[BlindTlk] [BlTlk] getting a cell phone...

[Sami Osborne]

I'm curious why exactly you can't stand touch screens as well, since as Judy said, many many blind people around the world can use them quite efficiently. There are some blind people who also have some sort of sensory impairment (possibly including nerve damage, although I'm obviously no expert on that) which prevents them from being able to use a touch screen and do other things with their hands, although I'm unclear as to whether this might be the case for you or not.

If you know Braille, another option with the iPhone in addition to the onscreen keyboard or pairing your phone with an external keyboard is to type using Braille Screen Input, which is what I use. I've been using Apple devices since late 2012 when I turned 15, and have been using the onscreen keyboard right up until last year, when Apple made substantial improvements to Braille Screen Input even though it was initially introduced during the fall of 2014. Oh my goodness, I think it's so much more efficient than using the onscreen keyboard, especially since I've been using Braille for ten whole years BEFORE I ever got an iDevice; I've been reading and writing in Braille since the age of 5 years old, and consequently have developed into quite a fast reader/writer.

Judy, do you know if there exists a similar option on Android or the BlindShell?

Going back to you Madison, as Judy and others have stated and implied before me, there are really no limits, none at all, for blind people of any kind when it comes to finding the right fit phone which meets your particular needs and specifications.

Have a good week,

Sami On Nov 3, 2025 3:37 AM, Justin Williams via BlindTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> I have an iPhone, and a Bluetooth keyboard to pair with it.
>
> I prefer that for typing, and I use voice over for texting.
> And or the keyboard occasionally when I am texting.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: BlindTlk <blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Judy Jones via BlindTlk
> Sent: Monday, November 3, 2025 1:33 AM
> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Judy Jones <sonshines59 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [BlindTlk] [BlTlk] getting a cell phone...
>
> Hi, Madison,
>
> You've spent most of the time telling us why you don't want a cell phone. If you don't want one, don't get one.
>
> However, if you're like me and willing to be talked into something at times, just because you're exploring, will gladly help.
>
> I do have a BlindShell Classic 2, the 3 is even better. And while those phones are feature rich, as far as feature phones go, they aren't nearly as productive as a touch screen phone, and cannot do some of the things I need a phone to do, because of the community activities I am involved in. So my main driver is my Samsung device I use for phone, text, e-mail, running a communitywide Facebook group, watching videos, listening to audio, and virtual conferencing.
>
> Blind people use touch screen phones all the time, and do not need a physical keyboard but can type directly on the screen, like anyone else.
>
> However, if all you want to do is talk and text, as do many people, the most accessible phone would be the BlShell Classic 2 or 3. The 3 is the better phone, but will cost more.
>
> I started using a cell phone with Talks screen reader back in 2005, and learned the T9 texting, meaning using the number pad to input letters. I got so where I could type in a letter per second, alternating between two fingers doing the typing. Like anything else, it takes practice.
>
> Just know that blind folks aren't limited when it comes to touch screen phones, either Android or Apple.
>
> If all you want to do is talk and text, like many people, sighted or blind, one of the BlindShell phones would be your best bet.
>
> If you don't want a cell phone, don't get one, but I think if you do, you will like the convenience.
>
> All phones have great e-mail list support.
>
> Let us know what you decide.
>   
>
> sent from Judy's Android braille tablet
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: madisonolivialanemartin483--- via BlTlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Sunday, November 02, 2025 10:00 PM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> CC: madisonolivialanemartin483 at gmail.com
> Subject: [BlindTlk] getting a cell phone...
>
> Hi all,
> My family keeps bugging me about getting a cell phone and I know I really should get with the times and get one but I just can't stand touch screens and don't trust dictation. There's a phone that's meant for visually ipaired people who don't want/can't use touch screens but it only has numbers so typing would be rather difficult and one of the main reasons my parents want me to get a phone is for texting. I know you can use a keyboard but I don't really see the point in getting a phone just to use a keyboard with it. Like I said I know I really should get with the times and have a cell phone but they're just so expensive and I highly doubt I'd use it for much more then talk/text so I'm not really sure what to do. Any thoughts? Thanks for any thoughts and please don't judge me as I'm not trying to knock Apple or Google.
> Madison
>
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