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March 20, 2022. The Amazon Kindle Keyboard eReader

: This device was discontinued by Amazon in 2012, although, used models can be found on eBay. I purchased the Kindle Keyboard in December, 2010 for $124.99. I still use this device daily, since, it is an Ereader not a tablet, the battery lasts forever, and, I can start reading a book in less than ten seconds. Try that with a tablet? Won't happen!

The Kindle Keyboard was Amazon's first real dip into accessibility for visual impaired users. Not only were Kindle book titles coming out with a text-to-speech feature, but, this Kindle was designed with speakers and a headphone/ear bud jack. This set the stage for a simple but effective voice reader which gave blind users control with a talk-back feature. Now, finally, one could navigate the Kindle with audio feedback.

Other features? Through Amazon, one could sample books and eventually buy those books if wanted. One could also connect the Kindle by USB cable to a computer and the Kindle directory would show up as an ecxternal drive. Why was this a great feature? Well, the Kindle could also play .mp3 audio files and the text-to-speech feature used to read back Kindle books could also be used to talk-back ordinary .txt files. At the time, that was an amazing feature. I still use the Kindle this way. Note that this Kindle will pair with a computer running Windows xp. For the newer Amazon Fire tablets, you need to do some juking around to get it to work this way! If a new user had the Kindle Keyboard simple layout of the keyboard and buttons plus four-way/enter described to them, it was quite possible to kick-in the voice screenreader with just a few strokes!

Let me describe that process here! The Layout.

When you hold the Kindle Keyboard in your hand screen up and in the vertical position, there are page forward/back buttons on both sides and sliders and input jacks on the bottom (not rear) side of the device. The forward/back buttons work this way. The top button will take you back one page. The bottom button will take you forward one page. simple eh?
Let's now go to the bottom - left to right. The first rocker switch turns the volume up and down.
second, there is an input jack for headphones/ear buds.
Third, there is a micro usb port for charging or connecting to your computer to transfer files.
Lastly, to the far right, a slider switch to go from screensaver to the home (list of files in your directory; books, ect) page. By holding the switch in one position for 7 seconds or so, the Kindle Keyboard will power off.

If you thought it impossible to get the Voice Guide (screenreader) running without sighted assistance? Wrong! There is a keyboard shortcut.

to toggle Voice Guide on and off? While holding down the Shift key , press the Space bar. Where is the shift key? Holding the Kindle Keyboard in the position as first described, feel along the bottom row. Going left from the spacebar, the first button/key is alt and the second is shift. Looking at it another way, on the bottom row, the first button/key is shift. Cool eh?

If you want to use the Kindle Keyboard to purchase Kindle Books or download samples, you will need sighted help in connecting to wi-fi and registering the Kindle Keyboard with Amazon. However, after creating those connections, it is much easier to use other digital devices such as a laptop to connect to Amazon to select those Kindle books, or, perhaps use the Online Digital Library offered in your state and connected to your local public library to borrow Kindle books. When doing this operation, just choose the Amazon device to have the media downloaded to. Easy-peasy! You've got choices!

Beyond the basic book, text and MP3 file reading, the Kindle Keyboard, of course, had some drawbacks. It came with an experimental browser. It worked, but, navigation was not talk-back. So, not very useable for the visual impaired. Also, as the name suggests, it came with a small footprint physical keyboard. Perhaps, one could memorize the layout. But, again, not very useful for the visually impaired, especially the those with no vision whatsoever. However, those with nimble fingers might have a go at it. Although, there is no audio feedback when entering characters with the keyboard. Can easily be hit or miss! It's a simple short text tool.

Note: I've had my original Kindle Keyboard for twelve years, but, just recently found a great deal on eBay for a Kindle Keyboard that was black-listed. That means it was lost or stolen and one couldn't register the device to purchase books from Amazon. If one has their device lost or stolen just call Amazon and they will make it impossible for anyone to register the device. Your registration is protected as well. In other words, the device is useless to purchase Amazon Kindle books. However, I don't use the device this way (All of my Kindle books are Kindle conversions which I transfer from my desktop to the device), and, happy to face this limitation! Free shipping! In the door for $18.22! Pays to shop around!

After this purchase, secured another for about the same price. I can register this Kindle Keyboard, however, the seller noted that the screen was missing some pixels. Since I use as a audio playback device, again no problem!

January 21, 2022. Kindle Ereaders. The Last Word

: More on my philosophy for reading with Amazon devices. In my case, I read alot of books, perhaps 3 per week. I, like many in the blind community am limited in the amount of money I can spend on reading material. NLS Library of Congress Talking Books for the Blind and Print Disabled fills some of that need and I appreciate the service. And, the Kindle format books you can borrow from your online public library is another resource I cherish. That is where I come from on the whole Amazon devices for reading and how it colors my preferences.

However, if you have no problem: 1. connecting to your reading device solely by and listening through an external headphone/speaker bluetooth connection, 2. No objection or hurdle to purchasing Audible audio books? The Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis ereaders might just work fine for you. 3. Standard Kindle books? Not recommended. My personal experience owning a Kindle ereader, 8th Generation, with audio over bluetooth is greatly tempered by the Voice View screenreader/text-to-speech voice which is terrible and hasn't changed with the newest models released in 2021, five years after my initial purchase in 2016! So, as far as I am concerned, this device isn't very good for reading standard Kindle books, although, as noted in #2, Audible might work just fine if that is your reading choice. Audible? I don't sit in that category, but, you may.

Based on my requirement (wanting a simple internal speaker/headphone jack), it just seems to me that the line of Kindle ereaders tilt toward the sighted world and making them accessible to the blind was and continues to be an afterthought. The last time a Kindle ereader passed my test for accessible blind use was 13 years ago with the Kindle 2nd generation and Kindle 3rd generation (also known as Kindle Keyboard). By 2014, Amazon had released Kindle apps for both IOS and android, bringing accessible reading to 3rd party phones and tablets. I think you might now see the direction Amazon was taking when it came to blind accessibility and the reading of Kindle books. As far as their own devices? Here comes the Fire tablet and forget the ereaders for blind users.

As an aside, my twelve year old Kindle Keyboard, with an internal speaker and headphone jack, can be voiced right out of the box. It also has two voices, male and female. They are more mechanical, however, run circles around the voice offered in the newer Kindle ereaders, just one, a female voice. For a company that came up with a stellar voice in Alexa, boggles the mind!

With my Kindle Keyboard, I can be reading a book in less than ten seconds. Try that with any of the newer Amazon offerings, either ereaders or tablets. Won't happen. Takes longer than that for the Fire tablet to power up!

I found this timeline for the Kindle ereaders to be a nice read. You might as well. Link: www.ebookfriendly.com/timeline-kindle-history.

January 20, 2022. Blind, is The Kindle Paperwhite in Your Future

: So, you wonder about the AmazonKindle Paperwhite ereader and if it is accessible to the blind reader? The short answer is yes but read on for a more involved answer. This is from the technical specifications for the newest model of the Kindle Paperwhite ereader, 11th Generation, priced at $139.99 (US). Accessibility Features: VoiceView screen reader, available over Bluetooth audio, provides spoken feedback allowing you to navigate your device and read books with text-to-speech (available in English only). Kindle Paperwhite also includes the ability to invert Black and White, adjust font size, font face, line spacing and margins. Content Formats Supported: Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PMP through conversion; Audible audio format (AAX).

Note that I purchased, when it came out, a Kindle ereader, 8th Generation, (the first with audio over bluetooth) in 2016. You can watch a Youtube video unboxing and, focused on accessibility, of this device here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhRoU5r-XBE.

Another Youtube video, more involved, from a sighted perspective unboxing. Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7XnPw1WxpQ.

It will pair with both my bluetooth earbuds and bluetooth speakers. The OS is forked from the older and discontinued Kindle Keyboard ereader. Personally, the Kindle Keyboard I find to work better for reading Kindle books with text-to-speech. No audio over bluetooth is required. It also has a headphone jack and internal speaker. Much easier to use. You can find these used. I bought two on eBay for less than $20 (US).

I am totally reliant on a screenreader since I cannot see the screen. So, for me, for the best experience, plus the greater possibilities out of a book reader, I would default to the Fire tablet. They are less expensive and more versitle than the Kindle Paperwhite ereader.

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