Tonight at a special by-invitation function at the NAD Conference, hosted by ZVRS, the company introduced the invitees to a new technological advance that they said would mean "freedom!" What they introduced was a new ZVRS service just for the iPhone 4...the IZ (a play on the words "I See").
Why "freedom?" According to the presenters, with current VRS technology you have to go physically to a VRS communication device. Now you will be able to make a video relay service call from anywhere - even the bathroom - using the iPhone 4. (Unfortunately, this new service works ONLY on the iPhone 4). They called the moment historic - apparently no other company has this kind of mobile VRS service yet.
It was pretty fascinating to see the interpreter's tiny hand waving to the crowd from the iPhone. Small but clear picture! After the first person made the "historic" first iPhone call, they asked Gallaudet University president Alan Hurwitz to make a call. Hurwitz cracked that he needed to get an iPhone 4 after seeing the results of making a call. (Hurwitz presently has an older iPhone. The picture at right was taken with my old Sidekick. After what I saw tonight, I will have to seriously consider buying an iPhone 4!))
After that they walked through the crowd letting people try making vrs calls via the iPhone 4. Bob tried two numbers but no one was home.
More information about this new development is on the Deaf World As Eye See It blog.
The Z™ will provide the world’s first truly mobile video relay service (VRS), processing ZVRS calls on Apple’s iPhone 4. The service will be released on July 26, which marks the 20th anniversary of the ADA. Read more: http://www.zvrs.com/company/what-is-the-z/news/16
I love this, but have read a lot about how badly new iphone 4 works.