ZoomWare
Welp, the makers of Zoomtext have done it again. They came out with a new, inexpensive product for the normal sighted community called ZoomWare. You should check out the below video, its awesome!
This is basically a stripped down version of Zoomtext, without all the bells and whistles the full blown product has for the extreme visually impaired. This is a neat product, because I get comments about the Zoomtext I use on my laptop all the time from my family and friends, talking about how they like the Zooming and invert brightness controls that my Zoomtext has. Well this ZoomWare is awesome because for those who want just those magnification and color enhancing controls, and don’t have, or don’t want to pay the $600 Zoomtext costs, this is a much less expensive alternative for the normal sighted person who just suffers from eye strain every now and then. This product is only $150, much less expensive when all you want is to combat eye strain. Eye strain from the Computer is a big problem for alot of people since Windows was introduced to the general public, and since screen resolutions can range anywhere from 800×600 on up to 1600×1200 in most cases, unless your a teenager with eagle eyes, we all suffer from eye strain every now and then. Just think of the strain and fatique you put your eyes thru starring at the Computer screen most of the day, much of less someone who is extremely visually impaired or legally blind. I could probably get by with this poduct myself right now, but I am glad I have Zoomtext instead because my copy of Zoomtext has speech support as well, so when I get tired of reading, or eyes hurt too much to read, I can just have the Computer read the screen to me. ZoomWare doesn’t come with that, which I think alot of normal sighted people would like, but I am glad they left out audio support otherwise it would have driven the price of the product way up, when most people just want a little help seeing stuff.
What makes Aisquared products so much nicer, then the built in magnification and narration features of Microsoft Windows, is there xFont technology. What xFont does, it makes the text on the screen readable even at very highest magnification levels, so you can actually read the text on the screen when you magnify the screen. It also has controls for magnifying the entire screen, or just part of the screeen, and you can adjust the lens to any position you want, which are things Windows should have came with to begin with..
The only thing that bothers me, is that CompTIA, PearsonVUE, or the other certification testing companies don’t allow such software to be used during certification testing. I don’t know about you, but I think that is discrimination. The only type of accomodation like that these places allow, is for someone they pick for you to go into the test with you and read what is on the screen to you. Well, if you can’t see what your doing, what good is that? For instance, if I was being asked to design a Microsoft Access database, or a PowerPoint presentation, how am I supposed to know how to answer the question if I cannot see what is on the screen? especially with these Microsoft Certification tests there all interactive. I don’t have every menu option, or every toolbar button memorized off the top of my head, and they shouldn’t expect me to know that. The problem is these companies don’t understand there is a HUGE difference between 20/20 and completely blind, and even then a completely blind person doesn’t have every toolbar button and every menu option memorized. They know the steps, but won’t know if its right or not until they see it, or hear it in a blind persons case, so to have someone sit there and read the screen to you, is NOT an appropriate accomodation at all, which ticked me off because how am I supposed to find a job in IT if they won’t accomodate for my needs? An employer would, an employer has to, and plus my USB license allows me to take my copy of Zoomtext with me to whichever Windows Computer I am using, even if its a work computer, and I’m allowed to fully install my license on up to 3 computers; a home PC, a laptop, and a work PC, so my licensing is covered whoever I end up getting employment with. Its just stupid they won’t allow such appropriate accommodations when even normal sighted people have problems reading text on the screen such as this, much of less someone in my case who is extremely visually impaired. I’ve been using Computers since Kindergarten, heck half the questions on the A+ and Network+ exams I taught myself when I was a teenager, so to not allow such accomodations when I’m obviously a gifted IT student, is not only unfair, but downrigh discrimination.
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nerdy and 
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thirsty. 
