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Welcome to the December 2017 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

New and Noteworthy App Entries

Cyberduck (macOS, Free…

We are pleased to announce the winners of the sixth annual AppleVis Golden Apple Awards.

Since their launch in 2012, the AppleVis Golden Apple Awards have afforded blind and low vision users of Apple products the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the hard work and dedication which developers have put into making and maintaining great and accessible iOS and macOS applications over the given year.

The AppleVis Golden Apple Winners of 2017

Below are the winners…

When you think of audio games, the Blindfold series of iOS games from Kid Friendly Software probably come to mind. Certainly, the Blindfold Series of games have been a huge hit within the blindness community. With over 80 titles now available, it makes sense that blind and low vision users around the world would flock to these games.

As a speech user, the Blindfold Games are completely accessible and easy to learn. The consistent menu…

We are pleased to announce that voting is now open for the AppleVis Golden Apple Awards of 2017; read on to find out which apps and developers have been shortlisted and how to cast your votes.

First launched in 2012, the AppleVis Golden Apples is an opportunity for blind and low vision users of Apple products to recognize and acknowledge the hard work and dedication which developers have put into making and maintaining great and accessible iOS and macOS applications over the last…

A Message from St. Nick

Shortly after a quick stop at the Island of Misfit Toys, I always visit the good little boys, girls, geeks and nerds of AppleVis Land. It is difficult to know exactly what to bring you every holiday season, but I am rather fortunate. Members of AppleVis Land love to share their opinions, and that is clear both from the forum postings, as well as their wish lists sent to the North Pole.

I reached into my mailbox and pulled out a few of the…

When I’m not listening to punk rock, helping my dad set the thermostat, or reading audiobooks, I do occasionally make an attempt to contribute to society. I talk at local blind support groups about using technology.

Most of the groups I visit are at…

Apple has today released iOS 11.2.1 to the public, bringing a fix for a zero-day security exploit in iOS 11.2 that allowed unauthorized access to HomeKit accessories.

This vulnerability was patched server-side last week by Apple, but today's release now fixes this on the operating system itself.

As iOS 11.2.1 appears to be mainly a security update, we do not expect this release to contain…

today has seen the release of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2.

According to Apple's release notes, this update includes the following:

• Improves compatibility with certain third-party USB audio devices
• Improves VoiceOver compatibility navigation when viewing PDF documents in Preview
• Improves compatibility of Braille displays with Mail

There are also some…

Apple has today Released watchOS 4.2, bringing support for Apple Pay Cash, Apple's new peer-to-peer payment service that allows users to send money to one another via the Messages app.

According to MacRumors watchOS 4.2 also “adds support for HomeKit sprinklers and faucets, plus it introduces a new workout type that allows third-party apps to track distance, average speed, number of runs, and elevation…

Apple has today released tvOS 11.2 to the public.

We were unable to test tvOS 11.2 prior to today's release; therefore, it is unclear at the time of posting whether blind and low vision users can expect any major changes with this update. With this in mind, if you spot any accessibility-related changes; regressions; or improvements in tvOS 11.2, please do let us know by adding a comment.

According to…

Apple has today released iOS 11.2, which brings a number of fixes; enhancements; and changes for blind and low vision users.

This release appears to have been rushed out by Apple to address a rather nasty bug related to some notifications generated after 12:15 a.m. local time on December 2 causing devices to enter a soft reset loop. AppleInsider has more on…

Speaking Up with AppleScript

Once You gaze into the System, the System also gazes into You! :-)

Fair warning! Any programming and scripting adventures can at first, be; very frustrating, extremely rewarding, can sink you into the depths of a learning curve for a long period of time, expand one's thinking patterns far beyond normal, cause one to pull one's hair out, cause one to become much faster and productive on their computer, can at times force one to restart their…

Welcome to the November 2017 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

New and Noteworthy App Entries

Audio Moto…

My 86-year old dad has been living with me since August. At the breakfast table this morning, he politely requested that we set the thermostat a bit warmer at night. The cold season is upon us here in mid-northern latitudes, and his elderly body just can’t handle it. To be honest, his request was not all that polite. He’s a former truck driver, which influenced his choice of vocabulary. As a result, his exact request can’t be printed here.

While fiddling with the thermostat to…

Apple has today released iOS 11.1.1, which according to Apple's release notes via MacRumors fixes the following two bugs:

• Fixes an issue with keyboard auto-correct
• Fixes an issue where Hey Siri stops working

With this being a double-dot release, we do not anticipate that it will include any fixes to the…

Many years ago, my son's Boy Scout troop lost its collective mind. The boys decided it would be great fun to go rappelling. This involves stepping backwards off of a high cliff or tall building and then walking down the outside surface. Even though safety ropes are involved, I was concerned. Gravity is unrelenting.

Still, my son was really excited. I reluctantly tagged along with him to the base of the thirty-three-foot wooden tower. One of the other dads, trying to be thoughtful,…

A Message for the Blind

Are you sending a decent message to the blind community? Are you sending 'any' messages to the blind community? If you are a web or app developer, a blogger or a YouTuber, if you use Facebook or any messaging app or email, I am here to tell you that you 'are' sending a message with everything you create. The question one should ask is, "Am I sending an intentional message?" Those of us who use a screen reader or Braille display get the message literally loud…

This time last year, those potentially in the market for a new iPhone were probably caught up in the hand-wringing that followed Apple's decision to drop the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

12 months on, and most of us would probably look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about.

Of course, this should come as no surprise, as Apple has…

Welcome to the October 2017 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

New and Noteworthy App Entries

Blindfold Millionaire (…

Along with the release of iOS 11.1, today has also seen the releases of macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, watchOS 4.1 and tvOS 11.1.

According to the macOS 10.13.1 release notes via 9to5mac, this update brings new emoji characters and the following changes:

• Fixes a bug…