This description of the Nokia N82 cell phone with its software and the Mobilespeak Screen Reader does not imply an endorsement by NOAA or any other agency of the federal government. It is intended solely as an aid to potential users of the product.

During the past few years, there has been a revolution, accessible cell phones. Because I didn't have one of these units this portion of accessible technology largely went unnoticed by me.

When I purchased a Nokia N82 with a copy of the KNFB Reader Mobile software, I decided to include Mobilespeak, a screen reader that is compatible with many phones.

Mobilespeak is a fully functional screen reader similar to Jaws for WINDOWS or Window-eyes on MS WINDOWS machines. So what sort of software can you run on a Nokia N82 anyway? First, you have full access to most of the common features available on modern day cell phones. Perhaps it would be easier to write about the software that is bundled with the Nokia N82 that does not work with speech. The most important of these programs is MAPS which uses GPS to show you where you are located and how to plan a route to an entered destination. Since it, logically enough, displays the results on a map, the results are useless to a blind person. There are also a couple of graphical games that don't work Mobilespeak. I have also discovered that it is necessary to use the Mobilespeak "mute speech" shortcut when I am listening to a list of ring tones.

The following is a list of applications that come with the Nokia N82:

• Maps: (a gps application not useful to someone who is totally blind)
• Music Player: for playing songs or sound clips
• podcasts: (for setting up and playing podcasts
• Visual Radio: (for playing FM radio stations)
• clock (for setting time and alarms)
• calculator (a simple calculator)
• Adobe Reader
• Converter (for converting between various currencies)
• Zip Manager
• Barcode Reader (I have been unable to use this program)
• QuickOffice
• Notes - A program similar to WINDOWS notepad
• Voice Recorder (works well, but would like to see more features)
• Real Player
• Flash Player
• Life blog: A diary and blogging aid
• web (a web browser)
• Various games that all appear to be graphical in nature

In addition to the above applications there are utilities that allow the user to do phone-related functions:

Utilities

• Contacts (for setting up a contact list)
• Messaging (for text messages)
• calendar (you can set reminders by date & time)
• camera (for taking pictures)
• Sound Clips (for playing sound files)
• Presentations (for viewing .svg and flash files)
• WLAN (for connecting to a wireless LAN)
• Bluetooth (for using Bluetooth devices with the phone)
• the ability to change Ring Tones and how they sound
• download! (for downloading applications from the internet)

Another product that works on Symbian phones is Wayfinder Access Wayfinder Access is an aid to the visually impaired that allows them to independently navigate with the aid of a GPS. What makes this application different than the many aids for the driver of vehicles is that it has a 'pedestrian mode' that is particularly useful for the blind. This mode has 20,000,000 points of interest which is nearly 7 times more than what is available using the standard Wayfinder Navigator intended only for vehicle navigation. You can learn much more about this product by going to: