----- Original Message ----- From: "Kelly Pierce" <kellyjosef@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <VICUG-L at MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 4:38 PM Subject: Fw: More Info on New Accessible Cell Phone Dennis adds new details from a Sprint press release. He sent it to me and obviously intended to share it with the list. The phone is now available at retail stores and the full price is $330, which may be offered for less as this is the only talking cell phone that Sprint provides. Kelly ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dennis Bartlett" <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: "Kelly Pierce" <kellyjosef at EARTHLINK.NET> Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 2:33 PM Subject: RE: More Info on New Accessible Cell Phone > Sprint, the US telecom operator, has announced the immediate availability of > its latest video phone, manufactured by > Toshiba, > through its chain of retail stores. > > The VM4050 offers rich imaging capabilities > The VM4050 offers a built-in video and still camera, which can take and send > VGA images or 15-second clips. The 2.2-inch TFT main screen offers 310 x 350 > pixel resolution at 260K (18-bit) colours, while the camera offers 4x > digital and 2x optical zoom, picture light and a self-timer function. > > The 1-inch external STN screen supports 16-bit colour and offers picture > caller ID so users can instantly tell who is calling without opening the > phone. > > Other features include a built-in speakerphone, voice control and voice > guidance, which means the phone talks to users to inform them of important > events. > PIM functionality is also included along with other basic applications such > as a calculator. The handset also contains an embedded GPS system for > emergency > location services. > > The phone's hardware is dual-band and tri-mode for operation outside of the > Sprint PCS network, while supported PCS Vision features include Picture > Mail, > Messaging, Games, Ringers, Screen Savers, Web and PCS Business Connection. > > A lithium-ion battery gives the VM4050 a claimed life of 10 days standby or > over 3 hours of talk-time, while an extended battery offers an extra 50% > life. > > Sprint are suggesting a retail price of $329.99 USD at its retail stores. > > -----Original Message----- > From: VICUG-L: Visually Impaired Computer Users' Group List > [mailto:VICUG-L at MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU]On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce > Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2003 10:14 AM > To: VICUG-L at MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU > Subject: More Info on New Accessible Cell Phone > > > Hello all, > > In the last hour, I reached Bonnie O'Day who shared some information > about the new accessible cell phone. As many know, Bonnie filed a > discrimination complaint about cell phone accessibility against cell > phone producer Audiovox and service provider Verizon Wireless. last > week, Audiovox settled the complaint by offering a cell phone that > provides voice guidance to enable blind users to place and receive voice > calls. The complaint is still pending against Verizon who has not > decided to offer the new phone. Verizon is America's largest wireless > communications company with 38 million subscribers. It had $1.8 billion > in profits in the third quarter of 2003. > > The telephone is currently offered by Sprint as the VM4050 by Toshiba. > It has the following audio features: > > *Voice announce of On/off > *Voice announce of Roaming out of local area > *Voice identifying battery status by percentage > *Voice confirmation of outgoing telephone number to be dialed > *Talking caller ID of incoming calls > *Voice announcement that voice mails are waiting when phone is turned on. > > Bonnie thanked the American Foundation for the Blind who hired as a > consultant a highly knowledgeable telecommunications expert that provided > invaluable technical assistance in working with the companies to develop > this solution. It is unclear if this telephone is available at > storefront Sprint locations or just through catalog orders. In either > event, the audio functionality is built right into the phone. There is > no special software to install and no blind version either! The > mainstream product itself is accessible for basic functionality. > > Kelly > > > VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. > To join or leave the list, send a message to > listserv at maelstrom.stjohns.edu. In the body of the message, simply type > "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. > VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at > http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html > > > VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. To join or leave the list, send a message to listserv at maelstrom.stjohns.edu. In the body of the message, simply type "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
