[nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases NewandImproved OCRRecognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March 30 2012

Sun Apr 1 19:41:49 UTC 2012

It's actually brilliantly crafted... It certainly had me going through most of the piece... I was a little skeptical when I read the hand-writing part, and then a little more skeptical when reading the posted-note on the classroom  door bit -- at first I thought, "Man, what does FS think of us blind guys that we'd be that dense?"  Then the light started to slowly come on.

Nice work, if not a little too accurate, and certainly taps into the zeitgeist in terms of what us blind guys want -- here's hoping an OpenBook app is not too far off in the future... I'll bet it don't cost no $2.95, though!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Humberto Avila
> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 3:22 PM
> To: blinddog3 at charter.net; 'NFB Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases 
> NewandImproved OCRRecognition Software for JAWS and 
> OpenBook,@ FreedomScientific News March 30 2012
> 
> Steve, and everybody.
> Yes I did. I am the soul composer and author of this article. 
> I am very sorry if I  did something so wrong that it warrants 
> getting into trouble. I was, indeed, in a happy April fools 
> spirit day. And at the same time, I was wishing and dreaming 
> that an Access Tech company would make such products like 
> that. Again, sorry if I caused trouble.
> 
> May you have a very safe April fools day, and well, happy dreaming.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Steven Johnson
> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 12:03 PM
> To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New 
> andImproved OCRRecognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook,@ 
> FreedomScientific News March 30 2012
> 
> So Humberto, you mocked this up?  I think it was pretty 
> funny, but no one else seemed to be in the April Fool's spirit.  
> 
> Lighten up folks...
> 
> Steve
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Humberto Avila
> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 11:41 AM
> To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New and 
> Improved OCRRecognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ 
> FreedomScientific News March 30 2012
> 
> Did you read the bottom of my message? 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter Donahue
> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 4:50 AM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New and 
> Improved OCRRecognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook,@ 
> FreedomScientific News March 30 2012
> 
> Hello Joshua and everyone,
> 
>     Did you check their Web site to verify if this is indeed 
> the truth or an April fool? Before declaring this thing a 
> joke it's best to check the technology vendor's Web site to 
> determine if announcements like this are indeed fact or if 
> they're fiction.
> 
> Peter Donahue
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joshua Lester" <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 3:28 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New and 
> Improved OCR Recognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ 
> FreedomScientific News March 30 2012
> 
> 
> Lame joke!
> Blessings, Joshua
> 
> On 4/1/12, Humberto Avila <avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > From: @ Freedom Scientific News
> > [mailto:freedomscientificnews at freedomscientific.com]
> > <mailto:%5bmailto:freedomscientificnews at freedomscientific.com%5d>
> >
> > Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 2:35 PM EDT
> >
> > To: Humberto Avila [mailto:avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com]
> > <mailto:%5bmailto:avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com%5d>
> >
> > Subject: Freedom Scientific Releases New and Improved OCR 
> Recognition 
> > Software for JAWS and OpenBook
> >
> >
> >
> > Having trouble viewing this email? Click 
> > 
> <http://www.freedomscientific.com/news/2012-03-31/fs-releases-new-impr
> > oved-ocr-software-openbook-jaws.html>
> >  here to view in a browser.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > For Immediate Release:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Freedom Scientific Releases New and Improved OCR 
> Recognition Software 
> > for JAWS and OpenBook
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Today, Freedom Scientific, one of the world’s leading 
> screen reading 
> > and blindness product makers, has just recently developed 
> and released 
> > a new breakthrough in its line of products of assistive 
> technology for 
> > blind and visually impaired computer users.
> >
> >
> >
> > Have you ever wanted to take OpenBook® with you at all 
> times anywhere 
> > you can possibly go with it? Or even better, have you 
> always wanted to 
> > be able to pick up a handwritten note on a piece of paper 
> and be able 
> > to read it instantly just like anybody else? Or maybe you 
> are one of 
> > those frustrated students that are inundated with printed or 
> > handwritten material that you can’t read in or out of a classroom 
> > setting and you have to wait even hours or days for 
> somebody to read 
> > to you. Maybe you are at a conference, you are given a 
> business card 
> > or a simple handout that is important, and you need to fill out or 
> > read along?
> >
> >
> >
> > Well, wish and wonder no more! Freedom Scientific now has 
> the solution!
> >
> >
> >
> > Due to popular demand, and numerous emails and feedback 
> requests from 
> > our users, Freedom Scientific has decided to step forward.
> >
> >
> >
> > We have released a new, updated, and improved OCR 
> recognition engine 
> > for both, our Openbook® and JAWS® products. This bran new release 
> > includes many new features, which include, but not limited to:
> >
> >
> >
> > * The ability to recognize smaller type font and better 
> recognition of 
> > columns in sophisticated tables, which can easily be 
> confusing to read.
> > * The ability to recognize print on smaller pieces of print paper, 
> > such as note slips or contact cards on the spot, with better print 
> > focus and not the scanner bed or camera.
> > * Finally, the ability to recognize handwriting with about 85-90% 
> > accuracy!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yes, that’s right! Our new OCR engine has built-in support for 
> > handwriting recognition. That means that you can either 
> scan or place 
> > a handwritten note from a co-worker, a spouse, or from a door, into 
> > your camera or scanner of your choice, and Openbook® will 
> > automatically recognize it and be able to read it with 
> speech and / or 
> > Braille output from your preferred synthesizer or Braille 
> display! Not 
> > only this. You can open a .pdf, .jpg, or .png image that 
> someone sent 
> > you with handwriting over the email on your computer, 
> perform the OCR 
> > recognition command (JAWS 13 and later only), and bingo!
> > You
> > will hear the handwriting being spoken out to you or sent to your 
> > Braille display. Please note that these new features 
> offered by this 
> > improved version of the OCR engine for JAWS® or OpenBook® 
> software are 
> > only compatible with Openbook versions later than 8.0 and 
> JAWS version 
> > 13.0 or later. Please note users of JAWS earlier than 13.0, we will 
> > release a version of the new OCR engine that we released with JAWS 
> > 13.0 later this month, with the same features as the ones 
> offered now, 
> > so you aren’t left out on these new features! This update 
> to the OCR 
> > engine can work with both
> > 32- and 64-bit operating systems.
> >
> >
> >
> > Want some even more awesome news from our OpenBook® 
> development team? 
> > We have released OpenBook Mobile®, a scanning and reading 
> solution app 
> > for your iOS device! This means that you can use our 
> popular scanning 
> > and reading solution right from your iPhone, iPad or iPod 
> Touch, using 
> > VoiceOver and the camera of your device! Yes, that’s right, 
> OpenBook® 
> > is going mobile, and you will be able to take it anywhere 
> you go that 
> > you find printed material that you cannot read. You will be 
> able to go 
> > on a trip, be given an airport boarding pass, and you will 
> no longer 
> > need sighted assistance to see whether your plane was gone 
> before you 
> > knew it, or to see your flight information.
> > You will be able to go to a church service and be able to access 
> > printed booklets of hymns or group prayers easily and independently 
> > without requesting sighted help. Even more fantastic, you 
> will be able 
> > to walk into a classroom door that appears to have no one 
> waiting with 
> > you, bump into a little sticky note with your finger below or above 
> > the Braille marking of the classroom number, and not have 
> to wait so 
> > many hours and precious study time trying to find out if the 
> > instructor canceled the class or whatever other scheduling conflict 
> > that might have occurred with that instructor.
> > If
> > you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, you will get it out, snap a 
> > photo of that little sticky note, and you will be able to find out 
> > what’s wrong quickly, independently  and immediately with 
> the built-in 
> > handwriting recognition of the OCR engine for OpenBook 
> Mobile®! It’s 
> > so easy!
> >
> >
> >
> > Currently, OpenBook Mobile® for iOS platforms is available at the 
> > Apple iTunes store and it costs $2.99. This app is designed 
> to fit any budget.
> > So,
> > what are you waiting for? Purchase your OpenBook Mobile® 
> app for your 
> > iPhone / iPod / iPad now, and let your future shine today! 
> The power 
> > of technology and handwriting is in your hands, like never before!
> >
> >
> >
> > If you have any questions regarding these two new 
> initiatives, don’t 
> > hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-444-4443 or e-mail us at 
> > support at freedomScientific.com. We would like to hear from 
> you and your 
> > feedback!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > The Freedom Scientific Team **************
> >
> > P.S. April Fools! ☺ ☺ :)))
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > udents.pccua.edu
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