Jared Rimer’s Technology blog and podcast

This was posted yesterday. A massive headache prevented me from doing much last night, so hear goes.

Greetings,

We have posted text versions of each section of the Window-Eyes tutorial
on our Tutorial web page. In
addition to downloading and/or streaming the audio versions of the
tutorial sections, you can now choose to read a transcript of the
sections, including the speech that Window-Eyes provides. This is an
excellent resource for deaf/blind users.

A single text file containing all sections will be available shortly on
the same page.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Aaron
–

Introducing Sense Firmware Public Beta 3

Available for immediate release is a new firmware update to our popular Sense notetakers; Braille Sense Plus, Voice Sense, and Braille Sense (Original). This third public beta release introduces many enhancements, bug fixes, and new features (including support for Audible). In addition, Sense Navigation (our popular GPS package) has many new enhancements; including new sounds, faster route creation, and the ability to turn on or off the voice prompts.

For all the details and download links to this new update, please visit the Sense notetaker public beta page.

The only way to upgrade to this new firmware is by using the offline update. Once we officially release the firmware, both online and offline update methods will be possible.

If you have any questions, please give our technical support department a call at 260-489-3671 or send us E-mail at support@gwmicro.com.

If you haven’t already, you may consider joining the gw-notetaker mailing list where the Braille Sense Plus, Voice Sense, and Braille Sense (Original) is discussed. You can get information on joining this list at http://www.gwmicro.com/Support/Email_Lists/.

Posted yesterday to the GW lists.

GW Micro is proud to announce the official release of Window-Eyes 7.01.

Thanks to customer feedback and the tireless efforts of the Window-Eyes Error Reporting feature (and those who choose to send in error reports) Window-Eyes 7.01 boasts more stability, reliability, and performance than ever before.

Window-Eyes scripting is changing the accessible landscape of computers, and the increased stability that Window-Eyes 7.01 provides means being able to spend more time focusing on script development. Window-Eyes 7.01 also resolves several issues that affected localized versions of Window-Eyes, and has increased Window-Eyes marketability across the globe.

While Window-Eyes 7.01 is a minor upgrade, it packs a significant punch including a few new features along with several bug fixes. A complete list of all changes is included below.

Window-Eyes 7.01 is a FREE upgrade to Window-Eyes 7.0 users. To install Window-Eyes 7.01, you must already have a working copy of Window-Eyes 7.0 installed (Retail, Demo, Evaluation, Dongle, Everlock, and LTO/Payment Plan versions are all supported). To download the upgrade, select the “Window-Eyes Update” option from the Window-Eyes Help menu, or navigate directly to www.gwmicro.com/upgrade, and enter your serial number manually.

If you have any questions or comments please contact us at support@gwmicro.com, or via phone at 260-489-3671.

Enjoy!

Enhancements between Window-Eyes 7.01 and Window-Eyes 7.0
We have resolved several memory leaks, and fixed several stability issues thanks to the Window-Eyes error reporting feature. Window-Eyes 7.01 is a significant improvement over Window-Eyes 7.0 in terms of stability and responsiveness.

We fixed a problem where Window-Eyes could hang while leaving and entering Browse mode quickly.

We fixed a problem where list boxes were not reading correctly in Visual Studio 2005/2008.

We fixed a a problem where Browse Mode would not refresh when a link was activated in Firefox 3.

Many upper Unicode characters (most above 7fh) were not getting translated correctly in English grade 2 braille. This problem has been resolved.

If the user profile path contained Unicode characters that didn’t map into ANSI, you were not able to install script package files. This problem has been resolved.

Window-Eyes would only read part of words with upper Unicode characters in PowerPoint 2003. This problem has been resolved.

Added the WEUpdate script to the factory default scripts. This script will automatically check for Window-Eyes updates and let you know if there is an update available.

iTunes
We resolved several issues relating to iTunes, including support for using the Window-Eyes Find command while in the iTunes store, resolving the issue of not being able to activate links using the Insert-Tab dialog, resolving the double reading in listviews and treeviews, speaking expanded and collapsed when you open and close tree view nodes, speaking the pull down menus correctly under Windows Vista, and resolving a problem where set files could not be associated to the iTunes window (or any window whose title was null). In addition, Window-Eyes does not automatically enable Browse Mode when the iTunes Store option is selected, meaning you can successfully arrow through all of the main items without suddenly getting tossed into Browse Mode.

Scripting
If Window-Eyes is localized in a language that a script was not localized in, the hotkeys won’t work because they’re not localized to the Window-Eyes language. To resolve this issue, we have added a new property to the Key object called UntranslatedName. From now on, our policy is to hard code default hotkey names in your script, always in English, even if you are writing the script in another language, because Window-Eyes will always be able to interrupt English hotkey names. They can still be displayed to the user in the script language, but they should be stored in INI files, and in scripts as English. This way no matter what language Window-Eyes is localized in, or what languages the script you are trying to use is localized in, the hotkeys will always work. Once again, default hotkey names should not exist in the XML resource, because they should never be localized. Keyboard.Key will accept both Key.Name and Key.Unstranslated name. Refer to the documentation for more information.

Added Mouse.ButtonDownEx and Mouse.ClickEx methods. Both methods provide the ability to enhance their respective functions with key modifiers. In addition, ClickEx fixes a problem of interrupting speech after performing the mouse click.

If a null string was returned through various Speech event handlers, speech would get disabled. This was mainly a problem with Visual Basic which would return null for speech events that weren’t specifically hooked. This problem has been resolved.

The scripting error dialog would sometimes pass a blank string for the error description. Now, if Window-Eyes cannot retrieve the error description, a default message will be used rather than displaying a blank string.

You can now use language id strings in the XML resource, such as “en” or “en-us” instead of having to use a hexadecimal number.

If was possible for a script to not successfully restart, but you would still hear the restart message. This problem has been resolved.

We fixed a problem where scripts could error when invoking Keyboard.Registerhotkey on launch.

We fixed a problem where you couldn’t Control or Shift-Click using the keyboard (meaning you couldn’t tap the Control key and then press the Left Mouse button hotkey to perform a left click).

We fixed a version comparison problem when installing script package files.

Window-Eyes now ensures that any read only attributes on script files being installing, uninstall, or used when created packages are cleared. This resolved a problem of script files not getting installed, or removed correctly.

The Window-Eyes Scripting Manual has been updated.

Two things from Top Tech Tid Bits caught my eye recently as I’m catching up. Here they are.

One of the new evils to threaten the unwary computer user is sites pretending to offer antivirus programs which are really themselves viruses. This article from Windows Secrets newsletter discusses the phenomenon and how you can protect yourself:
http://windowssecrets.com/links/$P20d/2f9e94h/?url=WindowsSecrets.com%2F2008%2F09%2F04%2Fts%2F%3Fn%3Dstory1

MarvelSoft has created Digital Jukebox, a $49.95 self-voicing program to manage music, load your mp3 player, download podcasts, play Internet radio, play audio books remembering where you left off, and, in short, handle music listening and reading through an accessible interface.
http://www.braillebookstore.com/view.php?T=Digital+Jukebox

This was posted to the GW Micro lists on Saturday September 27th, 2008. I hope you enjoy.

The following story can be found at: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080927/BUSINESS10/809270400/1110/BUSINESS10

Assistive technology can help improve lives
As a technology columnist, I often get caught up in the gee-wizardry of gadgets.

I go gaga over touch-screen surfaces, storage capacity, crisp pictures and blinking lights. I rave about features and functions that, to be honest, only speed up tasks that I could just as easily do the old-fashioned way.

There’s a difference between toys and tools, however — especially when it comes to technology.

And on Friday, I got some great examples of that during a stroll through the inaugural Statewide Assistive Technology Conference at the Indiana Convention Center. It was hosted by the Indiana Assistive Technology Act Project, known as INDATA (www.eastersealstech.com).

Dozens of companies were there to demonstrate their products to customers with disabilities.

Assistive technology includes devices that help people with disabilities perform everyday tasks, such as communicating or using a computer.

These devices aren’t cheap, though. We’re talking hundreds or often thousands of dollars.

Take the not-even-a-month-old EyeMax System from Pittsburgh-based DynaVox Technologies. For $15,000, the price of a new car, someone who is unable to move can use this device to verbally communicate with others using only his or her eyes.

It’s an amazing piece of technology that I’ve been told has been around for five years, but only recently became reliable.

Understanding the concept is easy: Stare at a phrase or letter after letter to spell out a word on what’s basically a laptop-sized touch-screen computer. Then stare at “speak” and the words will emerge from a speaker embedded in the EyeMax System.

Actually putting that concept into practice, however, wasn’t so easy, although I imagine it will get easier with time. DynaVox sales consultant Doug Trent warned me about the learning curve.

I felt like I was learning to use “the force.”

Across the aisle, Fort Wayne-based GW Micro was demonstrating some of its products for people who are visually impaired.

The Sense View Duo, which sells for about $1,000, is a souped-up magnifying glass that takes digital pictures of faraway objects, like billboards, and allows users to zoom in on them. It also lets you do cool stuff like flip the contrast so black letters on a white background become white letters on a black background — a popular feature among those who have macular degeneration.

One of the cheapest products on GW Micro’s table was the screen-reading application Window-Eyes.

It matches each keystroke with a verbal description. So, type the letter “a” and you’ll hear “a.” If you type the capital letter “A,” the pitch of the voice will rise as an indicator. Also, the application will read back a previously typed paragraph. Scrolling through a Web page will produce the same effect.

“It’s important as a blind person to be able to go letter by letter, word by word,” said Douglas Geoffray, vice president of product development and support.

As the name indicates, Window-Eyes only works with Microsoft Windows, not a Mac or Linux. It sells for $895 — expensive to me, but a bargain compared to the Braille readers that go for $4,000 to $10,000.

Braille readers resemble tiny moving keyboards that display in Braille words as a user scrolls across a computer screen.

The coolest assistive tech gadget that GW Micro was selling Friday had a Braille reader attached to it.

The Braille Sense Plus, selling for $6,000, is basically a personal digital assistant. A bulky, clumsy-looking PDA. It stores addresses and appointments, lets users send e-mail, using MSN Messenger, browse the Web, and even has GPS that’s tailored to the blind.

Sales manager Jeremy Curry compared it an iPhone.

With all the toy-like features to go gaga over, I guess he’s got a point.

Introducing Sense Firmware Public Beta 2

Available for immediate release is a new firmware update to our popular Sense notetakers; Braille Sense Plus, Voice Sense, and Braille Sense (Original). This public beta release introduces many enhancements, bug fixes, and new features (including support for Audible). In addition, Sense Navigation (our popular GPS package) has many new enhancements; including new sounds, faster route creation, and the ability to turn on or off the voice prompts.

For all the details and download links to this new update, please visit the Sense notetaker public beta page located at http://www.gwmicro.com/sensebeta/public.

The only way to upgrade to this new firmware is by using the offline update. Once we officially release the firmware, both online and offline update methods will be possible.

If you have any questions, please give our technical support department a call at 260-489-3671 or send us E-mail at support@gwmicro.com.

If you haven’t already, you may consider joining the gw-notetaker mailing list where the Braille Sense Plus, Voice Sense, and Braille Sense (Original) is discussed. You can get information on joining this list at http://www.gwmicro.com/Support/Email_Lists.

GW Micro is proud to announce the official release of Window-Eyes 7.0. The maturity of Window-Eyes has reached unprecedented levels in this latest version.

The addition of scripting support provides users with the tools to enhance the accessibility and usability of third party applications, the operating system, and even Window-Eyes itself. GW Micro has always stood by the statement that Window-Eyes does not include complicated and proprietary scripting support, and that statement remains true with Window-Eyes 7.0. Instead, the addition of an industry standard scripting interface using tools that already exist in the Windows operating system allows users new to scripting, seasoned programmers, and everyone in between to take full advantage of this powerful new feature without getting bogged down in a complex and rigid programming environment. Users not interested in creating scripts can still take advantage of scripts written by other users through an intuitive script management system.

GW Micro is also proud to offer a centralized script repository where both script users and script developers can gather to distribute and discuss Window-Eyes scripts. More information can be found at the Script Central web site.

Window-Eyes 7.0 contains several other features, including many Browse Mode enhancements, the inclusion of a new Eloquence synthesizer, support for both Firefox 3 and Internet Explorer 8, and overall increased speed and stability. Window-Eyes 7.0 is fully Unicode compliant, allowing for more localization options for virtually any language. In addition, Window-Eyes 7.0 is the first screen reader to provide support for iTunes 8, including access to the Apple iTunes store.

Thank you to everyone involved in the public beta cycle. Window-Eyes continues to lead the way in adaptive technology because of the dedication of our customers.

Window-Eyes 7.0 is a paid upgrade for existing Window-Eyes users. If you own Window-Eyes 6.1, you may purchase an upgrade to Window-Eyes 7.0 for $175, plus shipping. If you already own Window-Eyes 6.1, and have an active SMA, you will be receiving your Window-Eyes 7.0 CD in the mail soon. Please be patient; all Window-Eyes SMA CDs are our first priority. You may also choose to download your Window-Eyes 7.0 upgrade for immediate installation. To download the Window-Eyes 7.0 upgrade, to check the status of your SMA account, or to determine your upgrade eligibility, go to the Window-Eyes Help menu, and choose the Window-Eyes Upgrade option. Alternatively, you can visit the upgrade web page, and follow the instructions.

If you own a version of Window-Eyes older than 6.1, refer to the GW Micro Window-Eyes Upgrade Catalog page by click here for the web page for applicable upgrade costs.

Window-Eyes 7.0 supports Windows 2000, Windows XP (32-bit versions of Home, Professional, and Media Center), Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista (all 32-bit versions), and Windows Server 2008 (all 32-bit versions).

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at 260-489-3671, or support@gwmicro.com.

The gw-news list is an announce only list used for GW Micro news and product information.

Effective Immediately - Price Reduction for the Portable SenseView and Portable SenseView Duo!

Due to improvements, the prices of the Portable SenseView P430 and the Portable SenseView Duo M430 have lowered. The new price of the Portable SenseView model P430 is $795 and the Portable SenseView Duo model M430 is $995.

Since the new price of the PSV Duo is a significant drop to a brand new product, we felt it was important to offer refunds. This refund must be claimed within 60 days. If you bought a Portable SenseView Duo directly from GW Micro, please contact us to work out the refund. If you bought it from one of our dealers, please contact them to work out the refund. This will take some effort and time so please be patient when you call.

Please remember this refund is only for the Portable SenseView Duo model M430 not the original Portable SenseView model P430 and it must be claimed within 60 days. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us by calling 260-489-3671 or email sales@gwmicro.com.

Shaun Everess sent me this blog post which from the sound of it, makes it so that the UAC is accessible. This was posted to the NVDA E-mail list to which he sent me this. I know Window-Eyes reads UAC right out of the box, not sure about JFW or Hal. But if you are having problems, this may be of use to you. Have a great day everyone.

After much anticipation, and following the enormous success of Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 1, and Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 2, GW Micro is proud to announce the release of Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3. Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3 offers the latest advancements in screen reading technology, including full Unicode support, new scripting functionality, web browsing enhancements, a new synthesizer, and much more.

Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3 is scheduled to be the final beta version of Window-Eyes 7.0. We are releasing this final beta to ensure that no major problems exist before the official release of Window-Eyes 7.0 is announced. If you do find issues that you feel are major, please post them to the GW-Info list, or contact us at support@gwmicro.com.

The success of Window-Eyes is solely dependent on users like you, who take the time to test out new features and enhancements. Thanks to everyone who has participated in the Window-Eyes 7.0 public beta process. Because of you, we’ve been able to resolve many issues, and implement several features that did not make the first two betas. GW Micro’s commitment to stability and performance is underscored again in this beta release thanks to the Window-Eyes error reporting feature, and the continued and dependable feedback from users like you. Your continued support is invaluable, and greatly appreciated.

Before installing Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3, please note the following:

You must already have an existing copy of either Window-Eyes 6.1, Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 1, or Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 2 installed (Retail, Demo, Evaluation, and Payment Plan versions are all supported) before installing Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3. The beta install will not work if you are not running a version of Window-Eyes 6.1, Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 1, or Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 2.

If you are running an earlier version of Window-Eyes, prior to Window-Eyes 6.1, you will either need to upgrade to Window-Eyes 6.1, or uninstall your current version, and install a demonstration copy of Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3. Once again, you must be running either Window-Eyes 6.1, Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 1, or Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 2 before you can install Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3. If you have any of these currently installed there is no reason to uninstall it.

Read more about all of the features Window-Eyes 7.0 Beta 3 has to offer, and download your copy, at the beta page.