Introduction This update includes a new literary Braille Input feature for the Desktop, adds chapter navigation to the Podcasts app, brings a milestone update to BT Code, introduces new features to BT Towne and brings additions, refinements, and reliability improvements across existing feature areas. Particularly AI Tools, file management, Bluetooth and headset controls, and BT Braille behavior. A Huge BT Code update! BT Code was developed with the goal of empowering blind users to not only use technology, but to create it. This month's update marks an important milestone in that journey with the introduction of Code Store, a new platform for sharing, discovering, and collaborating on BT Code projects. This update also includes improvements across Learn Mode, the Code Editor, and Build Mode. Highlights include enhanced Getting Started materials for new programmers, audio interactions with Cody, syntax-checking tools, support for third-party Python libraries, and new project management features designed to streamline software development. Details on all of the new BT Code features can be found in the last section of these release notes. Literary Braille Input Comes to Desktop Mode One of the most requested features from our customers has arrived: you can now enter literary Braille in virtually any editable text field throughout Desktop Mode. The new Braille Input command opens a dedicated editor where you can write and edit text using literary Braille. When you're finished, BT Braille automatically back-translates your Braille and inserts the resulting text into the application you were using. This makes it possible to compose emails, write documents, fill out web forms, and edit text in desktop applications using the contracted Braille symbols, supported by the Braille table you are currently using. To open the Braille Input editor, place the cursor in any editable text field (or in the Desktop Terminal) and press dots 3-5-8 chord. A helpful way to remember this shortcut is that dots 3-5 form the in-sign—think "input." Type or edit your text using literary Braille. When you're ready to return to the desktop application, press Meta+S (S with dot 8). Your text will be back-translated and inserted into the original text field. If you press Z-chord to exit the editor, BT Braille will ask whether you want to send your changes or quit without sending them. The Braille Input editor intelligently handles the text already present in the application: • If you are editing a single-line text field, the field's contents are automatically loaded into the editor, allowing you to modify or extend the existing text. • If you are editing a multi-line text field without selecting any text, the editor starts with a blank document so you can compose new content. • If you have selected text in either a single-line or multi-line field, only the selected text is loaded into the editor. When you send your changes back, only that selected portion is replaced. · If you are in the Desktop Terminal, your text is pasted back to the terminal at the current cursor position. For additional information and keyboard commands, press H-chord while in the Braille Input editor to open the built-in help. New AI Tools The following new tools are available from the AI Menu in the Blazie Editor. from the Blazie editor, Press E-chord to open the Editor menu, followed by the letter I (for AI). Ask a Question About Selection (shortcut: Q) This tool prompts you for a question about text in your document, either the text on the current line or the text that you select. The AI Tool will prompt you for a question regarding this text. Type your question and then press enter. The answer is placed in a viewer, which is separate from the file you were using. This feature is different from the “Answer the Selected Question in the File” AI tool, which treats the text on the current line or the selection itself as the question. Transform Selection (shortcut: F) This option prompts you for instructions on how you would like to alter the style of your text. It will then rewrite either the current line or the text that you have selected. For example, you could ask the AI to rewrite the selection in a more formal tone or to organize the information in a more structured format. If you do not want to keep the result, you can undo the change by typing control+Z. Selecting an AI Provider (shortcut: P) You can now choose which AI service powers your device's AI features. By default, BT Speak and BT Braille use the Google Gemini service provided by Blazie Technologies (requires an active maintenance contract). Alternatively, you may configure the system to use your own Google Gemini or OpenAI API key. The AI Provider option (shortcut: P) is available from both the AI Tools menu and the Settings menu. When using your own API keys, for example the Open AI key you use for AI Chat, or a personal Google Gemini key, that key will be selectable from this menu. If one or both key files are present, you can select the corresponding provider. If no personal API keys are installed, BT Speak and BT Braille automatically use the Google Gemini service supplied by Blazie Technologies. A new tool to find and install potential AI provider keys If you have an OpenAI or Google Gemini key on your device but it is not yet installed, this option will search for valid keys and will install them in the right location for AI Tools and future versions of AI Chat. You can access this setting by opening the Options menu and choosing Settings. You will find “Install AI Keys” at the bottom of the main Settings menu. Describe Picture (from the file browser) The ability to describe a Picture or to extract text from it has been added to the File Browser. These features are supported with files with extensions of .bmp, .jpg and .tif. To use this feature, open the file browser. Point to the file that you want to work with and press i. Think of I for image. The image is described using AI and saves the description in the same folder that contains the file. If the image can be processed for text extraction, you are asked whether to describe the image or extract text. If a description already exists, it is opened instead of creating a new one. Note, at the time of writing, image descriptions require users to have an OpenAI or Gemini key. However, these features are expected to be available in this release for all users very soon. We will announce when this feature is activated on the Blazie email discussion groups and on other social media platforms. Improvements to Podcasts Several enhancements have been made to the Podcasts app, making it easier to navigate episodes and manage your podcast subscriptions. Podcast Chapter Support Many podcasts now include chapter markers that divide an episode into logical sections. When chapter information is available, BT Speak and BT Braille will display a list of chapters and allow you to navigate directly between them. While listening, you can also move between chapters using the following quick commands (without pressing the space bar): • Dots 4-5 – Next chapter • Dots 1-2 – Previous chapter Import and Export Podcast Subscriptions Managing podcast subscriptions is now more flexible with support for importing and exporting OPML files. • Opening an OPML file from the File Browser now prompts you to import the podcast feeds it contains. Imported feeds are added to your existing subscriptions (they do not replace them). • The Manage Podcasts menu now includes Import OPML and Export OPML commands. Import OPML opens the File Browser so you can select an OPML file to import. Export OPML saves your current list of podcast subscriptions, offering /home/pi/podcasts.opml as the default filename. Access Previously Used Addresses in the Blazie Mode Email Composer When you’re in the to: and cc: fields of the Blazie mode email composer, you can press dot 1-chord to review the last 50 email addresses you previously entered. If you find an address that you want to enter in that field, press enter. Improvements to Input Prompt Mode Input prompts throughout the system have been enhanced with several new editing features, making it easier to enter text and special characters. Insert Special Characters Do you need to enter a character you don't use very often? While in any input prompt, press dots 3-5 chord to open a list of special characters. Use dot 1 chord or dot 4 chord to browse the list, or simply begin typing part of a character's name. For example, you could type at to filter the available symbols containing that word. Press Enter to insert the selected character into the current input field. Word-by-Word Deletion Input prompts now support deleting entire words, just like the editor. • Dots 2-5-6-7-chord or Low D-7 chord: Delete the previous word • Dots 2-5-6-8-chord or Low D-8 chord: Delete the next word Input Grade Announcements When the Input prompt opens, it automatically announces the current Braille input grade, such as Computer Braile or Literary Braille. When pressing T-chord to hear the title of the current input field, BT Speak and BT Braille now also announce the active input grade, making it easier to confirm whether you are entering computer or literary Braille BT Towne Improvements · When you’re in one of the rooms, pressing O for options now provides a more intuitive menu. The new menu choices are: Go to Another Place: g Look: l Who: w (tells you who else is in the room) Map: m Chat: c NPC (non-player character) Chat: n Examine Objects: e Help: h Settings: s Quests: q · In Settings, the volume of the NPC voice can be changed. · Pressing Z-chord can now be used to exit BT Towne. System Improvements Editor and BT Code • Editor commands have changed for multiline editor instances, including BT Code and inline editors such as the email message body. Meta+s, (s-8-chord(, saves and exits. Control+s, (7-8-chord with s(, saves without exiting. • The command to toggle Soft wrapping of long lines has moved to shift-meta-w. This is typed by first pressing dots 4-8-chord, followed by w-chord with dot 8. • When searching for text using the find command, you will now hear the current sentence instead of the surrounding context. AI Tools • The maximum AI text selection size has increased. • The size of text that can be passed to the AI spell checker has doubled. It is now possible to spell-check a 2,500 to 2,800 word selection. • The number of Braille popups shown when using AI in the editor has been reduced. File Management and Translation • Pressing T from the file browser to translate (or convert) text now places the converted file in the same directory as the original file. The file is displayed in the file viewer. • If you try to detect an already loaded SD card, it will correctly detect it again. Terminology • References to "back tab" have been renamed to "shift tab" throughout the system and in the documentation. BT Braille and Braille Output • BT Braille's display now shows "sleeping" when asleep instead of going blank. • The Morse Code app now shows dots and dashes on the Braille display, and audio playback has been fixed. • More improvements have been made to the liblouis U.K. Braille tables, providing similar accuracy to the U.S. Braille table.
Calculator · Math symbols are announced in the calculator when speaking the result. For example, the asterisk is spoken as "times". Note, As you enter the expression, you will still hear the usual character names of plus, dash, star and slash, but calculator responses and your history of prior expressions will speak using the correct mathematical symbol names. Bluetooth, USB, and Keyboard Support · Bluetooth media controls have been added. Different devices support different commands, but pause and play are universal. Other supported commands can include stop, previous track, next track, rewind, fast forward, volume down, and volume up. · Bluetooth LE has been enabled for keyboard support. · USB headset buttons are now supported, including pause and volume controls. Apple Wired USB-C EarPods and the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm audio adapter are both supported. · Added QWERTY equivalent for t-Chord: Capslock+t · Move Time to CapsLock+Shift+t Developer and Menu Settings · A developer-menu option has been added to toggle the self-voice state with v. · In the Settings menu, a Menu Hints setting has been added with shortcut h. This lets you change the amount of time that a menu hint is spoken. You can also turn hints off entirely. This is for hints that you hear in dynamic menus, such as Speech Controls. · "Press enter" is now spoken In system messages when it is necessary for the enter key to be pressed. A delayed hint is also provided if no key is pressed. Documentation • All English help files have been updated to include new and changed features matching the July 2026 update. • German and Spanish help files have been updated. • Help files have been updated to include BT Braille-specific information when read on a BT Braille. • The BT Speak User Manual has been extensively updated. It contains documentation on features up to and including the June 2026 update. • A new BT Braille User manual has been written. • Getting Started files for both devices have been updated. • The BT Braille Welcome Screen has been refreshed. Radio, Device Information, and Dialogs · After selecting a station in the radio tuner, pressing z-chord now returns you to the list of stations. · When you refresh the station database, we now tell you how many new stations have been added since the last time you refreshed the database. • Disk size wording has been improved in About This Device. • When setting hostname and owner name in Personalize This Device, the old value is presented for editing. • The Now Playing dialog shortens its messages automatically when values are changed quickly. • Info About This Device now reports on the integrity of the software package and apps, and overall performance has been improved. Fixes and Improvements • Battery reporting fixes have been made on BT Braille. • Fixed a bug where the options menu would not always show Braille on the display properly. • Fixed the issue where dot 7 was appearing in uppercase letters and contractions in .BRF files. • Fixed a bug with the BT Braille keyboard sometimes getting stuck when switching between desktop and Blazie mode. • More fixes have been made to avoid loss of speech on startup. • Fixed the Sync with Google Calendar on/off setting, where the values were swapped. • Fixed a bug with the editor history file where it was occasionally unwritable, resulting in an unable to save history error. • Fixed a bug when operating on files in the File Browser without changing directories. A Milestone Update for BT Code BT Code was created with the goal of empowering blind users not only to use technology, but to create it. This month's update marks an important milestone in that journey with the introduction of Code Store, a new platform for sharing, discovering, and collaborating on BT Code projects. Code Store is the headline feature of this release, but it is only part of the story. This update also includes improvements across Learn Mode, the Code Editor, and Build Mode. Highlights include enhanced Getting Started materials for new programmers, audio interactions with Cody, syntax-checking tools, support for third-party Python libraries, and new project management features designed to streamline software development. Learn Mode Getting Started with BT Code One of the most common questions we receive from new BT Code users is: Where do I begin? Learning to program involves more than just reading lessons and stepping through coding challenges. It also means understanding how to use the BT Code platform effectively. To help answer these questions, the Learn Menu now includes a new Getting Started option. This menu contains two introductory guides: Introduction to Python – An overview of the Python programming language and how it is taught in BT Code. How to Use BT Code Lessons – A practical guide to getting the most from the BT Code learning experience. We especially recommend "How to Use BT Code Lessons" for users who are new to programming or new to BT Code. This guide explains how the lessons are organized, where to begin, how to work through coding activities, and how to use Cody when you need help or feedback. It also highlights important commands and features you'll use throughout the learning process, including tools available in the Code Editor. Cody Speaks Cody, the AI-based Python coach built-in to BT Code learning module can now speak during interactions involving Grade It, Tips, and Ask Cody. His spoken responses are tailored to the personality you have selected. Cody will also react to syntax and runtime errors as they occur, offering encouragement, wisdom, or occasional disappointment depending on his personality setting. These spoken responses are designed to make coding feel more interactive while helping you stay engaged when working through challenges. As always, Cody's complete feedback is still presented in a readable file that you can review and navigate at your own pace. If you prefer a quieter experience, Cody's speech can be disabled using the new Cody's Speech option in the BT Code Options Menu. Code Editor The following new features of the Code Editor help you stay focused on problem solving by making instructions easier to access and coding mistakes easier to identify. Quickly Access Activity Instructions When working through a coding challenge, it is often helpful to revisit the activity instructions while writing and testing your code. Previously, reviewing those instructions required leaving the Code Editor and navigating back through the lesson menu. Many users found this interrupted their workflow. You can now use the Next File command (dots 5-6-8 chord) to quickly switch between your code and the corresponding activity instructions. For example, if you are working in the code editor on the Lesson 1 challenge, pressing Next File will open Instructions Lesson 1. Press Next File again to return directly to your code. Your cursor position will be preserved between the editor and the instructions as you switch between them. This makes it easier to review requirements, verify details, and stay focused on solving the challenge without leaving the editor. Syntax Checking with Cody One of the most common frustrations for new programmers is discovering a simple typing mistake only after running their code and encountering an error. Missing punctuation, unmatched parentheses, or other small syntax issues can interrupt the learning process and make debugging more difficult. To help catch these mistakes earlier, you can now press = chord (dots 1-2-3-4-5-6 chord) to check the syntax of the current line of code. Cody will immediately respond with feedback based on his personality, helping you identify many common syntax errors before running your program. Because Cody evaluates only the current line, this feature is best viewed as a quick syntax check rather than a complete code review. It can detect many line-level mistakes, such as stray punctuation or missing characters, but it cannot identify errors that depend on surrounding lines or the overall structure of your program. Build Mode Build Mode is BT Code's accessible development environment, where ideas become applications, games, music projects, and tools. This release introduces powerful new development features along with the new BT Code Store, making it easier than ever to share your creations with the community. Project Options Menu To make project management easier, Build Mode now includes a dedicated Project Options Menu at the root of every project. When you open the top-level directory of a project, you will find the following options: • Delete Project – Permanently remove the project and its files. • Add New Library – Install a third-party Python library for use within the project. • Send to Code Store – Package and submit your project to the BT Code Store for review and distribution. BT Code Store Projects created in Build Mode can now be shared directly through the new BT Code Store. The Code Store is a cloud-based repository for applications, games, music projects, utilities, learning resources, and other creations developed with BT Code. This repository is only available to other BT Code users. Unlike a traditional app store, the Code Store distributes BT Code projects, including works in progress. When you download a project, you receive not only the executable files, but also the project's source code and supporting files. This allows users to learn from one another's work, explore how projects were built, and build upon existing ideas. A WiFi connection is required to upload or download projects. Uploading to Code Store Tip: We recommend including a README file or other text file in your project's root directory containing instructions, usage notes, acknowledgements, or any other information you would like to share with users who download your project. To submit a project, open the project's root directory and select Project Options Menu, then choose Send to Code Store. BT Code will first check whether a version of the project already exists in the Code Store. • If an existing version is found, BT Code will ask whether you would like to submit a new version. If you choose Yes, BT Code will automatically increment the project version and continue the submission process. • If no existing version is found, BT Code will guide you through several setup steps before uploading. During submission, you may be asked to provide: • A short project description that will appear in the Code Store. • Your name, which will be added to the project's author list. • A project category to help users discover your work. Available categories include Games, Music & Audio, Utilities, Learn Code, and Other. Once this information has been provided, BT Code packages the project and uploads it to the Code Store. After a successful upload, you will receive confirmation that the project has been submitted for review. Projects become available to other users after review by Blazie Technologies staff. Downloading Projects from the Code Store To browse available projects, select Code Store (shortcut: C) from the BT Code Main Menu. A WiFi connection is required. The Code Store displays a list of available projects. Selecting a project presents two options: • Info About This Project – View the project's description, category, version number, and author information. • Download Project – Download the project to your local Projects directory. After downloading a project, you can access it at any time through My Projects (shortcut: M) from the BT Code Main Menu. Projects available now To help users explore the possibilities of the Code Store, two example projects are available for download with this release. These projects demonstrate different ways BT Code can be used, not only to create applications and games, but also to support the teaching and learning of programming itself. Hangman_Deluxe Hangman_Deluxe is a simple word-guessing game created almost entirely with a large language model. The project demonstrates how AI can be used to generate the foundation of a working application and how that code can then be integrated into the BT Speak and BT Braille user interface using device APIs such as dialogs.show_message() and dialogs.request_input(), which are concepts introduced early in the BT Code curriculum. Beyond serving as a playable game, Hangman is intended to be an example project that users can study, modify, and extend. New word lists, additional gameplay features, scoring systems, difficulty levels, and other enhancements can all be added by users looking for a starting point for their own development projects. Bug_Squasher Bug Squasher is a coding activity designed to strengthen debugging skills. Instead of writing programs from scratch, your task is to identify and fix bugs in existing Python code until each program functions correctly. The project contains three levels of difficulty, organized into separate directories. As you progress through the levels, the bugs become more challenging to identify and resolve. Bug Squasher also demonstrates how the Code Store can be used as a platform for distributing educational content. Teachers, mentors, and curriculum developers can create and share coding activities, challenges, and classroom exercises with students, making the Code Store a valuable resource not only for software projects, but for programming instruction as well. Install Third-Party Python Libraries One of Python's greatest strengths is its vast ecosystem of third-party libraries. These libraries allow developers to add powerful functionality to their projects without having to build everything from scratch. Whether you are working with dates and times, creating games, analyzing data, interacting with web services, or experimenting with artificial intelligence, there is often a Python library available to help. Build Mode now supports installing third-party Python libraries directly into your projects using the Add New Library option in the Project Options Menu. To install a library: 1. Open the project's root directory. 2. Select Project Options Menu. 3. Select Add New Library. 4. When prompted for the Library to add, enter the name of the package you would like to install (for example, arrow) and press Enter. 5. BT Code will announce that it is installing the library and will automatically install it into the project's virtual environment. 6. When installation is complete, BT Code will display a confirmation message. Once installed, the library can be imported and used within your project just like any other Python package. Note: Libraries installed using this feature are available only within the project where they were installed. This helps ensure that projects remain self-contained and prevents dependencies from interfering with one another. Rename Files Files can now be renamed directly within Build Mode. To rename a file, select it to open the file menu, then choose Rename File. Enter the new file name and press Enter. Once the rename is complete, BT Code will return you to the directory containing the file. Standardized Project Names To ensure compatibility with the BT Code Store and provide a more consistent experience across projects, BT Code now automatically standardizes project names when they are created. Project names are converted to lowercase, and spaces or underscores are replaced with dashes as needed. For example, My_Game_Project becomes my-game-project. This change helps ensure that projects can be packaged, shared, and updated reliably through the Code Store. Note: Names of projects you created before this update are not modified. The new naming convention is applied only when creating new projects. Contact Information Blazie Technologies, LLC Phone: (772) 214-1616 Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.blazietech.com Kind Regards, Tirupati Gaikwad NVDA Certified Expert 2025 NVDA Expert 2025 📧 [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) 📞 +91 99757 32046 -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAPdC4fKjkqQpRG%3D%2BQB1mnP6KK%2B5QC1XTMks-16K5%3Do1LA2xmBw%40mail.gmail.com.
