ZoomText Magnifier/Reader Products

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Our Zoomed In blog just hit a milestone recently with it’s 100th post!  If you haven’t had a chance to check out the blog, it’s full of really great and interesting information. 

Whether you are interested in watching ZoomText tips and tricks on video, learning about blind yoga, maybe you want to know what brand of wine comes complete with Braille labels, or you just are learning how to parent with low vision, we have something on there for you.  You can even apply to be in a BBC documentary!

If you’d like to subscribe to the blog and receive an email every time we put up a new post, just send Becca an email and tell her you’d like to be added to the blog list.

Happy reading!

ZoomText makes the list for the top eight gadgets for disabled computer users! 

Read the entire story!

We are proud to announce the newest and most comprehensive release of ZoomText – version 9.19.1.

In addition to the already versatile capabilities of ZoomText 9.1 like Windows 7 support, Windows Vista 64-bit support, smooth panning, and built-in scripting support, 9.19.1 includes support for SAP business management software, a few fixes for Microsoft Office 2010, a fix for corrupted activation process in Japanese ZoomText and more!

Read more about 9.19.1, read the release notes, or download a free 60-day trial to give it a try yourself.

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.

Read the entire story

The University of New Brunswick notes that they’ve had an increase of students using their Accessibility Center and ZoomText is one of the programs that’s most frequently used!

Read all about it!

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.

Read the entire story

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.

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 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.

Watch the 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!

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.”

In the August issue of ZoomNews, we asked you to fill out a short survey to tell us more about you.  First off, congratulations to JoAnn Carey whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants - she won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!

We gathered so much information from this survey that it’s next to impossible to summarize!  Here’s just some of the stuff we learned from those who responded:

• The majority of you were in the age range of 51-60
• Roughly half of you are currently employed
• Over half of you are on Facebook
• A very small percentage of you use Twitter
• The most popular way you found out about ZoomText was at a low vision conference/seminar

If you want to take a peek at all the results, here’s a list of all the different PDF documents:

• General questions
• Questions for those who are currently employed
• Questions for current students
• Websites that you use frequently
• Your hobbies
• Companies you work for
• Organizations you’re involved in

Phew, that’s a lot to sift through! Read on for this month’s contest and another chance to win!

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.

Read the entire story

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.

Ever go to a museum and leave dissatisfied with the level of accessibility they offer in not only the building itself, but in its exhibits?  Perhaps you’ve always wanted to share your perspective as a person with low vision and have your voice be heard.  Well, now’s your chance.

Nora Nagle emailed us and not only is she a long-time ZoomText user but also the ADA and 504 Accessibility Coordinator at the Museum of Science in Boston, MA!  The Museum of Science is committed to making its exhibits and facilities as accessible as possible.  As part of that effort, they are seeking volunteers with low vision who are willing to occasionally participate in a focus group to evaluate the usability of various aspects of the Museum of Science for visitors with low vision.

Some examples of things you may be asked to evaluate are the readability of text-based exhibit elements, signage, lighting, and way-finding.  Volunteers will be compensated with passes to the Museum of Science.  Anyone who is interested in volunteering, or would like further information, should contact Nora at (617) 589-3102 or via email at .

If you’d like to read more about Nora or her job at the Museum of Science, check out her interview that appeared in the Winchester Star.  It’s really encouraging to see more and more museums stepping up to the accessibility challenge!

Great news - We now print and ship the ZoomText Manual in all 20 languages that we support!!

Sure, we provide our international customers electronic documentation in their native language, but it’s nice to have a printed manual that you can reference when you need to look up something quickly.

Now you can! Through a cool website called Lulu, you can now purchase a manual in any of the languages that we support for just $20 + shipping and they will ship it anywhere in the world. Even if you have the U.S. English version you can order another copy - maybe you lost yours over the years and would like another one.

The text is large and easy to read plus there are screen shots so you can follow right along on your own computer screen. In case you were wondering, here is a list of all the languages that are available: Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, U.K. English, U.S. English.

Go to Lulu’s website and purchase yourself a copy today! 

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.

Read the entire story

The Insight Call Centre – part of the Athlone School for the Blind Association in South Africa that trains blind and partially sighted students for a call center career.  Terry O’Shea works at a call center and uses ZoomText to help him on the job.  There’s even a video at the bottom showing you how to learn the ZoomText user interface!

Read all about it!

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!

After spending three years in Doha, Qatar, Patricia Sutherland decided to apply for a position at the public library in Brockville, Ontario.  Sutherland liked the Brockville Public Library atmosphere as soon as she walked in which might have had something to do with the ZoomText Internet Stations set up for patrons who are visually impaired.

Read all about it!

MLB and the Diamondbacks donated $1 million to the Foundation for Blind Children - the money will go toward facility renovation and an extensive amount of new technology, including ZoomText!

Read all about it!

As it turns out, many of Ryerson University’s online services simply aren’t optimized for those with disabilities, making it difficult to access the information they might need.  But they list ZoomText as one of the solutions they offer to their students!

Read the entire story

Southern California Rehabilitation Services, a non-profit group that works with people with disabilities to help them lead independent and productive lives, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony recently for its new computer lab - which just so happens to be equipped with our products!

Read all about it!

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!

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!

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:
  
  • www.booksshouldbefree.com
  • www.libravox.org
  • www.thoughtaudio.com
  • www.podiobooks.com

• 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.

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below were her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• Free App Alert - This site is updated daily with free apps for your phones including ones that used to be purchased apps but went to free. 


• Get Rid of things - This site gives advice on how to get rid of everything from zits to computer hardware to viruses on your computer!


• Mr. Modem - This guy is as funny as Dave Barry.  He writes a column for Smart Computing, but this is his own site.  He’s written some interesting articles on computers.


• Cozi - This is an online task organizer that allows up to three people (for the free version) to post appointments and journals, and tasks online.  It works with Outlook and gives you some additional tools to put on your desktop.  It will even send alerts to your cell via text messaging to remind you of appointments/meetings.  Another similar site is Producteev.


• Indeed - Here is a practical job hunting site - it’s like going to one site to get info from several sites.  You go to the site and put in the type of job you’re looking for and it will pull positions from several sites such as Monster, Career Builder, newspapers etc.  I know from working as placement services, this is a great tool for job hunters.

Thanks to Kathy for all these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below were her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• Discover a Hobby - This site lists all sorts of hobbies for anyone who is interested in picking up a new hobby.  You can click on any link for any hobby and it will take you to basic information on getting started with it.  In addition, the site provides links to materials or equipment that you can purchase in order to get up and running. 


• Discovery’s Planet Green - This site provides tips for going green as well as DIY projects for your home.  You can also find homemade solutions for cleaning products that are more eco-friendly for your home.


• Freminder - This site is an online appointment book to keep track of your agenda.  By signing up for an account (am not sure if it is free but would assume so since it is “free"minder.com), the site will send automatic reminders for appointments that you add to your personal agenda.  You can select the frequency of the reminders from daily, weekly, monthly, etc.


• Greater Good - This one is interesting in time for the season of holiday giving.  This site has six basic global issues such as children’s health etc.  You can visit this site to look for an organization to make a charitable donation to and it will show you how they use the money you donate.


• Because of the recession, there were many sites for obtaining store coupons and online coupons as well as promotional codes.  I did not write them all down but to name a few...


• Coupon Cabin
• Current Codes
• Coupon Album
• Best Online Coupons
• Coupons.com
• Mint.com - This is a financial manager type site and the article highlighted the goal setting feature on the site.  You can set financial goals by selecting from a list or customizing the goal.  Examples of goals on the list are: home improvements, saving for education, saving for a trip, buying a new car, or getting out of debt.  Once you select the goal you want to work on, a series of dialog boxes pop up asking questions.  The software uses your information to calculate what you need to put away or how much you can afford to put away based on the software’s estimate for reaching that goal.  You can edit the estimates if they appear to high or too low.  Then the site generates emails sent to your phone or email with where you should be in your goal setting on a regular basis.


• Food on the Table - This site lets you either get a free or paid subscription.  You select meals you’d like to plan and the ingredients from the items you select are automatically put into a shopping list.  The site is hooked up with several major grocery chains and their weekly ads and it will hunt for the lowest prices in the grocery ads for you.  I do not know if the grocery ad search is included in the free subscription or not.  I know in the free plan, you can only choose up to four meals at a time but with the paid you can select more.  They also have an app for cell phones.

Thanks to Kathy for all these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below are her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• Social Security - I know this may sound odd.  Here is the story.  My cousin’s brother in law was recently diagnosed with cancer.  My cousin’s husband surfed the net and government sites looking for some finacial help for his brother as no doubt he will eventually lose his home from the medical expenses and no income.  Under the Social Security website, he found a program called Compassion.  Here’s the direct link.  It provides disability payments of up to $3,200 a month to offer financial help for those with certain types of cancer.  Breast cancer is listed along with several others.  There is also an application on the site.  Not very many people know this exists and it is not well publicized.  My cousin works for a lawyer who works for the attorney general for NY State and she never heard of this either.  It is the best kept secret.  I thought readers might want to know of this as so many family and/or friends are afflicted with cancer at one time or another. 


• Elance - This is a great site if you’re looking for some work you can do at home.  They talked about it recently on one of the morning shows like the CBS Early Show.  You send in a proposal to do, for example, administrative work like creating a PowerPoint presentation for someone.


• Jango - Looking for new music?  Jango is a free radio on the web that allows you to insert the artist that you currently have listed on your play lists and then searches for other artists with the same sound.  You can create multiple stations for different kinds of music.  The site also has a social networking aspect where you can create a profile and then look at other users’ radio stations for their play lists for “new” music selections. 


• thredUP - A swap site for used children’s clothing.  Free membership is available but there is an upgrade that can be purchased.  You need to list a box of used children’s clothing in order to purchase a box of clothing.  The boxes sell for $5 and a flat rate shipping fee applies in the amount of $10.75.  If you pay for a membership, you gain access to buying new clothing from different retailers for the same amounts. 


• I Can’t Find My Phone - At first I thought this was so stupid as if you have no phone to which you can call it so you can follow the ring, then why would you have a computer and the web laying around?  But then realized that many people do not have a land line in their homes anymore and rely solely on cell phones.  Well, here you go.  You can go to this site and click on the “hello” button.  Enter your cell phone number and someone will dial it for you so that you can follow the sound to where your phone is hiding.  Editorial note:  I am loving this - I cannot tell you how many times I can’t find my phone!  However, this won’t help me if it’s on silent...


• Screencast-O-Matic - This site allows you to create an on-screen video that captures steps you are taking to perform a task on the computer.  Good for those computer illiterate relatives who bug you from around the country with questions on how to do something on the computer.  Well, now you can go to this site, click on the create button and it captures your mouse movements so that they can follow along.  The site will navigate you through selecting which part of the screen you want captured etc.  Once you create the video, you can upload it to YouTube or save it to your desktop and email it to those annoying non-nerds.  Or, show it to your friends saying “can you believe my didn’t know how to do this”?

Thanks to Kathy for these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below are her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• Shelf Life Advice - You can check on this site to see actually how far past the expiration date or best sell by date that certain types of food will last. 


• Squabbler - This looked to be a fun site to just visit like YouTube.  It is free to register and is a social network where you upload 30 second videos of your complaints then users can vote on whether you are right or wrong in your squabble.  They said a lot of older people are using this site and they showed an old lady who uploaded her complaint of her husband eating popcorn and getting it all over the floor and leaving a trail of it.  I think it could be funny to watch especially with older people. 


• Foodily - One giant recipe site where you can search for recipes providing ingredients that you CANNOT eat.  For example, if you search for pancakes eliminating dairy, you’ll be given search results of recipes that were vegan.


• ecosquid - If you are looking for a place to recycle old electronics such as cell phones, mp3 players, monitors or lap tops, this site will provide information on where you can get rid of these things.  Cell phones and music players may provide some cash to you while other electronics may cost you to get rid of them.  You can search for the model and type of electronic that you wish to get rid of and it will provide you with the logistics of where it can be dumped.  Some items may be mail-in while others you will be given a location where you can dump it.  The site also lets you know whether it is free to dispose of the item or if there will be a fee.


• National Gardening Association - this site provides all the information you will ever need to plant a garden.  You can find information and videos for planting container gardens to raised-bed gardening.  You can also find info for tools and materials needed for gardening as well as info about pest control. 


• Kickstarter - If you have a creative invention that you would like to launch, but do not have the funding to see it through, this site is for you.  You can describe what you want to launch and detail your goals and your timeline.  Investors then can choose to back your project for a fee. If you do not receive the required funding, you are under no obligation.


• PDRhealth - This site is based on the Physician’s Desk Reference.  It provides information on medications including proper dosage, side effects, and information that you should provide to your doctor if you are going to take a particular drug.


• Home Elephant - This is like a neighborhood watch site.  You can get to know your neighbors through this site and leave messages on this board.  For example, you can leave messages like someone’s trash can blew into my yard and needs to be picked up. 

Thanks to Kathy for these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below are her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• Baseball Road Trip - This site is a free shareware for planning road trips to attend baseball games. 
• Some other sites that provide you with tips on what you might expect in planning a road trip:
  
  • National Geographic
  • Roadtrip USA
  • RoadTrip America
  • Budget Travel

• Nero KwiKmedia - a free online storage site that allows you to store music, videos and pictures.  You can purchase add-ons to this service so that you can burn your home videos to Blu-ray, DVD and move either pics or music to mobile devices.  It is a one stop shop for storage rather than storing pics on one place and music on another etc.

And a new category of sorts:  “Best fruits in the orchard” - the best Mac apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad!

• Vlingo - a voice command app that allows you to text, email, call, or surf the web by simply commanding it to do so.  For instance, if you say text Mary and then “let’s meet for drinks”, it will bring up the contact and type the text. You can also just ask a question and Google will automatically generate a search.
• Splash Top - an iPad app that’s a wireless remote to access your desktop so that you can create or edit docs or spreadsheets.  It’s also available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. 


• Trip It - an app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.  It stores all info for your business travel.  Provides a GPS map of your trip, reservation information for air travel, info on airport seat assignments, etc.  It also works with Trip It on the web. 

Thanks to Kathy for these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent
in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below are her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• Pick & Zip - a web app that allows you to download photo albums or multiple pictures from Facebook in a zip or pdf file. You can select friends’ profiles, groups, or pages you like and either select individual pictures or select all for download. 
• Open Signal Maps - this site allows you to locate cell towers and signal strengths for cell phone connection or wifi near your home or work.  It’s in beta but it will configure the map to correspond to the information you are seeking i.e. cell phone strength, cell tower locations, or wifi. 
• DocuSign - a legal site for uploading contracts for digital signatures.  Legal in the sense that contracts signed on this site are legally bound.  Faster than faxing or mailing via snail mail.  Good for small businesses etc.  Saves on paper and printing costs. 

And a new category of sorts:  “Best fruits in the orchard” - the best Mac apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad!

• Find My iPhone - an app for finding your phone should you misplace it, lose it or have it stolen.  When activated, it will sound an alarm.  Should it be stolen, you can either lock the phone or delete all the content on the phone from remote location.
• Wacom Bamboo Paper - an app for handwritten notes or sketches for note taking.  Notes made using this app can be sent via email.
• Skype - Skype is now available for the iPhone for video conference calls.
• FlightTrack - app for the month in September issue of Smart Computing.  It’s also available for Android based phones.  It provides up to the minute information on airlines and airports around the globe.  For the premium package, it will provide you with terminal maps for airports as well as weather reports.  Will also alert you for any scheduling changes for your flights up to a year in advance.
• FiLMiC Pro - an app for $2.99 that allows for film editing from your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Thanks to Kathy for these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent
in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below are her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at !

• GoodSearch - every time you use this search engine to search for info, they donate a penny to a charity of your choice.  Similarly, with www.goodshop.com, you do the same thing.  Go to this search engine to search for a store.  When you find the one you want, and then purchase something, a portion of the sale goes to a charity. 
• Walk Score - Thanks to Jim McRoy for this great suggestion:  you enter any address and it gives you a score from 1 to 100, with 100 being the best.  In addition to the “walkability” score, it shows all the major things like school, parks, grocery, banks etc. then ranks their closeness.  There is even coffee. I also use to when traveling to put in the place I am going.  I can see if I am stuck in the middle of nowhere or can get a cup of Starbucks.

And a new category of sorts:  “Best fruits in the orchard” - the best Mac apps for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad!  Some of them are available on the Android platform as well.

• skyscanner - an app that performs a search to find the best prices on airline tickets using 600 sources.  Simply enter travel locations and dates and the app will search for the cheapest price in airfare listed on the web.  You can narrow the search down by tapping direct flights only if desired.
• SaleLocator - featured on the news for holiday shopping, it locates the best prices on merchandise in your area when you enter your zip code. 


• BlogFire - an app for organizing your RSS feeds and alerts you to new comments.
• SlackerRadio - an app that allows you create a free personalized radio station.  By marking your favorite songs, the radio station will repeat these songs more often for you. 
• CamDictionary - an app that lets you snap a picture of text in multiple languages and it will translate it for you. 

Thanks to Kathy and Jim for these great suggestions!

ZoomText user Kathy Kalaluhi sent in a bunch of websites that she thought other ZoomText users would find interesting and helpful.  We liked the idea so much that it’s become a regular “column” in ZoomNews!  Below were her suggestions and if you’d like to submit any websites for the next issue, please email them to Becca at href="mailto:rproskin@aisquared.com" title="Email Becca your website suggestions">!

• Happy News - When you get fed up with all the bad news on CNN, FOX, or just the daily news shows, here is a link to a site with warm, fuzzy happy news.


• MedHelp - A reputable site for getting answers to your medical/health questions.


• Answers.com - Provides answers to millions of questions.


• Memorista - This is a tool for memorizing vocabulary or phrases in a foreign language.  It provides about six foreign languages to choose from.


• Play with your mind - This site has hundreds of word, card, memory, typing and logic games to play on the web.


• Groupon - This site lets you buy discounted coupons with a group.  They change what is available every day according to your location.  You do not know until they are all sold whether you get the coupon or not.  (Note from Becca - they certainly advertised enough during the SuperBowl so maybe you have a sense of how it works if you watched the commercials...er, the game.)


• Plastic Jungle - This is a site to sell, trade, or buy gift cards. 


• Blind Mice Movie Vault - This is a link for free audio description movies in mp3 format.


• Book of Odds - This site provides odds for things to occur.

Thanks to Kathy for all these great suggestions!

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.

Read the entire story

“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.

Watch the episode!

Since opening a new computer lab, the Daphne Public Library has added numerous technological features - including ZoomText!

Read all about it!

In the December issue of ZoomNews, we asked you to tell us about your computer use and the different ways you access the Internet.  First off, congratulations to Denis Roy whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants - he won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!

There was a lot of interesting information that came out of the survey:

• The most popular email client is Outlook.


• There was a tie between the iPhone and Internet connected TV for the most common other device you own that can access the internet.


• The majority of you said you spend between 51 and 90% of your time on the internet when you’re at the computer.


• Most of you use your computer to consume information and for entertainment.

If you want to take a peek at all the results, here’s a summary in a PDF document.

For Matt Breen, an Edmonton-based financial advisor at TD who is legally blind, ZoomText is the one piece of technology he can’t live without!

Read all about it!

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.

Read the entire story

Recently, we decided to donate a copy of ZoomText Magnifier/Reader to a different organization every time we reached another 100 fans on Facebook.  Our campaign to 1,000 fans is going strong - so strong in fact that we’re extending this until we reach 1,500!  So far we’ve donated a copy of ZoomText to the following organizations:

• @600:  Foundation Fighting Blindness
• @700:  Alberta Society for the Visually Impaired (ASVI)
• @800:  Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS)
• @900:  Adaptive Computer Empowerment Services (A.C.E.S)

Let’s help to keep it going!  Simply click the Facebook icon to the right or go onto our Facebook page and click the Like button at the top.

Have a suggestion for the next organization to donate to?  Just send an email to Becca and let us know your thoughts!

In the February issue of ZoomNews, we asked you the following questions:  “What was the best development for visually impaired in the last 20 years?  What would you most ideally like to see developed in the next 10 years?” First off, congratulations to Steven Kessler whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants - he won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!

So many great ideas were presented!  Here’s a list of the top 5 best developments in the last 20 years:

• ZoomText - cheers!  Thanks for making us #1 on your list!
• CCTV magnifiers
• Screen readers
• Computer accessibility
• iPhone

As for your wishes for the future, here are the top five most requested developments:

• Voice controlled, auto-running car (driverless car)/car that the blind can drive
• More voice controlled products
• Better cell phone accessibility
• Independent travel
• More talking electrical appliances

If you want to take a peek at all the results, here’s the entire list of the best developments in the past 20 years and here’s the entire list of the developments you’d like to see in the next 10.  Or you can check out the Excel sheet summary.

The Fergus library in Ontario recently celebrated their 100th anniversary.  Not only that but they offer ZoomText to their patrons who are visually impaired!

Read all about it!

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.

Are you new to ZoomText and want to know more about the product and its features?  Maybe you just downloaded the trial and would like some help figuring out the basics or maybe you’re a new ZoomText “owner”!

We’re here to help - we hold weekly webinars on Monday at 3 PM EST and Wednesday at 12 PM EST and we cover all the basics of ZoomText to get you up and running.  These are quick, 30 minute sessions, with an additional 15 minutes in case you’d like to ask questions.

These are free, but you do have to register for the session you’d like to attend.  Head on over to our training page to sign up today!  If you have any questions you can also email us at .

For those who would like some more in depth training, we are offering a one hour webinar on December 14th starting at 11:00 AM EST entitled “Understanding ZoomText Reading Features”.  It will focus on how to use and configure the reading features within ZoomText: AppReader, DocReader, and the typing and program echo configurations.  It’s also free!  Go online to sign up - after you do so, you’ll receive an email confirmation containing information about joining the webinar.

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.

Read the entire story

It’s rare for me to be done with my holiday shopping so early in the month.  Pretty sure that some of you reading this are jealous because you are struggling to find a gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list.

Ai Squared gift certificates to the rescue! What better gift to give than letting them pick out something from our growing list of products.  It’s good for absolutely anything we sell and it never expires.

Give us a call at 800-859-0270 to order yours today.  You can purchase one in any amount you’d like and we’ll send you an e-certificate and also mail one to you so you’ll be sure to have something ready at gift giving time.

Happy holidays from the Ai Squared family to yours!

ZoomText user Lauren Tappen wrote to us a little while ago to let us know about a great movie called Going Blind that had just made its debut in New York City.  She thought it would be the perfect thing to share in ZoomNews and we agree!

Here’s a short synopsis of the movie as found on Going Blind’s website:

“Going Blind is a unique documentary film that increases public awareness of sight loss and low vision issues profoundly affecting the lives of more and more people and those who love them.

Documentary film director and journalist Joe Lovett has glaucoma, a disease that robs 4.5 million people of their vision world wide. Over the years, Joe has lost a significant amount of vision and in his concern about how to deal with more vision loss, he has started to talk with people who have already lost theirs; people who have lost their sight through blinding diseases like diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, others through infection and accidents.

Some of the people he meets on the street, stopping to ask if they have time to talk. Each one has a fascinating story about dealing with the loss we fear most, the loss of sight.”

Currently, the film is only available for purchase for educational and institutional licensing, but there are a bunch of videos that you can watch or you can just read more about the characters who are featured in the film.  Perhaps you are involved with an organization and you’d like more information about how you can use the film.  If so, just download their outreach kit.

Thanks again to Lauren for the great information!

David Peverell is celebrating after achieving A and AS-levels while studying at Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough.  A-levels are studied over a two year period and are the standard entry qualification for assessing the suitability of applicants for academic courses in English, Welsh and Northern Irish universities.  And he credits ZoomText, among other things of course, for his success!

Read all about it!

Bill McCann is the founder and president of Dancing Dots Braille Music Technology, the company that has been helping blind and low vision musicians make music since 1992.  His company created the world’s first commercial Braille music translator software, GOODFEEL and has pioneered in the area of creating what he calls “accessible scores”.  Dancing Dots markets an access solution for creating professional-sounding, multi-track audio productions.  Their latest products enable low vision musicians to read and to write music in an accessible environment. 

The Lime Lighter displays printed music notation using the traditional five-line staff. You can magnify the music up to 10 times the original size and can even edit the music and print it out. But, for most people with low vision, this technology will be of interest as a way of reading music comfortably.  Use it in conjuntion with the SharpEye software, which lets you scans printed music and it will convert it to various music file formats.  To round out the experience, use Lime Aloud to create and print editions of your own musical ideas!

For more information, go to the Dancing Dots website or you can watch a video of Bill demoing the Lime Lighter at a recent conference.

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!

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

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!

Ai Squared is proud to announce ZoomContacts for the iPad & iPad 2!  ZoomContacts is the perfect “Large Print” contact application for iPad users who have difficulty seeing the small text on their screen.  ZoomContacts uses Apple’s internal Contacts database to store and manage information but presents it using multiple font size and color combination choices.  This makes it easier on the eyes for those folks who could use a little visual assistance.

ZoomContacts is available now in the iTunes App Store for $4.99.

Want to see the app in action? Watch the video right here by clicking on the play button below or go onto YouTube and watch it there.  For even more information, check out our mobile site.

The visually impaired are getting to grips with the potential of PCs – thanks to a bit of expert help, some clever software (hint:  it’s ZoomText!!) and the use of a modern computer suite.

Read all about it!

ITNGreaterBoston is a new community-based transportation alternative that enables the elderly and adults who are visually impaired to remain mobile, active and independent.  This is an affiliate of ITNAmerica, the first national non-profit transportation network for seniors and adults who are visually impaired.  This network brings together families, businesses, healthcare providers and community organizations to weave a strong web of support to help these two groups continue to live independently.

The Greater Boston affiliate will begin with services in core areas of Boston, adjacent communities, and Metrowest towns, with the hopes of gradual expansion as resources, infrastructure and community support grow. Riders’ services should begin by late 2011.

Rides are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for any purpose within the service area.  Rides are provided in private automobiles by trained drivers, who offer companionship and support.  Adult 60 years of age and older or adults with vision impairments are eligible to join.  Rides may be booked at any time and discounts are applied for shared rides and advance notice.  They even offer door-through-door service with help for packages and heavy doors.

If you live in the Boston area, definitely check this out.  If you’re elsewhere, they may be another affiliate of ITNAmerica right around the corner!

The center offers information, referrals for people needing help from other sources, peer support and advocacy for the blind and visually impaired - one of their services is a computer class where students learn how to use ZoomText!

Read all about it!

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.

Sign up today!

According to Barb Snapp, KSD elementary counselor, “ZoomText is easy for students to navigate. KSD students will use the software to supplement their natural visual strengths, allowing them to use computer technology effectively.”

Read the entire story

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Large-Print Keyboard survey from the last ZoomNews issue.  Congratulations to Matthew Robinson whose name was chosen in the raffle - he won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!

Here’s a short recap of the results:

• 46% of the participants already own a ZoomText Large-Print Keyboard and most of you that do, own the black-on-yellow version.
• The top two requested features for a future keyboard are to offer a wireless version followed by selling one that’s backlit.
• As for future color schemes, the most popular was black-on-white.

If you’d like to see the complete details, you can download a PDF document that contains the graphical results, or you can view it as an Excel spreadsheet - there are a bunch of sheets down at the bottom to look through.

Do you own one of our ZoomText Large-Print Keyboards and recently upgraded to ZoomText 10?  Depending on what version of the keyboard you have, you will either have to download a software update or you may have to purchase a new keyboard.

If your keyboard has circular buttons at the top that are labeled with icons, you just need to download a free software update and you’ll be up and running.  You can find that here:  http://bit.ly/w4n7ym.  If you are unable to download the update, you can call us (800-859-0270) and we’ll mail you out a CD.

A long time ago, our keyboard was styled differently and actually had words across the top with oblong buttons instead of circles.  If you own this old version, it is unfortunately not compatible with ZoomText 10.  However, we’ll sell you a new one for the discounted rate of $50 (normally they are $99).  Give us a call if you’d like to order - 800-859-0270.

At the Florida Center for the Blind, students can take courses on assistive technology and ZoomText is one of the products they cover!

Read the entire story

Deanna Jones, a third-year law student who’s legally blind and learning disabled, has won her first big court case: her own.  Jones sued the National Conference of Bar Examiners in July, accusing it of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by refusing to let her take a key legal ethics exam using ZoomText and Kurzweil 3000.

Read all about it!

One of the computers in the free public computer lab at the T.B. Scott Library in Wisconsin is equipped with ZoomText to assist their patrons who are visually impaired!

Read the entire story

Texas County’s library system will receive a major upgrade in technology thanks to success in securing grants - including ZoomText Magnifier/Reader!

Read the entire story

The Brigantine Lions donated a gift to the Atlantic County Library Foundation to be used at the Brigantine branch of the Atlantic County Library system.  That gift was ZoomText to be used on their public-access computer for their patrons who are visually impaired!

Read all about it!

Disabilities are a reality for many students at colleges and universities, but cutting-edge technology (including ZoomText!), modern teaching methods and specialized services can make education less of an obstacle at CSU Monterey Bay, Monterey Peninsula College and Hartnell College.

Read the entire story

A while back, support technician Lloyd talked to a ZoomText customer who owns and runs a really cool business, the Low Vision Chef.  We thought it was the perfect thing to share with the rest of our customers!

Here’s a little information about this company from their site:

“Our goal is to make your cooking easier, which will promote independent living and a healthy lifestyle.  Low Vision Chef put
together a line of kitchenware in bold colors with tactile cues.  We sell these utensils here to help you adapt in the kitchen with your loss of vision.

To keep yourself cooking, use bright color, lighting, offset color, unique and broad head tools, along with our color combinations which act as a vision aid to the visually impaired cook.

This site was designed after watching my wife, a career chef, work through learning to cook with low vision over the past 9 years.

You should not let the vision impairment be a white flag in the kitchen, your family still needs fresh healthy food to eat.”

Stop by their site to get those last minute holiday gifts for the foodie on your list!

The other day, our support technician Lloyd spoke with someone who works for Mind’s Eye Travel, an organization that creates tours for people who are blind or visually impaired.  We thought it was the perfect thing to share with you!

Travel planning can be a stressful and time consuming process - even more so when you’re visually impaired.  Luckily there are organizations like Mind’s Eye Travel to help you with the details to just relax and enjoy your vacation.  Their prices include sighted guide assistance and assistance with the following:

• Immigration Documents
• Boarding Passes
• Cruise Line Bag Tags
• Embarkation & Disembarkation
• Orientation & Mobility While Onboard Ship
• Front Row Seating in Shows
• Shore Excursions
• Menu Assistance
• Braille Deck Plans
• Airline Bookings

Take a look at their website for more information.  They’ve got some really exciting trips in the coming months - the next one is a tour of the Grand Mediterranean from Venice to Barcelona!  Be careful - if you’re planning on going on that trip, I just might try to squeeze into your suitcase.

In the next week or so, we’re going to be releasing a new app!  This time around it’s for the iPad and iPad 2.

This time around, we developed an app that isn’t specifically “assistive technology” but it’s more of a lifestyle app that an even wider audience would find useful in their everyday lives.

We promise to spill all the details soon, so keep an eye on your inbox!!

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!

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!

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!

Read the entire story

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!

In the October issue of ZoomNews, we asked you to tell us what app you would most like to have on your phone to make your life easier.  First off, congratulations to Ruth Weber whose name was chosen in the raffle from all the participants - she won a $100 Amazon.com gift certificate!

You sent in so many great suggestions!  Here are the top five requests:

• ZoomText for my phone
• Magnifier app to enlarge whatever’s on screen
• Text-to-Speech (screen reader)
• Use my phone’s camera to make it into a video magnifier/OCR to read out loud
• Speech recognition (speech to text)

If you want to take a peek at all the results, here’s a summary in a PDF document.

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 - . 

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!

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.

Read the entire story

At the recent ATIA conference in Chicago, I came across one booth in particular that really caught my eye - it was for something called the Pass It On Center.  One reason might have been that they had the ZoomText Large-Print Keyboard right on their poster!

Basically, it’s an assistive technology reuse program which connects users (who cannot afford the full price of AT or who do not qualify for funding through insurance or other benefit channels) to resources or centers near them that sell refurbished AT.  That way, people with disabilities can get the affordable AT they need in order to live, learn, work and play more independently.  They also provide technical assistance and support to current and emerging programs by conducting site visits, teleconferences and monthly webinars.

Check out their “Find AT” page - here you can click on your state to find Reuse locations near you or browse through the list of exchange centers across the country.  Or maybe you have a piece of old AT that you no longer use and is just collecting dust - this is a great place to donate to and ensure that it will go to someone who truly needs it.

Peter Berton is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Relations at USC - and also a ZoomText user!  Check out the profile of him in the “Dornsife Life” magazine, a publication of USC (it’s on pages 10 and 11).

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!

Read the entire story

And here’s another story about Kurt and his photography career, again with the help of ZoomText!

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!

Read the entire story

Working here at Ai Squared, we get to know a lot of our users through email correspondence.  Cathy Gettel, our Dealer Network Manager, has gotten to know Linda Joy Curtis over the years and recently, she sent Cathy one of her poems.  We thought it was the perfect thing to share with you all!

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.

The Region VII Area Agency on Aging has installed software on agency computers to assist people who are blind or visually impaired - including ZoomText!

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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! 

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!

Technology - including ZoomText - is part of the focus as seven North Dakota teens visit North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind in Grand Forks for a short-term program in study, social and daily living skills.

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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. 

Jen Tylock pole vaults, skis, hikes, plays the French horn, rides a unicycle, walks on a tightrope and juggles.  And did I mention she’s also a ZoomText user?

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The same technology used to make smartphones and tablets interactive doubles as therapy for people with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and other disabilities, turning mobile devices into valuable components of the rehabilitative process.  ZoomReader was one of the technologies discussed in this article!

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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!

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As you might have heard, we launched a terrific new product - our own handheld video magnifier called the i-loview!  We partnered with Chris Park Designs to bring you the best video magnifier on the market today.

Not only is it the best, but we’re offering it at a reduced price of $645 for our first 200 sales.  There’s still time to get in on the deal.  After those first 200 are sold, the price goes to $695, so strike while the iron is hot!  Give us a call at 800-859-0270, go online to make your purchase today, or contact one of our resellers in your area.

In case you don’t know what we’re talking about or just want some more info...the i-loview is a beautifully designed piece of hardware with unparalleled functionality. In our opinion, the i-loview is easily the best handheld video magnifier on the market today.

We’ve also got more information online plus there’s two great videos for you to watch: a general overview video as well as one that covers its advanced features.  Get your hands on one today!

The assistive technology department at the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind teaches people with little or no vision how to use computers with assisted software - including ZoomText!

Read all about it!