• Retweet: @vmwarefusion : Fusion 50% off today, one day only. Details: http://is.gd/9Gqi Coupon code "CyberMondayDeal" # 2008/12/01
• It's Thanksgiving Day in the United States. We're thankful for Apple's commitment to accessibility in their products. # 2008/11/27
• We've added social bookmarking and "Send this to a Friend" to the Mac-cessibility Site as a trial. Let us know what you think. # 2008/11/27
• Apple released Safari 3.2.1 today. No known accessibility changes, but a good update to have nonetheless. Stability is the focus. # 2008/11/25
• News: Comparing Accessibility of the Big Three Operating System http://www.lioncourt.com/?p=247 # 2008/11/21

Today, Apple announced its plans to release a Software Development Kit (SDK) for the iPhone and iPod Touch in February. Such an SDK will give the power to software developers to create native applications to run on Apple’s mobile platform, which is based on its Mac OS X operating system. Potentially, this may provide the tools to create access solutions such as screen readers and magnification utilities for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Steve Jobs made the announcement in an open letter posted to Apple’s web site. The delay until February, says Jobs, is to give Apple the chance to deliver a robust development solution and also varify security and stability for users of the devices, particularly the iPhone.

Apple has decided to drop the price of DRM free (iTunes+) tracks in its iTunes store from $1.29 to $.99 as it faces competition from Amazon.com’s new DRM-free music download service. Even better, the tracks will remain at the higher 256KBPS bit rate, substantially better than the 128KBPS of the iTunes protected songs.

This morning, Apple announced that the long awaited Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard will at last be released on 26/October/2007 at 6:00 PM, along with Mac OS X Server 10.5 Leopard. The new OS will cost $129.00 for general users. The server version is available for $499.00 for the ten user license or $999.00 for unlimitted.

So, what does this mean for Voiceover users? Here’s the scoop from Apple.com.

• Alex — A New Voice

  Give yourself a new voice. Meet Alex — a new English male voice that uses advanced, patented Apple technologies to deliver natural breathing and intonation, even at fast speaking rates.

• Plug-and-Play Refreshable Braille Display Support

  Quickly set up popular, refreshable Braille displays. VoiceOver detects and configures as soon as you plug them in. No additional software or setup is required.

• Braille Output During OS Installation

  For the first time ever on a desktop computer, you can use a Braille display while installing or upgrading your operating system.

• The Braille Panel

  See a virtual Braille display — a visual representation of VoiceOver Braille output onscreen along with an English text translation.

• Customizable Braille Display Input Keys

  Customize a Braille display more easily than ever before. Just choose a VoiceOver command, then press and hold the input keys. A tone sounds to let you know the command has been assigned successfully.

• Contracted and Non-Contracted Braille

  Output Braille in standard contracted format or non-contracted “computer Braille.” VoiceOver automatically converts contracted Braille under the cursor so it’s easier to edit, then contracts it again when the cursor moves.

• NumPad Commander

  Control VoiceOver using only the numeric keypad just like JAWS and Window-Eyes. This makes it easier for screen reader users to switch from a PC to a Mac and provides easy access to your favorite VoiceOver commands.

• Portable VoiceOver Preferences

  Instantly reconfigure your VoiceOver preferences. Just plug in a flash drive containing your preferences and Leopard instantly reconfigures to work and act just like your Mac — without leaving a trace when you leave.

• Faster Web and Page Navigation

  Quickly navigate long documents or web pages. Jump to key elements like headers, tables, and links and by text attributes like underlining, bold, italics, and color — even text phrases.

• Hot Spots

  Monitor up to ten different areas onscreen and be alerted when there’s a change. Then jump directly to any hot spot to investigate or take action.

• Drag-and-Drop Support

  Use drag-and-drop actions by keyboard only, in accessible applications.

• Integrated Interactive Tutorial

  Learn VoiceOver unassisted in a safe environment. A built-in tutorial lets you practice as you learn.

• Misspelled Word Detection

  Hear when a word is misspelled while reading text. Choose a tone or a spoken description.

• Positional Audio Effects

  Benefit from many new sound effects in VoiceOver. Audio cues provide an improved sense of location.

• Highlight by Word or Sentence

  Set the VoiceOver cursor to highlight each word or sentence being read as it is spoken.

• New VoiceOver Utility

  Customize VoiceOver more easily. A new VoiceOver Utility layout includes many new options and preferences for customizing VoiceOver.

• Improved Application Accessibility

  Do more with VoiceOver. Bundled Leopard applications and utilities have been enhanced for improved accessibility.

Given Apple’s past track record, it seems logical to assume that many other features and improvements will also be available in VoiceOver.

For a complete list of Leopard features, click here!

Today, Assistiveware announced that the prices for their Infovox iVox voices were permanently lowered. Originally introduced as a solution for the low volume accessibility market, it was found that also many educators and consumers wanted to use these naturally sounding voices to listen to documents, create personal podcasts and to help struggling readers. With the new prices the voices are now within reach of educators, students, people with disabilities as well as any other Mac user who likes to hear his Macintosh speak.

All voices, save those for Scandinavian languages, are now 99.00 USD/Euro for the first language, with each language typically including multiple voices plus the US Heather bonus voice, and 49.50 USD/euro for any additional languages. Scandinavian voices were also lowered in price.

For more info see the press release.