Month: May 2013

In this Tech Doctor podcast, Allison and Robert speak with access technology specialist Chris Grabowski. Chris has recently launched a new access technology training and consultation business called
Mystic Access

The first product from Mystic Access is a comprehensive Sense Navigation GPS tutorial. Sense Navigation is the GPS software that runs on the Hims Braille Sense family of products.

Prior to starting Mystic Access, Chris worked for many years providing technical support for the Sendero Group which developed the Sense Navigation software for Hims. Chris’s years of experience and thorough understanding of what people need to know to get the most out of the Sense Navigation software is evident in the quality and content of the tutorial. We feel that this tutorial is essential for anyone who owns a Braille Sense and wants to make the most of the Sense Navigation GPS software.

The tutorial is available in mp3 audio format and can be purchased and downloaded from the
Mystic Access home page.

In addition to running the new business, Chris is a fellow podcaster. When you check out the
Mystic Access Podcast
be sure to listen to a recent episode where Chris provides a sample of the SenseNav tutorial. The podcast is available through iTunes or via your favorite podcast listening client. Simply do a search for “Mystic Access.”

In addition to contacting Chris through his website, you can follow
Chris On Twitter

Thanks Chris and best of luck with the new venture.

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In this Tech Doctor episode, Allison and Robert get to know Laura Legendary. Laura is a writer, public speaker, disability advocate and small business owner. Laura tells us the fascinating story of how the idea for her unique jewelry design, manufacturing and marketing business came to be. We explore the challenges and rewards of starting and running a business.

Laura has conquered some of the accessibility challenges by switching from the Motorola Q to the Apple iPhone. We talk, for example, about how the iPhone can be used to accessibly accept and process credit card payments while at a remote location such as a conference or trade show. Laura offered a few creative suggestions on how the iPhone could be improved as well.

Click Here
To learn more about the jewelry that Laura manufactures and sells.

Go
Here
to learn more about Laura’s public speaking and advocacy work.

Keep growing and learn along with Laura by reading her
Blog

Thanks Laura. It was a pleasure getting to know you.

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Imagine a world where a totally blind person has access to over 1.8 million books and magazines. Imagining and hoping is exactly what Allison Hartley has done for the last several years. Until a few days before recording this podcast, much of the Amazon Kindle content was inaccessible. The limited content that was accessible was frustrating and to work with and marginally accessible at best.

In this podcast, you will hear Allison and Robert’s surprise and delight when they discovered that on May 1st, Amazon quietly rolled out an update that makes the iOS Kindle app fully VoiceOver compatible.

Allison and Robert discuss the very polished and highly functional UI. Allison demonstrates how she can read and navigate MacWorld magazine. They explain several ways of purchasing kindle content either from an iOS device or a computer. Fortunately, purchasing is easy and fully accessible.

Robert and Allison discuss the reaction of some of the leaders in the blindness community to the release of this app. Robert and Allison express their disappointment with the tone of the NFB
Press Release
concerning the app. We feel that now is the time for celebrating progress rather than making demands. That said, the NFB Technology Center published a comprehensive review on the
NFB Technology Blog
Allison and Robert feel that giving the app only a “c” grade overall was too low, we recommend the reading of this review to learn a lot about this app.

At the time of this podcast, the most complete and informative demonstration of the app has been published by David Woodbridge and is available as an
Applevis Podcast.

Finally, Robert and Allison are delighted by the coverage that the app becoming accessible is receiving in the mainstream press. Allison and Robert are thrilled to have been guests on
The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Sunday evening Talkcast. We discussed the topic of
Accessibility
in general and the accessibility of the Kindle app specifically.

We encourage every iOS user to download this free Kindle app and join the celebration.

Happy Reading you all.

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