Zoom In and Out Your Desktop with Windows 7 Magnifier

The new Windows Magnifier is a long missed tool that should have been included in the previous versions. With larger and larger monitors get more and more popular, a tool like this becomes a must-have for many savvy users. It also makes doing presentation much more enjoyable for both presenters and audients. For people with low vision it is an indispensable feature! Microsoft finally covered that piece and killed all other similar 3rd party apps to death, accept the professional screen magnifiers like ZoomText, Lunar or Magic.. You can simply use the keyboard shortcuts to launch and close it to magnify your entire desktop, i.e.

• Windows key + Plus to zoom in
• Windows key + Minus to zoom out
• Windows key + ESC to exit

You can also use the Lens option to only magnify an area around the pointer which works just like the real magnifier moving on your desktop, or select the dock mode that shows the magnified area at the top of dock area. You can switch them back and force using the keyboard shortcuts while you are still in the magnifier view.

• Ctrl + Alt + F – Full screen mode
• Ctrl + Alt + L – Lens mode
• Ctrl + Alt + D – Dock mode

If you are interested more, you can watch the following video for more visualized impression how it works.

Disabled users will be in Windows Seventh heaven

The release of Windows 7 has been widely welcomed as a big step forward from Vista. But the benefits extend beyond obvious improvements, as it greatly enhances accessibility for disabled users. The new Windows 7 On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) is resizable, with integrated word prediction. The old OSK was too small to be functional for many users. The ability to choose how much of the screen it fills is very user friendly, particularly when you combine it with a touch-screen device.

The magnifier now has a full-screen mode as well as a lens, allowing you to view a part of the screen at any one time. It is easy to use and quite readable at up to 200 per cent. This is now a great way to introduce levels of magnification to users without requiring any additional software. Display settings are now much easier to change and reset.

Voice recognition is a much-improved feature, facilitating easy creation of individual user profiles. For those unable to use a mouse or keyboard, a hands-free mode can also be used.

Windows 7 also comes with drivers to support tablet, touch and multi-touch interfaces ­ – particularly important for those with learning disabilities – or unable to use a keyboard and mouse.

If there is a disappointment in Windows 7, it is that Narrator ­ – the entry screen-reader in Windows –­ has not had much of an overhaul. But Microsoft can look towards its support of open-source NVDA software as an alternative approach. NVDA is free and available in a number of languages.

Windows 7 is faster while also offering a smaller footprint, making the uptake of some of these new technologies easier as well as cheaper for users.

The new compatibility wizard takes you through a step-by-step process to get software working with some simple changes. It is particularly helpful with older adaptive technology or legacy software.

source Computing

HumanWare Launches the BrailleNote Apex

HumanWare has launched the BrailleNote Apex, the thinnest and lightest notetaker especially for professionals and students who are blind. Powerful and sleek at just 2 cm (0.78") thick and weighing only 812 grams (1.8 lbs), the BrailleNote Apex is designed for portability and functionality. Intelligent ergonomics have always been the benchmark of HumanWare products, and the BrailleNote Apex performs with comfort and agility. A comfortable full-size Braille keyboard makes notetaking quick and easy, while HumanWare's signature thumb keys make extensive reading effortless.

"As a proud supporter of Braille literacy, HumanWare is committed to developing products that help blind people to fully participate in the quickly evolving, digital world around them. Because we believe that communication is the key to success, we strive to put every opportunity in the hands of our customers with Braille products that meet their needs every day. The BrailleNote Apex puts the power of digital communication at everyone's fingertips," says Gilles Pepin, CEO of HumanWare.

Added horsepower and multiple storage options define the BrailleNote Apex's productivity with its 8 GB of internal memory and support for high capacity SDHC cards, along with 4 high-speed USB 2.0 ports, built-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth.

The advanced technology is driven by the new Windows CE 6.0 operating system which enables the expansion of KeySoft, a comprehensive, user-friendly suite of productivity applications with feature-rich content that is 100% accessible. This powerful software combination will facilitate future enhancements and ongoing improvements in response to user requests.

Almost ten years after the introduction of the BrailleNote, the revolutionary BrailleNote Apex is the ninth notetaking device in a line of products that has been helping people who are blind to be a vital part of the global information age since 2000.

Click here for BrailleNote Apex details.

Intel Launches Ereader for the Visually Impaired

Intel this week launched the Intel Reader, a device aimed at helping the blind and people with reading-based disabilities such as Dyslexia or low vision. The Reader is, of course, Atom-powered and while at first glance it looks a lot like an ereader, it's not your average Kindle copycat. The device combines Intel's Atom processor with with a 5mp camera. The camera captures an image of the printed text and the Reader then converts it into a digital format, which it plays back to the user in a "lifelike" male or female voice. It can also display with different levels of magnification on the device's 4.3-inch 16:9 LCD.

The Reader boasts a 4GB Intel SSD, as well as USB and mini USB support, weighs 1.38 lbs. With a fully charged battery, it can play over 4 hours of text-to-speech or .mp3 audio, capture and process over 85 images of text or remain in standby for up to 5 days. It also comes with the option for purchasing the Portable Capture Station, which aids users in capturing large amounts of text, such as a chapter or an entire book

Available in the US through select resellers, the device comes with a hefty price tag. Don Johnston is selling it for $1,499 and the capture station will cost you an extra $399.

More details about Intel Reader