J-Say 17 is Released!

Page down four times for version 17 specific information.

What is J-Say ?

J-Say is the world leader in providing a blind person with the ability to control the computer with the human voice.

J-Say brings together Dragon professional from Nuance, and JAWS For Windows from Freedom Scientific. However although the product integrates these applications, it also presents the User with an easy to understand interface enabling interaction with the computer using natural language and easy to remember and understand vocabulary.

That's Good Terminology, But What Does it Actually Mean?

It's quite simple. You can talk to the computer and it talks back to you. You can control most aspects of the computer just by using your voice, so J-Say is ideal for anyone who cannot (or does not want to use) the keyboard. See J-Say in Action or Hear Our Audio Podcast!

Who can use it?

As the product has evolved the range of people who are benefiting from the technology has increased. From people who simply want to be more productive and use their voice as an additional means of computer input and control, to individuals who have complex combinations of needs, and who find it difficult if not impossible to make use of computer technology using traditionally accepted methods of input access and control.

Even more remarkably many people interacting with this technology do not have a visual impairment simply finding it difficult or uncomfortable to use the computer screen and so find the J-Say approach more suited to their needs.

Can I Not Use Dragon and JAWS for Windows Without J-Say?

Please do try it. We would really like you to! Remember, do not touch the computer keyboard. Within a minute or two, you will soon discover it is an extremely frustrating experience.

In addition to our amazing J-Say features listed below, the product gives you:

• Complete echo back of your dictation. This is essential so that, as a screen-reader user, you understand that the text you have dictated is accurately reproduced.
• Complete voice access to all of the JAWS screen-reading functions.
• Many features which have been specially designed for blind people who use voice recognition technology. With 12 years of experience working with individuals who cannot use the keyboard, we truly understand the features people need to ensure they are productive and not frustrated when using the computer in this way. Many of our productivity features go way beyond those which Dragon offers to the sighted user.
• Online help which fully explains how a blind person can independently install and use the software without sighted assistance. Our extremely comprehensive tutorial is designed with blind people in mind, and spoken context sensitive guidance is given in many areas of the program.

What applications does J-Say work with?

J-Say provides access to applications which reflect the three most common things which people need to do with computers on a day-to-day basis.

Microsoft Word

Complete access to this application is made possible enabling people, without having to touch the keyboard or look at the screen, to create documents, control text layout, fill in forms and other complex documents, and open/save files, amongst other things.

If you need to word process, doing it the J-Say way takes away the need to use either one's hands or one's eyes, do it all controlling the application with your voice and accessing the computer screen with your ears.

Microsoft Outlook

If you need to work with e-mail, then J-Say Pro provides you with a set of tools to enable you to take complete control of anything e-mail related.
From creating messages to Email navigation, moving and copying messages to folders, to keeping track of your schedule through the Outlook calendar. Our user interface to Microsoft Outlook provides the user with fast, efficient and effective access and control to all aspects of the application.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

J-Say Pro technology provides intuitive access to all aspects of internet navigation and control. From the finding, launching and browsing of WebPages, to the completion of web forms such as searches and shopping carts, J-Say provides the user with natural language internet access like never before.

What Else Can I Expect from J-Say?

• Dictate text in a natural way and have it instantly echoed back to you.
• Rapidly move through list items, words, lines, sentences and paragraphs and have the selected unit spoken back. No need to wait until JAWS has finished reciting the text, just speak the next command.
• Use natural language commands to gain access to the many features of JAWS for Windows. For example, say the words "Be Quiet" to instantly silence the speech synthesiser, or "talk faster" and "talk slower" to change the rate of the speech.
• Create J-Say Text Notes which can reproduce lengthy text passages (such as twenty paragraphs) with a single voice command.
• Easily work with files using Microsoft Windows Explorer and J-Say Tags. Files and folders can be marked for cutting, copying or deleting.
• Use the J-Say Clock to set countup and countdown timers and alarms, or hear Westminster Chimes throughout the day.
• Keep track of appointments with J-Say Diary.
• Move directly to specific sections of web pages with J-Say Alerts.
• Listen to the radio, audio files or CD's and control playback from within any program.
• Dictate text into a portable recorder and have the audio transcribed as text with J-Say Audio Transcription support.
• Take control of your Braille display. It is no longer necessary to remember the key combinations to control the Braille output. These commands will also prove to be a tremendous advantage to people who can read Braille, but who do not have the dexterity necessary to press buttons or keys on the unit.
• Execute many commonly used procedures within the WINDOWS operating system with voice commands. Good examples would be to move directly to the WINDOWS
  Desktop or to maximize the application and document windows, so that the program fills the entire screen.
• Teach the software how you pronounce words and phrases with our interface which allows you to easily add them to the vocabulary. Our special utility can also be used by sighted assistants if necessary. Alternatively, use the superb access to the Dragon Professional correction system.
• The J-Say Configuration Wizard lets you take control of all the product's special functions without the need to remember a number of voice commands.
• Move through tables easily either within Internet Explorer or Microsoft Word. Again, the navigation language is simple to learn with no complications.
• Use our slick Back-Up and restore utilities to make a permanent copy of your speech files and restore them at a later date if necessary.




Further Information about J-Say

Assuming a level of installation and training is purchased, J-Say can be easily configured to allow a physically disabled and visually impaired person to independently carry out tasks such as dialing telephone numbers, through to using software-based DVD and DAISY talking book players. J-Say Pro can also be customized to perform optimally with applications used in the workplace.

You may also care to Purchase Training from your local J-Say Distributor.

It is important that the computer on which J-Say and associated products are to be installed conforms to the following minimum specification.



Computer Specifications and Software Requirements - What You Need to Know!

Please read this section carefully!

It is important that the computer on which J-Say and associated products are to be installed conforms to the following minimum specification, and that the software requirements are met.

• Intel core i3, 5, or 7, 2.2Ghz or higher processor. Faster is always better!
• 4GB of RAM.
• 16-Bit 'on board' sound card (Full duplex) or preferably a compatible USB Digital Sound Converter.
• All releases of Microsoft Windows7, Windows 8, 8.1 and Windows 10.
• Microsoft Office 2010, 2013, 2016 or 365. Office 365 is highly recommended!
• JAWS for Windows version 14,15,16,17,18, 2018 or 2019
• Dragon Professional version 12.5, 13.0, 14.0 or 15.0. if you are using Microsoft Office 2016/365, Dragon Professional Individual V15.3 is the only version that functions with JSay 17. Within the United States, please Contact Us! by Email or telephone for pricing details!
• A high quality headset/microphone. Please Contact Us! by Email or telephone for microphone recommendations.
• Optionally, a high quality portable digital recorder for audio transcription. Please Contact Us! by Email or telephone to discuss which voice recorder would be suitable!

About the J-Say User Guide

The J-Say User Guide comprises three Books. The first Book consists of the "Installation Guide", which gives you step by step detail on how to install your J-Say product. It goes onto describe the voice training enrollment process and how to configure the Windows operating system, associated applications and the J-Say software to perform optimally. Finally, the "Installation Guide" discusses the hardware and software which should be used to ensure you can get the most from the J-Say interface, all using non-technical language where possible and delivered from the perspective of visually impaired people wishing to install the product.

The second volume consists of a J-Say tutorial or "Learning Module". The tutorial teaches you how to use J-Say with its many features, how you can work with non-supported applications and how you can educate the software to learn how you pronounce words and phrases. Again, the language used is not technical, delivered using step-by-step instructions.

The third book is the Command Summary which lists every voice command which can be spoken.

Please Read a Sample of the User Guide!

Subscribing to the J-Say Mailing List

An E-Mail list has been established to discuss all aspects of the J-Say product line. In particular, it can be used as a vehicle for product suggestions or for gaining assistance from other J-Say users. Feel free to Subscribe to the mailing list!



An upgrade from all previous versions to J-Say 16.0 is priced at $135. Please call 1-888-641-6776 ext. 1 to order.

A J-Say Software Maintenance Agreement, (which entitles you to receive the next two paid-for upgrades at a discount price), is $187. Please call 1-888-641-6776 ext. 1 for more information or to order.



What's New in J-Say 17.0!

Introduction

We are very proud to bring you the anticipated release of J-Say version 17.0.

During 2018, we brought to the J-Say community three major releases of the product: One in January, another in May and a third in June. We brought to you at least 15 new features this year, including the commands in Sleep Mode, access to news and weather, and a new way of accessing attachments in Microsoft Outlook.

This year, we are adopting a similar approach. We are already ahead on our release schedule because we are not at the end of 2018 yet.
Principally due to the release of JAWS 2019, and Vispero’s annual licencing model for Home Users, we are bringing to you the initial release of J-Say now to ensure it is compatible with JAWS 2019. This was not quite as straightforward as it would appear. Due to a faster startup time within JAWS, (and what Vispero call a “grace period of authorisation being adopted at startup”, work needed to be done in that area. In JAWS 2019, the mechanism by which JAWS deals with different Office applications has significantly changed. The end result to you is that the response time when using Office is faster, but that created more work for us. Finally, the Skype support needed a complete rewrite to coexist withSkype version 8. It wasn’t just a case of adapting what we had available.

All this work has now been done and is available in this version. We’ve also ensured that this release coexists much more favourably with Zoomtext Fusion as there were problems with earlier versions.

Our next major release will be with you before Christmas. The priorities are to improve the range of voice commands for Skype 8 users, provide some support for Skype for Business, and to deliver a range of commands for use with the OpenTween Twitter client.

Important Notes.

J-Say 17 is compatible with JAWS and Fusion 2019 and earlier, all versions going back to 14.0. With technology changing so rapidly, including Windows itself and Microsoft Office updates, we highly recommend the use of JAWS or Fusion 2019 if at all possible. But if not, we're still supporting the older releases.

If you are using Office 365 and/or Windows10, we highly recommend the use of Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional Individual version 15.3.
Please note at this time, J-Say 17 is only compatible with Dragon Professional Individual 15.3. Should there be a need to support an earlier release of Dragon, this can be easily accommodated. Please let us know.

Compatibility Considerations

J-Say 17.0 coexists with:
Microsoft Office 2010 through to 365(Microsoft Office 365 is highly recommended);
JAWS for Windows versions 14 through to 2019,
Zoomtext Fusion with JAWS for Windows 2018 or 2019,
Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional version 15.3.

Instructions for Upgrading

When you purchased J-Say 17.0, you will have received an Email containing details of how to download and install the product.

If you think you may be entitled to a free upgrade, (either because you purchased the product after August 2018 or because you hold a current Software Maintenance Agreement), you will need to send your JAWS serial number to jaws@hartgen.org, whereupon we will get you up and running.

The documentation is available to you when you install the product by saying
“Get Help”
Or by locating it from the J-Say Configuration Wizard.

You do not need to uninstall the previous version of J-Say, 16.0, before installing the new version. Please just follow these instructions.

1. Be sure that the computer to host J-Say technology has an active connection to the internet.
2. Log onto the Windows account of the person to be using J-Say. Be sure that the user’s account contains “Administrator Privileges”. Please note that logging onto the Windows account of the person using the technology is a critical step. Many people are not doing this.
3. Download the J-Say 17.0 program, a link for which will have been provided within an Email message following the purchase of a licence. If you have not received such an Email, please send your JAWS serial number to jaws@hartgen.org.
4. Run the J-Say 17.0 installer program, restarting the computer when prompted.
5. Wait for approximately two minutes after Microsoft Windows has fully loaded. If an activation file is found, it will be downloaded to the computer and you will be prompted to restart JAWS. Please select the “Yes” Button to comply with this request.

Any Contacts, Shortcuts or Text Notes should be automatically available to you and will have been brought across from your older JAWS version to the new one.