[infoshare] 24 Hours with the iPad - AccessWorld® - May 2010
- From: "Luis Guerra" <free_speech@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "InfoShare" <InfoShare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 09 May 2010 02:44:51 -0400
24 Hours with the iPad
Bradley Hodges
One of the more troublesome problems when managing a publication that
addresses technology is the arrival of an important new product just a few
days before
deadline. The much-anticipated release of Apple's iPad is such an event.
Because the iPad was going to be available shortly before AccessWorld's
April
1 deadline, the AFB TECH staff considered what approach to take. Would it be
best to perform a comprehensive evaluation, knowing it wouldn't appear until
the following issue? Or was a quick look and a report based on first
reactions a useful contribution to our understanding of the device? After
some thought,
it was decided we would start with an article capturing some initial
thoughts from 24 hours with the iPad. In a future article, we plan to spend
more time
exploring the iPad and reporting on its low-vision features and the
potential the larger screen provides for using the zoom features.
Technical Observations
AFB TECH preordered the iPad. On Monday morning at 10:00, the FedEx box
arrived on my desk. Unpacking the box revealed that Apple has maintained its
high
level of attention to packaging and presentation. It is reassuring that the
manufacturer of a product that can cost more than $600 cares enough to
present
the product beautifully. That package contained the iPad, a folder of print
information, a power cord, and wall charger. No earphones were included.
As you already may have read, the iPad shares many technical and design
characteristics with Apple's iPod Touch and iPhone. Of particular interest
to AccessWorld
readers will be the availability of VoiceOver, the built-in screen access
program. Rest assured, Apple has not only included VoiceOver on the iPad,
but
has refined it as well. The iPad/iPhone family tree is very much in evidence
during the setup and registration process. Other information and reviews are
available online and in print that discuss this process in detail.
One potential roadblock did reveal itself during registration. When using
iTunes version 9.1 on a Compaq PC running Windows XP and my customary screen
reader,
some important edit fields were unrecognized. The name and address portion
of the registration screens could not be read with my screen reader,
requiring
the assistance of a sighted person. After consultation, it was determined
the problem was with my particular setup, but it would have been a show
stopper
were it not for the immediate availability of sighted help.
By 10:30, the registration was successfully completed, and the iPad was
ready to go. I am familiar with VoiceOver screen-reading technology, and out
of
the box, it worked smoothly and as I expected. As on the iPod/iPhone, the
screen is divided into three regions: the status region at the very top, the
application (app) icons, comprising the majority of the screen, and the four
persistent icons (Safari, Mail, Photos, and iPod) found along the
bottom-most
row. Apple refers to this region as the "dock." VoiceOver announces "dock"
whenever your focus moves from the last app icon to the bottom row. This is
one of many refinements to VoiceOver for iPad.
For many of us who enjoy listening to streaming audio, an occasional
frustration with VoiceOver for iPod/iPhone has been eliminated. The volume
of the streaming
program is reduced when VoiceOver is speaking. This is identical to the way
in which VoiceOver has always behaved when using the "Music" app on the
iPhone/iPod.
Another useful addition includes increased verbosity when using the
on-screen keyboard. As a letter is focused upon, the letter is spoken
immediately. If
focus remains, the letter is announced using the phonetic alphabet (n for
November or v for Victor). Similarly, when reviewing any text letter by
letter,
allowing VoiceOver to remain focused on a letter will announce the phonetic
value. When navigating into or out of the keyboard, VoiceOver announces
"keyboard."
I found this particularly helpful as the size of the screen invites, and in
some instances requires, direct interaction.
Shortly after a quick lunch, some of the differences between my iPod Touch
and iPad revealed themselves. It is the ability and necessity of interacting
directly with the screen that separates some tasks on the iPad from those on
the iPhone/iPod. An example is found in "Settings." When the settings menu
is opened, two columns appear. Choices familiar to iPod/iPhone users are
found in the left-hand column. I selected the AOL Radio app to set my
preferences.
I immediately observed that selecting an app on the left changes the content
of the right-hand column to reflect the available options for that app. When
encountering this layout, I tried two navigation methods. The first was to
swipe in the usual manner. The second was to touch the screen in the middle
along the right-hand edge. When swiping, it took quite a while to move
beyond all the app choices and finally get to my destination. However,
touching
within the column appeared to focus VoiceOver at the top of the right-hand
column, making swiping among the AOL Radio settings much faster.
As I explored iPad's Calendar, several intriguing screen layouts revealed
themselves. For the first time, I found it most convenient to use a
calendar's
"month view" as I could easily run my finger up and down or across the rows
of dates. Again, a refinement of VoiceOver makes rapid navigation
convenient.
A date with an event is announced in a lower pitch than dates with no
appointments.
Using the "search" function of several apps brought me into contact with
another new, and occasionally frustrating, object: the "pop up." In their
most
basic form, pop ups appear above the keyboard on the screen and display
choices that result from the text entered into the edit field. A sound
alerted
me to the appearance of the pop up on the screen. A "dismiss pop up" button
is found by navigating up or swiping to the left of the keyboard. Once
dismissed,
the more familiar edit field configuration used on iPod/iPhone remains,
including the "clear all" object.
Over the next several hours, I observed that pop ups changed depending on
the apps that used them. A particularly frustrating example appeared when I
searched
for NPR's Fresh Air using iTunes. It may be lack of experience or the wrong
conclusion on my part, but I did not notice any method of knowing a pop up
had appeared or that I was navigating within a pop up. The difficulty is
that if I swiped among objects and did not touch the screen elsewhere, I
concluded
I had looked at all available options. This was not the case; rather I was
repeatedly moving among only those items in the pop up. If you're confused
reading
that, imagine how I felt while looking for the program.
Pop up issues appear to be more significant in those apps that resemble a
webpage than in apps such as the iBook Store. After work, I took the iPad
home
and began to explore the iBook Store. Installing and setting up the iBook
app was as flawless as the process for other apps I have downloaded. A free
book
was offered, which I soon realized was chosen for me. At the age of 52,
Winnie-the-Pooh introduced me to the iBook.
The main iBook screen is very straightforward and includes "Store,"
"iBooks," "Grid View," "List View," "Edit," and the list of available
titles. The default
grid view arranges thumbnails of book covers in rows on the screen. Swiping
among objects and from title to title worked well. Both title and author are
announced as each thumbnail is focused on. Searching for books by following
the store button was a bit more of a challenge, but I suspect that as I
become
familiar with the store layout, finding what I am looking for will become
more convenient.
Double tapping titles opens books immediately. Focus moves to the last page
you were reading, or in the case of opening a new title, is placed at the
beginning
of the book. Each page of the books I tested included several recurring sets
of buttons and controls at the top and bottom of the screen. These included
(at the upper left) "Library," "Table of Contents," "Brightness," "Fonts,"
"Search," and the book title. Another group of objects appeared consistently
at the bottom of each page and included "Page Chooser," followed by "Page X
of Y," where X was the current page and Y was the total number of pages in
the e-book. In the lower right-hand corner, chapter information was given as
"X Pages Left in This Chapter."
The page chooser is an interesting control. VoiceOver instructed me to
"Double tap, then hold; drag left or right to change page. Adjustable; swipe
up or
down." Following these instructions resulted in an opportunity to slide my
finger back and forth along a kind of virtual number line. Lifting my finger
after hearing a page number opened that page immediately. After working with
the chooser for a while, I realized it is potentially a very useful method
of navigation, especially for large books. I also realized that subtle
movements are critical to success.
The real meat and potatoes, however, aren't the controls. It is the ability
of iPad and iBook to read the page contents aloud. Flicking three fingers
right
to left turned the pages in my virtual book. Each page was read
automatically as I turned it. Within iBook, one may move line by line, but
not by heading,
sentence, or word. A fairly significant bug that needs to be addressed is
iBook's inability to determine the spelling or pronunciation of proper nouns
or words that may be confusing. In addition, some early reviews reported
that the utility to open individual words in a dictionary/thesaurus was not
working
with VoiceOver. AccessWorld will follow up and report on any changes and
patches to this first-generation app. On the other hand, the iBook's font
button
does allow one to change the appearance of fonts. One may choose a
sans-serif font as well as increase the font size significantly.
The Pooh book includes delightful illustrations that have been enjoyed by
generations of children. The iBook version includes well-written
descriptions
of every illustration, helping to make the Pooh experience quite
extraordinary. I have not evaluated the labeling of illustrations,
photographs, and other
graphic elements in other books.
Back at my desk on Tuesday morning, I noted a few other technical points
worth mentioning. The first of these is the availability of video controls
whenever
video content is presented. Double tapping the screen brings up the controls
and the usual navigation moves focus. This worked well with both YouTube and
Netflix.
The iPad's audio quality is substantially better than that of the much
smaller iPod/iPhone. At its loudest setting, the quality of VoiceOver speech
reminded
me of a typical netbook. Stereo sound is only available through the
headphone connecter.
The iPad's size results in a device that is considerably heavier than
iPod/iPhone--think of holding onto a notebook screen in one hand. I found it
convenient
to set the iPad on my lap or a flat surface. I also found myself tilting the
iPad to a 45-degree angle. This resulted in my left-right swipes moving at
a diagonal and producing inconsistent movement of focus. This was fixed by
paying closer attention to my hand position.
Finally I should mention running my iPhone/iPod apps on the iPad. It was
very easy (and free) to download my purchased apps from the App Store to my
iPad.
They all ran very well and with the stability I have come to rely on when
using my iPod Touch.
Using the Apple Bluetooth Keyboard
After seeing the iPad for the first time, it was immediately apparent that
word processing was a viable option. For this reason, I purchased an
iPad-compatible
Bluetooth keyboard from my local Best Buy.
Connecting the device was both simple and accessible. In settings, I turned
Bluetooth on. The Apple keyboard appeared on the right-hand column as an
option.
Selecting it brought me to a dialog box with two options. I had to enter a
short series of numbers on the keyboard, as the instructions clearly stated,
and then press the return key on the keyboard.
More information about the use of the keyboard is available elsewhere.
Although its use is confined to edit fields, it is a very convenient and
invaluable
accessory for anyone planning to use iWork for the iPad. Managing the
keyboard and iPad took a bit of juggling when browsing apps and iBooks from
my easy
chair. Placing both devices on my desk at the office turned out to be more
convenient and efficient
The More Personal Experience
There have been two transformative moments in my professional career that I
associate with gaining equal access to the printed word. The first was in
the
mid-'90s, when, as a university researcher, my department obtained a braille
embosser and access to the fledgling Internet. One afternoon, a graduate
assistant
who worked with me casually dropped a braille copy of the cover article from
that week's Time magazine on my desk. For the first time, I could read the
same text as my sighted colleagues at the same time they did.
The second transformative moment took place Monday evening, April 5, 2010.
On that night, I purchased a book from a book store, exactly as my sighted
neighbors
and colleagues would. I then sat in my den and read that book on the same
device as my sighted counterparts.
Just as the introduction of VoiceOver for the Mac and iPhone suddenly and
dramatically changed our expectations for ourselves and for those who
provide
access technology to our community, I believe the advent of accessible
iBooks will be viewed by future generations as one of the landmark events in
the
lives of the blind.
In the next several months, technology companies will file written comments
to the U.S. Access Board responding to proposed changes in federal standards
for technology and information accessibility. It is safe to say that these
companies will assert that providing equal access to e-publications is
expensive,
overly complicated, and generally unworkable. On April 3, Apple wrote a new
iBook on accessibility, and thanks to the company's example, all the other
commentaries justifying inaccessibility can now be placed in the fiction
collection, where they belong.
http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw110206
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- » [infoshare] 24 Hours with the iPad - AccessWorld® - May 2010 - Luis Guerra