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Spring 2025 Edition.
A service of the Technology User Group at the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. Feel free to share this newsletter.
On October 14, 2025, support by Microsoft for the Windows 10 operating system will end. This means that security updates and critical bug fixes will no longer be automatically arriving to your computer each month. As a consumer, you have three choices:
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Take no action. If you have a solid antivirus program, you may be able to use your Windows 10 system. Just because Microsoft is no longer supporting your operating system does not mean other entities will discontinue their support.
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Upgrade to Windows 11. Chances are, you will have to get a new computer, as millions of machines are outdated and cannot upgrade. Library patrons can order a desktop or laptop from Computers for the Blind located in Richardson, Texas. For more information, call 214-340-6328. You can also email service@computersfortheblind.org or visit their website at www.computersfortheblind.org.
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Enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. For $30 a year, Microsoft will offer extended support to users who have enrolled in this program. At the time of this newsletter, the program does not have a contact point, but many media sources tout the existence of the service. For more information about the ESU program, see https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates.
Coming June 14
In June, the Technology User Group (TUG), which meets via the Zoom platform, will focus on low vision issues. When Rebecca Rosenberg of ReBokeh Vision Technologies, Inc. was unhappy with the low vision option provided by Apple, she simply created her own app. The app is called ReBokeh See Your World, and it seeks to make the best use of individuals’ usable vision. ReBokeh See Your World uses the camera on your iDevice to help you customize your visual experience for zooming, contrast, brightness, colors, inversion filters and more. There are free and paid versions of the app.
HumanWare will also present during the June TUG and will go over the features in their Prodigi for Computers. This technology provides magnification, text to speech, and other enhancements for your viewing experience. See the joining information for our June TUG later in this newsletter.
The smarter, AI-oriented virtual assistant, Alexa+, is coming soon and will first be available to Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 users. (Reports say other Alexa devices will have the opportunity to upgrade eventually.) The new Alexa+ is more intuitive, personalized, and more conversational to keep you organized, help you learn, and enhance your entertainment. For just $19.95 a month, users can enjoy the smarter Alexa+, allowing for curated suggestions and shopping assistance catered to their tastes. Amazon Prime subscribers will receive the upgraded service free. As an aside, Amazon also announced that your interactions with Alexa will no longer be erasable, as Amazon is discontinuing the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” privacy setting, which allowed users to prevent Amazon from saving their voice interactions to the cloud. Want to know more about upgrading to Alexa+? Ask your Alexa device to alert you when Alexa+ becomes available.
With the introduction of iOS 14, two new voiceover gestures were created – the Double Back Tap and the Triple Back Tap. By default, these gestures are not activated; you must turn them on and assign each of them a function. To turn them on, ask Siri to open accessibility settings. Swipe to the right with one finger until you hear Touch, and then double tap with one finger. Swipe to the right again with one finger until you hear Back Tap Off. Double tap with one finger to activate this feature, turning Back Tap on. By swiping, you will notice that no function is assigned to the Double Back Tap or the Triple Back Tap. To give each of these gestures a function, start by double tapping on one of these specific gestures (e.g., Double Back Tap). A list of functions will now appear, including options such as home, mute, volume up, volume down, or any shortcut you may have previously set up. Double tap with one finger on the function you want to assign to the gesture and you are done. Go back to the previous screen to now assign a function to the other gesture (i.e., Triple Back Tap).
Sports enthusiasts have known for quite some time that Westwood One Sports is the audio home for NCAA March Madness, the Masters Golf Tournament, and many NFL and college football games. Recently, Westwood One Sports has created an app for both Apple and Android users. The Westwood One Sports app offers live play-by-play coverage, game day highlights, and national and local sports talk broadcasts and podcasts, all tailored to the sports you enjoy following. The app is completely free, easy to use (even for a beginning smart phone user), and can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
The benefits of connecting your e-Reader to your iDevice are significant. This process will allow you to read books from Kindle, send and receive messages, and even use the e-Reader as a note taker. The connection process can be challenging, so pay close attention to these steps.
- Make sure Bluetooth is turned on for both the iDevice and the e-Reader. For your iDevice, you can ask Siri to “Turn on Bluetooth.” For the e-Reader, go to Settings followed by Bluetooth, and make sure the e-Reader indicates that Bluetooth is turned on. If it says that Bluetooth is off, just press Enter (dot 8) to turn it on.
- On the e-Reader, go to Braille Display, followed by Add Bluetooth Device. Of course, to activate this selection, you press Enter (dot 8).
- Now on your iDevice, go to Settings followed by Accessibility and then VoiceOver followed by Braille. (To speed up the process a little, you can have Siri launch VoiceOver Settings and swipe to Braille.) Double tap with one finger on Braille, and now swipe to NLS e-Reader. The serial number for your NLS e-Reader will appear. (You will also hear the serial number announced with VoiceOver.) Double tap on the serial number.
If all has gone well, the e-Reader should indicate that the devices are paired. If it does not, restart both devices and try again. If paired successfully, your e-Reader will want to pair to your iDevice each time it is turned on. If you do not wish for this to happen, turn off Bluetooth on the e-Reader.
If your e-Reader does not automatically pair the next time it is turned on, go to Braille Display followed by Connected Devices, arrow down to the name of your iDevice, and press Enter (dot 8).
Your e-Reader now has control over your iDevice. Here are some helpful keystrokes to remember:
Spacebar m – Toggles VoiceOver on and off
Spacebar dot 1 – Moves to the previous item
Spacebar dot 4 – Moves to the next item
The complete list of keystrokes can be found here:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202132.
The United Kingdom has an intriguing audio service called Audiobook Radio. This service plays a mixture of audiobook content with modern day radio dramas. You can access the service by going to www.audiobookradio.net and clicking the Listen Now option, or you can ask Google Home to play it. Victor Reader Stream users can also stream this product through the Internet radio option.
All Technology User Group (TUG) meetings can be joined via Zoom:
https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/j/6562037293
Meeting ID: 656 203 7293
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One tap mobile +13017158592,,6562037293#
Upcoming TUG Topics:
April 12: NLS Programs, Events, and Participation with Tamara Rorie
May 10: Where to Find Technology Help – Questions, Assistance, and Resources
June 14: Rebecca Rosenberg Talks About the Rebokeh App, and Humanware Demos Prodigi Software
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