Opinion

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In late 2017, I got my first iPad, and started using it as a laptop replacement. I'm sure this would've been surprising to my younger self. When Apple launched the iPad, I thought it was pointless. It's a big phone that doesn't make phone calls, I thought. But then, I didn't think I'd ever be able to use a touch screen. Apple can prove me wrong.

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On April 29, 2005, Apple Inc. introduced Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. Included in Mac OS X Tiger's list of features was the VoiceOver screen reader. VoiceOver was not Apple's first foray into assistive technology: Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar introduced Universal Access which provided customizations to the operating system for those with visual, hearing, and physical disabilities. In fact, Mac OS X Universal Access was influenced by similar technologies which were bundled with the classic Mac OS (Mac OS 9 and earlier).

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A Fair Look at Talkback and VoiceOver

Hello there, reader. Did you come here because you're the world's biggest Apple fan, and are excited to join in some Android bashing? Are you in love with Android, with visions of finally hearing someone put those Apple idiots in their place? Well, my goal is to do neither. You see, I've used iOS for years, and recently spent some time learning Talkback. I found it an interesting experience. I want to compare VoiceOver and Talkback, because each has strengths and shortcomings, and each could learn some major lessons from the other.

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How Will Apple Finish Out 2015?

With Apple's annual Worldwide Developer's Conference now just days away, a lot of people are wondering what new shinies we'll see. Will there be a new Apple TV? Yet another update to some Mac or other? A better iPad Mini? What will iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 bring to the table? Will Apple continue its headlong rush into dazzling new features at the expense of quality, or will it slow down and start refining what it has already done?

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Intro

As most of you know by now, iOS8 brought with it a huge feature: the ability to type in braille anywhere you can type on an on-screen keyboard. From your passcode, to passwords, to emails, to Spotlight searches, and everywhere else, a single twist of the rotor is all it takes to start typing braille. You can even use it on your Home Screen, to locate and open any app you have installed in seconds.

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As many of you will know from personal experience, there is a longstanding issue with VoiceOver on Mac where Safari may become unresponsive with VoiceOver repeatedly announcing the message ā€œSafari not responding.ā€ When this issue occurs, the user's Mac may become unusable for up to several minutes at a time. Sometimes it can be resolved by switching away from Safari. Sometimes restarting VoiceOver can resolve the issue.

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I love my Apple Watch. Thatā€™s been true ever since I got one in early April of 2016. I wore it every single day, with no exceptions at all, for over a year. I hadnā€™t worn a watch in years, but as soon as I got my Apple Watch, I didnā€™t go any longer without it than I needed to. I took it off at night to charge, then put it on first thing the next morning, taking it off again only to shower. I love my Apple Watch.

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It's difficult to believe that iOS will be turning into a legal adult next fall, though the iOS 17 upgrade is far from being minor. Many new features and functions will be available for everyone. To check out some of the mainstream changes, Apple's official iOS 17 preview page may help. Alternatively, our main post announcing iOS 17 offers a large list of mainstream enhancements as well as a list of changes in accessibility.

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I may have sporadic internet use for the next several months. My wife and I are moving back to our little cabin in the woods, on a remote island in the middle of Lake Michigan. Its a place we both love, in a cabin we rebuilt ourselves. After living there for thirteen years, we had moved down to lower Michigan hoping for a better economy. We also had moved closer to family from both sides. However, after pursuing plans in the fast-paced world of a "better economy" and our cost of living actually increasing, we have decided to return to the north country for a while.

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Introduction

It's September, and that means my annual reminder that Iā€™m growing older has arrived. It also means Apple is doing their annual ā€œcoming out with more new stuff,ā€ or in my case, birthday presents. The good news is that if you have been running iOS 8, your device is going to be able to run iOS 9. As a general rule, iOS 9 seems to run about as well as iOS 8 has on other devices, so if you find the features worth upgrading to, go for it.

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Fall is almost here, and in the year of unpredictability, we have something which remains consistent. iOS 14.0 is out the same week it has been in previous years. It will have a significant number of enhancements for users of the iPhone 6s and newer, as well as the iPod 7th generation. Mainstream changes include the ability to put widgets on the Home screen, an App Library, enhancements to Messages, new privacy settings, and many more. A lot of outlets will be covering these features in detail, so I will not be covering them here.

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I considered skipping this iPhone due to the disappearance of the headphone jack, for about one second, then I moved back into reality and took the plunge. Why?

The iPhone 7 is much more than just a missing headphone jack, even for those of us in the connected, online blind community.

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I got my iPhone 5 in December of 2012, almost two years ago as of the time of this writing. Last year, the iPhone 5S came out, and it was really cool, but not worth paying an early upgrade fee on top of the price of the phone. Now, the iPhone 6/6 Plus is out, and way cooler than the 5S, and my upgrade is coming dueā€¦ But I'm not making the switch. Why, you ask? Good question!

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Since purchasing my first iPhone in 2010, Iā€™ve self-identified as an Apple fanatic. Iā€™m the type of person who goes out and buys the newest iPhone model each and every year, because I like to have the latest and greatest Cupertino has to offer. After hearing Appleā€™s ā€˜Spring Forwardā€™ event on March 9, I was convinced that I wanted...no, needed...an Apple Watch.

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It always amazes me, how many things I can still do with adaptive technology, even after losing my eyesight. Sometimes just as amazing, is how many things I still cannot do.

The darkened laptop sits off to the left, silent for a moment as I retrieve my coffee from the living room. Returning to a chair, situated in front of the old MacBook Pro, I was going to look up a service provider on line.

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In 2008, despite my failing eyesight, my Windows laptop with ZoomText empowered me to operate my own software development business. I had partnered with Bob, a Mac user. We both had prior Unix experience. With Windows, Mac, and Unix covered, we were a cross-platform development powerhouse.

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Since it's launch was announced last month, I had been keen to spend some hands-on time with Apple's latest MacBook Pro.

I was curious to find out just how much thinner, lighter and faster it would be compared to my current MacBook Pro; and to test the ā€˜improvedā€™ keyboard and larger trackpad. But, what I most wanted to try was the Touch Bar; the multi-touch enabled display which has replaced the physical function keys on all but one model in the 2016 MacBook Pro range.

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On the 3rd of May 2016 I started my first ever job, and I quickly realised that I needed a multi-technology strategy to match the productivity of my work colleagues. Being an iOS user since 2009 I was sure that part of my technology strategy would involve my iPhone or iPad, and I wasnā€™t wrong.

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Voice in the Machine: A dialogue with my Mac, based on actual events from 2012-2013, circa Mavericks.

The blobby, glowing, white-on-black magnified letters are smudging together again. I blink several times, only now realizing I am squinting. I lean back from my MacBook Pro, a dull thudding beginning behind my eyes. It seems like it's getting to that point, my ability to read and write is rapidly disappearing. Gently rubbing my eyes, I decide to take a break.

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"The stone walls smell of must and moss, damp-cold seemingly radiating from their surface in the narrow tunnel. Sounds of dripping water can be heard, echoing lightly somewhere in the distance. your torch sputters a bit, not much time left. The huge, nasty smelling thing lurches back away from you, leaving behind more damage than you'd like. Briefly in the distance you see some creature being chased by a huge spotted lion, which seems to be enjoying itself tremendously. Then they are gone into darkness."