Talking Tech Sep 29 2015
ABC iView with Audio Description Update
Now available with Audio Described option on the Android Play Store.
According to Media Access Australia in a recent podcast from them, over 20.000 have used ABC iView since the the 15 month trial started in April 2015.
Considering it was only available on iOs, and recently Android, its a great number.
the ABC iView website should be supporting audio description late October or November, but no date has been announced.
So far I have listened to Glitch, Humans, and now currently Doctor Who.
A Small Number of Disney Audio Described movies on iTunes
In iTunes, if you type in “Blind Viewers” you will get a listing of several dedicated audio described movies.
A small number, but hopefully the start of better things to come.
Apps Specific for Seniors page Launched on the Australian iTunes Store
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewFeature?id=1042199171&mt=8&mt=8&app=itunes&ls=1
Keynote - Free Typing Tutor for Mac and Windows
Very excited that there is now a typing tutor application now available for the first time for the Mac that works with VoiceOver.
http://www.cfb.state.nm.us/Keystroke.html
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT GPs app
This is a subscription based GPs app. At the moment it’s being offered for $12.99 for a yearly subscription, but I believe after the first 500 downloads of the app, that the price of the subscription will increase dramatically.
Interesting app, although I’m not certain about why we need Altitude, why round abouts are identified as unnamed, and why include a Maps section if it’s not accessible.
One thing I do like is the orientation to an intersection: e.g. if its running left or right.
h
Voice Dream Reader Now Available in the Android Play Store
This excellent app for reading out docs with text to speech for iOS, is now available for Android.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=voicedream.reader
Access World for September 2015
The item of note in this issue was: Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac: a first look.
http://www.afb.org/aw/main.asp
Games from kids friendly software
I’ve tried a few of these games in the past and found them quite good, but didn’t realise until recently that they have quite a few including:
Blindfold Blackjack,
Blindfold simon,
Blindfold dominos,
Blindfold pong,
Blindfold Hopper,
Blindfold Cryptogram,
Blind Video Poker,
Blindfold Sudoku,
Blindfold Sudoku mini, and
Blindfold racer.
And quite a few card games from Kid Friendly Games:
Blindfold Hearts,
Blindfold Spades,
Blindfold War,
Blindfold Solitair,
Blindfold Wildcard, and
Blindfold Crazy Eights.
Talking Tech for first week of October 6 2015
Watch OS 2
Mail: Can now reply from watch.
Activity: get weekly stats via force touch.
Alarm: press Digital crown to snooze alarm or Friends button to stop.
FaceTime audio calling: can make/receive FaceTime audio calls.
Add groups of friends to Friends with the standard 12 contacts per friends group.
Mute Stand Reminder for rest of day: great when your stuck in the car.
Time Travel: scroll digital crown on Clock Face to see current complications change in past or in the future: i.e. next Calendar item, Weather at 2PM etc.
Support for 3rd party complications.
New watch clock faces: time elapsed and Photos.
New colours in complications:
Switching from clock face to home screen, no interim jump to Clock on home screen.
Settings Glance: AirPlay options for choosing Apple watch speaker or BT device.
Can check Apple watch battery level from iOS 9 Notifications Today screen.
Siri:
Ask Siri to open a glance “open heart beat glance” or “open settings glance”.
Start a workout directly by saying “start Indoor Walk Workout”.
Get a definition of a word “define telephone”.
Settings:
NightStand.
Wake up watch mis-labelled but with new time setting.
Apple watch on iPhone renamed to watch and contains the new complications screen.
Issues:
Can set an alarm, but can’t edit or delete.
More about iPhone 6 3D Touch and Watch OS 2
How to use 3D Touch on iPhone 6s from iMore
http://www.imore.com/how-use-3d-touch-iphone-6s?utm_content=bufferca156&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
A demo from Jonathan Mosen concerning iPhone 6s Siri issues and a quick demo of 3d touch
https://soundcloud.com/jmosen/6splus
An initial blog post from Applevis first 3 hours with the iPhone 6s
http://www.applevis.com/blog/apple-assistive-technology-ios-iphone-opinion/three-hours-iphone-6s-voiceover-users-perspective
Talking tech for 2nd week of Oct 2015
Catch up on Podcasts from September
Podcasts from me concerning iOS 9 and the Apple watch os 2 update
Watch os 2
Checking battery level of Apple watch from iOS 9 Notifications Today screen on iPhone,
Replying to email on the Apple watch,
Muting Stand Reminders for the day,
Demo of Night Stand mode and snoozing or stopping an alarm via the digital crown and friends buttons
Demo of Time Travel in watch os 2, and
Demo of upgrading from watch os 1.01 to watch os 2,
demo of accessing the new clock faces and a play around with the Time Lapse clock face in watch os 2
Demo of the slight change in watch os 2 to navigate between clock face and Home screen icons
Demo of using Siri and Glances in watch os 2
iOS 9
Demo of hand writing or Braille Screen Input if selected in VoiceOver practise in iOS 9,
Demo of the new text selection feature in VoiceOver, and
Hay Siri training tutorial.
http://davidwoodbr.podbean.com
Other Podcasts
Mac Cast podcast for Sep 24 2015: a chat about the upcoming Apple tv
http://www.maccast.com/erssxml
Media Access Australia
An update of the aBC iView trial from April this year for 15 months and how it is progressing.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/RadioUpdatesForTheBlindAndVisionImpaired
The Mosen at large podcast
Actually didn’t know this existed, but its Jonathan Mosen’s podcast feed on tech stuff which grabs his attention.
Besides the demo talking about Siri and 3d touch with the iPhone 6s, an interesting demo of live photos on the iPhone 6s and potential accessibility benefits.
http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:140299254/sounds.rss
Other Podcasts to keep track of
Blind Bargains
Tech Doctor
Main Menu
Mac Break Weekly
iOS Today
