[Electronics-Talk] Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 18, 2021 - Volume 795

[Top Tech Tidbits]

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 18, 2021 - Volume 795 Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, February 18, 2021 - Volume 795 The Week's News in Adaptive Technology https://toptechtidbits.com/ A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication https://mvsltd.com/ About | Top Tech Tidbits is the world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in Adaptive Technology. Web Version | Read this volume of Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday online at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/tidbits2021/02182021/. Share | Share this volume of Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday on Facebook: http://bit.ly/sharetidbits795. Spam Filter | You have received this email from Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. because you are subscribed to receive the Top Tech Tidbtis for Thursday Email Newsletter. To ensure that you continue to receive the Top Tech Tidbtis for Thursday Email Newsletter please be sure to add the following email address to your Address Book, Email Contact List, Trusted Sender's List, and/or Safe Sender's List today: enews at toptechtidbits.com. This Week's Featured Advertisement: From GuideLights and Gadgets. Finally! Affordable, Accurate, Talking Devices to Monitor Temperature & Blood Pressure! We are excited to offer a commercial-grade, accurate, talking, non-contact infrared thermometer, and a blood pressure meter ($50 each). Now, when your thermometer speaks, you get what we should have had long ago, accurate & consistent temperature readings! These units have been available to hospitals & DME providers; now blind consumers can purchase them directly. Listen to a complete demonstration of both units by Barry Scheur himself using this link: https://youtu.be/ff2vOdTEbpU. Our new Daisy Book and Entertainment "Non-BARD" players with Ivona voices, FM and Internet radio and podcatcher and more, including a 6-hour Mystic Access tutorial. And it now offers 2 things your Stream can't give you: the ability to edit audio files on the player AND a $140 lower price! For a wide variety of electronics, leather bags, and "all things dog" contact: Barry Scheur (617) 969-7500 ☎; bscheur at scheur.com ✉ or KaeAnn Rausch (781) 286-1696 ☎; guidelightdogs at gmail.com ✉ http://www.guidelightsandgadgets.us/. Dear Rolando, 1) Top 5 Most Clicked Tidbits From Last Week A.) Top 5 Keyboard Shortcuts for Speeding Up Search in Outlook: (14.4% of all clicks.) https://www.toptechtidbits.com/5.html B.) How To Scan A QR Code With Your iPhone - No App Required: (13.7% of all clicks.) https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/scan-a-qr-code-iphe8bda8762/ios C.) DuckDuckGo: Why I Switched to it From Google Search: (9.8% of all clicks.) https://9to5mac.com/2021/02/09/duckduckgo/ D.) New App AVA (Autonomous Vehicle Assistant) To Help The Visually Impaired and Seniors to Enjoy Ride-Sharing with Self-Driving Cars: (6.1% of all clicks.) https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/uom-awh012921.php E.) Microsoft Screen Reader Voices Survey: (4.4% of all clicks.) https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v4j5cvGGr0GRqy180BHbR7afTI9gwt5JlZ1kFok_MnZUM05MTlRLNTlaSUZKMEdZT0c1SDZEVDA2Sy4u 2) Narrator for a Day A tech trainer resolves to use Narrator instead of JAWS for his computing activities for an entire day: https://technologyisawesome.com/2021/02/16/narrator-for-a-day/ 3) JAWS Tip: Identifying The Address of a Link https://www.toptechtidbits.com/6.html 4) JAWS Virtual Cursor Support Now Available in Windows 10 Universal Apps Apps such as Weather will be easier to navigate with this update, part of the February 2021 updates: https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/JAWSWhatsNew?utm_content=154609552&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&hss_channel=tw-2382446636 5) Calliope, More Than Just a Media Player This is the first offering from a newly-discovered blind developer and trainer. If you don't need to speed up playback, this free multi-function media player could be a godsend. It allows searching and downloading from YouTube, playlist management, bookmarks, audio streaming, file tagging, library organization, and more: https://www.nathantech.net/products/software/calliope.php 6) Calendar Craziness Another free Windows program, this is a powerful calendar creator and manager with reminders, time display and chimes: https://www.nathantech.net/nathantechsoftware.php 7) Learn To Code In Python This 14-lesson audio tutorial with text transcripts takes you from the beginning to coding a game: https://www.nathantech.net/products/tutorials/python/index.php 8) Learn To Use VoiceOver on iOS Devices Here we have seven tutorials plus extras, all in audio and text format: https://nathantech.net/products/tutorials/ios/index.php 9) Learn To Code In HTML This is an eight-lesson tutorial, almost all with text transcripts: https://www.nathantech.net/products/tutorials/html/index.php 10) Sunrise Waterfall, A Website Building Tool: This final offering from Nathan, although there are many more on his site, is a website builder, documentation creator and Markdown Editor: https://www.nathantech.net/products/software/sunrisewaterfall.php 11) Bookworm - The Universally Accessible e-Book Reader Here's another free Windows app aimed at blind users. This allows for reading EPUB, PDF and other books on a PC: https://blindpandas.com/bookworm/ 12) How to Replace Siri with Google Assistant on iPhone, iPad This could make for a more powerful digital assistant on the iPhone: https://wccftech.com/how-to/how-to-replace-siri-with-google-assistant-on-iphone-ipad/ 13) Workplace Technology Study AFB seeks blind people with all sorts of work history to take this survey: https://www.afb.org/research-and-initiatives/workplace-tech-study 14) What's New in JAWS 2021 Screen Reading Software https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/JAWSWhatsNew#Enhancements 15) What's New in Fusion 2021 and ZoomText 2021 https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/Fusion/FusionWhatsNew#enhancements 16) What's New in ZoomText 2021 https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/ZoomText/ZoomTextWhatsNew#enhancements 17) Learning Management Systems Top 15 Report from Better Buys This is an Excel file so we are providing it as a ZIP file here for easy download. While this breakdown is not specific to accessibility it may still help teachers and buyers to better understand the differences between the top systems being used today: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/downloads/Learning-Management-Systems-Top-15-Report.zip 18) Discover Podcasting at the Kansas State School for the Blind Shout out to the teacher and students of this podcasting course at the Kansas State School for the Blind. Their teacher wrote in to let us know that they sometimes refer to Tidbits in their app classes and asked if we might be willing to list their podcast in future issues. Which we were more than happy to do. So here's a quick introduction. Discover Podcasting at KSSB. Podcasting has been an interest to kids with visual impairments at the Kansas State School for the Blind for several years. They recently purchased equipment and began recording in the Spring of 2020. Topics vary with each episode, but a complete list can be found here: https://discover-podcasting.simplecast.com/ 19) Thunderbird Team Outlines Plans for the Email Client The next major Thunderbird release is version 91. it is scheduled for a release in the third quarter of 2021. The developers have published a roadmap in which they list new features and improvements that they consider integrating in Thunderbird 91 and beyond: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/02/10/thunderbird-team-outlines-plans-for-the-email-client/ 20) The Most Useful Thunderbird Keyboard Shortcuts This guide lists some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts for the Thunderbird email client: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/02/08/the-most-useful-thunderbird-shortcuts/ 21) JAWS QuickTips: Using Voice Schemes From the Freedom Scientific YouTube Channel. Check out their new series "JAWS QuickTips" for insights into how you can optimize JAWS for the best experience for you. Here, Matt Ater demonstrates how to customize JAWS Voice Schemes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eCf4z_esBo ➜ Podcasts 1) Kansas State School For The Blind 16 | More Than a Second Career: How Kimberly Rhea Became a TVI February 5th 2021 | Kimberly Rhea has made an interesting path for herself by the interests and careers experiences she has pursued over the years. She has worked in the business world, taught students in public school, lived through a tornado, and has written several books. In her spare time, she has road motorcycles; made wedding cakes, and told jokes on stage. https://discover-podcasting.simplecast.com/episodes/more-than-a-second-career-how-kimberly-rhea-become-a-tvi 2) Blind Android Users 9 | It's All About Supersense February 14th 2021 | From all of us here at Tidbits, we would like to return the mega shout out that we received in this episode. Can't thank you all enough. We are so very happy to bring your information to our readers. In this episode they are joined by Shane Lo from the "Mediate Lab" group where they discuss the "Supersense app" and its capabilities including his experience with the app as well as some discussion around the "Super LIDAR" app from "Mediate Lab" that is only available on the Apple app store for the iPhone 12 Pro: https://blindandroidusers.com 3) Mosen At Large 98 | Some Apple Slices. Moving Apps, Using Voice Control with VoiceOver, and Reassigning Thumbkeys on the APH Mantis and Similar Braille Displays February 16th 2021 https://mosenatlarge.pinecast.co/episode/4ac75ab9/some-apple-slices-moving-apps-using-voice-control-with-voiceover-and-reassigning-thumb-keys-on-the-aph-mantis-and-similar-braille-displays 4) Blind Tech Guys 73 | A Window into Windows February 16th 2021 | On this episode of the pod, Nimer demonstrated how one can go about setting up Windows 10 from scratch by using Windows Narrator, Marco demonstrated using Unigram with Jaws For Windows on a Windows PC and Kirt ran us through the Task Manager and showed us how powerful it actually is: https://www.blindtechguys.com/73 5) Eyes on Success 2808 | Navilens Update February 17th 2021 | NaviLens uses an app on your smart phone to find and identify customized signs and tags from as far away as 60 feet. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Javier Pita, founder and CEO of NavilLens, about how the system is being used in transportation and other venues to provide location, direction, and other dynamic data to the visually impaired: https://www.eyesonsuccess.net/show%20notes/show%20notes%202108.htm 6) Blind Bargains Qast 221 | The Other Oppisitte Of That February 17th 2021 | The first one of the year, with some new product demos: https://blindbargains.com/bargains.php?m=22072 ➜ Webinars and Training Courses (General) 1) List of Free February 2021 AT Webinars from the Accessible Technology Coalition Thanks to the Accessible Technology Coalition for compiling this listing of free webinars from around the Web. You can follow the ATC Facebook page for late additions. Each is one hour unless noted. Pre-registration is sometimes required. Fifteen options for this short winter month, especially thanks to SETC in Washington. Many are recorded and archived if you miss them: https://at3centerblog.com/2021/02/01/free-at-webinars-february-2021/ 2) Mac For The Blind Announces the Continuation of Mac for the Blind Online Courses Courses include: "Welcome to Your Mac," The VoiceOver Utility and the Commanders Features on the Mac," "What is an Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP)," "Using Safari and VoiceOver in iOS," "You ask me all about the Mac," "VoiceOver and Finder on the Mac," and "You ask me all about iOS." 4 of these courses are free to join. 3 these courses have a $20.00 registration fee. Paid courses will have additional benefits not available with the free courses. The courses will take place throughout the months of February, March and April 2021. Learn more and register here: https://macfortheblind.com/?page_id=3813 3) Mac Cafe Permanent Schedule Group sessions where individual help is available for new Mac users now take place on the first and third Mondays of each month. | 7:30 AM PT, 8:30 AM MT, 9:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM ET, 11:30 AM GMT 4:30 PM GMT: https://sturitup.com/2021/02/01/maccafe-is-here-to-stay/ 4) Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled Offers Free Monthly Meetings on Assistive Technology Those curious about technology that can aid in education, employment, and access to information may want to join the Maryland Library for the Blind and Print Disabled Technology User Group's monthly conference call. The call is generally held at 10:00 AM EST on the 2nd Saturday of the month and can be joined by dialing (319) 527-4994 ☎. For more information and to listen to recordings of previous calls visit: https://www.marylandlibraries.org/Pages/Technology%20User%20Group.aspx 5) American Council of the Blind Weekly Community Event Schedule Weekly webinars on a range of various topics: https://acb.org/weekly-community-events ➜ Webinars and Training Courses (Upcoming) 1) Hamburgers? Pizza? Wings? Chinese Food? You Name It. Florida Outreach Center for The Blind Discusses and Demonstrates Door Dash, Uber Eats and Many Others: February 18th 2021 | 8AM PT, 9AM MT, 10AM CT, 11AM ET, 4PM GMT | One tap mobile: +13126266799,,#,# | Dialing direct: +1 312 626 6799 ☎ | Meeting ID Number: 561 642 0005 | If the system prompts you to enter a participant code just press the # key. | We will be discussing and demonstrating such apps as Door Dash and Uber Eats along with many others. In addition, one lucky winner will be winning some free food compliments of The Florida Outreach Center for The Blind so please join us using the following link: https://zoom.us/j/5616420005 2) ZoomText, Magnifier Software from Freedom Scientific February 18th 2021 | 9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 5PM GMT | Do you use ZoomText or want to learn more about it? Please join top software expert Ben Knolls and bring your questions. They'll cover ways to use ZoomText features with JAWS, and navigate and customize ZoomText. Benefit from tips, tricks, and key, commands. Continuing education credits offered for attending this webinar. Get a chance to win a home annual license of ZoomText for attending this webinar: https://blog.freedomscientific.com/join-us-for-a-zoomtext-software-webinar/ 3) Learn About The Envision Glasses from Florida Vision Technology February 18th 2021 | 5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 1AM GMT | Zoom meeting. | Jose Cintron, Blindness Products Specialist and Training Manager, Florida Vision Technology, will be talking about Envision Glasses. Envision glasses are AI for your eye. They use the power of speech to make everyday life more accessible for any visual impairment. | Phone: (312) 626-6799 ☎ | Meeting ID: 250 907 8857 | Passcode: 7172 | Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2509078857?pwd=dWEwN0N1dnEwQ3pyUnlpUnJ1VFUyZz09 4) ACB Community Call: Apple Presentation | Voice Memos Explained February 19th 2021 | 12PM PT, 1PM MT, 2PM CT, 3PM ET, 8PM GMT | Join certified Apple Teacher Matt Vollbrecht and the TTJ Instructor Team as they describe and demonstrate the Voice Memos app. Learn how to make recordings, rename and organize your recordings, and even how to add to and edit existing recordings. Finally, learn how to share what you've recorded with others in a variety of ways. Sponsored by The Tech Juggernaut. | One tap mobile: +13126266799,,84439933345# | Phone: (312) 626-6799 ☎ | Webinar ID: 844 3993 3345 | Join the webinar: https://acb-org.zoom.us/j/84439933345 5) 2021 Online AT Fundamentals Course February 22nd 2021 through March 17th 2021 | 4PM PT, 5PM MT, 6PM CT, 7PM ET, 12AM GMT | The AT Fundamentals Course helps candidates review and refresh their assistive technology knowledge and may help identify areas they need to study for the ATP exam, but this is not an ATP exam prep course. This course will be an online instructor-led course designed as a convenient, cost-efficient and effective way for busy AT professionals to participate. | Online Mondays & Wednesdays from 7:00 PM ET - 9:00 PM ET | Registration Fees: $650 RESNA members, $800 nonmembers, $550 RESNA members, without book, $700 nonmembers, without book. Register here: https://resna.ps.membersuite.com/events/ViewEvent.aspx?contextID=0baafe32-0078-c746-d848-195740d3acb8 6) Tech It Out: Accessible Reading Apps and Gadgets Revisited February 23rd 2021 | 5PM PT, 6PM MT, 7PM CT, 8PM ET, 1AM GMT, 2/24 | Where is the best place to find accessible books? Can your smart assistant read books to you, download directly to a braille display? And how can you decide what to read next? Bring your questions about all things reading, as we cover the best apps, gadgets and services for enjoying your next good read: https://hadley.edu/discussion-groups/tech-it-out 7) Next-Gen Accessibility Testing Tools Webinar from the Paciello Group February 24th 2021 | 9AM PT, 10AM MT, 11AM CT, 12PM ET, 5PM GMT | With so many options for testing for accessibility, it's hard to know what tools are best suited for different situations. In this webinar, Charlie Pike, product manager for SaaS tools at TPG, will demonstrate the right tools to use for a variety of use cases. See TPG's next-generation accessibility tools in action: https://www.paciellogroup.com/webinar-february-24-next-gen-accessibility-testing-tools/ 8) Free 2021 Virtual Assistive Technology Expo March 2nd 2021 | 5:30AM PT, 6:30AM MT, 7:30AM CT, 8:30AM ET, 1:30PM GMT | Sponsored by The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program. Keynote Speaker: Don Johnston, M.S. Target Audience: People with disabilities, their families, seniors, educators, veterans, and healthcare professionals. Learn more: https://scatp.med.sc.edu/expo/ 9) Free iPad Course for VoiceOver Geared Toward Middle School / High School Students March 16th 2021 | This six-session course invites students to come and play games using their iPad with VoiceOver. Through game-based learning, students will learn and reinforce VoiceOver specific skills and explore apps helpful to the VoiceOver user. Through scavenger hunts, murder mysteries, and escape rooms, students will make friendships and connect with peers who are also VoiceOver users. Learn more about this and other California School for the Blind Short Courses here: https://www.csb-cde.ca.gov/outreach/shortcourses/index.aspx 10) Free Training Course from Humanware and the California School for the Blind (CSB) | BrailleNote Touch Plus Notetaker for Teachers and Professionals March 17th 2021 | 12:30 PM PT, 1:30 PM MT, 2:30 PM CT, 3:30 PM ET, 8:30 PM GMT | Presented by: Rachel Feinberg, West Coast Blindness Product Specialist on behalf of HumanWare Technologies. The very full agenda will cover: Introduction and orientation to the BrailleNote Touch Plus. Who benefits from use of the BrailleNote. Skills needed to prepare for BrailleNote use. Efficiency of the BrailleNote with built-in keyboard short-cuts as a "braille first" product. Use of BrailleNote vs. iPad with braille display. Overview of Google Drive/Google Docs. How to upload files to Google Drive/download files from Google Drive for editing in KeyWord. Explore EasyReader+. Download books from Bookshare and navigate contents. Web browsing using Chrome . Discussion of remote viewing of the BrailleNote screen including TeamViewer as well as other screen-sharing options. Overview of KeyMath. Q and A throughout training. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2LZDZ1PQVsGVFyP9G-CI_icKbizjOvzok-Vis9lGlZgOmqQ/viewform 11) Training Course from Hartgen Consultancy | Winning Teams! Using Microsoft Teams with JAWS for Windows March 17th 2021 | 11AM PT, 12PM MT, 1PM CT, 2PM ET, 7PM GMT | Cost: £150.00 / $205.00 USD | Four training sessions starting on Wednesday, March 17th 2021 and then weekly each Wednesday thereafter. If you cannot make a live session, you will have access to the recording of it shortly after. Requirements, registration and what you will receive available here: http://www.hartgen.org/teams 12) Free Training Course from Humanware and the California School for the Blind (CSB) | BrailleNote Touch Plus Notetaker for Students, Teachers and Families. March 31st 2021 | 12:30 PM PT, 1:30 PM MT, 2:30 PM CT, 3:30 PM ET, 8:30 PM GMT | Presented by: Rachel Feinberg, West Coast Blindness Product Specialist on behalf of HumanWare Technologies. The format of the training will be primarily question and answer. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdzzuwVaRWiWtgsBmN_XPYsihhJ8b_vXAc8eYCV19CJrwNfcQ/viewform ➜ Job Announcements 1) Accessible Technology Assistant | University of California, Davis February 24th 2021 application deadline. Salary Range: $23.89 - $32.81/Hr. Learn more and apply at: https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psp/ucdavis/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&JobOpeningId=15327&PostingSeq=1&SiteId=7&languageCd=ENG&FOCUS=Applicant 2) Assistant Director, Digital Accessibility | Ohio State University Reporting to the Deputy ADA Coordinator who oversees the Digital Accessibility Center, this position will support The Ohio State University's campus-wide digital accessibility compliance initiatives: https://osu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/OSUCareers/job/Columbus-Campus/Asst-Director--Digital-Accessibility_R6485-1 ➜ Press Releases and Other News 1) Visually Impaired Face New Challenges Navigating a World Remade by COVID-19 Those in the blind and low-vision community have long faced challenges now synonymous with the pandemic: social isolation, mobility limitations, classroom dynamics that are less than ideal. But the crisis has exacerbated these problems: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-13/blind-face-new-challenges-navigating-covid-19-world 2) After Super Bowl Breakthrough, Will Visually and Hearing-Impaired Audiences Stay in Brands' Plans? For the first time in the history of the Big Game, this year saw Tide Detergent feature descriptive video, ensuring its Super Bowl spot was inclusive for the blind and visually impaired community. On the back of this accessibility milestone, The Drum explores its significance, questioning what more advertisers can do to reach blind audiences: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/02/16/dvs-the-super-bowl-what-s-next-visually-and-hearing-impaired-viewers 3) Tennis Australia Launches Audio Stream To Allow Blind To Follow Sport Tennis Australia has developed a web-based audio stream that makes use of real-time ball monitoring to create a 3D spatialised audio experience: https://newsxpres.com/tennis-australia-launches-audio-stream-to-allow-blind-to-follow-sport-digital/ 4) Researchers Identify Prevalence, Risk Factors Associated with Sleep Disorders in Visually Impaired Athletes Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have identified the prevalence and risk factors associated with sleep disorders in visually impaired athletes: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210214/Researchers-identify-prevalence-risk-factors-associated-with-sleep-disorders-in-visually-impaired-athletes.aspx 5) A New Company Pursues Total Recall — Starting With Zoom "Our long-term ambition is to provide perfect recall of every memory," he says. "We want to help you remember everything." To make that happen, he started a company called Scribe.ai. The plan is to methodically capture and store all sorts of data — audio, video, and eventually biometric — that can be easily searched or cleverly invoked in a way that augments your actual memory with stuff you otherwise wouldn't have possibly remembered: https://www.wired.com/story/plaintext-new-company-total-recall-zoom/ 6) Freedom Scientific Announces Changes to US Software Pricing These changes represent price increases taking effect in March 2021 in the US: https://support.freedomscientific.com/About/News/Article/214 7) For Blind Students, Accessibility Makes All The Difference, This NYC Teacher Says From making maps to touring city buses — it's all part of the job for one award-winning educator: https://ny.chalkbeat.org/2021/2/16/22286305/blind-students-accessibility-covid 8) 4 Tech Innovations That Support People with Disabilities Working From Home For the 1.3 billion people across the world who live with some form of disability, remote working can be particularly tough. But technology is helping to overcome the barriers that risk excluding some people from the pandemic-era world of work: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/tech-innovations-people-with-disabilities-covid/ 9) Neurodiversity: Why People with Autism, Asperger's, Dyslexia, and ADHD Can Bring Massive Value to the Workplace People with neurodivergent backgrounds tend to have a strong attention to detail and can excel at coding, and the use of technology and AI programming: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/embracing-the-differences-neurodiversity-in-the-workplace/ 10) FCC Seeks Outreach Partners for Emergency Broadband Benefit On February 11, 2021, Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the FCC is seeking outreach partners to help share important consumer information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit - an FCC program being developed to provide relief to households that are struggling to pay for internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the effort to inform consumers about the upcoming Emergency Broadband Benefit, the FCC has established a new website where stakeholders can sign up to help promote this new program. Program eligibility details and participating providers will be announced in the coming weeks: https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit 11) Library of Smells for the Blind and Visually Impaired to Open in Poland The centre launched an appeal to find "interesting smells" and began to receive packages from around the world. Marek Jakubowski, a centre spokesman, told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that dried flowers and spices, railway engine grease, perfume and even elephant dung will be among the scents to sample: https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2021/02/13/library-of-smells-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired-to-open-in-poland/ ➜ Buy, Sell or Trade 1) FOR SALE: Humanware Braillenote Touch 32 Notetaker and Display Listing Date: 1/28/2021 | Price: $1,885.00 USD | Condition: New | Description: This is a new in retail box with accessories Humanware Braillenote Touch 32 Notetaker and Braille Display for iPhone/Android/Computer/Mac. It is not used. Comes with everything. Only asking $1885 o.b.o. | Contact Chris at: cs567eml at gmail.com ✉ or (408) 659-1374 ☎ | 2) FOR SALE: One Buy, Sell or Trade Classified Ad (Just like this one.) Price: $5.00 USD | Description: List your new, gently-used or refurbished item in FOUR (4) consecutive issues of Top Tech Tidbits for just $5.00 USD. | Buy an Ad: Fill out this short 10-step form ✔ to secure your Buy, Sell or Trade Classified Advertisement today. | Learn more at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/buy-sell-trade.html 🌐 | Top Tech Tidbits Sponsor Classified Ads: Sponsor: Vorail ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: The true beauty of a person lies within and if you hear our voices, you'll quickly understand. 24-hour peer-to-peer tech support in voice, and much more. Get answers to just about anything you need to know, whether it is blindness related or not, and make incredible friends. Follow who you like, mute those you don't. We're not alone in this blindness thing. Ask-alls range from "How to do X from an accessibility standpoint?" to "What do you keep in your bed other than yourself?" to "What word would you use to describe 2020? to "What word to describe your hopes for 2021?". Vorail is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. https://vorail.com/toptechtidbits Sponsor Since: January 21st 2021 Website: https://www.vorail.com/toptechtidbits/ 🌐 Download The App (iOS): Vorail for iOS - From the Apple App Store 📱 Download The App (Android): Vorail for Android - From the Google Play Store 📱 Mission: Vorail is the only platform in the world for the low vision and blind community where everybody can join conversations by voice on equal footing. Every day members of the Vorail community create ask-alls (questions) about life (news, health, technology, religion, sports and more) that allow us to see the world differently, and connect in a way that is deeper than 'liking' a photo. Vorail is an audio-only experience, voice is the window into a human soul. It does not matter if you are tall, short, wide, thin, white, or black when nobody sees your picture. Without the visuals, what counts is who you are, the person inside. That is the mission of Vorail, to create an extended family where we are judged for who we are, not what we look like. Sponsor: Be My Eyes ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Accessible Pharmacy Joins Be My Eyes Accessible Pharmacy, the new, home delivery pharmacy with a blind founder, is bringing its full range of support and services to Be My Eyes. Users of the Be My Eyes app can now call Accessible Pharmacy directly to get support with medication, medical devices, and even home delivery COVID testing. With a fully trained and discreet pharmacy staff on call from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pacific, Accessible Pharmacy is the new way for blind and low vision consumers to get an easy, frictionless pharmacy experience. Call today — and you'll never have to take an Uber to the drugstore again. https://www.bemyeyes.com/blog/accessible-pharmacy-joins-be-my-eyes. Lead Contact: Will Butler, VP of Community Sponsor Since: November 5th 2020 Website: https://www.bemyeyes.com/ 🌐 Download The App (iOS): Be My Eyes for iOS - From the Apple App Store 📱 Download The App (Android): Be My Eyes for Android - From the Google Play Store 📱 About: Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that allows anyone who needs video support to get assistance from a dynamic range of volunteers and company customer support professionals from around the world. With more than 4 million volunteers and dozens of companies offering on-demand visual interpretation and support, Be My Eyes is a free, unlimited way to bridge gaps and get access to whatever information you need — 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in any language. Download the app today from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Sponsor: Sprint IP Relay ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Sprint IP Relay One challenge someone with a combined vision and hearing loss must address is accessing the phone system without adequate vision or hearing. Individuals with no hearing but vision can access the phone system using a videophone. Those with no vision, but who have hearing can use the phone as it was intended. How would someone with vision and hearing loss continue to call doctors, contact emergency services such as 911, arrange for medical appointments, contact businesses, or friends and family who do not text? One solution, for those living in the U.S. with a form of hearing loss, is Sprint IP Relay. Come learn more at our webinars, specialized for the DeafBlind community. To learn more send an email to deafblind at sprint.com. CART and ASL interpretation will be provided. Sponsor Since: October 22nd 2020 Website: https://www.sprintip.com/ 🌐 Email: scott.davert at t-mobile.com ✉ Download The App (iOS): Sprint IP Relay for iOS - From the Apple App Store 📱 Download The App (Android): Sprint IP Relay for Android - From the Google Play Store 📱 Accessibility Customer Care: (800) 676-3777 ☎ About: Sprint IP Relay allows people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind or with a Speech Disability to make or receive phone calls using an internet connection, a computer, tablet or smartphone. Simply type what you want to say to the operator, the operator relays the message to the person you called and then types the caller's response back to you. This process is all done through text, so a user with a braille display, for example, would not need to see the screen or use their voice to communicate with the hearing caller. The Sprint IP Relay service is available at no charge for those who are eligible. Registration is required to verify an individual's identity and residency. If you are a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind or have a speech disability, you will qualify to register for the Sprint IP Relay Service. The user can call anyone at any time within the United States and its territories. Email scott.davert at t-mobile.com with any questions. Sponsor: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adaptations Online Store ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Adaptations Online Store Featured Products Revolution Cane Tip: Standard Roller Tip: $14.50 | Locator Dots: Small Pack of 6 (Clear or Orange): $2.00 | NFB Metal Cane Tip: $3.00 | TMAP - On Demand Tactile Street | Map (set of two maps): $25.00 | Ambutech Aluminum Folding Cane: $35.00 | NFB Chris Park Telescoping Cane: $45.00 | BoldWriter 20 Pen (Individual or 6-pack): $2.00 | Bump Dots: Mixed (50 count): $7.00 | Braille Apple Catalina VoiceOver Guide OSX 10.15 (3 volumes) - Latest Manual: $52.00 | SpeedDots iPhone Tactile Screen Protector, Phone Layout: $12.00 | NFB Chris Park 7-Piece Folding Cane: $50.00 | Visit https://adaptations.org/ to learn more today! Sponsor Since: October 1, 2020 Website: https://adaptations.org/ 🌐 Toll Free: (888) 400-8933 ☎ Local: (415) 694-7301 ☎ About: Founded in 1902, San Francisco's LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired promotes the independence, equality and self-reliance of people who are blind or have low vision. Adaptations is your online go-to for tools, technology, and accessible solutions for blind and visually impaired people. Sponsor: American Printing House (APH) ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Get Coding with Code JumperTM Code JumperTM is a fully accessible and inclusive computer coding innovation, originally designed by Microsoft® and developed by APH (for Windows, Chromebook, and Android devices)! With Code Jumper, students across the vision spectrum can learn the basics of computer programming and computational thinking by tactually creating computer code that can tell stories and make music. Learn more at: https://www.aph.org/product/code-jumper/. Sponsor Since: July 2nd 2020 Website: https://www.aph.org/ 🌐 Toll Free and Customer Support: (800) 223-1839 ☎ Phone: (512) 895-2405 ☎ Fax: (512) 899-2284 ░ YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/WENRlCNDsxQ 🎥 Free Apps & Actions from APH: https://www.aph.org/free-apps-from-aph/ 📱 About: Since 1858, the American Printing House for the Blind has operated in Louisville, Kentucky as the world's largest nonprofit organization, creating accessible learning experiences through educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for people who are blind and visually impaired. APH believes that the future belongs to everyone. By offering innovative products and services, APH opens up a door of opportunities for lifelong independence and success. Sponsor: Barry Scheur ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: GuideLights And Gadgets: New Year, Products, Pricing Mystery Gadget or Doggy Bags; Through Jan. 31, we will double the value of your choice of $25 or $50 gadgets-leather or "all-things-dog" grab bags. Our new shoulder lambskin patchwork tablet and Braille display case will hold just about anything you need for a day $50; form fitting BN Touch Plus leather case $60; new $10 Stream pouch or new Orbit Writer and Phone "On the Go" pouch; write as you walk $35.00; ask about other bag deals. New! Evo 10 Daisy Player with Internet and FM Radio, Podcatcher, lots more; Ivona Joey and Sally; Mystic Access tutorial, leather case, $225. Call Barry: (617) 969-7500 ☎ | bscheur at scheur.com. Director, http://www.GuideLightsAndGadgets.us Sponsor Since: June 25th 2020 Website: http://www.guidelightsandgadgets.us/ 🌐 For Gadgets and Leather Contact Barry at: Phone: (617) 969-7500 ☎ Email: guidelights.and.gadgets at gmail.com ✉ For All Things Dog Contact Kae at: Phone: (781) 286-1696 ☎ Email: guidelightdogs at gmail.com ✉ About: Our Scope of Products: We specialize in 3 lines of products, all intended to assist in access to adaptive electronics, enhance experiences for guide dog teams, and offer practical solutions for organization and travel with a variety of leather bags, pouches, and backpacks. Then there are the random products that are included, just for fun! We enjoy working with our customers 1-on-1 to their money is well spent and not wasted on something they may not use. In thinking about our customers and whether we will carry a product our guiding motto is that it must be: practical, affordable, simple, tested, and accessible (the pasta principle) and it seems to work very well. What We Do: We bring our business either via zoom, phone, or to your conference or convention, to give each customer a chance for questions and where possible, "hands on" evaluation of the merchandise. Kae and I test and use each product as blind users before we put it in our catalog. In the case of products for guide and service dogs, our own three guides, Thor, Debra and Melody, are engaged in the process of evaluating the usefulness, durability, and/or fun of the product. We want each of our products to be useful, accessible, afforable, and, whenever possible, fun! Our inventory is constantly changing, so a visit to us is never the same experience twice! Sponsor: A. T. Guys ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub If you're like me, you probably have more things to plug into your computer than available ports. That's why we've now added the Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub. Plug it into your laptop and you will get 3 USB ports, SD and Micro SD card slots, a USBC charging port, and an HDMI video port. It's available now for just $29.95: https://www.atguys.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=28&products_id=331 Sponsor Since: June 11th 2020 Website: https://www.atguys.com/ 🌐 Phone: (269) 216-4798 ☎ Email: support at atguys.com ✉ Skype: atguys ✆ Twitter: https://twitter.com/atguys (@atguys) ✍ Facebook: https://facebook.com/atguys ✍ About: ATGuys.com. Your access technology experts, home for cool gadgets, accessories, and more. Our products are all tested to work great for blind and visually impaired users but also work just as well for anyone. If there's an item you're looking for, or if you have a question, please don't hesitate to send us a message or call (269) 216-4798 ☎. Sponsor: John Panarese ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Mac For The Blind Tutorials and Courses COVID has brought us some very daunting challenges! But this has not stopped John Panarese from solving the great mystery! His technical offerings will help you to better understand and navigate the world of Apple devices! Visit https://macfortheblind.com/ to learn more today! Director, https://www.MacForTheBlind.com Authorized Apple Business Affiliate Apple Certified Support Professional Apple Certified Trainer Assistive Technology Consultant Sponsor Since: June 4th 2020 Website: https://www.macfortheblind.com/ 🌐 Donate Course Time: https://donorbox.org/macfortheblind ❤ Email: john at macfortheblind.com ✉ About: Macfortheblind.com is a place specifically for blind people who are either users or potential users of Macintosh computers or iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, iPod Nano, Apple Watch and Apple TV. I am a blind individual who has used the Mac ever since VoiceOver became available in OS 10.4 Tiger, and I own an iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Book Pro laptop computer, an iPhone 6S, an iPad Air, an Apple Watch and an Apple TV 4th Generation. In addition, I am an Authorized Apple Business Affiliate, and as an Apple Certified Support Professional and an Apple Certified Trainer, I offer training and technical support for individuals, agencies and organizations on the mac and all iDevices, as well as offering assistive technology consulting. Sponsor: Donna Jodhan ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Donna Jodhan is a world renowned and high profile podcast commentator and she offers tricks and tips on how to tackle technology! See how this Apple Certified Support Professional can help you to cope with COVID challenges! Visit Donna at: https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan. Author, Donna Jodhan Publications President, Sterling Creations President, Barrier Free Canada / Canada sans Barrieres Sponsor Since: June 4th 2020 Website: https://www.donnajodhan.com/ 🌐 Donate: https://donorbox.org/author-donna-jodhan ❤ About: My name is Donna J. Jodhan and I have been blind all my life, but that has not prevented me from living independently as someone who takes care of my own home and garden, travels regularly for my job, and runs my own business. I am an entrepreneur, blogger, author, audio mystery writer, advocate, podcaster, and law student. I enjoy cooking, ice skating, playing chess, composing on my electronic keyboard, and communicating with nature. Sponsor: Dean Martineau ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: Voice Training Would you like to learn to control your computer with your voice, or to create documents using your voice rather than the keyboard? There are several tools to accomplish these objectives. I can provide training in their use. Write to me if interested at: topdot at gmail.com Editor, Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter Sponsor Since: June 4th 2020 Website: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/ 🌐 About: Dean Martineau is the Founder and Editor of the Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter. Sponsor: Humanware ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: BRAILLIANT Renewed! The NEW Brailliant BI X Series is here! The wait is over! A redefined family of Brailliant refreshable Braille displays has arrived! The NEW Brailliant BI X Series will help you stay connected, download books from many participating online libraries and share information easily with your peers. You will enjoy the intuitive, seamless user experience of KeySoft Lite, the HumanWare flagship accessibility suite designed to make you more productive. Including the Brailliant BI 40X and the Brailliant BI 20X, this is the Brailliant idea you need! http://www.humanware.ca/web/en/newsletter/070120211100-BrailliantBIX-Launch-US.htm Sponsor Since: February 4th 2021 Website: http://humanware.com/ 🌐 Phone (Asia): +61 2 9686 2600 ☎ Phone (Australia): +61 2 9686 2600 ☎ Phone (Canada): +1 888 723-7273 ☎ Phone (Europe): +44 1933 415 800 ☎ Phone (International): +44 1933 415 800 ☎ Phone (Ireland): +01 8307033 ☎ Phone (New Zealand): +027 700 1674 ☎ Phone (United Kingdom): +01933 415800 ☎ Phone (United States): +1 800 722-3393 ☎ YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRWVYiggn-w 🎥 About: HumanWare is the global leader in assistive technology for people who are blind or have low vision. HumanWare offers a wide range of innovative products, including the BrailleNote Touch, first Google certified braille tablet, the iOS compatible Brailliant braille displays, Victor Reader®, the world's leading family of digital audiobook players, the unique Prodigi® family of desktop and portable vision and reading systems, and the ultra-portable explore line of electronic handheld magnifier. Sponsor: Dolphin Computer Access ➜ This Week's Classified Ad: SuperNova 20—The Slickest Magnification and Screen-reading Software Available Do you keep using the same Magnification or Screen-reading software you've always used because it's the very best or because migrating is scary? If you're an assessor, are you recommending what's best for your client, or what you're comfortable teaching? SuperNova 20 is hands down better than the competition in every single way, features, stability and you don't need a gaming-speed computer to run it. Give it a try FREE for 30 Days! Learn more and download the trial at: https://yourdolphin.com/en-gb/news?id=500 Sponsor Since: January 28th 2021 Website: https://yourdolphin.com/ 🌐 Phone (USA & Canada): +1 (866) 797-5921 ☎ Phone (UK, Europe & Asia): +44 01905 754577 ☎ Phone (Nordic & Baltic Contries): +46 0515 82175 ☎ Download a FREE 30-Day Trial of GuideConnect GuideConnect Trial Download a FREE 30-Day Trial of SuperNova SuperNova Trial About: Dolphin Computer Access offers a wide array of solutions for students, people in the workforce, and at home who are blind, visually impaired or have dyslexia. Each product is purposefully designed to help users, with varying levels of technology experience, do everyday things EASILY on computers and tablets. Founded in 1986 and located in Worcester England, Dolphin has grown to become a global market leader worldwide. Your Name Here 0 of 12 Sponsorship Packages currently available. Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday is a leading, not-for-profit Adaptive Technology publication that reaches over 6,500 Adaptive Technology professionals, educators and enthusiasts each week. Top Tech Tidbits offers a total of 12 Sponsorship Packages which are used to support the ongoing distribution of the publication. There are currently  0  of these  12  packages available. If you are interested in becoming a Top Tech Tidbits sponsor we encourage you to join our waiting list by sending an email to: sponsorships at toptechtidbits.com ✉. Once you have joined our waiting list we will notify you the next time a current sponsor decides not to renew. You will then be given 72 hours to secure your sponsorship before it is offered to the next sponsor on the list. When available you can secure one of these packages for just $325.00 USD for the next 3 months, or save $100.00 USD and join us for the year. All Sponsorship Packages are offered on a first-come, first serve basis. Please help us to support the ongoing distribution of this publication. Consider showing your support for the world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in adaptive technology, and enjoy these incredible benefits. Learn more today at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/sponsorship-information.html Top Tech Tidbits Supporters: We couldn't do it without you! Thank for your support! Tidbits Supporters donate an amount of their choosing on an annual basis in order to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication. If you would like to become a Tidbits Supporter by making a small annual donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, we offer the following options with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support. In tandem with Our Sponsors, these are the people that make the ongoing distribution of Tidbits possible: Platinum Supporters: Become a Tidbits Supporter today. 1.) Gary Lee Platinum Supporter since June 25, 2020 2.) Anonymous Donation Platinum Supporter since July 9, 2020 3.) Pshon Barrett Platinum Supporter since January 28, 2021 Gold Supporters: Become a Tidbits Supporter today. 1.) Howard Goldstein Gold Supporter since June 4, 2020 2.) David Goldstein Gold Supporter since June 12, 2020 3.) Katherine Crohan Gold Supporter since January 14, 2021 Silver Supporters: Become a Tidbits Supporter today. 1.) Your name here. Help support Tidbits today. Bronze Supporters: Become a Tidbits Supporter today. 1.) Steven Wettlaufer Bronze Supporter since July 16, 2020 2.) Shaun Everiss Bronze Supporter since September 10, 2020 Top Tech Tidbits Subscription Information: RELEASE SCHEDULE: The Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter is sent out every Thursday morning at 4:00 AM EST. SUBSCRIBE: Do you, a friend, or colleague wish to receive the Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter? If so, please use or pass along our CAPTCHA-free sign-up link, which is: https://toptechtidbits.com/subscribe. You can also subscribe to receive the Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter on the Top Tech Tidbits Website at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com or by (SMS) texting "TOPTECHTIDBITS" to 22828. Any of these methods will provide you with an accessibly friendly and secure medium through which you can subscribe to our mailing list. Just enter your email address, click send, and begin receiving the Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter. It's that easy. SPONSOR: If you would like to become 1 of only 12 Tidbits Sponsors whose annual support makes the distribution of Top Tech Tidbits possible, we offer you the following benefits, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/sponsorship-information.html. DONATE: If you would like to become a Tidbits Supporter by making a small annual donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, we offer the following options, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/donate.html. WEBSITE: Visit the Top Tech Tidbits website online at https://www.toptechtidbits.com. POLLS: Answering Questions: Are you an experienced or proficient user of AT (Assistive Technology)? Do you represent a company or organization that serves and / or operates within the AT (Assistive Technology) space? If you are, or if you do, we would love to hear your opinions on any of our many AT-related Polls. Weigh in and view the results for any Top Tech Tidbits Poll on the Top Tech Tidbits website at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/polls.html. Asking Questions: Do you have an intriguing AT-related question that you'd like to see posed to the Tidbits community? While we cannot guarantee that all submissions will be utilized, we promise to choose the very best of them to be included in future issues. Available Poll Types are: Multiple Choice, Checkboxes, Drop-Down List, Scale of 1 to 5, and Ranking in Order of Preference. You may send your AT-related questions to: polls at toptechtidbits.com. FACEBOOK: Are you on Facebook? Stop by and "Like" Top Tech Tidbits to begin receiving current news and trends in Adaptive Technology as part of your Facebook News Feed: https://toptechtidbits.com/facebook. TWITTER: Are you on Twitter? Follow Top Tech Tidbits to begin receiving current news and trends in Adaptive Technology as part of your Twitter News Feed: https://toptechtidbits.com/twitter. LINKEDIN: Are you on LinkedIn? Follow Top Tech Tidbits to begin receiving current news and trends in Adaptive Technology as part of your LinkedIn News Feed: https://toptechtidbits.com/linkedin. RSS: Do you prefer RSS? Follow Top Tech Tidbits via RSS today to begin receiving current news and trends in Adaptive Technology using your choice of news aggregator: https://feeds.feedblitz.com/toptechtidbits. QUESTIONS: Tidbits are intentionally concise, and we know a lot of people may not understand some items because little explanation is given. If a particular Tidbit brings up a question in your mind, feel free to ask, and we will try to answer as time and knowledge permit. ARCHIVE Visit the Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday Email Newsletter Archive at: https://www.toptechtidbits.com/archive.html where you can grab back issues. CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS: Any information for future issues of Top Tech Tidbits may be directed to our Editor, Dean Martineau, at: editor at toptechtidbits.com. Information provided by: Top Tech Tidbits A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication https://www.toptechtidbits.com/  🌐 1420 Golden Gate Blvd. Mayfield Heights, Ohio 44124   (440) 442-9011 ☎ Top Tech Tidbits | 1420 Golden Gate Blvd, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124 Unsubscribe electronics-talk at nfbnet.org Update Profile | Our Privacy Policy | Customer Contact Data Notice Sent by enews at toptechtidbits.com