Presenters: Rob Turner, Glenn Ervin, and Kelly Sapergia Responding to yor many requests, Tek Talk Online Training will start its weekly programming with three knowledgeable trainers discussing the way to convert files to MP3 format using OpenBook, Text Aloud and DSpeech. Step by step instructions, along with a review of each program's features, will enable you to create sound files quickly.
Presenter: Charlene Vormeng
Thanks to a variety of free Internet software, computer users can communicate instantly with colleagues and friends around the world. However, selecting the service that best suits your needs can be challenging. Join Charlene during next Monday's Accessible World Tek Talk training as she demonstrates key features and screen reader accessibility of AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger.
Presenter: Dave Williams, Mobile Products Manager, Dolphin Computer Access Limited.
(dave.williams@dolphinuk.co.uk)
(http://www.yourdolphin.com)
We are especially pleased to announce this week's Tek Talk event will spotlight Dolphin Access Solutions Limited, a company that for more than 20 years has been creating software solutions that enable those with vision and print impairment to enjoy the same level of independence as their peers.
Presenter: Jeff Levy of KNX Radio Computer News. jeffknx@yahoo.com.
http://www.knx1070..com
Presenter: Woody Anna Dresner, National Braille Press. adresner@nbp.org
(888) 965-8965 http://www.nbp.org
If you have subscribed to Audible.com, the popular source for a wide variety of audio content, and use a screen reader, it is certain you have experienced some frustrations navigating its information packed web pages.
During this week's Accessible World Tek Talk event Anna Dresner, acclaimed author of several technology books and editor of numerous publications, will provide the basic steps to minimize, if not eliminate altogether, many problem areas.
Presenter: John Glass, Customer Support Manager, Bookshare.
john.g@benetech.org. 650 644-3403. http://www.bookshare.org
Presenter: Michael Curran, Australia. Email: mick@kulgan.net.
www.nvda-project.org
Presentation 1:
the Accessible World Tek Talk event focused on NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA), a free and open source screen reader for Microsoft Windows Created by Michael Curran, with help from James Teh and others. During the demonstration, you will learn how NVDA enables blind and vision impaired people to use their computers for no more cost than the computer and Operating System itself.
Presenters: Rob Turner. 818-445-8853. rbturner1@sbcglobal.net
Mike Stearn
Two experienced computer and access technology veterans will compare the PAC Mate and BrailleNote mPower note takers from a consumer's perspective. Some of the features to be compared are: built-in help, synchronizing data with a PC, editing text, web browsing, and file management. Audience participants asked questions and offer their feedback.
Presenter: Mike Gibson, Blindness Product Specialist. 800-722-3393 Ext 264.
Email: mike.gibson@humanware.com. http://www.humanware.com.
Part Two of the comparison between two popular notetakers during the Tek Talk online event Monday, May 7, 2007. Last week the features of Freedom Scientifics' Pac Mate were reviewed in detail. This week discussion will focus on the HumanWare's BrailleNote mPower.
Presenter: Matthew Bullis, Phoenix, Arizona. matthewbullis@runbox.com
Although shopping online is extremely popular with most computer users, using screen readers to navigate eBay, Amazon and other attractive and feature rich websites makes the task challenging and sometimes nearly impossible. Join us this week in the Accessible World Tek Talk training room where Matthew Bullis, a blind experienced computer user, will share ways he has learned to successfully buy and sell on eBay.
Presenter 1: Walt Kramer (wokwest@charter.net)
Presenter 2: Gene Asner [gsasner@ripco.com]
Presenter: Devon Wilkins, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
theharness@rogers.com
Tek Talk focused this week on the DS-40 Olympus slim, handheld digital voice recorder. You will learn how the device provides the versatility Needed to get the most out of digital voice recording, playback and management. Its 512 MB built-in memory provides up to 134 hours. Of multi-media format recording, including the ability to download and create podcasts.
Presenters: Gene Asner gsasner@ripco.com
Rob Turner. rbturner1@sbcglobal.net
If there is one experience all computer users have it is having a program or programs freeze or crash. When it happens, either we panic and vow never to use a computer again, or we calmly determine the cause and take the necessary steps to bring our computer back to life. Admittedly, it requires knowledge to take the latter approach.
Presenter: Rob Hancik rhancik@verizon.net
The Accessible World Tek Talk online training this week focused on GoldWave, one of the most popular and highest rated audio editors for Windows. GoldWave is a professional digital audio editor that can be used to play, edit, mix, restore, and analyze audio, or apply special effects, such as fade, equalizer, doppler, mechanize, echo, reverse, time warp, noise reduction, pop/click filter. New files can be recorded from cassettes, albums, radio, microphone, etc. or digitally copied from audio CDs.
Presenter: Dean Martineau, Top Dot Enterprises. dean@topdotenterprises.com
http://www.topdotenterprises.com
Do you ever become frustrated with the limitations of My Computer or windows Explorer for managing your files? Would you like to learn about a free program that is both more powerful than the aforementioned ones and at the same time is designed with the needs of visually-impaired keyboard users in mind? Jamal Mazrui has created TextPal, a free file manager with great power and flexibility. Many of its capabilities will be demonstrated during the next Tek Talk training event.
Presenters:
Mike Gibson, Blindness Product Specialist 800-722-3393 Ext 264
Email: mike.gibson@humanware.com
Gerry Chevalier, Victor Reader Product Manager
Email: gerry.chevalier@humanware.com
http://www.humanware.com.
The Victor Reader Stream is the most compact, most powerful DAISY player to date. Blind and low vision people can comfortably hold this new player in the palm of their hand (4.6 inches x 2.6 inches x 0.9 inches) and have the flexibility to quickly and accurately access content from digital audio books.
Presenter: Jonathan Mosen., Vice President, Blindness Hardware Product, Management Freedom Scientific BLV Group LLC. Phone in USA: 800-444-4443.
Worldwide Phone: 727-803-8000. Email: jmosen@FreedomScientific.com .
Web: http://www.freedomscientific.com.
Presenter: Raul Gallegos , GW Micro, Fort Wayne, Indiana. 260-489-3671.
Email: sales@gwmicro.com or support@gwmicro.com. http://www.gwmicro.com
Presenter: Joseph Lee, Los Angeles, California.
Email: joseph.lee22590@blindsea.com
Presenters: Kelly Sapergia Email: ksapergia@sasktel.net
Gene Asner Email: gsasner@ripco.com
Although podcasting is considered by many to be one of the most popular forms of Internet communication, defining, creating and editing podcasts is still a mystery to many individuals. This week's Tek Talk online training event will definitely solve that mystery as Kelly Sapergia will begin by giving a brief overview of a podcast, discuss how to prepare for and create one, and give a short demonstration on how to put one together with Sound Forge.
Presenter: Glenn Ervin, Norfolk, Nebraska.
Having access to off-the-shelf mp3 players, such as Apple's iPod, is a major concern to blind computer users. This week the Accessible World Tek Talk online training event will demonstrate how Rockbox, an open source firmware replacement for a growing number of MP3 players, is providing that access. Rockbox aims to be considerably more functional and efficient than the manufacturer's device's stock firmware while remaining easy to use and customizable.
Presenter: Stephen Baum, Vice President, Kurzweil Educational Systems. 800-894-5374 Ext. 618
Email: steve@kesi.com. Web: http://www.kesi.com
The Accessible World Tek Talk event this week focused on optical character recognition (OCR), one of the major technologies that has played a significant role in providing access to the printed page for those with disabilities. Leading the discussion will be Kurzweil Vice-President Stephen Baum, a recognized OCR authority.
Presenter: Jerry Swerdlick, President and CEO, Electronic Vision
Access Solutions, Westerly, Rhode Island. 800-872-3827.
Email : jswerdlick@evas.com Web: https://www.swiftpage4.com/evas.
Presenter: Mike Gibson, Blindness Product Specialist Colorado 800-722-3393 ext 264
mike.gibson@humanware.com
Dan Brown, Blindness Sales Representative Texas 800-722-3393, Ext. 272 Dan.Brown@humanware.com
Presenter: Catherine T. Gettel, Dealer Network Sales Manager,
Ai Squared Making Accessibility Simple R. 802-362-3612 x114
Email: cgettel@aisquared.com
Web: htt//pwww.aisquared.com
Presenter: Kelly Sapergia, KJS Productions.
306-692-2215
Email: ksapergia@sasktel.net
Web: http://www.ksapergia.net
Much interest has been expressed in learning more about the variety of information available in hundreds of podcasts. The Accessible World Tek Talk program this week will provide an abundance of useful information on the topic as Kelly Sapergia will discuss what Podcasting is and how to take full advantage of it. He will discuss and demonstrate ways of finding and subscribing to a podcast, and how to retrieve podcasts via the web and podcatcher software.
Presenter: Raul Gallegos , GW Micro Technical Support, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
260-489-3671.
Email: raul@gwmicro.com
Web: http://www.gwmicro.com
Moderator: Walt Kramer
Email: wokwest@charter.net.
So, you've found a new internet radio station you like a lot. But you're being driven crazy by your own screen reader, which insists on reading all that stuff in the various pop-up windows on the station's site?
Solutions to this and many other such dilemmas will be offered this week during the Accessible World Tek Talk first online open forum.
Forum moderator, Walt Kramer, and other Tech Talk team members will be standing by then to answer your questions.
Presenters: Brian Hartgen, Technical Consultant and Product Developer, T&T Consultancy Ltd, U.K..
Email: Brian.Hartgen@tandt-consultancy.com.
Terry Clasper, Managing Director, T&T Consultancy Ltd, U.K..
Edward Rosenthal, President and CEO, Next Generation Technologies, North American Distributor.
Scott Erichsen, Technical Consultant T&T Consultancy Australia PTY Limited
Presenter: Gene Asner, Chicago.
Email: gsasner@ripco.com
An important source of information about how to use programs and what they can do is the help included with just about every program. A large number of blind computer users don't know how to use such help.
This week the Accessible World in partnership with Talking Communities has asked Gene Asner to give a presentation demonstrating how to use a standard Windows help system, the kind used in most programs.
Presenter: Tony Swartz Email: tbswartz@ptd.net
Web: www.accessible-devices.com/edsharp.html
Presenters: Bob Crane - C. Crane Company
Denise Russell - Speak To Me Catalog
Dale Campbell - Blind Mice Mart
Pat Ferguson - Ferguson Enterprises
Do you still need some new ideas for unique, fun, practical and yet affordable Christmas, other religious events, birthdays, anniversaries, or just thinking of you gifts for family and friends? Do you also need to find gifts that are especially useful to those who are blind or visually impaired?
Presenter: Gerry Chevalier, Victor Reader Product Manager, Humanware
Email: gerry.chevalier@humanware.com
.Phone: 800-722-3393
http://www.humanware.com
As we approach the first anniversary of the Victor Reader Stream, Accessible World
Tech Talk wants to hear from Stream users. Monday August 25 we will host a user forum
for the Victor Reader Stream. We invite you to tell us your story. What has the Stream
done to change the way you access information? How and why do you use your Stream?
How has it changed your life as a student, working age adult, or how do you just
plain have fun with it? Have you used it for unusual purposes that perhaps others
have not thought of? Do you have tips and tricks to share with your fellow Stream
Choosing just the right present for those on your holiday gift list will be much
easier again this year thanks to the upcoming free online Stocking Stuffers event
hosted by the Accessible World on Monday, November 3, and Monday, November 10, 2008.
Both days will feature a number of manufacturers and product Distributors who provide
useful and accessible products for celebrating religious holidays, to remember a
birthday or anniversary, to send get well wishes or express gratitude to a special
person in your life. you will have an opportunity to learn about a myriad of unique,
If you are still looking for that special present to please the most
discriminating family member, friend or colleague on your shopping list,
plan now to attend this week's Accessible World's free online Stocking
Stuffers 2008 Part Two event. It will feature three more manufacturers and
product distributors who provide useful and accessible products for
celebrating religious holidays, to remember a birthday or anniversary, to
send get well wishes or express gratitude to a special person in your life.
You will have an opportunity to learn about a myriad of unique, fun,
Accessible World is pleased to welcome you to the first part of our two part-series of Stocking Stuffers for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza.
We shall be presenting several vendors who will be discussing gift ideas for the holidays.
We shall start our 2009 Stocking Stuffers program with a presentation by Diane Croft, Vice President of Publishing, National Braille Press. She will commence her presentation at 8:00 PM EST to be concluded at 9:00 PM. We shall allow time for questions from our worldwide audience.
Contact information:
Email: orders@nbp.org
Web Site: www.nbp.org.
To listen to the radio you for sure need a radio. But radio aficionados like ourselves
also use a lot of other gear. Antennas, speakers, recording equipment, headphones
- all these items and more can help make our radio listening more rewarding.
For the January edition of Radio Waves we are going to talk about radio-related accessories.
What are the best sounding speakers? How do you prefer to record radio: tape, or
digital formats. Do you use any outboard antennas or amplifiers?
From the super-simple (and cheap) to the elaborate and expensive, radio hobbyists
Accessible World Special Program Series
Lloyd Rasmussen of NLS will unofficially speak to us on how to use the BARD Downloadable
web site. He will give us useful tips for finding books and in general getting around
the site.
Let us now read what Lloyd has to say about his presentation.
Lloyd Rasmussen, a senior electronics engineer at the National Library Service for
the Blind and Physically Handicapped will discuss "the evolution and devolution of
the NLS talking book program". From his perspective, he will be prepared to discuss
Our surprise speaker is Josh Caray, the Grandson of Harry Caray who announced sports programs for 63 years.
Here is a brief Bio of Josh Caray.
Josh Caray is the current television play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Braves Class AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Braves, where he is paired with Brian Jordan.
[1] He also calls football games for the Rome High School Wolves.
[2] Caray is a grandson of the late announcer Harry Caray, and a son of the late Atlanta Braves announcer Skip Caray. His older half-brother, Chip Caray, is also a broadcaster for the Braves.
The featured book this month is Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad, Book 1) by David
Eddings.
Synopsis:
In the distant past, the evil god Torak had stolen the sacred Orb of Aldur, a living
jewel of great power, and sealed it in a cask. The sorcerer Belgarath led a group
who reclaimed the Orb, took it to the Isle of the Winds, and secured it within the
walled city of Riva. Now young Garion, raised by his Aunt Pol at Faldor's farm, is
drawn into a plot to wake the dreaded Torak. Prequel to Queen of Sorcery
NLS: DB30805, (RC ) (BR 8119).
Bookshare link:
Dear Friends,
Our first meeting in July will be a two hour Tek Talk presentation in which you,
the consumer, will have the opportunity to discuss your favorite non-blindness product.
Do you ever find yourself wishing you could tell the world about something you now
use and can't imagine living without?
If you do, , you will have ten minutes in which to tell us Why you love it and why
we will too. How do you use it? Where can we buy it and how much does it cost? Is
there a special feature you particularly like? Please allow some time for questions
during your ten minute presentation.