Listen to our SPN Special: State of Technology, with Mike calvo
In this special discussing the state of technology, Ricky Enger is joined by Mike Calvo and Joe Orozco to explore happenings in mainstream and assistive technology.
The talk begins by exploring Serotek’s view on the screen reader in general, and expands to cover specifics about System Access as well as free screen readers such as Voiceover, Narrator and NVDA. The team then discusses the role that the SeroTalk Podcast Network plays in bringing unbiased news about mainstream and assistive technology to the community, and provides a way for AT companies to work together for the benefit of all.
The community talk continues with a discussion of Serotek’s new Socializer, available with a SAMNet or Accessibility Anywhere subscription. After that, the discussion turns to updates in mainstream technology, focusing on accessibility of and availability of ebooks. The Amazon Kindle app was discussed in detail, along with the Nook and iBooks apps. Bookshare, Audible and NLS are discussed, and the group explores what it means for the blindness community to have access to more books than ever before. The group closes with Mike Calvo giving a brief glimpse of the future of Serotek as well as a look at the future of mainstream and assistive technology in the blindness community.
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Well, I have to agree that we as blind people need to be responsible as much as we can for our needs! But to call NLS and other services that the government does for us as tax payers! Yes Blind people are tax payers as well. Is not entitlements! If you want to talk about entitlements then let’s start with all these outrageous salaries and benefits we are paying to our elected leaders! Then all these outrageous salaries and benefits we are paying to public employees! Not all public employees but a big part of them. Let’s stop spending outrageous money on stupid projects that takes outrageous money for and do not really help anyone! Let’s stop paying 300 bucks for a hammer and building buildings that we don’t need at all in a war that the military never wanted! So there are lots of places to cut from then cut the benefit that is helping a handicap person or an old person or a very poor person and so on! Let’s start there then we can talk about getting rid of entitlements for handicap people like the blind and so forth! This is my JMO!
Great podcast. As for me what I think about technology it has and keeps on changing, it should really be on the person making the choice which meets their needs instead of the rehab system deciding for them. I have always done that cause the only person who knows you is well you. I still rely on NLS both for e braille as well as hard copied brailled materials, plus I use NFBnewsline to keep up whats going on in the world, as well as facebook and twitter. I still use a PC for daily stuff pretty soon am going to get an ipod touch which meet my needs mainly going to be using it as a note taking device with a braille keyboard which I think will get the job done. You mentioned it sure would be great to sit down and check out the TV guide just like everyone else? I have heard the talking cable boxes, when is that going to come to the US? Last have heard was at least two years ago since the UK has them I would love to hook up the cable box and independently program the box also would love to see talking TVs. Yes don’t know about AT stuff where it is going but think for some people they still could benefit and put that with a main stream device whatever works. Hope to hear more podcasts great job.