Attack of the Podcasters, Phase XVI
Now you can call a phone number and, using a 4-digit code, listen to an indexed podcast. Perfect for those for whom their phone is accessible, but their media players not so much. That’s everyone, right?
Keyboard shortcuts come alive in Microsoft Office 2007
For those of us who like acceleration, or have difficulty with mousing, the newest version of Office provides screamin’ cooliosity. Check out all the things you can do, and do easily, with shortcuts. CTRL-B all you can be!
Screenshot Tour: The keyboard shortcut goodness of Microsoft Office 2007 - Lifehacker
Flyometrics
San Jose Airport is implementing a new system that will let flyers pay $100 and go through a one-time background screening, then ever afterwards be able to pass standard security lines, zip through a biometric scanner, and continue on their merry way. Whatever else we might be feeling about this, we were buoyed by one fact: the system designers provided the option of using either iris or fingerprint scanning.
Vote note gets our goat
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a letter last week outlining “the initial results of activities…relating to the evaluation of [voting machine] testing laboratories under…the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).” Not a single mention of any testing related to machine accessibility, despite HAVA’s explicit mandate for addressing voting needs of people with disabilities.
National Institute of Standards and Technology letter to Election Assistance Commission (PDF file)
Mind a little music?
Can’t play a musical instrument, due to disability and/or no inherent talent? A British artist–inspired, perhaps not coincidentally, by a childhood bout of encephalitis–is presenting a brainwave-driven setup for composing. Users can create freeform compositions from wherever their mind is wandering, or can be trained to create something more deliberate than “neural sonic soup.” That reminds us; it’s lunchtime…
Skype voicemail-to-blog demo
SpinVox (covered here before) has a cool demo, if you’re a Skype user: place a call, leave a voice message, then visit a blog and see the transcript. Pretty accurate, too.
LG’s Prada phone “boasts” touchscreen interface
Just great. Apple releases its touchscreen-only phone and starts a fashion orgy of inaccessibility. Ever try using a touchscreen interface in the dark? Is that where they keep the designers? If there are no keys, there’s nothing to feel for, be you blind or just blind drunk. Definitely not compliant with accessibility regs. Doesn’t anyone want to sell to the federal government?