Longueuil, QC, Canada, April 28, 2010 -- HumanWare is pleased to announce that Oratio, a new screen reader application for BlackBerry® smatphones, is now available in Canada supporting the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8520 Smartphones available from Canadian mobile service provider Fido.

Issue from the joint collaborative efforts between HumanWare, Code Factory, the leading provider of screen reader technology and maker of Mobile Speak, and Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of the award winning portfolio of BlackBerry products and solutions, Oratio is a software application design to convert the information presented visually on the BlackBerry smartphone screen into speech output which enables visually impaired users to access and operate their BlackBerry smartphone.

image of a BlackBerry® with Oratio software.
 

Customers interested in the Oratio for BlackBerry solution can purchase their BlackBerry CurveTM 8520 smartphone directly from one of the Fido retail store or through their online services, and then purchase and download Oratio for BlackBerry for $475 for a single license at www.humanware.com/oratio

Support for additional BlackBerry smartphone models, languages and mobile service provider will be forthcoming and announced as they become available.

About Oratio

  • Screen reader application that provides blind and visually impaired customers with a solution to more easily access BlackBerry smartphones
  • Based on the award-winning Mobile Speak screen reader software application
  • Provides customers with an intuitive speech interface that reads aloud the information displayed visually on the BlackBerry smartphone screen
  • Supports BlackBerry CurveTM 8520 smartphones from Fido (Canada)
  • Available in US English, with upcoming support for other languages
  • Available for download at www.humanware.com/oratio

For more information about Oratio, visit www.humanware.com/oratio.

About HumanWare

HumanWare (www.humanware.com) is the global leader in assistive technologies for the print disabled. HumanWare provides products to people who are blind or have low vision and students with learning disabilities. HumanWare offers a collection of innovative products, including BrailleNote, the leading productivity device for the blind in education, business and for personal use; the Victor Reader product line, the world's leading digital audiobook players; the SmartView family of handheld and desktop electronic magnifiers; and myReader2, HumanWare's unique "auto-reader". For more information about HumanWare, visit www.humanware.com.

About Code Factory

Code Factory is the leading provider of screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille interfaces for the widest range of mainstream mobile devices. Our mission is to break down barriers to the accessibility of mobile technology for the blind and visually impaired. Our accessible solutions are used in more than 50 countries and 30 languages. Among Code Factory's customers are well known organizations for the blind such as ONCE, and carriers such as AT&T, Bouygues Telecom, SFR, and Vodafone. To learn more about Code Factory, visit http://www.codefactory.es.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.