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Captioning blooper
2008-04-24 01:50:00
Captioning blooper found on an unknown TV network - someone passed this along to me but doesn’t know which TV station it is. Ed note: Snopes says it’s Los Angeles news station KABC-TV. Thanks Pete. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Captioning blooper", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=93" });
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Jaman - offering downloadable foreign films with subtitles
2008-02-13 04:03:00
Jaman is an online movie site that specializes in indie, art house, and foreign films.  Full-length feature movies can be downloaded to watch on your computer or television (no iPod or iPhone capability, yet) and cost $1.99 to rent and $4.99 to purchase.  There are over 1,000 titles to choose from, and being that a ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Jaman - offering downloadable foreign films with subtitles", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=91" });
More About: Films , Subtitles , Foreign

Wordpress plugin for referrer spam
2008-02-12 17:46:00
I’ve been noticing a lot of referrer spam in my logs, so I installed this plugin that blocks referrer spam.  Hopefully it won’t cause my posts to break on RSS readers and blog aggregators.  Please let me know if anything breaks.  Thanks! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Wordpress plugin for referrer spam", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=90" });
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Emirates Airlines becomes first airline to offer closed captioning on infli
2008-02-12 01:16:00
In November, Emirates Airline s became the first major airline to offer closed captions on inflight entertainment. All seats in all classes of the airline are equipped with their iCE (Information Communication Entertainment) system, which offers over 600 channels and other snazzy features, such as viewing the aircraft?s external cameras, and sending SMS or email ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Emirates Airlines becomes first airline to offer closed captioning on inflight entertainment", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=89" });
More About: Offer , Closed

Making the grade: the candidates and accessibility
2008-02-11 06:18:00
Ed. note: I updated this post at 14:35 PST on Monday, Feb 11, 2008 to add more information of each candidate’s voting record on accessibility & deaf tech issues, and upgraded McCain’s grade from “F” to “D-” based on his voting record.  This post over on Daily Kos by ?slinkerwink? describes how Barack Obama is the ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Making the grade: the candidates and accessibility", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=88" });
More About: Candidates , Accessibility

Deaf Porn gets noticed in Penny Arcade & Wired
2008-02-10 22:02:00
Wired recently found my post on Deaf Bunny and did an article covering them. Then Penny Arcade picked it up and turned it into a comic. I think it’s funny. Click the image to see bigger - sorry, I had to crop this so it would fit the blog, so the talk bubbles are ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Deaf Porn gets noticed in Penny Arcade & Wired", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=87" });
More About: Wired

Pepsi makes ASL & subtitled commercial for Super Bowl
2008-02-09 02:34:00
I was reluctant to post this because it’s been all over the deaf blogosphere, but just in case my readers haven’t seen it yet, this is a very funny commercial that aired during last week’s Super Bowl . Thank you, Pepsi ! More info on the video here. For some reason Wordpress doesn’t embed YouTube videos ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Pepsi makes ASL & subtitled commercial for Super Bowl", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=86" });
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Text4Deaf Web to Text Message Service
2008-02-08 23:46:00
Text 4 Deaf is a web-to-text message service that allows users to send a text message from the web site to a cell phone belonging to an individual or a group. The recipients can return the messages via their cell phones, and the messages will be delivered to the sender via Web. Text4Deaf is ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Text4Deaf Web to Text Message Service ", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=85" });
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Podcasting on Stone Deaf Pilots
2008-02-08 21:00:00
You may have noticed that at the top of my posts on this blog, there’s a blurb that says “Listen to this as a podcast” with a button labeled “Odiogo.”  I received a comment from a reader asking me what it was for, so I am going to relink to the post I made in ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Podcasting on Stone Deaf Pilots ", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=84" });

LAPD seeks to let 911 callers send text messages, photos
2008-02-08 17:43:00
Officials in Los Angeles are looking into implementing a text message system for 911 emergency services that would allow people to send not only text messages, but also photos and videos from their cell phones when immediate assistance is required. Officials told the L.A. Police Commission that they were beginning to seek money to install the ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "LAPD seeks to let 911 callers send text messages, photos", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=83" });
More About: Photos , Messages , Text , Send , Ages

Thanks a Million
2008-02-08 17:40:00
I started writing in this blog in March of 2007, and in January, this blog hit one million unique visits.  Thanks! Here’s to the next million! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Thanks a Million ", url: "http://www.stonedeafpilots.com/?p=82" });

Deaf race car driver uses technology to communicate with pit crew
2008-02-05 19:22:00
Russell Errigo, a deaf race car driver, emailed me these pictures showing him using an Ultratec Compact TTY as a wireless TTY radio to communicate with his pit crew while zooming around the track at 100+ mph speeds. Photos courtesy Russell Errigo - thanks! EDIT: For the commenters below that wondered if this was a hoax, ...
More About: Technology , Driver , Race , Communicate , Crew

dotSUB allows users to create their own captions
2008-02-05 07:40:00
dotSUB allows users to create their own captions/subtitles on online videos.  From their website: dotSUB is a browser based tool enabling subtitling of videos on the web into and from any language. There is nothing to buy and nothing to download. Recognizing the potential of global communication powered by the Internet, the founders of ...
More About: Users , Create

TV-B-Gone
2008-02-05 07:16:00
The gym I work out at has five television sets in the cardio room. I noticed that when I went to work out, sometimes the closed captions would be displayed on one set, but not all five sets. And sometimes the closed captions wouldn’t be turned on at all. For the past ...

Note from the Editor
2008-02-05 06:56:00
Dear Stone Deaf Pilots readers, I appreciate your loyalty and readership.  However, recent emails and comments have promoted me to clarify what Stone Deaf Pilots is and what I do. I welcome comments, suggestions, story ideas, ad space inquiries, and the like.  You may email me at kosmonaut@gmail.com.  I’ll try to respond as soon as possible.  I ...
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From the Editor
2008-01-04 19:04:00
A reader let me know that this blog had ben hacked and was showing drug spam.  Sorry about that - I upgraded the Wordpress to 2.3.2 and that seems to have solved the problem.  Please let me know if this blog breaks in any more ways. Thanks much!
More About: Editor

Data-only plans and AT&T
2007-12-01 11:32:00
Gizmodo, DeafMac, and TUAW all report that AT&T offered a data-only plan and then retracted it. A Colorado AT&T store was offering a text/data-only, no-voice plan at the price of $27.99 a month, but had to cease when AT&T Corporate told them that people were complaining about deaf people getting “special treatment.” First, let me ...
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Portal is deaf-friendly
2007-10-15 18:16:00
I discovered over the weekend while playing Portal on a friend’s orange box that it has closed captions AND subtitles, and the handheld controller vibrates during certain events, such as firing the gun or impacting. Previously: Subtitles needed in video games
More About: Friendly

100% deaf-friendly porn
2007-10-05 09:13:00
Editor?s Note: In this post I?ve got a link that is tagged with ?(NSFW).? This means Not Safe For Work viewing, due to adult content. I just discovered DeafBunny (NSFW), a deaf-owned adult entertainment company that films porn using deaf actors that communicate with each other in American Sign Language. There are even subtitles if ...
More About: Friendly

GotVoice - read your voicemail
2007-10-05 07:42:00
GotVoice is a service that converts voicemails to text and sends them to you via email or text messages. It’s a paid service, but very useful if you’re deaf and need to be in contact with hearing people who don’t do Relay services, email or text messages. Previously: Jott - getting the hearing & deaf in ...
More About: Read , Voicemail

Captions for handheld devices coming soon? I hope!
2007-10-05 07:30:00
ViewCast’s new Niagara SCX Pro captures and encodes streaming video for handheld/mobile devices. They included closed captioning technology for XML in this product. Previously: Showtime?s new mobile video service - is it deaf-friendly? Mobile TV iTunes and closed captioning
More About: Devices , Handheld , Hope , Caption , Held

ASL & subtitles together in online media
2007-10-05 07:20:00
Alessio Cartocci of the web accessibility work group Webmultimediale in Italy has developed an Internet video player with switchable multilingual subtitles and a resizeable sign language window that is superimposed over the player. Here’s a screenshot: The player uses a SMIL file to synchronize the video, audio, and captioning text files. Previously: Subtitles for DivX movies
More About: Media , Online , Titles

Blinkx
2007-10-05 07:02:00
Blinkx is an Internet search engine for video (and audio) content. It’s unique from other video search engines in that it uses speech-to-text technology, advanced video analytics, and reads text transcripts (including closed captioned files) to find videos. An useful feature for deafies: type “captions” in the search field and it will ...
More About: Blinkx

QuickTime - now with closed captioning
2007-10-03 17:36:00
In May of this year (yes, I’m a little behind, sorry) Apple updated their QuickTime media to include support for closed captioning. This is very good - the road to bringing captions to the online world has been filled with potholes, and Apple’s recent update has helped make the road a little bit smoother. ...
More About: Quicktime , Closed , Caption

Preserving closed captions in upcoming technology
2007-10-03 17:12:00
Currently, television stations broadcast in analog television. In February 2009, all television stations will start broadcasting in digital television (DTV.) People who continue to use analog television sets after February 2009 will have to get an analog-to-digital converter box so they can continue to watch TV. There are concerns that closed captions ...
More About: Technology , Upcoming , Closed , Caption

Subtitles needed in video games
2007-10-03 17:01:00
Via Kotaku: Kotaku reader A_Zombie contacted us about an email to industry trade association Entertainment Software Association (ESA). He contacted them regarding the lack of subtitles in gaming. Not sure if ESA is the place to go with this concern as the ESA is the industry’s “voice.” Regardless, here’s the letter: Dear Sir or Ma’aam,I am ...
More About: Video , Video Games , Games , Subtitles , Video-Games

IBM unveils ?Speech to Sign Language? translation system
2007-10-03 03:27:00
Via IBM’s press release: HURSLEY, UK - 12 Sep 2007: IBM (NYSE: IBM) has developed an ingenious system called SiSi (Say It Sign It) that automatically converts the spoken word into British Sign Language (BSL) which is ...
More About: System , Speech , Translation

LAMA - Location Aware Messaging for Accessibility
2007-10-03 03:12:00
Research students at IBM’s Extreme Blue research laboratory in the United Kingdom have developed a new technology that is being tested in the UK. Called “Loca tion Aware Messaging for Accessibility ,” or LAMA for short, it aims to be an alert system for the deaf and hearing impaired in public places such as airports, train ...
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AOL is testing captioning on online videos
2007-09-30 21:16:00
Via Accessible Web Design Workshop: AOL is now testing closed captions for streaming news content from CNN that will enhance the online media experience for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Caption ed CNN video content will beavailable throughout the AOL network, including the AOL service, the free AOL.com Web portal, and the AOL Video ...
More About: Videos , Testing , Online

Showtime?s new mobile video service - is it deaf-friendly?
2007-09-30 20:35:00
In October 2006, Showtime announced that they would be launching a new mobile video service. Of course, my first thought was, “will it have captions?” From the above link: NEW YORK, NY- October 9, 2006 ? Mobile Streams and Showtime Networks Inc. announced today that Mobile Streams has built an Off-Deck WAP portal to ...
More About: Video , Service , Friendly