[Electronics-Talk] smartphone for the blind

[Arlene]

Ashley, I feel the same way you do, concerning talking with the voice 
activated systems. Some of them are better than others. My bank use to have 
an voice automated system, that is sensitive to backround sounds when you 
call it. If you need to check on your balance while you're in a store or a 
restaurant you would need to go in a corner where it's quieter. The new 
automated system my bank has now, isn't sensitive to the backround noises so 
that does make it easier. I know someone that has that same automated system 
for their bank which is a different bank that I belong too. I really liked 
that one automated system that my bank had that was sensitive ti the 
backround noise, because the voice of the automated system is a very 
pleasant voice. I just wish that system wasn't so sensitive to the backround 
noise. I just want to clarify with these tank automated systems you could 
just press the touch tones for the information you want, though I think one 
could talk to it if they needed to do it that way.

Arlene
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ashley Bramlett via Electronics-Talk" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: "Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances" 
<electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2017 12:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] smartphone for the blind


> Hi,
> That Is understandable; high functioning tech savvy blind people seem to 
> forget there are blind people with multiple challenges and those with 
> other preferences. I don't learn technology as easily as some and have not 
> used many touch screens although when I get an ipad this will change.
>
> I also prefer not to talk to my devices at least not a lot. I think its 
> disruptive  when in public and often disturbs the
> people in quiet areas such as libraries or waiting rooms. I personally 
> really dislike it when we have our NFB meetings  and some blind person's 
> phone goes off and they answer it or worse they pull out their phone and 
> proceed to talk to it. Sometimes someone asks them to step out or use 
> headphones if they keep on swiping this way and that and voice over speaks 
> or they talk to seri or another person.
> Talking to your phone or on the phone can be so disruptive and I feel that 
> many blind people do not realize the scene they cause by talking to their 
> phones; that or they do not care.
>
> So, yeah, Sandra, I prefer not to talk to my phone or devices unless I'm 
> in a private space like my house or maybe a hallway where not many passers 
> by are so I can talk and have a bit of privacy and not to mention the fact 
> that I can hear my phone clearly without noise.
>
> Sandra, you might try feature phones such as the gusto 3 lg tera someone 
> mentioned a few weeks ago.
> I also know some blind people who have smart phones but use keypads or 
> their braille notetakers for commands instead of the touch screen; so if 
> you need a smart phone, pairing it with a keyboard might be a good fit for 
> you.
>
> Ashley
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Sandra Streeter via Electronics-Talk
> Sent: Friday, December 15, 2017 10:32 AM
> To: electronics-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Sandra Streeter
> Subject: [Electronics-Talk] smartphone for the blind
>
> I am not scared of it being Android. I am scared, however, of it becoming 
> a paper-weight, as some have pointed out. Now, for those who know more 
> than I: I would be interested in this aspect of deaf history: How did the 
> deaf get closed-captioning, TTY’s, etc., so mainstream? It seems that we 
> struggle a lot more to get blind-friendly things to happen, to be 
> affordable, and to stick around. It’s even worse if, like me, you have 
> other issues than blindness that make using a touch-screen untenable, and 
> you need something like the Envision 2 to even be able to get on the 
> learning curve for mastering a ‘'new smartphone. Before anyone brings up 
> the idea of voice commanding, I also would prefer not to talk; I know I’m 
> a whiner and complainer, and you have all see my wish list for the perfect 
> smartphone, but sometimes, it bears repeating. If I had the money to get 
> the Envision, I probably would, except for that one problem of how long it 
> would be supported; I’d be inclined to wait a couple years to make sure 
> any bugs were worked out and that it still had some longevity, and maybe 
> even to wait for the price to drop a bit—as tempting as it is to be hasty. 
> So, in the interim, I may end up with a feature phone, which I could at 
> least use for texting and phone calls on the road, and at work, where you 
> really need something you can function with.
>
>
> Sandra
>
> “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he 
> hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however 
> measured or far away.”
> (Henry David Thoreau)
>
> ---
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