[real-eyes] Re: Braille monitor artical , Knowing What Is Good About the iPhone and What Is Not

  • From: Mitchell Lynn <mlynn@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:14:54 -0500

They can be very addicting. I started with Squeezebox but gave up on
that and bought a pair of Sonos units back in 2007. Added a couple more
since then. I can live without the high resolution support, and I have
gone with sonospy for work-around on the 65K track limit. Aside from
them screwing up some of the features I used in the older software
(version 3.6 and earlier I think) the only real complaint I have is that
it is difficult (maybe impossible) to fast forward through tracks. Not a
huge deal with music tracks, but I used the Sonos for Audible books for
several years.

On 06/06/14 1:55 PM, Chad Rohr wrote:
> Not a problem at all. My efforts were purely selfish on my part. I've wanted 
> to get a Sonos System. I'm not sure about the android app being accessible
> 
> Sincerely,
> Chad Rohr
> 
>> On Jun 6, 2014, at 1:51 PM, Mitchell Lynn <mlynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> Very cool. And thanks for your contributions to the developers. Do you
>> know if they are doing similar things with Android?
>>
>> Suppose I should stop in at the Sonos forum. Haven't been there in a
>> while. Got disgusted with their lack of attention to serious Sonos
>> limitations in favor of more products for the line. There is enough out
>> there now for competition; maybe they will feel the pressure.
>>
>>> On 06/06/14 1:32 PM, Chad Rohr wrote:
>>> That should be correct. But for sure the same for iPhone and iPod touch 
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>> Chad Rohr
>>>
>>>> On Jun 6, 2014, at 1:27 PM, Mitchell Lynn <mlynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Too cool. Can one assume the app will work equally well across all
>>>> iDevices?
>>>>
>>>>> On 06/06/14 1:21 PM, Chad Rohr wrote:
>>>>> I haven't used it extensively, but from what I've tried it is accessible. 
>>>>> Plus in the update notes the developer said it is completely accessible 
>>>>> with voiceover I have been in contact with them since December Orso to 
>>>>> try to get the application accessible
>>>>>
>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>> Chad Rohr
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Jun 6, 2014, at 12:54 PM, Mitchell Lynn <mlynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You've used it? That would be fantastic news on one front. It would be
>>>>>> horrible news for the wallet. The PC version works with speech, but it
>>>>>> is  not as useful as the earlier versions. It's bad enough I have
>>>>>> started initial research on alternative systems.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 06/06/14 11:42 AM, Chad Rohr wrote:
>>>>>>> Just FYI the new Sonos app just released is accessible with VoiceOver  
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>>>> Chad Rohr
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Jun 6, 2014, at 11:31 AM, Mitchell Lynn <mlynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I don't have one, but maybe he is  trying to limit discussion to a 
>>>>>>>> known
>>>>>>>> set of apps--perhaps those that are native to the iPhone. there's no 
>>>>>>>> way
>>>>>>>> he could cover them all. there is, for example, a Sonos app for
>>>>>>>> iDevices, and if I knew it worked with VO, I might well give it a shot.
>>>>>>>> Once upon a time, it did work, but the Sonos UI has changed 
>>>>>>>> dramatically
>>>>>>>> since then. A workable Sonos app and the paper money ID would be very
>>>>>>>> very useful. Having to pay for a data plan sucks.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Pretty high praise--first or second piece of independence technology.
>>>>>>>> Couldn't get any higher than 4th on my list no matter what it could do.
>>>>>>>> It won't replace my cane, braille or my desktop. Funny how those with
>>>>>>>> dogs place the dog higher, and those who use a cane place the iPhone
>>>>>>>> higher. There is something screwy with that line of thinking.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 06/06/14 11:05 AM, William Stephan wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Andrea:
>>>>>>>>> Most blind people I talk to say their iPhone is the best or second 
>>>>>>>>> best
>>>>>>>>> piece of independence technology, depending on whether or not they 
>>>>>>>>> work a
>>>>>>>>> dog.
>>>>>>>>> This article fails to mention many things that make the iPhone a 
>>>>>>>>> great tool,
>>>>>>>>> e.g. apps like TapTap See and Camfind.  
>>>>>>>>> I totally didn't get the part about GPS, why would you only use that 
>>>>>>>>> if you
>>>>>>>>> had a driver?  Has he never heard of apps like BlindSquare?
>>>>>>>>> And, if you just wanted to be a cheapo blind person, you could just 
>>>>>>>>> direct
>>>>>>>>> your driver with the native Maps application anyway.
>>>>>>>>> Also, I don't buy the typing speeds he mentions.  I'm not a speedy 
>>>>>>>>> typist,
>>>>>>>>> but I surely type far faster than three words a minute using the touch
>>>>>>>>> screen, and though I haven't timed myself in a while, I probably type 
>>>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>>>> least forty words a minute using Fleksy.
>>>>>>>>> And, with IOS 8, the Fleksy option will be available in many more 
>>>>>>>>> Apps.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>>>> From: real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>>>>>>>>> [mailto:real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>>>>>>>>> On Behalf Of Andrea Breier
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, June 06, 2014 7:41 AM
>>>>>>>>> To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>>>>>> Subject: [real-eyes] Braille monitor artical , Knowing What Is Good 
>>>>>>>>> About
>>>>>>>>> the iPhone and What Is Not
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I thought this might be good to toss out there for discussion.  This 
>>>>>>>>> artical
>>>>>>>>> was printed in the June addition. I agree that there is a learning 
>>>>>>>>> curve
>>>>>>>>> that naturally goes along with any smart phone, but because of the 
>>>>>>>>> wide
>>>>>>>>> veriaty of abilities of the many people I have personally instructed 
>>>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>>> the iPhone, do not feel that there is a better accessibility option 
>>>>>>>>> in the
>>>>>>>>> smart phone arina.  there are several other options or salutions that 
>>>>>>>>> could
>>>>>>>>> have been implamented in some of the examples he gave.  Fleksy as an 
>>>>>>>>> input
>>>>>>>>> option for his touch typing example for one, or using the split tap or
>>>>>>>>> adjusting the speed of the tap under accessibility options.   
>>>>>>>>> Okay enough said for now.  Here goes the artical.  
>>>>>>>>>>                             ---------- [PHOTO CAPTION: Curtis 
>>>>>>>>>> Chong]
>>>>>>>>>>        Knowing What Is Good About the iPhone and What Is Not
>>>>>>>>>>                           by Curtis Chong
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>  From the Editor: The iPhone is unquestionably the most popular 
>>>>>>>>>> cell phone used by the blind. Apple's revolutionary breakthrough in 
>>>>>>>>>> providing a roadmap for making the touchscreen usable by the blind 
>>>>>>>>>> has 
>>>>>>>>>> earned it significant praise from the blind, and their money has 
>>>>>>>>>> followed their words. But even with its impressive list of features 
>>>>>>>>>> and its accessibility, the iPhone is not for everyone, including 
>>>>>>>>>> some 
>>>>>>>>>> blind people. In this article Curtis Chong, who is a technology 
>>>>>>>>>> expert 
>>>>>>>>>> now living in New Mexico, explains the benefits of cutting-edge 
>>>>>>>>>> technology, but he also knows that the complexity of the iPhone and 
>>>>>>>>>> the needs of many cell phone users do not make it a good match. Here 
>>>>>>>>>> is what he has to say:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>  Many people have hailed the Apple iPhone as one of the first 
>>>>>>>>>> touchscreen technologies that can be used by the blind without 
>>>>>>>>>> sighted 
>>>>>>>>>> assistance. When Apple released the iPhone with VoiceOver back in 
>>>>>>>>>> 2009, even the most skeptical among us recognized that Apple had 
>>>>>>>>>> accomplished a truly phenomenal feat of design and engineering; for 
>>>>>>>>>> the first time in history a person who could not see the screen was 
>>>>>>>>>> able to operate all of the controls of a device, even though those 
>>>>>>>>>> controls were nothing more than icons on a flat screen.
>>>>>>>>>>  Today the iPhone's reputation as an accessible technology for the 
>>>>>>>>>> blind is widespread. People who have never used an accessible cell 
>>>>>>>>>> phone have heard about the iPhone and dream about taking advantage 
>>>>>>>>>> of 
>>>>>>>>>> its accessibility for themselves. Well-meaning sons and daughters, 
>>>>>>>>>> hearing about the legendary accessibility of the iPhone, act to 
>>>>>>>>>> purchase this marvelous piece of technology for their aging mother 
>>>>>>>>>> or 
>>>>>>>>>> father. Parents who want an accessible cell phone for their blind 
>>>>>>>>>> youngsters believe that the iPhone is the perfect solution.
>>>>>>>>>>  Accessible as the iPhone is, it is important to understand both 
>>>>>>>>>> its strengths and weaknesses before deciding to spend the money to 
>>>>>>>>>> get 
>>>>>>>>>> it. For some people it will be the perfect solution. For others it 
>>>>>>>>>> could turn out to be a very expensive paperweight.
>>>>>>>>>>  The good and bad points about the iPhone that are listed below 
>>>>>>>>>> are based solely on my personal experience. In judging the accuracy 
>>>>>>>>>> of 
>>>>>>>>>> this information for yourself, you should know that I was a relative 
>>>>>>>>>> latecomer to the iPhone; I waited nearly two years before I decided 
>>>>>>>>>> to 
>>>>>>>>>> abandon my accessible Nokia cell phone for it, and, because I had 
>>>>>>>>>> talked with a lot of blind people before I decided to make the 
>>>>>>>>>> purchase, I was not disappointed in my decision.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>                  The Good Things About the iPhone
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>  1. The iPhone enables you to take advantage of online services- 
>>>>>>>>>> particularly if they are supported by an iPhone app-for example, 
>>>>>>>>>> banking, news, music, searching for information, reading books 
>>>>>>>>>> online, 
>>>>>>>>>> email, weather, etc.
>>>>>>>>>>  2. The iPhone gives you the same technology as many of your blind 
>>>>>>>>>> friends who have already embraced the iPhone as their technological 
>>>>>>>>>> Swiss Army Knife of choice. This means that, if you run into 
>>>>>>>>>> trouble, 
>>>>>>>>>> you will probably be able to find a blind person with the knowledge 
>>>>>>>>>> and experience to help you.
>>>>>>>>>>  3. The iPhone demonstrates conclusively that the blind can 
>>>>>>>>>> operate a touchscreen device that has been properly designed for 
>>>>>>>>>> nonvisual use. In this regard I take great delight in using my 
>>>>>>>>>> iPhone 
>>>>>>>>>> with the screen completely blank-just to show my sighted colleagues 
>>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>> it can be done.
>>>>>>>>>>  4. The iPhone can tell you who is calling before you answer the 
>>>>>>>>>> call.
>>>>>>>>>>  5. The iPhone can help you keep track of recent calls made and/or 
>>>>>>>>>> received, and you can easily return a missed call.
>>>>>>>>>>  6. The iPhone offers a dictation system that enables you to make 
>>>>>>>>>> calls to people in your contact list, call specific phone numbers 
>>>>>>>>>> that 
>>>>>>>>>> you already know, dictate emails and text messages, and ask 
>>>>>>>>>> questions 
>>>>>>>>>> that may or may not result in useful answers.
>>>>>>>>>>  7. The iPhone can run a GPS system that you can use to direct 
>>>>>>>>>> drivers to where you want to go if you pay for a good GPS app.
>>>>>>>>>>  8. The iPhone has a free built-in compass which is quite useful 
>>>>>>>>>> in places where there are no good landmarks.
>>>>>>>>>>  9. With a ten-dollar app, the iPhone can read paper currency; 
>>>>>>>>>> this app can even read foreign paper currency.
>>>>>>>>>>  10. The iPhone is a great music player and also good for 
>>>>>>>>>> streaming radio.
>>>>>>>>>>  11. With the iPhone you can read digital talking books and 
>>>>>>>>>> electronic Braille books from the National Library Service of the 
>>>>>>>>>> Library of Congress.
>>>>>>>>>>  12. The iPhone can be used to read books from Audible.com and 
>>>>>>>>>> Kindle books from Amazon. It can also read books from a variety of 
>>>>>>>>>> other sources- including Learning Ally and Bookshare.
>>>>>>>>>>  13. The iPhone offers access to NFB-NEWSLINER through a free app.
>>>>>>>>>>  14. You can take pictures with the iPhone. Autofocus gives you a 
>>>>>>>>>> verbal indication whether there is a face in the picture. Also the 
>>>>>>>>>> camera can, to some extent, be used with optical character 
>>>>>>>>>> recognition 
>>>>>>>>>> software to read printed material if you can focus the camera.
>>>>>>>>>>  15. The iPhone has built-in voice output and screen enlargement 
>>>>>>>>>> available free. Activating these technologies is fairly 
>>>>>>>>>> straightforward.
>>>>>>>>>> Moreover, you will find that a growing number of books and people 
>>>>>>>>>> are 
>>>>>>>>>> available to offer help and support for new iPhone users.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>                  What Is Not Good About The iPhone
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>  1. If you don't want to pay for a data plan, the iPhone has no 
>>>>>>>>>> option for that. A data plan will cost you about twenty dollars a 
>>>>>>>>>> month. You need a data plan for the iPhone to be able to communicate 
>>>>>>>>>> over
>>>>>>>>> the Internet.
>>>>>>>>>>  2. It is very inefficient to make a simple phone call with the 
>>>>>>>>>> iPhone, particularly if you don't have a person in your contacts 
>>>>>>>>>> list. 
>>>>>>>>>> You can dial a phone number that you know much more quickly with a 
>>>>>>>>>> keypad that has real, physical buttons.
>>>>>>>>>>  3. On the iPhone touch typing for texting and email is very slow 
>>>>>>>>>> as compared to a regular keyboard; this has been somewhat mitigated 
>>>>>>>>>> by 
>>>>>>>>>> Braille apps, of which there are now two. However, you should know 
>>>>>>>>>> that research has shown that, on average, a blind person entering 
>>>>>>>>>> data 
>>>>>>>>>> using the touch- screen QWERTY keyboard is writing at about three 
>>>>>>>>>> words per minute. By contrast, users of the built-in Braille apps 
>>>>>>>>>> have 
>>>>>>>>>> been clocked at around
>>>>>>>>>> 23
>>>>>>>>>> words per minute.
>>>>>>>>>>  4. The iPhone is very much a technology requiring good hand-ear 
>>>>>>>>>> coordination. People who want real buttons that they can operate 
>>>>>>>>>> silently by touch will be very disappointed in the iPhone.
>>>>>>>>>>  5. Battery life for the iPhone is still an issue. You have to 
>>>>>>>>>> charge it at least once a day-a lot more if you use GPS.
>>>>>>>>>>  6. The iPhone is not small. It is bigger than a lot of flip phones.
>>>>>>>>>>  7. For a lot of people the iPhone is a lot more technology than 
>>>>>>>>>> they want. It is not for someone who just wants a phone to make and 
>>>>>>>>>> receive calls.
>>>>>>>>>>  8. The iPhone is not cheap. Even with a two-year contract, the 
>>>>>>>>>> basic unit can cost $200. The full retail price of the iPhone is 
>>>>>>>>>> approximately $650.
>>>>>>>>>>  9. First-time users of the iPhone have reported initial 
>>>>>>>>>> frustration with this powerful technology. It is not uncommon for 
>>>>>>>>>> these people to feel as if they want to throw the phone away during 
>>>>>>>>>> the first month. Answering calls and hanging up calls seem to be two 
>>>>>>>>>> particularly difficult problems for beginning iPhone users.
>>>>>>>>>>  10. The iPhone requires a fair amount of dexterity and the 
>>>>>>>>>> ability to tap quickly. People who have motor issues or poor 
>>>>>>>>>> dexterity 
>>>>>>>>>> will likely not benefit from this technology.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>                             Conclusion
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>  The iPhone is simply not for everyone-despite its built-in 
>>>>>>>>>> nonvisual accessibility. Before you decide to get one, do the 
>>>>>>>>>> research, talk to your colleagues in the blind community, and decide 
>>>>>>>>>> whether or not you really need or want the power that the iPhone has 
>>>>>>>>>> to offer. Before you buy, be prepared to experience some 
>>>>>>>>>> frustration, 
>>>>>>>>>> have a few second thoughts, and expect initially to find some simple 
>>>>>>>>>> phone functions harder than you think they should be.
>>>>>>>>>>                             ----------
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Hugs, AJ 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Recipe for happiness: 
>>>>>>>>> Live with enthusiasm, smile for no reason, love without conditions, 
>>>>>>>>> act with
>>>>>>>>> purpose, listen with your heart, and laugh often.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
>>>>>>>>> When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
>>>>>>>>> Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
>>>>>>>>> Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure
>>>>>>>>> Ecstasy.
>>>>>>>>> Take naps.
>>>>>>>>> Stretch before rising.
>>>>>>>>> Run, romp, and play daily.
>>>>>>>>> Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
>>>>>>>>> Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
>>>>>>>>> On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
>>>>>>>>> On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
>>>>>>>>> When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
>>>>>>>>> Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
>>>>>>>>> Be loyal.
>>>>>>>>> Never pretend to be something you're not.
>>>>>>>>> If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
>>>>>>>>> When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle 
>>>>>>>>> them
>>>>>>>>> gently.
>>>>>>>>> ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> ---
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>>>>>>>>> protection is active.
>>>>>>>>> http://www.avast.com
>>>>>>>>>
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