[NFBMT] Chromebook

[Jim Marks]

Here is my initial report on using a Chromebook and its built-in screen
reader, ChromeVox.  

 

I bought the Chromebook on Amazon.  It cost $177, and it is a refurbished
Samsung with 4GB RAM and a 32GB SSD.  Its 11-inch screen is not a touch
screen.  It looks like a regular small laptop.

 

Chromebooks are designed to run apps and to store date on the cloud.  They
primarily use the Google products such as Chrome and G Suite, but they also
run Android apps and other online services such as MS Office 365.  It is
possible to use a Chromebook offline, but it’s best when connected to the
Internet.  Its keyboard is designed for Chromebook.  For example, it has no
F keys, and it includes a new key called the Search key, and this key is
also called the ChromeVox key because it’s used to operate the screen reader
much like the Insert key modifies Jaws keystrokes.  Although the Samsun is
quite small, it fits my large hands just fine.  I’m using lots of online
tutorials and videos to learn how to operate a Chromebook and to use
ChromeVox.

 

All-in-all, Chromebook and ChromeVox work well.  At this point, I do not
think it will replace a PC for me, but it will serve well for portable
computing.  I think of it as being like using an Android smart phone or
tablet.  Also, now, my user experience is a bit awkward, mostly because I
have yet to commit the ChromeVox keystrokes to muscle memory.  It’s
happening fast, though, because ChromeVox is natural even though it means
learning new keystrokes and new ways of doing things.  The speech is very
responsive and easy to understand.  I speed up the speech a great deal, and
I prefer using the UK English voice.  Insofar as I know, only female voices
are available now.  Oh, it is possible to add a refreshable Braille display
to a Chromebook as well.

 

Facebook works very well.  I use Chrome and m.facebook.com, and the
experience is quite nice.  ChromeVox includes a feature called “sticky key”
in which one quickly presses the Search/ChromeVox key twice, and then one
can navigate with keystrokes that consist of a single key or two keys
pressed simultaneously.  When in sticky mode, it’s not possible to type, but
all it takes to get out of sticky mode is two rapid strokes on the
Search/ChromeVox key.

 

I’m having troubles reading Gmail, but this is caused by my ignorance on the
keystrokes.  As I learn those keystrokes, I’m confident I will be able to
use Gmail with no problems.  I can also add apps like Aqua Mail or Outlook.

 

In the future, I’ll provide more updates.  At this point, I think a
Chromebook would be a very good alternative to an Android tablet because it
operates entirely with a keyboard and because it’s inexpensive.  I don’t
think I could, at this point, recommend a Chromebook as a replacement for a
PC, though.

 

Best!

 

 

 

 

Jim Marks

Blind.grizzly at gmail.com <mailto:Blind.grizzly at gmail.com> 

(406) 438-1421