The Coburn Blog

This is really cool, for Windows Mobile 5.0 enabled smartphones

Smart Hal - Now your Talking!

Since we use Verizon, I looked up WM 5.0 enabled phones. and I like the Verizon Wireless PN-820 smartphone, which looks real slick. This is the phone that I want. Of course, its way beyond my budget, but a guy can dream, can’t he?

Looks like one of those flip-style phones that we like. I’m not much into surfing the web on a telephone, but with this I could run speech enabled software, so my phone would actually be useful to me. It would speak the numbers to me, speak if I have new voice messages, and all that cool stuff.

Of course, its not as cool as an iphone, or iphone touch, but the accessibility software for mobile phones is getting much better. This Dolphin place, even has a product called the Dolphin Pen which is basically like Zoomtext for U3 smartdrives. I’m sure it could be converted to portableapps as well. The cool thing about this, is I could take Accessibility with me, so if I was working on someone elses computer, for example, I wouldn’t have to install special software in order to see the screen, or I could use any computer I want at school, or any computer at the library, this would open up a whole world of possibilities for me. I’m not sure Vocational Rehabilitation would go for any of this, but definite possibilities for the future.

Another cool thing I found, is the Compact+ Compact CCTV This is just like the Quicklook portable CCTV I got at home, except the camera is positioned at center of screen, instead of off to the side like the Quicklook is. With the bottom camera being in the center, instead of off to the side, this would allow me to write easier with a CCTV, like for writing my signature, or taking brief notes at school without having to rely on a tape recorder, which would be neat. I wish I could trade-up my portable CCTV with this one.

Speaking of Accessibility, CompTIA and pearsonVUE, are not allowing me to take the A+ and Network+ exams with Zoomtext at school, so I may not get CompTIA A+ and Network+ Certified after all. I am going to fight pearsonVUE and CompTIA on this matter though, because there is no reason why they can’t allow Zoomtext, or some other screen magnification software, on my tests at school. I already told Ivy Tech I am going to file a complaint with the ADA in Washington DC on this matter. They don’t think I’m serious, but all it takes is a simple letter. It is not fair, they know I am not able to see the Computer screen without Zoomtext installed. That’s just downright discrimination right there, and I’m not going to let them get away with it. VR is paying them $179 for me to take each test, the least they could do is accommodate for my needs. I’ll fight them in court over it, I don’t care. There NOT going to keep me from getting my college degree again. I am downright pissed off about this. What gets me, is pearsonVUE won’t even consider the possibility of allowing the software to be used. They just said flat out “no” and I told them I said, I’ll fight you to the end on that, because I’m not going to let them get away with this.