.info.
In the education realm, Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic has digitally recorded text books, for kindergartners, grad students, and everyone in between. Membership is $100 (your school might already be a member). For information, go to www.rfbd.org.
For books in text format (no audio), these two websites are available to the general public:
www.gutenberg.org – this web site has books that are in the public domain (published before 1923). For other public domain books, you can also check out www.onlinebooks.library.upnn.edu/lists.html.
Another electronic book source is www.bookshare.org. Membership is free for students and $50 per year for the blind, visually impaired, and otherwise print disabled individuals who are not students. You have the choice of downloading in DAISY BRF or HTML format. ZoomText’s AppReader can read these in either format. Or, you can download these files to the Victor Reader Stream and let it’s built-in text-to-speech synthesizer read it to you.
On a similar note, I recently tried out NFB-Newsline and was quite pleased. With this free service, you can listen to local and national newspapers as well as TV listings over the telephone. And yes, that means cell phones too. It’s quite easy to use and even remembers where you left off the last time you called. To sign up, call your state’s Department of Libraries or go to www.nfb.org/nfb/Newspapers_by_Phone.asp
We have arrived! Reading a novel or newspaper in planes, trains, and automobiles or better yet, on the beach, is no longer a pipe dream.
Resources to Help Pay for AT
Assistive technology is expensive. For many, the devices and software are a necessity but many people just cannot afford the high ticket prices.
We came across this blog posting that lists several resources that can help you finance your purchases. On our end, we offer a ZoomText Easy Pay Plan to help ease the up-front costs for ZoomText, but that may not be enough. Hope you find this resource helpful!
Save The Date
The ATIA Leadership Forum on Accessibility
Thursday, January 29, 2009 - Friday, January 30, 2009
Orlando, Florida
The 2009 ATIA Leadership Forum on Accessibility is an exciting two day forum which explores best practices and benefits for building system-wide accessibility within corporations, government agencies, or educational institutions – both for customers and employees.
Ai Squared will be there, and Scott Moore, Director of Marketing, will be one of the speakers for the discussion on “The Aging Workforce – Technology for Addressing Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), Eye Fatigue, and Vision Loss”.
For more in-depth information about the Forum, visit www.atia.org/leadershipforum. You can sign-up on the website to be added to their e-mailing list to get updates as they become available. Hope to see you there!
Setting Sail with ZoomText
Right now, Scott Duncan and his sailing partner, Pam Habek are somewhere around Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. And they arrived there with the help of ZoomText.
On October 11, 2004, Scott and Pam began their mission to become the first legally blind people to circumnavigate the globe independently in a sailboat. They are almost four years into their voyage that they originally estimated would take two and a half to three years to complete. While they won’t win any speed records, they are more determined than ever to complete this epic quest and are well aware that the true adventure is in the voyage and not the final destination.
Scott was born with bilateral congenital Colaboma, which is a condition that prevents parts of the eye from developing prenatally. As a result of this condition, Scott has blind spots throughout his visual field, with almost complete blindness in his right eye. In his 30s, he was also diagnosed with cataracts and currently, his overall visual acuity is roughly 5% of the total vision experienced by a normally sighted individual.
Growing up, Scott was exposed to a wide variety of resources and became familiar with the latest advances in adaptive technology from an early age. This gave him a comfort level with technology that has really empowered him to adapt to his vision loss throughout his life. It was at the age of thirteen that Scott really became interested in sailing. It was exhilarating to have control of driving something and from then on, he took every opportunity he could to be on the water. When he wasn’t sailing in the water, Scott was busy receiving dual Bachelor degrees in Human Development and Sociology from the University of California at Riverside, then furthering his education by achieving a Masters degree in Special Education and Rehabilitation Teaching. He’s worked in the vision loss field for nearly 25 years, and eventually started his own company, AccessAbility Inc, in 1997, specializing in adaptive worksite development and training. This company grew from a one man operation to one with 36 employees that was Ai Squared’s largest dealer!
In 2002, he took his first steps toward Blind Circumnavigation when he purchased “Tournesol”, a Valiant 32, cutter rigged cruising boat. He began seriously training in the San Francisco Bay and eventually completed training to the highest level of US Sailing coursework available.
Software will allow visually impaired to use library computers
When his eyesight started to fail him two years ago, Rick Blair, technology consultant to the Plaistow, MA, Public Library, found a software package that could keep him in the work force: ZoomText!
Springfield Town Library Receives Grant
The Springfield Town Library applied for and received a Successful Aging Initiative Grant from the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont for program titled, “Don’t Worry About the Fine Print”. And they chose ZoomText as their solution!
Subscribe via RSS
You can subscribe to the Ai Squared News Page via a technology called RSS, which stands for ‘Really Simple Syndication’. It will notify you when any new content is posted to this page, and allow you to see the content without having to visit the news page yourself.
The first thing you need is something called a news reader. This is a piece of software that checks the feeds and lets you read any new articles that have been added. There are many different versions, some of which are accessed using a browser, and some of which are downloadable applications.
Browser-based news readers let you catch up with your RSS feed subscriptions from any computer, whereas downloadable applications let you store them on your main computer.
Different news readers work on different operating systems, so you will need to choose one that will work with your computer. Here is a list of many common news readers that you can look into:
Windows
Web
Bloglines
FeedZilla
NewsGator
Microsoft Live
My Yahoo!
Browser
Once you have chosen a news reader, click here to subscribe.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!
Tech Support Profile: Gus Fleischmann
If you’ve called our technical support department recently, you might have gotten Gus on the other end of the phone. He’s one of our newest members of the team and what better way for you to get to know him a little better than to read about him in ZoomNews!
Gus grew up in the Boston area and received his economics degree from UMass Amherst. While his degree wasn’t computer specific, he has found himself in a variety of computer related jobs over the years - as a systems analyst and programmer for John Hancock, then at a bunch of software startup companies in the Boston/Cambridge area, and now he’s here in Vermont talking you through your ZoomText questions!
Having worked for many large companies, Gus is finding Ai Squared to be a perfect fit for him.
“I wasn’t familiar with ZoomText prior to working here,” said Gus. “It’s a really cool product and I enjoy working for a company that has such an appreciative and understanding customer base. Patience on both ends really does go a long way - most problems we can resolve quickly, especially with our remote access capabilities.”
Gus and his wife Sandy, a registered nurse, and his son Patrick, a college student, all live in a historic house in southern Vermont.
“We love it here in Vermont,” said Gus. “We vacationed here many times but now we can call this area home.”
Plus, there’s no Boston traffic to contend with here in the Vermont mountains - you just can’t beat that! When he’s not busy answering your calls or responding to your emails, you might find Gus outside hiking, skiing, bicycling, or his latest interest - playing croquet! You can also see Gus “in action” in a bunch of the ZoomText tips and tricks videos on our blog.
Next time you get him on the phone, be sure to say hi - even though you’ll have to excuse the fact that he’s a lifelong Red Sox fan.
The economic stimulus program, accessibility technology and Ai Squared
The American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was designed to save and create jobs as well as providing a safety net for low-income and vulnerable households by spurring increased economic activity that will save and create more than one million jobs.” (via http://www.recovery.gov)
Here at Ai Squared we’re ready to assist you in helping your visually impaired constituents gain access to the Internet and computing resources required in today’s modern job market.
For more on the economic stimulus program, accessibility technology and Ai Squared please visit our stimulus page.
The Joys of Using ZoomText
Read Jennifer Castellano’s blog entitled “The Joys of Using ZoomText”!
She’s also written another interesting post about the Windows 7 Magnifier - ZoomText is mentioned here as well as the superior solution!
Tradeshow Schedule
The year is winding down but we don’t slow up for a minute. If you are planning to attend any of these shows, be sure to stop by our booth and see what’s new!
International Vision Expo West
October 3rd - October 5th
Las Vegas, NV
Booth #9114
New England Library Association (NELA) Conference
October 19th – October 21st
Manchester, NH
Booth #308
Baby Boomer Expo
October 29th – October 30th
Timonium, MD
Booth #208
Saratoga Springs Lions Health Fair
November 1st
Saratoga Springs, NY
Northeast Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (NEAER) Conference
November 5th – November 6th
Stowe, VT
Carroll Center Technology Fair
November 25th
Newton, MA
The National Ergonomics Conference and Exhibition
December 3rd - December 5th
Las Vegas, NV
Booth #240
Tradeshow Schedule
Winter’s here in Vermont but our tradeshow schedule is heating up! If you’re attending any of these shows, be sure you stop by and see what’s new with us.
2009
Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference (ATIA)
January 28th - January 31st
Orlando, FL
Booth #512
CSUN International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference
March 16th - March 21st
Los Angeles, CA
Booth #218/231
Baruch College’s Conference on Policy and Practice - “Changing Vision, Changing Lives”
April 2nd
New York, NY
Assistive Technology Industry Association Chicago Conference (ATIA)
October 28th - October 31st
Schaumburg, IL
Booth #319
Training Workshop
Along with the New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Center at Oak Hill, we are running a two day training for professional development on November 5-6, 2008 in Hartford, Connecticut. This comprehensive workshop is designed for trainers and professionals who use ZoomText and/or support others who use ZoomText. Attendees will learn tips and tricks, and delve into advanced workings of ZoomText, enabling them to use ZoomText most effectively and share this knowledge with other ZoomText users.
This training will be lead by Maurie Hill, one of our long-time product support technicians, and also an expert ZoomText user herself. She has supported thousands of ZoomText users for over seven years, and is an outspoken ZoomText advocate who has helped design many of the features that exist in ZoomText today.
The course fee is $500 per student (includes lunch). Seats are limited so please call Shawn Warren at (802) 362 3612 x109 or email us at to register today!
Upcoming Events
If you’d like any information on how you can attend these events or training sessions, please send an email to . We hope to see you there!
Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany (NABA) Low Vision Technology Fair
September 16th, 2010
Albany, NY
Envision Conference
September 22nd - September 25th, 2010
San Antonio, TX
New England Library Association (NELA) Conference
October 17th - October 19th, 2010
Boxborough, MA
Booth #207
Vision Midwest Conference
October 22nd - October 24th, 2010
Madison, WI
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Chicago Conference
October 27th - October 30th, 2010
Schaumburg, IL
Booth #309
Saratoga Springs Lions Club Health Fair
November 6th, 2010
Saratoga Springs, NY
National Ergonomics Conference & Exposition (NECE)
December 1st - December 3rd, 2010
Las Vegas, NV
Booth #241
Videos Created by Ai Squared
Visions 2008 Report
By Maurie Hill
The Visions 2008 conference I attended in Washington, DC this past August was a winner. This conference was sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), an organization whose mission is to drive research for prevention, treatments, and cures for retinal degenerative diseases. The event included updates on the latest research being done in gene, stem-cell, and drug therapies in relation to retinal degenerative diseases (RDD). Some of the diseases that were specifically discussed were Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Stargardt’s, Cone-Rod Dystrophy, Best Disease, Usher Syndrome, Choroideremia, Retinoschisis, and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. Thought you were alone? This conference was also a great opportunity to talk to others in the same boat.
The opening luncheon was emotional, humorous, and inspiring with great keynote speakers. It was kicked off by Bill Schmidt, the impressive CEO of FFB, followed by three people who had at least one family member afflicted by an RDD – Texas Congressman Pete Sessions, actor David Chisum, and Olympic skating champion, Nancy Kerrigan. All three of these speeches were touching, inspiring, and humorous. They all spoke emotionally about how having a close family member that is blind or legally blind impacts the entire family. Lastly, author and motivational speaker Estelle Condra, who has RP, gave a wildly humorous and motivational talk. I was laughing from start to finish.
The conference was followed by two days of very informative sessions on the latest RDD research being done, “Doctor Is In” sessions where you could pose questions to the top researchers in the world, sessions on nutrition, genetic testing, ADA, and various upbeat coping sessions.
But they saved the best for last. The closing session was “Direct from the Clinic: Physicians and a Patient Share their Clinical Trial Experience”. To hear both researchers and patients speak enthusiastically about the surprising success of a small clinical trial that was simply meant to be a safety trial was awe-inspiring. For more information about this trial, go to FFB’s web site, www.blindness.org, and click on the article about the LCA study. And better yet, I would highly recommend calling Mitsy Palmer at the FFB, 1-800-683-5555 and ordering some or all of the CDs that were created for each session. I can’t wait to find out when and where the FFB will hold its next Visions conference.
Visually impaired venture ‘inside the box’
A group of teenagers, all blind or otherwise visually impaired, wired up Lego Mindstorms robots using assistive technology. Ian Gayola, 15, used ZoomText during the computer programming workshop!
Watch Cooking Without Looking!
As you know, we were featured on the most recent episode of Cooking Without Looking, the only cooking show of its kind for the visually impaired. It’s a wonderful show that empowers the visually impaired to stay active
in the kitchen.
However, it only aired on WXEL, a PBS station in
southern Florida, meaning most of you were unable to
tune in! Lucky for you, you can watch the whole episode right now online.
The episode will also air later this month nationally on the Fine Living Network. Happy cooking!
Working hard to overcome disabilities, difficulties
For Marcus Jeffries, 32, technology - including ZoomText - helps him overcome his Retinitis Pigmentosa. The hereditary disorder makes it difficult for him to see in low-light areas and to read small print or purple-hued ink, which caused problems when he couldn’t read the blackboard in grade school.
You don’t have to see it to tee it
Ty Thompson loves to golf, play poker, and volunteer at the local elementary school helping kids to read. Did I mention he does all this despite suffering from the rare genetic disorder Pseudo Xanthma Elasticum (PXE) which has left him without any central vision and legally blind?
For much of his life, the PXE symptoms didn’t surface. Ty graduated from the University of Virginia as a Mechanical Engineer and he worked for IBM on the very first PCs in Boca Raton, Florida. Ty always felt that he was better in sales and marketing so he transitioned to the sales department with IBM and moved to Chicago. Here he became the lead sales rep for Walgreens, the largest pharmacy chain in the US. It was through this job that Ty developed a system for in-store signage and shelf pricing labels which was adopted by over 90% of retailers in a few short years! He then transferred to Lexington, Kentucky to work at implementing new ways of selling printing technology for IBM which became Lexmark. He developed the idea of laser printing pharmacy vial labels and warning labels and combining that with drug utilization and patient information sheets. Today 100% of pharmacies utilize laser printers - mostly due to Ty’s idea!
Ty spent much of his time thinking about how to improve processes using technology to become more efficient and of financial benefit to the users. In the mid 1990s, he lost depth perception in one of his eyes. Ty didn’t lose hope and taught himself to triangulate his world with one eye to give himself a better sense of depth. Because of this he could continue driving.
Several years later, he was offered the position of national sales manager for a pharmacy software company and he was with this company for several years when he suddenly lost his vision in the other eye. This is when Ty discovered ZoomText which helped him to keep up with his work on the computer. “ZoomText is a wonderful product,” said Ty. “My software background really helped me quickly become adept at using it to help me email and search on the web.”
He tried diligently to continue on his path but the realization soon set in that as he lost more and more sight, he truly was unable to perform in his role - he could no longer recognize customers or prospects, demonstrate the software, couldn’t drive to see clients - and went on disability.
Life turned upside down for Ty and his wife, Jan. Jan had been working part time in the medical field for years, where she taught classes in medical school. She switched gears and is enrolled in a master’s degree program to become a Physician’s Assistant. Ty on the other hand, learned how to wash clothes and cook for his wife and daughter, Alex.
Life changed drastically for Ty and his family but his spirits are very high. He frequently speaks to the elderly who are afflicted with vision loss at local forums. He designed the ADAPT (Attitude, Design, Apply, Practice, and Try, try again) methodology for the visually impaired to assist them in living their lives again.
“The mind is the most powerful tool to ‘see’ with,” says Ty. “I teach people to think differently and also introduce them to ZoomText, a program that many people don’t know even exists. With a little training, they can realize the potential of the software and are then unafraid to go online or type an email because they now have a way to accomplish tasks on the computer.”
In addition, Ty joined the US Blind Golf Association (USBGA) and recently won the 2008 Net National Championship! He had become a good short game player and feels he can read the green with his feet better than many people can see with their eyes. This league has the same rules as for professionals except you’re allowed a coach in addition to the caddy to give you strategic advice, line you up and tell you where the ball goes. The coach can stand behind you for any shot to give you visual feedback on the ball. As Ty says, “You don’t have to see it to tee it.”
Ty also plays in a couple’s poker league where he uses cards that have larger characters. This way he can sometimes make them out in his peripheral vision and memorizes all the cards on the table once they are read to him. He also loves to help elementary kids with their reading. He takes them to the library where they check out a book. He takes a better reader with him first so that they can read the book aloud to him and he assists them with their pronunciation. He then memorizes the trouble spots of the entire story and can help the students who have more trouble reading. “You don’t have to see it to teach it,” declares Ty.
Ty had been writing a book on English Ceramics that were imported into the United States during the time period of 1820 to 1860 called spatterware. He had researched this topic for over a decade but his research is temporarily on hold because he cannot read the notes or antique reference books. All of us here at Ai Squared wish Ty well and hope that he can one day finish and publish the book!
ZoomNews April 2009
|
The February ZoomNews survey polled our readers about online dictionaries that work best with ZoomText. First off, congratulations to Douglas Hernandez Panagua whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants - he won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate! 
Last week you received an email from us letting you know that the newest version of ZoomText has arrived. Here's a recap of what's included . . .
Rachel Wells is a 25 year old student in her first year of a Master's Degree program for Clinical-Counseling Psychology at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia. To top it off, she's visually impaired and credits ZoomText with making her schooling career possible.
In this tight economy, everyone is counting pennies and weighing options before making a purchase. To do our part, we've launched a new "Easy Pay" Plan, allowing you to pay for purchases in monthly installments, making ZoomText more affordable for everyone.
Spring has finally begun here in Vermont and it's our tradeshow schedule that keeps on growing! If you're attending any of these shows, be sure you stop by and see what's new with us.
ZoomNews April 2010
ZoomNews August 2008
|
I was born in Iran in 1988 in a mid-income family. Until 1994 our family didn't have any computers. I mostly spent my childhood playing outside with relatives, friends, and my sister. When we bought our first computer, I started to have a great interest in learning and playing video games. Back then, I could see like any other kids. Using computers though, only involved simple commands on DOS. I remember enjoy playing Tom & Jerry, Keen, or WOF on our first computer…
I spent 16 years as a licensed paramedic in Illinois. I loved my job so it was with a heavy heart that I gave it up when my vision deteriorated to a point that it could be dangerous for me, my partner, or a patient. After leaving the ambulance, I worked for a medical supply company as a technical support specialist for 2 1/2 years before being downsized out of that job… 
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the beginning of WWII, I was raised and attended public school, college, and medical school in Arkansas. I was married in 1966 to Lynn Byars and we moved at the end of medical school to Phoenix, Arizona in 1968 where I had my internship and residency in the field of pathology. My residency training was interrupted by two years of active duty in the U.S. Army, with one of those spent in Viet Nam. I worked as a hospital pathologist in various locations for the next 30 years, spending the last 17 in Shelby, North Carolina…
ZoomNews August 2009
ZoomNews August 2010
ZoomNews August Hits Inboxes
The latest newsletter has a contest to win an Amazon.com gift certificate, a profile on support tech Gus Fleischmann, cell phone survey results, and much more!
ZoomNews December 2008
|
There were so many great suggestions in a previous ZoomNews contest that I'm going to keep sharing them. This one came from Dennis Wyant and he calls this his Rainbow Desktop Finder:
ZoomNews December 2009
This edition features a user profile on Steve Statham, survey results about favorite ZoomText features, a link to watch ZoomText on the TV show Cooking Without Looking, and much more!
ZoomNews February 2009
|
ZoomNews February 2010
ZoomNews June 2009
|
The April ZoomNews survey polled our readers about where to meet other people who are visually impaired online. First off, congratulations to Melissa Burch whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants – she won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate! 
A few days ago, you received an email alerting you that we are selling three very cool partner products – the Victor Reader Stream, a portable DAISY/MP3 player, and two handheld magnifiers: the Pebble and the SenseView Duo. We hope you’ve had a chance to go to our website and watch the product videos for each and learn more about these life changing products.
Gavin Kilpatrick just took home a Bronze medal for cycling at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games for South Africa. And what do you know – he’s a ZoomText user!
Back in April we sent you an email asking if you wanted to join the Refer-a-Friend program. This is a great program: for every friend you refer who buys a new copy of ZoomText (Magnifier or Magnifier/Reader), you’ll receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate and your friend will receive 10% off their entire order!
We are committed to providing our customers the highest quality service and support. We’d love to have you participate in one or more of the training events listed below. Send an email to ZoomNews June 2010
ZoomNews October 2008
|
The Visions 2008 conference I attended in Washington, DC this past August was a winner. This conference was sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), an organization whose mission is to drive research for prevention, treatments, and cures for retinal degenerative diseases. The event included updates on the latest research being done in gene, stem-cell, and drug therapies in relation to retinal degenerative diseases (RDD). Some of the diseases that were specifically discussed were Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Stargardt’s, Cone-Rod Dystrophy, Best Disease, Usher Syndrome, Choroideremia, Retinoschisis, and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. Thought you were alone? This conference was also a great opportunity to talk to others in the same boat. ZoomNews October 2009
This edition features a user profile on Tom Fox, a chef who is also visually impaired, survey results about tips on eliminating side to side scrolling and much more!
ZoomNews Survey Results
The June issue of ZoomNews polled our readers about the best cell phone out there for someone who is vision impaired, with a related question about phones that are great for texting. First off, congratulations to Christian Hugentobler whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants - he won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!
The top 5 phones nominated were:
- iPhone
- Jitterbug
- LG enV3
- Blackberry
- Nokia N82
I was really surprised at how much the iPhone really blew every other phone out of the water. Check out the entire table of results in either a PDF or an Excel spreadsheet. For the most complete information, you can read the document (in Word or PDF) that includes everyone’s complete answers behind their choice of phone. I must warn you, it’s very long, but it provides so much more information than the mere table can do.
ZoomText 9.18.8 is released
We are proud to announce the newest and most comprehensive release of ZoomText – version 9.18.8.
In addition to the already versatile capabilities of ZoomText 9.18 like Windows 7 support, Windows Vista 64-bit support, smooth panning, and built-in scripting support, 9.18.8 includes several bug fixes!
You can read the release notes for complete information.
Smooth panning provides you with a smooth, clean vision experience when working with ZoomText at a large magnification. As you move around the computer screen, ZoomText will keep all the text crisp and keep the view from jumping and causing visual discomfort. This feature provides a natural panning motion that keeps the focus in view as you move around the screen. As you type text, navigate menus, dialogs and other program controls, the magnified view stays with you wherever you’re working. You can also enable “smooth mouse panning” to move more quickly around your screen using your mouse.
The built-in scripting feature allows you to customize the behavior of ZoomText and other applications, providing more informative visual and audible feedback, automation of tasks, and improved speed and efficiency while working. The scripting feature puts the power of customizing ZoomText into your hands. Customized scripts can be written by any experienced script writer, and pre-made scripts will be available for download at a later date.
Download a free 60-day trial today!
ZoomText 9.18.9 is released
We are proud to announce the newest and most comprehensive release of ZoomText – version 9.18.9.
In addition to the already versatile capabilities of ZoomText 9.18 like Windows 7 support, Windows Vista 64-bit support, smooth panning, and built-in scripting support, 9.18.8 includes support for Office 2010, support for Windows Live mail, a fix for Intel 7 processors, and many other bug fixes!
You can read the release notes for complete information.
Smooth panning provides you with a smooth, clean vision experience when working with ZoomText at a large magnification. As you move around the computer screen, ZoomText will keep all the text crisp and keep the view from jumping and causing visual discomfort. This feature provides a natural panning motion that keeps the focus in view as you move around the screen. As you type text, navigate menus, dialogs and other program controls, the magnified view stays with you wherever you’re working. You can also enable “smooth mouse panning” to move more quickly around your screen using your mouse.
The built-in scripting feature allows you to customize the behavior of ZoomText and other applications, providing more informative visual and audible feedback, automation of tasks, and improved speed and efficiency while working. The scripting feature puts the power of customizing ZoomText into your hands. Customized scripts can be written by any experienced script writer, and pre-made scripts will be available for download at a later date.
Download a free 60-day trial today!
ZoomText Express and Windows 7
We just released a patch for ZoomText Express that clears up any of the issues with Windows 7 compatibility!
This is a free update if you already own the software and as long as you have automatic updates turned on, it will notify you when you start up the program. To download it manually, simply go to our updates page and scroll down to ZoomText Express.
ZoomText Goes Social!
ZoomText is venturing out into the blogosphere! Our new blog, Zoomed In, has been launched! Check it out for yourself - happy reading!
And that’s not all! We invite you to follow us on Twitter and become a fan of ZoomText on Facebook - you never know what special deals might come your way. Plus you can stay up to date with the happenings of all of us here at Ai Squared. Join in the fun!
ZoomText in the Greenville County Library System
The Greenville County Library System has acquired three new computer programs for the visually impaired - equipped with ZoomText! - available at the Technology Center at the Hughes Main Library.
ZoomText makes PC Advisor list
PC Advisor listed ZoomText as one of the great computing aids for the disabled!
ZoomText reviewed by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
The Old Schoolhouse, the magazine for homeschool families, published a review on ZoomText!
ZoomText Video
We’ve created a video that really showcases the amazing features of ZoomText. Check it out today!
