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With all of the talk about phones that are made accessible using special software, there continues to be a lot of people who are happy with a more limited amount of accessibility. LG has continued with their line of talking phones with the VX8300, a CDMA phone primarily for Verizon Wireless. This newer model improves on the accessibility features of earlier talking phones including the ability to send (not receive) text messages, more voice feedback while navigating the menus, and a better voice for reading text-to-speech information. The phone itself also includes a MicroSD memory card slot. The prices on these cards are falling dramatically, with a 1GB card available for under $20. The phone can play MP3s and has Bluetooth capability, which I successfully set up without sighted assistance. Check the link on this post to find this phone on Ebay at some very decent prices.

Buy.com has the Epson Perfection scanner, model V350, for $115.68. With free shipping, we couldn't find this model for less elsewhere. It features a scan area of 8.5 by 11, USB connectivity and a 35 millimeter automatic film loader. This bargain is no longer available.

Phone week continues with a hot new offering from Motorola. The Q is a CDMA phone that works with Verizon and Sprint among others. This phone runs on Windows Mobile 5.0 so it is compatible with Mobile Speak Smartphone. Available from TheNerds.net for $460.78 plus shipping, it includes Bluetooth connectivity, QWERTY keyboard, stereo speakers and MiniSD memory slot, 240 minutes of talk time. Use the EVDU capability to connect to high-speed networks like Verizon's Broadbandaccess.

StarSurplus.com has the 3-in-1 USB VoIP phone, sound card, and 256MB flash drive for $26.95. With about $5 for shipping, that's the lowest price we could find for this item by about $3. It includes a 5.1 channel sound card, phone handset compatible with Skype, and an integrated flash memory drive.

Today, phone week continues with the new Nokia E70 GSM cell phone, which was just made accessible by the latest version of Mobile Speak from Code Factory. This $385 phone with free shipping from Buy.com has several features that put it in the next generation of cell phone technology. Not only does it connect to GSM networks, but it also supports 802.11G networks allowing direct connections to the PC world. Also included is a mini SD slot, 2 megapixel camera (most phones only have 1 megapixel), and over 7 hours of talk time. As with all of the phones we're featuring this week, this model is unlocked and not tied to any specific carrier.

Ruckus Networks offers over 2.1 million songs free of charge to any student with a valid .edu Email address. The service is advertiser-supported and includes several social networking features such as shared playlists. Ruckus has copyright agreements with every major record label and is a legitimate legal service.

Welcome to the Blind Bargains phone week. Each day, we'll feature a different accessible cell phone. Today, it's the Nokia 9300 GSM cell phone from Buy.com for $234.99 shipped. This Symbian Series 80 phone runs with the Nuance Talks software and features a QWERTY keyboard, several connectivity options such as Bluetooth, USB, and infrared, and many bundled PDA applications. This GSM phone will work on networks like Cingular and T-Mobile. Check back each day for a new accessible cell phone option.

An Ebay seller has listed a Braille 'n Speak 2000 with the latest software update for a starting bid of $50. As usual, it is sold as is but most likely works. Auction ends January 30.

Ending Wednesday, Skype's deal for one year of unlimited calls from the U.S. to locations in the U.S. and Canada for $14.95 or just over a dollar a month. On Thursday, the rate doubles to $29.95 per year. Skype allows you to make free calls to millions of other users of its software and low-cost calls to regular phones around the world. Deal ends January 31.

The Desert Skies has kindly posted an accessible manual for the new series of Olympus recorders. Use the link off this post to read the instructions for the DS-30, DS-40 and DS-50 recorders. We posted a deal for the DS-30 last week on this site.

Starting Monday, it's the Blind Bargains Phone Week. Each day, we'll feature a different accessible cell phone. Since most of our readers already have a cell phone plan, we'll be featuring unlocked versions of these phones, meaning that they do not require a new contract to activate. There are now many accessible cell phone options to choose from, so check back all next week to help make your decision a bit easier.

Announced at ATIA, Humanware is offering a free copy of their Oxferd Dictionary and thesaurus program for Keysoft with any purchase of a braille cell transplant in a Classic Braille Note model to a new mPower. With the cost of a transplant at $1995 and the cost of the Oxferd Dictionary by itself at $195. this is still a great deal for those who were considering upgrading there Braille Note classics. Deal ends June 30.

Geeks.com has the USB AirTouch 18-key Super Mini Number Keypad for $5.99. Add about $7 for shipping. This keypad has a two-foot cable and is ideal for laptops without a numeric pad.

An Ebay seller has listed a Topaz Video Magnifier with a current bid of $57.56. These retail starting at around $2,000 for a current model, depending on the size of the screen. Auction ends January 26.

The Telex Scholar DAISY CD player is available for $125.33 from an Ebay store. We are unsure of how many are available at this price. With free shipping, that's over $100 off retail and the lowest price we could find. The Telex Scholar is a portable DAISY Player that detects s and plays digitally accessible CDs, MP3 and consumer CDs.

Amazon.com has a Saitek portable speaker for $39.99 with free shipping. This speaker fits in the palm of your hand and offers stereo output. It runs on 4 AAA batteries, includes a built-in stand, and can plug in to either a standard audio player's headphone jack or the smaller jack on most cell phones.

Ace Digital Club via Amazon.com has the brand new Olympus DS-30 Digital Voice Recorder for $125.09. With about $8 for shipping, that's $25 off retail and the lowest price we could find. This unit records at up to 44.1kHz and is billed as Olympus's most accessible digital recorder. It also includes a detachable stereo microphone, noise cancelation, and automatic downloading of Podcasts.

Good at fixing things? You could buy this APH Handi-Cassette II four-track cassette recorder off Ebay and have yourself a cheap audio book machine. Starting bid is $5.99. The seller says the item looks new, but does not mention what's wrong with the unit. Auction ends January 25.

Blind Mice Mart now stocks several Classco Talking Caller ID units including an advanced model for $42 and the basic Classco model for $17.50. Become a Blind Mice Mart member and save an additional 5% on the model 2025 talking caller ID and speaker phone. Becoming a Blind Mice member is free.

Buy.com has a set of Panasonic DJ Headphones for $14.99 with free shipping. These headphones include an excellent frequency response of 14kHz to 24,000kHz, gold-plated connector, and a 6.6 foot cord.