Verizon Customers, Welcome to Samsung Haven!
by Walter Gramza
It's finally here! An affordable, fully accessible phone from Verizon
Wireless. As of July 29th, 2010, Verizon Wireless has available in
its stores a phone for blind and visually impaired persons which is
fully audible via Nuance speech.
There is no extra charge for the speech package, as it is already
installed in the phone and ready for use out of the box. It is
important to note here that when you go to the store, please make sure
that you tell the person assisting you to be sure to turn on the
voices called read outs, located under settings, then sounds, and down
to voices. The six items to be turned on are:
1.. Menu read out
2.. digit read out
3.. alert read out
4.. flip open and talk
5.. text message read out
6.. full read out
In order for the phone to be audible these features need to be turned
on.
Placing a Call
You can enter the contact list by pushing the right soft key in the
upper right hand corner of the phone and then arrow through the
contacts or by pressing the letter of the contact you wish to call.
For example, "v" for Verizon Wireless. Then you can hit ok to view the
contact information and hit send to place a call.
You can enter into your call list of choice which are: 1. missed calls,
2.
dialed calls, 3. answered calls, 4. all calls. After entering any one
of the lists, you can edit the list and if desired, delete the
specific name and number within the list.
You can find out how much battery strength you have, signal strength,
and how many messages, voice mails, missed calls, you have. You can
use the alarm clock, set a time audibly, use the calculator, tip
calculator, and send and read texts.
In short, you are prompted through every one of the functions you are
performing. You can even ask it to call someone provided that they are
in the contact list.
A Braille manual is available through Samsung. Remember, when you go
to Verizon Wireless you'll need to get the hex number, which they can
give you.
You then call Samsung at 888-987-4357 and provide them with this
number along with your address and it will take about one month to
receive the manual.
You can also purchase an extended battery which lasts one and one half
times longer than the standard battery. This is best as any phone
with speech uses more battery power and shortens the life of the
battery. By having the extended battery it should bring you through
the day safely. I always make it a habit to charge the phone each
night so that I begin a new day, the phone also begins a new day as
well. When you put the phone into the base charger it says "charging."
When the phone is charged it says "charge complete."
If you are a Verizon Wireless customer and are eligible for an
upgrade, you can get the phone for free. If you want to start a new
contract with Verizon Wireless, you get the phone for $40.00 complete
with speech software included.
If anyone would like assistance in learning the functions of the
phone, they may contact me via email at:
wgramza1@xxxxxxxxxxxx
I hope that you will go and get this phone seeing that this is the
only other phone outside of the 3gs iPhone by apple that is accessible
with step by step prompts throughout the entire phone.
Let's show Verizon how grateful we are for a well planned phone by
taking advantage of such a great item.
Article Source:
Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind
