You might find this advice from Sukhdev Tatter, an independent consultant, quite useful:

A new computer this Christmas will most likely come with Windows 7, so it’s worth checking to see if Windows 7 will work with your existing printer, scanner and other peripheral/external devices. Or if considering an upgrade to Windows 7, check if your current system can handle it, i.e. if your computer has enough memory, the right processor, if your programs will work, etc. Do this by running Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor as described below (you must be running Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Vista in order to use the advisor).

Firstly make sure that all the devices you wish to use with Windows 7 are connected to your computer.

Go to the Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor website by following the link below (hold down the Ctrl key and click on the link, or copy and paste it into the address bar of your web browser).

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1B544E90-7659-4BD9-9E51-2497C146AF15&displaylang=en <http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1B544E90-7659-4BD9-9E51-2497C146AF15&displaylang=en>

Check the information on the website and if happy with everything then download the Advisor program. Save it to a location on your hard drive or the desktop and make a note of where it is being saved and what it is being saved as: by default this should be Windows7UpgradeAdvisorSetup.

Now go to the saved file and install it by double clicking the file. Follow the on screen instruction to install. To run the Advisor click Start, All Programs, Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.

Once the Advisor has analysed your system it will give you a report on::

If your system can run Windows 7 and which edition will be most suitable,. Which devices will and will not work., Which software will and will not work., Recommendations on how to overcome any problem.

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Just getting the next issue of Ability magazine sorted out www.abilitymagazine.org.uk . We must do something on the launch of Windows 7 and there is plenty stuff about the new and improved accessibility features out there. But I wondered whether there is anyone with hands on experience of the operating system who might like to share their views with our readers or even write a piece. I have heard that there are still some problems with using some accessibility features with Microsoft applications. contact me off list if you like at john.lamb@abilitymagazine.org.uk

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i spoke to someone on the phone at abilitynet yesterday, and they informed me of free software download that, along with a wii controller, enables any white background to be used as an interactive whiteboard.

Does anyone know where i can find this software at all??

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Has anyone found a really good I-phone app for use as a memory aid? We are working with an Iraq war vet with a TBI who is looking for something along the lines of a voice recorder, but with the ability to create audio reminders. At programmed times, the device would ring or vibrate, the user would look at the screen, touch an icon and hear an audio recording representing the reminder, like "Doctor Jones appointment at 3:00" and daily reminders like, "time for your 3 PM medications".

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I have a PowerBook with hardly any memory on it. Does anyone have a floppy with a tiny bit of software and an overlay that I can use? The alphabet overlay is pretty boring for my profoundly impaired kids. Please email me at: flahertycarol@hotmail.com

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Ablegamers.com have reviewed a number of On screen keyboards. Here's an introduction to the article:

" Millions of disabled individuals use on-screen keyboards every day. However, what is an on-screen keyboard? An on-screen keyboard is an application that resides on top of other windows, which allows keyboard input to be passed directly from the on-screen keyboard application to the window below. There are several brands of on-screen keyboards and each have their own specific features and functionality. "

Read the full article at: http://ablegamers.com/hardware-news/630-on-screen-keyboard-review-we-break-them-down.html

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A useful email recently received:

I recently came across Speed Typing. It replaces words as you type. It's freeware and I'm hooked. http://www.colorpilot.com/speed-typing.html
It also caches the last 15 entries on the clipboard so that might save a lot of switching between applications for some users.

I also stumbled upon phrase express. It's free for personal use and has a much nicer interface than speed typing - users can select phrases from a menu or by typing a 'trigger' or pressing shortcut keys. http://www.phraseexpress.com/. It doesn't work with lotus notes (which is why I'm using speed typing instead)

Kind regards

Chris

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Huetility Colourblind Simulator for iPhone

This is the first product to be launched by Huetility.com. It's called Huetility Colourblind Simulator and apparently accurately models the different types of colourblindness, letting a person with normal colour vision see the world through the eyes of a person with colourblindness. It recolours images using the best models of colour vision defiency, which allows the user to compare the original picture with simulations of how different types of colourblind viewers would perceive the colours in the same image; there are different types of colourblindness (red-green, blue-yellow, complete colour-blindness) with varying degrees of severity. There are approximately 300M colourblind people worldwide.

Some images and links to further info above. Watch this space for a review of this new App

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Could this be the future for eye tracking technology?

This extract was taken from an article at: http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/01/16/contact-lens-kinda-makes-you-cyborgy/

"This one’s kinda hard to swallow so take a deep breath, open your minds, and pretend it’s 2100. I CONTACT is essentially a mouse fitted to your eyeball. The lens is inserted like any other normal contact lens except it’s laced with sensors to track eye movement, relaying that position to a receiver connected to your computer. Theoretically that should give you full control over a mouse cursor. I’d imagine holding a blink correlates to mouse clicks."

Read the rest of the article and see the images at: http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/01/16/contact-lens-kinda-makes-you-cyborgy/

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A computer user is affected by the electromagnetic fields generated by electrical equipment - especially computers. Their question was whether there is a solution available to overcome or minimise the effects of this sensitivity. From what I have read, it is a very contentious area of ‘disability’ and either not fully understood, or at worst not even recognised in the UK.

The bottom line is, that everyone appears to be affected in an individual way. Those who use computers will need to consider various methods of screening in an attempt to minimise those effects. It will be a case of trial and error, as there is no ‘off the shelf’ package available. There are so called ‘neutralisers’ on the market, which claim to minimise or stop these electromagnetic disturbances, but I am unable say if or how well they work. One of my more experienced and knowledgeable colleagues related a story of one individual we tried to help some time ago. We tried absolutely everything, including putting the computer behind a glass screen in one room while the user sat in another – and still without success.

Here are some useful links to further reading on the subject:

What is electromagnetic sensitivity:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_sensitivity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrosensitivity

http://www.electrosensitivity.org/

Is your home making you ill ? : http://style.uk.msn.com/wellbeing/mindbodysoul/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5580415

Life & Style blog: http://blogs.theage.com.au/lifestyle/renovationnation/archives/2007/04/does_the_wirele.html

Neutralising electro magnetic fields at home/work: http://www.nontoxic.com/electromagnetic/neutralizingmagnetic.htm

Bodyshield products: http://www.e-lifeshields.com/products.htm

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