Hi. I have tried this app on my spare Samsung Europa and the touch screen doesn't seem to be very responsive. Their for I haven't had the chance to fully test the app. Sent from my iPhone4S On 2 Aug 2012, at 12:02, Chris Moore <moore.c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I am sure people in the blind "ghetto" will love this suite. > > But it is as I expected, and I am sure it has a place for some people, but it > is not for me I am afraid. > > I will stick with my iPhone, it just works and is slick with it too. > > Right I am off to take a hammer to JAWS. I am testing a website, and JAWS > for a change can't see half the stuff Voiceover in Mountain Lion can see (I > know, what a shocker). > > > On 2 Aug 2012, at 11:17, "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote: > >> Hi Mo >> >> I read your very interesting message on the BCAB list which Colin Howard >> posted, presumably on your behalf. >> >> I'll say here what I said there. Personally I feel it is reinventing the >> wheel. I think it is taking advantage of those who perhaps haven't had the >> opportunity to really try out Android or Apple to see whether they can >> really master those operating systems. But, as you say, time will tell. >> >> I'm afraid that the barking made me cringe. Do we really have to have these >> stupid sounds incorporated into "blind" products? >> >> >> Kind Regards, >> >> Jackie Cairns >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of >> Mobeen Iqbal >> Sent: 02 August 2012 00:02 >> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> Subject: [access-uk] georgie trial now available, initial opinion >> >> Hi. >> >> The georgie developers have finally seen fit to provide a trial on the >> google play store, all be it a 14 day trial. I have included a link below, >> as well as my initial findings. The following is just my opinion and i do >> not intend to start a debate on list, but it would be interesting to see >> what others think. >> >> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.screenreader.Georgie&featu >> re=search_result >> >> Main app interface: the first criticism i have is the fact that all >> navigation has to be acomplished via a touch screen. Trying on a samsung >> galaxy pro, i could not click any of the controls via the keyboard even >> though they are recognised as buttons. I could also not dial a phone number >> via the keyboard, something i was very very surprised at! >> something so simple that's been around for years has been over looked? >> this is probably because you have to hover over each item on the screen with >> your finger. on to my next point. it took me a while to figure out that you >> have to hover over a certain icon for 2 seconds or more until a tone is >> heard, then lift your finger to activate it. being used to the double tap >> system normally used in android, this came as a little qwerk i could've done >> with out, though i can see the logic behind it i guess. >> The logic being cut out the need to tap the icon twice and risk hitting >> another icon while you're at it. Also, i would've liked the ability to turn >> off the dog barking sound when the app is launched, and every time you >> return to the home screen from outside the app. nothing against guide dogs, >> but it could be a bit of an embarrassment in public places! >> Also, my phone really started lagging, something its never done with other >> applications no matter how many i've had installed at any one time. while >> i'm writing this, the phone's completely crashed, i'll go on to the apps >> when it reboots. >> >> On to the apps: >> >> Now my battery's back in and the thing's booted, by default, you can try >> out all the apps in the trial. i liked the fact you can adjust screen >> contrast/colours, and also the simplicity of the interface. there needs >> to be more user input in to what can be configured/added for the price, >> i can see this being aimed at a minority market relating specifically to >> the elderly or motor impaired. >> >> I did not like the fact that the volume rocker is taken over by the >> software. there are meant to be 3 pages, each page containing the >> various apps in various catagories. The volume rocker, instead of >> allowing you to alter the volume of the app in realtime cycles through >> the various pages. it also appears to unlock the phone when its been >> locked, something which i wasn't too impressed with. on android, its >> standard practis that all buttons are locked and the power button plus >> jesture is used to unlock. page1 has your standard apps, messaging >> dialer etc, page 2 goes on to OCR, colour recognition etc, page 3 is >> thankfully nothing rood, its your lifestile apps containing twitter, >> audio book services, talking newspapers etc. I would've apreciated it if >> the developers had enabled scroling so you could scrole to page 2/3, or >> again provided a setting to switch between various modes for various >> functions i.e the ability to turn things on and off, or use alternative >> jestures for commands. >> >> I am going to be using the software over the next 2 weeks, so may post >> further findings. Also if people request, i may consider doing an audio >> demo all be it opinionated giving each app a chance, to save people >> installing it. I would also have liked to see tighter integration with >> google maps. At the moment, yes you can find out where your nearest bus >> stop is, taxi information, but you don't appear to be able to send these >> to google maps to navigate to the destination in mind. >> >> The voice applications also appear, or may rely on the internet. I >> haven't tested the application offline yet with no internet connection, >> but suspect that because of past experience, the phone will be sending >> what ever you say, dictated text messages, numbers, etc to google's >> servers then back to your phone. Any android user using this app may >> wish they were on some kind of data plan if this is the case. >> >> I have also tried the colour recogniser application. ironically, a >> freely available talking colour application from the android market, >> Colour ID, produced better results than their app! Their app just >> stated my teashirt colour as black, the colour ID app was kind enough to >> be more specific and tell me that it was brownish black, and that the >> colour of my door was grey. >> >> The OCR app appeared to be doing something, though it requires the user >> to have the phone level, i.e as if resting flat on a desk before it'll >> scan. this could proove to be an issue if reading a sign/business >> information that isn't necessarily on a flat surface. oh dear, where's >> the gents? i'm getting desperate now! >> >> You can configure settings remotely for georgie via the web, or sight >> and sound can do this for you. i'm not comfortable with this approach. >> I'd like to know how secure the remote access app used is? is it >> encrypted? how safe is user data? Privacy is at risk, what if they can >> read your text messages? one user complained that sight and sound or >> someone sent him an unsolicited text message because he posted a bad >> review! this could be a error/over reaction or mistake on his part, >> but? i've installed this on a handset i'm not bothered about but i'd be >> hesitant to install this on a handset i'm using for daily use. >> >> I would've liked to see inclusion of an email application, as well as a >> web browser of some kind. georgie at present won't support this at >> present so you'd have to use talkback to surf the web. >> >> I also couldn't find an option to access the rest of the phone's >> settings, though i haven't customised it or atempted to unlock advanced >> settings if any are available. apparently you can control what the user >> can do on the phone and provide/limit access to certain functions, so >> we'll see if in the next few days i unlock this supposed functionality. >> An option to access the android market or the app draw would've been >> nice, though again this doesn't appear to be their aim. their aim >> appears to be make the phone as simple as possible for a basic user, and >> that's it. for a hefty price tag! The app also froze, and i received a >> force close message on screen informing me that georgie had terminated. >> i then had to reactivate it via my home button. that, by the way was >> when i tried to access the georgie news option. this option is meant to >> provide you with the latest updates from the world of georgie, i have >> visions of them providing georgie with his own personal blog! there are >> after all pages on facebook for pets. nothing wrong with that of >> course... but? anyway back to the point. >> >> And now on to my final point. the contacts app, call/phone app, >> messaging app, colour recogniser app, and even the OCR app using google >> goggles all have free alternatives. Google maps are a lot better now and >> its becoming easier to find your location, to navigate to places, to >> find local places of interest, and its all free! even if you do >> pourchase mobile accessibility, at least you can use it outside its own >> homescreen if you wish! What would then prompt me to buy this. I would >> buy it if i had a really basic android user in mind, though i'd first >> try my very hardest to go the free/lower cost root not because i'm >> stingy, but a lot of the time people don't have money to burn and also >> there are apps out there that do the job. the eyes free shell home >> screen is perfectly customisable and allows you to make things as simple >> as they could be for someone by adding/removing the apps the user has >> access to. Mobile accessibility is basic enough for most people. Also, >> if my client just wanted a basic phone, basic second hand and brand new >> nokia symbian phones abound on the internet. the haven phone could also >> be imported to the UK, and i saw a phone that spoke the numbers dialed >> for £15 in tesco the other day. The only reason i would personally spend >> any money on this application is the OCR capability, and possibly the >> audio book/talking newspaper ability though at that price, do we get a >> free subscription to the services in question? perhaps we should? >> >> the pricing model is also unclear. they state that £150 will get you the >> default apps. now as far as i know, that's just the basic apps, dialer, >> messaging, contacts, georgie news and help, the phone dialer, and the >> call log. mobile accessibility offers all this and more for almost a >> third of the price! yes MA isn't perfect but that's not the point, who >> is? £25 extra each for the lifestile and communications apps doesn't net >> you much. the audio books app, the camera app, again a free alternative >> available, OCR, tweet by voice, ask any question by voice anyone ever >> heard of freely available jeanie? talking newspapers, podcasts, and lets >> not forget the amazing voice blog. If anyone wants to hear me singing in >> the shower, please let me know! the potential is amazing isn't it? the >> sarcasm is partly intentional, sorry i'll stop it now... >> >> So, from this hotchpotch email, a conclusion: the app is very over >> priced, even code factory who i expected to charge a lot more for their >> app haven't charged much at all, its even available stripped down in the >> US for free. If users have free alternatives and are only paying for >> simplicity which can be achieved with selection of a few choice free/low >> paid apps, what will compell people to buy this? now if they'd included >> a turn by turn navigation aid like wayfinder for symbian if anyone >> remembers that, that would've impressed me. I really hope that the >> company does well, though there's still a long way to go. I hope it does >> not go the same way as thunder i.e get knocked out by an open source, >> free! effort like NVDA. I never really managed to achieve much with the >> thunder screen reader, it was rather embarrassing when atempting to demo >> it as part of training a few years ago it kept crashing. we couldn't >> even get it to read out word documents or the web in a satisfactory manner. >> >> As i have already said the opinions i express above are just based on >> early findings. A lot could change over the next 2 weeks. I may end up >> loving? georgie, though i doubt i'll be paying for it. If i've been >> harsh on the developers, it wasn't intentional. the georgie app only has >> a 2.2 star rating on the play store, and the majority of the reviews are >> from those that are experiencing frustration using the application. some >> can't get it to work though this could be user error. i wonder how many >> phones they tested this on? >> >> From a business standpoint, if you set the right price people will buy >> your product, set it too high and they'll turn to other sollutions. £300 >> with a handset included? a Nokia C5 with talks costs £100, a basic >> handset like the sony experia pro with icecream sandwitch which is >> totally accessible would only cost £180 at the most. >> >> finally, i'd like to round things off by quoting a comment from someone >> called justin on the eyes-free list with which i agree. i hope you don't >> mind me quoting you justin, though i don't know you personally. >> >> Justin <justinmacleod@xxxxxxxxxxx> Aug 01 10:06PM +0100 >> >> That's what I think is so scandalous. They are indeed targeting older people >> and those who are less up to speed with computers, those who don't know >> better or those that can't, for whatever reason, cope with the free, cheeper >> alternative that actually does more. Why should they have to pay more for >> less? >> >> Anyway, it would be great to hear people's experiences. If i'm wrong >> about anything in this email, i'll gladly stand corrected and i'm still >> giving georgie a fair chance. People are also welcome to write to me off >> list, >> >> mobeeniqbal@xxxxxxxxx >> >> is where you'll find me. Its taken the best part of 2 hours to write >> this, anyone for a cup of tea? >> >> Thanks for reading, >> >> Mo. >> >> ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- >> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] >> ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: >> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> ** and in the Subject line type >> ** unsubscribe >> ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the >> ** immediately-following link:- >> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] >> ** or send a message, to >> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq >> >> ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- >> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] >> ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: >> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> ** and in the Subject line type >> ** unsubscribe >> ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the >> ** immediately-following link:- >> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] >> ** or send a message, to >> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq >> > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq