[Mt-blind] SA To Go and Sa Mobile Network

[James Aldrich]

Hello all!

I've been meaning to write this for quite some time so thought I'd better 
get the job done while I have some time to do so!

There have been any number of technology devices coming on the market in 
recent days which have given us huge leaps forward in a number of areas! 
Consider the new KNFB Reader housed in the N82 cell phone, The Victor Stream 
which can read the new digital talking books, The Voice Sense and new 
Braille Sense Plus by GW Micro and Hims of Korea which has built in Wy Fi 
and bluetooth capabilities without needing external cards.  Yes! We have had 
a wonderful technological year thus far!

I can tell you that one does not have any excuse not to have access 
technology for their PC any more!  This technology is either free or is very 
affordable depending on how much of this you wish to utilize!  I would 
strongly recommend that everyone here has this access as a part of what is 
used for access technology!  Yes!  I did say free and yes!  I did say 
affordable!  I can't stress this enough!  There is no excuse any more for 
not having access technology!  One can try this system  for thirty days 
before committing themselves to purchase the entire   package!

Let's start by taking down three web addresses!

http://www.accessibilityisaright.org
http://www.satogo.com
http://www.serotek.com

The first address is an organization which calls itself accessibility is a 
right dot org.  Their mission is to provide a free screen reader which can 
be used throughout the world which will be translated in a number of 
languages.  At present, this is only available in English!  You can learn 
more by going to the first address!  The second address is a more direct way 
to access System Access To Go.  When accessing this free software from the 
first and second addresses, it is like accessing google!  It is free!  Yes! 
It is free to use!  The third address is for Serotek Corporation.

So why would one want this anyway especially if they already have screen 
access software?

Most screen readers must be installed into a computer from a CD!  This one 
is accessed immediately simply by going to the first two websites.  You will 
need to turn off your screen reader before allowing System Access to 
download into your PC.   JFW and System Access are unloaded with the same 
hot key combination!  First, type in the URL, unload JFW and press enter! 
You should hear "please press enter to begin"!  Press the enter key after 
the prompt!  You should hear "please press alt R to continue"!  Simply press 
these two keys!  You should hear this same prompt again!  Press Alt R to 
continue.  You then press this key combination and you should hear a tweedl 
dee  dee sound followed by percentages!  The software is going into the 
memory of your PC!  Once a hundred percent is reached, you are good to go! 
You now have speech access in your computer!  You may be asked to create an 
account!  You don't need to do so right away if you simply wish to try the 
software!  There is a continue without logging in option!  In the past, 
accounts consisted of one's phone number and System Access Mobile Network 
would Email a Password to you!  I understand one can log in with a 
conventional username and password if they wish!  If you should decide to 
create an account, this paticular one is free!  When you create an account, 
your speech settings as well as magnification settings are saved so they can 
be used next time you should log in!  You also are given the opportunity to 
download the software into your computer if you like!  It can then be 
accessed by a hot key combination! Did I say magnification?  I sure did! 
One can turn it on or off!  One can enlarge the screen if they wish!  It's 
like having JFW and Zoom Text in one application!  Amazingly enough, this is 
all free!  Once you have it downloaded and installed, you can go anywhere in 
your PC, go to websites, check Email and do a host of other things and you 
will hear your screen spoken to you through the computer sound card!  This 
works on Windows XP or Windows Vista.   One can really have fun trying this 
on a PC which has no speech installed at all!  Give it a try in your public 
library!  I hope to do this shortly!  System Access To Go uses Dectalk 
Speech!  This synthesizer has a variety of voices, all of which are 
selectable from the System Access to go options.  There is also a built in 
help for your convenience!

Is that all?  No!  There is much much more!  Introducing the System Access 
Mobile Network!  This use to be known as Freedom Box.

I heard someone describe System Access Mobile Network as being AOL for the 
Blind, only it isn't AOL at all!  The features of System Access to go can be 
experienced during their thirty day trial!  So what is in it for us?

Anyone using System Access Mobile Network can access a large collection of 
descriptive Videos at any time!  One can listen to all 52 parts of the 
History of Rock and Role Program which aired in 1978.  That's for Joy's 
benefit!  All of the CBS Radio Mystery Theater programs as well as a lesser 
known modern radio Program Zero Hour from Mutual are available.  There are a 
number of radio station streams which can be heard!  A number of Radio 
Information services are now available along with some on line audio 
magazines.  A number of Old Time Radio sources are easily accessible with a 
few keystrokes!  One can place their favorite newspapers and other news 
sources in various categories!  Montana News is available easily at all 
times!  One can access their local weather information at any time as well. 
One may check the weather in other cities or states or throughout the world 
for that matter if they wish with a few simple keystrokes!  One can create 
their own blog, website or book marks which can be either private or public! 
All blogs and websites on the System Access Mobile Network can be accessed 
anywhere on line whether one is a member of system access Mobile Network or 
not!  One can access their home computer with a remote computer and have 
access to all files and folders on the home computer.  If one wishes, the 
screen reader of the home computer can be accessed with the remote computer. 
Some have managed to fix problems with a given PC by using the System Access 
Remote Feature.  TV guide information, some TV documentaries and news are 
available!

The System Access Mobile Network is a unique system for anyone especially 
those starting out using a computer.  One gets their own unique Email 
address even during the thirty day free trial!  The interface is very user 
friendly especially for those who are starting out with using a PC. 
Everything speaks!  Let's assume the System Access Mobile Network home is 
selected.  There are 19 options to choose from!  If you want the weather, 
type the number six on the keyboard.  This will take you to the weather 
information.

Other unique features is a chat client!  One can verbally chat back and 
forth!  It can be two people or groups of persons!  One can send Email in 
their own voice if they wish!  This is a common occurrence on this network! 
The Voice Email is an MP3 attachment but this works nicely on System Access 
Mobile network.  Shopping options are available!  One can burn CDs through 
this system!  Much of this wonderful content can be syncd with a Victor 
Stream or Icon (Braille Plus from aph) and this includes Email from the 
System.  One can listen to this content on the go with the above mentioned 
devices.  One may read PDF, Microsoft Word and XL files with this software!

There are many options for purchasing the System Access Mobile Network after 
the thirty day free trial.  These can be found on Serotek.com, the third 
address.  One can further try the system for $39 a month and simply stop 
using it with no further obligation.  One can obtain an eight year plan for 
$24.95 a month and everything would be paid up in eight years!  This 
includes the yearly Email and all upgrades to the software and network!  A 
scanning program and two Neo Speech voices, Kate and Paul are also available 
for an additional cost.  Not only can one access the system on line or with 
software in a PC.  One can get a U V 3 drive and either install the software 
on that drive or have it done through Serotek.  this is what I did!  I 
bought everything which was a bit over $800 for me.  That's much better than 
$1150 for Window Eyes and probably more than that for JFW.  This includes 
all upgrades, no separate fees for upgrade packages!  Again check the 
Serotek address for all options!

The unique thing about all of this is the mobility one has with this 
software and network!  Once I log off the system, the software cannot be 
found on the computer I used it on!  It is gone!  This wouldn't be true if I 
downloaded the software onto my own computer.  The network can be access 
through System access to go.  I also can access the entire system through my 
U V 3 drive.  This plugs into a USB port.  A computer must be on line for 
the system to work unless the screen reader is installed in an individual 
PC.  I think computer class at Summer School could be very interesting, 
useful and productive if this system were used!

I first took a free trial when the system was known as Freedom Box!  I 
wasn't impressed with it at first.  Last July, 2007, I was able to get 
another 30 day free trial!  They were checking out System Access To Go which 
today is free!  I was surprised to find I still had my original Email 
Address, Username and Password available from the previous 30 day trial 
period!  When this was over, I waited till November 13th to purchase the 
software and network.  I gave them my credit card and I was on the air so to 
speak.  This was a Tuesday and I received my U V 3 drive in the mail on 
Friday!  This is unheard of!  Usually one must wait for the software to come 
in the mail, install it from the CD which came in the mail and hope the 
install worked properly!  No waiting!  I gave them the credit card number 
and I was good to go!  I've been on the system ever since!  If I went to Rik 
James house or to Bruce and Joy's house, I could either plug in my U V 3 
drive or go on System Access to go, put in my password and I'm logged in, to 
check my Email, listen to web content, and a host of other things and I'm 
gone from their PC once I accomplish everything I wish to accomplish and log 
out of the system!    I think it is around $11.75 a month for the Email 
account which really isn't bad!  This depends on which plan one is working 
under!  I can tie my System Access Mobile Network address to my qwest 
address and receive all my Email on System Access if I wish to do so!  The 
only disadvantage to all of this is this address is not available to a 
notetaker, otherwise it is truly wonderful!  The only exceptions are the 
devices I mentioned earlier.

 If one uses the free System Access To Go software, it will need to be 
uninstalled from the PC before installing the 30 day free trial software! 
The System Access To Go is included in the thirty day free trial!    If you 
wish to pay for the network, it is a matter of selecting the plan you wish 
to pay for and give them a credit card!  Orders can be taken by phone as 
well!

I highly recommend the System Access software and network!  I'm using it now 
as I write this post!  Do remember System Access To Go is free but one must 
pay roughly $138 a year depending on the plan to have the System Access 
Mobile Network!

Please feel free to contact me about this if you have further questions!  I 
recently heard they had over 2000 people on their system thus far!

Thanks for reading!

Jim Aldrich