[NFBV-Announce] The Week's News in Access Technology

[Top Tech Tidbits ♿️]

Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Volume 979 Read in Browser: https://toptechtidbits.com/tidbits2024/09052024/ Top Tech Tidbits for Thursday, September 5, 2024 - Volume 979 ♿️ The Week's News in Access Technology Top Tech Tidbits. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in access technology. A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication Spam Filter: You have received this email from Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. because you are subscribed to receive the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter. To ensure that you continue to receive each issue of Top Tech Tidbits as it is released, please be sure to add the following email address to your address book today:  enews at toptechtidbits.com 📧️. Subscribers:  23,257 🔢️ opt-in subscribers were sent this issue via email. Sponsors 🏅️ Ongoing Distribution Made Possible By: This Week's Featured Advertisement 🎯️ Blind or Visually Impaired? Shop with Confidence. $5 Off! | Innosearch.ai Shop with Confidence. Innosearch is your accessible online marketplace. ➜︎ Millions of products at your fingertips at rock bottom prices. ➜︎ Fully accessible for blind and low-vision users. ➜︎ Easy to navigate with just a few clicks. ➜︎ Free shipping and free returns. Start shopping now and experience the difference. For new customers only, we are offering $5 off all orders greater than $20. Access Awareness: Metrics That Matter ♿️ " Blind and Low Vision: Global Prevalence: Approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide experience some form of vision impairment, ranging from mild vision loss to complete blindness. " — T-Mobile Access, January 2024 News 📰️ Submit a Tidbit for free here, with timing and placement determined by our editors. Submit a Sponsored Tidbit here, with timing and placement determined by you. 1.) Top 5 Most Clicked Tidbits From Last Week 📊️ A.) 90 Hidden iPhone Tricks You Probably Don't Know | PCMag.com | August 22, 2024 Think you know Apple's iOS inside out? There's plenty more to uncover with our huge collection of expert tricks and tweaks to help unlock your iPhone's full potential. B.) Exploring AI for the Blind: Tools and Technologies | iAccessibility.com | August 27, 2024 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that mimics human intelligence to perform tasks like understanding language, recognizing objects, and making decisions. While AI might seem complex, it's quickly becoming an integral part of everyday life, offering incredible tools for everyone, including those who are blind or visually impaired. AI can help you navigate the world, access information, and communicate more effectively. C.) Microsoft Finally Adding Long-Awaited Features To Outlook For Windows | PCWorld.com | August 26, 2024 A collection of new features and improvements are coming to the new Outlook app this year. D.) Recording Audio At Home And On The Move | Double Tap Video | YouTube.com | August 27, 2024 In this conversation, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece discuss how to record audio contributions for their show, focusing on recording at home and on the move. They provide tips on finding a suitable recording space, minimizing background noise, and improving sound quality. They also discuss the use of smartphones for recording, recommending apps like Voice Memos and Just Press Record, and highlight the importance of adjusting speech rate and avoiding talking over their screen reader during a recording. Additionally, they touch on the use of professional microphones with phones and briefly mention recording on computers. E.) Accessible Games on Apple Arcade | David Redmond | Vision Ireland | August 23, 2024 Apple is one of those companies that really has walked the walk when it comes to accessibility. While we often discuss things like Voiceover, apples services have also generally been really accessible for blind and vision impaired people. Apple TV+ shows all come with audio description, there are audio hints on many Fitness+ workouts, and Apple Music is gearing up to introduce music haptics for those who are hard of hearing. All this is amazing, but one service seems to have missed the accessibility boat. 2.) Sponsored By Innosearch.ai: Discover a New Way to Shop: Designed for the Visually Impaired | September 5, 2024 Innosearch: Your Accessible Online Shopping Companion. Designed by a blind engineer: Experience a platform built with your unique needs in mind. No distractions, no ads: Focus on finding the products you want, without the clutter. Best prices guaranteed: Enjoy competitive pricing without the hassle of comparison shopping. Filter through millions of products effortlessly using our intuitive voice commands or keyboard navigation. Ask our AI anything: Get instant answers about product features, specifications, compatibility, and more. Try Innosearch today and get $5 off all orders over $20. 3.) No Sponsorship Packages Currently Available | TopTechTidbits.com | September 5, 2024 There are no Sponsorship Packages currently available. Would your product, service or message benefit from reaching over 23,000 access technology subscribers each week? For just $100 / month? If you're thinking yes, we invite you to try a Sponsorship Package with Top Tech Tidbits. The benefits are amazing. No obligation. Cancel anytime. Join our waiting list today by sending an email to sponsorships at toptechtidbits.com 📧️ and we'll reach out to you the next time a package becomes available. 4.) One Time Advertisements Available | TopTechTidbits.com | September 5, 2024 One time advertisements are available to anyone, with or without a Sponsorship. Would your product, service or message benefit from reaching over 23,000 access technology subscribers? If you're thinking yes, we invite you to check out our one time advertising options. They are cost-effective, targeted and measurable. Scheduling is optional. Learn more today. 5.) Premium Subscribers | TopTechTidbits.com | September 5, 2024 Next Issue: Premium Subscribers will receive their 10th issue of the Top 60 Most Clicked News Articles for July, August and September of 2024 on Monday, October 7, 2024. Back Issues: There are currently 9 back issues available. Premium Subscribers are entitled to all back issues, anytime they sign up. All available back issues will be sent to you via email within 24 hours of purchasing your subscription. Please Join Us: If you would like to receive a perfectly formatted and searchable Word Document with each of the Top 60 Most Clicked News Articles of the last 3 months listed neatly within it, please consider joining us today for just $1 a month. 6.) Sponsored Tidbits | TopTechTidbits.com | September 5, 2024 Use Sponsored Tidbits to reach the access technology community when you need to. Whether you are a current Sponsor or not. Drive traffic to your access product and service announcements, events, updates or fundraisers using this incredibly cost-effective and easy-to-use advertisement tool. Learn more today. 7.) Do You Have A Link In This Issue? Learn How To Track It For Free | TopTechTidbits.com | September 5, 2024 This article will outline, step-by-step, how you can get free website traffic reporting on any link to your domain (AKA domain name, website or web address) that has been published by Top Tech Tidbits since January 18, 2024, when we launched this feature. 8.) AI Updates 🤖️ Skip this Tidbit to skip all updates on AI. A.) Harnessing Copilot And Other Gen-AI Tools To Increase Digital Accessibility Efficiency | Matthew Deeprose | University of South Hampton | September 4, 2024 I've put together a video presentation with a corresponding written transcript that cover four scenarios based on my experience of using Copilot and similar tools in my role for the following tasks over the past six months: Converting captions into a formatted transcript. Writing alternative text for images. Converting a podcast in mp3 format into a formatted transcript with speaker attribution. Creating sample content for use in accessibility remediation workshops. In the presentation, I'll introduce each concept and explain why it's important. I will demonstrate Copilot in use and share the prompts I created. I also provide some introductory information about Copilot for those who have not used it before. Of course, there are concerns around bias and the impact of the climate of generative AI. I'll raise those in the presentation. The presentation concludes with a set of questions for Higher Education institutions to consider as they start to use generative AI for digital accessibility workflows. While these scenarios are fairly niche and limited, I hope that others will continue the conversation and share their experiences. Happy to receive feedback and hope to learn how you have been using tools like this in the digital accessibility sphere. B.) Top 20 Prompting Techniques In Use Today: A Real LLM Prompting Guide For Professional Results Using an Interface or API | Aaron Di Blasi | AI-Weekly.ai | September 3, 2024 Here, Aaron Di Blasi, Publisher for the AI-Weekly newsletter, offers a comprehensive guide on effective prompting techniques to help Large Language Models (LLMs) achieve professional results, whether you use an interface or an API. Below, Aaron outlines and describes in detail the Top 20 prompting techniques being used today to enhance LLM performance. C.) How Be My AI and ChatGPT-4 Are Transforming Art for the Blind | Culture.org | August 30, 2024 Art has always been a powerful way for people to express themselves and connect with the world. But what if you can't see the art? Imagine seeing a painting not with your eyes but through a conversation. That's what Be My AI, powered by ChatGPT-4, is doing for blind people. D.) Comparing Meta AI, Be My AI, and Access AI | Taylor Arndt | iAccessibility.org | August 29, 2024 AI-powered accessibility tools like Meta AI, Be My AI, and Access AI from Aira are significantly enhancing how visually impaired users interact with the world. Each of these tools has distinct approaches, features, and benefits. Below, we compare these solutions in detail, including Aira's new AI initiatives that are shaping the future of accessible technology. E.) Generative AI Transformed English Homework. Math Is Next | Wired.com | August 28, 2024 ByteDance's Gauth app scans math homework and provides thorough, often correct, answers using AI. Millions have already downloaded it for free. 9.) Apple Updates 🍎️ Skip this Tidbit to skip all updates on Apple. A.) How to Watch Apple's iPhone 16 Launch Event, and What to Expect | Wired.com | September 3, 2024 The next iPhone and Apple Watch will be unveiled during a splashy event on September 9. Here's how to tune in. B.) Turn Your Old iPhone or iPad Into a Retro Game Machine | Wired.com | August 30, 2024 Free emulator software can give an old device new life as a classic video game system. For bonus points, hook up a controller and stream games to your TV. C.) Major Sites Are Saying No to Apple's AI Scraping | Wired.com | August 29, 2024 This summer, Apple gave websites more control over whether the company could train its AI models on their data. Major publishers and platforms like The New York Times and Facebook have already opted out. Tips, Tutorials, Guides, Reviews, Walk-Throughs and How-To's 📚️ 10.) JAWS Power Tip: How To Create Lists in MS Word with JAWS | Freedom Scientific | TopTechTidbits.com | September 5, 2024 Word enables you to create different types of lists for organizing and presenting information. To create these lists using JAWS, follow these steps. 11.) How to Make Microsoft Charts Accessible Using Snipping Tool | TheAccessibilityGuy.com | September 4, 2024 This video walks users through how to make charts and graphs accessible in both MS Word and PDF, using the Snipping Tool. 12.) How to Win Radio Contests | Wired.com | September 4, 2024 Those concert tickets, movie passes, and travel packages can be yours if you follow this advice from a frequent radio contest winner. 13.) More Digital Accessibility Books | TPGi.com | September 3, 2024 Back in November last year, I wrote a blog post listing 20 books on digital accessibility published between 2012 and 2023. At the time, I commented, “Books?! Are you kidding? Who reads books any more, right?” That was, of course, tongue in cheek. Personally, I'm a book lover and always will be. As if to bear out my faith in that position, there has been a bit of an explosion in the publishing of digital accessibility books in the last few years. So, here are 19 more books on digital accessibility, published between 2019 and 2024. 14.) The Best Excel Keyboard Shortcuts I Use as a Power User | HowToGeek.com | September 1, 2024 Excel is well known for its many tabs, groups, and menus on its ribbon. As a result, it can be difficult to find exactly what you're looking for. As a daily Excel user, I've become accustomed to using various keyboard shortcuts that allow me to work much more efficiently. 15.) Cultivating Math Skills on the Monarch with KeyMath | APH.org | August 29, 2024 Adapting math lessons for students who are blind or have low vision takes patience and creativity. Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs) construct graphs out of braille graph paper and Wikki Stix to represent the X and Y axis or help students make graphs digitally on a calculator. They use the device's audio tones to listen to the shape of a graph. Today, for the first time ever, students can access a tactile graphing calculator on the Monarch, APH's new 10-line by 32-cell refreshable braille display that renders braille and tactile graphics on the same surface. 16.) Exploring Accessibility Features in Windows: The Ease of Access Center | Shaun of the Shed | Apple Podcasts | August 29, 2024 In this episode, Shaun Preece discusses the importance of accessibility features in Windows and demonstrates how to access and use the Ease of Access Center. He explores various options under the Vision, Hearing, and Interaction categories, such as text size, visual effects, mouse pointer customization, magnifier, color filters, contrast themes, narrator, captions, speech recognition, keyboard shortcuts, mouse keys, and eye tracking. This is the final episode of Shaun of the Shed, but fret not as Shaun previews the upcoming season of Double Tap on YouTube. 17.) 6 Steps To Meet Video Accessibility Standards | BeAccessible.com | August 29, 2024 Videos are a great way for businesses to connect with potential customers. Studies show that people retain information more effectively from videos than from text, with 90% of what the brain processes being visual. 18.) Explorer Tips: How to Get Free Aira Minutes | Aira.io | August 28, 2024 Don't have a subscription to Aira? No problem: there are still plenty of ways Explorers can access free Aira minutes. News, Trends, Updates and Opinion Editorials 📰️ 19.) The Best Text-to-Speech Apps for Android | Aaron Di Blasi | AT-Newswire.com | September 5, 2024 This is not an article just yet. Just a recent discussion on the ATHEN Listserv. We're still soliciting responses from anyone who might like to contribute. Have a recommendation not included here? Send it to us at publisher at toptechtidbits.com 📧️ and we'll include it in the final article. (1) Google's Native Text-to-Speech Feature (2) Voice Aloud Reader (3) Speechify (4) T2S: Text to Voice (5) Narrator's Voice (6) Pocket (7) TalkFree (8) iSpeech Translator (9) Kurzweil 3000 (10) Moon+ Reader Pro (11) Legere Reader (formerly VoiceDream Reader for Android) (12) Colibrio Reader (Android) (13) ElevenLabs Reader App for iDevices (14) Speech Central TTS App (15) Balabolka TTS Reader 20.) Driverless Cars, Rubber Chickens & Naming A Plastic Plant | Double Tap | YouTube.com | September 4, 2024 Today on the show Steven and Shaun find out what its like to travel inside a driverless car courtesy of good friend of the show, Gregg Hayes. Plus Steven asks for an intervention into his recent usage of Facebook, and we gather your suggestions for the naming ceremony of the studio plastic plant. There's also more discussion on the accessibility of smart doorbells such as the Blink system from Amazon, with Tiffani getting back in touch to share her experiences with both Blink and Ring. Gregg Hayes joins the guys to chat about his experience of traveling inside a driverless car from Waymo in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. Gregg takes us along for the ride with a video recorded by his son Dave which shows the outside of the car, what it's like inside and how it feels when it's moving along the city streets. Gregg talks about the joy of traveling independently this way with his guide dog and shares his hopes for it to be opened up further in the years to come. 21.) TalkBack 15.0 has been Released: Here's Everything You Need to Know | AccessibleAndroid.com | September 4, 2024 Google is rolling out version 15.0 of the TalkBack screen reader, with The most prominent new feature being the addition of Gemini-based image descriptions. Let's take a look at what's new in TalkBack 15.0. Please note that the rollout is gradual, so if you don't see the update yet, be patient — it should reach your device in the coming days. 22.) What's New With TalkBack 15.0 | Google.com | September 4, 2024 Your experience with TalkBack 15.0 has been improved with the following. 23.) Join Us for Our September 2024 Training Events | FreedomScientific.com | September 3, 2024 The Freedom Scientific training team offers ongoing opportunities for you to join us in live training sessions and advance your skills. We're excited to announce our jam-packed September training schedule, where you're sure to find something that will help you at work, school, or play. 24.) Talking Technology With V I Labs Episode 65: Ovens, Fridges, Taps And Hobs, Joes New Smart Kitchen | V I Labs | YouTube.com | September 3, 2024 From adjusting the fridge temperature using a smart phone app to controlling your oven with Alexa, in this podcast we explore the power of a kitchen built to be smart and accessible. Things aren't all sunshine and roses however as we explore the safety concerns with smart hobs and Quooker taps. We've got the new Virgin Media Play app And allegedly fake accessibility advocates in tech news, and we discuss the reaction to last weeks announcement from AppleVis. 25.) NVDA 2024.4beta2 Available For Testing | NVAccess.com | September 3, 2024 Beta2 of NVDA 2024.4 is now available for download and testing. 26.) Math Window ® Opens Opportunities | EasterSealsTech.com | September 3, 2024 Fittingly named, Math Window ® opens up opportunities for blind and visually impaired students to better understand the language of numbers and shapes. 27.) Double Tap Arrives On YouTube & Be My Eyes Talks About AppleVis Acquisition | Double Tap | September 3, 2024 Today on the show, Steven and Shaun welcome their new viewers on YouTube and explain more about their show to the new audience, including details on Accessible Media Inc. following a question from listener Larry. There's also talk on the updates to Amazon's Echo devices and Alexa's voice herself, with rumors suggesting a Lady A with more personality could come with a subscription cost and the need for new hardware. It's reported that full details will come in October suggesting an Amazon event isn't far away. Our main story today concerns the news that Be My Eyes has acquired AppleVis, a popular website for blind Apple users. Vice-Chair of the company Bryan Bashin and its founder, Hans Wiberg, join Steven and Shaun to discuss the news and answer listeners' questions on what happens next to the site which will relaunch on September 9th, just in time for the release of IOS 18. 28.) How Do Website Cookies Affect Accessibility? | OphthalmicEdge.com | September 2, 2024 Cookies are not always the sweet treats we delight in consuming, they also create challenges. Web cookies are the small pieces of personal data, stored on your browser. Many websites use cookies to remember user settings, which can affect how content is displayed. If those settings aren't accessible or adjustable, it can hinder the experience for visually impaired users. 29.) AppleVis Extra 99: Inside the AppleVis Acquisition; A Conversation with Be My Eyes | AppleVis.com | September 2, 2024 In this AppleVis Extra, Dave Nason and Thomas Domville engage in a discussion with Bryan Bashin and Hans Jørgen Wiberg from Be My Eyes about the acquisition of AppleVis. They tackle the tough questions, explore how Be My Eyes came to acquire AppleVis, and share insights into the experiences of the AppleVis Editorial Team before and after the acquisition. 30.) Be My Eyes Team Speak To Double Tap About AppleVis Acquisition | DoubleTapOnAir.com | September 2, 2024 Double Tap is excited to announce that, for the first time, will air simultaneously in full on YouTube from September 3rd, along with the regular podcast and AMI-audio broadcast at 12 noon Eastern. The new episode, featuring an exclusive interview with Bryan Bashin, Vice Chair of Be My Eyes, and Hans Wiberg, founder of Be My Eyes, will explore their recent decision to take over the popular website AppleVis, a key resource for blind and low vision Apple users. Bryan Bashin and Hans Wiberg will talk about their future plans for the platform, and how this acquisition aligns with Be My Eyes' mission to support blind and low vision communities worldwide. 31.) Celebrating Two Years of Success and Growth with RIM | PneumaSolutions.com | September 1, 2024 It's hard to believe it's already been two years since we launched the new and improved Remote Incident Manager (RIM). The journey has been nothing short of amazing, with RIM making waves across the globe. We've seen incredible growth in features and impact, and the most rewarding part is knowing how many lives we've touched. 32.) Talk Back With The Blind Life August 2024 Giveaway Winners | The Blind Life | YouTube.com | August 31, 2024 Congratulations to the winners. 33.) Tips To Look Your Best On Camera | Double Tap | YouTube.com | August 31, 2024 In this conversation, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece discuss how to look your best on camera. They talk about the equipment and tools that can help blind and visually impaired individuals position themselves correctly on camera, such as the Face in View feature in JAWS and the Centered Head app for Mac. They also mention the Be My Eyes app and Aira for getting real-time assistance with camera positioning. The hosts encourage blind people to create their own YouTube channels and share their experiences to increase visibility and understanding. 34.) The iAccessibility Report Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses for Blind Users: Guide | iAccessibility.net | August 31, 2024 Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses combine style with advanced technology, offering unique benefits for blind and visually impaired users. These glasses are equipped with AI-driven features that provide hands-free accessibility, making daily tasks easier. However, it's important to understand their limitations and how they fit into your overall accessibility toolkit. In this guide, we'll explore the styles, key features, available commands, and important considerations when using these glasses. 35.) AppleVis Unleashed Becomes Apple Crunch: A Renamed Technology Podcast Debuts in September | Tech-VI List | August 30, 2024 Along with the great news about AppleVis returning on September 9, 2024, I want to tell you that when AppleVis returns, we'll have a brand new podcast. AppleVis Unleashed is changing its name to Apple Crunch. It will return near the end of September and will feature Thomas Domville and myself John Gassman along with a brand new member of the team. You all know Marty Sobo as a frequent Mastodon contributor! We're happy to welcome him to the new Apple Crunch podcast heard on the new AppleVis. 36.) Harmful 'Nudify' Websites Used Google, Apple, and Discord Sign-On Systems | Wired.com | August 29, 2024 Single sign-on systems from several Big Tech companies have been incorporated into deepfake generators, WIRED found. Discord and Apple have started to terminate some developers' accounts. 37.) Plan Less, Do More: Introducing Appointment By Thunderbird | Thunderbird.com | August 29, 2024 We're excited to share a new project we've been working on at Thunderbird called Appointment. Appointment makes it simple to schedule meetings with anyone, from friends and family to colleagues and strangers. Escape the endless email threads trying to find a suitable meeting time across multiple time zones and organizations. 38.) Future Trends in Low Vision Magnifiers | Zoomax.com | August 29, 2024 As technology continues to evolve, low vision magnifiers are poised for significant advancements. In 2024, we can expect breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and more, all aimed at enhancing the lives of individuals with visual impairments. 39.) Freedom Scientific Celebrates Second Annual "Sharkvember" in Honor of JAWS Screen Reading Software | FreedomScientific.com | August 29, 2024 Freedom Scientific, a global leader in assistive technology for people who are blind or have low vision and the makers of JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion, is excited to announce the Second Annual "Sharkvember," a month-long event in November honoring the JAWS screen reader. 40.) How Audio Deepfakes Trick Employees (And Moms) | Rachel Sudbeck | 1Password.com | August 28, 2024 For bad actors, using synthetic voices is easy, cheap, and worryingly effective. In 1989, Mel Blanc, the originator and primary performer of Bugs Bunny, passed away. This left Warner Brothers with a major casting problem. Mel's performance was pretty distinctive, and finding someone who could do a perfect Bugs (the wry nasal quality, the vague New York accent) seemed an impossible task. 41.) The Power of Headings: Why LinkedIn Needs Them | Digitala11y.com | August 28, 2024 Isn't it annoying when you beautifully format your article, and when you copy-paste it to a LinkedIn post, it looks like a mess? To be honest, even I wouldn't read a long article if it's difficult to scan. It's hard to engage with content that's challenging to navigate, and most people would leave without reading it. 42.) Urban Xplorer Mobility Cane Review: The Ultimate Street Cane for the Blind!! | The Blind Life | YouTube.com | August 24, 2024 Hey everyone! Sam here from The Blind Life. Today, I'm excited to share my review of the brand-new Urban Xplorer Mobility Cane by AwareWolf Gear. This innovative cane is designed to provide exceptional durability, adjustability, and functionality for the blind community. In this video, I dive deep into the Urban Xplorer's features, including its sleek form factor, adjustable handle, and multiple size options. I'll also discuss its performance in various environments, from city streets to outdoor trails. Whether you're a daily commuter or an avid explorer, the Urban Xplorer offers the perfect blend of strength and lightweight design. Discover why this cane is quickly becoming the go-to choice for those seeking reliable and stylish mobility solutions. 43.) What the Demise of WCBS Newsradio 880 Says About the Future of All-News Radio | BarrettMedia.com | August 13, 2024 Do the finances of operating an all-news radio station still make sense in 2024? I believe we might have our answer. 44.) Star Wars Outlaws TM Accessibility Spotlight | Chastity Vicencio | Ubisoft.com | May 30, 2024 Star Wars Outlaws TM is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC via Ubisoft Connect on August 30 (or on August 27 for Ubisoft+ Premium subscribers and owners of the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition, which you can preorder now.) This open-world Star Wars TM game lets you play as cunning scoundrel Kay Vess, who, along with her loyal companion Nix, becomes one of the galaxy's most wanted after a job gone wrong and must fight, steal, and outwit her way through the Outer Rim's criminal syndicates. The Star Wars Outlaws development team, led by Massive Entertainment in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, is providing a first look at some of the accessibility features that will be available to players. Featured Events 📅️ Submit your event for consideration within this section here. September 12, 2024 through September 13, 2024 | 15th Annual ISLAND Conference on Disability and STEM | Independence Science Please join us for the 15th Annual ISLAND Conference on Disability and STEM. Attendance is offered both in-person or online in Princeton, New Jersey September 12 — 13. The conference showcases technical and methodological solutions on what is possible in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for people with disabilities. Since its founding in 2010 the ISLAND conference has served as a forum for conference attendees to meet, network, and collaborate. It is intended for scholars, educators, and practitioners, and welcomes members of the public. Proceedings are published through the peer-reviewed Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, which since 1998 has disseminated research and practice related to the education of students with disabilities in the science classroom and laboratory. September 19, 2024 | Latest AI Technology | Florida Outreach Center for the Blind, Inc. | Free Zoom Event 11AM PT, 12PM MT, 1PM CT, 2PM ET, 6PM GMT Join us Thurs 9/19/24, 2-4PM for a free virtual workshop on the latest A.I. tech - the Glide! The world's first self-guided, A.I.-powered mobility aid designed to help people in the blind and low vision community. Meeting ID: 835 8160 5488. Passcode: 182630. By Phone: +1-312-626-6799. The Florida Outreach Center for the Blind is a nonprofit organization/training facility that is nationally accredited by the Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired (AER). Classes/training are ALL FREE and available in English, Spanish, Creole and French. September 19, 2024 | Unlocking the Impact of WCAG 2.2 on Electronic Documents | Allyant | Free Webinar 10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT In the evolving web accessibility landscape, WCAG 2.2 introduces significant updates that build on the foundation of WCAG 2.1. This version focuses on improving accessibility for individuals with cognitive or learning disabilities, low vision, and mobile devices. Importantly, WCAG 2.2 also introduces new criteria that directly impact the accessibility of electronic documents, shaping how digital content is created and made accessible. This webinar will explore these new guidelines, emphasizing the critical differences from WCAG 2.1 and their implications for electronic documents. Attendees will delve into the intricacies of WCAG 2.2's Success Criteria, explicitly focusing on their application to electronic documents. The session will provide practical compliance strategies, illustrated by real-world examples of successful implementations and common pitfalls to avoid. Whether you're an experienced accessibility professional or just starting, this session offers valuable insights for anyone dedicated to creating a more inclusive digital environment. October 4, 2024 | Virtual Career Fair | NFB 2PM PT, 3PM MT, 4PM CT, 5PM ET, 9PM GMT Time to launch your dream career. Register for the National Federation of the Blind Virtual Career Fair. This is your chance to meet and network with employers from across the country. Registration is free for jobseekers. October 15, 2024 | White Cane Awareness Day Free Event | Florida Outreach Center for the Blind, Inc. 10AM PT, 11AM MT, 12PM CT, 1PM ET, 5PM GMT Join us 1-3PM on October 15, 2024 to celebrate the day and bring awareness to the public! FREE refreshments and raffles! City officials, the police department, and tons of visitors will be on hand to learn about the White Cane Law and FOCB's free programs, classes and workshops for the blind and visually impaired. Together we can make the streets safer and raise awareness of the law. November 17, 2024 | Dining In The Dark Fundraiser For The Blind | Florida Outreach Center for the Blind, Inc. 1PM PT, 2PM MT, 3PM CT, 4PM ET, 8PM GMT The 16th Annual Dining in the Dark! Sunday Nov 17th, 2024 | 4PM-8PM. West Palm Beach Marriott, 1001 Okeechobee Blvd. Tickets $125 pp. Join us for an experience like no other! Come have dinner in complete darkness. •Delicious 3-course dinner served by the PBSO SWAT Team who will be wearing night-vision goggles. Inspiring guest speaker, music & entertainment, silent auction, cash bar. Dining in the Dark helps to raise funds for educational, therapeutic, vision and support services for individuals of all ages who are blind and visually impaired. These specialized services empower people with vision loss to lead active, independent and successful lives. FOCB. is a non-profit organization established in 2003 & provides FREE programs, services, and classes to more than 48,000 blind residents in Palm Beach County. February 25, 2025 through February 27, 2025 | Axe-Con As a movement, digital accessibility has never been as powerful or impactful as it is today. We are at an amazing inflection point that will define the future of inclusion across the globe. All of us at Deque are so honored to be a part of this mission, and we are incredibly excited to announce that the fifth annual axe-con conference will return next year on February 25-27, 2025! Axe-con is the world's largest digital accessibility conference. Last year, over 30,000 people registered to attend, representing more than 12,000 organizations. We hosted over 75 expert presenters, and today, we're elated to announce our first 2025 keynote speaker, Alice Wong! Alice Wong is a disabled activist, writer, editor, and community organizer. She is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture. Alice's activism has been celebrated by Time Magazine and Marie Claire, and her 2022 memoir was one of USA Today's “Must-Read” books. Alice is the recipient of multiple awards, was named a Disability Futures fellow by the Ford Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to be a member of the National Council on Disability. Featured Surveys 📋️ Submit your survey for consideration within this section here. Closing: September 13, 2024 | Accessibility and You Survey 2024 | AccessAbleUSA This survey is all about understanding how easy it is to access places you want to go, from planning in advance to the experience you have while you are there. We want to use the survey to highlight the issues people are facing and to see how AccessAbleUSA might expand our criteria and detailed accessibility guidance in the future. We use the phrase 'places to go' to describe venues you can visit as a member of the public, so pretty much anywhere excluding private homes (unless they are vacation rental homes). We would love to hear about your experiences of accessing places in your town or city and the places you have visited. We are really grateful for your time in completing the survey. If you would like to enter our prize drawing please fill in your details at the start of the survey and check the box, and you can also sign up to our newsletter if you would like us to keep you updated on our work. We promise not to share your personal information. Thank you! The AccessAble Team Featured Podcast Episodes 🎙️ Submit your Podcast Episode for consideration within this section here. September 4, 2024 | Eyes on Success Episode 2436: Glide to Independence Glide is an innovative self-driven, AI-powered mobility device for those who are visually impaired. Using advanced sensors and real-time data, Glide navigates the user around obstacles and guides them to their destination. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Amos Miller, founder and CEO of Glidance, about the device and how it can be used. August 28, 2024 | Talking Technology with V I Labs: Be My Eyes Acquires AppleVis Wow, sometimes stories come along that you just don't expect. David and Joe share their thoughts now with a special episode of Talking Technology Extra, as Be My Eyes acquire AppleVis. August 28, 2024 | Eyes on Success Episode 2435: AI Video Descriptions with PiccyBot There are several AI tools that vision impaired people can use for describing scenes and photos to assist in their daily lives. PiccyBot is unique, however, in that it also has the ability to describe video content. Hosts Nancy and Peter Torpey talk with Martijn van der Spek, developer of the app, about how it works and its many customizable features. Directories 📝️ 1) Top Tech Tidbits App Directory | Submit 2) Top Tech Tidbits Game Directory | Submit 3) Top Tech Tidbits Listserv Directory | Submit 4) Top Tech Tidbits Podcast Directory | Submit 5) Top Tech Tidbits YouTube Directory | Submit Buy, Sell or Trade 🛒️ List your new, gently-used or refurbished item in FOUR (4) consecutive issues of Top Tech Tidbits for just $5 USD by filling out this short form. 1.) FOR SALE: One Buy, Sell or Trade Advertisement (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 USD. Sponsor Classified Ads 🎯️ Sponsors may submit or update their Classified Advertisement here. ⬆︎ 5.) Sponsor: Pneuma Solutions 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Aira Officially Launches Remote Incident Manager Integration, Making On-Demand Remote Visual Assistance Fully Accessible! | Pneuma Solutions Aira, one of the world's leading remote visual interpretation services, has launched a landmark integration that will make the process of receiving remote technical support even more accessible! Aira has deployed our cross-platform, fully accessible Remote Incident Manager across its entire team of agents dedicated to providing top notch visual interpretation. Aira, one of the world's leading remote visual interpretation services, has launched a landmark integration that will make the process of receiving remote technical support even more accessible! Aira has deployed our cross-platform, fully accessible Remote Incident Manager across its entire team of agents dedicated to providing top notch visual interpretation! As an Aira explorer, help with inaccessible computer tasks has always been possible, however this has required the use of off-the-shelf remote support tools with varying degrees of inaccessibility. IN recent years, the inaccessibility has made the process of establishing a connection for the support recipient quite difficult. Remote Incident Manager (RIM), by contrast, has been specially designed by and for blind and visually impaired users, yet can be used just as effectively by anyone! Download the free RIM application on your Windows or macOS machine today, and experience the best in accessible remote assistance! Sponsor Since: June 3, 2021 📅️ Website: https://pneumasolutions.com/ 🌐️ Email Newsletter: Click here to receive periodic news via email concerning Pneuma Solutions products for business, consumers and education. Sales: (866) 202-0520 📱️ Support: (650) 249-1000 📱️ About: Backed by two decades of creating award-winning accessible cloud technologies for people with visual impairments, Pneuma Solutions is the global leader in accessible cloud-based solutions. Pneuma Solutions was founded by long-time accessibility developers Mike Calvo and Matt Campbell. For more information on their individual profiles, click on their respective bio pages. We're proud to be the first company to develop cloud-based accessibility at the network level. Our tools provide organizations, like yours, a way to deliver secure, accessible information right from your network or from our secure servers. You can provide your print disabled consumers, students, employees, and citizens with a multitude of accessible options. Additionally, we offer a suite of cloud-based applications to blind and print disabled consumers directly from our website. Our consumer products are designed to make the day-to-day lives of blind and print disabled individuals more accessible and simpler to manage. Access to information is not a privilege, it's a right. It's also your right to obtain affordable, accessible cloud solutions to serve your end user. When organizations like yours implement our tools, together we help make it a more inclusive world for people with disabilities. Want to know more about how we can help you become more inclusive? Contact us here. We'll be happy to discuss how our tools can help with your accessibility needs. ⬆︎ 4.) Sponsor: Freedom Scientific 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Freedom Scientific Focus Blue 5th Generation Refreshable Braille Displays | Freedom Scientific Our world-class refreshable Braille displays deliver efficient Braille input and outstanding output for your PC or mobile device. The robust Bluetooth® connectivity provides seamless use with Windows®, Mac®, iPhones®, iPads®, and Android TM smartphones and tablets. Ergonomic navigation features allow quick, natural hand movements for greater productivity. When used with JAWS® screen reading software, they support our popular Braille Study Mode, an interactive tool for teaching and learning Braille. Learn more today. Sponsor Since: April 15, 2021 📅️ Website: https://www.freedomscientific.com/ 🌐️ Email: info at vispero.com 📧️ Phone: (800) 444-4443 📱️ Facebook | Twitter | YouTube (Training) About: Freedom Scientific, a Vispero brand, is a leading worldwide brand of assistive technology products for those with vision impairments. We offer products designed to promote independence, allowing blind and low vision individuals the same access to information as their sighted peers. World-renowned JAWS (Job Access With Speech) screen reading software and ZoomText screen magnification software provide users the independence and ability to seek education and obtain or maintain a career after vision loss. Our expansive product line includes both low vision and blindness technology for all aspects of daily living. The wide range of RUBY, TOPAZ, and ONYX desktop and portable video magnifiers are designed for their ease of use and assist with daily activities. Our impressive line of blindness hardware products include refreshable Braille displays and scanning and reading devices, offering many options tailored to fit individual needs. ⬆︎ 3.) Sponsor: Humanware 👉️ Classified Advertisement: BRAILLIANT Renewed! The NEW Brailliant BI X Series Is Here! | HumanWare 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! Sponsor Since: February 4, 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. ⬆︎ 2.) Sponsor: GuideLights and Gadgets 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Guidelights and Gadgets GuideLights Will be at ACB, although we don't have an exhibit booth. We have something better; a room on the 4th floor right in the middle of everything. We will be in Main Street 2 Sun. Mon. and Tue. We are calling it the "GuideLights window down" sale with lots of special bargains. Backpacks, 20 cell Braille display cases, and a good selection of headphones will be discounted 30 percent. Come join the fun with Barry; there will be an Orbit Speak given away to a person who registers with us. There will also be a number of "spot" promotions during the convention. I am doing this by myself this year, as Kae is still recovering from some of her surgeries. Looking forward to being with our many customers and friends. For more info, call or email Barry at: (617) 969-7500 📱️ or barry.scheur at gmail.com 📧️. Director, http://www.GuideLightsAndGadgets.us Sponsor Since: June 25, 2020 📅️ Website: http://www.guidelightsandgadgets.us/ 🌐️ For Gadgets and Leather Contact Barry at: Phone: (617) 969-7500 📱️ Email: bscheur.gadgetsandtech 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, affordable, and, whenever possible, fun! Our inventory is constantly changing, so a visit to us is never the same experience twice! ⬆︎ 1.) Sponsor: A. T. Guys 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Pluggable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub | A. T. Guys 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 Pluggable 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. Sponsor Since: June 11, 2020 📅️ Website: https://www.atguys.com/ 🌐️ Phone: (269) 216-4798 📱️ Email: support at atguys.com 📧️ Skype: atguys 💬️ X (Formerly 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 📱️. ⬆︎ 24.) Sponsor: Hable 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Free Opticoaster For Every One! | Hable For a limited time, when you purchase a Hable One, you'll receive a FREE OptiCoaster! The Hable One is a powerful, pocket-sized keyboard that makes phone use easier and more accessible for blind and visually impaired users. With your Hable One, you'll get the OptiCoaster, a high-contrast, glow-in-the-dark coaster with tactile features, perfect for easily locating and placing your cups on the table. But hurry! Stock is running low, and we have only a few units left. Once they're gone, this offer ends! Don't miss out on this incredible deal. Visit our website now to claim your free OptiCoaster before it's too late! Sponsor Since: August 14, 2024 📅️ Website: https://www.iamhable.com/ 🌐️ About: At Hable we empower people with visual impairment in the digital world. Inclusivity at the core and innovation at the fingertips. Our keyboard for the blind has redefined cellphone and tablet experiences and accessibility for over 5,000 visually impaired people globally. Hable is an external keyboard designed to make using a smartphone simpler and more convenient for those with visual impairments, allowing for easy operation and accessibility. Order: Ready to experience the convenience and accessibility of Hable for yourself? Order Hable today at: Amazon in the USA: https://amzn.to/3MEvLN5 | Other Countries: https://bit.ly/3sq4kjz. Website: Home | Tips and Tricks | Support | Order Hable Social: Facebook | Instagram | X (Formerly Twitter) | YouTube | LinkedIn ⬆︎ 23.) Sponsor: The Apex Program 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Jumpstart Your Cybersecurity Career with the Apex Program! | The Apex Program Are you ready to advance your career in cybersecurity? The Apex Program offers a comprehensive 10-week training course designed to prepare you for the CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certification exams. Tailored for the blind, visually impaired, disabled, and veteran communities, our program combines informative lectures, video tutorials, hands-on labs, and quizzes, with expert instructor support every step of the way. Get started today — Classes start on the first Monday of every month! Upcoming Class Start Dates: 1. Monday, September 9th 2. Monday, October 7th 3. Monday, November 4th Don't miss this opportunity to join a diverse and inclusive workforce in the cybersecurity sector. Visit TheApexProgram.com to learn more and secure your spot today! Sponsor Since: July 16, 2024 📅️ Website: https://theapexprogram.com 🌐️ About: Unlocking Abilities, Securing Futures. Founded on the principles of inclusivity and opportunity, the Apex Program is a pioneering educational initiative in cybersecurity, tailored for the blind, visually impaired, disabled, and veteran communities. Created by a Novacoast employee and inspired by his own journey from disability to Security Operations Center manager, the curriculum is designed to create a strong foundation of IT security knowledge, while instilling confidence and ensuring competence in the IT talent pool. Our ten-week program culminates in industry-recognized CompTIA certifications and a guaranteed pathway to employment, courtesy of Novacoast's dedicated IT Staffing division. At Apex, we don't just teach cybersecurity; we transform lives by unlocking potential and advocating for diversity in the IT security workforce. Mission: The Apex Program is committed to bridging the gap in cybersecurity talent by empowering the blind, visually impaired, disabled, and veteran communities through inclusive, accessible, and comprehensive training. Our mission is to nurture a diverse workforce equipped with the necessary IT security skills and certifications to thrive in the cybersecurity sector. In partnership with Novacoast, we ensure a solid educational foundation and job placement in the industry, further fostering a future where every individual can focus their distinct abilities on building a more secure digital world. Novacoast: Novacoast is a cybersecurity and IT services company that helps organizations enhance their security posture. They offer a range of services, including cybersecurity advisory, security engineering, identity and access management, development and integration, penetration testing, managed security services, and incident response. Their managed services include co-managed SIEM, DLP, EDR, vulnerability and patch management, phishing monitoring, and threat operations. Novacoast also provides specialized services for different industries such as finance, healthcare, and gaming. Additionally, they offer staffing solutions and training programs. Learn more today. Home | A Division of Novacoast | Novacoast Federal | The Program | About Us | Partnerships | Media | Contact ⬆︎ 22.) Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc. 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Access Ready — Seeking to Overcome What Some Believe is an 'Unfunded Mandate' of Accessibility | Access Ready, Inc. Since the inception of information and communication technologies (ICT), the industry has struggled with what some believe are "unfunded mandates" requiring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. These needs often lead to costly legal battles, retrofitting expenses, and significant public relations challenges. We have a strategic solution: the Tax Recovery Act (TRA). The TRA proposes up to a 100% tax credit of funds spent on the inclusion of accessibility for developers who retrofit existing ICT and incorporate accessibility into new products. This involves amending the 1981 Research and Development Tax Credit Federal statute to include these provisions. We are seeking your advocacy, financial support, and legislative assistance to make this initiative a reality. Set up your tax-deductible contribution today. Sponsor Since: June 27, 2024 📅️ Website: https://accessready.org 🌐️ Email: info at accessready.org 📧️ Phone: +1 (727) 531-1000 📱️ About: Access Ready, Inc. is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded on October 17, 2018, dedicated to ensuring the accessibility of information and communications technologies (ICT) for all individuals, regardless of ability. The organization aims to integrate ICT accessibility as a fundamental aspect of society. Mission: Promote policies that ensure ICT accessibility. Vision: Create a society where ICT is inherently accessible to everyone. Core Values: Integrity, Planning, Consideration, Opportunity Key Milestones: 2018: Established Articles of Incorporation and ByLaws. 2020: Received 501(c)(3) status. 2019: Formed the Access Ready Strategic Social Purpose Corporation to develop accessible technologies. Initiatives: Developed inclusion guidance documents with legal and policy experts and proposed the Tax Recovery Act to provide tax credits for developers making ICT accessible. Leadership: Douglas George Towne, Chair and CEO. Access Ready, Inc. is supported by various notable individuals and organizations. Contact: Douglas George Towne, Chari-CEO, Access Ready, Inc., chair-ceo at accessready.org 📧️. Access Ready, Inc. strives to make ICT accessible through policy advocacy, strategic guidance, and innovative solutions, fostering a more inclusive society for individuals with disabilities. ⬆︎ 21.) Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc. 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Access Ready — Seeking to Overcome What Some Believe is an 'Unfunded Mandate' of Accessibility | Access Ready, Inc. Since the inception of information and communication technologies (ICT), the industry has struggled with what some believe are "unfunded mandates" requiring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. These needs often lead to costly legal battles, retrofitting expenses, and significant public relations challenges. We have a strategic solution: the Tax Recovery Act (TRA). The TRA proposes up to a 100% tax credit of funds spent on the inclusion of accessibility for developers who retrofit existing ICT and incorporate accessibility into new products. This involves amending the 1981 Research and Development Tax Credit Federal statute to include these provisions. We are seeking your advocacy, financial support, and legislative assistance to make this initiative a reality. Set up your tax-deductible contribution today. Sponsor Since: June 27, 2024 📅️ Website: https://accessready.org 🌐️ Email: info at accessready.org 📧️ Phone: +1 (727) 531-1000 📱️ About: Access Ready, Inc. is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded on October 17, 2018, dedicated to ensuring the accessibility of information and communications technologies (ICT) for all individuals, regardless of ability. The organization aims to integrate ICT accessibility as a fundamental aspect of society. Mission: Promote policies that ensure ICT accessibility. Vision: Create a society where ICT is inherently accessible to everyone. Core Values: Integrity, Planning, Consideration, Opportunity Key Milestones: 2018: Established Articles of Incorporation and ByLaws. 2020: Received 501(c)(3) status. 2019: Formed the Access Ready Strategic Social Purpose Corporation to develop accessible technologies. Initiatives: Developed inclusion guidance documents with legal and policy experts and proposed the Tax Recovery Act to provide tax credits for developers making ICT accessible. Leadership: Douglas George Towne, Chair and CEO. Access Ready, Inc. is supported by various notable individuals and organizations. Contact: Douglas George Towne, Chari-CEO, Access Ready, Inc., chair-ceo at accessready.org 📧️. Access Ready, Inc. strives to make ICT accessible through policy advocacy, strategic guidance, and innovative solutions, fostering a more inclusive society for individuals with disabilities. ⬆︎ 20.) Sponsor: Access Ready, Inc. 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Access Ready — Seeking to Overcome What Some Believe is an 'Unfunded Mandate' of Accessibility | Access Ready, Inc. Since the inception of information and communication technologies (ICT), the industry has struggled with what some believe are "unfunded mandates" requiring accessibility for individuals with disabilities. These needs often lead to costly legal battles, retrofitting expenses, and significant public relations challenges. We have a strategic solution: the Tax Recovery Act (TRA). The TRA proposes up to a 100% tax credit of funds spent on the inclusion of accessibility for developers who retrofit existing ICT and incorporate accessibility into new products. This involves amending the 1981 Research and Development Tax Credit Federal statute to include these provisions. We are seeking your advocacy, financial support, and legislative assistance to make this initiative a reality. Set up your tax-deductible contribution today. Sponsor Since: June 27, 2024 📅️ Website: https://accessready.org 🌐️ Email: info at accessready.org 📧️ Phone: +1 (727) 531-1000 📱️ About: Access Ready, Inc. is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded on October 17, 2018, dedicated to ensuring the accessibility of information and communications technologies (ICT) for all individuals, regardless of ability. The organization aims to integrate ICT accessibility as a fundamental aspect of society. Mission: Promote policies that ensure ICT accessibility. Vision: Create a society where ICT is inherently accessible to everyone. Core Values: Integrity, Planning, Consideration, Opportunity Key Milestones: 2018: Established Articles of Incorporation and ByLaws. 2020: Received 501(c)(3) status. 2019: Formed the Access Ready Strategic Social Purpose Corporation to develop accessible technologies. Initiatives: Developed inclusion guidance documents with legal and policy experts and proposed the Tax Recovery Act to provide tax credits for developers making ICT accessible. Leadership: Douglas George Towne, Chair and CEO. Access Ready, Inc. is supported by various notable individuals and organizations. Contact: Douglas George Towne, Chari-CEO, Access Ready, Inc., chair-ceo at accessready.org 📧️. Access Ready, Inc. strives to make ICT accessible through policy advocacy, strategic guidance, and innovative solutions, fostering a more inclusive society for individuals with disabilities. ⬆︎ 19.) Sponsor: Innosearch.ai 👉️ Classified Advertisement: $5 OFF Any Order. Shop Innosearch, Accessible Blind Marketplace. Innosearch is an e-commerce platform built for the Blind and Visually Impaired user with millions of products focused on making online shopping easy and enjoyable, working seamlessly with NVDA, Apple Voiceover, and other popular screen readers. Free shipping, free returns, no ads. Simple shopping — what you need, straight to your door. For a limited time, enjoy $5 OFF any order $15 or more with code OFF5. Sponsor Since: June 7, 2024 📅️ Website: https://www.innosearch.ai 🌐️ Email: info at innosearch.ai 📧️ About: Innosearch is an all-in-one shopping platform augmented with a cutting-edge AI-powered shopping assistant. This innovative feature mimics the experience of shopping in real life by allowing you to interact with the assistant using natural language. It aggregates millions of products from top US online retailers, bringing them directly to you. With this advanced generative AI, Innosearch offers personalized product recommendations, highlights the best deals, and provides comprehensive information including reviews, total prices, shipping options, and more. Innosearch delivers a seamless end-to-end shopping experience, eliminating the need to search and browse in multiple tabs across retailers. Key Features: Key Features of the Innosearch All-in-One AI Shopping Platform include: ➜ Research Products: Easily compare products across retailers, or weigh pros and cons of similar products to make informed decisions. ➜ Uncover the Best Deals: Never miss a door buster, coupon, or clearance sale again. Get notified about the best prices and offers. ➜ AI Summarized Trusted Reviews: See what others are saying and make confident purchases. ➜ All in One: Innosearch brings millions of products from top online retailers directly to you, allowing you to shop the best deals with easy checkout and personalized AI assistance. ➜ Shop with Confidence: Rest assured, Innosearch has you covered with free shipping and returns on every purchase. ➜ Know Before You Buy: Innosearch equips you with expert buying guides, empowering you to make well-informed decisions. How To Shop: Simply create a free account and start shopping today! ⬆︎ 18.) Sponsor: Four Bad Eyes Podcast Sponsor Since: May 30,2024 📅️ Website: https://www.fourbadeyes.com/ 🌐️ Email: podcast at fourbadeyes.com 📧️ About: Two blind dudes collide to bring you an entirely different perspective on life. Dan Mancina, a Professional Blind Skateboarder who lost his vision at age 22, and Anthony Ferraro, a Paralympic hopeful on the Road to Paris 2024 who was born blind team up to bring you the backbone of the Four Bad Eyes podcast. Accompanied by hilarious short-form videos the podcast brings new life and perspective to anyone searching for hope or just a simple laugh. Join us as we enter our second year of podcasting. New episodes every Sunday late late night. Keep pushing and one love! Donate: Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-ferraro65/support. TikTok (133.4K): https://www.tiktok.com/@fourbadeyes YouTube (4.28K): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrlpwAc7W68j68iP0dQraA Instagram (103K): https://www.instagram.com/fourbadeyes/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6uredZcxfMba2S84G38mob RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/db16ff7c/podcast/rss ⬆︎ 17.) Sponsor: Biped.ai 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Biped Pro, All-In-One Mobility Solution Using Cameras And AI | Biped.ai Mobility can be tricky. Ultrasound obstacle detectors to detect upper body obstacles, handheld GPS for turn-by-turn navigation, smart glasses to read building numbers or get scene descriptions... What if all of that was done by a single device? biped is the world's first all-in-one mobility harness. It's worn on the shoulders, has cameras on the left side of the chest, a small AI computer on the right side, and batteries behind the neck. The device can detect obstacles (head or ground level, including holes), provide GPS navigation with turn-by-turn instructions, and upon the press of the "AI button" on the right side of the chest, generate descriptions of your surroundings. biped was developed in Switzerland, with 250 beta-testers, O&M trainers, and autonomous driving researchers. Sponsor Since: January 25, 2024 📅️ Website: https://biped.ai/ 🌐️ Email: hello at biped.ai 📧️ Get Your Biped: European and US orders (including Switzerland) can already be dispatched (usual production and shipping time is 9 weeks). Biped is only available in Europe and in the US for now, but we are expanding the list of supporting countries quickly. Check Out The Demo: Check out the Biped.ai video demo here. About: Biped.ai is an innovative company that specializes in creating advanced mobility aids for people with vision loss. Their flagship product is the biped smart harness, a groundbreaking device designed to aid visually impaired individuals in navigating their surroundings with greater ease and safety. Company Overview: Biped.ai operates under the umbrella of Fusion Lab Technologies Sàrl, a company based in Switzerland. The company was established with a commitment to enhancing mobility and independence for those with vision impairments. Biped.ai has made significant strides in this field by leveraging cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence. Product Description: The biped smart harness is a lightweight (900 grams) and wearable device designed to be worn on the shoulders. It's equipped with three cameras positioned on the left side of the chest, a battery located behind the neck, and a small computer on the right side of the chest. These components work in tandem to provide a self-driving car-like experience for pedestrians. The harness is capable of detecting a wide range of obstacles, including holes, branches, traffic signs, pedestrians, bicycles, and electric scooters. It utilizes artificial intelligence to predict collision risks and provides auditory warnings through Bluetooth headphones. These warnings are issued as short "beeps" to alert the user of potential dangers. Additionally, the device is equipped with GPS functionality to offer turn-by-turn navigation instructions, which are also relayed through the headphones. Features and Functionality: Obstacle Detection: The harness uses its cameras to scan a 170-degree field of view, functioning effectively both day and night. It can identify various obstacles and provides auditory warnings to the user. GPS Navigation: The device integrates GPS to deliver navigation instructions and is capable of detecting crosswalks and traffic lights for enhanced navigation support. Design: Weighing just 900 grams, the biped is designed for comfort and ease of use. It is worn on the shoulders, with strategically placed components for optimal functionality. ⬆︎ 16.) Sponsor: Braille Works 👉️ Classified Advertisement: FREE PDF Accessibility Review! | BrailleWorks.com Are your PDFs actually accessible? There's a lack of regulation in this industry. Without a governing body ensuring PDF remediation companies are remediating correctly, anyone can claim to know what they're doing! Too many PDF remediation companies rely solely on automation. But, full accessibility requires manual testing. Braille Works will review the accessibility of your PDF free of charge. If your PDF is not accessible, we'll tell you where it falls short. If it is accessible, we'll celebrate with you! Upload your PDF today and know for sure if it's accessible and compliant. Sponsor Since: November 17, 2023 📅️ Website: https://brailleworks.com/ 🌐️ Email: info at brailleworks.com 📧️ Phone: +1 (813) 654-4050 📱️ About: Dedicated to making the world a more readable place, Braille Works is one of the nation's leading providers of reading materials for people who are blind, visually impaired, or reading impaired. Making The World A More Readable Place™ has been our mission from day one. We are creative and innovative because our customers expect it. Your projects are given careful consideration to make every page easy to read and handle. This gives your blind and visually impaired customers the respect and independence they rightly deserve. At Braille Works, attention to detail drives everything we do. From the layout of your braille document to the format of a large print document, the scripting of an audio document, or the full compliance and accessibility of your PDF, we seek to exceed the expectations of your customers. Products and Services: 508 Compliance | Audio | Braille | Large Print Industries We Serve: Government Agencies | Banking & Financial | Translation Agencies | Healthcare & Insurance | Restaurants | Utilities Request A Quote: Contact Braille Works today to discuss your project. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your specific needs and the quality solutions we provide. Click here to get started or call us today at +1 (813) 654-4050 📱️. Social: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | X (Formerly Twitter) | YouTube ⬆︎ 15.) Sponsor: The Accessibility Guy 👉️ Classified Advertisement: How To Make Charts and Graphs Accessible in MS Word and PDF | The Accessibility Guy Charts and graphs are powerful for data visualization in Microsoft products, but they often present accessibility challenges for users with visual impairments. In my latest article, I dive into the limitations of current accessibility tools and share a simple method to make charts and graphs more accessible using the Snipping Tool. Sponsor Since: August 3, 2023 📅️ Website: https://theaccessibilityguy.com/ 🌐️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheAccessibilityGuy 📹 About: My name is Shawn Jordison and I love helping others learn the ins and outs of digital accessibility. I have made over 100 thousand documents accessible, provided hundreds of trainings in the areas of accessibility and document remediation, and reviewed many websites and mobile applications for accessibility. I have developed and reviewed VPATs, LMS courses, and other pieces of training. I am the accessibility Swiss army knife. Let me be your personal accessibility expert. ➜ Over 13 years of experience in the field of accessibility. ➜ Passionate about providing equal access to information for everyone. ➜ Wide range of project experience, including document accessibility, training, and more. ➜ Expertise in captioning, assistive technology, and accessibility best practices. I'm here to help you create a more accessible world. The Blog: This blog covers topics like making Word, PDF & PowerPoint files accessible, Closed Captioning, assistive technology, and other important accessibility topics. Training and Consulting: Offering customized training and consulting for implementing accessibility best practices. Accessible Document Service: Providing top-tier document remediation services for all types of files, ensuring compliance with WCAG, 508, and PDF UA standards. ⬆︎ 14.) Sponsor: Glidance Sponsor Since: July 20, 2023 📅️ Website: https://glidance.io/ 🌐️ About: Fun and easy, you'll just love going out. You walk with confidence, and Glide will simply guide you where you want to go. Just Grab Your Glide And Walk With Confidence Glide will guide you to your destination or just keep you to a safe path and leave it to you to steer the way, giving you full autonomy and independence. Portable, Light And Versatile Glide uses advanced technology to help you safely and smoothly weave your way among obstacles and people, and make your way to a near by door, steps or a park bench. Easy To Use Smart technology for effortless mobility. Affordable No fancy back flips, just what you need to get back out there. Quick To Learn Our friendly design means you'll be up and running in no time. Feel Confident Without hesitation, anxiety, or getting lost. Get started with Glide today at: https://glidance.io/. ⬆︎ 13.) Sponsor: Echobatix Sponsor Since: July 20, 2023 📅️ Website: https://echobatix.com/ 🌐️ App: Download the Echobatix App from the Apple App Store here. App Training Videos: https://www.echobatix.com/training/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@echobatix.inc/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@echobatix About: The Echobatix app for iPhone offers text accessibility for touch screens at your fingertip and for text on objects in your hand. We combine hand detection with optical character recognition so that you can interact quickly with text. No WiFi or cell connection is required. If you have difficulty reading text, or if you find touch screens and product labels completely inaccessible, give the Echobatix app a try. The app supports large fonts and VoiceOver. You can provide feedback from within the app itself. We'd love to read your suggestions. The Echobatix app offers monthly and yearly subscriptions with a one-week free trial. When you first start the app you'll be prompted to select a subscription, but the first week is free, and you can cancel at any time. To download and try the Echobatix app, click this link: https://apple.co/3NZC3GZ ⬆︎ 12.) Sponsor: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. Sponsor Since: December 29, 2022 📅️ Website: https://lhblind.org/ 🌐️ Phone: (800) 914-7307 📱️ Fax: (206) 329-3397 ░ Contact Us: https://lhblind.org/contact-us/ About: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit social enterprise providing employment, support, and training opportunities for people who are blind, deafblind, and blind with other disabilities. The Lighthouse has provided employment and support to people who are blind in our community since 1918. The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. is a successful manufacturing organization with over 60 years of experience in precision machining. We produce an array of machined parts and plastic injection molding for various aerospace manufacturers, as well as a host of office products and hydration equipment sold to the Federal Government and the U.S. Military. We also own and operate stores on military bases along the West Coast. Our products and services include: • Manufacturing: We are a successful manufacturing organization committed to making jobs accessible to individuals who are blind. Our manufacturing operations center on making quality products for the Federal Government under the AbilityOne Program and producing parts for aerospace manufacturers. • Managed Services: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. offers a variety of services to our commercial, federal, and military customers. These include Contract Management Support (CMS) services for government contracting offices. • Base Supply Centers: We operate 12 AbilityOne Base Supply Centers (BSCs) that offer easy customer access to Lighthouse products, direct feedback and communication with customers, and employment opportunities for individuals who are blind in geographic areas not served by larger nonprofit agencies. ⬆︎ 11.) Sponsor: Wayaround 👉️ Classified Advertisement: FREE Sampler Pack with a Purchase of Any 25-pack of WayTags | Wayaround WayAround is a smartphone-based labeling app that works with your preferred accessibility settings. You just need the free mobile app and some WayTags ® to label items in the kitchen, garden, closet, office & more. If you want to label something that's inside, outside, wet, dry, hot, or cold, there's a WayTag that will attach securely. WayTags come as stickers, buttons, magnets, and clips. Each of the different styles of WayTags work exactly the same. Simply choose the WayTag that's best for what you want to label. Purchase a 25-pack of any style of WayTag and get a free Sampler Pack so you can try all seven different WayTags. Enter the coupon code SAMPLE at checkout and the Sampler Pack will automatically be added to your cart. This is a $14.99 value! Limit one Sample pack per order. Sponsor Since: January 5, 2023 📅️ Website: https://www.wayaround.com/ 🌐️ General Sales & Support: (888) 898-4465 📱️ Business Sales & Support: (888) 898-4465 📱️ Email: connect at wayaround.com 📧️ About: WayAround is the app for your smart device that provides on-demand details about everyday things. The simple tag-and-scan approach lets you quickly and easily identify things around you. It also provides extra details, like how something works or when it expires. The result? Doing more of the things you want, with more confidence and more independence. All the information you want with just a tap of your phone. No more waiting around to ask someone. You need just two things to get started: The free mobile app for iOS or Android and some of our smart WayTags®. Accessible labels for the blind, deafblind, and anyone with vision loss. Your biggest problem isn't poor eyesight. It's that so much of the information in the world is visual. But you shouldn't have to wait around for someone else to get the information you need. Or carry around a bulky, outdated device. There is a better way to get accurate and complete information every time. So you can reduce stress and gain independence. Download The App (Apple): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wayaround-tag-and-scan/id1294361140?mt=8 Download The App (Android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wayaround.wayaround ⬆︎ 10.) Sponsor: Aira Sponsor Since: August 4, 2022 📅️ Website: https://aira.io/ 🌐️ Download the App: Apple App Store | Google Play Store Plans and Pricing: https://aira.io/pricing/ Phone: NA: +1.800.835.1934 📱️ | AU: +1.800.765.096 📱️ | UK: +0.800.046.5668 📱️ | NZ: +1.800.425.451 📱️ Text Message: NA: +1.858.242.4457 📱️ | AU: +61.488.839.767 📱️ | UK: +44.149.320.2474 📱️ Email: support at aira.io 📧️ Social: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram About: Aira's mission is to remove barriers and make the world more accessible with visual interpreting. We provide a live, human-to-human professional assistance service, an accommodation or productivity tool, that enhances independence by delivering on-demand, skilled and reliable visual interpreting for just about any task. Using the powerful combination of a camera and the Aira app on someone's device of 'choice', a professionally-trained agent will assist by visually interpreting what is in the camera's view or on screen, from describing to reading, from explaining to navigating - just about anything, safely and securely. Aira supports a growing range of devices including smart and tactile button phones, desktop computers and soon, wearables. Whether you are involved in the work of business, the work of school or the work of life, Aira enhances everyday efficiency, engagement, and independence. Used by employees and customers of hundreds of organizations including airports, banks, the largest software companies, financial firms, retailers and universities, we invite you to join the community, access the Aira app today and try it for free. https://aira.io/download-and-try-it/ Step One: Subscribe and Download. Pick the plan that lets you explore on your terms and on your time, sign up in a few minutes, and download the Aira app to your smartphone. Plans shown are for the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Add or cancel at any time. Step Two: Connect with an Aira Agent. On the first call, connect with one of our certified, specially-trained Agents and learn how everything works. Step Three: Real-time Assistance. At the touch of a button, Aira delivers instant access to visual information, when and where you want it. ⬆︎ 9.) Sponsor: Fable Tech Labs 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Learn Management Skills For Free. Get The Job You Want | Fable Everyone deserves equal access to the internet which is why Fable works with people with disabilities who use assistive technologies like switch controls to improve the accessibility of websites and apps. Fable Pathways, a free, accessible, and on-demand skill-building program, is an extension of Fable's mission. Fable Pathways provides new opportunities for people with disabilities to gain the skills they need, from experts like Judy Heumann and Kelly Ford, to contribute to improving digital accessibility. Sponsor Since: June 30, 2022 📅️ Website: https://makeitfable.com/ 🌐️ Email: community at makeitfable.com 📧️ About: Fable is an accessibility platform powered by people with disabilities, connecting them to accessibility managers, user researchers, designers, and developers to build accessible user experiences. Opportunities: ➜ Accessibility Tester: Testers drive meaningful change in digital accessibility by sharing feedback on the websites and apps of the companies that care. As a Tester, earn a competitive tech industry wage, learn valuable transferrable skills, and grow your career. Fable is looking for assistive technology users in the US or Canada to work the hours that they want, completely from home. No experience or resume required. ➜ Survey Respondent: Survey Respondents enjoy a remote, low-commitment income opportunity, all while contributing to accessibility research. Surveys are typically sent out once a month, and you can earn $5 to $50 per survey. Apply today if you identify as having a disability and live in the US or Canada. You do not need to use assistive technology to apply. ⬆︎ 8.) Sponsor: Access Tech Live Sponsor Since: December 23, 2021 📅️ Website: https://accesstechlive.com/ 🌐️ Email: feedback at accesstechlive.com 📧️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@accesstechlive 🎥️ Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3BQmUTl About: Formerly Double Tap TV, Access Tech Live is a weekly tech show on AMI-TV, (also available on CBC Gem in Canada and YouTube). Join hosts Steven Scott (@blindguytech) and Marc Aflalo (@marcaflalo) each week as they help viewers better understand how technology can assist them in their everyday lives. Its tech from an accessible point of view! The show features interviews with some of the biggest names in consumer tech and features up and coming companies and services. Facebook: https://facebook.com/accesstechlive X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/accesstechlive Instagram: https://instagram.com/accesstechlive LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/accesstechlive ⬆︎ 7.) Sponsor: SelvasBLV 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Receive A FREE Case With Purchase Of Senseplayer Or Braille Emotion! | Selvas BLV Beginning now through September, Selvas BLV is offering a FREE Turtleback case with every SensePlayer or Braille eMotion purchased. Get yours today and enjoy the SensePlayer or Braille eMotion on the go, worry free! Sponsor Since: September 30, 2021 📅️ Website: https://selvasblv.com/ 🌐️ Shop All Products: https://selvasblv.com/shop-all-products/ 🛒️ Phone: (512) 837-2000 📱️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R9NjA1nfWo Sales: sales at selvasblv.com 📧️ Support: support at selvasblv.com 📧️ About: SelvasBLV is a global manufacturer and distributor that has provided braille, magnification and accessible healthcare devices since 1999. ⬆︎ 6.) Sponsor: Carroll Center for the Blind 👉️ Classified Advertisement: Attend the Screen Reader User Tester Training Program at the Carroll Center for the Blind | Carroll Center for the Blind Launch your career in the digital accessibility field! The Carroll Center for the Blind's new 7-week intensive Screen Reader User Tester Training program allows participants to learn and grow their ability to professionally explore, test, and report findings regarding the accessibility of websites, mobile applications, and digital document files using screen readers. Want to learn more? Start your journey to becoming a Screen Reader User Tester today. Sponsor Since: August 5, 2021 📅️ Website: https://carroll.org/ 🌐️ Phone: (617) 969-6200 📱️ Fax: (617) 969-6204 ░️ Shop: https://carroll.org/store/ 🛒️ Donate: https://carroll.org/donate ❤️ Social: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram About: The Carroll Center for the Blind is the foremost leader in vision rehabilitation services for individuals confronted by the challenges of vision loss. Our mission is to empower those who are blind or visually impaired to achieve independence and to lead a fulfilling life. Established in 1936, the renowned Carroll Center for the Blind has been serving those with vision impairment for over eight decades; we are known nationally as a premier Vision Rehabilitation Center. Located just outside of Boston on a sprawling campus in Newton, Massachusetts, we proudly serve ALL ages and ALL stages of vision loss. With the ongoing promise of improving the lives of people with vision-related problems, The Carroll Center for the Blind has pioneered many innovative services allowing people who are blind or have low vision to learn the skills to be independent in their homes, in class settings, and in their work places. Our services include vision rehabilitation, vocational and transition programs, assistive technology training, educational support, and recreation opportunities for individuals who are visually impaired of all ages. For over 80 years, the expertise of Carroll Center staff has provided help for thousands of blind and visually impaired persons with diverse opportunities for success and independent living. ⬆︎ 25.) Sponsor: Your Name Here Join: Waiting List 📋️ Sponsor Since: Today 📅️ Website: https://toptechtidbits.com/sponsor 🌐️ Phone: (855) 578-6660 📱️ Email: enews at toptechtidbits.com 📧️ About: Founded in 2004, Top Tech Tidbits is the world's leading not-for-profit access technology publication that reaches over 23,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here. Top Tech Tidbits Supporters 🤝️ We couldn't do it without you! Thank you for your support! Why: Top Tech Tidbits Supporters donate an amount of their choosing either one time or annually in order to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication. Benefits: All Top Tech Tidbits Supporters receive a listing within the "Our Supporters" section of each weekly newsletter, as well as a listing within the "Our Supporters" section of the Top Tech Tidbits website. In addition, all Top Tech Tidbits Supporters automatically become Premium Subscribers as well, and therefore enjoy all of the benefits that a Premium Subscription has to offer. One Time Donation: If you would like to become a Top Tech Tidbits Supporter by making a one time donation in an amount of your choosing to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, you may utilize this donate link, or scan the QR code to the right. Annual Donation: If you would like to become a Top Tech Tidbits Supporter by making a small donation to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits publication, we also offer the following options, all with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support. Support: In tandem with Our Sponsors, these are the people that make the ongoing distribution of Top Tech Tidbits possible. Platinum Supporters: Become a Top Tech Tidbits Platinum 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 4.) Robin Millar Platinum Supporter since April 6, 2023 Gold Supporters: Become a Top Tech Tidbits Gold 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 4.) Neil Jarvis Gold Supporter since April 28, 2022 Silver Supporters: Become a Top Tech Tidbits Silver Supporter today. 1.) Timothy Gorbold Silver Supporter since July 19, 2023 2.) Vojtech Polasek Silver Supporter since December 29, 2023 Bronze Supporters: Become a Top Tech Tidbits Bronze Supporter today. 1.) Steven Wettlaufer Bronze Supporter since July 16, 2020 2.) Lions Clubs International Bronze Supporter since July 13, 2020 One Time Supporters: One Time Supporters donate an amount of their choosing — one time to assist with the ongoing distribution of the Top Tech Tidbits Publication. Become a Top Tech Tidbits One Time Supporter today. 1.) Beth Wright One Time Supporter on November 28, 2023 2.) Your name here. One Time Supporter on ... ➜ Top Tech Tidbits News Team 🗞️ Distribution: Sponsors, Supporters and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Distribution Since: 2004 As of June 4, 2020 the distribution of Top Tech Tidbits is made possible by our Sponsors, our Supporters, our Advertisers and Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd., a leading international provider of professionally outsourced marketing administration and consultation services. Any time the Top Tech Tidbits Publication carries less than its Sponsor limit, Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. donates the remaining dollars necessary to keep the publication running. Please help us to support the ongoing distribution of this publication. Learn more about the benefits of Sponsorship today. Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi Publisher Since: June 4, 2020 Location: Mayfield Heights, Ohio Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (EST/EDT) (GMT-5/GMT-4) In addition to serving as Publisher for Top Tech Tidbits Aaron also serves as Publisher for the Access Information News and AI-Weekly newsletters, PR-Director for the AT-Newswire Press Release News Distribution Service, and President and Senior Project Management Professional for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. As Publisher Aaron oversees the weekly distribution of Top Tech Tidbits on behalf of Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Aaron Di Blasi, PMP Email: publisher at toptechtidbits.com 📧️ Toll Free: +1 (855) 578-6660 📱️ PR Director (2024-Present) AT-Newswire 🌐 Access Technology's Digital Newswire Publisher (2024-Present) AI-Weekly 🌐 The Week's News in Artificial Intelligence Publisher (2022-Present) Access Information News 🌐 The Week's News in Access Information Publisher (2020-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Sr. Project Management Professional (2006 - Present) Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐 Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform. Certified: Digital Marketing Associate Meta Certified (2022 - Present) Social Marketing Professional Hootsuite Certified (2020 - Present) Email Marketing Professional Constant Contact Certified (2019 - Present) Specializing in: Digital Strategy and Content Marketing Social Media Advertising Online Fundraising ADA, WCAG and Section 508 Compliance Editor: John Hanlin Editor Since: June 4, 2020 Location: Boulder, Colorado Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time (MST/MDT) (GMT-7/GMT-6) In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits John also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News and AI-Weekly newsletters and is also an attorney-at-law specializing in long-term disability claims for blind and visually impaired persons. John is also a long-time contractor and member of the Board of Trustees at Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. John Hanlin, Esq. Editor (2024-Present) AI-Weekly 🌐 The Week's News in Artificial Intelligence Editor (2022-Present) Access Information News 🌐 The Week's News in Access Information Editor (2020-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Board of Trustees (2006 - Present) Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐 Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform. Editor: Jenna Lang Editor Since: June 4, 2020 Location: Des Moines, Iowa Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST/CDT) (GMT-6/GMT-5) In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Jenna also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News and AI-Weekly newsletters and runs her own advocacy foundation. Jenna also serves as a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) for Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Jenna's son was born blind and she is always seeking new and innovative ways to empower him through technology. Jenna Lang, PMP Editor (2024-Present) AI-Weekly 🌐 The Week's News in Artificial Intelligence Editor (2022-Present) Access Information News 🌐 The Week's News in Access Information Project Management Professional (2022 - Present) Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. 🌐 Innovative ideas. Solutions that perform. Editor (2020-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Editor: Stephen (Alex) Marositz Editor Since: October 7, 2021 Location: Los Angeles, California Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7) In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Alex is also the Accessible Technology Coordinator for California State University, Dominguez Hills. He has worked in accessibility in higher education since 2005, is certified by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, and in his spare time plays for the San Gabriel Valley Panthers Beep Baseball Team. He can be reached on twitter at: @samarositz. Stephen (Alex) Marositz Editor (2021-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Accessible Technology Coordinator California State University, Dominguez Hills 🌐 Editor: Ben Moxey Editor Since: January 1, 2022 Location: Newcastle, Australia Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10) In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Ben is also an Access and Technology Advisor for Guide Dogs, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT). Hi, Tidbits readers, my name's Ben Moxey and I'm based in Newcastle, Australia. I'm really happy to be part of the Tidbits Team and look forward to supporting this valuable publication. A bit about me and how I came to work in the BVI area. I grew up with very low vision in one eye due to retinal issues and relied on magnification and speech throughout school. They also tried to teach me Braille, but let's just say that I wasn't the best student! I was determined to use my remaining vision, no matter how impractical it was becoming. When I was 20, the other retina came off and I've now been totally blind for about 21 years. This is when my love for assistive technology, and technology in general, really kicked in. I'll be honest, I was a bit of a computer nerd anyway, but I could quickly see how technology was my key to enhanced independence and lifestyle. I embraced screen readers, early smart phones and mobility aids. I even finally realised the huge value of Braille and finished off the course, though I'm still pretty slow! Long story short (not one of my strong points), I've worked in the BVI area for 12 years with much of that spent reviewing, recommending and teaching assistive technology that suits the individual. I'm currently a proud employee of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT where I was the Practice Lead for the assistive technology service, and I've now moved into an Access and Technology Advisor role. Basically, this involves a strong focus on accessibility and technology innovation. Feel free to look me up on LinkedIn, but I'll warn you in advance that I haven't given my profile the recommended attention! All the best and happy reading! Ben Moxey Editor (2022-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Access and Technology Advisor Guide Dogs, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (NSW/ACT) 🌐 Editor: David Woodbridge Editor Since: February 6, 2023 Location: Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia Time Zone: Australia Eastern Standard Time (AEST/AEDT) (GMT+10) In addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits David also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News publication and is also the National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor for Vision Australia where he has worked since 1990. Over this time he has assisted people who are blind or vision impaired in their home, education, and work settings to take advantage of the benefits of using assistive and main stream technology. In the last seventeen years, he has also been involved with evaluating technology for use by people who are blind or vision impaired covering both low and high tech equipment (including Microsoft, Samsung, Google, Amazon, and Apple). David is also one of the key spokespersons for Vision Australia relating to technology. He has been an Apple Ambassador for Apple Australia since 2009 with a group of other Ambassadors / Apple Distinguished Educators (ADE)'s covering the range of Apple's Accessibility solutions throughout Australia. David produces a range of podcasts (since 2011) covering Apple and other technologies which are distributed on his own podcast (http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com). In addition, he also has a regular Talking Tech program (since 2013) which can be heard every Tuesday at 4:30 Eastern Summer Time on Vision Australia Radio Melbourne (available online) or via https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio David also runs a weekly Tech Monday where people can chat about assistive and main stream technology, share information, and any tips and tricks. David lost his sight when he was 8 years old and had to learn Braille. Since then, he completed high school, went to Sydney University receiving a Social Work degree, spent 4 years drug and alcohol counselling, and then moved into his current job. As a person who is blind, David believes that as a user of the technology that he recommends to others, that he is well situated to look at the strengths and shortcomings of the assistive technology that he comes across in both his professional and personal life, in particular, mainstream technology that is accessible. In addition to his weekly contributions to Top Tech Tidbits and Access Information News, David's regularly occurring activities are his weekly tech radio show, bi-monthly exploring tech webinars for Vision Australia, his iSee podcast when something of note grabs his attention, and the weekly Tech Monday chat sessions. David Woodbridge X (Formerly Twitter): @dwoodbridge Mastodon: woody at dragonscave.space iSee Podcast: https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com Vision Australia Radio Talking Tech: https://omny.fm/shows/talking-tech-vision-australia-radio Editor (2023-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Editor (2023-Present) Access Information News 🌐 The Week's News in Access Information National Commercial Assistive Technology Advisor (1990 - Present) Vision Australia 🌐 Live the life you choose. We're here to support all Australians who are blind or have low vision. Editor: Vicki Walton Editor Since: January 9, 2024 Location: Benton City, WA Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST/PDT) (GMT-6/GMT-7) IIn addition to serving as an Editor to Top Tech Tidbits Vicki also serves as an Editor to the Access Information News publication and works as a Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester at Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Vicki Walton Editor (2024-Present) Top Tech Tidbits 🌐 The Week's News in Access Technology Editor (2024-Present) Access Information News 🌐 The Week's News in Access Information Web Accessibility Specialist / IT Quality Assurance Tester Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges 🌐 Better Jobs, Brighter Futures, a Stronger Washington Subscription Information 📰️ ABOUT ♿️ Founded in 2004, Top Tech Tidbits is the world's leading not-for-profit access technology publication that reaches over 23,000 blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent and/or disabled professionals, educators and enthusiasts, all over the world, each week. Subscribe here. Review the most recent issues here. Access Technology broadly encompasses technologies that enable access to information and communication systems for persons with disabilities. Adaptive Technology is a subset of Access Technology designed to assist individuals in performing tasks that might otherwise be challenging due to their particular disabilities. Assistive Technology includes any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. Top Tech Tidbits is a Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication. Publisher: Aaron Di Blasi. Editors: John Hanlin, Jenna Lang, Stephen (Alex) Marositz, Ben Moxey, David Woodbridge and Vicki Walton. Top Tech Tidbits is a sponsor, reader and advertiser supported publication. RELEASE SCHEDULE 📅️ Top Tech Tidbits is released every Thursday morning at 6:00 AM ET. SUBSCRIBE 📧️ Do you, a friend, or colleague wish to receive the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter? If so, please use or pass along our CAPTCHA-free sign-up link. You can also subscribe to receive the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter on the Top Tech Tidbits Website. Either 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 newsletter. It's that easy. WEBSITE 🌐️ Visit the Top Tech Tidbits website online at: https://toptechtidbits.com. PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER 💸️ Only Top Tech Tidbits Premium Subscribers receive our special quarterly issue listing the Top 60 Most Clicked News Articles of the Last 3 Months. Just $12 USD per year. This special quarterly issue is provided to Premium Subscribers as a native Microsoft Word document with full headings, links and abstracts to all 60 articles. There are no restrictions placed on these documents. Complete list of all back issues available. Premium Subscribers are entitled to all back issues, anytime they sign up. Join us today and begin receiving this incredibly informative issue every 3 months. SPONSOR 🏅️ If you would like to become 1 of only 24 Top Tech Tidbits Sponsors whose ongoing support makes the distribution of Top Tech Tidbits possible, we offer you the following advertising benefits, with our sincerest thanks, and most heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support. ADVERTISE 🎯️ Top Tech Tidbits offers a variety of one-time advertising options to both Sponsors and non-Sponsors alike. Here we offer a sample newsletter that provides a breakdown of exactly what those one-time advertising options are, where they appear, and what they cost per publication. DONATE ❤️ If you would like to become a Top Tech Tidbits Supporter by making a small 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 support. STORE 🛒️ Are you blind or do you live with low vision? Are you deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind? Do you require a wheelchair for mobility? Do you consider yourself to be neurodivergent or otherwise disabled? The Top Tech Tidbits Online Store For Digital Downloads specializes in information that can improve your quality of life. Learn more today. FACEBOOK 💬️ Are you on Facebook? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on Facebook to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your Facebook News Feed. X (FORMERLY TWITTER) 💬️ Are you on X? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on X to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your X News Feed. MASTODON 💬️ Are you on Mastodon? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on Mastodon to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your Mastodon News Feed or by searching for @news at mastodon.toptechtidbits.com on your server today. LINKEDIN 💬️ Are you on LinkedIn? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on LinkedIn to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your LinkedIn News Feed. YOUTUBE ▶️ Are you on YouTube? Follow Top Tech Tidbits on YouTube to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information as part of your YouTube Video Feed. RSS 📡️ Do you prefer RSS? Follow Top Tech Tidbits via RSS today to begin receiving current news and trends in Access Information using your choice of news aggregator. QUESTIONS ❓️ Tidbits are intentionally concise. As a result we know that some readers may not always understand all of the items listed 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 🗄️ Read the most recently released issues of Top Tech Tidbits online here. Visit the Top Tech Tidbits Archive here, where you can read back issues. CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS ✍️ Any information for future issues of Top Tech Tidbits may be submitted online via our News Item Submission Form or directed to our Editors via email. THANK YOU 🙏️ Thank you for reading. On behalf of all of us here at Top Tech Tidbits we look forward to keeping you informed. Information provided by: Top Tech Tidbits https://toptechtidbits.com/ 🌐 A Mind Vault Solutions, Ltd. Publication 1284 SOM Center Road, PMB 194, Mayfield Heights, Ohio 44124 +1 (855) 578-6660 📱️ Top Tech Tidbits | 1284 SOM Center Road, PMB 194, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124 Unsubscribe nfbv-announce at nfbnet.org Update Profile | Our Privacy Policy | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by enews at toptechtidbits.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbv-announce_nfbnet.org/attachments/20240905/d8dc0032/attachment-0001.htm>