[Electronics-talk] Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Commends Amazon on Unveiling of New Accessible Kindle

[Bob Hicks]

Good morning David.  I got an email from Amazon this morning about all their 
new models of the Kindle, but it doesn't mention anything about increased 
accessibility.  Any idea why that would be?  thanks

Best regards,

Bob Hicks
Access Technology Specialist
Seeing Hand Association, Inc.
304-232-4810
<bob at seeinghandassociation.com>
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 1:28 PM
Subject: [Electronics-talk] Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Commends 
Amazon on Unveiling of New Accessible Kindle


>
>>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>
>>
>>
>>CONTACT:
>>
>>Chris Danielsen
>>
>>Director of Public Relations
>>
>>National Federation of the Blind
>>
>>(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>>
>>(410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>>
>><mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
>>
>>
>>
>>National Federation of the Blind Commends Amazon
>>  on Unveiling of New Accessible Kindle
>>
>>
>>
>>Baltimore, Maryland (July 29, 2010): The National Federation of the Blind 
>>(NFB) today commended Amazon on the unveiling of a new, accessible Kindle. 
>>Amazon announced Wednesday that the new Kindle will come equipped with a 
>>voice guide that reads all menu options aloud so blind and other 
>>print-disabled people can navigate the device menus.
>>
>>
>>
>>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: 
>>"We commend Amazon on the unveiling of a new Kindle that blind and 
>>print-disabled people can use.  In order to compete in today's digital 
>>society, blind and print-disabled people must be able to access the same 
>>reading technologies as the sighted.  The National Federation of the Blind 
>>has long been urging Amazon to make its reading device accessible, and we 
>>are pleased that our efforts have come to fruition."
>>
>>
>>
>>In June 2009 the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council 
>>of the Blind (ACB) filed suit against Arizona State University (ASU) to 
>>prevent the university from deploying Amazon's Kindle DX electronic 
>>reading device as a means of distributing electronic textbooks to its 
>>students because the device cannot be used by blind students.  The Kindle 
>>DX featured text-to-speech technology that can read textbooks aloud to 
>>blind students.  The menus of the device were not accessible to the blind, 
>>however, making it impossible for a blind user to purchase books from 
>>Amazon's Kindle store, select a book to read, activate the text-to-speech 
>>feature, and use the advanced reading functions available on the Kindle 
>>DX.
>>
>>
>>
>>For more information on the National Federation of the Blind, please visit 
>><http://www.nfb.org/>www.nfb.org.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>###
>>
>>
>>
>>About the National Federation of the Blind
>>
>>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the 
>>largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in 
>>the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through 
>>advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging 
>>independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the 
>>blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 
>>2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan 
>>Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for 
>>the blind led by the blind.
>
>         David Andrews and long white cane Harry, dandrews at visi.com
> Follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920
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