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

[David Andrews]

Well, blind persons are a small minority, so they only do what they 
have to, and don't make a big deal about it.  Also, somewhere I read 
that the accessibility stuff was listed somewhere under experimental 
features -- so they may be gradually introducing it.

They are making a big deal about changing and enlarging the font.

Dave

At 07:50 AM 7/30/2010, you wrote:
>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:  dandrews at visi.com
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