[access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a review/demo of the Windows 8 screenreader

  • From: "Griffiths, Steve" <Steve.Griffiths@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2014 10:00:35 -0000

Hi John,

To my mind, Narrator in Windows 8 is a definite improvement compared to 
Narrator in previous versions of Windows in terms of voice quality and 
responsiveness, and it also has more functionality in things like the Control 
Panel and Internet Explorer. I could get by with it in Control Panel, but it 
really doesn't have enough navigation options in Internet Explorer - for 
instance, you can only move to headings, tables or links.  And although it 
works in the email client, that client is pretty basic for my needs. 

When I set up a Windows 8 machine I always put NVDA on it, and change the voice 
to the Windows 8 one. That gives me the best of both worlds.

By the way, I was interested to hear that Windows 8 is claiming to contain a 
screen reader to rival VoiceOver in quality. Do you have a source for that? It 
would appear to contradict what Windows 8.1 Help says about Narrator, which is: 
"Narrator provides basic screen-reading capabilities so you can use Windows 
when you don't have a more comprehensive screen reader. Narrator isn't designed 
to read content in all apps."

Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
John Wilson
Sent: 06 January 2014 21:56
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a review/demo of the Windows 8 
screenreader

Hello ron,

Thanks for replying.

Yes, I also looked on Blind Cooltech but found nothing 
relevant.

It seems strange to me that, with Win 8 having been 
announced as Microsoft's OS which is to contain a rival 
quality screenreader to Apple's screenreader, no one seems 
to be testing/reviewing it yet.

John.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Sears" <r.sears1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 9:10 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a 
review/demo of the Windows 8 screenreader


Hello John, sorry I only have Windows 7.  I looked on 
www.blin.cooltech but only
found a review using windows.  I hope you find what you are 
looking for.

Ron
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Wilson" <j.wilson07@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 7:42 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a 
review/demo of the Windows 8
screenreader


Hello Ron,

Yes, Ron, I've done that with Google but found nothing of
real value/relevance, other than the obvious. I'm thinking
more of how the new Narrator works with such as the Win 8.1
email client, the browser, the OS in general and on the Net.
Just how good/bad is it. So far I've found nothing other
than how to get Narrator working and make changes to its
default way of working, which I already knew. I'm looking
for something more in-depth and evaluative along the lines
of other screenreader evaluations and comparisons.

Do you know of any?

I'll probably eventually find something but how many hours
of searching it might take is anyone's guess. I was hoping
that someone on here would have already found such things
and could have eliminated the time-consuming searching for
me.

Thanks.
John.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Sears" <r.sears1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 5:33 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a
review/demo of the Windows 8 screenreader


John there seems to be some if you Google it

Ron
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Wilson" <j.wilson07@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 5:16 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a
review/demo of the Windows 8
screenreader


Hello Vince,

Thanks for this warning. I'll keep my old machine running to
receive the email to avoid this problem of the code.

By the way, Are you currently using Win 8.1 with its own
screenreader and how do you find it, if so?

I've so far not found any up-to-date demos on this
screenreader to give me any guidance.

Do you know of the whereabouts of any audio or textual
demos/reviews of the Win 8.1 screenreader?

Thanks.
John.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vincent Thacker" <vince@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2014 6:41 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a
review/demo of the Windows 8 screenreader


John,

You can update from Windows 8 to 8.1 free of charge. Hardly
needs saying, presumably, but when the installation is
complete, your PC will start the setup process in safe mode,
so no screen reader possible. In my case, and I take it
everyone else's, Microsoft insisted on my inserting a code,
supposedly for security purposes, which they could do by
several means including email. But you won't be able to get
to your email unless you have another machine going! So
don't snooker yourself.

Vince.




========================================
Message Received: Jan 05 2014, 05:01 PM
From: "John Wilson"
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a
review/demo of the Windows 8 screenreader

Hello Ron,

Thanks for this. Do you know if upgrading from Version 8.0
to 8.1 is free or has to be paid for, or does anyone else
know about this?

Thanks.
John.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Sears"
To:
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2014 4:40 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Can anyone point me to a
review/demo of the Windows 8 screenreader


John, the gadget detective on BBC Five Live the other night
said it is better to
get version 8.1

Cheers

Ron
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Wilson"
To: "Access UK"
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2014 4:26 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Can anyone point me to a review/demo of
the Windows 8
screenreader


Hello All,

I'm about to buy a new Windows 8 PC.

AS the subject line says, I would like to look at any
reasonably up-to-date reviews and demos of Windows 8 and its
built-in screenreader.

Any pointers would be much appreciated.

thanks.
John.

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