The tech industry's accessibility report card for 2021

In spite of all the advancements we’ve seen in tech, the industry as a whole has consistently neglected people with disabilities. There have been some improvements, including video call apps like FaceTime, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and more adding better support for sign language interpreters and closed captioning. And, this year, Instagram and TikTok finally added stickers that enable automated captioning for speech in videos, too. But major organizations continued to make decisions that exclude people with disabilities. The organizer of E3 2021, for example, failed its deaf and hard of hearing viewers during its live streamed show.There are too many individual transgressions and improvements to exhaustively detail here. Due to their sheer size, though, tech’s largest companies wield the greatest influence over what the rest of the industry does. By holding them accountable, we have a better chance of seeing widespread change in the way tech thinks about inclusive design. Here’s how Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook) and more did to improve the accessibility of their products and services in 2021.AppleApple has led the way in inclusive design for years, and in 2021 the company continued to launch new features that made its products easier for those with disabilities to use. In addition to updating its screen reader, VoiceOver, to enable better descriptions of images for the visually impaired, Apple also launched several new products.... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2021-12-31 21:00:34 UTC ]
News tagged with: #back catalog #product design #growing commitment #kindle

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Video: From Barack Obama to Billie Jean King, L.A. Times Book Club looks back on an eventful 2021

The L.A. Times Book Club dove into stories across the world and close to home in 2021. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-12-16 15:00:17 UTC ]
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Electric Lit’s Favorite Novels of 2021

When it comes to great novels, this year felt like an embarrassment of riches. The books collected here are ambitious—in intellect, in scope, in subject matter, and in size. Some are perfect encapsulations of the unique problems of our time, while others illuminate the human threads that connect... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2021-12-16 12:05:00 UTC ]
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Obama shares favourite reads of 2021 including Franzen and Whitehead

Former US President Barack Obama has released a 13-strong list of his favourite books of the year, spanning memoir, fiction and non-fiction, including Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen (Fourth Estate), These Precious Days by Ann Patchett (Bloomsbury) and Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-16 04:55:04 UTC ]
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Notable Literary Deaths in 2021

It’s safe to say that in general, 2021 was an improvement on 2020—but that doesn’t mean it was a big one. Among the many disappointments of this year was the fact that we lost far too many members of the literary community, from poets to novelists to editors to critics to publishers. To them, we […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-12-15 09:49:46 UTC ]
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Inaugural city report on Asian, Pacific Islander health sheds light on disparities

Plus: Pfizer to buy immuno-inflammatory drugmaker in $6.7 billion deal Weill Cornell receives $5.6M gift from Barnes & Noble founder for Black scholarships Panel preview: Who gets to... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2021-12-14 10:30:00 UTC ]
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The Best Books of 2021 You May Have Missed

I’ve been writing this column for seven years, now, and it never gets old for me. Getting to sift through each previous month’s fiction titles is the best kind of treasure hunt, always rewarding and sometimes astonishing. For the second year in a row I’m gathering up my favorites from the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-12-14 09:51:28 UTC ]
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Our 48 Favorite Books of 2021

We have entered the month of December, and therefore, everyone who lives and works on the internet is contractually obligated to tell you which books published in the last twelve months were their favorites. Alas, Literary Hub is no exception—but at least we collectively read a lot of good books... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-12-13 09:51:19 UTC ]
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Apple's second-gen AirPods drop to $100, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

If you're still on the hunt for good tech gifts to give this year, you still have time to grab some that will arrive before the holidays. Apple's second-generation AirPods are on sale again for $100, while the Fitbit Charge 5 fitness tracker is back down to $130. Both Amazon's Kindle and a few... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-12-10 16:45:43 UTC ]
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The Top 10 Library Stories of 2021

PW looks back at the library stories that captivated the publishing world this year—and what they portend for 2022. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Best Historical Fiction of 2021

The year’s most transporting novels have taken us to the past and around the globe. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-12-09 10:00:10 UTC ]
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Library audio and ebook loans in 2021 reveal unexpected stars

Alongside Richard Osman and JK Rowling, figures show huge successes for relative unknowns Ellery Adams and Brenda ChapmanThe UK’s library users are widely seen as a traditional bunch when it comes to choosing their next read, but while Richard Osman might have topped the list of the year’s... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-12-08 16:34:37 UTC ]
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The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2021

From epic voyages to haunting folk tales, here are the highlights of an otherworldly year. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-12-08 10:00:15 UTC ]
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PW's Top 10 Religion Stories of 2021

From the launch of IVP Kids imprint to Beth Moore’s departure from LifeWay, here are PW’s most-read religion stories of 2021. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Religion Book Deals: Dec. 8, 2021

Atria Books is publishing a memoir by former Washington Football Team’s quarterback Robert Griffin III; Baker signed a two-book deal with debut author and speaker on race Ally Henny; Center Street is spotlighting the faith lives of George H.W. and Barbara Bush, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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2021 Religion Publishing Highlights

Personnel changes at the top of some of religion publishing's biggest players were among the most significant shifts to take place in the industry over the past year, as told through PW’s coverage. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Riot’s SFF Deals for December 6, 2021

The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-12-06 15:25:10 UTC ]
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Announcing the Winner of Electric Lit’s 2021 Book Cover of the Year Tournament

Last week, the Electric Lit team stayed glued to our phone screens as we tasked our social media followers with anointing the best book cover of 2021. The tournament was full of close calls determined by razor-thin margins (Mona at Sea prevailed over Black Girl Call Home by just five votes in... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2021-12-06 12:00:00 UTC ]
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The 2021 Stocking Stuffer of the Year Award (shelftalker)

What are this year’s top stocking stuffers and can this year’s judge play fair? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-06 11:00:00 UTC ]
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AudioFile’s Best Audiobooks of 2021

Each month, for your literary listening pleasure, our friends at AudioFile Magazine bring us the cream of the audiobook crop. Now, at the year draws to a close, they’ve rounded up the very best audiobooks of 2021. Happy listening and happy holidays! * FICTION Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-12-06 09:53:47 UTC ]
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Talking About the Best Books of 2021

On a special episode of the podcast, taped live, editors from The New York Times Book Review discuss this year’s outstanding fiction and nonfiction. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-12-03 21:05:02 UTC ]
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