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

Tue Jun 9 22:42:51 UTC 2009

Couldn't you use one of those little  bluetooth keyboard with it?

On 6/9/09, Haben Girma <habnkid at aol.com> wrote:
>
> Here's what Apple says about typing on the iPhone 3GS:
>
> 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.
>
>
> 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.
>
>
> It sounds like there would be a huge learning curve for blind users, but
> the end result could be fast typing on a fast and feature-packed phone.
>
> Haben
>
> T. Joseph Carter wrote:
>> Brice,
>>
>> So, I think I'm hearing you say that you've been an anti-apple-snob
>> and they finally came out with a device that even you think sounds
>> really cool? *grin*
>>
>> Honestly, Apple and the hardcore Apple fan base really kind of ask for
>> it sometimes, I freely admit. But what has me excited about the iPhone
>> 3GS is not that it has a screen reader, but that it has the screen
>> reader built-in to a device that sells for $199 with contract.
>>
>> Of course, AT&T will make you pay for their data plan with the phone
>> and I'm not even remotely sure how useful the data plan would be to a
>> blind user since I don't see how the iPhone 3GS handles text entry
>> without a tactile keyboard. But if Apple's got that figured out, it's
>> a $200 smart phone, accessible out of the box.
>>
>> That's something to get excited about. Now put a real camera in the
>> thing Apple, so we can have iKNFB Reader. *grin*
>>
>> Joseph
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 09, 2009 at 12:56:46AM -0400, Brice Smith wrote:
>>>
>>> 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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>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> _________________________________________________________________
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>>>
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>>
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