Apple and Google love their mobile operating systems. They do their best to convince users that their way of implementing features is better than the competition. Of course, therein lies a fundamental difference. Apple uses iOS on its own handsets and iDevices but Google practically gives away Android to hardware manufacturers -- to every company which wants to utilize and modify it.
It's no secret that Android is a fragmented operating system and some even call Android's status quo…
The March vote for induction into our iOS App Hall of Fame was a landmark for being the first ever where every single nominee received multiple votes. It also saw the clearest winner, with ooTunes Radio gaining significantly more votes than all the other nominees.
So, with such overwhelming support, we are pleased to add ooTunes Radio to the small and very select…
First and foremost, I admit that I love the double-tap approach Apple has implemented in VoiceOver. However, as one becomes more and more familiar with certain apps, it would be quicker to locate a button or link and then activate it via a single tap instead of two. Imagine being able to flick around left or right to find something and then tap once to activate it.
So I suggest that a new setting called "Simple tap to activate" be added to the VoiceOver section of the Accessibility…
As someone who lives outside the USA, I've always been fascinated by the concept of Public Radio and NPR in particular. I discovered NPR in 2003 as an English M.A. student, and it's always been my favorite radio channel -- accessible via satellite and recently via the Internet.
When I made my move to the iOS, I was surprised by the plethora and accessibility of Public Radio applications. So the iOS is by no means suffering from a shortage of accessible radio apps in general and free…
Yes, it's too big a dilemma to be ignored by VoiceOver users. While sighted iOS users can easily rely on app reviews to determine if an application works the way they want, VoiceOver users should solely rely on websites such as AppleVis -- the most comprehensive repository of app reviews from the viewpoint of the visually impaired, a couple of email lists and the very occasional mention of VoiceOver support on the App Store before making a purchase.…
Well, had it not been for the unusability of many Reference apps, I'd have mentioned this first. Any decent and feature-rich screen reader should provide a pronunciation editor. All TTS engines have their own pronunciation problems or quirks and VoiceOver's TTS engine (called Nuance…
As I’m gradually adding apps to my iPhone 4S and enjoying the extensive features and gestures provided by VoiceOver, I thought I’d add my desired features which might be considered by Apple for inclusion in future releases of iOS. Of course, I use the phrase “iOS 6” here and in the rest of posts dedicated to this topic because it seems the most logical release of the OS which can accommodate my features; however, there would be nothing wrong with implementing one or…
In our latest campaign we turn our attention to three apps from Nuance; Dragon Go!, Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search.
Earlier versions of these apps were usable with VoiceOver, but recent updates have rendered all three inaccessible.
When you launch the latest versions of these apps VoiceOver effectively 'freezes' and will not respond to gestures. Nuance have also added a number of non-standard controls to the Settings pages, and these are not recognized by VoiceOver…
It's been a few weeks since 1 comments : last update or comment 7 years 1 month ago
When it comes to choosing a new handset, I can become as meticulous and picky as hell! It’s not necessarily a vice; however, if it takes more than three months to make your final decision, it can no longer be called a “virtue” either.
Having used several Symbian handsets such as the 6630, N73, N82, N86, and X7, I finally decided to kiss goodbye to Symbian about four months ago. My phones were sort of decrepit and I needed something new. Having had heard many good points about Android…
We are pleased to announce the two apps chosen this month by users of the AppleVis website for induction into our iOS App Hall of Fame.
Our goal for the Hall of Fame is to showcase the passion and hard work that developers put into creating great apps that are fully accessible to VoiceOver users, and we think both of your choices are worthy inductees.
The first inductee is Dropbox…
A quick word of caution about an app that's just been released called VisionAssist.
The app has been developed specifically for those with low-vision, and claims to offer the same functionality and performance that you would expect from a handheld electronic magnifier, but with a few extra features and the advantages of being on your phone.
I had high hopes…
LookTel have just released a new app that promises fast and accurate recognition of everyday items, such as cans, packages, ID or credit cards and DVDs.
26 comments : last update or comment 7 years 1 month ago
It's been reported that Sendero is in the early stages of developing a full-featured GPS application for the iPhone.
Most of you are probably aware of the Sendero Group, and many of you will have used their location-based information and navigation systems for the blind. Considering how highly-regarded these GPS systems are, and the company's near 20 years of experience, it is easy to be excited by news of an iOS…
This month we are encouraging you all to contact Starbucks and ask that they make their iOS app accessible to their many blind and low-vision customers.
Earlier versions of their app were usable with VoiceOver, but this all changed when new features were added that enabled customers to use the app to pay for purchases and to manage their Starbucks Cards. The app is now totally inaccessible with VoiceOver. Considering Starbucks' commitment elsewhere to equality of access, including…
The number of people visiting the AppleVis website continues to grow each month. Naturally we are thrilled by this, but when combined with the additional features and resources that we've added over the past few months, it has placed an increasing strain on our current web hosting.
We have decided, therefore, to move the AppleVis website to a new server. This will remove some of the problems that we currently experience, and also allow us to ensure the future stability and…