Some updates from last week (and may be a bit before smile)
Some more comments on RIVO on the program from Stephen Jolley: great for navigating.
Update to comments on VoiceOver screen curtain on iOS: no it doesn’t save you battery power.
A post on Cult of Mac:
http://www.cultofmac.com/267847/apple-releases-os-x-10-9-2-fix-ssl-vulnerability/
has information concerning the 10.9.2 update including a full list of all of the updates: particularly the SSL connection bug which is now fixed (with the same issue on iOS 7 being fixed last week with the 7.06 update).
For VoiceOver users in the 10.9.2 update, improvements were made in Finder, Mail, Safari, and fixes for specific HandyTech Braille displays.
Oh, one of my favourite new features, FaceTime Audio now available on the Mac: not just FaceTime Video.
To get the update for Mavericks, just use the Apple menu, choose Software Update, and select the update.
There are also updates for Lion, and Mountain Lion. Remember you can always check for updates on the Apple Support page at:
Tim Cook soundly rejects Politics of the NCPPR: Suggests group Sells Apple Stock - From the MacObserver
NCCPPR is the National Centre On Public Policy Research (Conservative Think Tank)and seems to be more interested in getting Apple to squeeze out more profit rather than waist money on sustainability (such as green Energy) or maximise on ROI (Return on Investment).
At the recent Apple Financial event, a representative of the NCPPR asked 2 questions: Tim Cook ignored the first question, but his statement in respect to ROI put Apple’s position very clearly:
“When we work on making our devices accessible for the blind, I don’t consider the bloody ROI”.
Good for Apple.
Screen Magnification Survey
This survey is designed to gauge the extent of use of screen magnification, or enlargement tools, by persons with visual impairments, and to find ways in which this technology can be improved for usability and productivity. It is part of ongoing accessibility research by the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University.
The intended audience for this survey is persons with visual impairments that use or have used screen magnification in some form on electronic devices
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_QJ7vczMWNZfHWBsxAFjpYfXvyG_d8HsKW6WOsfG1z4/viewform
WebAIM Screen Reader Survey #5 Results
The main points from the survey based on 1465 participants were:
Screen Reader usage 81% laptops verses 78% desktops.
Windows usage continues to decrease but still used by 82.8%.
JAWS as a primary screen reader remains stable at around 50%. Window-Eyes dropped to 6.7%. NVDA and VoiceOver continue to grow.
Internet Explorer as primary browser 58.7%. Chrome 2.8%.
74% see free/low cost screen readers as a valid alternative to commercial screen readers such as VoiceOver or NVDA.
82% use a screen reader on a mobile device with iOS being 4 times popular to that of Android or Nokia.
79% comfortable with a web site detecting if they are using a screen reader.
http://webaim.org/projects/screenreadersurvey5/
Using Screen Readers on Touch Screen Mobile Devices - from Media Access Australia
Some tips on using screen readers on touch screen mobile devices - iOS, Android, and Windows:
1. Screen readers change the gestures you use..
2. Avoid accidental gestures.
3. Consider screen orientation.
4. Allow time for lag.
5. Be familiar with the Back button.
6. Consider a keyboard.
Audio link for Talking Tech for March 4 2014
Great post. Keep it up. Please visit http://goo.gl/fndyLv
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