SITE e-Newsletter March 2011 Issue 24 Welcome to the March edition of your eNewsletter. I am sure that we will be glad that Spring is just around the corner and with this comes more daylight and milder weather. Good news for all of us. And speaking of news, let us have your news for inclusion in the newsletter - details at the end. Please feel free to forward the newsletter to anyone who you think might be interested and encourage them to subscribe. In this issue: 01. Talking Point 02. News Round Up 03. Books, Games and Apps. 04. Technology 05. Events Diary ++01. Talking Point +welfare reform will harm the most vulnerable Disability living allowance is a lifeline for many visually impaired people and the recent Government proposals confirms that blind and partially sighted people are right to be terrified of Government intentions. many people with sight loss already live in poverty and isolation. Government plans will both make matters significantly worse for them and increase their number. If there is confusion, for many it lies in uncertainty over whether the reforms are about saving money or about improving support for the vulnerable, and the tone of the government's statements on this fluctuate, depending on the audience. The reformed system will mean that the government spends 20% less than forecast on [disability living allowance] by 2015/16." DLA is the very financial lifeline that many blind and partially sighted people rely on, contributing to the extra cost of living with sight loss. The process of replacing DLA with a personal independence payment – as the government proposes – could mean up to 12,000 visually impaired people losing this vital benefit. It is hardly surprising that many feel they are being sacrificed to help the government save money. The vast majority of blind and partially sighted people who are unemployed would love to find work, but they have to overcome widespread ignorance about their abilities. Research shows that 92% of employers say they would find it "difficult" or "impossible" to employ somebody who is blind or partially sighted. There are plans to limit the contributions-based employment and support allowance to 12 months. But we know that this is not long enough for many people with sight loss to get into work, however hard they try. Many employers won't give them a chance, so visually impaired people will continue to face prejudice in the job market and could plunge into even greater poverty. Rising inflation, government cuts and blunt-instrument welfare reform really could create a perfect storm leading to poverty and isolation among some of the most vulnerable in society. ++02. News Round Up +New EU Transport Rules The missing link on passengers' rights under EU law was finally put in place in Strasbourg in February when the European Parliament adopted new rules laying down greater rights for bus and coach passengers. After two years of tricky negotiations, Parliament and the Member States have agreed on rules covering all long-distance scheduled services (250 kilometres or more), whether national or crossborder, starting in spring 2013. Compensation For such services, the new law provides for compensation of 50% of the purchase price as well as a full refund of the ticket, if an operator cancels a service and cannot honour the transport contract, even by other routes or means of transport, following a delayed departure of at least two hours.  Passengers who prefer not to go ahead with their trip following a cancelled departure or a two-hour delay will be entitled to a full refund. If there is a delay of over 90 minutes according to the timetable, passengers must be given snacks and refreshments.  If a trip is broken or if there is an accident or a delay requiring passengers to spend the night on the spot, the operator will also be required to offer up to two nights in a hotel at a maximum price of 80 Euros. The operator can only be exempted from these obligations if the problem is caused by natural disasters or weather conditions that prevent the journey taking place under safe conditions. In addition, the operator must provide for a refund with a ceiling of no less than 1200 Euros if luggage is lost or damaged. In the event of death or injury as the result of an accident, the operator will be liable for payment of up to 220,000 Euros (or more, if national law so provides). To enable smaller firms to adjust to the new rules, Parliament voted to allow Member States to exempt certain regular national services or those where an important part of the service is provided outside the EU, for a maximum of four years, renewable once. Fundamental rights At the same time, thanks to MEPs a package of twelve fundamental rights was approved which will apply to all regular services regardless of distance. These rights include information before and during a journey and the needs of people with disabilities or reduced mobility. Non-discriminatory access to transport is guaranteed, with full compensation if wheelchairs or other mobility equipment are lost or damaged. Staff training Bus and coach staff must be trained, under the regulation, to provide appropriate assistance to reduced-mobility passengers who make a request at least 36 hours before a departure.  If an operator is unable to provide suitable assistance, a reduced-mobility passenger will have the right to be accompanied at no extra cost by a person of his/her choice. +Blind Travelers Radio Program       Peter White is a BBC radio journalist who is blind. BBC World Service has just begun broadcasting his travel series in which he presents the sounds and voices of various cities in the world. He started with San Francisco, and Istanbul is next. Listen to this two part broadcast here at http://bbc.in/blindtraveler      +> LISTEN: IN TOUCH Lee Kumutat visits a new website which offers style advice for blind and partially sighted fashionistas. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00yyhvs/In_Touch_The_stigma_of_blindness_in_Kenya_and_style_advice_for_blind_fashionistas/ ++03. Books, Games and APPs +ZoomReader for iPhone. Ai Squared are about to release an iPhone app this month that includes up to four times magnification, six colour combinations, text-to-speech, O C R and some voice recognition. At the moment we do not have a confirmed price but it is rumoured to be around $20 U S dollars. Check out the ZoomReader for iPhone promotional video. http://accessibleinsights.info/blog/2011/02/01/videos-of-the-new-zoom-reader-app/ +Papa Sangre Not happy with the video games that you got for Christmas? Well check out Papa Sangre, one of the coolest and newest game for the iPhone or iPad.   Developed by Channel 4, Papa Sangre is an audio-only game where players save a loved one trapped in a darkened palace and attempt to escape while avoiding fierce monsters. Best of all, Papa Sangre is presented in 3D binaural sound. According to Kall Binaural Audio, binaural audio is the reproduction of sound the way a human's ears hear it, 360 degrees all around his or her head. The binaural audio in Papa Sangre with sound effects and ambient background noise help the player visualize where to move to bypass the monsters and complete each level.    The audible instructions are concise and easy to follow. Progress in the game is indicated by audible beeps. These beeps are called "notes." The player is presented with a beautiful melody when exiting each section of the palace. You are directed to swipe your fingers across the top of your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch so that you can hear the notes and exit music change from the left to the right ear or vice-versa, or even hear the sounds in both ears. Using your two thumbs and tapped the bottom of the iPad to hear your footsteps, walking to each item. Cost £2.99 from the iTunes Store. +GMA Tank Commander Complete missions with your fellow friendly army tanks pitted against a superior force and its territory, for PC; Cost- approximately $35 www.gmagames.com/gtc1.shtml    +Entombed Create an "ultimate dungeon crawling group" of "powerful warriors, cunning thieves, dastardly necromancers", and much more, for PC and Mac. Cost- Free download for limited version from official website. $39.99 for full version     Happy gaming!    ++04. Technology +iPad 2 unveiled Apple unveiled a new iPad on Wednesday -- a model that's thinner and lighter than its predecessor and the features front- and rear-facing cameras. Like all Apple products it comes with VoiceOver and magnification - accessibility is a given! The new models, which arrive on March 11, come in the same capacities and have the same price tags as the original Wi-Fi and 3G-equipped tablets. But there are plenty of other differences, including a faster processor with a lower power consumption rating. The iPad 2 features two built-in cameras, for use with FaceTime video chat and other apps. The front camera can record VGA-resolution (640-by-480) video at 30 frames per second with audio and take still photos at 640-by-480. The back camera can record HD video at 720p at 30 frames per second with audio. When in still camera mode, the back camera has a 5X digital zoom. When it ships, the iPad 2 will run on Apple's iOS 4.3 mobile operating system. Apple previewed the updated OS on Wednesday, showcasing improved Safari performance, wireless media streaming in the form of iTunes home sharing, AirPlay enhancements, a Personal Hotspot option for all iPhone 4 models, and personal settings options for the iPad's side-switch. And Apple will also release iPad-optimized versions of iMovie and GarageBand on March 11. The former app offers multitouch gestures, new themes and sound effects, a precision editor, and multitrack audio editing and recording while the latter lets users play and record multiple instruments either by connecting them to the iPad, or through the use of a number of touch instruments. +New MacBook Pro With state-of-the-art processors, all-new graphics and breakthrough high- speed I/O, MacBook Pro takes three very big leaps forward. State-of-the-art Intel processors. The 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro now feature quad-core Intel Core i7 processors. And the 13-inch models jump to dual-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. That means all three models are up to twice as fast. Thunderbolt. The next generation of I/O. New Thunderbolt technology lets you connect high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays to a single port, with data transfer rates up to 10Gbps. Game-changing graphics. AMD Radeon graphics processors on the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pro are up to 3x faster than those in previous models. +Cobra Screen Reader COBRA works with Windows 7, Vista or Windows XP for blind and visually impaired computer users. COBRA incorporates all standard functions of a modern screen reader in an environment also guaranteed for the future. There are 3 versions of COBRA: COBRA 9.1 Braille - With this package, you get Braille and speech output. COBRA 9.1 Zoom -- With this package, you get speech output and screen magnification. COBRA 9.1 Professional - With this package you get all user modes: Braille, speech and the magnified screen. For more information, contact Bay Area Digital: http://www.bayareadigital.us Bay Area Digital LLC is an adaptive technology company. +BookSense D S portable DAISY player. The BookSense D S portable D A I S Y player (DD58) features a high quality O L E D screen which displays high contrast white text on a black background. The new BookSense D S is slightly smaller than the BookSense T50/X T versions and features a clear number keypad design with prominent, tactile buttons to make distinguishing each button easier. Like the original BookSense T50X T this new model provides instant access to a wide variety of information and entertainment, including D A I S Y books, podcasts and digital music. The built-in F M radio expands your entertainment choice further and 4G B internal memory together with an S D memory card slot ensures you have as much storage space as you need. It also has a text-to-speech (T T S) engine which enables you to listen to a wide range of electronic documents. The T T S engine is compatible with a range of file formats including H T M L, T X T and Microsoft Word documents reducing the need for file conversion. It also has a built-in microphone so you can make voice notes, record meetings, seminars or anything else you might want to hear again. Priced £315.00 ex V A T, ++05. Events Diary 3 March 2011 World Book Day 6-12 March 2011 World Glaucoma Week World Glaucoma Day has been extended to become World Glaucoma Week 11 March 2011 - RNIB Scotland Benefits Advice Discussion Paul Barrowman, a welfare rights officer for RNIB, will be discussing Department of Works and Pensions benefits that blind and partially sighted people may be entitled to. He will also discuss the proposed changes by the government to such benefits. There will be a question and answer session after the presentation. Venue: Partick South Church, 259 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G11 6AB. Time: 10am to 1pm. To reserve a place telephone 0141 276 5252, or by emailing GlasgowProject@rnib.org.uk. 24 March 2011 - VINCE Conference 2011: "The Future of Counselling and Emotional Support for People who are Vision Impaired" Venue: The Beeches Conference Centre, Selly Oak Roa, Bournvill, Birmingham B30 1LS Contact: Laura BeaumontEmail: l.beaumont@vision2020uk.org.uk 31 March 2011 - Ethnicity and Vision - Equity in Practice Organised by the BME sub group of the national Low Vision Services Group, to discuss improvements in response to the eye health and sight loss needs of Black and Minority Ethnic Communities. Cost: £30. Closing date for online registration: Friday 18th March 2011 Venue: Sandwell Council House, Oldbury, West Midlands BB69 3DE Contact: Laura Beaumont email: l.beaumont@vision2020uk.org.uk Website: http://surveys.nemisys.uk.com/EV 5 April QAC Sight Village, Hilton Hotel, Edinburgh 6 April QAC Sight Village, Hampden Park Stadium, Glasgow 19-25 June DeafBlindness Awareness Week 25 June RP Fighting Blindness Annual Conference and AGM Euston, London. The event programme is at http://brps.org.uk/newsevent.php?tln=newsevents&newseventid=55 You can also download the newsletter, including back issues, from our website. SITE is a charity registered in Scotland. Charity No. SC 0366056. Registered address: SITE, Centre for Sensory Impaired people, 17 Gullane Street, Partick, Glasgow G11 6AH. Subscribe If you wish to subscribe to the SITE newsletter please send an e-mail to info@sitescotland.org with the word 'Subscribe' in the subject header. Unsubscribe If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter please send an e-mail to info@sitescotland.org and include the word 'Unsubscribe' in the subject header. Working together to develop opportunities for the visually impaired community ++Newsletter ends