Monday 28 November 2016

Talking tech for November 29 2016

 

My Christmas Ideas

 

Before I get on to my Main Stream Tech ideas for Christmas, last show I mentioned the Synapptic software for Android phones, I have now produced my first episode in a series for the Synapptic software which can be purchase from the Vision Australia Equipment Solutions shop.

 

https://s101.podbean.com/pb/f0ff747bd6851493dc86daf089c510fb/583a1081/data4/fs54/339150/uploads/Synapptic_overview_demo_episode_1.mp3

 

Christmas Ideas

 

No links or costs, just straight product names or broad categories just to give you some ideas

 

Audible, Amazon, iTunes or Harvey Norman etc gift cards

 

Charging Dock for Smart Phone or Tablets

 

Charging power brick for various devices

 

Portable External Hard drive

 

Apple Magic Keyboard

 

Samsung tv with Audio Guidance

 

Apple Watch or Apple Watch bands

 

iOS or  Android phone or tablet

 

AirPods if They Get Here in Time

 

Hope this gives you a few ideas.

Wednesday 23 November 2016

Talking Tech for November 22 2016

Christmas Ideas from the Vision Australia Equipment Solutions shop

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop

 

Oletech large print Mobile Phone

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/olitech-easy-mate-exclusive-to-vision-australia-large-button-mobile-phone

 

Synapptic Software on a Samsung Core Prime phone

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/samsung-core-prime-with-synapptic-software

 

EZ See Large Print Keyboards

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/ez-see-large-print-keyboards

 

Daylight Foldi Portable Desk Lamp

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/daylight-foldi-portable-desk-lamp

 

Talking Kitchen Scales

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/talking-kitchen-scales

 

Talking Measuring Jug

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/talking-measuring-jug

 

Talking Indoor/Outdoor thermometer

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/talking-indoor-outdoor-thermometer

 

Bump Ons

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/bump-ons

 

Liquid Level Sensor 2 levels

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/liquid-level-sensor---2-level

 

Loc Dots: 6 pack

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/loc-dots---6-pack

 

Talking Key Ring Clock

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/talking-keyring-clock

 

Talking Calendar Alarm Clock

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/talking-calendar-alarm-clock

 

Small Tactile Timer

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/small-tactile-timer

 

Big Button Speaker Phone

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/shop/product-list/product-detail/big-button-speaker-phone

 

Tuesday 15 November 2016

Talking Tech for November 15 2016

Some Thoughts of my Recent Purchase of Tile

Tile

 

Tile is a little plastic tile with a button which allows you to find an object that it is attached to locate that item.  If you press the button on the Tile, it locates the smart phone that it is attached to.

 

The Android version is more accessible than the iOs version, but still works.

 

The developer has said that improvements to accessibility should be coming down the track particularly for the iOS version: i.e. only get Tile name and not map location in the iOS version.

 

iOS demo of Tile

 

https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/mf/web/ap45u3/

Demo_of_the_Tile_app_and_Tile_hardware_for_locating_items.mp3

 

Android demo of Tile follow-up

 

https://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/mf/web/44ufrj/Tile_Android_app_demo.mp3Tick

 

Watch Aussie TV Anywhere on your Smart phone

 

Freview FV is a way of watching digital tV free on your smart phone: the Android version of this app is more accessible than the iOS version, but still works.

 

Android

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.freeview.fv&hl=en

 

iOS

 

h

 

A Bit of Information on How the MacBook Pro Touch Bar Works with VoiceOver

 

Yes the Touch bar does work in the new MacBook Pro, you can use your VoiceOver gestures to flick left right, and 1 finger double tap to activate an item.  You can also hold down the Command key and triple tap the Touch ID to start/stop VoiceOver.  As the new Macbook Pro’s don’t have a function key line, holding down the FN key turns the number row in to the function key row.

 

http://linkis.com/iaccessibility.net/i/Z9jbF

 

Quick Tip if You Can’t Remember Mac VoiceOver Commands

 

VO+HH will bring up the VoiceOver Commands Help menu, if you start typing the word that a command should contain you will get a list of suggestions: comes in very handy..

 

MacBook Buyers Guide

 

With the new MacBook Pro’s coming in, Apple’s line up of MacBooks is getting more and more complicated, this article from iMore will hopefully make things a bit clearer.

 

http://www.imore.com/macbook-buyers-guide

Sunday 6 November 2016

Talking Tech for October 31 and November 8 2016

Talking Tech for October 31 and November 7 2016

 

Apple Keynote event October 28 2016

 

Accessibility ad started off the keynote.

 

New Apple Accessibility website announced:

 

http://www.apple.com/accessibility

 

An article concerning the new website from iMore:

 

http://www.imore.com/accessibility-faq

 

New TV app announced for iOs for the Apple TV.

 

Watch all of your movies and TV shows from one source, rather than multiple apps: folks don’t seem to think this includes Netflix.

 

New MacBook Pro announced with Touch bar/Touch ID.

 

Thinner, 

Lighter, 

Brighter, 

better audio from speakers, 

13 and 15 inch models, 

Butter fly mechanism keyboard,

starting off with 8gb ram and 256GB SSD,

Larger force  touch trackpad, and

4 Thunder Bolt ports (2 either side) integrating data, charging, and video in one port.,

No SD port, but we still have a head phone jack,

multi-touch bar replacing function keys. 

Touch bar changes to what app is running, 

system control strip available to changing volume etc,

predictive text,

Touch ID to allow finger print for Apple Pay and faster user switching.

Hold down Command key and triple press Touch ID to toggle VoiceOver.

 

Microsoft Keynote Held the same week - An Interesting Point

 

You can still get the 13 inch MacBook Air, but the 11 inch is gone.

 

Microsoft like the Apple keynote started off with an Accessibility promo ad.

 

AirPods Delayed

 

The AirPods from Apple which were supposed to be out by the end of the month have been delayed Apple has said they are not quite ready for release: hopefully out by the end of the year.

 

Apple Watch Nike Now Available

 

The Nike Plus Apple Watch is now available.

 

So we now have updated series1, series 2, edition, and Nike Plus.  Nike same as Series 2 but with specific Nike Band, watch face, and pre-installed Nike app.

 

https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/28/apple-watch-nike/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&sr_share=twitter

 

This Support Document for Resetting the Mac, is a bit alarming: No More Start-Up Sound

 

Interesting that on new MBP’s the start up sound is not mentioned, I hope this does not mean its gone.

 

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063

 

KNFB Reader for Android still on at 80 Percent off

 

When I last checked yesterday, Google was still subsidising the KnFB Reader at this great price.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sensotec.knfbreader&hl=en

 

New Podcast from Me - using the new Move/Delete function in iOS VoiceOver

 

So much easier using this new functionality of moving/deleting apps.

 

http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com

 

Upcoming Podcast from Me - unboxing and step of the BrailleNote Touch

 

http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com

 

A couple of Products I’ve tried out Recently

 

The Elgato Window/Door Sensor, and

Native Union Key Lightning to USB Cable.

 

http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp?utm_source=AFB&utm_medium=email

 

JAWS 18 released

 

JAWS 18 now is officially released and out of beta.

 

http://www.freedomscientific.com