advantages of techology

Ginger Software , the maker of the powerful spelling and contextual grammar checker "Ginger" has released an iPhone app called Ginger Page . Ginger's technology can correct mistakes that common spell checking software would not detect. Ginger does this by analyzing the context of the text being written. For example, if you are writing about drafting a school essay Ginger will suggest that you use "write" instead of "right." From my testing, Ginger also seems much better at suggesting and correcting punctuation than other editing software. Ginger Page can also read your writing back to you using text-to-speech , which can be a powerful proof reading tool, especially for those with dyslexia. Once you have completed your writing, you can share it by text message, email, or open it in another compatible app. While the Ginger correction software is very good, the app has some notable omissions. Ginger Page is only available for iPhone which is perplexing f...

Recently, select Apple Retail Stores have started hosting free accessibility workshops. The hour long sessions are instructed by Apple Store employees and cover various accessibility features included in iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks . Workshops are divided based on the user's needs and include hearing, vision, and physical and motor skills. These workshops will presumably cover features such as VoiceOver , Assistive Touch , Switch Control , and more. These workshops are a great way for Apple customers to learn about helpful accessibility features that are already built into their devices. The workshops will also offer u sers of Apple's accessibility features an opportunity to get their questions answered in person. The training of the workshop instructors will be key to a successful experience. Hopefully, these workshops will be offered in all Apple Stores in the near future.  While accessibility specific workshops may not help Apple's bottom line, they demonstrate Apple con...

Google 's futuristic modular smart phone has the potential to dramatically change how we think of electronics. The still unreleased phone call Project Ara has a interior metal structure with slots for different components to connect. For example, modular components could house a camera, battery, touch screen display, or speaker. These components snap into place making a relatively standard looking smartphone. Consumers could purchase components and assemble them to make a personalized smartphone. The phone allows consumers to exchange a component for extra battery power or a more powerful camera depending on the situation. With such customizable hardware, the Ara phone could adapt to fit the needs of people with various disabilities. If users have a hearing impairment they could add a louder speaker component. Conversely, if a user is deaf there is no need to waste space with a speaker when the space could be used for something more useful. The possibilities are almost limitless. A...

Hybrid and electric cars pose a major safety challenge for pedestrians. The cars, which use electric motors, make very little noise, making them almost impossible for blind pedestrians to detect. Electric cars are gaining in popularity due to their energy savings and improving affordability. In response to the increased threat quite electric cars are posing, the European Union (EU) is preparing to mandate electric and hybrid cars have noise alerts for pedestrians. By 2019 cars sold in the EU will be required to include audio alerts. While the implementation of the rule is still four years off the importance is sure to only grow as electric cars become more and more popular. America has yet to require audio alerts for electric cars, but legislation has been proposed. Hopefully, the EU's changes will spur electric car makers to add audio alerts to their cars and improve the safety for pedestrians everywhere. As seen in the above video some cars such as Nissan's electric car alrea...

Learning Ally , a provider of audio books for the blind and dyslexic , recently updated their iOS app. The free apps allows Learning Ally members to listen to their audio books while on the go. The new update brings a valuable  new feature to the app. Now, the app allows users to listen to their audio books while using other apps at the same time, a feature commonly called background audio. The update provides a more consistent experience for users who have come to expect background audio support in all apps. With the update users can listen to an audio book while looking up information on the internet, reading a note page, or even responding to an occasional text message. Along with background audio support comes the ability to control playback using control center or a headphones with a remote. The update is available for free and is compatible with iPhone , iPad, and iPod Touch . To take advantage of the app users must be members of Learning Ally. To learn more about Learning A...

Over the past couple of weeks I have been lucky enough to review three of the most popular tablets- the iPad mini, the Nexus 7, and the Kindle Fire HXD. Instead of focusing on battery life, pixel density, and processor speed, I took a look at the features that would help people with dyslexia and other disabilities. All three tablets have some features that are perfect for dyslexics. To figure out which one is right for you, think about which features are most important to you as you read the reviews. Overview: When looking for a tablet for someone with dyslexia, there are a number of important factors that must be considered to make sure you get the features that are most important to the user, and get the best value for your needs. First, you want to consider what the tablet will be used for. Will it be used primarily for reading books and browsing the web, or will it be used to type documents, read email, and edit movies.  Generally, for people with dyslexia, it is important that...

Apple announced that their World Wide Developers Conference ( WWDC ) will take place from June 2nd - 6th in San Francisco, California. At the event, Apple will preview the future versions of iOS and OS X . It is unknown what these changes will entail, but if history is any indication Apple will preview iOS 8 and OS X 10.10. Consistently, over the past few years Apple has steadily improved the accessibility features of both iOS, which runs the iPhone, iPad , and iPod Touch and OS X, which runs on Mac computers. Last year with OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Apple added Switch Contro l, large text , VoiceOver enhancements, customizable closed captioning, and enhanced dictation. iOS 7 added Switch Control , improved Siri , and ability for developers to utilize system text-to-speech voices. At WWDC 2012, Apple devoted precious time during their Keynote to detail improved accessibility features found in iOS 6. With millions of users any accessibility improvements can have a dramatic impact on many...