Over 30 Practical reasons What Distinguish’s Apple from the Rest of the Tech Crowd
And yes, I know other platforms can sort of do this kind of stuff, but not as well, not as consistently, not as accessible and finally, it’s just my opinion smile.
1. Siri to quickly do various tasks such as timer for cooking, turn accessibility on/off, launch apps call/message people, or find out where I am.
2. Camera related: light detecter, money reader, FaceTime (what is that can), OCR (reading hard copy documents), and reading in directly iTunes gift cards (don’t have to see to get gift code). Also colour apps to tell what colour clothes you are waring. The Camera app will also allow a person who is blind to take a picture: i.e. iOS will tell the user via VoiceOver if there are faces in the picture, how big/small the faces are and where in the frame they are: so yes, people who are blind can take photos.
3. Apple watch (still main stream smart watch that is fully accessible and not just for people who are blind): Ping iPhone to find where it is, answer/make calls or send/reply to messages without having to get iPhone out of pocket vibrating (Time Buzz) to discretely find the time), activity/heart beat monitor for exercise.. Trash day Apple watch to remind when to take out the Trash (garbage smile).
4. Bluetooth keyboards on iOS, not just typing in to edit fields, but navigating whole OS/apps with screen reader control.
5. Using voice dictation across platforms to get the correct spelling of a word, particularly when doing shopping lists.
6. If using VoiceOver on iPhone talking caller id/read out messages/access to all other inbuilt/3rd party apps (if accessible).
7. Turn on/off quickly accessibility across Apple echo system: OS x, iOS, watch os, TV os: even iPod shuffle/nano: useful when supporting sighted children: I need to use to troubleshoot, but they don’t need it.
8. Easily watch Audio Described movies on iOS/OS x/TV os: audio described is a separate audio track describing in-between characters talking what is going on in the movie: The Martian is a good example.
9. OS X spell check anywhere within apps, great if your a bad speller: don’t just have to been in a word processor.
10. In OS X: take any document, use Add To iTunes as a Spoken Track under Services, and you have a spoken document that can been be listened to: great for literacy issues or if you just want to listen to a document.
11. On OS X, turn speech on with the Clock (System pref/Date & Time Clock Tab) to have time spoken: great reminder when in a meeting. Also use the Calculator with speech.
12. Speak any iOS screen in iOS by simply turning on in Settings, General, Accessibility, Speech, Speak Screen: great when driving to have a message, mail, etc read to keep eyes on road. Of course, OS X does this as well via a keyboard short-cut in System Preferences, Dictation & Speech, Text to Speech, Speak Selected Text when a Key is Pressed.
13. Using Siri on Apple tv to quickly get to items on the current screen.
14. Hand off between iOs/OS x: excellent when note taking on my iPhone, and can transfer back to the Mac if need to.
15. Use FaceTime audio on the Mac to dial up my voice mail, use number road to tone dial in login/pin number/listen back to messages, and then take notes on Mac (in Notes etc) whilst listening to the voice mails.
16. Read iBooks on both OS X/iOS with text to speech or large print: this is where I do most of my “reading”. Whilst Kindle is not accessible on the Mac for me, iOS version works well. I can start the speech reading, and just sit back and listen: speech will keep reading (no need to turn pages) until I touch the screen.
17. With the Just Press Record complication on the Apple watch: I can quickly start recording when someone wants to give me a reference number, their phone number etc.
18. All my connected home hardware which is simply accessible because the iOS platform is accessible: Ring Video Doorbell, and Belkin lights/switch’s, Netatmo Urban Weather Station.
19. Devices that my iPhone has replaced light detecter, talking GPS, recording device, daisy (talking book) player, laptop etc.
20. Consistent user interface between using VoiceOver) across OS X/iOS/TV OS/watch os: makes the interface very similar to use across these different platforms. e.g. similar gestures including OS X with the Magic trackpad, Siri Touch Remote, and iOS multi-touch screens.
21. All the apps I use all the time such as Tripview to find time of train/what platform its leaving from/arriving at to meet someone, Audible, Kindle, Overcast, Remote, Find my Phone, Find My Friends, and on and on (smile): currently have 228 used most of the time apps on my iPhone: most of them main stream apps, not assistive: only assistive thing is VoiceOver to access the apps.
22. Taptic feedback in Apple watch in particular as well as the iPhone (different vibrations for different contacts) really enhances the text to speech access as well as vibrations.
23. As a Braille user, I can actually write in Braille in iOS, using print hand writing mode, use the on-screen keyboard, use voice dictation or use a BT keyboard: so many input method to choose from depending on your need (supported by VoiceOver).
24. There are a lot more accessible games on iOS for blind or low vision than for any other platform: good to have fun as well.
25. Bar code readers: to tell what ingredient is in a packet, jar etc.
26. Ask Siri if its sunset or sunrise: if you can’t see and its the middle of the night or you’ve gone overseas, this is somewhat reassuring.
27. Use Find My Friends so friends can track you/meet you at the bus/train etc of or meet partner after work.
28. If I am having a fast chat over Messages: use voice dictation on either oS X/iOs to speed things up.
29. Use Airplay speakers in different parts of house to either play music, or listen to audio books: I tend to use Airfoil on my Mac for this: use Airfoil to pipe music to various Airplay speakers and use iTunes on Mac to listen to audiobooks. One thing great about Airplay verses BT, all accessibility stuff (such as text to speech or large print) stays on local device and doesn’t go through Airplay audio or Airplay video: very neat. My young boys can enjoy my Airplaying aBC iView from my iPhone on to our big TV via airplay and don’t have to put up with listening to VoiceOver.
30. GPS apps such as main stream Navigon/Apple maps or BlindSquare to navigate to a destination and find out what is around me. Also here is iBeacons for indoor navigation, but have not experienced these as yet.
31. Using my Braille display (connects via Bluetooth and brings Braille up in a line that I can feel) when I am doing my radio program or presenting in a workshop, I can read the Braille with my fingers and not have to listen to speech (which may be distracting) or I don’t want people listening to the radio program or ion a workshop listening to speech.
32. Get OS X to bring up a list of word suggestions if your not sure how to complete a word.
33. Whilst I’m a VoiceOver user, I can appreciate all the full suite of accessibility tools that Apple fully supports across disabilities, and is still the only platform that makes an effort to fully support Braille displays.
34. Of course all the hardware I use from Apple complements my continuing to evolve connected home: Apple Airport Express, Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPod nano/shuffle iPhone iPad, iPod touch, iMac, MacBook, Magic trackpad and Magic keyboard, and my Beats speakers/head phones.
