Saving memories from the Blackberry

I am always worried when I change phones how I can retain all those old sms and email that are on the Blackberry. I can forward emails, but text messages are more problematic. Today I found some software that can read all my old messages (on a 30 day trial, but I can convert to pdf if I want and then I don't have to pay!) They have many other converters too.

Blackberry message converter

Gumnotes

Want to attach a Post-It note to a document. Here is how to do it, whether it is a web page, Word dot of email.

Gumnotes

Talking OCR on an iPhone

I have been watching the fall and fall of the cost of taking a picture of text with a phone and then having it read out. The lowest I have seen (of a commercial kind) is "Prizmo for iPhone 1.0 is available worldwide exclusively on the App Store, and costs $9.99 (USD). A speech synthesis voice is available as In-App Purchase for $2.99 (USD)." That is around £10 for the whole system!

Link to the iPhone OCR

Whitesmoke - Improve your writing skills

I keep meaning to find a way to improve my writing. Here is a video that has convinced me to take a closer look at this software.

Whitesmoke

iSheds Resources available

The EU funded iSHeds project - Identification and Support in Higher Education of Dyslexic Students - has now launched its major resources:

• an ebook for dyslexic students
• an ebook for those supporting dyslexic students
• mini-profilers to help identification of dyslexic students
• assistive technology for dyslexic students

All these are aimed at those in the Balkan states with resources available in EN, BA, HR, HU, RO, RS, SI.

iSheds

Embed Resources

Embed is a project that has, over the past two years, been refining a series of outcomes from a diversity of EU funded projects, whcih are no available in one central portal. The main ones are:

• Online profiler for children
• Online profiler for adults
• Online e-book for parents and teachers
• Online e-book for dyslexic adults
• Self-audit for institutions
• Self-audit for support workers
• Self audit for dyslexic adults
• Using technology

EMBED

Live language translation from Google, on a mobile phone

If you had trouble with learning a language at school, but want to communicate in a language other than English for business or pleasure, then this may be of interest to you.

It seems that Google have just demonstrated speech translation (English - German) using an android smartphone. You speak the English, it speaks back German. Think of the possibilities of that! But no launch date announced as yet.

Google voice translation

Languages and projects for dyslexic adults

I have recently compiled a list of EU projects to accompany the article "Dyslexia related resources in different language" in Journal of Inclusive Practice in Higher and Further Eduction. Here is the link to the page.

Link to Resources for dyslexic adults

Dys2 Coming to life

It seems that Dys2 is just about ready to launch with its new set of games, following on from the original 135. These are activities to promote the integration of cognitive skill development activities within the overall teaching practice. Below is the link and the description from the web site.

Dys2

DYS 2.0 is intended for transfer and improvement of the successfully completed GRUNDTVIG project EDysgate 2006–2008. We offer here a motivating and stimulating learning environment for carefully selected range of skills known to be important to young dyslexic adults.

At project's end nearly 275 learning games and a game configurator will be free of charge available in 6 languages (English, German, Bulgarian, Greek, Czech, Lithuanian).

The learning games address seven areas of particular importance for vocational skills development:

Auditory Discrimination
Auditory Memory
Auditory Sequence
Visual Discrimination
Visual Memory
Visual Sequence
Spatial Position

The areas are targeted through direct and indirect stimulation. The principles behind the learning games are not specific to any given language – they will work for all individuals across Europe.
The learning games will be developed in collaboration with young dyslexic adults as well as those who train them.

The target groups are: young dyslexic adults at age app 16-26, their parents and trainers specialised on dyslexia. The main purpose of using the learning games is to support the development of vocational skills and life chances of young dyslexic adults and to provide a new kind of resources to trainers.

Cut that URL

I recently created a web site that would support an article I am writing. The article is: Smythe I and Molhova M (2010) Text-to-speech software for the multilingual dyslexic user. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Higher and Further Education. Autumn 2010.

The URL of the page is
http://www.learnerprofiler.co.uk/ws/nadp-text-to-speech-software-for-the-multilingual-dyslexic-users.aspx

Now while I can hide that with a hyperlink, that is not possible in a printed journal. So I looked for the shortest I could find where I could make the link memorable (i.e. not a random collection of letters). It is a tiny carbon copy. Or tiny.cc.

So the new address is www.tiny.cc/smythenadp2010

This reduces the number of characters from 105 to just 26. Perfect for a Twitter!

If you want to highlight a web page but do not want to write the whole web address out every time, I can recommend www.tiny.cc

Welsh language voice for text-to-speech

I have just learned that a new Welsh language voice (commissioned by the RNIB has been launched by Ivona. (Thanks Alasdair.) I will give details of how to download it when I can track them down. It should work with most text-to-speech interfaces, including Claro, Ivona, Balabolka and TextHelp.

Readplease

This may be seven years old, and it may be cut and paste, but I think that this is still one friendliest pieces of text-to-speech other there. Its beauty is a simple download, easy to access interface, large symbols, and control of the key elements, namely speech, font size, it has several voices, and word highlighting. You can adjust the pause between paragraphs (to consolidate your thoughts) and adjust colours (e.g. for highlighting). You could even have it start on startup, and read your own text. How about "I know I've made some very poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal. I've still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission. And I want to help you." In case you do not recognise it, it was spoken by the computer Hal in Kubrick's 2001, A Space Odyssey.

ReadPlease 2003

Ivona Mini Reader

I rather liked this little reader. It is free, and has a good voice.

Ivona MiniReader

Natural Reader Text-to-speech

Inspired by the comment left by Lis yesterday, the next TTS to consider at is NaturalReader. This is free software which comes in two versions: cut and paste or a Floating Bar (see bottom left of the image above).

It is downloadable free, and uses free microsoft voice. If you want higher functionality, such as saving files as audio, you need to pay for it.

Natural Reader

Text to speech voice

I am currently writing an article about text-to-speech, and therefore a number of the entries will be about that work. Today, I give you the list of all the voices I know of that can be used for text-to-speech. If you know of others, please let me know. As far as I know, these can all be used with other software such as Balabolka.

List of Voices

Balabolka text-to-speech software

When it comes to Text-to-Speech software, there is so much out there that it is hard to find a recommendation. But today I have one. And what is more, it has everything I could ever imagine needing, which is a far cry from much of the others which appear to have been not full through through. It is also multilingual, so you can line it up with any voice you wish and have the menus in the right language.

Balabolka

Online text to speech

Here is a review of the current top ten online text to speech systems.

Top 10 Text to speech

Riot - Radical Image Optimization Tool

This is a wonderful little tool that gets better with every update. Pictures can be very useful, as part of coursework, or illustrating a point in a presentation, or a website. But it is always good to have it at the right size, to speed up loading, and for when you email it. The latest version now has Brightness and Contrast control.

RIOT Download

Skype Screenshare

People keep asking me where they can find Screenshare in Skype. It is difficult to explain without ..... screensharing! So here is a little video I have prepared.

Skype Screenshare

Claro Capture

While recently looking for a "research" tool for capturing text from the internet, I came across Claro Capture. Well worth having a look at. It is reasonably cheap (around €20) and there is a free trial.

Rather than list all the feature (most of which are best seen visually on their webpage) just click on the link for details.

Claro Capture

Presentations reaching a new level!

It is not often I am impressed by a presentation. But just look at this one!

Prezi example

I have noted Prezi (http://www.prezi.com/) on this website before as possibly being dyslexia friendly. But this it the best sample I have seen so far.

Online assessment - in Bosnian

Free online screening / assessment is now available online at this website.

Bosnian Profiler

Adystrain - supporting those supporting dyslexia adults

"ADysTrain is a project for trainers in the field of adult training and for high-level personnel in leadership position as well as high and mid-level management. We want you to look again at those you work with. We want to help you understand how to get the best from those who may have reading and writing difficulties, and may need a different approach to learning than others."
Adystrain

How to study guides

An excellent site on how to study, with many wonderful tips.

How to study

SpLD web site

This website is a guide for educators, employers and parents to help children and young people in the preparation for their transfer from one educational establishment to another or on to employment. Developed by the Dyscovery Centre.

SpLD Transition

Blog to ponder

I was recently pointed towards this blog. You may find it of interest.

Dyslexic Storyteller Blog

13. Online study skills for higher education - iSheds

It seems that the iSheds study skills guide for students is now available online in English. Languages to follow include Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian and Romanian.

You will find it on the iSheds website (www.isheds.info) under study skills.

11. Back - Ultra backup

I could not resist what could be called the ultimate backup - 256 GIG of memory. I don't remember to back up often enough, but this could help. Normally I have to pick and choose what to transfer to storage. But that required thinking, which these days I have little time to do. So I would love one of these. But at a slightly lower price!

256 Gig

09. Text to speech on the move

It seems that Captura has moved onwards and upwards. Check out their web site for the latest on this software that can be on your mobile phone which allows you to take a photo of text and have it read back to you. There is even a 30 day trial.

CapturaTalk

08. Web site of the week

This is a great web site for dyslexia research. Not sure who runs it, but good job!

Dyslexia Research