Gift ideas for people on your shopping list with low vision from macular degeneration, diabetes, or glaucoma
- Low Vision Tablet Stand from Blue Vista Creations of Vermont. For a review, see the post on VisionAware.
2. National Library Service (NLS) Talking Book Player and subscription to Talking Books (Free). Website: Phone: 1-888-NLS-READ (1-888-657-7323)
In Canada this is through CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access) 1-855-655-2273.
3. Free registration at Hadley.edu. Phone: 1-800-323-4238. Workshops related to vision loss available online, in audio format on Talking Book Cartridges or USB drive; in large print or braille (shipped to registered learners at no cost). Here’s a suggestion—Adjusting to Vision Loss Workshop Series available online, audio on Talking Book Cartridge, large print or braille.
4. Blank NLS Cartridge ($12) with USB cable ($3) from Howell Mobility. Phone: (586) 558-8308. Creative Gift idea: download several podcasts, books, or magazines to the cartridge before giving it as a gift! Download A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens from the Internet Archive.
5. Personal Power; iOS Edition by Michael Feir (free download). Digital edition is available in Word. epub, braille and DAISY (for NLS Talking Book Cartridge). Very comprehensive book on using iPhone or iPad with VoiceOver.
6. Seeing AI app for iOS or Lookout by Google app for Android. Both apps are free, and do a great job of reading text and documents, currency, barcodes, and more. See Hadley’s
7. Amazon Echo from Amazon.com. Echo Dot starts at $24.99 and full-size Amazon Echo 4th generation starts at $54.99.
8. Keys-U-See large print keyboard black letters on yellow keys or large print white letters on black keys (either $35). Website: https://www.ablenetinc.com
9. Apple iPod Touch ($199) is the least expensive way to get a new Apple device with VoiceOver (remember the iPod Touch is not a cell phone!) Website: https://www.apple.com. Tip: Apple sells certified Apple refurbished items at https://www.apple.com/shop/refurbished.
10. Victor Reader Stream 2 ($425) media player and recorder from Humanware. Website: https://store.humanware.com. Wi-Fi enabled and will play Talking Books and a wide variety of file types. Victor Reader Trek is $795 from MaxiAids.
11. Husky 300 Lumen LED Flip Light, $19.95 rechargeable, magnetic base. 3 light settings and is perfect for keyboarding or when you need a portable task light. If you need a filter just get some acetate wrap in the color you need like yellow and wrap over the light!