Archive for September, 2007
Listen to this as a podcast:
Via Accessible Web Design Workshop:
AOL is now testing closed captions for streaming news content from CNN that will enhance the online media experience for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Captioned CNN video content will beavailable throughout the AOL network, including the AOL service, the free AOL.com Web portal, and the AOL Video portal.
I checked it out myself, and I didn’t find any captioned videos via http://video.aol.com/, but a search on their site found this page:
Closed captioning provides members who are deaf or hard-of-hearing with enhanced access to select video content including entertainment programming, news updates and AOL® Member Education tutorials. If available, closed captions appear directly beneath a video and correspond to the audio content.Available closed-captioned content includes:
- CNN closed-captioned Quickcast: The latest news updated 3 times a day. Go to AOL® Keyword: Video, then click the News channel.
- Princess Natasha: The latest Princess Natasha episodes can be viewed with closed captions at AOL Keyword: KOL, or by signing on to the AOL® service using a Kids Only screen name.
Previously:
CaptionKeeper – captions from TV to the Web
Project ReadOn – free web captions
Closed Captioning for Flash
Speche Communications: real time text streaming
Listen to this as a podcast:
In October 2006, Showtime announced that they would be launching a new mobile video service. Of course, my first thought was, “will it have captions?” From the above link:
NEW YORK, NY- October 9, 2006 – Mobile Streams and Showtime Networks Inc. announced today that Mobile Streams has built an Off-Deck WAP portal to provide mobile users with access to content from SHOWTIME programs for the first time. WAP, or Wireless Application Protocol, is a secure specification that allows users to access information instantly via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios, smartphones and communicators. Mobile users with 2.5G or 3G handsets will be able to access the mobile offering, subject to carrier and handset capabilities.
My Sidekick doesn’t display video, so if any readers out there can play video on their phone, would you mind testing this out for me and posting the results? Showtime’s mobile content is accessible via http://wap.sho.com. Thank you!
Previously:
Mobile TV
iTunes and closed captioning
Listen to this as a podcast:
After 2 years my trusty Sidekick 2 has finally crapped out on me. The D-key is broken (it couldn’t hold up to my aggressive Tetris playing) and sometimes sticks, which moves the cursor all over and keeps me from opening windows. On Monday it started locking up and freezing, and I couldn’t switch between applications. Rebooting did not help. I’ve been considering upgrading for a while, anyway, as it’s a bit outdated. I’ve been a happy TMobile customer for 4 years now, starting back with the original B&W Sidekick in 2003, upgrading to the Color Sidekick in 2004, and then the Sidekick 2 in 2005. I decided not to upgrade to the Sidekick 3 when it came out in 2006 as I didn’t feel it had enough improvements on it to warrant paying $300 for it, and I feel that the future versions of the Sidekick (the Slide and X, which are rumored to debut in October 2007) won’t be packing enough technological oomph to meet my needs. TMobile, you’ve been a wonderful partner. It’s not you, it’s me. I have needs that you can’t provide. It’s time to part ways.
I’ve narrowed down my choices to the Helio Ocean; I’ve been intrigued by one for a while, and it’s got several enciting features, which I’ll address in another post.
However, I just found the Nokia E90 and now I feel like Scarlett O’Hara at the ball; all these gentlemen are presenting themselves to me and I have to pick one to dance with. But which one is my Rhett?
WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR: (and yes, like Scarlett, I am a demanding mistress.)
- Tactile keyboard. Please, don’t suggest the iPhone. It is not on my list.
- Instant messaging – AIM, Yahoo, MSN are mandatory. Would like Google Talk and Skype Chat, but they are not mandatory.
- Email – need POP/IMAP access to 3 or more accounts. Ability to send/receive encrypted email would be nice, but I don’t know whether that is available on any mobile device.
- Organizational tools: notepad, address book, calendar, calculator.
- Web browser.
- Bluetooth.
- GPS.
- Ability to add aliases to IM screennames. I have 100+ buddies on my AIM buddylist. I can’t always remember who “bigblue01″ and “wriggly” are. This is a complaint I have with AIM on my Sidekick – no aliases.
- Phone company must be willing to give me a deaf-friendly data-only plan. I don’t need phone minutes, why should I pay for them? TMobile gives me a $29.99/mo data-only plan, which rocks. Phone minutes are an additional 10 to 15¢ per minute if the phone is used (which really never happens.)
- Camera, 2mpx or larger. Video is not mandatory, but is OK.
- Wifi and EVDO aren’t mandatory, but would be nice to have.
- Still waiting for TTY access for 911 emergency services. When is the Future coming? Where’s my jetpack? Damn scientists!
- Ability to upload pix to Flickr & be able to post to blogs.
What should I get?
Previously:
Hiptop Sidekick – why it’s so popular among the deaf
Text messaging and 911
911 centers need to upgrate to accommodate new technology and be accessible to the deaf
