[Electronics-talk] Looking for an accessible android phone

Fri Aug 17 16:27:07 UTC 2012

The prospective blind Android user must be tech savvy, and willing to
engage in much research.  It's not like Apple, where the manufacturer
controls the entire experience. Google may make a great product, but
it's up to the manufacturers and carriers as to what actually shows up
on any given model of phone.  It's not like Windows, where when a new
version of the OS comes out, all new products are running that version.
Every version of Android that has ever been produced is still out there,
and available for manufactures and carriers to use.  Just because you
buy a new phone, that doesn't mean that it will be running the latest
OS. Also, some manufactures and carriers cell phones that come with
their own skin, or home screen, which may not be accessible.  It is
possible to get around all of this and to get a phone that is fairly
accessible, but you have to know exactly what to ask and advocate for.

Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Barbour
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 9:11 AM
To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Cc: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Looking for an accessible android phone

That's probably about right. Worse, many phones That could run jellybean
won't because the carriers won't push i jellybean out to their phones.

So, you have to be very aware of what you're buying.

Jim

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 17, 2012, at 11:36 AM, "Baracco, Andrew W"
<Andrew.Baracco at va.gov> wrote:

> I understand that only 2% of available Android phones currently run 
> Jellybean.
> 
> Andy
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim Barbour
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 8:14 AM
> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Looking for an accessible android 
> phone
> 
> So, we've moved far away from the original question which was 
> recomendations for an android phone.
> 
> I said some of this earlier, but I'll repeat it and add more here.
> 
> First, I highly recommend trying to make the iPhone work for you.  I 
> believe it really is the best option out there.
> 
> Next, if you really want to try out an android phone, look for one 
> that hsi running Jelly Bean.  The Jelly Bean version of talkBack now 
> has the "explore by touch" technology built into the phone, which 
> makes for a much nicer user experience for blind users.
> 
> As to which phone to get, I can recommend the "droid 4" phone, which 
> runs on Verizon.  For other carriers, you'll need to ask around.  Some

> things you'll care about are...
> 
>  * Does the phone have a physical keyboard, D-pad, joystick etc?  How
>    do they feel in your hand?
>    NOTE: you don't have to have these controls to use an android
>    phone running Jelly Bean, but it really will help.
>  * Does the phone run Jelly Bean?
>  * How is the phone's battery life?
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 
> Jim
> 
> On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 11:03:37AM -0400, Julie Phillipson wrote:
>> hay you can get ear buds that have different size covers for small,
> medium
>> and large and they block out noise around you.  I get them for 10
> bucks at
>> drug store.com.  They are like the old style ear bud that goes into
> the ear
>> not just sit at the opening of the ear.  Those other kind of buds 
>> hurt
> my
>> ears too.
>> 
>> Julie Phillipson
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jenny Keller"
> <jlperdue3 at gmail.com>
>> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 12:50 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Looking for an accessible android
> phone
>> 
>> 
>>> I have very small ear connals, and very small ears that make it hard
> to
>>> find a bluetooth headset that fits properly that doesn't cost a
> fortune.
>>> 
>>> I have one that sort of works, but it causes pain after wearing it
> for any
>>> long periods of time.
>>> 
>>> Also, our bus terminal is in a fowl neighborhood and some of the
> people
>>> who ride the bus are not the kind of people you'd want to let know
> that
>>> you have an iPhone 4S.
>>> 
>>> Love the joke though.
>>> 
>>> Jenny
>>> On Aug 15, 2012, at 2:14 PM, Baracco, Andrew W wrote:
>>> 
>>>> How can something on your head cause a pain in your behind? LOL!
>>>> Andy
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>>> [mailto:electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jenny
> Keller
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2012 7:09 PM
>>>> To: Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances
>>>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Looking for an accessible android
> phone
>>>> 
>>>> There are bugs on the iPhone 4S such as SIRI deciding to stop
> working
>>>> and having to reset the phone at least twice a day.
>>>> 
>>>> there is also the bug that voiceover gets drowned out when you have
> to
>>>> push a number for the menus on phone things like press one for etc.
> You
>>>> can use a bluetooth or headset for that, but I don't like to have 
>>>> anything on my head, so it's a pain in the behind.
>>>> 
>>>> Sometimes, when just using the touch screen itself, if you are on
> the
>>>> contacts screen and you press contacts, it will flip to a blank
> screen.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> things like that irritate me, and if I wanted a phone that didn't
> have
>>>> the capacity for SIRI working correctly, I would've just gotten the

>>>> iPhone 4 and not have had to spend the extra money, especially with
> the
>>>> bug in voiceover that gets drowned out by the speaker phone.
>>>> 
>>>> I called Apple Accessibility about both issues and they said they
> were
>>>> bugs and that they couldn't do anything about it.
>>>> 
>>>> therefore, I have an upgrade available, and am seriously 
>>>> considering
> an
>>>> android phone.  Though the Galaxy S3 turned out to be way ore 
>>>> complicated than it was worth.
>>>> 
>>>> Jenny
>>>> On Aug 13, 2012, at 5:28 PM, Jim Barbour wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hey Jenny,
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'm writing you back as I think my comments will be useful to
> others.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I've been playing with various Android phones recently, and they
> are
>>>>> slowly catching up with the iPhone, in terms of blindness
> usability.
>>>>> 
>>>>> There are a few good reasons to go with an android phone, but you 
>>>>> should be aware of wha you're getting.
>>>>> 
>>>>> If you could tell us more about what you find frustrating about 
>>>>> the iPhone, we can help you figure out if Android will be a better

>>>>> solution.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Take Care,
>>>>> 
>>>>> Jim
>>>>> 
>>>>> On Mon, Aug 13, 2012 at 05:12:39PM -0500, Jenny Keller wrote:
>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I am getting very frustrated with my iPhone 4S and looked at the
>>>> Galaxy 3s last week.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I found it to be more of a pain than it was worth.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I want an android that is at least Ice Cream Sandwich.  Any
>>>> suggestions, and I would appreciate it if you would give me reasons
> and
>>>> good points and even bad about the phone you suggest.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Please write me off list as to keep traffic down.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thanks in advance.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jenny
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>>>>> 
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