The tech industry still has a long way to go when it comes to accessibility

As many in the accessibility community will tell you, inclusive design isn’t an endeavor that’s “one and done.” It’s a continuous, ongoing effort to ensure that as new products and services are made, people with different needs or disabilities aren’t left out. Over the last three years, Engadget has produced a report, in addition to our regular coverage, that looks back on the developments in the tech industry that impact the accessibility community, focusing on the largest companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta. Of course, there are plenty of other big companies to consider, like Uber, Airbnb, Netflix and more. But the six we’ve selected have an outsized impact and influence on the industry..Last year, we saw significant developments that could pave the way for more accessible designs in future, such as the opening of Microsoft’s Inclusive Tech Lab. In October, the University of Illinois (UIUC) partnered with Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft on a Speech Accessibility Project to improve voice recognition for those with atypical speech patterns that AI algorithms rarely consider. But there were also major setbacks, such as Elon Musk dismantling the accessibility team at Twitter, amid everything else that happened in that hellhole.All around the industry, we saw pieces of news that showed greater interest overall in accessible products and design. According to LinkedIn’s vice president of engineering, Erran Berger, there has been a 33 percent... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2023-01-16 15:00:07 UTC ]
News tagged with: #mainstream audience #apple books

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Demi Moore's long-awaited 4th Estate memoir coming in September

HarperCollins imprint 4th Estate has revealed it will publish Demi Moore’s "deeply candid and insightful" memoir Inside Out in September—almost a decade after buying it. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This is the tech hack that I used to read books faster

This author stumbled on a new trick that allowed him to finish more business books (and it’s not listening to audiobooks). We all need to read more. Warren Buffett spends 80% of his day reading. Bill Gates reads a book a week. Reading is the only way to stand on the shoulders of the giants all... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2019-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #business books


Lack of Innovation Is Killing Ad Tech and Maybe Even the Open Web

Ad tech on the open web has become a disjointed chain of systems that is so fragmented that it prevents any single player from innovating at scale. The walled gardens of Google, Facebook and Amazon have left the rest of the ad-tech ecosystem behind. Take publishers, for example. The industry has... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #open web #ad tech #walled gardens


Macmillan Learning Earns Benetech’s First ‘Global Certified Accessible’ Designation

Making educational materials available to all, regardless of students' disabilities, is the aim of the Benetech 'Global Certified Accessible' accreditation. The post Macmillan Learning Earns Benetech’s First ‘Global Certified Accessible’ Designation appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global attention span is narrowing and trends don't last as long, study reveals

Research combed from everything from movie tickets to social media finds more to focus on but less time to do soIt’s just as you suspected; the information age has changed the general attention span. A recently published study from researchers at the Technical University of Denmark suggests the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #technical university #media attention #google books


Hachette UK unveils high-tech Hely Hutchinson distribution centre

After four years of planning and construction, Hachette’s huge new distribution centre—the most expensive capital project in the firm’s history—was officially opened this week. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #officially opened


Cambridge and California in Open Access Deal; Book Depot Acquires Kidsbooks

The University of Cambridge and the 10 campuses of the University of California enter a major new agreement in open access, as Ontario-based Book Depot acquires the American publisher Kidsbooks. The post Cambridge and California in Open Access Deal; Book Depot Acquires Kidsbooks appeared first... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Toasted Collective Is Bringing Programmatic Advertising to the Cannabis Industry

The burgeoning cannabis industry has had a fraught relationship with premium inventory across a bevy of publishers, as media companies often blacklist cannabis-related ads. Toasted Collective, a cannabis digital agency, wants to change that. The agency--which recently secured exclusive... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It probably won’t be long before Team Gizmodo savages its new owner

Welcome to the latest edition of Ad Age Publisher's Brief, our roundup of news from the world of content producers across digital and print. Got a tip? Send it our way. Joining us late? Here's the previous edition. A few comments about comments: In a letter sent out to Wall Street Journal... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: Kinokuniya Partners With PRH on Ebooks; ‘Scribner Building’ Acquired

A partnership with PRH lets Kinokuniya consumers compare English and Japanese editions. And a building in which Hemingway once was printed has been bought. The post Industry Notes: Kinokuniya Partners With PRH on Ebooks; ‘Scribner Building’ Acquired appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee Child and publishing industry join April Fools' pranks

The publishing industry embraced 1st April this morning, with a series of spoof announcements including a poetry tax and a new Jack Reacher "mashup" series. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The book industry isn't dead. That's just an excuse to keep salaries low

Poor working conditions for book editors are ingrained. It’s time for that to change – no matter how much we love our jobsBook editors love their jobs, perhaps more than the average worker. We work diligently with motivated and inspiring peers on projects we are proud of. You may not realise... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #great book #ve read #final product #book lovers #working conditions #book publishing


Frankfurt’s Juergen Boos on the International Book Industry: ‘It’s Always Changing’

Ask Boos what he and his fellow book fair directors have in common, and he'll tell you it's what they don't have in common that counts. The post Frankfurt’s Juergen Boos on the International Book Industry: ‘It’s Always Changing’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Europe backs new laws that clamp down on Facebook, Google, Big Tech: Wednesday Wake-Up Call

Welcome to Ad Age's Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. You can get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device. Search for "Ad Age" under "Skills" in the Alexa app.What people are talking about todayEurope just pushed through another... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New copyright rules could curb access to online media in Europe

Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Facebook Inc. and freedom of speech activists suffered a blow after the European Parliament rubber-stamped new rules that could curb access to online media in Europe. Once in effect, the rules will likely encourage publishers and music and movie producers to pursue money... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple's long-awaited streaming TV service to offer Oprah, Amazing Stories

Oprah Winfrey brings documentaries and Book Club, Steven Spielberg brings thrills and chills to Apple TV Plus. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2019-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: Hay Festival’s New Branding; BKS Agency’s Sale to Canongate

The Hay Festival has a new look that changes its colors with each of its international festivals, and the fledgling BKS agency has a London Book Fair sale to Canongate. The post Industry Notes: Hay Festival’s New Branding; BKS Agency’s Sale to Canongate appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Christchurch attack: tech firms must clean up platforms - Javid

UK home secretary says they ‘have responsibility not to do terrorists’ work for them’Internet companies who allow the distribution of banned content “should be prepared to face the full force of the law”, Sajid Javid has said, as he called on people to stop watching and sharing the livestream... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hammond vows to make tech companies pay ‘fair share’

Philip Hammond vowed to make tech giants pay their “fair share” of tax in yesterday’s Spring Statement.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New European legislation will improve ebook accessibility, says FEP

The Federation of European Publishers (FEP) has welcomed a European act of parliament created to make products and services more accessible, saying ebooks will be covered by the provisions of the legislation. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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