Hi Andy
The Mac browser, built into the operating system, is called Safari. It
works well on the sites we have visited so far, and Martin can do his
online
banking easier on the Mac than he can with Windows and JAWS 12 at the
moment
which is kind of interesting.
Whenever there is an update, VoiceOver is included. You don't have to
worry
about downloading updates from a site. If there is one, the Mac will tell
you if you go to Software Updates, it's great and very easy that way.
Kind Regards,
Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability
jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 19 May 2011 11:30
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Apps for the Mac, was New voices for the next
apple
operating system
Thanks Jackie Gordon and Tristram - My life is less busy these days, and
I've no real need for a powerful word processing programme, or for the
bells
and whistles of say Outlook, so basic word processing, email and
spreadsheet
would do for me. What I do need is good web surfing ability, so if Apple
offer this, along with not having to upgrade Voice Over each time the
operating system changes, as always seems to be the case with Windows and
JAWS, then it looks a positive move to me, eventually -
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 11:16 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Apps for the Mac, was New voices for the next
apple
operating system
Hi Andy
When I say Office doesn't cut it on the Mac, I mean that the programs
available to Mac Users don't work in the same way as Office. I bought
a program called iWork for my iMac. This has Pages as its word
processor, and Numbers for the spreadsheet. You can save your
documents to Windows format, and import them successfully. But it
isn't the same as Microsoft Office because you don't have Outlook.
You do have a programme built into the Mac operating system called
Mail, and Martin has set up his Email account on his Mac Mini, and
says it is easy to navigate with VoiceOver. But it isn't as
sophisticated, dare I say it, as Outlook and all the things you can do
with the calendar etc. On the other hand, a confident Mac user might
argue that you can do everything on the Mac that you can do in Windows
and, more specifically, within Office. I'm not expert enough to
contradict that viewpoint, I'm only just beginning my Apple adventure.
It probably depends what you want the Mac to do for you. I've got two
systems running on different machines, and jump to the Mac to
experiment when I have time and inclination. I'm in no way ready to
dump Windows, and nor do I have plans to migrate either. I just like
the idea of playing with a different concept, and actually find
Apple's attitude to accessibility very refreshing! I also find that
Braille to Apple isn't just an afterthought, and very much something
that is included in their operating system. There is no fuss about
digitally signed drivers, you just plug in your display and Apple
recognises it, well certainly the newer models anyway.
Kind Regards,
Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability
jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 19 May 2011 10:07
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating
system
Hi Jackie - this is useful feedback, thanks. So, if as you say, Office
doesn't cut it on the Mac, what are the word processing/spreadsheet
options for a blind user of the Mac?
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 9:27 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating
system
Well Andy, I still use JAWS primarily because I'm used to it, sort of
in a comfort zone if you like. I don't like Freedom Scientific, I
think everybody knows that. I hate the way they operate, but that's
my opinion and I'm sticking to it. I hope the day comes when
Microsoft, for all its faults and flaws, will do as Apple have, and
bring out a built-in screen reader. And the reason? Because Apple's
operating system works with VoiceOver. You don't have to buy scripts
or add-ons, and when the software has an upgrade, so does VoiceOver,
and it works with everything on the Mac that is part of that
operating system. That is not to say that VoiceOver works with
everything you can buy for the Mac, and therein is the difference.
There is software out there that doesn't work with VoiceOver.
It is also a steep learning curve, but I now have an iMac, and I like
leaving Windows for a bit to learn something on it. I also don't
have iTunes on my PC, but use it on the Mac, and have my music
collection on it so I can transfer what I want to my iPod Nano and
the iTouch. The Alex voice on the Mac is very good too.
I don't think I would ever swap my PC for the Mac full-time, I don't
feel confident enough to do that, and there are apps on the PC that
don't cut it on the Mac like Office. But to play with and learn,
it's an interesting concept.
Kind Regards,
Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability
jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 18 May 2011 16:59
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating
system
Well you know Jackie, I've been considering a mac for when the time
comes to buy a new laptop, if I haven't gone the IPad route by then.
I guess there's quite a steep learning curve if going from Windows to
Mac, but any improvement over JAWS and eloquence has to be a big plus
for me -
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:27 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating
system
Yep Andy with you completely, and they are slower on a device too.
I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole unless they are built into
something that doesn't allow you to change them. Alex on the Mac is
very good quality. You even hear him take breaths when he is
reading. It's personal preference, but I agree those voices are
dreadful, apart from Sangita, who is really quite realistic in her
own way.
Kind Regards,
Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability
jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 17 May 2011 13:51
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating
system
Well, I hope, but doubt that they would sound better under Voice
Over. I hate them. Still too mechanical. Why do these voices always
sound as though they're gargling as they speak? I'd hoped by now
we'd be having a more naturally flowing voice -
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon Keen <mailto:gordonkeen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 10:01 AM
Subject: [access-uk] New voices for the next apple operating system
Hi
Thought some of you might want a listen to these, what do you think
of them...
Begin forwarded message:
Hello
Here are samples of a couple of the new voices in Lion which have
been doing the rounds. These aren't generated through Apple's speech
engine, they're the same voices used by another service so the
samples are generated from that. They may or may not sound better
when used in
VoiceOver:
English American Accent - Samantha
<http://nextupdownloads.com/scansamples/samantha.wav>
English British Accent - Serena
<http://nextupdownloads.com/scansamples/serena.wav>
Cheers
G
From Bridgerule in glorious Devon, England.
Catch the buzz at http://www.bridgerule.co.uk
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