ATMac

Articles about newly available hardware, or hardware which hasn’t previously been reviewed on ATMac.

The TandemMaster Morse-2-USB interface is a fantastic device which converts morse code entered by two switches into keyboard presses and mouse movements. It gives the user complete control of a computer, as much as any regular keyboard/mouse user would have and can be used on any computer, with no drivers or software needed to be installed on the computer itself.

As expected, at their press gathering this morning Apple announced their new product: the iPad. So what’s an iPad? Will the iPad be accessible, and what will it mean for accessibility in general?

Two of the biggest requests since MacSpeech Dictate has been released have been the ability to dictate with a Bluetooth headset, and to have voice control of the mouse. Today I’m pleased to bring you news of both and some discounts too!

Everybody has different positioning needs, and people are surprisingly creative about it when they need to be.

There’s a new iPod Shuffle, and like the newest iPod Nano it can read out things like song titles and playlist names. Unlike the iPod Nano, the VoiceOver feature is enabled by default and is part of their standard advertising.

Today Amazon introduced the Kindle 2, the newest incarnation of its ebook reading device. Included in this 2nd generation Kindle is built-in text to speech capability.

Accenda, makers of the popular voice controlled universal remote control, has now brought that same technology to the iPod with a voice activated controller for your iPod.

RJ Cooper has made available a very affordable switch adapted MP3 player which can be operated with 1 or 2 switches. It also functions as a thumb drive for moving files between computers, and is compatible with OS X.

Fins-Up has announced the availability of the FIN for Macbook and Macbook Pro customers. The FIN is an aluminium stand which screws into existing holes in the bottom of your Macbook and acts as a laptop stand to bring the keyboard to a more ergonomic angle. It also acts as a handle when you’re carrying your Macbook, and the aluminium stand helps dissipate heat so your laptop runs without overheating.

SmartNav is a hardware and software package that replaces a regular mouse by tracking small head movements - head tracking. A Mac OS X port of the SmartNav 4 software expected to be released by the end of March.