[vi-android] Re: A Review of BIG Launcher, the Android App with Seniors in Mind - AccessWorld? - November 2013

  • From: Quentin Christensen <Quentin.Christensen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "'vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 10:20:37 +1100

For straight talkback use, Nova is a good option.  Talkback does work really 
well with Talkback and gives you the large print as well.  It sounds like it 
might be worth trying (there is a free demo version).  They do also have it on 
sale for half price from time to time and I'll post to the group if and when I 
notice it on sale.

From: vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
On Behalf Of Aaron
Sent: Tuesday, 19 November 2013 9:58 AM
To: vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [vi-android] Re: A Review of BIG Launcher, the Android App with 
Seniors in Mind - AccessWorld? - November 2013

I use nova launcher on my S4, I find that I use talkback a lot for everything 
and like the customizability of it. I'm waiting for the update. I might give 
big launcher a try, still not sure though.
Thanks,
Aaron Linson
Producer of The Cast Podcast<http://www.blindpodcaster.com>

On Nov 18, 2013, at 5:34 PM, Quentin Christensen 
<Quentin.Christensen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Quentin.Christensen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
 wrote:


Hi Aaron / all,

Marketing something for low vision and / or seniors is tricky, on the one hand 
there is a lot of overlap between the two markets, but on the other hand, for 
someone who fits in only one of those two, they can have completely different 
needs.

In the case of Big Launcher, I too would strongly vouch for its usefulness for 
many low vision users.  Aside from the various reviews around (including one I 
did myself on my blog), as a power user myself some of the restrictions I would 
note about Big Launcher are:
-          Big Launcher gives you two columns of four icons (8 per page).  On 
my Galaxy Note II, I find I could see slightly smaller icons than this (say 
three columns of four icons), but you can't change that with Big Launcher.
-          You can use widgets, but only 1x1 (you can put bigger widgets but 
they'll squish down into a 1x1 space).
-          The font size is adjustable and works really well in the app list, 
SMS, call history etc, settings etc.
-          You can have multiple pages and swipe between them.  The dev warns 
you about making too many pages.  I've had ten pages on a Galaxy Nexus phone 
and it was starting to get slow changing and loading pages by then.
-          As a power user I find the settings a little cumbersome, 
particularly around setting up pages and moving icons around.

One the positive side, I would also say:
-          Customising icons for apps is really easy and there are lots of 
built in ones.
-          The themes and backgrounds work well, though personally I tend to 
revert back to the standard black theme.
-          You can customise things like using a different dialer or text 
messaging if you prefer (I was using Big Dialer).
-          Although it gets quite memory intensive, particularly if you use a 
number of screens, it is quite smooth if you have a powerful phone.
-          It does give you easy access to all your apps, you can easily 
customise any of the icons and home screens (eg, you can move the SOS button or 
not use it at all if you prefer) and everything about the launcher is large 
print.

For myself, on my Note II, I am currently using Lightning Launcher, because you 
can zoom in on the desktop.  It has many options and takes more setting up than 
Big Launcher, so is more suited to a power user, but I have it setup with three 
columns of four icons, and I can have ten pages without lag and bigger widgets. 
 On the downside, while I can make the app list large print in Lightning, it's 
tricky to make it quite as neat as in Big Launcher.  Also its pop-up menus are 
not large print.  With using Talkback, it works with Talkback, although 
Talkback sees the home screens unzoomed - so mine for instance,  you can 
explore through the icons on a home screen but they are all in the top left 
corner of the screen.

Regards

Quentin.

From: vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
[mailto:vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Aaron
Sent: Tuesday, 19 November 2013 8:04 AM
To: vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [vi-android] Re: A Review of BIG Launcher, the Android App with 
Seniors in Mind - AccessWorld? - November 2013

The app is based around seniors though, how do you find it helpful? I've 
contemplated things like this and the other app equal eyes but I'm not sure 
they are good for a power user like myself who uses more than the standard apps 
listed by the review.
Thanks,
Aaron Linson
Producer of The Cast Podcast<http://www.blindpodcaster.com/>

On Nov 18, 2013, at 4:00 PM, Dane Trethowan 
<grtdane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:grtdane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:



The review linked to here comes from the November 2013 issue of Access World, 
the publication of the american Foundation For The Blind.



I can't speak highly enough of this App and it was the first I installed on my 
Samsung Galaxy S3 and now the S4 phone, I can assure you this App will make a 
world of difference to most Android users and is worth every penny of the $10.0
0 purchase price for the Professional 
edition.http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw141104


**********

Dane Trethowan
Skype: grtdane12
Phone US (213) 438-9741
Phone U.K. 01245 79 0598
Phone Australia (03) 9005 8589
Mobile: +61400494862
Fax +61397437954







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