Contact: <\/p>\n
Glenn Lockhart <\/p>\n
Viable Inc. <\/p>\n
Tel: 240.292.0222 x227 <\/p>\n
Fax: 301.230.2442 <\/p>\n
contact@viable.net <\/p>\n
www.viable.net <\/p>\n
Viable Wins Best of Innovations Honors at 2009 CES for VPAD+ <\/p>\n
ROCKVILLE, MD \u2013 January 15, 2009 \u2013 Viable returned from the 2009
\nInternational Consumer Electronics Show (CES) as the winner of an
\naward honoring the VPAD+ for excellence in product design and
\nengineering. <\/p>\n
The VPAD+ is a WiFi and touchscreen videophone designed for deaf and
\nhard of hearing people who use video relay services (VRS) and improves
\nupon the VPAD, which launched at the 2008 CES. Design enhancements to
\nthe VPAD+ include built-in WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, dual USB
\nports, Web browser support, and advanced touchscreen response. <\/p>\n
Viable, a deaf-owned, deaf-operated provider of VRS, developed the
\nVPAD+ based on customer feedback on the VPAD. Said VP of Technology
\nJason T. Yeh, who is deaf, “We are thrilled that the VPAD+ has been
\nrecognized on its design and technical merits. We had more than a
\nhundred deaf and hard of hearing persons test the VPAD and provide us
\nwith feedback on its design and usability, which resulted in the
\nVPAD+. We have always known members of the deaf and hard of hearing
\ncommunity were the right people to help us develop a videophone.” <\/p>\n
The VPAD+ received “Best of Innovations” honors for the Telephones
\ncategory during CES in Las Vegas from January 8-11, 2009, beating out
\nentrants from high-tech companies such as Panasonic. “These Best of
\n2009 Innovations award honorees represent the most inventive design
\nand engineering-focused consumer technology products available on the
\nmarket today,” said Gary Shapiro, President of the Consumer
\nElectronics Association, which produces the annual CES. Best of
\nInnovations winners are determined by a panel of engineers,
\nindependent designers and journalists and the awards are endorsed by
\nthe Industrial Designers Society of America. <\/p>\n
The VPAD+ is a lightweight, standalone VOIP videophone featuring a
\n10.2″ monitor with touchscreen response, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
\ncapabilities, and dual USB and audio\/video in\/out ports. Primary uses
\ninclude peer-to-peer videoconferencing with sign language users and
\nwith sign language interpreters specially trained to handle VRS calls.
\nOther possibilities with the VPAD+ include using it as a digital photo
\nframe and as a monitor for gaming systems. The VPAD+ is currently
\navailable for retail at www.viable.net and is interoperable with
\n10-digit telephone numbers. <\/p>\n
Since winning the Best of Innovations award, the VPAD+ has been
\nfeatured in AOL’s switched.com, Dave Graveline’s “Into Tomorrow”
\nInternet show, PCWorld.com, butterscotch.com, websites of tech
\nbloggers and reviewers, as well as websites operated in Australia,
\nCanada, France, India, Qatar, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the U.K. <\/p>\n
Deaf and hard of hearing people interested in buying a VPAD+ must
\nfirst register a Viable Number at www.viable.net\/product\/myviable and
\nenter personal information for verification of U.S. residency and 911
\nemergency response. Customer Support representatives fluent in sign
\nlanguage are on standby to help process Viable Number registrations
\nfrom Monday-Friday from 9 AM – midnight EST and Saturday-Sunday from 9
\nAM – 5 PM EST: <\/p>\n
* VPAD: Click on “Help” then “Live” <\/p>\n
* Viable Vision: Click on “Help” <\/p>\n
* Videophone: help.ViableVRS.tv <\/p>\n
* AOL IM: ViableHELP <\/p>\n
* Email: help@viable.net <\/p>\n
Please visit the VPAD+ product page at www.viable.net\/product\/vpad
\nand VPAD+ FAQs at www.viable.net\/support\/faq\/vpad to learn more about
\nthe VPAD+. <\/p>\n
# # # <\/p>\n
About Viable, Inc. <\/p>\n
Viable develops videophones and provides next-generation video relay
\nservices for deaf and hard of hearing persons, opening them to a world
\nof communication possibilities. Founded in 2006, Viable is a private,
\ndeaf-owned company, and many employees are deaf and hard of hearing
\nand are personally vested in the innovation and development of the
\ncompany’s products and services. Visit www.viable.net for further
\ninformation. <\/p>\n
About Telecommunications Relay Services <\/p>\n
Mandated by Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
\ntelecommunications relay services (TRS) enables individuals with
\nhearing or speech disabilities to achieve functional equivalence by
\naccessing telephone systems to place or receive calls through an
\nintermediary known as a relay operator or relay interpreter. Emergent
\nIP technology has given rise to video-based solutions, which are known
\nas video relay services (VRS). VRS options include using a webcam or a
\nvideophone to connect to a video relay interpreter, and allow deaf and
\nhard of hearing callers for whom sign language is native to fully
\nachieve the ideal of functional equivalence.<\/p>\n
—<\/p>\n
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\nordinary IP relay? Go beyond! Try http:\/\/www.i711.com for free today!<\/p>\n
NEW! Try out our Deaf Network of Texas Calendar! Go to
\nhttp:\/\/calendar.deafnetwork.com <\/p>\n
NOTE: deafnetwork.com does not endorse any of the products, vendors,
\nconsultants, or documentation referenced in this message or. Any mention of
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\nPowered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com —<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Contact: Glenn Lockhart Viable Inc. Tel: 240.292.0222 x227 Fax: 301.230.2442 contact@viable.net www.viable.net Viable Wins Best of Innovations Honors at 2009 CES for VPAD+ ROCKVILLE, MD \u2013 January 15, 2009 \u2013 Viable returned from the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)…<\/p>\n