[nabs-l] New iPhone Model Now Accessible to the Blind

Tue Jun 9 14:17:07 UTC 2009

I agree with you. that's why I said:

"For what it's worth, I don't think I've been more interested by a press release concerning accessible technology since the KNFB Reader."

Just saying.

Brice
> From: loneblindjedi at samobile.net
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2009 04:37:28 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] New iPhone Model Now Accessible to the Blind
> 
> Well, regardless of what you think about Apple and its products, it 
> sounds like they may have brought us that much closer to solving the 
> touch screen problem once and for all. Can you imagine how this 
> software could be adapted so it's available for all touch-screen 
> products at low or no cost to the user? We could then occupy jobs that 
> require the use of touch-screens for data entry, we could process our 
> own credit information at stores, and we could interface with consumer 
> electronics that don't have buttons. How cool is that? We can't hate on 
> those who innovate, can we?
> 
> Respectfully Submitted
> 
> 
> Original message:
> 
> > I'm happy with my N82.
> 
> 
> 
> > I've always resisted Apple; I think it's a bit over rated.
> 
> 
> > I've always looked down on macs and the masses that buy them; IMO, the 
> > only people who really need them are those who do lots of film or 
> > digital editing or other high-level processes -- PCs are perfectly fine 
> > for basic computing, which is all most people do anyway. Macs are just 
> > a popular craze.
> 
> 
> 
> > I've always thought iPods were nothing special, inferior to other, less 
> > popular but more feature-filled products.
> 
> 
> 
> > But this ...
> 
> 
> 
> > For what it's worth, I don't think I've been more interested by a press 
> > release concerning accessible technology since the KNFB Reader.
> 
> > Brice
> >> Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 20:58:09 -0500
> >> To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> >> From: dandrews at visi.com
> >> Subject: [nabs-l] New iPhone Model Now Accessible to the Blind
> 
> 
> 
> >> Vision
> 
> >> The revolutionary iPhone also includes an equally
> >> revolutionary screen reader, and other innovative
> >> accessibility features that make it easier to use
> >> for those with impaired vision.
> 
> 
> >> VoiceOver
> 
> >> iPhone 3G S displaying VoiceOver settings. The VoiceOver and Sp
> 
> 
> 
> >> The same VoiceOver screen reader made popular on
> >> the Mac is now a standard feature on the iPhone
> >> 3G S. It’s the world’s first gesture-based screen
> >> reader, enabling you to enjoy the fun and
> >> simplicity of the iPhone even if you can't see the screen.
> 
> >> What makes VoiceOver on iPhone truly remarkable
> >> is that you control it using simple gestures that
> >> let you physically interact with items on screen.
> >> It’s easy to learn and fun to use. Instead of
> >> memorizing hundreds of keyboard commands, or
> >> endlessly pressing tiny arrow keys to find what
> >> you’re looking for, with VoiceOver, you simply
> >> touch the screen to hear a description of the
> >> item under your finger, then gesture with a
> >> double-tap, drag, or flick to control the phone.
> 
> >> VoiceOver delivers an experience unlike any
> >> screen reader you've ever used before.
> >> Traditional screen readers describe individual
> >> elements on the screen, but struggle to
> >> communicate where each element is located or
> >> provide information about adjoining objects. This
> >> contextual information is very important but
> >> typically filtered out by other screen readers.
> >> For example, “off-screen” models used by
> >> traditional screen readers to represent
> >> applications and web pages intentionally strip
> >> away contextual information and describe web
> >> pages as a list or menu of items. But with
> >> VoiceOver on iPhone 3G S, you'll experience something entirely new.
> 
> >> Because VoiceOver works with iPhone’s
> >> touchscreen, you interact directly with objects
> >> on the screen and can naturally understand their
> >> location and context. So, when you touch the
> >> upper-left corner of the screen, you'll hear
> >> what’s in the upper left corner of a web page,
> >> and as you drag your finger around the screen,
> >> you'll learn what’s nearby, providing an amazing
> >> new sense of context and relationship between the
> >> items you hear. For many, VoiceOver on iPhone
> >> will provide, perhaps for the first time, a true
> >> sense of how things appear on screen, not just descriptions of what they are.
> 
> >> You'll hear descriptions of every item on the
> >> screen, including status information such as
> >> battery level, Wi-Fi and cellular network signal
> >> levels, the cellular network provider, and time
> >> of day. It even lets you know when the display
> >> changes to landscape or portrait orientation, and
> >> when the screen is locked or unlocked.
> 
> >> The speaking rate is adjustable so you can set it
> >> to a speed that best suits your listening
> >> ability. VoiceOver uses distinctive sound effects
> >> to alert you when an application opens, when the
> >> screen is updated, when a message dialog appears,
> >> and more. And, when Voiceover is talking, the
> >> volume of background sounds and music are
> >> automatically lowered, “ducking” under the voice,
> >> so you can clearly hear what VoiceOver is telling you.
> 
> 
> >> It speaks your language
> 
> >> VoiceOver includes built-in voices that speak 21
> >> languages including Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese
> >> (China), Chinese (Taiwan), Dutch, English (US),
> >> English (UK), Finnish, French (Canada), French
> >> (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean,
> >> Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil),
> >> Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Spain), and Swedish.
> 
> 
> >> Getting started
> 
> >> VoiceOver is built right into the iPhone 3G S.
> >> There’s nothing extra to purchase or install. All
> >> you need is the iPhone 3G S, iTunes 8.2 or later,
> >> and a Mac or PC. You can activate your iPhone and
> >> enable VoiceOver without sighted assistance using
> >> iTunes with a compatible screen reader like
> >> VoiceOver included in Mac OS X and GW-Micro
> >> Window-Eyes® for Windows XP and Windows Vista
> >> (sold separately). When you activate iPhone using
> >> iTunes, you can enable VoiceOver on the iPhone to
> >> start using it right away. Sighted users can also
> >> enable VoiceOver for you directly on iPhone using
> >> the Accessibility menu in the Settings application.
> 
> 
> >> How it works
> 
> >> With VoiceOver enabled, you'll use a different,
> >> but simple set of gestures to control the iPhone.
> >> For example, instead of tapping to click a button
> >> or select an item, you tap to hear a description
> >> of the item you touch and double-tap to click or select it.
> 
> >> When an item on the screen is selected, a black
> >> rectangle called the VoiceOver cursor appears
> >> around it. The VoiceOver cursor is displayed for
> >> the benefit of sighted users with whom you may be
> >> sharing your phone. When you prefer privacy,
> >> VoiceOver includes a screen curtain that turns
> >> off the display so no one can read it without your knowledge.
> 
> >> In addition to touching and dragging around the
> >> screen, you can also flick left and right to move
> >> the VoiceOver cursor precisely to the next or
> >> previous item on the screenno matter how big or
> >> small it is. By flicking, you have precise
> >> control of what you hear even when it might
> >> otherwise be difficult to place your finger on it.
> >> Two iPhones. The iPhone in the background shows the home screen
> 
> 
> >> Entering Text
> 
> >> When you’re typing text, such as an email message
> >> or a note, VoiceOver echoes each character on the
> >> keyboard as you touch it, and again to confirm
> >> when you enter it. You can also have VoiceOver
> >> speak each completed word instead of and in
> >> addition to individual characters as you type
> >> them. A flick up or down while typing moves the
> >> insertion point cursor left and right within the
> >> text so you can edit a word just as easily and precisely as typing a new word.
> >> Two images side by side. The first shows a text-suggestion bubb
> 
> 
> >> To help you type more quickly and accurately,
> >> iPhone features word prediction and suggests the
> >> correct spelling when you type a word
> >> incorrectly. With Speak Auto-text enabled, you'll
> >> hear a sound effect and the suggested word spoken
> >> automatically. You can just keep typing to ignore
> >> it, or press the space key to have iPhone type it for you.
> 
> 
> >> The Rotor
> 
> >> Two fingers touching a iPhone display and a counter-clockwise a
> 
> 
> 
> >> VoiceOver features an innovate new virtual
> >> control called a “rotor.” Turning the rotor by
> >> rotating two fingers on the screen as if you were
> >> turning an actual dial  changes the way
> >> VoiceOver moves through a document based on a
> >> setting you choose. For example, a flick up or
> >> down might move through text word by word. But
> >> when you choose the “character” setting, each
> >> time you flick up or down VoiceOver will move
> >> through the text character by character  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 and down to move to the previous or
> >> next occurrence of that item on the page, skipping over items in between.
> 
> 
> >> Applications
> 
> >> VoiceOver works with all of the built-in
> >> applications that come with iPhone 3G S, such as
> >> Phone, iPod, iTunes, Mail, Safari, and Maps. So,
> >> you can place and receive calls, surf the web,
> >> text and email your friends, check your stocks
> >> and the weather, and much, much more. Apple is
> >> also working with iPhone software developers so
> >> they can make their applications VoiceOver
> >> compatible.
> >> <http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone//iphone/iphone-3g-s/>Learn more
> >> Two iPhones. The iPhone in the foreground is displaying the Voi
> 
> 
> >> Voice Control
> 
> >> In addition to gestures, you can use your voice
> >> to play music and make a phone call. Just press
> >> and hold the home button, listen for the audio
> >> prompt, and speak the name of the artist, album,
> >> or playlist you want to hear. You can pause,
> >> play, change tracks, even shuffle your music.
> 
> >> When you want to make a call, speak the name or
> >> telephone number of the person you want to call.
> >> iPhone 3G S understands 21 different languages.
> >> <http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone//iphone/iphone-3g-s/voice-control.html>Learn
> >> more
> 
> 
> >> Zoom
> 
> >> Two iPhones. The iPhone in the background is displaying the wea
> 
> 
> 
> >> While many iPhone applications let you zoom in
> >> and out specific elements such as images in Mail,
> >> or webpage columns in Safari, Zoom lets you
> >> magnify the entire screen of any application
> >> you’re using to help you see what’s on the
> >> display. Zoom can be enabled on iPhone 3G S using
> >> iTunes when you’re setting up the iPhone, for
> >> yourself or someone else, or later, using the
> >> Accessibility menu in the Settings application on the iPhone.
> 
> >> Zoom works everywhere, including the Home,
> >> Unlock, and Spotlight screenseven with
> >> applications you purchase from the App store.
> >> Two iPhones. The iPhone in the background is displaying the Acc
> 
> 
> >> A simple double-tap with three fingers instantly
> >> zooms in and out 200% and you can double-tap and
> >> drag three fingers to dynamically adjust the
> >> magnification between 100% and 500%. Even when
> >> zoomed, you can continue using all of the
> >> familiar flick, pinch, tap and other iPhone
> >> gestures to run your favorite applications. Zoom
> >> can also be used with white-on-black (reverse video) and speak auto-text.
> 
> 
> >> White On Black
> 
> >> For those who need or prefer higher contrast,
> >> iPhone 3G S provides an option to change the
> >> display to White On Black. This reverse video
> >> affect works in all applications including the
> >> Home, Unlock, and Spotlight screens and can be used with Zoom and VoiceOver.
> 
> 
> >> Speak Auto-text
> 
> >> When typing, iPhone suggests a word before you
> >> finish typing it or a correction when a word is
> >> misspelled. Speak Auto-text speaks these
> >> suggestions so you can hear them when they’re
> >> presented. When zoomed, for example, the
> >> suggestion might not be visible on screen, but
> >> you can hear and accept it without seeing it. If
> >> you’re using VoiceOver, you won't have to
> >> interrupt your typing and touch the suggestion to
> >> hear it. Speak Auto-text can be enabled even when
> >> you’re not using VoiceOver or Zoom.
> >> Callouts indicate the name and location of the physical buttons
> 
> 
> >> Tactile Buttons
> 
> >> iPhone includes a few, easily discernible
> >> physical buttons used to control the phone: the
> >> Sleep/Wake button, located on the top edge; the
> >> Ring/Silent switch and volume-control buttons,
> >> located on the upper-left edge; and the Home
> >> button, centered below the display.
> 
> 
> >> Giant Fonts For Mail Messages
> 
> >> For improved email readability, you can increase
> >> the default font size of email text from Medium
> >> (the default) to Large, Extra-large, or Giant.
> >> iPhone earbuds with clickable microphone built into the cable
> 
> 
> >> iPhone Stereo Headset
> 
> >> iPhone comes with a stereo headset with a
> >> high-performance microphone built into the cable.
> >> Plug it into the standard 3.5 mm stereo headphone
> >> jack and the headset lets you control music
> >> playback and answer and end calls by clicking the
> >> built-in remote control button.
> 
> >> Several add-on products are also available to
> >> work with iPhone that can help those with hearing
> >> disabilities, including a hearing aid-compatible
> >> induction ear loop from
> >> <http://www.tecear.com/Music_Link.htm>TecEar,
> >> wireless remote headset from <http://oticon.com/>Oticon, and others.
> 
> 
> >> Hands-Free Speakerphone
> 
> >> Enjoy hands-free communication using the built-in
> >> speakerphone, which you can also use to listen to
> >> Visual Voicemail, music, podcasts, and video.
> 
> 
> >> Audible, Visible, And Vibrating Alerts
> 
> >> Turn the ringer on, and iPhone delivers both
> >> audible and visual alerts. You can activate
> >> alerts for phone calls, text messages, incoming
> >> and sent mail, and calendar events. iPhone also
> >> offers an audio option confirming keyboard
> >> clicks. You can even set incoming calls to
> >> display a full-screen image or photo of the caller.
> 
> >> In silent mode, iPhone vibrates instead of
> >> playing a tone. To ensure that you never miss a
> >> notification, you can also have iPhone vibrate and play an audio alert.
> 
> 
> >> Downloadable, Assignable Ringtones
> 
> >> You can assign distinctive ringtones to
> >> individuals in your contacts list, using the
> >> ringtone as an audible caller ID. Visit the
> >> iTunes Store to create, purchase, and download
> >> additional ringtones of your favorite songs (sold separately).
> >> A visual representation of a ringtone sound wave as it might ap
> 
> 
> >> User Guide In Accessible HTML
> 
> >> The iPhone User Guide is provided online in HTML
> >> format designed with accessibility in mind. You
> >> can read the guide using your favorite screen
> >> reader and web browser on your Mac and PC, and
> >> using Safari on the iPhone with VoiceOver.
> >> <http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone//accessibility/iphone/hearing.html>Hearing
> 
> 
> >> _______________________________________________
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