Access on Main Street

Hooking up a usable world, one mainstream product at a time.

iCade, iSaw, iConquered?

Posted by Jane Berliss-Vincent 5 April 2010

Looks like the iCade cabinet for the iPad is this year’s Tauntaun sleeping bag–a product originally designed as a joke that stirred up real interest. The theoretical iCade would allow control via buttons and joystick as well as touchscreen. Proposed for games, but certainly of interest to anyone looking for a range of input options. In addition, Apple seems to be working on this in earnest.

CNN: How the fake ‘iCade’ could become real

Guten ’nuff

Posted by Jane Berliss-Vincent 29 March 2010

Project Gutenberg is a long-standing project that transfers out-of-copyright books into electronic text formats–usually classic fiction, but there are some oddball gems scattered in as well. Now comes word that some fraction of these titles will be available through the iBooks store for iPad users from the get-go, presumably compatible with the built-in VoiceOver screen reader. So for the first time, people who are blind or have learning disabilities will be able to access The Story of Crisco at the same time as everyone else.

Wired: iBooks Store Loaded with Project Gutenberg Titles at Launch

Cubic feet

Posted by Jane Berliss-Vincent 18 March 2010

Awhile back, we documented a tactile Rubik’s Cube. Now here’s one for people who can’t use their hands but can use their feet. If two people try to solve the Crazy Foot at the same time, would they become arch rivals?

Gadget4All: Crazy Foot Magic Cube

Production code, 2010 style

Posted by Jane Berliss-Vincent 16 March 2010

Here’s an interesting use for QR codes: Fandango, the movie ticket service, now has a mobile service that will send a code to your mobile phone. When you get to the theater, a scanner reads the code. No more paper to manipulate or remember, letting everyone get to the popcorn line that much faster. If the scanners are self-service, let’s hope some attention is given to accessibility in terms of height, providing guidance as to where to place the phone, etc. And if it’s a success, we’ll look forward to seeing similar implementations for other types of tickets.

Ubergizmo: Fandango now offers mobile tickets for movies

Primp up the volume!

Posted by Jim Tobias 8 March 2010

No one buys a laptop or netbook for audio quality, but lots of people use their portable devices for audio-intensive apps like playing music, watching movies, and talking on VoIP.  Now people with mild to moderate hearing loss can improve their audio with a USB device.  The X-Tube DTS looks like an old electronic tube, and glows blue when operating.   Beyond the classy optics are some impressive acoustics: simulated surround sound, better frequency response, and on-screen sliders for bass enhancement and “voice clarification”.  As always, your mileage may vary, but the review at the link below is pretty positive, except for suggesting that you use better headphones than the bundled ones.  Only $45 dollars once it arrives.

[Review] X-TUBE USB DTS… The Quick Review « Akihabara News

Greater tuner

Posted by Jane Berliss-Vincent 14 January 2010

We’ve heard of people who’ve been able to play guitar with few or no fingers–Tony Melendez, for one–but figured someone else might have to do the tuning. No more: the Evertune keeps the strings at the right pitch through the use of spring-tension. Will be available built in to some models and as an add-on.

Ubergizmo: No more tuning your guitar

Bass-o-matic

Posted by Jane Berliss-Vincent 12 January 2010

The elegantly named ButtKicker translates low frequency sounds into vibrations on whatever you attach it to–the press release suggests “chair, car, or drum throne.” We’d guess Deaf folks will find all kinds of applications for it, both for practical uses (alert systems?) and simply for having a non-auditory way of experiencing musical, cinema, and video gaming environments.

ButtKicker (product page)

Next Page »