Sterling Creations Blog

If you are in the market for something to help you save time while at the
same time pop a problem; then you have come to the right place.
Below, you will find something to help you just do that and if you would
like to learn more then visit us at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld and like us on facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan

+++++++++++++++

New app helps to combat poor customer service faced by people with
disabilities

A new app-based system has been launched that aims to “shake up” the
customer service industry across shops, banks and other venues.

The Welcome app lets people with disabilities tell shops and venues of their
arrival, so that staff can provide tailored assistance suited to their
condition.

Designed by assistive technology company Neatebox, the free app is a two-way
platform between users and customer service teams. Users tell staff, via the
app, that they will be visiting a venue and flag up useful information or
specific requirements they have, such as needing assistance with a
wheelchair or that they will be bringing a guide dog.

GPS tracking lets staff know exactly when the customer arrives and the app
also provides links to useful information about various impairments,
supplied by charities and specialist organisations; the Royal National
Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and the Guide Dogs charity have both
provided information for the app.

The system only works with venues that have signed-up, but users are
encouraged to request new venues within the app. Neatebox founder Gavin
Neate told e-Access Bulletin that a “massive part” of the system is the team
approaching venues identified by the user community: “I guarantee that if
someone downloads the app now and requests a venue they would like to see
using it, we will contact that venue within a week at most,” Neate
said.

Venues that have signed up so far include Edinburgh Airport, hotels, shops,
cafés, tourist attractions and the Royal Bank of Scotland, where the app has
been installed at the company’s headquarters in the hope of demonstrating
its benefits for more widespread use.

At present, venues are mainly in Scotland, where Neatebox is based, but
users can request locations anywhere. Requests have been received for venues
in Northern Ireland, Devon and London, as well as the United States, Canada
and New Zealand. The app isn’t yet available outside of the UK, but this isn’t
being ruled out.

Neate said that he believes Welcome can “shake up” customer services.
“With more and more older people and people with specific needs, industries
need to seriously look at the service they provide. Whether industries are
aware of it or not, they have a whole new world coming towards them,” Neate
said.

A former guide dog mobility instructor, Neate started Neatebox to help find
a solution for problems that some of his visually impaired clients had when
operating pedestrian crossings. This solution became Button, a system that
allows a user’s mobile phone to automatically ‘push’ buttons at pedestrian
crossings as they approach, using Bluetooth. This simplifies the process for
those who may find it difficult to operate the crossings – for example,
someone who is blind or using a wheelchair.

Crossings need to have simple hardware installed in them for the Button
system to work, but as with the Welcome app, users can request locations and
Neatebox will contact requested local authorities. The company is already
working with some councils to install the technology. The system has already
been installed throughout the town of Largs, on the West Coast of Scotland.

To download the Welcome app and find out more, visit the Neatebox website:
http://eab.li/7h .

Hello everyone and we at the business desk are introducing a new feature to
help you become more aware of those nasty scams making the rounds.
This is going to be a weekly feature and we hope that you take advantage of
our info as it will help you to stay out of the way of scams and scammers!
It’s all about scam alerts!

You need to remember that scams come in the following formats:
As emails, as phone calls both recorded and via a live caller, and o yes!
It can even show up at your door and in your mailbox.

+++++++++++++++

1. The credit card account phone scam –
Well, this one has suddenly started to raise its ugly head once again.
You receive a phone call telling you that your credit card account has been
compromised and asking you to call a certain number.
No, do not call this number!
Yes, just hang up and continue with your work.

2. The Apple facetunes scam email –
Well, this is a new one to us.
It is an email thanking you for your purchase.
We are not sure what to make of this one!
So just delete it!

Greetings! I’m Scott Savoy; managing editor at
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca and I hope that everyone is enjoying this
great September weekend.
Today, I am stopping by to share our president’s editorial with you and for
today Donna J. Jodhan gives an interesting perspective on entrepreneurship.
I wish you a great weekend.

+++++++++++++++

How about entrepreneurship?
By Donna J. Jodhan

I don’t think that this alternative is as bad as you may think and there are
definite benefits and advantages to it. Especially so if you are seeking
some sort of change in your life.

Of course I can tell you that there are the usual reasons for seeking
entrepreneurship but there are other reasons that I call the hidden reasons.
So I’ll give you two lists; the obvious list and then the not so obvious
one.

First list –
You want a change in career.
You need to generate more income.
You desire to work from home because of family requirements.
You no longer wish to work for someone else.
You are tired of traveling long distances to get to work.
You are tired of being caught in traffic every working day.
You want to be your own boss.
Just a few reasons but there are more and I’ll stop here.

Second list –
You get to choose your career.
You get to control the progress of your career.
You choose your clients.
You dictate how fast you learn, when, and from whom.
You can define which technology you wish to use.
You dictate your work hours and frequency of hours.

These are just two lists to get you started. Good luck and happy
entrepreneurship to you.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

And now her weekly podcast at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
From recipes to apps, and from 5 minutes mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs
and alerts on the latest scams
Available for download from iTunes and Google music play.

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

If you are in the market for something to help you save time while at the
same time pop a problem; then you have come to the right place.
Below, you will find something to help you just do that and if you would
like to learn more then visit us at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld and like us on facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan

+++++++++++++++

Blindness and Medical Facilities, Take One
Advocating for Yourself in an Emergency Medical Situation: Advice for People
with Visual Impairments
Deborah Kendrick
One morning I was standing in my bathroom about to get into the shower and
prepare for my day when my world literally turned upside down.
One moment, I was standing, mind racing about my clothes, my work schedule,
my coffee, my dog–and the next, I had the sensation that my thigh had been
struck by a large object and I was instantly on my back on the cool tile
floor. I knew immediately that I could not stand up. Slowly, carefully, I
scooted backward out the door and across the bedroom, where I could reach a
phone and call 911.
The paramedics talked to me on the phone. They told me they’d have to break
down a door to rescue me and asked me to choose front door or back.
I heard breaking glass, men’s voices, and, before long, I was placed on a
stretcher and carried down my very steep stairs to the cold outdoors and
the waiting ambulance.
“Two things I need you to get,” I told them. “My guide dog and my iPhone.”
Later, there would be a stretch of hours when I remembered none of this, but
in that window of crisis, with no one but me to advocate for me, I gave
clear directives. I told them how to fasten my golden retriever’s guide
harness and told them where the iPhone and its charger were located. In the
ambulance, I called my daughter 1,000 miles away so that someone knew where
I was going.
It turned out that my left femur, the longest bone in the body, compromised
by cancer a decade earlier, had snapped and displaced. I spent eight hours
in the emergency room, during which time my surgeon explained to me that
serious reconstructive surgery was scheduled for the next day. A metal
plate about eight inches long would be screwed to my bone and wired to my
hip. The recovery period, during which I would be unable to bear any weight
on that leg, would last about three months.
Nothing To Do with Blindness
Like many AccessWorld readers, I am a seasoned veteran of blindness. I
mastered my alternative techniques long ago and think about blindness very
little, if at all.
I live alone, manage my own home and work life, travel independently with a
guide dog or white cane, and have a delectable array of technological tools
to make everything from writing a book to color-coordinating a room
manageable without sight.
My injury had nothing to do with blindness. My getting to the phone in a
familiar environment didn’t either. Directing the paramedics to get my dog
and phone was, if anything, easier for me as a blind person because I know
how to use my words to describe objects and their locations.
Once I was in that hospital, however, my familiar ground was gone. My
daughter had immediately called two close friends who met me at the
emergency room and they told me that, from my blurred state of shock with
morphine added, I repeatedly asked, “Where am I and how did I get here?”
Of course. As blind people, independence is deeply rooted in our ability to
take control of our own lives. Essential to taking control is the basic
awareness of “Where am I and how did I get here.”
I was in the emergency room for eight hours before a room in the Joint and
Spine Center of the hospital became available. About halfway through that
time, my brain cleared and I became aware that I needed to be alert, to be
my own advocate.
While my blindness and hearing impairment are inconsequential to me on a
daily basis, they were front and center to these medical professionals who
did not know me. Advocating for myself was a matter of survival.
Hear This
My gratitude is abundant for many things that occurred that traumatic day,
but two particularly fortunate facts were that I was in a large, flat room
rather than on a staircase when my femur fractured, and that my hearing
aids were in my ears. Without them, communicating with paramedics or
emergency medical personnel would have been next to impossible.
I had been in shock. I was in excruciating pain. I was told not to sit up or
move my leg in any way as I could further displace the broken parts. Time
and an IV drip of medication gradually returned my lucidity and I knew
communication was key.
A first step toward self-advocacy was to ensure that my hearing aids could
stay in my ears before, during, and after surgery. Without them, I
explained, I might miss questions or information in preparation or
recovery. Permission was granted. As it turned out, I never took both
hearing aids out throughout my three-week hospital stay. Not being able to
see people come and go, I knew I needed to hear them.
Next was establishing a certain style of communication with staff. While
being transported to my hospital room, I began what would be my signature
survival tool throughout my stay: engaging each person in dialogue and
asking questions. What floor are we going to? What is the room number? What
is the name of each drug you are asking me to take and what is its purpose?
(I happen to have a high sensitivity to all medications, so many routine
doses were adjusted in these preliminary conversations, which helped me
maintain clarity while also building relationships with medical staff).
And about that medical staff. When you are in the hospital, a steady stream
of people come and go, with shifts constantly cycling nurses, personal care
assistants, doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social
workers, and housekeepers on and off duty. They might wear different colors
and/or name badges, but for me, a blind person who doesn’t have particularly
stellar voice recognition skills, asking people to identify themselves was
another key factor in maintaining my quality of care and wellbeing.
At the foot of my bed was a monitor that displayed various kinds of
constantly updated information specific to my treatment. Information is
essential to advocating for oneself. The kinds of information updated at
the foot of my bed included the name of my nurse and personal care
assistant, my schedule of physical and occupational therapy, meal times, and
special events available to patients (such as healing touch or yoga.) It
was all right there for me to read at any time, but in print and therefore
completely unavailable to me.
Keep it Light
Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, keeping a running dialog going
in this kind of situation is, integral to survival. Sometimes I asked
questions in a straightforward way: “Can you put a note in my chart for
staff to identify themselves when they come in? I’m good at being blind,
but never did very well in the voice recognition department.” Or, “Can you
read my board to me? They haven’t put one up in braille yet.”
In other words, I was clear about my needs, but tried not to communicate
those needs in any way that might be perceived as strident or critical.
I was there, as you recall, because my femur had fractured. I had had
serious reconstructive surgery, and had to learn new skills like how to
transfer safely from the bed to the wheelchair and from the wheelchair to
the toilet or shower bench, how to stand up on my one good foot when
necessary and not lose balance, and much more.
Even though my being there had everything to do with my leg and nothing to
do with my blindness, rare was the nurse or aide who did not ask, “So,
exactly what can you see?” Again, I tried to keep it light, but doing so
and remaining patient wasn’t always easy.
I frequently said things like, “I see with my hands. If you put my hand on
it, I will see where it is.” If accompanied by a relevant demonstration,
that explanation was generally pretty effective.
I quickly learned to make sure everything I needed was within reach before a
newcomer left the room. If a technician came to draw blood and moved my
laptop out of the way to reach my arm, even though it was six inches away,
that laptop was essentially invisible to me. I learned to make quick checks
to locate the emergency call button, my iPhone, laptop, and water pitcher
each time I returned to my bed or wheelchair from the bathroom or the
physical therapy gym, or after any staff person had come to call. When
moving about is next to impossible and a needed object has been moved from,
say, the table on the left side of the bed to the table on the right,
locating it is problematic for someone who can’t see. I found that by
routinely checking and interacting with staff about this environmental
checklist, people learned and became much less likely to inadvertently move
objects from one place to another.
Payoff in Wellness
While it might sound a little exhausting (and sometimes it can be), my
continually engaging in conversations with all those responsible for my
care enabled me to focus on getting stronger and getting well. Even while
rooted in a hospital bed, unable to move without assistance, we can still
advocate for ourselves, control our own environments to a point, and thus
maintain our independence. The physical therapist who was at first troubled
that I had no physical eyesight was laughing with me as I “drove” my
wheelchair down the hall. Staff who began noticing that I was constantly
using my laptop and iPhone eventually caught on to texting me my therapy
schedule every evening as an alternative to expecting me to read that
inaccessible monitor at the foot of my bed.
The doctor who discharged me told me that I was being released at 18 days
rather than the anticipated 24 because I was “so fiercely independent” and
determined “not to allow a disability be a disability.” Interpret that as
you will, but I believe what actually facilitated my speedier release was
that by advocating for myself, I took the emphasis off my blindness and put
it where it belonged: on my accident, surgery, and recovery. The payoff was
that many members of the medical team learned something about blindness in
the process and I was able to get home for Christmas!
Source;
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pubnew.asp?DocID=aw180302

Hello everyone and we at the business desk are introducing a new feature to
help you become more aware of those nasty scams making the rounds.
This is going to be a weekly feature and we hope that you take advantage of
our info as it will help you to stay out of the way of scams and scammers!
It’s all about scam alerts!

You need to remember that scams come in the following formats:
As emails, as phone calls both recorded and via a live caller, and o yes!
It can even show up at your door and in your mailbox.

+++++++++++++++

1. The Netflix email –
Well, this is the second email that we have seen from a scammer pretending
to represent Netflix.
The email tells you that your account has been put on hold and it vies you a
case number and asks you to login using the link provided.
What happens if you decided to fall for this?
Your email address will be captured and then the scammer will set to work to
try and hack into your system.
Simply delete and move on!

2. The Canada Post scam email –
This email has been around for quite some time now but after a long pause it
is back!
It tells you that you need to retrieve a parcel as Canada Post was unable to
deliver it to you!
Now, if you are not expecting a parcel you can delete this email.
However, if you are expecting one, then do not download attachments in this
email.
Just go to your nearest postoffice with id in hand and start from there.

3. The Toronto Dominion scam email –
Okay, for a second week in a row; this email is being circulated.
If you do not have an online business account then not a problem.
If you have one then you need to first delete this email and then go on down
to your nearest bank branch to check things out.

Greetings! and I’m Christian Robicheau; assistant editor at
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca.
I hope that September is being nice to everyone thus far.
Today, I am pleased to share our president’s weekly editorial with you and
for this week Donna J. Jodhan shares her thoughts on another view of
technology.
I wish everyone a great weekend.

+++++++++++++++

Another view of technology

Say what you may; when it comes to the topic of technology there are more
than enough views to go around and these views do not always reflect a
specific age group, gender, demography, or geography.

Of course, there are general views to be heard and expected but I always
find it interesting when someone expresses a view of technology that does
not concur with their peers.

Believe it or not, there are some millennium generation persons who honestly
believe that technology has either not done enough to help them or has not
taken into consideration certain needs and requirements and then there are
many who feel that technology is the best thing since sliced bread.

Then we hear from the baby boomers who continue to complain that technology
has simply ignored them and left them behind but then again there are many
who have openly embraced the evolution of technology.

There are many from both generations who stand somewhere in the middle and
then there are our seniors who openly say that they are unable to keep up
and how they wish that we could just go back to the good old days when
simplicity was the name of the game.

I say that there is a lot of good, a bit of not so good, and a bit of bad
when it comes to the evolution of technology. So much has improved and has
been enhanced but on the other hand many headaches have been created and our
world is now infested with scammers and hackers who are using technology to
simply create havoc amongst us.

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

And now her weekly podcast at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
From recipes to apps, and from 5 minutes mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs
and alerts on the latest scams
Available for download from iTunes and Google music play.

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

If you are in the market for something to help you save time while at the
same time pop a problem; then you have come to the right place.
Below, you will find something to help you just do that and if you would
like to learn more then visit us at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld and like us on facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan

+++++++++++++++

Welcome to the August 2017 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly
newsletter which aims to
highlight what’s new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you’ll
find a selection of the best
content posted to AppleVis – from new app entries, to app updates, to the
latest news and podcasts. For
easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3,
and each individual item is at
heading level 4.
New and Noteworthy App Entries

1. Blindfold Deal Or Not (iOS, Free with In-App Purchases)
Blindfold Deal or Not is a fully accessible trivia game inspired by the TV
Game Show “Deal or No Deal”.
You start off by picking an envelope that contains cash, but you are not
told how much cash is in your envelope. The game board starts with 26
envelopes, and once you’ve picked your envelopes, there are 25 envelopes
remaining.
In the first round, you pick 7 envelopes to remove from the game board, and
as each is removed, you are told how much was in that envelope. At the end
of the first round, the banker will make you an offer to pay you for your
envelope. If you accept the offer, you receive the cash offered by the
banker. If you reject the offer, you continue to the next round.
The game continues in this manner for several more rounds, until you are at
the last envelope. You can either pick that envelope, or keep your envelope.
Once you pick one of the envelopes, you are told what you now have, and what
you gave up. You get to keep the cash in the envelope you pick.
There are about 10 rooms where the game is played with different amounts of
cash, and you can enter any of the rooms if you’ve won enough cash.
Blindfold Deal or Not comes with coins to play for free, and then you can
purchase unlimited play.

Current Version: 1.1.9 (August 29, 2017)
Read Blindfold Deal Or Not’s AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more
information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/games/blindfold-deal-or-not
Visit Blindfold Deal Or Not’s App Store page
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blindfold-deal-or-not/id1235874956?mt=8&ign-
mpt=uo%3D8

2. Blindfold Flappy (iOS, Free with In-App Purchases)
Blindfold Flappy is a fully accessible audio game, inspired by the mobile
game Flappy Bird. The objective is to move your bird so it’s flies through
the holes in the pipes.
Your bird is at the left side of the screen, and falls from the top of the
screen to the bottom; your bird pops up a little each time you tap the
screen.
Constantly moving towards your bird are pipes that run from the top of the
screen to the bottom of the screen; each pipe has a gap, or a hole, in it.
Your task is to move your bird so that when the pipe is about to hit your
bird, your bird is lined up with the hole, and passes through it.
This game can be played with or without headphones or earbuds, but when you
are starting out, earbuds will make it easier. Once you get the hang of it,
you can just listen to the sounds.
In your left ear, you hear a tone that indicates where your bird is. As the
bird drops, the tone drops in pitch. Each time you tap the screen, the tone
increases in pitch. In your right ear, you hear a tone that indicates where
the mid-point of the hole in the pipe is. As the pipe gets closer and closer
to you, the sound gets louder.
To ensure your bird will make it through the hole, you want the tones in
both your ears to be as close in pitch as possible.
The game comes with coins; you need one coin to play. More coins are
available as an in-app upgrade.

Current Version: 1.0.8 (August 19, 2017)
Read Blindfold Flappy’s AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more
information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/games/blindfold-flappy
Visit Blindfold Flappy’s App Store page
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blindfold-flappy/id1248903865?mt=8&ign-mpt=u
o%3D8

3. Eclipse Soundscapes (iOS, Free)
The Eclipse Soundscapes Project app is specially designed so that people who
are blind and visually impaired can share in the awe and wonder of
astronomical events in real time with their sighted peers.
The app is a joint effort between The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
(SAO), NASA’s Heliophysics Education Consortium (HEC), the National Center
for Accessible Media (NCAM), and the National Park Service (NPS). Features
include an interactive “Rumble map”; audio descriptions of key features of
the eclipse; a play-by-play description of the total solar eclipse as it is
happening in the user’s area; and a countdown clock to the next upcoming
eclipse.
The “Rumble Map” gives the user the sensation of “feeling” the Sun during an
eclipse. Our technology translates images of key eclipse features into a
series of unique frequency modulated tones that map out variations in light
and dark as the user explores the image with their fingertips. These tones
are specially designed to make the user’s mobile device shake, or rumble, in
response to the changes.
After the eclipse, the Eclipse Soundscapes app will provide access to a
database of soundscape recordings from U.S. National Parks and other urban
and rural locations so that users can experience how eclipses change the
behavior of different species, including humans. During the next five years,
the app will expand to include other eclipses and astronomical objects of
interest giving people who are blind and visually impaired – and everyone
else – a new way to engage with the universe around them.

Current Version: 1.2.3 (August 16, 2017)
Read Eclipse Soundscapes’ AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more
information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/education/eclipse-soundscapes
Visit Eclipse Soundscapes’ App Store page
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/education/eclipse-soundscapes

4. iAccessibility (iOS, Free)
iAccessibility believes that everyone can use technology, and our goal is to
make technology accessible to everyone. With the iAccessibility app, you can
read about new technologies, listen to our podcasts, and learn more from an
amazing community of technology enthusiasts.

Current Version: 1.0.1 (August 9, 2017)
Read iAccessibility’s AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/education/iaccessibility
Visit iAccessibility’s App Store page
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iaccessibility/id1183474215?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%
3D8

5. IFTTT (iOS, Free)
Applets bring your favorite services together to create new experiences.
Over 500 apps work with IFTTT including Twitter, Telegram, Google Drive,
Twitch, Weather Underground, Instagram, Gmail, and devices like Google Home,
Amazon Alexa, Nest, Philips Hue, and your iPhone. The IFTTT app also
integrates with the Health app, so you can easily track and maintain your
habits.
Turn on Applets and:
. Control everything around you with your voice and Amazon Alexa or
Google Assistant
. Stay informed about what’s happening from publications like The New
York Times and ProPublica
. Always stay prepared for the weather with custom daily forecast
notifications
. Message roommates when you’re near the local grocery
. Get an alert as soon as there’s a new Craigslist listing that
matches you search
. Stay safe with automated and intelligent home security alerts
. Streamline your social media
. Back up and share your iOS photos automatically
. Back up important files, photos, and contacts to cloud-storage
solutions, such as Dropbox or Google Drive
. Set your home thermostat to an optimal temperature when you arrive
home
. Post all your Instagrams as Twitter photos or Pinterest pins
. Trigger events based on your current location
There are thousands of other use cases! New services are added every week.
Some popular ones include: Twitch, Telegram, Spotify, YouTube, Google
Calendar, Tumblr, Medium, Pocket, Square, eBay, Giphy, Automatic, LIFX,
Fitbit, Withings, littleBits, Google WiFi, Evernote, Reddit, Digg, Skype,
Slack, LINE, MailChimp, Salesforce, Todoist, and hundreds more.

Current Version: 3.3.10 (August 18, 2017)
Read IFTTT’s AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/productivity/ifttt
Visit IFTTT’s App Store page
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ifttt/id660944635?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D8

6. Paladins: Choices Game (iOS, Free with In-App Purchases)
A text adventure RPG where YOU play the characters in a medieval fantasy
novel! The story is set in the rich world of Dezrel created by author David
Dalglish. You play several different characters including a Paladin of
Ashhur, a wolf-man pack leader, a scrappy farmer, and more!
Put yourself into the shoes of the characters and watch the story unfold,
but be careful what choices you make. Death is always near.
64 chapters of adventure, over 100 achievements, and TONS of interesting
choices. And it’s all free. Sweet, sweet, freedom.
This interactive novel is based on David Dalglish’s Paladins Series of
fantasy novels. Mr. Dalglish has partnered with Delight Games to “gamify”
his novel. As far as we know, this is the first time a traditional novel has
been gamified like this. Download it and be among the first to experience a
novel in this novel way. 😉

Current Version: 1.13 (August 4, 2017)
Read Paladins: Choices Game’s AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more
information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/games/paladins-choices-game
Visit Paladins: Choices Game’s App Store page
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/paladins-choices-game/id1220293213?mt=8&ign-
mpt=uo%3D8

7. Word Search War: Puzzle Guru (iOS, Free with In-App Purchases)
Word War! is a word search with a spin. Play a a single player word search
or challenge an opponent to a timed or a live word battle and search for
word simultaneously. Launch attacks against your opponents to slow them down
and win the battle.
Word War! was created for the visually impaired, but fun for all to play.
Available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, and
Japanese to allow you to test your skill against opponents all over the
world!
Play against:
. Computer
. Friends
. Contacts
. Facebook friends
. Twitter followers
. Random opponents
Key Features include:
. Over 150+ word categories!
. Single player or multiplayer games!
. Multiplayer timed and live games!
. Smoke bombs to slow down opponents!
. Letter bombs to remove letters!
. Chat with your friends
. Multiple lingual support for chat text!
. Level progressions with promotion criteria!
. Advanced stats and leaderboards!
. Lightning fast game play!
. 100% Voiceover accessible!
If you like word searches, you need to try Word War! Download for free and
start a Word War today!

Current Version: 1.0.2 (August 25, 2017)
Read Word Search War’s AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/games/word-search-war-puzzle-guru
Visit Word Search War’s App Store Page
https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/games/word-search-war-puzzle-guru

All recent app entries posted to AppleVis can be found at:

iOS http://www.applevis.com/apps/latest?type=ios_app_directory
Mac http://www.applevis.com/apps/latest?type=mac_app_directory
Apple Watch
http://www.applevis.com/apps/latest?type=apple_watch_app_directory
Apple TV
http://www.applevis.com/apps/latest?type=apple_tv_app_directory

Hello everyone and we at the business desk are introducing a new feature to
help you become more aware of those nasty scams making the rounds.
This is going to be a weekly feature and we hope that you take advantage of
our info as it will help you to stay out of the way of scams and scammers!
It’s all about scam alerts!

You need to remember that scams come in the following formats:
As emails, as phone calls both recorded and via a live caller, and o yes!
It can even show up at your door and in your mailbox.

+++++++++++++++

1. The Netflix email –
Well, this is the first email that we have seen from a scammer pretending to
represent Netflix.
The email tells you that your account has been put on hold and it vies you a
case number and asks you to login using the link provided.
What happens if you decided to fall for this?
Your email address will be captured and then the scammer will set to work to
try and hack into your system.
Simply delete and move on!

2. the scam email from the Toronto Dominion Bank –
This email is a scam from start to finish.
It tells you that your device has been blocked from accessing your online
banking account.
No bank would ever send you this type of email.
Just delete and move on.

3. A warning from the Royal Bank of Canada –
When you phone the telephone banking number for this bank, an automated
message is played for you to listen to.
Please pay attention to it.

Greetings! I’m Scott Savoy and I want to wish everyone a happy long holiday
weekend.
Ah yes and welcome to September and I simply cannot believe that we are
here!
Today, I am delighted to share our president’s editorial with you and for
this week, Donna J. Jodhan talks about the importance of setting the
example.
This is very contemplative reading and I encourage you to take a read.
Happy holiday weekend to you!

+++++++++++++++

The importance of setting the example

I truly believe that when it comes to ensuring that our kids can enjoy a
future where equality and humanity are protected and recognized, we need to
do much more than just talk the talk! Indeed! We need to walk the walk and
make sure that our kids learn, understand, and realize the importance of
these two very vital concepts.

Each time we speak, act, and conceptualize, and whether we know it and
realize it, there is an audience out there that is paying very close
attention to what we do, say, and carry out. It is not just the media or
our friends and family; it is a young audience! Future generations of our
world!

Whenever we utter words of racism, hatred, and ill will towards each other,
this very attentive audience who for the most part may be unknown to us, is
listening attentively and if we do it often enough then they will soon begin
to believe that this is the way that they should be behaving and acting.

You would be amazed to know how much our kids look up to us; for guidance in
what they should do and how they should be doing it. You would also be
amazed to learn how much they hero worship starting at an early age and
especially so if we hold positions of influence not just on the world’s
stage but in positions through out the media, society, and close to us.

It is not just parents and older siblings, but teachers, community leaders,
premiers and prime ministers, presidents and politicians, religious leaders,
and anyone who has any sort of visibility.

We need to pay more attention to mean what we say and say what we mean. We
need to take more responsibility for our words and actions and to think
before we speak or rather look before we leap. We cannot continue to ignore
all of this. For if we want to procure and secure a better and brighter
future for us all then we need to think of others and not just ourselves.
This is the importance of setting the example.

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

And now her weekly podcast at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
From recipes to apps, and from 5 minutes mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs
and alerts on the latest scams
Available for download from iTunes and Google music play.

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

If you are in the market for something to help you save time while at the
same time pop a problem; then you have come to the right place.
Below, you will find something to help you just do that and if you would
like to learn more then visit us at www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld and like us on facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan

+++++++++++++++

Microsoft Seeing AI – A Quick First Look at this Groundbreaking iOS App
By now, you have likely heard about the new Seeing AI app from Microsoft.
It’s free, and this groundbreaking app combines the functions of nearly
every image and product recognition app that uses your iPhone or iPad’s
camera and more.
In future issues of AccessWorld, we plan to take a much deeper dive into
this new offering, which Microsoft has rightly dubbed a potential “Swiss
Army Knife of tools for visually impaired people.” We’ll describe where
Seeing AI came from, and, more importantly, where it’s heading. In the
meantime, just in case you have not heard about Seeing AI, here’s what it
can do:
Read Text: Seeing AI includes two text OCR modes, Short Text and Document.
The Document mode works like many text recognition apps, such as
KNFB-Reader. In Document mode simply aim your camera toward a document page
and follow the prompts which will alert you as to which edges and corners
are not yet visible. Seeing AI will instruct you to “Hold steady,” and then
automatically snap a photo and send it to Microsoft servers for
recognition. Note: You can also take a picture manually by pressing the
“Take Picture” button. The app does an excellent job of maintaining
formatting, so you can use VoiceOver’s Heading, list items, and other quick
navigation gestures. The recognition is slower than KNFB-Reader because the
OCR engine is not onboard your device, but it seems to be just as accurate.
The Short Text mode turns on your camera and searches for printed material
continuously. When it finds printed text, it translates it into machine
text, and then speaks it aloud. The Short Text mode is not as thorough and
accurate as Document mode, but it makes going through recipe cards and the
mail a breeze! It can also be quite useful when searching for a conference
room number, or when your computer stops talking, as it will identify text
on PC monitors. It’s a must-have if you have a messy desk and want to get
organized. Using Seeing AI it’s possible to go through a stack of familiar
but disorganized papers in only seconds per page. Because Seeing AI is
continuously scanning for printed text, the app often interrupts itself
with new text. One way to prevent this is to move the device up and away
once it begins speaking, so it will not spot new text and move on.
Scan Bar Codes: Seeing AI does perhaps the best job of accessible mobile
device bar code scanning around. It can be problematic, locating the bar
code on a can or box, but Seeing AI beeps when it spots one, and as you
move the camera closer the beeps grow faster until the app snaps the code
and identifies that can of corn or box of cake mix. There is also a “More
information” button, if the barcode database includes it, with product
details such as nutrition labeling, calorie counts and even cooking
instructions. It can take a few seconds to locate the bar code and snap an
image. It’s by no means as swift and easy to use as a standalone barcode
reader, such as the I.D. Mate Galaxy, which AccessWorld reviewed in the
August 2016 issue of AccessWorld . But, it does get the job done a lot more
accessibly than other mobile apps.
Recognize Faces: You can create a photo library of friends and family, and
the app will tell you when someone it recognizes is near. Snap a picture of
an individual, and it will estimate the age–sorry, ladies–and offer an
emotion tag, such as smiling or frowning. The app will tell you when a face
is in focus and offer up the person’s name if they are in your app image
database. This might be handy at a conference or party setting to help you
find friends or colleagues, but I would advise using a phone case with a
lanyard strap and Bluetooth earbuds so you’re not annoying the crowd by
pointing your phone hither and yon. Also, check the lighting setting in the
app’s Settings menu. Otherwise that phone dangling from your neck may
appear as a headlight.
Scenes: This is a beta feature, destined to improve with time. Snap a photo
of your environment and Seeing AI will attempt to describe it. “A street
corner with signs,” for instance, or “Two dogs and one person on a lawn.”
One extremely useful feature found in Seeing AI is its appearance on the
Sharesheet. Tap any image on your camera roll, an image attached to an
email or text, or even one of those annoying images that appear on Twitter
and other social media sites with no description tag. The “Recognize with
Seeing AI” Sharesheet option will send the image directly to the app
immediately, and recognize both any text it finds, and offer an image
description. If the option to “Recognize with Seeing AI” does not appear,
select the “More” option in the Sharesheet and switch the option to “On”.
The app is only available for iOS, and it can be downloaded from the iOS
App Store .
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seeing-ai-talking-camera-for-the-blind/id999
062298

Microsoft has produced an excellent YouTube introduction demonstrating
this powerful new app’s features.

Text and video help is also available in the app’s Quick Help tab.
Author: Bill Holton