Dolphin Newsletter - December 2003
Index:
- Seasonal Greetings from Dolphin.
- Dolphin Group website launched.
- Dolphin Publisher previewed at BETT.
- Staff News.
- The Sensory Odyssey Expedition.
- Top Ten Features - Braille.
Seasonal Greetings from Dolphin.
Dolphin Computer Access would like to wish all their customers a merry Christmas and best wishes for 2004. We value our customers and continually develop features to improve the lives of our users, we hope that the changes we made in 2003 have made a difference to all of you.
Dolphin Group website launched.
As of the 1st December Dolphin launched their revised website. The new website now includes Dolphin Group information and integrates both Dolphin Computer Access and Dolphin Audio Publishing divisions into a single home page. The Dolphin Computer Access site has been improved based upon user feedback, and now has an easier navigation structure and more logical layout. All the Dolphin sites will continue to evolve to provide the best possible information and benefits to our customers. Please take a look, we hope you like it.
Dolphin Publisher previewed at BETT.
Dolphin Audio Publishing, a division of Dolphin Computer Access Ltd, will be demonstrating the worlds most powerful authoring software for the creation of Digital Audio e-books at BETT 2004, Olympia, London, on 7 - 10 January 2004. EasePublisher allows publishers and content providers to use the latest standards and technologies for delivering accessible multimedia content. By combining and synchronising text, audio and graphics, EasePublisher allows you to create and publish your own multi sensory content with ease.
EasePublisher is the ideal choice wherever information is required to be created in a totally accessible format, and the perfect solution for: DAISY books, Training materials, Education materials, Billing systems and Public records.
As well as delivering totally accessible content, EasePublisher allows the content to be fully searched and navigated by users. It automatically structures the text content so that all content created using EasePublisher can be navigated. Navigate and search by word, phrase, chapter or heading and locate the content quickly and easily, and play it back using EaseReader from Dolphin.
EaseReader is a DAISY eBook software player that allows text and audio based content to be experienced in a unique way by giving the user the option of reading the text and listening to the audio independently or simultaneously - you decide! Launched in March 2003, EaseReader is now widely used for digital eBook playback and is being used by many major audio book publishers.
Staff News.
Please note that the Dolphin office will be closed on December 25th and reopen on January 5th.
The Sensory Odyssey Expedition.
Best wishes must go to Lance de Willers, who is the Business Development Manager for Dolphin's South African dealer - NCTech, as well as being the Sensory Odyssey Expedition Leader.
A brave and fantastic dream that was the brainchild of Lance de Willers, is about to come true for a group of blind and partially sighted children. Following nearly two years of selection tests and training, a group of four blind and VI youngsters have been selected to join the Sensory Odyssey expedition to climb Kilimanjaro.
On 13 December 2003, the expedition (the fourth in an annual series called Sensory Odyssey) will depart for Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (unfortunately last year the expedition had to be cancelled due to insufficient funds). Because of the unique make-up of the group and the fact that their aims are so high, this year's Sensory Odyssey Expedition has been named "Thinta Isibhakabhaka", or "Touch the Sky" in Zulu. The four youngsters, all from previously disadvantaged communities around South Africa, are currently enrolled at Filadelfia School for the Disabled in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria.
Everyone at Dolphin wishes Lance and the rest of his team success on their quest.
Top Ten Features - Braille.
Some more key and unique features offered by Dolphin products:
- Device support - widest choice available
Dolphin products support over 40 Braille display models through SAM (Synthesiser Access Manager). Install new devices easily with SAM and switch displays without reinstalling. On networked systems with SAM installed, serial Braille devices are "plug and play" at any terminal. - Braille Verbosity - unique to Dolphin
The most configurable verbosity available. Control how all 57 Windows controls are described in Braille, add your own contractions and cycle with a hotkey. Create your own verbosity schemes, and use different schemes for different applications through settings files. - Braille Hooks - unique to Dolphin
Hook anything on screen and keep it on your Braille display - e.g. The clock, status bar, or updating form field fields. Create different hooks for all your favourite applications. Toggle hooks on and off with a hotkey. - Configurable Status Cells - unique to Dolphin
Designate up to the first 8 cells to show current mode, font & colour details, focus type and cursor position. - Multilingual - unique to Dolphin
Braille support in 14 different languages, including contractions (Grade 1 & 2) for US, UK and German Braille (Vollschrift, Kurzschrift & Basisbraille). - Input from Display
Supports 6 and 8 key Braille input from supported note takers. For faster typing and Windows controls. - Physical/Logical Mode
Physical Mode shows screen layout and line length. Logical Mode intelligently shows related dialog text and controls on one line. Toggle between the two with a hotkey. - Braille Monitor
On screen Braille Monitor shows current focus in dots and text for sighted teachers/trainers. Supports Grade 1 and Grade 2. Change size and position, and toggle on and off with a hotkey. - Configurable Hotkey's - unique to Dolphin
Add hotkey's for any Dolphin screen reader feature to your Braille display buttons. - Settings files - unique to Dolphin
Save your Braille preferences for any application in your own settings file. On networked systems, simply plug your serial Braille display or note taker into any terminal and get your preferred settings.
