[Electronics-talk] FYI, ATTENTION ANDROID CELL PHONE USERS.....

Wed Apr 18 11:35:33 UTC 2012

thanks,

I'm on it now.  I'll be glad I am once I get my new phone, but that'll have to wait till the third as I got totally lost getting to the bus stop coming from a doctor's appointment and got tired of walking heaven only knows where on streets with no sidewalks for 45 minutes.  I had to call a transit service and blew a lot of money getting home cause I had no idea where the nearest stop was from me at the time.

The mass transit company has to have a cross street and stuff to tell you where the nearest stop is, but I found out that there was a stop in the shopping center next store, but they wouldn't have been able to tell me that since they will only give you that information if you know about that stop.

Jenny
On Apr 17, 2012, at 11:45 PM, tina birenbaum wrote:

> Jenny, if it's the code factory mailing lists you are looking for , go to
> codefactory.es and i think the lists are under products or android and support, i can't remember haven;'t been there in a while, i might just go to the site and search for android and they should come up.
> Original message:
>> Jenny, I looked at Beverley's message and only found an email address for
>> code factory sales. I'm betting, though, if you go to their website it would
>> be listed there. Here is the email I found at the bottom of her message.
> 
>> sales at codefactory.es
> 
>> Their web address is:
> 
>> http://codefactory.es/en/
> 
>> Fred Olver
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jennifer Perdue" <jlperdue3 at gmail.com>
>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 11:06 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] FYI, ATTENTION ANDROID CELL PHONE USERS.....
> 
> 
>> Hi,
> 
>> Could you send me a link with the code factory android list please?
> 
>> Also, do all Android phones just have qwerty keypads on them or can you find
>> ones with standard number pads?
> 
>> Thanks for your help.
> 
>> Jenny
>> On Apr 17, 2012, at 10:08 AM, Beverly Hunter wrote:
> 
>>> Product Evaluations
>>> An Evaluation of Code Factory's Mobile Accessibility for Android
>>> J.J. Meddaugh
> 
>>> Just a few short months ago, the accessibility of Android phones was shaky
>>> at best. While Google and others had developed some methods for basic
>>> access to the Android operating system, these options were really only
>>> suitable for advanced users who didn't mind tinkering to make everything
>>> work. In addition, some common features, such as Android's built-in Web
>>> browser and calendar, remained completely inaccessible to a blind or
>>> visually impaired user.
> 
>>> Perhaps one of the biggest recent advancements for Android accessibility
>>> is the introduction of Mobile Accessibility for Android from Code Factory,
>>> the producers of the popular Mobile Speak software for Symbian and
>>> Windows-based cell phones.
> 
>>> Mobile Accessibility provides a two-pronged accessibility solution: a
>>> homegrown suite of applications, and a screen reader for the phone. This
>>> review looks at version 1.2 of Mobile Accessibility, and evaluates how the
>>> software performs a variety of tasks. (In the interest of full disclosure
>>> I'll mention that I was a beta tester for this product.)
> 
>>> Compatible Phones
>>> Mobile Accessibility works with any phone running version 2.1 or later of
>>> Google's Android operating system; phones running Android 2.2 will have
>>> access to Google's speech recognition services. Most new Android phones
>>> available from the major U.S. wireless carriers run at least version 2.1,
>>> but it's a good idea to double check before buying the software. For
>>> reasons I'll explain below, it's essential to have a phone that includes
>>> either a D-pad (an optical button that allows you to arrow around the
>>> screen) or some other form of arrow keys. A physical QWERTY keyboard is
>>> also highly recommended for optimal use. Unfortunately, these two
>>> requirements greatly limit the number of functional phone choices, though
>>> there is at least one compatible option from each of the four major
>>> carriers. It's probably best to visit a cellular phone store to try out
>>> the various options hands-on, as some models include more tactile features
>>> than others.
> 
>>> Installation and Initial Set Up
>>> Like most Android applications, Mobile Accessibility is installed through
>>> the Android Market, available from virtually any Android phone. The app
>>> can be installed using the phone itself or by visiting the Android Market
>>> website. Unfortunately, it's still generally not possible to enable the
>>> phone's accessibility features without sighted assistance. In my case, I
>>> talked a store employee through the necessary steps to enable speech, but
>>> this remains one of the biggest disadvantages of Android versus the
>>> iPhone. Once this initial hurdle is overcome, sighted assistance should
>>> not be needed again.
> 
>>> Getting Help
>>> Code Factory offers several methods for obtaining help with using Mobile
>>> Accessibility. The software manual is available on its website, and
>>> through a direct link in the software. Code Factory also offers a mailing
>>> list where questions and suggestions can be posted.
> 
>>> The Suite
>>> Mobile Accessibility essentially replaces your phone's default screen with
>>> a launch pad for a suite of 10 homegrown and completely accessible apps,
>>> including a phone dialer, contacts manager, alarms, Web browser, mail
>>> client, calendar, and a simple GPS app. Other applications on the phone
>>> can be launched from the program as well.
> 
>>> Mobile Accessibility uses Nuance Vocalizer as its speech engine.
>>> Currently, there are only two voice options—male voices for U.S. and U.K.
>>> English—and you must choose your desired voice upon purchase; there is no
>>> way to switch between voices. Code Factory has stated that versions of the
>>> software for other languages are planned for the near future. Overall, the
>>> speech was very responsive when pressing keys or navigating among menus.
>>> The pitch, speed, volume, punctuation level, and other voice settings can
>>> be adjusted from within the app.
> 
>>> The suite provides access to the majority of day-to-day mobile device
>>> functions and is designed so the same gestures and commands work across
>>> all apps.
> 
>>> Navigation
>>> You navigate using the phone's touchscreen or by using the d-pad or arrow
>>> keys, and you explore the current screen by simply sliding a finger around
>>> it; Mobile Accessibility announces the item under your finger as you move.
>>> Tap the screen twice to select an item. A variety of gestures (specific
>>> movements by a finger or fingers) on the touchscreen can be used to
>>> navigate around the screen, and for tasks such as moving between menus and
>>> lists, jumping to the top or bottom of a list, or selecting items. A
>>> triple-tap gesture (tapping the screen three times in rapid succession),
>>> opens a special pop-up menu of commands. These include options pertinent
>>> to the current screen as well as global commands like adjusting settings
>>> or viewing system notifications. This is also where you can check the
>>> phone's status, including battery and signal strength and the current date
>>> and time. If you ever get stuck, the Home button can be pressed to return
>>> to the Mobile Accessibility main screen.
> 
>>> Making and Receiving Calls
>>> With all of the advancements in smartphones in recent years, we often
>>> forget about the original purpose for the phone: to make calls. The Mobile
>>> Accessibility phone dialer allows you to input numbers by using either the
>>> touchscreen or a physical keyboard. If the touchscreen is used, you simply
>>> slide to the desired digit and then lift up your finger to select. Slide
>>> to the "Dial" button and then double tap to place the call. Alternatively,
>>> the phone's list of contacts can be browsed in order to find a person to
>>> call. While on a call, the phone's touchscreen can't be accessed, so it's
>>> recommended that you buy an Android phone with a hardware keyboard in
>>> order to work around this limitation.
> 
>>> When receiving calls, you can double tap anywhere on the screen to hear
>>> the name or number of the person who is calling. Then, slide your finger
>>> from the bottom of the screen to the top to answer the call, or do the
>>> reverse to ignore it. Mobile Accessibility also presents an accessible log
>>> of recently received, missed, and placed calls.
> 
>>> The Contacts Manager includes a basic array of options for creating,
>>> editing, and viewing contacts. Android contacts also sync with your Google
>>> account, so you can enter contacts through the phone or Google's website.
>>> Navigation between contacts is straightforward, and a physical keyboard
>>> can be used to type a few letters of a name you are looking for to quickly
>>> retrieve contact information.
> 
>>> Web and E-mail
>>> One of the places where Mobile Accessibility for Android shines is its
>>> built-in Web browser. The app presents webpages using a virtual buffer,
>>> similar to the technique employed by Windows-based screen readers. You use
>>> a variety of commands to navigate pages and it's possible to move forward
>>> and backward through a webpage by headings, links, tables, or other common
>>> elements. Forms can be filled in by selecting the appropriate fields and
>>> choosing Enter to type in the required information. Overall, the Mobile
>>> Accessibility browser experience is polished, and most of the sites
>>> visited for this evaluation were navigable. There was some difficulty when
>>> handling downloadable content such as MP3 files or streaming video;
>>> hopefully, this will be addressed in a future update.
> 
>>> Mobile Accessibility also includes a built-in e-mail client that allows
>>> you to browse through your inbox, send mail, and navigate folders. While
>>> this works well for those using a Google-hosted e-mail account such as
>>> Gmail, it is currently incompatible with other mail providers. For those
>>> affected by this limitation, an accessible and free third-party
>>> alternative e-mail client called K-9 Mail is available from the Android
>>> Market.
> 
>>> Other Apps
>>> The Mobile Accessibility Calendar can sync to Google Calendar and allows
>>> for adding, removing, and viewing events. This is an important addition as
>>> the default calendar included with Android is largely inaccessible for
>>> most users with visual impairment or blindness. The SMS app allows for
>>> sending and receiving text messages while the alarm app allows for setting
>>> one-time or repeating alarms.
> 
>>> A basic GPS app called Where Am I offers a simple way to determine your
>>> current location. Once the app is launched, the current address (or
>>> approximation), is spoken. By default, the app will speak every time your
>>> location changes, providing a method for knowing when it is time to get
>>> off the bus, for example.
> 
>>> The Screen Reader
>>> The second part of Mobile Accessibility for Android is a screen reader for
>>> the phone. The screen reader provides access to hundreds of apps available
>>> on the Android Market, offering advanced users numerous possibilities for
>>> exploration. Due to Google's accessibility implementation, however, the
>>> screen reader is not able to overcome some limitations in accessing the
>>> touchscreen. While this lack of access is unfortunate and certainly needs
>>> to be addressed, many Android applications also allow for navigation and
>>> input using the keyboard or arrow keys, which is largely why we recommend
>>> a phone that includes these features.
> 
>>> Mobile Accessibility's screen reader offers a few advantages over free
>>> alternatives such as Talkback or Spiel. First, some may prefer the Nuance
>>> voices over the options available with other screen readers. These voices
>>> only work from within Mobile Accessibility and can't be used with another
>>> screen reader. Mobile Accessibility also includes a virtual keyboard for
>>> entering text using the touchscreen and direct access to Google's speech
>>> recognition service. These features can be utilized from third-party apps
>>> for quickly entering information.
> 
>>> Suggestions
>>> Though Code Factory should be commended for the number of features
>>> included in this version of Mobile Accessibility for Android, there is
>>> certainly some room for improvement. Third-party applications frequently
>>> launch a Web browser for presenting information and it's not possible to
>>> set the Mobile Accessibility browser as the default for those pages; you
>>> can only use Mobile Accessibility's browser within the app suite itself.
>>> It would also be nice if a user dictionary could be included to correct
>>> mispronounced words, and a way to label unlabeled graphics and buttons in
>>> third-party applications would be helpful. Also as stated above, the
>>> e-mail program would be more useful if it supported a wider array of
>>> e-mail providers.
> 
>>> The Bottom Line
>>> It's quite evident that Code Factory put a lot of thought into developing
>>> a product for the Android operating system, and many of the innovative
>>> approaches they've taken are useful and well-designed. For those looking
>>> for a simple Android accessibility solution with a consistent interface,
>>> the Mobile Accessibility suite is a good solution.
> 
>>> With the use of Mobile Accessibility, it's possible for blind and visually
>>> impaired users to independently use an Android phone, though it's not
>>> possible to set up the phone independently. While Google has certainly
>>> made strides toward improving access to the Android platform, there is
>>> still progress that needs to be made, including a way for screen reader
>>> users to access the touchscreen and review on-screen content. Without
>>> these improvements, features like braille support or a review cursor will
>>> not be possible for Mobile Accessibility or any screen reader.
> 
>>> Given the tools available to them, Code Factory has done an admirable job
>>> in this first version of the product, and since they have a history of
>>> frequent free upgrades, it's reasonable to expect that they will continue
>>> to improve on Mobile Accessibility for Android. Future improvements from
>>> both Code Factory and Google would serve to make Android a robust and
>>> complete accessibility solution. While Android does not include the
>>> out-of-the-box accessibility found in the iPhone, it may be worth a look,
>>> especially for users who prefer a physical keyboard or don't want to
>>> switch to a carrier offering the iPhone. In other words, Android's far
>>> from perfect, but with Mobile Accessibility, the proper tools, and a bit
>>> of patience, it's now a viable mobile device platform for users who
>>> require accessibility functionality.
> 
>>> Product Information
>>> Product: Mobile Accessibility 1.2.
> 
>>> Price: 69 Euros, about $99 U.S.; available from the Android Market on your
>>> Android device, or through the Android Market website.
> 
>>> Manufacturer: Code Factory S.L.
> 
>>> Address: Rambla Egara, 148, 2-2
>>> 08221 — Terrassa (Barcelona)
>>> SPAIN
>>> sales at codefactory.es.
> 
> 
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> 
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