Talking Tech for May 17 2016

Trekz Titanium Bone Conduction Head Phones

 

Just purchased up an update of my 2nd generation of the Bluez 2 Bone Conduction Head phones, and these new ones are much more comfortable to ware.

 

There is a new distributer of these head phones in Australia:

Alchin Consulting. The web address is 

The retail for $199, and Mr Alchin will donate $5 back to Vision Australia.

 

http://www.alchinconsulting.com/

 

Audio Adrenaline Bundle

 

you can get these 3 excellent audio games: Space Encounter, Audio Rally Racing and Audiospeed at $29.99 Australian as a bundle.

 

http://www.applevis.com/apps/deals/ios-apps-dropped-price/audio-adrenaline-bundle 

 

Global Accessibility  Awareness Day May 19 2016

 

Join the Global Accessibility Day on Thursday, May 19 2016 and mark the fifth Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). The purpose of GAAD is to get people talking, thinking and learning about digital (web, software, mobile, etc.) 

 

The target audience of GAAD is the design, development, usability, and related communities who build, shape, fund and influence technology and its use. While people may be interested in the topic of making technology accessible and usable by persons with disabilities, the reality is that they often do not know how or where to start.  Awareness comes first

 

Go to Vision Australia’s webpage to find out what we are doing or look at the official Global Accessibility Awareness Day page:

 

Vision Australia

 

http://www.visionaustralia.org/business-and-professionals/digital-access-consulting

Global Accessibility Awareness Day

 

http://www.globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org 

 

More Equipment News from Vision Australia

 

Vision Australia Equipment Solutions will soon be selling over the next few Months Android phones that can come pre-installed with the Synapptic software that I talked on the program previously, and most exciting of all, Vision Australia will be selling a simple to use large print button mobile phone.

 

The large print button phone should be available sometime in June.

 

Apple Online Store now with it’s Own Accessibility Category

 

Apple is now selling through it’s online store a number of products including items for AbleNet, Humanware (Braille displays), and the Skoog tactile music maker.

 

http://www.apple.com/au/shop/accessories/all-accessories/accessibility 

 

The 50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time

 

Just an interesting read.

Some of these devices included: 

Fitbit, 

Sony Discman (age of CDS),

Sony Walkman,

Apple iBooks (first laptop to offer wi-fi), 

Amazon Kindle,

Poleroid camera,

iPad,

ToMTomTom GPS,

IBM Selecric Typewriter,

iPod,

Transistor Radio,

iPhone

 

http://time.com/4309573/most-influential-gadgets/

Talking Tech for May 10 2016

Info Sound: a discussion of the Synaptic Software for Android devices

 

An Android launcher that simplifies the Android experience by putting applications in to an easy to use menu.

 

Large print, high contrast, speech feedback and voice control is available.

 

Some of the apps included:

Phone,

SMS,

Email,

Web browsing,

Skype,

Address book.

Calendar,

Calculator,

Alarm clock,

Notepad,

Voice memos,

CCTV,

Reading machine (OCR),

MP3 player,

Youtube,

RSS podcasts,

Internet radio etc.

 

$190 Pounds or $364.

 

http://www.infosound.org.uk/audio/infosound_1217T-160425t.mp3

 

The Ballyland Magic App for Teaching 6 to 8 Year Olds How to Use VoiceOver Gestures

 

Interesting concept for teaching young children how to use VoiceOver gestures: 1 finger flick left and right, 1 finger double tap and 3 finger flick left or right: by getting a number of characters to rehearse and put on a magic show.

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ballyland-magic-app/id1077697759?ls=1&mt=8

 

Demo of a Great New Free Audio Game: Audio Game Hub

 

This app for iOS is self voicing and contains 8 games: Archery, Hunt, Samurai tournament, Samurai Dojo, Labyrinth, Memory, and Blocks.

 

My Demo:

 

http://s68.podbean.com/pb/777beafbe3a386f54a51ec0dc5b5609f/5722e066/data2/fs54/339150/uploads/Audio_Game_Hub_Demo.mp3

 

iOS App Store link:

 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/audio-game-hub/id1101972684?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D8

 

My Demo of Using Microsoft Outlook on the Mac

 

A few weeks ago I stated how good I was finding Office 2016 for the Mac, here is a demo from me on using Outlook on the Mac.  Again, Microsoft is to be congratulated for doing such a fantastic job.

 

http://s36.podbean.com/pb/ee299c8ff1776a95aa235832939c54d5/5722e4c8/data2/fs54/339150/uploads/OUtlook_For_Mac_Demo.mp3 

 

Apple Watch turns One

 

Late April, the Apple watch turned one, and I’m still using mine.

 

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Apple-Watch-turns-one-device-sold-twice-as-many-units-in-its-first-year-as-the-OG-iPhone-did_id80470?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+phonearena%2FySoL+%28Phone+Arena+-+Latest+News%29 

60 Fun Things to Ask Siri

 

Think some folks have to much time on their hands.

 

http://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/iosapps/60-funny-things-ask-siri-on-ios-2016-mac-3633686/

TAlking Tech for May 3 2016

Cobalt Talking Microwaves Coming to Vision Australia

 

A few weeks ago we spoke about the talking microwaves from Colbolt and aired on Info Sound:

 

http://www.infosound.org.uk/audio/infosound_1220P-160416t.mp3 

Now that Vision Australia is in the process of ordering them in,if your interested, leave your name with Equipment Solutions at Vision Australia.

 

More info about the microwave from the search page from Colbolt Systems in the UK for the moment:

 

https://cobolt.co.uk/store/cblt_viewItem.asp?idProduct=260 

4 Ways Google is Building a More Accessible World for the Vision Impaired by funding projects covering:

 

Gaining equal access to information,

Getting around,

Improving screen readers (Chromvox), and

Creating accessible apps,.

 

 

ANZ signs on for Apple Pay

 

If you didn’t want to use American Express with Apple pay, if you have an ANZ card, you can now use Apple pay to pay for your coffee etc on your iPhone or Apple watch.

 

https://twitter.com/anz_au/status/725411830919778305 

Accessibility Support in office 365 online

 

Online access to the Microsoft Office portal and screen readers: mainly JAWS and Narrator.

 

https://support.office.com/en-US/article/Accessibility-in-Office-365-ACA7ACCF-58A0-4467-BE5C-24A7E7933A9D?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US&fromAR=1 

Android Accessibility Help Main Page from Google

 

Lists:

Getting started with Talkback,

Using Talkback with BrailleBack,

Control Android with Voice Assist,

Switch access for Android, and

More Android accessibility features: magnification, large text, high contrast text, colour inversion, captions etc.

 

https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/?hl=en#topic=3529932 

Automatic alt-text for photos is now available on Android for Facebook

 

Now you can have the benefit of finding out what a photo “may contain on both iOS and Android for photos.  Just use the Facebook app and it’ll appear in your time line.

 

Dropbox is Testing Place Holders for Online storage

 

Rather than having your files locally via Dropbox, you will just have a place marker which will allow you to access the folder/file from the could directly without taking up valuable storage space on your hard drive.  Still being tested.

 

http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/26/11508486/dropbox-placeholders-project-infinite 

 

App for Google Glass helps Vision Impaired Navigate Smart Phone Screens

 

A group of research’s developed an app to navigate a smart phone screen via Google Glass and hand movements.

The app, developed primarily for the visually impaired, projects a magnified image of the screen to the Google Glass display. Images are sent using Bluetooth, and the user can interact with them by tapping on the stem of the Google Glass device.

 

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/app-for-visually-impaired-uses-google-glass-to-navigate-screen/

Talking Tech for April 26 2016

New Gadget for Me: Heart Beat Monitor

 

Wanted something more direct to check my heart beat rather than using the Apple watch.

 

http://www.apple.com/au/shop/product/HF9K2VC/B/wahoo-tickr-heart-rate-monitor?cid=mail+share

Microsoft Office 2016 Accessibility Comments

 

Just started using Microsoft Office 365 Microsoft Outlook in particular for the Mac and it is amazing what Microsoft has done for accessibility.

 

In some ways, finding using Outlook on the Mac a nicer experience than using Outlook in Windows.

 

Netflix Agrees to Offer More Audio Description on More Titles

 

Good to see a soon increase in audio described content from Netflix.

 

https://consumerist.com/2016/04/14/netflix-agrees-to-offer-audio-description-tracks-for-the-blind-on-more-titles/ 

AFB AccessWorld for April 2016

 

CSUN 2016 update, and an interview from me.

 

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

NVAccess Releases Official Training Material for NVDA

 

Cost is $33.00 but you can get sample chapters to try it out from the webpage.

 

I really do find all these different ways of using specific screen reading commands to read a bit overwhelming, most of the time I just use the standard keys for navigation and don’t get to caught up in screen reading navigation except for webpages.

 

http://www.nvaccess.org/product/basic-training-for-nvda-ebook/ 

Audible's Channels offer short audio programs for members

 

These are free books that you can listen to across a whole range of categories.  You will find the channel tab at the bottom of the app screen with the other tabs.

 

http://www.imore.com/audibles-channels-offer-short-audio-programs-members 

How To Get Your eBook to Read (iBook or Kindle) When your iPhone Screen is Locked

 

This is a nifty feature of getting iOS to speak and scroll the screen in an iBook or Kindle book and have your iOS device locked at the same time.  Simply use Speak Screen in Settings, General, Accessibility, Speech: once the screen/book is reading, lock your screen.  My demo link follows.

 

http://s59.podbean.com/pb/15d53c924d17dda973cff827455d4440/5712b4d5/data2/fs54/339150/uploads/Speak_screen_demo_from_the_lock_screen.mp3 

Talking TEch for April 19 2016

A Great Episode of the Tech Doctor Podcast: Celebrating 40 years of Apple

 

From the Tech Doctor Blog page re this episode:

 

We were fortunate to have author and Mac journalist, Shelly Brisbin join us. Shelly started using the Mac in 1986. She brought us a very unique perspective as a technical writer, publisher and low-vision Mac user.

With around 400 instructional podcasts under his belt, David Woodbridge is arguably the most prolific Apple accessibility podcaster. We all learn from the excellent podcasts that David produces.

Larry Skutchan harnessed the power of the Apple II in 1983 when he wrote one of the first fully accessible talking word processors. We introduce this podcast by playing a sample of the Echo II speech synthesizer which Larry’s word processor used to speak the text that was on the Apple’s screen. Larry went on to write a very popular terminal program for the Apple II. ProTerm enabled us to access such popular online services as GEnie, CompuServe and hundreds of BBS systems. Larry went on to write a very popular screen reader for DOS called ASAP.

At present, Larry is the Director of Technology Product Research at the American Foundation for the Blind.

 

The link to the Tech Doctor Episode 40 years of Apple is:

 

http://media.blubrry.com/accessibility/p/dr-carter.com/podcasts/20160409.mp3

 

From Info Sound: Cobolt’s talking Microwave and Talking Combination Oven

 

Now if only these devices were available in Australia.

 

http://www.infosound.org.uk/audio/infosound_1220P-160416t.mp3 

Microsoft is Putting Windows 10 and Cortana at the Centre of Smart Homes

 

Great to see that all major organisations are putting a lot of effort in to the connected home and internet of things.

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3050850/internet-of-things/microsoft-is-putting-windows-10-cortana-at-the-center-of-smart-homes.html#tk.rss_all 

FAceBook Adds Alt Text to Photos

 

This works straight off the bat as it were: i.e. go through your time line and receive a description of a photo.  For example a camping photo may have Alt-Text like “Water, Sky, people outdoor”.

 

https://www.facebook.com/accessibility/videos/1082033931840331/ 

Talkback Public Beta 4.5 soon Released with Enhanced Web Support

 

Not quite out yet, but great to see upcoming improvements in web navigation.

 

http://blindbargains.com/bargains.php?m=15086 

Audible's Channels offer short audio programs for members

 

These are free books that you can listen to across a whole range of categories.  You will find the channel tab at the bottom of the app screen with the other tabs.

 

http://www.imore.com/audibles-channels-offer-short-audio-programs-members 

How To Get Your eBook to Read (iBook or Kindle) When your iPhone Screen is Locked

 

This is a nifty feature of getting iOS to speak and scroll the screen in an iBook or Kindle book and have your iOS device locked at the same time.

 

http://s59.podbean.com/pb/15d53c924d17dda973cff827455d4440/5712b4d5/data2/fs54/339150/uploads/Speak_screen_demo_from_the_lock_screen.mp3 

Only Just Recently Discovered This: Using Siri to Call Emergency Services in Australia

 

You can now say to Siri “Call Triple Zero, and Siri will respond calling emergency services in 5 seconds.

 

Giving Feedback to the ABC iView Trial for Audio Description

 

If you have not yet given feedback to the ABC iView trial, please use this link to give your feedback.

 

https://theabc.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2hI24N0EnTBIE3X

Talking Tech for April 12 2016

Google Releases App To Test Accessibility

 

When I was talking about CSUN last week, I didn’t get to mention the Accessibility Scanner from Google to test app accessibility.

 

http://globalaccessibilitynews.com/2016/03/25/google-launches-accessibility-scanner-for-android-app-developers/ 

In Other Google News: BETA of Voice Access

 

Control your Android device via your voice: navigate, activate items on screen, and dictate.

 

https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6151848?hl=en 

Access World for March 2016

 

Two articles of interest that caught my attention: ATIA conference highlights, and NvDA Remote overview.

 

In particular from ATIA: The I.D. Mate Bar Code Scanner, and the Orcam makes another appearance.

 

http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp 

For Star Wars Fans

 

Star Wars: the Force Awakens is now available in iTunes with audio description.

 

Caption Bot AI from Microsoft To Describe Any Image

 

https://www.captionbot.ai/?platform=hootsuite 

Microsoft Cognitive Services Seeing AI app

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WP7Id8SxYQ&feature=youtu.be 

Night Shift Mode

 

Help you sleep better.  In iOS 9.3 it is referred to as Night Shift, and in Fire OS 5 Amazon has named it Blue Shade.

 

http://www.appleiphoneschool.com/2016/04/01/night-shift-mode-reduce-blue-light/ 

How to Get Access to Free Radio Dramas on the Internet

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2016/03/25/webs-best-kept-secret-thousands-free-classic-radio-dramas/82204502/

Talking Tech for April 5 2016

Happy Birthday Apple: 40 Years And Still Going Strong

 

Bloomberg, CNBC, Associated Press, The Verge, and others reflect on the first 40 years of Apple which is now "at the top of its game” and pay tribute to the company’s humble beginnings in a garage to an industry leader with over 100,000 employees and a "string of culture-defining products.”

• CNBC shows where the company is today by the numbers calling out one billion active Apple devices around the world, 11 million Apple developers, and that the company is responsible for 2 million jobs in the U.S. alone and over 4 million in China. 
• Stories call out the company’s mission to change the world and that the "fundamental notion — that technology should enable culture — has remained a core piece of Apple’s mission.” 
• Walt Mossberg shares his favorite product moments commenting, “The iPod is what made Apple begin to explode and become the Apple that now, on their 40th anniversary, we know of as this highly innovative, highly intriguing, hugely influential tech company.” 
• While many use the moment as a time to look back, stories also look forward commenting, "Even after Jobs’ death, Apple isn’t sitting still.” Bloomberg focuses on “Tim Cook’s Apple” stating that "None of the genius that is attributed Steve Jobs would have ever been able to happened without the supply chain Tim Cook built." 

International coverage is widespread and positive, focusing on the key products and milestones that “changed the world.” Many feature historical product and employee picture galleries, and highlight that after 40 years "Apple remains a company that is both unique and admired” with products that continue to command "a cult-like following.” Looking at where the company is today Japan’s My Navi News states, "True innovation requires consideration for everything. Apple believes it, executes it, and is trying to open up a future for us by fulfilling its responsibilities as an enterprise.” China’s Qdaily calls Apple’s first 40-year “a unbelievable mystery in tech industry”  and IT home note, “Apple is continuing Job’s legacy under Tim’s lead.”  

 

Key Apple software and hardware that I used with Apple over the last 30 or so years have Included:

The following first two Apple computers I used were with the Echo Speech Synthesiser:

 

Apple II+

Two Apple IIE’s,

 

The next 5 Apple computers were used with Outspoken for the Mac:

Mac Se,

Mac LC 475 and 525,

Power Book,

Power Mac,

 

quite a long wait until using VoiceOver with OS X which became available with 10.4 Tiger:

 Mac mini.

After VoiceOver on Mac in 2005, the flood gates continued to open after 2009 with:

 iPod nano and iPod shuffles with speech taken from the Mac/Windows PC,

 

Then, VoiceOver in all its glory on:

iPHones,

iPod touch’s,

iPads,

iMacs, Mac airs, and Macbook prose,

Apple TVS, and of course,

The Apple watch.

 

Apple Accessibility Line Now Available In Australia

 

There is now an Apple Accessibility line that you can call to get your questions answered on accessibility issues to do with Apple products 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

 

1300 365 083

 

Posted my 400th official podcast

 

Just to let all know that I have now posted my 400th podcast,and feeling quite please about the effort.

 

You can subscribe to my podcast (iSee) in iTunes or at the feed:

 

http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com/feed

 

Or go to my web site at:

 

http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com