by Demian Russian
Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) has just become more accessible to the visually impaired, thanks to the utilization of Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) VoiceOver technology in the newly updated Pulsar online streaming app. Recently after Rogue Amoeba’s release of Pulsar 2.0 just about three weeks ago, the company has added some great new features to its Pulsar Sirius XM online streaming app with the release of the free Pulsar 2.1 update. The most important of these features is the new accessibility for the visually impaired, provided by the application’s use of Apple’s VoiceOver technology.
Rogue Amoeba spent some time working with visually impaired users to determine the best way to utilize Apple’s VoiceOver technology in the application. With approximately 15 million blind and visually impaired individuals in the United States, this new accessibility to Sirius XM’s Premium Online content, made possible by Rouge Amoeba’s Pulsar App, gives Sirius XM an edge over competing services which do not allow for this accessibility.
In addition to its utilization of Apple’s VoiceOver technology, the new Pulsar 2.1 update brings some other new and welcome features as well. A Dock menu feature was added, which provides access to Pulsar’s playback controls from Pulsar’s dock icon — even while the application is hidden. A “Jump to Live” command was added, which provides for the restarting of live content at the end of the pause buffer. Growl notifications now coalesce (only one is shown on the screen at a time) and many small bugs were fixed with the new update.
Rogue Amoeba’s Pulsar application is compatible with both Sirius and XM online subscriptions, whether users have a U.S. or Canadian account. Pulsar 2.1 is available for $20 from Rogue Amoeba’s website, www.rogueamoeba.com, or you can get Pulsar for free with the purchase of any of the company’s other Mac OS X products. Users of previous versions of Pulsar can update to Pulsar 2.1 for free.
An exclusive Playground Radio interview with Rouge Ameoba CEO Paul Kafasis can be heard here:
Playground Radio — Special Guest: Paul Kafaris, CEO of Rogue Amoeba
Position: Long SIRI
Contact the Author: demianrussian@satelliteradioplayground.com
