[gui-talk] Fwd: voiceover in snow leopard prepare to learn

Wed Jun 10 23:41:58 UTC 2009

Yes, quite a bit cheaper than what Microsoft charges for their  
operating systems. And no product activation nonsense to deal with  
either.
On Jun 10, 2009, at 1:23 AM, albert griffith wrote:

> I just read they'll be selling their operating system for $29  
> beginning
> sometime in the Fall.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk- 
> bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Steve Pattison
> Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 11:13 PM
> To: Access L
> Subject: [gui-talk] Fwd: voiceover in snow leopard prepare to learn
>
> From: David Poehlman <david.poehlman at handsontechnologeyes.com>
>
> All;
>
> I know it's not coming till September and someof you have or will
> read apple.com/accessibility and the info is "subject to change".
> Here below though is some info that may give some a jump start on
> what is coming and how it will work.  I'll be posting more info when
> I find it available and relay it from personal experience and
> encourage others to do the same.
>
> ---begin guide:---
>
> Every Mac comes standard with a wide range of assistive technologies
> that help people with disabilities experience what the Mac has to
> offer. We call this Universal Access, and it includes many features
> you won't find in other operating systems at any price. In Mac OS X,
> they're built right in. And now, the innovations in Snow Leopard
> advance accessibility even further.
>
> VoiceOver screen-reading built in.
> Mac OS X is the first operating system to include as a standard
> feature an advanced screen-reading technology, which is called
> VoiceOver. Much more than simply a text-to-speech tool, VoiceOver
> makes it possible for those who are blind or have low vision to
> control their computer. It features a unique voice - based on speech
> technology invented by Apple - that delivers amazing intelligibility
> and natural intonation even at speaking rates up to 700 words per
> minute. And with Snow Leopard, VoiceOver gets more powerful and
> easier to use.
>
> Now the trackpad is the screen.
>
> VoiceOver in Mac OS X Snow Leopard offers a breakthrough new
> capability: You can control your computer using gestures on a Multi-
> Touch trackpad even if you can't see the screen. The trackpad
> surface on your Mac notebook represents the active window on your
> computer, so you can touch to hear the item under your finger, drag
> to hear items continuously as you move your finger, and flick with
> one finger to move to the next or previous item. You'll hear how
> items are arranged on the screen, and you can jump directly to an
> item just by touching the corresponding location on the trackpad.
> For example, you can drag your finger around the trackpad to learn
> how items are arranged in a web page, a spreadsheet, a presentation,
> or any document with text. The more you touch, the more information
> you gather.
>
> More braille support,
> greater collaboration.
> The Mac is the only computer that supports braille displays right
> out of the box. Snow Leopard broadens this built-in support by
> including the latest drivers for over 40 models, including wireless
> Bluetooth displays. Just connect one and start using it - no
> additional software installation necessary.
>
> Snow Leopard also introduces a new feature, called braille
> mirroring, that enables multiple USB braille displays to be
> connected to one computer simultaneously. It's perfect for classroom
> settings, where teachers can lead all of their students through the
> same lesson at the same time, even if the students are using
> different display models.
>
> World-class web browsing.
> VoiceOver in Snow Leopard offers new capabilities that make web
> browsing easier, faster, and more enjoyable. VoiceOver has been
> updated to take full advantage of powerful multicore processors, so
> it can scan and analyze large, complex web pages quickly and allow
> you to enter commands right away.
>
> VoiceOver will begin reading an entire web page automatically after
> it loads, and you can use key commands or gestures to control
> VoiceOver as it's talking. To help you more quickly size up web
> pages you haven't visited before, VoiceOver can provide a
> customizable web page summary, including the title, number of
> tables, headers, links, form elements, and more.
>
> Snow Leopard fully supports HTML web tables without the need for a
> forms or table mode. You navigate tables using the same commands you
> already know. You can hear the contents of a table, including the
> column title and column and row number, by dragging your finger
> across the trackpad or using simple keystrokes.
>
> The rotor.
> Instead of forcing you to memorize keyboard shortcuts to navigate
> around the screen, VoiceOver offers a unique virtual control called
> a rotor. When you turn it - by rotating two fingers on the trackpad
> as if you were turning a dial - VoiceOver moves through text based
> on a setting you choose. For example, after setting the rotor to
> "Word" or "Character," each time you flick, VoiceOver moves through
> the text one word at a time or one character at a time - perfect
> when you're proofreading or editing text.
>
> You can also use the rotor to navigate web pages. When you're on a
> web page, the rotor contains the names of common items, such as
> headers, links, tables, images, and more. You select a setting, then
> flick up or down to move to the previous or next occurrence of that
> item on the page, skipping over items in between.
>
> Faster keyboard navigation.
> A new feature called Quick Nav uses arrow key combinations to move
> the VoiceOver cursor so you can control the computer using just one
> hand without the need for modifer keys. For example, you can move
> up, down, left, and right by pressing the arrow keys individually,
> or press the up and down arrows together to press a button or click
> a web link. Other combinations let you adjust the rotor and move the
> VoiceOver cursor according to the setting. With Quick Nav, you'll be
> navigating and reading documents and web pages in no time.
>
> Find information fast with auto web spots.
> Many web pages are filled with complex design elements or lack
> useful HTML tags, making them difficult to convey through a screen
> reader. So Apple invented new technologies to comprehend and
> interpret the visual design of web pages, then use the information
> to assign virtual tags called "auto web spots" to mark important
> locations on the page. If you're on a newspaper website, for
> example, there might be an auto web spot for each lead story,
> another for a box containing weather or sports scores, and so on.
> You can jump from web spot to web spot with a keystroke or the flick
> of a finger. And if there's a particular feature on a site you visit
> often, you can assign a "sweet spot" on that page so that VoiceOver
> will go there first when the page opens.
>
> Create custom labels.
> Sometimes items in applications are not well labeled, so VoiceOver
> can describe them only with vague terms like "blank," "empty," or
> "button." If you know what the item is or have sighted assistance,
> you can assign a custom label. The next time you visit the item,
> VoiceOver will describe it using your label. You can add as many
> labels as you like and export your labels to a file that can be
> shared with other VoiceOver users.
>
> More customization options.
> Now you have even more ways to customize VoiceOver. You can change
> the way VoiceOver speaks punctuation, identifies changes in text
> attributes, announces links, and more. Choose one of three standard
> verbosity levels - high, medium, and low - or customize them by
> adjusting 30 separate settings. You can also change the order in
> which descriptions are spoken and how much description you hear.
>
> Snow Leopard also introduces VoiceOver Commanders, a new category in
> VoiceOver Utility that lets you assign keys and gestures to open an
> application, utility, or file; run an AppleScript or Automator
> workflow; or perform a VoiceOver command. Commanders can help
> thosewith physical and learning disabilities by simplifying complex
> multikey shortcuts and making commands easier to reach and enter.
> Choose the Numpad Commander, Keyboard Commander, or Trackpad
> Commander and begin customizing VoiceOver to suit the way you work.
>
> Every Mac includes a built-in VoiceOver tutorial called Quick Start.
> It's the fastest way to learn VoiceOver. Your Mac starts talking
> soon after you turn it on and teaches you how to begin the Quick
> Start tutorial. If someone sets up your computer for you, you'll get
> an invitation to open Quick Start the first time you activate
> VoiceOver. Quick Start teaches you the keys on the keyboard, basic
> VoiceOver commands, and gestures, and it provides an environment
> where you can learn at your own pace and practice your skills. It's
> localized in 18 languages, including nine new ones, so when you add
> voices to your Mac (sold separately), you can hear Quick Start in
> your native language.
>
> All features of Snow Leopard are subject to change.
>
> Regards Steve
> Email:  srp at internode.on.net
> MSN Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
> Skype:  steve1963
>
>
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