[accesscomp] FW: Friday Finds for June 26 2015
- From: "Robert Acosta" <boacosta@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <aw-announcements@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2015 13:26:45 -0700
Robert Acosta, President
Helping Hands for the Blind
(818) 998-0044
www.helpinghands4theblind.org
From: dan Thompson [mailto:dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, June 26, 2015 7:45 AM
To: dan Thompson
Subject: Friday Finds for June 26 2015
Friday Finds for june 26 2015
Contents
1. Fact of the Day
2. Things to Ponder
3. BARD Mobile app for Android
4. Review: TCL Pulse Vibrating Alarm with iOS App | Mosen Consulting
5. Do you have a pulse? Are You sleeping? A review of the TCL Pulse |
AppleVis
6. Frozen Summer Treats are Cool
7. 15 people who saved millions
Articles start below
1) Fact of the day:
75% of all sesame seeds grown in Mexico end up on McDonald's hamburger
buns.
Submitted by Trish
2) Things to ponder:
If you have a bunch of odds and ends and you get rid of all but just one,
what do you call it?
Why do you recite at a play but you play at a recital?
*3) The long awaited BARD Mobile app for Android is finally here! BARD
Mobile is now
available in the Google Play store. BARD Mobile enables NLS patrons to
download
and listen to audiobooks and magazines directly from their Android
devices. Registered Texas Talking Book patrons will need a BARD account and
a
device running Android OS 4.1 or later in order to use the new app.
*4) Review: TCL Pulse Vibrating Alarm with iOS App | Mosen Consulting
Introduction
I recently started a feature that has become popular on my live weekly
Internet radio show, The Mosen Explosion, <http://mosenexplosion.com/>
where I review an iOS app.
http://mosenexplosion.com/
The reviews are live and spontaneous, which gives them a different feel from
an edited podcast.
On last weeks show, I demonstrated the iOS app for some new hardware I
acquired recently, the TCL Pulse. <http://www.tclpulse.com/> The response
to the review was huge.
http://www.tclpulse.com/
I was going to record a more formal review for inclusion on the Mosen
Consulting site, but then I realised that those who might benefit from the
TCL Pulse the most, may not be able to hear the review very well. So, Ive
put fingers to keyboard to describe this highly useful device.
Description
TCL Pulse is a vibrating alarm clock and timer. It has no additional bells
and whistles of any kind. It doesnt even tell the time. It simply vibrates
aggressively and/or plays a sound at a pre-set time, or after a specified
time.
Its a solid-feeling, plastic, palm-sized device.
The only buttons on the device are a large snooze button, and two smaller
buttons, one for stopping the alarm, and the other to put the device into
pairing mode, which you must hold down for five seconds.
It is programmed from an iOS app, so to use the TCL Pulse, youll need an
iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. I understand an Android app may soon be
available.
It pairs with your phone via Bluetooth 4.0, and is powered by 3 AAA
batteries.
TCL Pulse is manufactured by Amplifyze, which has a good reputation for
producing equipment for the Deaf and hard of hearing. But they also see a
mainstream market for this device, pointing out that it can be used to wake
up a sleeping teenager. If youve ever parented teenagers, youll know
thats not always easy.
Setting it up
Batteries are not included with the TCL Pulse, so youll need to purchase
the three AAA batteries and insert them. As a totally blind person, I found
it easy to locate the battery compartment and to work out which way the
batteries needed to be inserted.
Next, youll need to download the free TCL Pulse app
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tcl-pulse-by-amplifyze/id944544749?mt=8>
from the App Store.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tcl-pulse-by-amplifyze/id944544749?mt=8
When you run the TCL Pulse app for the first time, youll need to pair your
TCL Pulse with your iDevice. You do this from within the app, there is no
need to go to the Bluetooth settings in iOS. Double-tap the Pair new
device button in the app, hold down the pairing button on the TCL Pulse for
five seconds, and if the batteries were inserted correctly, the TCL Pulse
will be displayed in the list of devices. There is no PIN to enter. Each
iDevice can be paired with up to five TCL Pulse units. If you have more than
one, you may like to take the time to give each device a descriptive name
when you first pair it.
Functions of the App
From the TCL Pulse app, you can set up to 10 daily alarms. You can give each
alarm a name, and specify the time, as well as the day or days you want the
alarm to sound. You can specify the volume of the alarm sound, the intensity
of the vibration, and set the vibration pattern for each alarm you set. So
if you wish to be woken each week-day morning at 6 AM, this is done easily
with the setting of one alarm.
You can also set a timer, and control sound and vibration functions as you
can when setting alarms.
Accessibility
So, how accessible is the TCL Pulse app to blind people who use VoiceOver,
the screen reader built-in to iOS? The TCL Pulse app should be usable by
even a moderately experienced iOS user. A swipe action can be used to delete
alarms, and while the Settings button doesnt have a clear text label, it is
easy to work out the buttons purpose.
Most important of all, the controls to set the alarms and timer are standard
picker controls. So whether youre setting the alarm with the touch screen,
a Bluetooth keyboard or a Braille display, its an absolutely standard,
accessible screen.
My one concern relates to checking battery status. I have yet to have the
unit long enough to know what happens when the battery starts to run low,
but the battery icon does not appear to be accessible in the app. Hopefully,
this is something that could be addressed in an update to the app.
Practical Usage
I put the TCL Pulse in my pillow case. If you place it in your pillow case
on top of your pillow, youre likely to find it uncomfortable, so I soon
realised I would have to try placing it in my pillow case under the pillow.
I was a bit sceptical about whether I would feel the vibration enough to
wake me when it was placed there, but I neednt have been concerned. At its
highest vibration intensity, the TCL Pulse has at this point woken me on
every occasion Ive used it. It sure beats the ear-splitting alarm I used to
use on my iPhone, and it will Im sure be a viable option for people with
profound hearing impairments or who are totally Deaf.
Conclusion
As someone who travels a lot, Ive been looking for a device just like this
one. Its easily controlled from the iPhone I have with me at all times,
its largely accessible, and I can sleep more soundly knowing that I have a
device that is sure to wake me up.
Finding out whether I get an accessible warning about low batteries is my
only question at this point, and I will update this review when that becomes
clearer.
I would personally also have preferred a device I can charge via USB from my
computer, rather than having to worry about whether I have spare batteries.
But the TCL Pulse is one of those simple devices that has made a positive
difference. And at $40 from Amazon, the price is right.
*5) Do you have a pulse? Are You sleeping? A review of the TCL Pulse |
AppleVis
Submitted by Scott Davert on 18 June, 2015 and last modified on 19 June,
2015 - 00:00
(Links inserted by Dan)
Introduction
Ever since the last significant drop in my hearing, I've found it more and
more challenging to rely on said hearing to carry out such tasks as using a
screen reader, knowing when water is boiling, and the topic of this review:
waking up in the morning. As many of the adaptations made for the blind are
addressed through the use of hearing, and many of the adaptations made for
the deaf are done through vision, this complicates matters for someone who
wants to maintain their independence through the use of technology. For the
deaf and hard of hearing, there are alarm systems like those made by Sonic
Alert <http://www.sonicalert.com/> ,
http://www.sonicalert.com/
and many others. For the purposes of waking up, there are a few options on
the market. One solution is to leave my iPhone under my pillow and hope that
the vibration feature will do the trick. Whether it will or not depends on
how heavily I sleep and also if the phone shifts while under my pillow
during the night. Not only that, but before the days of the Do Not Disturb
feature in iOS, I had to leave my phone in "airplane mode", or risk getting
those drunk texts from friends, which aren't so amusing at 3 AM when you
have to work the next day.
Along those lines, there is a product on the market which seeks to address
this issue and also notify you of incoming texts, alarms, and calls on your
smartphone. The DreamZon LightOn
<http://www.harriscomm.com/dreamzon-lighton-white-mobile-phone-signaler.html
http://www.harriscomm.com/dreamzon-lighton-white-mobile-phone-signaler.html
is a signaler originally designed for the deaf which sends out a flashing
light to alert the individual that their phone is vibrating when it is set
on the top of the device. There is an add on which allows for a bed shaker
to be plugged in which can also act as a signaler when put in a pocket. One
draw-back to this system is that it is often set off by a loud noise that
vibrates the room you are in. Loud car stereos, thunderstorms, neighbors
walking heavily in an apartment above yours, and slamming of doors are just
some examples. There is also no way for someone who is blind to adjust the
sensitivity. This device also runs on batteries, another thing that someone
who can not independently check the status of because the status is
displayed by lights. IF the device weren't prone to going off on its own,
this may not be a large concern, but because of the aforementioned
sensitivity issue, it certainly can be. There are other solutions that have
various issues, fsuch as the Helen Vibrating Alarm Clock
<https://www.bapingroup.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63_73&produ
ct_id=106> ,
https://www.bapingroup.com/index.php?route=product/product
<https://www.bapingroup.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63_73&produ
ct_id=106> &path=63_73&product_id=106
the Reizen Braille Quartz Alarm Clock with Vibrating Option
<http://www.amazon.com/Reizen-Braille-Quartz-Vibrating-Option/dp/B00IHZVP5E/
ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434681509&sr=8-1&keywords=braille+alarm+clock> ,
http://www.amazon.com/Reizen-Braille-Quartz-Vibrating-Option/dp/B00IHZVP5E/r
ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8
<http://www.amazon.com/Reizen-Braille-Quartz-Vibrating-Option/dp/B00IHZVP5E/
ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434681509&sr=8-1&keywords=braille+alarm+clock>
&qid=1434681509&sr=8-1&keywords=braille+alarm+clock
and the the Amplicom Talking Digital Alarm Clock with Vibrator
<http://www.hearmore.com/store/prodView.asp?idproduct=9525&idstore=6&product
=Amplicom-Talking-Digital-Alarm-Clock-with-Vibrator>
http://www.hearmore.com/store/sysMsg.asp?errMsg=Invalid+or+Inactive+Product%
2E
<http://www.hearmore.com/store/sysMsg.asp?errMsg=Invalid+or+Inactive+Product
%2E&idstore=6> &idstore=6
just to name a few. These are the options I looked at and dismissed for
various reasons. However, I've now found a product I like and that seems
reliable: the TCL Pulse
<http://www.amazon.com/AMPLIFYZE-PULSE-Bluetooth-Enabled-Vibration/dp/B00RXS
17H2> seems to fit the bill quite well.
http://www.amazon.com/AMPLIFYZE-PULSE-Bluetooth-Enabled-Vibration/dp/B00RXS1
7H2
What is it and how would you describe it
The TCL Pulse is a piece of hardware that is very small and connects to your
iDevice through bluetooth. It's square-like shaped, but the corners are
rounded. It measures 2.8 x 2.8 x 0.8 inches, and weighs in at 5 ounces, also
making it great for traveling.
It has 3 buttons on what I would call the top side, or the side facing
furthest away from you. From left to right they are a button with bumps on
it, which is the pair button, a small concaved button to reset the entire
unit, and a small smooth button on the right which turns off the alarm. On
the top of the unit, there is just 1 button for snooze. This device is
controlled through its own iOS app, and can serve as either an alarm or
timer. The type and frequency of the alarms are wide in range. You can have
soft noise with a strong vibration, loud noises with no vibration, and every
other combination you could want. You can also set alarms to go off every
day of the week, each week day, only once, or any combination in between.
Speaking of time, you spent a lot of it babbling, now how does it work?
First, you will need to insert the 3 AAA batteries that came with the PCL
Pulse. This process, even as someone who is deaf-blind, was very straight
forward. After inserting the batteries, put the battery door cover back on,
and go download the iOS app. Not only is this how you will control the PCL
Pulse, as indicated above, but it's also how you will pair it to your
iDevice. Once the app is installed, you will then press and hold the pairing
button for 5 seconds. You will feel a vibration and, if you can hear well
enough, a beep. This means the PCL Pulse is in "discoverable mode". When the
app is launched, find the pair new device button in the app, and double tap
or press a cursor routing button to begin the search process. The phone will
find your device, and you can select it accordingly. I'm writing all of this
in the review, because the pdf file on their website did not appear to be
accessible with a screen reader.
how applicable is the app?
Though there are a couple of unlabeled buttons, it's straight forward to me
what they mean. Some of the labels for VoiceOver are a bit verbose, but
again, I still was able to clearly understand what those buttons did.
However, for those using smaller braille displays, I can see this being less
efficient. Setting an alarm, editing alarms, setting timers, and all other
functions are usable for VoiceOver users who have some degree of experience
using standard commands or gestures with their VO enabled..
One of the challenges of some of the iDevice specific solutions of this sort
in the past has been that they tend to come unpaired from the iDevice. The
version of the Lark UP <http://www.lark.com/> system
http://www.web.lark.com/#home
I tried that had a wrist band that would vibrate is an example of this.
However, with the TCL Pulse, once the alarm has been set through the app,
you no longer have to be in range of your iDevice. So if your iDevice is
plugged in somewhere else, as long as the alarm was set to go off at a
designated time, it will do so. Assuming, of course, that the batteries do
not die. Speaking of battery life, which finding that status has been a
problem with all of the other products mentioned in this post, it's not one
with the TCL Pulse. You can check it with the app. TO do this, from the
app's main screen, find the paired device you would like to check out. Then,
select it, and after doing so, flick to the right once, or the equivalent of
this on your device to land on the "ToolBarBatteryOutline" button. Select
this, then flick right twice, and it will give you your battery level with
VoiceOver and/or braille.
Conclusion
Certainly, an extensive review beyond what we've looked at here is out of
the question. However, after having the TCL Pulse for nearly 2 weeks, I've
found it to be both the most reliable and most cost effective way to wake up
as someone who is deaf-blind. At $40 on Amazon, this works better than
devices 3 times its cost and is more portable than any other solution I've
found. My only criticisms of this product are the fact that the manual is
not available as an accessible PDF file, and that some of the VoiceOver
buttons are a bit wordy. With some relabeling of buttons, and making the PDF
version of the manual accessible, the company could make the product even
better.
Devices Accessory Was Used With:
iPhone 5/5c/5s
iPod Touch 5G
*6) Frozen Summer Treats are Cool
By Mary Hunt on 06/26/15
In these sizzling days of summer its tempting to load up the freezer with
pricey
frozen treats. Or to duck into a coffee shop or juice bar to grab one of
those decadent blended coffee chillers or a fruit smoothie. But the big
price tags can make even the creamiest concoction or slushiest treat hard to
swallow.
Giving up favorite cold treats isnt your only option. Make these yourself
and you have great summertime treats at home for just pennies, not dollars.
Banana Berry Freeze
* 2 cups ice
* 1 ripe banana, peeled
* 3/4 cup strawberry daiquiri mix
* 1/4 cup Pina Colada mix
* whipped cream
Place all of the ingredients, except the whipped cream, in a blender and
process on high speed for 10-15 seconds until smooth. Pour into two wine
glasses and garnish with whipped cream. Yield: 2 servings
Clone of Wendys Frosty
* 1 cup milk (low fat okay)
* 1/2 cup Nestles Quik powdered mix
* 3 cups vanilla ice cream
Allow ice cream to soften in refrigerator for 1 hour. Mix all ingredients in
blender.
Yield: 4 servings
Berry Banana Smoothies
* 1 cup reduced-fat vanilla yogurt
* 1 medium rip banana, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen
* 1/4 cup each frozen unsweetened strawberries, blueberries,
raspberries and blackberries
* 1 cup fat-free milk
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and process
until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately.
Yield: 3 servings.
Like Starbucks Frappuccino
* 3 ounces hot espresso
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 2 1/2 cups milk (low-fat is okay)
* 1 tablespoon dry pectin
* 1 cup ice
* whipped cream (optional)
If you do not have an espresso maker, brew double-strength coffee by
doubling the amount of grinds (Starbucks uses Italian roast). Stir the sugar
into the hot espresso. Allow to cool. Stir the milk and pectin into the
espresso mixture until dissolved. Fill a glass with ice and pour the mixture
over. Or pour the ingredients plus ice into the blender and process on
frappe for 30 to 45 seconds. Top with
whipped cream and your choice of garnish (cinnamon, chocolate sprinkles,
etc.)
*Note: Look for pectin (used in home canning to thicken jams and jellies) in
the grocery store. Yield: Four 6-ounce servings.
Frozen Fruit Salad
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 cups water
* 1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
* 1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
* 4 bananas, sliced
* 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
* 1 10-ounce package frozen strawberries, thawed
Dissolve sugar in the water. Add orange juice, lemonade, bananas, crushed
pineapple with juice, strawberries and mix well. Pour into 9×13 inch glass
pan.
Freeze until solid. When ready to serve, let it sit out for about 5 minutes
before attempting to cut. Serves 6 to 8.
Easy Frozen Fruit Squares
* 3 peaches, peeled and sliced
* 1 cup strawberries, halved
* 1 cup blueberries
* 3 cups orange juice
Place fruits in baking pan 8 x 8 x 2 baking dish. Pour orange juice over
fruit. Cover with aluminum foil and freeze. To serve, cut into squares.
Yield: 9 squares.
This column Frozen Summer Treats are Cool is today's post at Mary Hunt's
Everyday Cheapskate blog, where you can add your comment!
*7) 15 Humans That Saved Millions of Other Humans, by Kindness Blog
6608 reads
291
The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will
to help others. --Albert Schweitzer
15 Humans That Saved Millions of Other Humans
--by Kindness Blog
<http://www.dailygood.org/search.php?op=auth&name=Kindness%20Blog> ,
syndicated from kindnessblog.com
<http://kindnessblog.com/2014/03/04/15-humans-that-saved-millions-of-other-h
umans/> , Jun 23, 2015
http://kindnessblog.com/
With God, no problem is too big and no detail is too small.
Woodrow Kroll
To subscribe to Dan's tips or HotSpot with God Daily Devotional, send a
blank message to dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx and include "subscribe Dan's Tips" or
Subscribe HotSpot with God" in the subject line.
Other related posts:
- » [accesscomp] FW: Friday Finds for June 26 2015 - Robert Acosta
