Topic by lovecumputer 2010-09-11 15:30:20

  • From: Sweden
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Heh this is fun fun. And bad.
My dad was showing his HTC Hero to me and said that it was featured with screenreader, so it is accecible to visually impaired.
Look here ...
Well, can't see ...
You just hold your fingers here and sweep with it ...
But what's the keystrokes for this? ...
No keystrokes, all touch ...
Very! accecible!
LOL.

The other thing was when my parents thought to buy me a Imac, but my dad decided that it was not accecible with Jaws.
They both hate the sight centre in Sweden for some reason, so they was not so excited to call and ask. So now I ask, anyone running Imac, Mac or any other computers or oporating systems, accept for the ones that Microsoft created.

I hate Microsoft, but that's just my opinions, bugs, bugs, and more bugs.

Feel free to discuss about everything not accecible that was it before, or things that is growing on the market -- for sighted!
Everything from computers and mobiles to owens and washing machines.

Come on, reply!

IPhone 4 released in Sweden, people where camping in the stores

Audiogames has entered a new era. With blockbusters such as bk2, swamp, perilous hearts and the soon-to-come road to rage, audiogames takes a new shape. High quality sounds, multiplayer and very sufficiant AI is audiogames next step towards attention. The world is about to change so cheer with me, hurray!

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Reply by cx2 2010-09-11 16:56:22

  • cx2
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I have:
iPhone 3GS running iOS 4
MacBook Pro running Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard

Mac OS works well enough though I'm still more comfortable with Jaws for major stuff. iPhone with touch screen only is very, very accessible. Instead of key strokes you use gestures.

iOS gestures, iOS is for iPhone iPod Touch and iPad -
Flick left/right work like tab and shift tab, right is next item left is previous item
double tap activates item
flick up or down moves through words/characters depending on setting, or adjusts sliders
Two finger twist, changes the flick up/down option. On web you also get headings, form controls etc as options for flick up/down.
two finger single tap, interrupt or resume speech.

These are just the basics. You can also run your finger around the screen and it will speak what is under your finger, and pressing down a second finger (split tap) activates the item. Works very well.

I gather the Google stuff isn't as well developed as yet, though this may change in the future.

Oh and Apple laptops with a multi touch trackpad can use similar gestures to the iPhone with 10.6, which is great. I know they recently brought out a bluetooth trackpad that works with desktop macs but I can't confirm whether it works with Voice Over, I don't see why it shouldn't but I can't say with certainty that it does.

So yes, touch screen phones can be very accessible, you just need to think in slightly different ways than keystrokes.

cx2
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Reply by cw 2010-09-11 17:54:37

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I do use an IPod touch wich runs the same OS as the IPhone and I can tell you that it is verry useable to the blind. I have played with the mack it seems to be on at lest the same level as the IPhone when it comes to Access for the blind or low vision. If I were you, I might be tempted to go have a look before buying. Next time, tell your dad about VoiceOver wich comes as default on a mac, or you can go here if you want to know more about Apple's accessibility. If it is a choice between an IPhone or the HTC Hero, I would have to say that the IPhone is geared more for the beginner.

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.
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Reply by cx2 2010-09-11 18:34:44

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Remember that the HTC phone running Android is on open source software. This means that if there are people willing to develop accessibility for it then it will be developed, however there won't be much official funding or backing for these efforts in all likelihood. With the iPhone Apple made a conscious effort to include out of the box accessibility, it is even possible to set it up via the USB cable for speech output, so the development of accessibility has funding for so long as Apple deems it worthwhile to do so for whatever reasons.

I'm no beginner when it comes to tech and I haven't had chance to use Android but I am pretty sure it won't yet be as well rounded as iOS accessibility, that may change in the future of course. Equally though there are lots of accessible, or semi accessible, apps out there for the iPhone as well. While the lock in is a pain in the neck at least you have more guarantees of stability and quality, there are only so many configurations for iPhones while Android phones have goodness knows how many different configs among them.

Even the compass in the iPhone is accessible, and you can use the maps app to tell you what street you're on and to list directions to a destination though you need a data connection for this. Other navigation apps which provide turn by turn instructions are available.

On the other hand I hear in the US the iPhone is locked to AT&T which I perpetually hear described as terrible, luckily here in the UK they no longer  have an exclusive deal and even when they did it was with the much more effective O2 network. I don't know what the situation is with Sweden.

cx2
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To live by honour and to honour life, these are our greatest strengths and our best hopes.

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Reply by PaulieD 2010-09-11 19:25:22

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  • Registered: 2010-07-26
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Well, for starters, the HTC phone you speak of might work, but it won't be as stable as the IOS platform. This entails the trio, Pad, Pod, and phone.
you got a mac? I'm so, so, jealous! I wouldn't ever sell that thing, even if you find everyone wanting you to stick to windows. Simple solution to the dilemma of running Windows on a mac, Fusion. Don't think for a second that the Mac OS isn't usable by the blind, as one without sight can even install it without vision, therefor beating Windows by a long shot!

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