[nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New and Improved OCR Recognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March 30 2012

Sun Apr 1 21:42:10 UTC 2012

There was no offer to sell this product.  That and many other things probably would get you laughed out of court.  This was clearly a joke, and ment to have some fun.  

I must say, that if something like this was in the works, it would have being talked about as rumo has it.  So Mr. Andrews, I sincerely hope there is not a call to ban him from this list.  We all need to laugh, and this made at least some of us do that.  

-----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 1:19 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New and Improved OCR Recognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March 30 2012

Hello Joshua and everyone,

I seriously doubt FS would send out junk like that. Someone has made the message look like it came from Freedom Scientific. If they had done that themselves they could be in very big trouble. And that too is no April fools joke. Here's hoping they'll take action to put a stop to it! If I owned an access technology company and stuff like this was going on you bet I'd find the perpetrators and take them to task. This isn't the first time someone has done this. Several years ago someone posted an announcement saying that Jaws for Windows had become shareware. This is most definitely not the case.We were reminded of this last month when we renewed our SMA.

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 7:39 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases New and Improved OCR Recognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March
30 2012

> It is an April Fools joke.
> I'm about to give Jaws, and all other FS products up, when I get my 
> new computer, anyway.
> I'm about to use NVDA, as my screenreader.
> No April Fools jokes, from them!
> Blessings, Joshua
>
> On 4/1/12, Peter Donahue <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com> wrote:
>> 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-im
>>> proved-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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