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From: Terrill Bennett
Date: Sun, Jun 27 2010 8:09AM
Subject: Audio Eye
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Greetings,

It's a red-letter day for those with disabilities! There's a new,
patented technology available that "delivers an Internet service that
converts and indexes Internet content and automates multi-format
publishing so that everyone seeking Audio Eye enabled content can
access Internet content."

According to Audio Eye the new patented technology "effectively meets
required criteria and standards of Section 508 legislation and needs
of disabled, physically challenged, learning, hearing or visually
impaired, low vision, dyslexic, autistic, elderly, even internet
novices and mobile users."

That just about covers everyone, doesn't it? Perfect!

Now, for those who are truly visually impaired and rely on Assistive
Technology (AT), please copy/paste the following link into your
browser, SILENCE your screen reader or other AT software and put your
mouse away, and go learn about the new, patented technology directly
from Audio Eye:

http://www.audioeye.com

Wow! That was quite educational, wasn't it? Reminds me of an old
Simon & Garfunkel song.

I learned about this amazing technology from an article touting not
only the new technology, but that Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D -
Arizona) has employed said technology on his official Congressional
website. Here's the article:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/united-states-congressional-website-adopts-patented-audio-eye-accessibility-technology-2010-06-09?reflink=MW_news_stmp
or: http://tinyurl.com/28wbfbl

Let's all go look at Congressman Raul M. Grijalva's website using
only the new technology. Again, make certain your screen reader/AT is
OFF before enjoying the technology at work:
http://grijalva.house.gov/

My brief analysis is:

1. You must be able to see the screen in some fashion and be able to
use a mouse or recognize that tabbing 7 times has placed focus onto
the Audio Eye link in order to initialize the technology. Seems the
site has turned off the dotted outlines on links that have focus in
both IE8 and Firefox 3.6.6, so I was forced to watch the status bar
in order to know when I was on the Audio Eye link - good luck!

2. If you wait long enough once the technology begins reading the
"links" to content, you eventually get a list of available action
keys. If it's your first use of the technology, you'll have no idea
what to do in order to activate content, move about, adjust the
volume, search, etc.

3. You'll need to memorize the keystrokes used to interact with the
technology VERY quickly - there's no "repeat the help" key that I can
hear. The only way I could hear the keystrokes a second time was to
sit and wait for it to loop. Of course, you get to hear the list of
content before the help, each time.

4. Meeting the requirements for being accessible doesn't mean the
site IS accessible-friendly.

In case you can't tell, I'm less than impressed. Am I daft, or is the
Congressman wasting our tax dollars? Is this an example of "Meet the
criteria, Fail the user." If this is an example of all that is
required for a site to technically conform to the standards, then I
fear conformance.

Your thoughts?

-- Terrill --

From: Tania
Date: Mon, Jun 28 2010 6:00AM
Subject: Re: Audio Eye
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i think audio eyes website have laryngitis or expect the blind to listen
with their eyes.

cheers
tania

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrill Bennett" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
To: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:09 PM
Subject: [WebAIM] Audio Eye


> Greetings,
>
> It's a red-letter day for those with disabilities! There's a new,
> patented technology available that "delivers an Internet service that
> converts and indexes Internet content and automates multi-format
> publishing so that everyone seeking Audio Eye enabled content can
> access Internet content."
>
> According to Audio Eye the new patented technology "effectively meets
> required criteria and standards of Section 508 legislation and needs
> of disabled, physically challenged, learning, hearing or visually
> impaired, low vision, dyslexic, autistic, elderly, even internet
> novices and mobile users."
>
> That just about covers everyone, doesn't it? Perfect!
>
> Now, for those who are truly visually impaired and rely on Assistive
> Technology (AT), please copy/paste the following link into your
> browser, SILENCE your screen reader or other AT software and put your
> mouse away, and go learn about the new, patented technology directly
> from Audio Eye:
>
> http://www.audioeye.com
>
> Wow! That was quite educational, wasn't it? Reminds me of an old
> Simon & Garfunkel song.
>
> I learned about this amazing technology from an article touting not
> only the new technology, but that Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D -
> Arizona) has employed said technology on his official Congressional
> website. Here's the article:
>
> http://www.marketwatch.com/story/united-states-congressional-website-adopts-patented-audio-eye-accessibility-technology-2010-06-09?reflink=MW_news_stmp
> or: http://tinyurl.com/28wbfbl
>
> Let's all go look at Congressman Raul M. Grijalva's website using
> only the new technology. Again, make certain your screen reader/AT is
> OFF before enjoying the technology at work:
> http://grijalva.house.gov/
>
> My brief analysis is:
>
> 1. You must be able to see the screen in some fashion and be able to
> use a mouse or recognize that tabbing 7 times has placed focus onto
> the Audio Eye link in order to initialize the technology. Seems the
> site has turned off the dotted outlines on links that have focus in
> both IE8 and Firefox 3.6.6, so I was forced to watch the status bar
> in order to know when I was on the Audio Eye link - good luck!
>
> 2. If you wait long enough once the technology begins reading the
> "links" to content, you eventually get a list of available action
> keys. If it's your first use of the technology, you'll have no idea
> what to do in order to activate content, move about, adjust the
> volume, search, etc.
>
> 3. You'll need to memorize the keystrokes used to interact with the
> technology VERY quickly - there's no "repeat the help" key that I can
> hear. The only way I could hear the keystrokes a second time was to
> sit and wait for it to loop. Of course, you get to hear the list of
> content before the help, each time.
>
> 4. Meeting the requirements for being accessible doesn't mean the
> site IS accessible-friendly.
>
> In case you can't tell, I'm less than impressed. Am I daft, or is the
> Congressman wasting our tax dollars? Is this an example of "Meet the
> criteria, Fail the user." If this is an example of all that is
> required for a site to technically conform to the standards, then I
> fear conformance.
>
> Your thoughts?
>
> -- Terrill --
>

From: Birkir Rúnar Gunnarsson
Date: Mon, Jun 28 2010 6:27AM
Subject: Re: Audio Eye
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What do they mean by "patented" technology?
Does it mean that no one can change it, or it costs a fortune to eploy?
Can that be said to be an accessibility solution if it costs a
fortunate to make your site accessible, rather than just to ensure the
underlying html works, documents are accessible and leave it up to the
A.T. software to convey that information to the users.
NVDA does a pretty good job of vast majority of web pages and it is
free and open source.
I think effort on behalf of government or others to create costly
technology to make their information accessible using one specific set
of tools is doomed to fail in any case, and I am sure there is a way
to expose flaws in this fairly easily, though I must admit I have not
tried it yet.
I do not particularly want to, but I suppose I should, to know better
what it is all about.
cheers
-B

On 6/28/10, Tania < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> i think audio eyes website have laryngitis or expect the blind to listen
> with their eyes.
>
> cheers
> tania
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Terrill Bennett" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> To: < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 9:09 PM
> Subject: [WebAIM] Audio Eye
>
>
>> Greetings,
>>
>> It's a red-letter day for those with disabilities! There's a new,
>> patented technology available that "delivers an Internet service that
>> converts and indexes Internet content and automates multi-format
>> publishing so that everyone seeking Audio Eye enabled content can
>> access Internet content."
>>
>> According to Audio Eye the new patented technology "effectively meets
>> required criteria and standards of Section 508 legislation and needs
>> of disabled, physically challenged, learning, hearing or visually
>> impaired, low vision, dyslexic, autistic, elderly, even internet
>> novices and mobile users."
>>
>> That just about covers everyone, doesn't it? Perfect!
>>
>> Now, for those who are truly visually impaired and rely on Assistive
>> Technology (AT), please copy/paste the following link into your
>> browser, SILENCE your screen reader or other AT software and put your
>> mouse away, and go learn about the new, patented technology directly
>> from Audio Eye:
>>
>> http://www.audioeye.com
>>
>> Wow! That was quite educational, wasn't it? Reminds me of an old
>> Simon & Garfunkel song.
>>
>> I learned about this amazing technology from an article touting not
>> only the new technology, but that Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D -
>> Arizona) has employed said technology on his official Congressional
>> website. Here's the article:
>>
>> http://www.marketwatch.com/story/united-states-congressional-website-adopts-patented-audio-eye-accessibility-technology-2010-06-09?reflink=MW_news_stmp
>> or: http://tinyurl.com/28wbfbl
>>
>> Let's all go look at Congressman Raul M. Grijalva's website using
>> only the new technology. Again, make certain your screen reader/AT is
>> OFF before enjoying the technology at work:
>> http://grijalva.house.gov/
>>
>> My brief analysis is:
>>
>> 1. You must be able to see the screen in some fashion and be able to
>> use a mouse or recognize that tabbing 7 times has placed focus onto
>> the Audio Eye link in order to initialize the technology. Seems the
>> site has turned off the dotted outlines on links that have focus in
>> both IE8 and Firefox 3.6.6, so I was forced to watch the status bar
>> in order to know when I was on the Audio Eye link - good luck!
>>
>> 2. If you wait long enough once the technology begins reading the
>> "links" to content, you eventually get a list of available action
>> keys. If it's your first use of the technology, you'll have no idea
>> what to do in order to activate content, move about, adjust the
>> volume, search, etc.
>>
>> 3. You'll need to memorize the keystrokes used to interact with the
>> technology VERY quickly - there's no "repeat the help" key that I can
>> hear. The only way I could hear the keystrokes a second time was to
>> sit and wait for it to loop. Of course, you get to hear the list of
>> content before the help, each time.
>>
>> 4. Meeting the requirements for being accessible doesn't mean the
>> site IS accessible-friendly.
>>
>> In case you can't tell, I'm less than impressed. Am I daft, or is the
>> Congressman wasting our tax dollars? Is this an example of "Meet the
>> criteria, Fail the user." If this is an example of all that is
>> required for a site to technically conform to the standards, then I
>> fear conformance.
>>
>> Your thoughts?
>>
>> -- Terrill --
>>

From: John Foliot
Date: Mon, Jun 28 2010 2:33PM
Subject: Re: Audio Eye
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My gosh, they just invented audio web surfing! And fret not all, they have
e-commerce and e-learning covered too!

Can you say Patent Troll?
http://app.quotemedia.com/quotetools/newsStoryPopup.go?storyId=31104691&;to
pic=CMGO&symbology=null&cp=null&webmasterId=101172

"CMG Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: CMGO), announced that Audio Eye, Inc., a
wholly owned subsidiary of CMGO was awarded its first patent entitled
"Method and Apparatus for Website Navigation by the Visually Impaired" and
now has three additional patents pending. The newly issued patent provides
protection of an Invention that enables Internet navigation and
breakthrough Multi-Format publishing capabilities. Moreover, the newly
allowed patent is a long awaited milestone and will be foundational in
Audio Eye's mission to become the standard for Internet Accessibility,
Mobile audio Internet navigation and Multi-Format Publishing technology.

The new patent, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Website Navigation by
the Visually Impaired" US patent # 7653544 was issued to Audio Eye, Inc.
on January 29, 2010. Management has invoked a proactive assessment and
valuation process that includes an initial comprehensive look at suspected
infringement from organizations that have entered the Internet marketplace
with devices and Internet product lines that are symptomatic of
infringement upon Audio Eye's patented technology. After receiving the
patent Audio Eye management immediately filed an application with newly
added claims that further defines embodiments of the invention and has
obtained International filings now available for prosecution."

****
United States Patent 7653544 - Method and apparatus for website navigation
by the visually impaired

"The present invention is a server-side method and apparatus that enables
visually-impaired users to navigate websites and hear high-quality
streaming audio of narration and descriptions of each website. The system
involves creating an audible website corresponding to an original website
by utilizing voice talent to read and describe web content and create
audio files for each section within an original website, then assigning a
hierarchy and navigation system based on the original website design. To
implement the system, a small program is installed on the home page of an
original website which plays a tone upon a user's visit indicating that
the website is accessible with the present invention. Upon hearing the
tone, a user presses a key on the keyboard to exit the original website
and enter the audible website. Audible narration is played through the
user's computer, reading text and describing non-text information. The
narration includes menus for navigating the site which have a hierarchy
substantially similar to that of the original website. Users navigate the
website menus and move from website to website by making keystroke
commands."
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7653544.html

Hey, look on the bright side, it will be a burgeoning growth market for
"voice talent" around the world (especially for high-traffic web-sites
that are updated daily).


Crossing the street and *RUNNING* in the other direction - I hope this
outfit goes kaput in 6 months, but not likely (instead they will probably
join forces with MPEGLA for 'cross-licensing" purposes)

Ugh!

JF