App Helps the Blind Count Their Dollars
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One big problem for blind or visually impaired people is counting money. While one can feel the difference between a nickel and a quarter, that's not the case for bills. In many countries, bills come in different colors and sizes. In the United States, greenbacks feel and roughly look the same.
The LookTel Money Reader app uses the camera in an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch to take a picture of a bill and “say” what it is. LookTel also displays the number on the screen in a high-contrast font. The app will warn the user when there isn't enough light for it to work, though this is not an issue for the iPhone 4 or 4S as their cameras have a flash.
For the person traveling, it supports several foreign currencies — the euro, Australian and Canadian dollar, and the British pound. It also supports 15 other languages in addition to English. And, very handy for travelers, the app doesn't need an Internet connection.
For anyone who has trouble with their vision, this kind of app offers the ability to count money independently and not have to trust that the guy handing you change.
LookTel Money Reader is available on the app store for $10.
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