Freedom Scientific JAWS is developed for Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 environment, 32 and 64-bit versions. Our built-in antivirus checked this download and rated it as 100% safe. Jfw.exe, BViewer.exe, IconE5FCD2C9.exe, Jaga.exe or jaws9.exe are the frequent file names to indicate this program's installer. JAWS 9.0: First Look with Windows XP Over the weekend while in my hotel room in Minneapolis, I downloaded and installed the JAWS 9.0 public beta. Yesterday, back home in Florida, I downloaded and installed the first bug fix patch to the beta software. Microsoft Windows is a graphical operating system. There have been many versions of Windows created since 1981 including: Windows 1.0, Windows 2.0 and 2.1, Windows 3.0 and 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1, and Windows 10. JAWS—The World’s Most Popular Windows Screen Reader JAWS (Job Access With Speech) is the perfect screen reading software for anyone with vision loss that prevents them from seeing their computer screen or using a mouse.
Screen readers and my HP laptop have never been friends. JAWS causes major stability issues. Window Eyes stutters a lot. Now that I have an Intel-based Mac with Parallels and Boot Camp for running Windows, I have found the perfect screen reader testing system.
Parallels is a program that allows Windows to run within a window under OSX. Boot Camp allows you to boot into Windows on a Mac computer. Both of these applications work with Intel-based Macs only and support the most popular screen readers – JAWS and Window Eyes. Below are a few tips to ensure they install and function well.
Disclaimer: You must have up-to-date screen readers (tested with JAWS 8.0 and Window Eyes 6.1 demos), Parallels (build 3214 – June 21, 2007), and Boot Camp (1.3 Beta). Older versions are not fully compatible with each other.
Parallels
Parallels rocks! The ability to run Windows within OSX is awesome. Parallels retails for $80. it will allocate part of your hard drive for a virtual machine that will house each additional operating system. Parallels will even automate the installation of Windows onto this virtual machine. My installation of Windows XP Professional took about 15 minutes from start to finish (versus 40 minutes or so on an actual PC). To boot into Windows, you simply open Parallels and select Start to boot Windows in an OSX window.
For kicks, I have installed Windows Vista and Ubuntu Linux in other virtual machines. I thoroughly impressed my co-workers by running all four operating systems AT THE SAME TIME! I use Virtue Desktops to quickly switch between operating systems with a quick key press. To totally max out the geek factor, you can turn on motion sensor or light sensor switching in Virtue Desktops. This allows you to switch operating systems with a tap on the side of your laptop monitor (any MacBook, or I should say SmackBook in this case) or by sliding your hand over the light sensor at the top of the keyboard (MacBook Pro only).
Boot Camp
Boot Camp is a (currently) free program from Apple that allows you to boot your Intel Mac into Windows. While this will allow all system resources to be allocated to Windows, it does not allow the instantaneous switching between operating systems. Like Parallels, the installation of Boot Camp is very easy. To boot into Windows, you either select your Start Up disk before rebooting or hold down the option (alt) key when booting.
Screen readers on your Mac
JAWS
You can download the 40 minute mode demo (after 40 minutes, your computer or Parallels virtual machine must be rebooted) of JAWS at http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_downloads/jaws.asp (54MB). In Parallels, rebooting Windows only takes a few seconds and won’t interfere with anything you’re doing in OSX, so this makes testing with the JAWS demo even easier.
Upon starting JAWS in a Parallels session, you will receive a Video Intercept prompt. Simply press Close. You will need to close this dialog each time JAWS is started. Attempting to install the Video Intercept driver will cause problems. All major junctions in JAWS work without it, although some of the PC Cursor tracking functions may be affected – this should have little or no impact on web page reading. The Video Intercept issue is not present in Boot Camp, which seems to support the JAWS Video Intercept driver natively.
Window Eyes
GW Micro also offers a trial of Window Eyes. It will run for 30 minutes at a time before your computer or virtual machine must be rebooted. It can be downloaded at http://www.gwmicro.com/Window-Eyes/Demo/ (35MB). HINT: If you do not want to enter your personal information, simply disable JavaScript and submit the form to view the download link.
MacBook keyboard mapping
Screen readers have many, as in hundreds, of shortcut keys to allow full keyboard accessibility and to mimic mouse functions. MacBooks do not feature a full-size keyboard, thus many shortcut keys are less accessible. You can always connect an external, full-size USB keyboard or smaller external USB numeric keypad to allow the additional necessary keys – Insert, Backspace, and the numeric keypad keys. This is certainly less convenient because an external keyboard is nearly as big as the MacBook itself.
Alternatively, you can use the built-in, though slightly hidden numeric keypad which is available by holding down the fn (function) key and then selecting the appropriate keyboard key. The number pad options display in the lower right of some keyboard keys. For instance, press fn+K for number pad 2.
Despite the availability of the numeric keypad keys, the MacBook keyboard does not have an Insert key. This key, by default, is known as the JAWS key in JAWS and provides access to the most important keyboard shortcuts for using this screen reader. It is also used extensively in Window Eyes. In order to get access to the Insert key in Parallels or Boot Camp, you must remap a MacBook keyboard key to the Insert key command. This can be done with Remapkey.
Remapkey can be downloaded as part of the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools. Don’t worry, it will install and run just fine on Windows XP. The Resource Kit is a 11.8MB download and when installed, many applications, including remapkey.exe will then be available at c:Program FilesWindows Resource KitsTools.
To map an Insert key on your MacBook:
- Open remapkey.exe
- Drag the Ins key from the top keyboard displayed to the App key if using Parallels or to the Right Windows key if in Boot Camp
- Select the Save and Exit button at the top, then restart Windows
Jaws Windows Download
This will map Insert to the Right Command (Apple) key on your MacBook keyboard. This is the only key that appears twice (in Windows, both Command key opens the Start menu), but that does not provide otherwise necessary functionality. I have no idea why the Right Command key appears as the App key in Parallels, but the Right Windows key in Boot Camp. This will provide (almost) full keyboard functionality for your screen reader in Windows. You could also map Insert to one of the F key (F11 would work nicely) or remap other keys as you see fit.
The premise of Jaws Unleashed is just flat out awesome. I love Jaws, heck I even love the cheesy sequels, especially that one set in the water park! So, I was very excited to hear that we were getting a game based on Jaws where you actually control the shark. The NES game was not that great and you were trying to kill the shark not actually play has him.
Kill or Be Killed!
One of the more interesting things about the game is that there is actually a story to play through. Set 30 years after the first movie, Amity Island is doing just fine and one day, Jaws decides to take a swim and have a snack. This snack turns out to be the son of a major CEO of the town and he wants Jaws dead! That is the basic premise of the game and it is fine for what it is.
The presentation of the game is a very mixed bag. At the time of release, Jaws Unleashed was a budget game and the visuals have a budget look to them that is for sure. The underwater world is not bad at all with shipwrecks, reefs, and plenty of aquatic life to look at and eat. It is the human characters that look super weird and low quality. The thing is, it kind of adds to the game's charm if I am being honest.
Taming The Beast
There is a tutorial at the start of the game and that is a good thing. Many people will say that this game is unplayable, but that is not true. Does it take a while to get the hang of the controls? Yes, it does, but Jaws Unleashed is kind of fun once you get the hang of controlling a massive great white shark!The game is set with various missions. Most of these missions are about eating someone/something or destroying something. There is not much variety to the game at all, but you do have a bit of an open world where you can swim around just killing for fun. It is not the kind of game you are going to play for hours on end, but in short bursts, it can be fun.
Let There Be Gallons Of… Glitches!
You thought I was going to say blood, didn’t you? Well, this game does have a lot of blood, but it is also glitchy as hell. It has a very “budget” feel to it, like they did not have quite enough money to fully test this thing before they released it. Sometimes these glitches can be funny, like once I got Jaws stuck between a rock and he started freaking out! Other times, it can be so bad you have to restart the game!
I will not say that Jaws Unleashed is a masterpiece of gaming or anything like that. However, for a budget title, it really is not as bad as many people make out. The game when you are just screwing around eating people and destroying stuff can be fun. It is just very repetitive and has too many glitches. It is still worth playing for an hour or so, but I cannot imagine many people will take the time to fully beat this.
Pros:
Jaws Windows Screen Reader
- You can play as Jaws!
- Eating people is fun
- The open-world aspect of the game is a neat idea
- It does at least try to have an engaging story
- Some of the glitches can be funny
Cons:
Jaws Windows Screen Reading
- The game is very repetitive
- Not sure it was actually ready for release due to the number of glitches