Author Archives: pbravin

AT&T ATRIX–An Hidden (Android) Gem in Mobile Phones!

What is so special about the AT&T ATRIX from Motorola?

At first, it looks like a typical videophone–but Motorola (who makes the phone) went one step further–the phone has a laptop dock and a HD Multimedia dock. What that means is after you use the phone while you are out of the house, when you get home you attach it (dock it) to a laptop and the laptop accesses all the information on the phone and you use the laptop as a computer–while you are in the house. You can do many things with the laptop and any new information you out on the laptop is also put on the phone (because it is attached via a dock.) Then you can move it to a HD multimedia dock and the dock attaches to a television and it can play whatever you downloaded on your phone to your HDTV! This means your phone can do everything while you are out of the house, and do more when you are back home! Here is the link to the AT&T website about the phone. What a cool phone this is!

AND it is now available for videophone calls with the Z4 Mobile! (link to download Z4 Mobile)

Information on AT&T Motorola ATRIX (link)

Information on AT&T Motorola ATRIX HD Multimedia Dock (link)

Info on AT&T Motorola ATRIX Webtop (link)

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

What is So Special About the iPad2 with Z4 Mobile?

It’s almost the perfect videophone!

You can put it on a desk with a stand and make a video call.

You can put it on a coffee table with a stand and make a video call.

You can put it on a kitchen counter with a stand and make a video call.

You can carry it anywhere in your house and make a video call.

With a good 3G connection, you can make a video call from your car (passenger side highly recommended.)

If you have an iPhone 4 with Z4 Mobile, you can use the same address book (My Contacts) as the iPad2 with Z4 Mobile. You do not have to feed the same addresses on both devices.

No wires–no walking to your phone–no lost remote control–no dogs will eat your remote control!

What more do you want? The video quality is almost HD!

Go to this link for more information.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #79-How Best to Manage VRS Interpreters-A Guest Editorial by Jeff Rosen

ZVRS (CSDVRS) is very mindful how we manage VRS interpreters in a way that we do not affect the surrounding community’s interpreting needs where we have a center. We work through this by having interpreters work remotely from their homes in a secure room. Jeff Rosen, CSDVRS’ General Counsel explains this in an editiorial which was previously submitted to Ed’s Alert along with a link to our response to the FCC on this issue.
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As a result of healthy competition and choices, there are many more interpreters engaged in providing VRS in the US. We must view the impact of call centers on the availability of in-person interpreters for the deaf community and also the impact of call centers on the well being of interpreters. Many people in the US (and Canada) are of the view that VRS has made it much more difficult for them to obtain in-person interpreters, that call centers leave such a large footprint on the deaf communities, and many interpreters are forced to leave their homes in areas of low population density to seek work at a call center usually located in urban areas.

CSDVRS recently wrote a letter to the FCC expressing some concerns.
(Link to FCC Letter)

There is no question that relay consumers have a right to absolutely secure and compliant video interpreted calls, we are smart enough to regulate in a way that accomplishes those requirements. We also can regulate how emergency calls must be handled by virtual video interpreters (also known as in-home interpreters). We can also make sure that all VRS providers primarily use call centers, with virtual video interpreters a limited % of the workforce.

What we cannot afford to do is detach regulatory decisions from the real world impact on deaf people and interpreters. There must be careful study, collaboration and to the extent possible, consensus with the affected constituents – consumers and interpreters.

Jeff Rosen
General Counsel
CSDVRS

Dr. Z (and Jeff) cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman–the new Z-20!

ZVRS is at it again! Another new product!

The “Mercedes” of Videophones–the Z-20…replacing the Z-150.

It has the features that were on the Z-150…and more and better…the screen quality is unbelievable–it has the same address book (My Contacts), answering machine (My Mail) and alerts (Z Alert).

If you have your address book on another Z-phone such as the Z4, you do not have to re-enter all the addresses on the Z-20.

For more information, go to this link.

To watch the video, go to this link.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

HTC EVO! Not just the software…

Wow–Z4 Mobile is now working on the HTC EVO!!!

But there are other things to think about:

–interpreter quality

–answering machine for both point-to-point and relay calls

–address book that works on all devices–you update one address book on one device–it updates other address books

–and MORE!!

Which software has all of the above? Z4 Mobile–try it, you will like it–go to this link to download the Z4 Mobile App

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #78-Is the Sorenson ntouch Interoperable?

Dr. Z cares so much about communication access—that everyone can call others with nothing blocking their way…can you imagine a Verizon cell phone not being able to call an ATT cell phone–this does not happen out there today–all the cell phones out there can call one another.

Sorenson’s ntouch which was recently announced can only call Sorenson VP-200, ntouch Mobile and ntouch PC–but it cannot call other videophones. Also, other non-Sorenson videophones cannot call Sorenson’s ntouch. Also, ntouch users cannot call other VRS providers, only Sorenson VRS–just like Sorenson’s VP-100 when it first came out. What is this all about? Limiting a deaf and hard of hearing person’s access in 2011, on the 20th anniversary of ADA? At the same time, in the ntouch FAQ section (as of today), the following text appears–

This needs to be corrected–the deaf and hard of hearing consumers today need to be fully informed and Dr. Z is on the side of consumers who want full and unimpeded access when they make videophone calls. The FCC cares about interoperability and Dr. Z urges the FCC to look into this matter.

This is separate from the fact that Dr. Z is associated with ZVRS and that all of ZVRS products do not block or impede any calls–Dr. Z is speaking from his heart as a deaf and hard of hearing consumer.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Know What? Z4 Mobile on the HTC EVO!

ZVRS is adding another device to its growing list of supported phones!

The next phone? The HTC EVO!

ZVRS finally found a way to make this happen and we’re glad to be able to make this available. You can download right away–you do not need to wait for an installer to come to your house to install it for you. You can call any videophone–VP-200, Z-150, Z-340, Z-Ojo and P3! Not like the other provider who restricts you to call just the VP-200!

Click on the link to watch the video–and wait until Tuesday, March 1, 2011 to download and you will experience FREEDOM!!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #77-FCC Waives 800 Number Treatment for Up to 6 Months

Earlier this month, the FCC waived the treatment of 800 numbers for another 6 months while it reviews the numbering rulemaking process. The new rules would be issued in the near future. The new rules could restrict the use of 800/866 numbers or extend its restriction for another period of time. That remains to be seen.

Some providers continue to use 866 numbers which could be removed from the iTRS data base if the FCC decides to do so. If that happens, those VP’s with 866 numbers would not be able to receive calls from certain phones. The FCC is encouraging those with 866 numbers to switch over to their assigned local (non-866) numbers. The only advantage of having 866 numbers is for hearing people to call deaf and hard of hearing people toll free. That advantage is not worth much today because many cell phones have no distance calling charges as they come with free minutes.

Dr. Z is encouraging those with 866 numbers to switch over to local numbers which they already have and give the local numbers to their hearing providers (doctors, dentists, etc.) as well as hearing family members.

The text of the FCC waiver can be found at this link.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #76-I Have a Blackberry or a Sidekick and My 2-Year Contract is Almost Over–What Should I Do?

The answer? Get a Z Mobile Phone!

You have a choice–you won’t be limited to one outdated/outmoded model…you can choose from the following:

-Apple iPhone 4 (AT&T and Verizon)
-Apple iPod Touch (Best Buy, Walmart, etc.)
-Samsung Epic (Sprint)
-Samsung Tab (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon)
-MyTouch 4G (T-Mobile)

If you have a Sidekick (T-Mobile) or a Blackberry (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint or T-Mobile) that is almost at the end of your 2-year commitment, you can go to your phone company and check out what your upgrade options are–most of the new phones will come at a lower price if you upgrade as compared when you buy them new. Plus, you get all the great features that come with a Z Mobile Phone–they all come with the Z4 Mobile App, which allows you to make relay calls with ZVRS, make point to point calls with a VP-200 or other Z phones with no number restriction, have a complete answering machine on your phone, have missed calls sent to your mobile phone and more to come.

What are you waiting for?–go out and check!!! You will be pleased with ZVRS and Z4 Mobile.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.