Assistive technology software 2: Screen magnifiers

Screen magnification software enlarges the contents of the screen to make it easier to see. Magnification can pixelate text which makes it blocky and unclear. The more expensive software overcomes this by smoothing the fonts to make them clearer when enlarged.
There are various magnification styles. Some software has a limited choice of magnification style, while others provide a range. The styles available include a magnifying glass style zoom, magnifying the whole screen or just part of it, usually half screen vertically, horizontally or in a bar across the screen.
Other features such as colour and contrast options and cursor changes are available with some software and can help improve what you see on screen.

Software listed:

• Windows Magnifier - free
• Apple Zoom - free
• Lightning Express – free
• Desktop Zoom - free
• Magnifying Glass Pro - $25 USD
• ZoomText Express - £79.95
• Lightning Plus - £149
• MAGic - £175
• ZoomText Magnifier - £375
• SuperNova Magnifier - £354

Microsoft Windows operating system Magnifier - free

This is already available as part of Microsoft Windows

Pros:

• Built in accessibility feature (free with Windows)
• Simple
• Part or full screen magnification
• Windows 7 version has smoother text at high levels of magnification

Cons:

• No text smoothing so text pixelates (gets blocky) as magnification is increased
• Lack of colour modes

Apple operating system Zoom - free

This is already available as part of Apple operating systems

Pros:

• Built in accessibility feature (free with Apple computers and mobile devices)
• Gesture control, using the touchpad, on latest operating system

Cons:

• Still blocky at higher magnification
• Not possible to use at the same time as VoiceOver

Lightning Express – free (web-based)

Run the program from the web site: http://www.itzooms.com

Pros:

• Lens and full screen mode
• · Pre-set colour schemes
• Changeable cursor colours

Cons:

• Delivered over the internet so needs a web connection.
• Doesn’t automatically start on Windows start-up
• (Making a desktop shortcut with associated keyboard shortcut, helps to start the program without having to navigate to web page without magnification)

Desktop Zoom – free

Web site: http://users.telenet.be/littlegems/MySoft/DesktopZoom/Index.html
Download trial version: http://users.telenet.be/littlegems/MySoft/Index.html

Pros:

• Alternative zoom styles
• Magnifier follows the focus of what you are doing
• Shows the original screen with a transparency value between 0 and 100%
• Bigger mouse and/or a crosshair option

Cons:

• Limits magnification on the internet to three times.

Magnifying Glass Pro – approx. $25 USD

Web site with free trial download: http://www.workerscollection.com/wcollect/english/html/mg_pro.html

Pros:

• Modify contrast, smoothing, magnification glass size, shape and position
• Adjust screen position, such as fixed, under the cursor and angular
• Configurations can be saved
• Switch magnifier on and off by shaking the mouse

Cons:

• Does not magnify whole the screen
• Turns off Windows “Aero” desktop theme
• Does not turn off mouse cursor which can get in the way

ZoomText Express – approx. £79.95

Web site: http://www.aisquared.com/zoomtextexpress
Download trial version: http://www.aisquared.com/zoomtextexpress/more/download_zoomtextexpress_trial/

Pros:

• Gentle boost of magnification
• Can add a shade to white areas and reverse colours

Cons:

• Only zooms up to two times magnification
• Download only

Lightning Plus – approx. £149

Web site: http://www.clarosoftware.com/index.php?cPath=262
Download trial version: http://www.shareit.com/demoreg.html?productid=300077896

Pros:

• Portable, runs directly from a USB memory stick
• Lens, strip or full screen magnification or an area you choose
• Changeable colours and other visual properties
• Vertical or horizontal split screen
• Changeable colours and brightness

MAGic – approx. £175

Web site: http://www.freedomscientific.com/products/lv/magic-bl-product-page.asp
Download trial version: http://www.freedomscientific.com/downloads/demo/FS-demo-downloads.asp

Pros:

• Zooms up to 36 times magnification
• Font smoothing
• Colour and brightness setting
• More than five hours of basic training in accessible DAISY text and audio
• Fully compatible with JAWS screen reader

Cons:

• Font smoothing not as effective as ZoomText

ZoomText Magnifier – approx. £375

Web site:  http://www.aisquared.com/zoomtext
Download trial version: http://www.aisquared.com/zoomtext/more/download_zoomtext_trial/

Pros:

• Zooms between 1.2 and 32 times magnification
• Image smoothing
• 8 different zoom windows and full screen
• Separate adjustment of horizontal and vertical magnification
• Pre-set and custom colour schemes
• Cursor and pointer size and colour enhancements
• Text Finder
• Available as a USB version
• Configurations can be saved to load with separate applications

Cons:

• Price

Supernova Magnifier – approx. £354

Web site:   http://www.yourdolphin.com/productdetail.asp?id=3
Download trial version: http://www.yourdolphin.com/tryit.asp?id=3

Pros:

• Zooms between 1.25 and 36 times magnification
• Font smoothing and condensing
• Pointer and cursor enhancement and location
• Colour setting options

Cons:

• Price
• Can use a lot of computer memory

Other Assistive Technology fact sheets

• Screen reader software
• Combined magnifier and screen reader software

The prices shown are approximate, October 2011. All prices are excluding VAT. Those registered as sight impaired or severely sight impaired will not have to pay VAT on these products. Links to trial software that can be downloaded from the internet mean you can test the different products before you buy, to see if they suit your needs.
This information is intended as an introduction to the subject for blind and partially sighted people and their supporters. It is not intended as a complete list of all products and services available, nor should it be inferred that products and services mentioned in this information is recommended or endorsed by Vision Web Sight.