Lets go shopping

I thought it would be a good idea to combine a list of places where we could go shopping for articles for the blind.  To me, it makes more sense having it all in the one area, making it easier to find websites that might sell what you are looking for. I will add more as I come across them.  Remember postage prices may vary. Please check with the company or provider that you are ordering from to see if items can be posted to your location, if items are available, and to get current pricing  (and any applicable postage) on those articles. Remember to also check  companies policies before making a purchase. A good site to help calculate exchange rates is http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/ The site has a currency calculator, which allows you to enter in a foreign amount and have it converted to your local currency. This allows you to compare costs and shipping when considering importing items into New Zealand.

Some of the major international providers of vision impaired and blindness related products, services and information

The BLVNZ (Blind Low Vision New Zealand) Vision Store
https://shop.visionaustralia.org.nz/
0800 24 33 33 within NZ

Vision Australia shop in Australia
https://shop.visionaustralia.org/
1300 84 74 66 within Australia

The RNIB shop in the United Kingdom
http://shop.rnib.org.uk/

The Future Aids shop in Canada (also called The Braille Superstore)
http://www.braillebookstore.com/

Independent Living Aids New York
http://www.independentliving.com/

The Lighthouse Adaptations Store New York
https://adaptations.org/collections

American Printing House for the Blind Inc. Louisville Kentucky
https://www.aph.org/shop/

Speak To Me online catalogue Renton Washington
http://www.speaktomecatalog.com/

Cobolt talking products and vision impaired aides UK
https://cobolt.co.uk/categories

Blind Mice Mega Mall Houston Texas
https://www.blindmicemegamall.com/bmm/shop/Directory

Distributors who specialise in a variety of eyesight related products that you may also find useful


Accessibility features in some TV’s

The first section of this page deals with enabling text to speech features (which is where text on the screen is read out - such as when you change channel numbers, information on the current programme, changing of the volume, reading out of the EPG, and going into the TV settings etcetera). What is read out may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer depending on which features are available (if any).

The latter section deals with what kind of accessibility features to look out for, and tips for finding out more about the various TVs before you make a purchase.

Samsung Smart TV

Menu button…System…Accessibility…Voice guide…(Select voice guide)…On…

Provides:

·         Current channel number

·         Program name

·         EPG

·         Volume control

·         Voice guide speed control

·         Voice tone control

·         Voice guide details control

 

Sony TV Bravia series

Settings > Accessibility > Services > Talkback > ON/OFF

 

Panasonic Smart Viera

Sound options in the Menu and scrolled to the Voice Guidance option. Not only can you select it as either On or Off but you can select the speed, volume and user level (beginner or expert).

 

LG TV’s

If you are visually impaired or have low vision, LGE products can help you control your device by reading your screen as well as providing a zoom function.

 

Magic Zoom

You can use the remote control and the zoom-up function in the device to make your screen easier to see. Enlarges parts of the TV screen by up to 500%

 

Audio Guidance

Adjust the speed, volume, and pitch.

 

Ask others for recommendations, look up user manuals and reviews, and ask for instore demonstrations (if available)

If you are looking at getting a new TV and wondering if there are features built into it to do with accessibility, then it might be a good idea to look up the model of the TV that you are looking at; and download the user manual for it. That way, it might also give you a brief description of some of the features.

It might be a good idea to pop into a retailer that sells TVs, and ask them to see if you can have those features demonstrated instore. It might even be a good idea to contact the companies who sell the product to retailers, and ask them the same questions - as features may change from model to model, and country to country.

Retailers may not even be aware of the features that are now being built into smart TVs. There may also be other companies that might have these features built into the TV’s (for example Sharp, Philips and so on).

Accessibility features to look for

When looking at the remote, are the keys well-spaced?

Does the remote have a feature where it teaches you the keys of the remote when it is turned on?

Does the remote have high colour contrast buttons, or keys of different shapes and sizes?

 Are there tactile markers on the most commonly used keys?

A feature on the TV which will need to be enabled is audio description. It is turned off by default. For more information on audio description, please visit the following page at http://www.accessibilitycentral.net/audio%20description.html

 

PLEASE NOTE: As shown in the LG model, there may be other accessibility features built into other brands of TVs that might help you. Call into your local store, or visit the manufacturers website online to find out more about accessibility features built into those TVs and what those features do.

 

Accessibility features in some TV’s

The first section of this page deals with enabling text to speech features (which is where text on the screen is read out - such as when you change channel numbers, information on the current programme, changing of the volume, reading out of the EPG, and going into the TV settings etcetera). What is read out may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer depending on which features are available (if any).

The latter section deals with what kind of accessibility features to look out for, and tips for finding out more about the various TVs before you make a purchase.

Samsung Smart TV

Menu button…System…Accessibility…Voice guide…(Select voice guide)…On…

Provides:

·         Current channel number

·         Program name

·         EPG

·         Volume control

·         Voice guide speed control

·         Voice tone control

·         Voice guide details control

Sony TV Bravia series

Settings > Accessibility > Services > Talkback > ON/OFF

This is only available in the Sony Android TVs.

Panasonic Smart Viera

Sound options in the Menu and scrolled to the Voice Guidance option. Not only can you select it as either On or Off but you can select the speed, volume and user level (beginner or expert).

LG TV’s

If you are visually impaired or have low vision, LGE products can help you control your device by reading your screen as well as providing a zoom function. 

Magic Zoom

You can use the remote control and the zoom-up function in the device to make your screen easier to see. Enlarges parts of the TV screen by up to 500% 

Audio Guidance

Adjust the speed, volume, and pitch.
 

Ask others for recommendations, look up user manuals and reviews, and ask for instore demonstrations (if available)

If you are looking at getting a new TV and wondering if there are features built into it to do with accessibility, then it might be a good idea to look up the model of the TV that you are looking at; and download the user manual for it. That way, it might also give you a brief description of some of the features.

It might be a good idea to pop into a retailer that sells TVs, and ask them to see if you can have those features demonstrated instore. It might even be a good idea to contact the companies who sell the product to retailers, and ask them the same questions - as features may change from model to model, and country to country.

Retailers may not even be aware of the features that are now being built into smart TVs. There may also be other companies that might have these features built into the TV’s (for example Sharp, Philips and so on).

Accessibility features to look for

When looking at the remote, are the keys well-spaced?

Does the remote have a feature where it teaches you the keys of the remote when it is turned on?

Does the remote have high colour contrast buttons, or keys of different shapes and sizes?

 Are there tactile markers on the most commonly used keys?

A feature on the TV which will need to be enabled is audio description. It is turned off by default. For more information on audio description, please visit the following page at http://www.accessibilitycentral.net/audio%20description.html


PLEASE NOTE: As shown in the LG model, there may be other accessibility features built into other brands of TVs that might help you. Call into your local store, or visit the manufacturers website online to find out more about accessibility features built into those TVs and what those features do.

Alternative Sources

When out and about shopping, there are some great alternative sources of products that we can also put to good use. Some of these sources can be found locally, and others can be found online within New Zealand. The good thing about discovering some of these products locally, is that you may be able to test them out in store.  The links below are not an exhaustive list, however I hope you (or the people that you pass this information onto), find these sources just as useful as I have. If you have found other useful stores or sites that sell eyesight related aides, please let me know so that others can find out about them too. As with any store, it always pays to ask what is currently in stock as stock ranges and availability may vary.

Links to alternative sources from within New Zealand and overseas

Some of these products may be able to be purchased online, and for some of these products you may have to go into the shop.
You will need to check the availability of any items that you are interested in.

If you discover items that a blind or vision impaired person may be able to use, please feel free to email me and let me know where you found the item. In some cases, you may need to add minor adaptations to enable that item to be independently used (for example labelling the start, stop and power level buttons on a microwave and so on). The more information we can get out there, the more that people will hear about these products and be able to try them for themselves.

http://www.magnamail.com
Magnamail have a variety of eyesight related items amongst their many items for sale. The following items are some that we have come across that we think might be useful dependent upon your level of vision. Of course for current product availability and pricing, please contact Magnamail directly via their free phone number 0800 170 270 or via their website.

Electronic Talking Scales (catalogue number J1048); Classic Magnifying Glass (catalogue number N652); Magnifying Makeup Mirror (catalogue number H1326); Large Display Clock with weather - which is actually a talking time and temperature clock (catalogue number VC11); Easy Read Calendar Clock (catalogue number VC14); Large Print Bible King James (catalogue number N608); Folded Lighted Magnifier (catalogue number U152). Give Magnamail a call if you would like their latest catalogue posted out to you! It is also a good idea to search their website as products may change from to time. It is also possible that not all products may be listed online!

http://www.trademe.co.nz This is the Trade Me main webpage, and here you can search for a variety of items.

Please note: As auctions on Trade Me begin and end continuously, please search TradeMe for the item that you are looking for. They do have adaptive technologies that come up on their website. Some examples might be:talking clocks, big button phones, hand held magnifiers, adaptive software and devices, video magnifiers and so on.

Ebay online auction site Just like TradeMe, Ebay sells a variety of equipment you may find useful.

Jaycar Electronics NZ Jaycar have a range of items that may be useful. These range from a talking count down/up timer, to a variety of magnifiers.

Lighting Direct NZ Magnifying desk lamp with LED light.

Lighting Plus NZ Magnifying desk lamp with candle lamp.

2n5 shop New Zealand An NZ store selling precut magnets, wide clear tape, and garden wire (for use with the PenFriend). Also, thick markers, puffy paint, phone bling for tactile marking (aka adhesive rhinestones, crystal tattoo or jewellery seal), puzzle / crossword / word find / letter find books in large printjumbo playing cards, portable dog bowls, and velcro (for tactile marking and attaching penfriend labels to plastic lids). Duo sock (sock pairers) are now available in a pack of 5 to keep your socks paired up as they go through the wash, onto the clothesline and back into the sock drawer. Large print and braille pill boxes are available in a range of styles. Tactile noughts and crosses (in the kids toy section). Please ask at your local 2n5 store to see what items are available. See also Best for Less, Coin saver and other similar shops for these items.

Harvey Norman New Zealand An NZ store selling Apple products such as desktops, notebooks, and ipads.

Noel Leeming New Zealand An NZ store selling Apple products such as computers, notebooks, ipods and ipads.

The Warehouse An NZ store selling a variety of products including the Doro 311C large button phone, the Telemate big button phone, the Cascade 17L manual microwave oven and large print A4 calculators. They also sell a tactile/audible challenging game called Bop-It, Bop-it XT as well as tactile noughts and crosses.

Accessible Electronics On their talking mp3players.com page they have talking mp3 players featuring an fm radio, voice recorder and expandable memory slot.

http://www.biblebible.com/easy-to-use/ Quoted as being the simplest and easiest to use Audio Bible player. Also available in a variety of versions, narrators and languages.




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