Why the Apple iPhone SDK is so important to the visually impaired.

Today marked the release of the Apple iPhone SDK to developers, and the announcing of the iTunes AppStore. What many people do not realize is that this SDK will now make it possible for blind and visually impaired users to go out and buy an iPhone.

Now that developers can develop full applications with a formal SDK, users can run applications that utilize more hardware functions like the accelerometer. If Apple were to build a version of VoiceOver for the iPhone, then users with vision problems can simply tilt the iphone to navigate menus, or use gestures on the screen to type text. While the phone is tilted, the screen reader would announce the next selected item, paragraph, or link. while using symbols on the screen for text, the screen reader would read off the letter or character the person had just drawn.

This is still a very young concept, but if people want to see it formed, then I will start putting the wheels in motion for it to become a reality in June. Please leave comments with your thoughts on this idea.

Mac Automation: listen to a text document

Don't have time to read that Word, Pages, or TextEdit document at your desk? Why not listen to it on your iPod instead? This method is also useful for users who have reading disabilities such as dyslexia, or low vision. It allows a user to make a workflow in Mac OS X to bring text from any text file to audio in iTunes. You can then put these files on your mp3 player of choice, and listen to your document on the go. Click read more below to get the ful details.

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Open-source developers make more money

Want to make more money as an enterprise application developer? You're in luck--if you know open source. According to a recent report from Bluewolf Consulting, enterprises increasingly deploy open-source software, and look to specialized application development. This drastically helps even the end user, because it allows for users to gain access to this software when it is needed, and allows business users to learn a new system quicker. Not only does open source make people more money, it is also good for business and individuals.

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