ATMac

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

Amongst updates to the iMac series of computers, Apple yesterday announced an external bluetooth trackpad. This works exactly like the MacBook’s built-in multi-touch trackpad but has a working area of approximately 4.3 by 4.3 inches (11cm by 11cm). A full set of gestures, including the VoiceOver “trackpad as screen” gesture control are available.

So the WWDC for 2010 is a bit behind us now, there’s time to take a breath and think of the accessibility implications of the things that were announced at the conference and since then. The iPhone 4, iOS 4, Safari 5, and new Mac Minis are just some of the announcements and releases.

Almost all of the newer Mac models come with the Apple Remote control, and they can be used for a surprising amount of your computing. So what’s available for those of us who have a Mac that didn’t come with a remote, or who need a different remote for accessibility? There’s a huge range that will have an option appropriate for almost any user, no matter your assistive technology needs.

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.