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 ]
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Special Edition: Behind the scenes at the Long Read

To celebrate the launch of the new Guardian Long Read magazine this week, join the Long Read editor David Wolf in discussion with regular contributors Sophie Elmhirst and Samanth Subramanian• The Guardian Long Read magazine is available to order now• The best stories take time. The Guardian Long... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-11-15 05:00:09 UTC ]
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Column: She set out to build robots. She ended up exposing big tech

Joy Buolamwini, author of "Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines," joins the L.A. Times Book Club on Nov. 14. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-11-03 00:31:12 UTC ]
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All The Public Libraries Offering Free Access to Banned Books: A Comprehensive Guide

A comprehensive guide to the public libraries offering free access to banned books. Here's where and how. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-23 10:40:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt: Ljubljana Reading Manifesto Rallies Book Industry

Guest of Honor Slovenia kicks off its professional program at the Frankfurt Book Fair with a presentation of Ljubjana Reading Manifesto. The post Frankfurt: Ljubljana Reading Manifesto Rallies Book Industry appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-18 15:10:08 UTC ]
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Publishing Industry Sales Rebounded in August

Following a July slump, book sales were up 8.5% in August at the 1,233 publishers that supply data to AAP’s StatShot program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Fans Recharge the Comics Industry at NYCC 2023

New York Comic Con held an exhausting yet exhilarating annual celebration of comics and pop culture October 12–15, where new imprints, partnerships, and plenty of dealmaking took place alongside cosplay, massive manga character balloons, and immersive activations. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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All the big tech layoffs of 2023

The tech industry is reeling from the combination of a rough economy, the COVID-19 pandemic and some obvious business missteps. And while that led to job cuts in 2022, the headcount reductions have unfortunately ramped up in 2023. It can be tough to keep track of these... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-10-16 15:52:41 UTC ]
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The 53 best Prime Day deals to shop while you still can — from portable tech to smart home gear

We're now getting close to the end of Amazon's second Prime Day sale event for 2023. Most of the deals we're tracking are still live, so you can still shop early for the holidays — or buy something for yourself at a discount. If you missed out on the deals from the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-10-11 22:10:30 UTC ]
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The 40+ best Prime Day deals to shop for right now — from portable tech to smart home gear

We're into day two of Amazon's second Prime Day sale event for 2023, and it's still a great opportunity to shop for your holiday gifts early — or get something for yourself. If you missed out on any of the deals from the company's Prime Day event in July, this year's... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-10-11 14:20:09 UTC ]
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‘It’s gonna be a race’: Publishers speak out on the industry’s post-cookie preparedness

During the Digiday Publishing Summit, execs from companies including Condé Nast, Dotdash Meredith and Thomson Reuters assessed the industry's readiness. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-25 04:01:00 UTC ]
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The best October Amazon Prime Day early access deals for 2023

No, the sale hasn't started yet. Amazon's second Prime-related event for 2023 is officially called Prime Big Deal Days and will happen October 10 and 11. This is the second year for a fall-based, site-wide Amazon sale and we're already seeing discounts pop up. You'll need a Prime membership to... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-09-22 16:30:31 UTC ]
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The State of the Printing Industry

Book manufacturers gathered recently in New York to take stock of the sector in the wake of the pandemic, and to look to the future. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing Industry Sales Slumped in July

Book sales fell 10.9% in July at the 1,233 publishers that supply data to AAP’s StatShot program. Sales of adult books dropped 4.6%, and children's/young adult book sales declined 10.7%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Hitting the Books: Meet Richard Arkwright, the world's first tech titan

You didn't actually believe all those founder's myths about tech billionaires like Bezos, Jobs and Musk pulling themselves up by their bootstraps from some suburban American garage, did you? In reality, our corporate kings have been running the same playbook since the 18th century when... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-09-11 20:50:45 UTC ]
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Hitting the Books: Meet Richard Akrwright, the world's first tech titan

You didn't actually believe all those founder's myths about tech billionaires like Bezos, Jobs and Musk pulling themselves up by their bootstraps from some suburban American garage, did you? In reality, our corporate kings have been running the same playbook since the 18th century when... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-09-10 14:30:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #artificial intelligence #founders aim #automating cloth-making #endemic culture #independent contractors #company insists


Libby is making it easier to access magazines for free with a supported library card

A library card is one of the most useful things you can have in your wallet. Libby offers free access to ebooks and audiobooks if you have a supported library card (some 90 percent of public libraries in North America now use OverDrive's app). Not only that, you can also use Libby to read a host... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-08-28 17:00:30 UTC ]
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The Long, Winding, Booby-Trapped, and Occasionally Rewarding Road to Publication

The road to publication for my first novel was not only long and winding, but also booby-trapped, and in places there was no road, just long empty gaps that could only be filled by time. I started L.A. Breakdown as a junior at UC Santa Cruz, in 1972. I was old for a junior at […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-08-23 09:40:00 UTC ]
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#BookTok Helped Book Sales Soar. How Long Will That Last?

In July, for the first month ever, sales from the roughly 180 BookTok authors BookScan follows fell from the prior year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Publishing Industry Has a New Nightmare

Consolidation was supposed to be books’ biggest threat. Is private equity worse? Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-08-11 14:00:00 UTC ]
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What the sale of a major American book publisher means for authors, the industry — and you

Book publisher Simon & Schuster's sale to investment firm KKR is novel in many ways, but also part of a long-term trend. History tells us to expect the unexpected. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-08-08 17:35:35 UTC ]
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