I also have the same clock with the missing battery cover. LOL I have a cat to thank for that.
Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 19, 2014, at 11:56 PM, Cheryl Homiak <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I had all of those you mention specifically - lol! Still have the talking > clock, a bit dented from being dropped and I lost the cover to the battery > compartment but still works! Isn't that just hysterically funny? Not the > point I know but it gives me a great laugh! > > -- > Cheryl > > I tried and tried to turn over a new leaf. > I got crumpled wads of tear-stained paper > thrown in the trash! > Then God gave me a new heart and life: > His joy for my despairing tears! > And now, every day: > "This I call to mind, > and therefore I have hope: > The steadfast love of the Lord > never ceases; > his mercies never come to an end; > they are new every morning; > great is your faithfulness." > (Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV) > > > > >> On Oct 19, 2014, at 10:53 PM, David Chittenden <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Ah yes, I definitely remember what Sharp did. >> >> The Talking Time was the first Sharp talking clock. It was a marvel of >> accessibility for one of the first talking clocks. Within a few years, a >> very large number of blind people wanted them. By that time, Sharp was no >> longer selling them. In fact, the NFB convinced Sharp to do one more >> manufacturing run which the NFB then sold for the next couple years. >> >> When sharp was asked why they would discontinue such a popular clock, the >> answer was, the clock was Sharp's least popular device. It only sold a few >> hundred thousand when it was supposed to sell a few million. The same was >> true for the excellent Sharp EL640 talking calculator. >> >> Panasonic created a wonderful talking clock radio shortly after the >> excellent Sharp products. Again, Panasonic did not receive the general >> market sales they predicted for the product, so they discontinued it. It was >> mainly only blind people who were purchasing it. >> >> A similar thing happened in the mid 90's with Zenith and a talking >> programmable VCR. >> >> I do have many more examples, including talking pagers, talking juicers, a >> general market talking microwave, a couple general market talking digital >> radios, and so forth. In all cases, when only blind people purchase the >> products, and the products are priced for general market, companies lose >> lots of money and pull the devices. >> >> David Chittenden, MSc, MRCAA >> Email: [email protected] >> Mobile: +64 21 2288 288 >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On 20 Oct 2014, at 12:09, Pamela Francis <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> In the answer to a couple of your questions, ask for a company making their >>> products usable by the disabled, do you or do you not remember what sharp >>> did for us with talking clocks and calculators? Do you also know that >>> Panasonic makes optional talking caller ID in its cordless phones? For >>> years swans foods offered all of their catalogs in braille along with their >>> cooking directions as one could also read on their boxes. It is not >>> unreasonable or pompous to expect to be treated the same as anyone else in >>> the same store paying the same money for the same product. If you consider >>> that pompous, you must be living with your parents who do everything for >>> you. I do not. I've lived away from my family since 1974, then married, >>> raise two children and have four grandchildren. I've been through the times >>> where we didn't as much as have digital readings on elevators or braille on >>> hotel room doors. I travel anywhere I want to go, do anything I want to do. >>> I do not expect special treatment. I ask for what I need. >>> >>> Pam Francis >>> >>> On Oct 19, 2014, at 5:10 PM, The Believer <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> That is a first. The general public now dictates what the disabled public >>> gets? Apple develops products for the mainstream market...and they also >>> have enabled these same products to be usable by the disabled. Can amy >>> other comppany claim that? >>> >>> We all can walk into any Apple store along with the sighted general public >>> and buy the same products they do and use the same products alongside them. >>> >>> And if we have an issue with our product, we can walk into any Apple store >>> or cal their toll free number and get the same assistance. >>> >>> Why should we expect any different treatment? Because we are blind? That, >>> IMO, is shortsightedness and perhaps even pompous. It certainly will not >>> get one very far. >>> >>> No one is glossing over anything. On the other hand, some are over the top >>> downright unreasonable. >>> >>> From The Believer. . . >>> . . . what if it were true? >>> [email protected] >>> >>>> On 10/19/2014 2:02 PM, Pamela Francis wrote: >>>> Hi, >>>> I'm normally not one to complain for the sake of complaining. I am a >>>> realist. I know that we as a market are a minority within Apple's customer >>>> base. I will give them credit where it's due. They did take the lead in >>>> accessibility. However, mainstream society has caught on to the fact that >>>> Apple products are accessible to blind people. That in itself is a double >>>> edge sword. None of us want to be put into a corner and told what is good >>>> for us by our cited peers. we want general society to except what we can >>>> use on its own merit showing them we can use products that they can use. >>>> there are still those who think that Apple products are simply all we can >>>> use. It's an all or nothing statement within the cited community as much >>>> as it is within our community. If that same statement is made with an >>>> aside a community, no one gripes. However if we say anything, we're >>>> complaining. Apple has become aware of what the cited community believes >>>> it's capable of doing for us, therefore they have >>> become lackadaisical forcing us to settle for whatever they throw at us, as >>> it has been within Windows another third-party screen readers. If I go in >>> to the grocery store and purchase what is supposed to be a complete >>> packaged product, get it home find out it isn't, take it back to the store; >>> am I complaining because I can't see? I don't think so. >>>> What I'm getting at by this rant is if there is a given feature supported >>>> by a given manufacturer that is designed for us or any other accessibility >>>> community, it should be fully featured and attended to with the same >>>> fervor as is done for the majority of its customer base. The fact that >>>> they maintain an accessibility line within itself on its face is a good >>>> thing. However, if those people truly have no say as to how things are >>>> done, are they there only for lipservice? I'm not willing to walk into a >>>> store, pay the same price for a product that my cited peers do and not >>>> have a right to complain about its functionality whether it's for me or >>>> for my cited peers. We as a blind community for too many years have been >>>> told we had to settle for second place. In many cases prior to the >>>> Internet we didn't have a means to communicate with people are issues, >>>> therefore we were forced to settle. That is no longer the case. To those >>>> who choose to regale the things that Apple does without being w >>> illing to admit apples faults, you are hurting all of us. Take that for >>> what it's worth. >>>> >>>> Pam Francis >>>> >>>> On Oct 19, 2014, at 2:23 PM, The Believer <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> I did not have a disastrous experience. I had just gotten a new Macbook >>>> with Mountain Lion and Mavericks came out shortly after that. And history >>>> repeats itself today with Yosemite. >>>> >>>> There were many complaints about Mavericks. Meanwhile, I worked with ML, >>>> trying to forget Windows. Finally I upgraded to Mavericks about a month >>>> ago! (smiles) >>>> >>>> I am still learning to use the Mac but it may not take me as long to move >>>> to Yosemite. Maybe a month? I will install iOS 8 at the same time but not >>>> intil both are better behaved. >>>> >>>> From The Believer. . . >>>> . . . what if it were true? >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>>>> On 10/19/2014 12:15 PM, Christine Grassman wrote: >>>>> I agree. While I would stop short of placing Apple on a pedestal, as no >>>>> one or company is worthy of that level of responsibility, I am realistic >>>>> about the varying preferences and needs of a customer base consisting of >>>>> millions of people, and I am steadfastly grateful for Apple and its >>>>> integral part in allowing me to complete the essential tasks of my job >>>>> and to enjoy much of what my sighted peers enjoy on a reasonably >>>>> equitable playing field out of the box. >>>>> I intend to write to Apple as someone who continues to appreciate its >>>>> devices and software a great deal, and urge it not to forget little me >>>>> and those like me. >>>>> I think any "absolutist" or all-or-nothing statements do no good. >>>>> I decided after a disastrous experience with Mavericks when it was first >>>>> released that I would never again update immediately after a first >>>>> release. I am anxious to avail myself of continuity, hand off, iBooks, >>>>> and answering calls on my MacBook, but I can wait. I know for a fact >>>>> that a VoiceOver lag will bother me in the extreme, and the very first >>>>> thing I did was read Applevis's article on the bugs, even though I had no >>>>> intention of updating right away. I am currently content, and I await >>>>> Yosemite's evolution. >>>>> Christine >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to [email protected]. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to [email protected]. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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