Introducing Oratio for BlackBerry® Smartphones

     
 

Oratio for BlackBerry® is now available

Longueuil, QC, Canada and Barcelona, Spain, February 1st, 2010 – HumanWare and Code Factory are pleased to announce that Oratio for BlackBerry(R) smartphones is now available for purchase. Formally known as Orator for BlackBerry smartphones, Oratio is the first screen reader software solution that enables visually impaired users to access and operate BlackBerry smartphones using state of the art Text-To-Speech technology to convert the visual information displayed on the BlackBerry smartphone screen into a intuitive speech output. This enables its users to use BlackBerry smartphones to increase their independence and productivity in today's competitive world.

image of a BlackBerry® with Orator software.
Orator user

The name was changed from Orator to Oratio to avoid any confusion with an existing product called Orator being manufactured by a telecommunications company in the USA. "Although we got accustomed to the name Orator for BlackBerry in the last few months, Oratio is less generic and provides a more personalized name and sound for the product" says Michel Pepin, Product Manager at HumanWare.

Availability:

Oratio will first be released in North America in English, supporting the BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone from AT&T, available through online purchasing from www.oratio4bb.com for $449 US for a single license. Support for additional BlackBerry smartphone models and languages will be available in subsequent versions of Oratio.

Oratio is the product of the joint collaborative efforts between HumanWare, Code Factory, the leading provider of screen reader technology and maker of Mobile Speak, and Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of the award winning portfolio of BlackBerry products and solutions. Oratio users will experience more freedom and independence in their activities with the ability to stay connected anytime, anywhere. Users will also experience greater flexibility to manage their day-to-day activities in ways that are most convenient for them, increase their productivity and achieve more by quickly and efficiently accessing information they need.

Oratio also provides employers with an accommodation solution for blind and visually impaired employees that leverages an organization's existing investment in BlackBerry infrastructure and technologies.

Feature rich, through its easy to use menu and efficient shortcut keys, Oratio will provide users with:

  • Intuitive and familiar audio user interface.
  • Easy-to-use customization options for frequently used settings.
  • Auto start mode when the device turns on.
  • Different verbosity levels to allow users to define the amount of information provided.
  • Keyboard echo settings for text entry.
  • Easy to use command structure.
  • Support for BlackBerry smartphone's core applications.

BlackBerry smartphones offer multiple applications essential in a business environment. Oratio was designed to support the core application found on the BlackBerry smatrtphones allowing visually impaired users to:

  • Manage instant messaging, emails, SMS and MMS.
  • Make and receive calls with access to caller ID on incoming calls.
  • Manage contact list and call log.
  • Schedule appointments and tasks with alarms and reminders.
  • Access to the phone's settings, ring tones, speed dials and voice tags.

"Oratio is the first screen reader solution for a JavaME operating software (O/S). While this first release version may not answer each specific individual user's needs, HumanWare, with the joint collaboration of RIM and Code Factory, remain dedicated and committed to the future development growth of the product. We invite Oratio users to share their experiences with the product. This will provide us with directions on how to improve their BlackBerry smartphone experience" says Michel Pepin. "Our goal is to provide equal access to visually impaired users by enabling them to access and operate BlackBerry devices in a manner that is functionally equivalent to solutions offered to sighted BlackBerry users".

About HumanWare

HumanWare (www.humanware.com) is the global leader in assistive technologies for the print disabled. HumanWare provides products to people who are blind or have low vision and students with learning disabilities. HumanWare offers a collection of innovative products, including BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for the blind in education, business and for personal use; the Victor Reader product line, the world's leading digital audiobook players; the SmartView family of handheld and desktop electronic magnifiers; and myReader2, HumanWare's unique "auto-reader". For more information about HumanWare, visit www.humanware.com.

About Code Factory

Code Factory is the leading provider of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille interfaces for the widest range of mainstream mobile devices. Our mission is to break down barriers to the accessibility of mobile technology for the blind and visually impaired. Our accessible solutions are used in more than 50 countries and 30 languages. Among Code Factory's customers are well known organizations for the blind such as ONCE, and carriers such as AT&T, Bouygues Telecom, SFR, and Vodafone. To learn more about Code Factory, visit http://www.codefactory.es.