OE Patients

Tag: Apple Accessibility

  • Tech Support Resources for Older Adults

    Tech Support Resources for Older Adults

    They mean well, of course they do, but when it comes to asking a family member for technical support or help learning a new skill, things can quickly go sideways. What starts as a loving gesture, often turns into a test of your patience, and theirs. There is no need to blame age or ability for what seems to be an emotionally charged exchange with the geek you love. It’s all about family dynamics, which is why tech support is best delivered by a qualified non-relative.

    Here are some tech support and training resources specifically helpful for older adults.

    • Senior Planet from AARP – call hotline at 888-713-3495 for answers to troubleshoot tech related questions.  Learn about their free, online and in-person classes for older adults. Topics covered include computer basics, internet navigation, social media, using smartphones and tablets. They also offer classes on specific apps, online safety, and using technology to manage health and finances. SeniorPlanet.org 

    • Public Library – More and more libraries are offering free tech support and training programs. They may have regularly scheduled classes and even individualized help administered by qualified volunteers. Contact your local library today and inquire.
    • Apple – The Apple Stores offer free personal setup, numerous workshops scheduled daily, Genius Bar to help you solve issues or fix problems, and Accessibility Support 24/7 by phone at 877.204.3930 for people with visual, hearing, learning and physical impairments.
    • HadleyHelps.org offers an impressive series of video tutorials, for adults with vision loss, on Android, Apple, Computer Skills, Books & TV,  Alexa and Zoom. If you have questions, reach out to Hadley by phone at 800-323-4238, or email [email protected]. 
    • Microsoft’s Disability Answer Desk at 800.936.5900 provides free technical support to customers with vision or hearing impairments and other disabilities, on Microsoft products and accessibility features. This includes assistance with Windows, Office, Xbox, and adaptive accessories.
    • Community and Senior Centers – are offering more in the way of technology support and training, as well. Contact your local center and ask about their programs. In this setting, you’ll be learning from and with your peers.

    Before you begin to expand your horizons, here are a few tips that can help you ease into the learning process with realistic expectations.

    • Focus on learning one thing at a time. Classes and workshops may cover more elements than you can absorb in one session. Be happy to learn a couple of new things each time and come back for the rest later.
    • Know the key to successful learning is rooted in repetition. You don’t learn to do something on the first try. Repeat it 20 times and suddenly you are the master. Learning to navigate a touch screen is mostly about how many times you touch that screen every day. After a while, it’s just second nature — ingrained in your sense memory.
    • A learning curve causes discomfort across the entire spectrum of age, whether your eyesight is good, or not. Keep things in perspective by allowing yourself credit for your successes.

    Post originally published September 1, 2017 and updated June 13, 2025

  • The Accessibility of AirPods

    The Accessibility of AirPods

    Now With FDA Approved Hearing Aid Feature

    Updated November 18th, 2024

    In the earliest days of AirPods, people would frequently ask, “Do they fall out?” and “Are you afraid you’ll lose them?” The answer to both questions was, and still is, “Yes.”  But that did not deter the adoption of this product well over 100 million times.  The exceptional wireless experience far outweighed the fear of loss. Apple also made it less of a concern by adding “Find my AirPods” and selling replacement pods and charging cases separately.

    The accessibility factors are significant, for all users, visually impaired or not. Once connected to your device AirPods re-connect easily and pause automatically when you take them out of your ear.  No more getting tangled up in wired buds or constantly pairing the dropped connections on Bluetooth earpieces. Feel free to use a pod in just one ear, or both. A full charge on AirPods provides up to 5 hours listening, or 3 hours talk time, and the wireless charging case rapidly recharges the Pods for up to as many as 24 hours of use.

    The FDA Approved AirPod Hearing Aid Feature 

    In the true spirit of accessibility, AirPods Pro 2nd generation can also serve as an over the counter (OTC) hearing aid for adults with low to moderate hearing impairments. The Hearing Aid Feature (HAF), is a software only medical mobile application that can test the users hearing needs and adjust accordingly. 

    More About the AirPod Options

    There is also a Live Listening feature, which helps everyone hear better in extremely noisy environments, such as parties, concerts, industrial and recreational activities.

    In the earliest days of AirPods, people would frequently ask, “Do they fall out?” and “Are you afraid you’ll lose them?” The answer to both questions was, and still is, “Yes.”  But that did not deter the adoption of this product more than 100 million times.  The exceptional wireless experience far outweighed the fear of loss. Apple also made it less of a concern by adding “Find my AirPods” and selling replacement pods and charging cases separately.

    The accessibility factors are significant, for all users, visually impaired or not. Once connected to your device AirPods re-connect easily and pause automatically when you take them out of your ear.  No more getting tangled up in wired buds or constantly pairing the dropped connections on Bluetooth earpieces. Feel free to use a pod in just one ear, or both. A full charge on AirPods provides up to 5 hours listening, or 3 hours talk time, and the wireless charging case rapidly recharges the Pods for up to as many as 24 hours of use.

    Communicating with Siri is a totally touch-less activity. Say, “Hey Siri, play the OE Patients Podcast.’ “Hey Siri, call Lucinda on mobile.” “Hey Siri, check my AirPods battery level.” “Hey Siri, turn up the volume.” “Hey Siri, what time is it?” Let Siri “Announce Message” as they arrive.  Select the contacts you wish to allow and Siri knows not to interrupt if you’re on a call.  It’s worth noting, while AirPods are compatible with non-Apple devices, the Siri features are not.

    All that popularity has naturally spawned more AirPod options. The original AirPods are quite satisfying, or go ahead and splurge on Air Pods Pro for better sound quality and the adjustable in-ear fit and the peaceful state of active noise cancellation. Should the fear of loss still grip you, consider Power Beats Pro, another premium wireless Apple earbud with a design that holds it very securely in your ear. Prices range from $159. to $249. and you can always Google for the best sale price of the day. There is also the AirPods Max, at $549, a wireless headset, considered the highest in fidelity.

    Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro side by side on blue background.
    Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro side by side on blue background.

    AirPods

    AirPods Pro

    Image shows Powerbeats Pro wireless ear bud with secure ear hooks.
    Image shows Powerbeats Pro wireless ear bud with secure ear hooks.

    Powerbeats Pro

  • App Rapidly Turns Text To Speech

    App Rapidly Turns Text To Speech

    An unknown app named OneStep Reader mysteriously appeared in an iOS app update. It became clear upon opening it, this was an old app with a new name. The app, formerly known as KNFB Reader, was taken over from the National Federation of the Blind by Sensotec. Beyond the name and the ownership change, not much else is new, even the $100 purchase price remains the same, which is likely to be its greatest barrier to growth, considering there are many good alternatives at fractions of that cost. It will be interesting to see what Sensotec has in store. Perhaps the most impressive note to this story is how far the OCR technology has traveled to arrive at this place, and how far we’ve come in our expectations. 

    The article below, published in 2018, provides a brief history of KNFB Reader. 

    Do you need help reading mail, package info, handouts, cooking directions, price tags, signs?  There’s an app for all that. The KNFB Reader converts text to speech, instantly.

    It is worth noting: this is technology with a pedigree. Developed by Ray Kurzweil, currently Director of Engineering at Google, he is the father of OCR (Optical Character Recognition). In its original form, it took shape as the Kurzweil Reading Machine for the blind. The year was 1976, the machine was the size of a dishwasher and the cost: $40,000.

    In 2008, Kurzweil and the National Federation of the Blind joined forces to introduce the first mobile version of the reading machine. It ran on a Nokia phone and was priced at a shocking: $3,000.

    Just a few years later, the much anticipated KNFB Reader App for iPhone (and iPad) was delivered to the App Store. The Android and Windows apps followed, and they’re all compatible with their respective screen readers.

    The KNFB Reader app opens the camera.  The right side of the screen offers a “field of view report” to assist alignment of the picture. Tap the left side of the screen to snap the photo. In seconds, the text appears and the reading aloud begins. It’s fast, accurate and relatively easy to use.

    The app includes a quick start guide and manual. Read and save multi-page documents.  Multiple languages are supported. Set to automatically save files to Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, or Google Drive. In recent updates, you can make calls, send emails, and open links directly from documents. You can even contact someone from a business card. 

    This is relatively easy to use, but like all new things, it may require a bit of acclimating. Practice makes perfect! The incredible benefit is well worth the effort.

    You just might start wondering how you functioned without it.

    The KNFB Reader App is available on the App Store, on Google Play, and on the Windows Store.

    Resources

    Watch instructional video from Hadley’s iFocus.

    Please note that this article was not paid for, affiliated with, or endorsed by any third-party companies. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s.

    Originally published on August 3, 2018 and updated on April 14, 2022.

  • At 90, Edythe Gets Her iPad

    At 90, Edythe Gets Her iPad

     

    In the early summer of 2013, Edythe Heyman came to my office, at the Lighthouse in New York, for a scheduled technology consultation. Diagnosed with macular degeneration in her 60’s, she had been legally blind for many years, and was then just months from her 90th birthday. With vision loss progressing, and no treatment or correction in sight, Edythe was referred to me, by her retina specialist, to explore the ways she might use an iPad. Seeking solutions to compensate for vision loss, she was particularly interested in finding ways she could continue reading The New York Times. I well understood the proposition, it was among the top requests from low vision patients and a loss I had experienced myself. 

    Although she did not use a personal computer, Edythe was not new to assistive technology. She utilized a video magnifier to read mail, for example, but it was not conducive to reading a newspaper.  She adopted an early version of the OrCam reader, but that too, proved to be less than optimal for reading the news. She was able, however, to satisfy her love of books, by switching to audiobooks, with a subscription to the National Library Service Talking Books program, early on.  

    At our first meeting, I demonstrated how Apple’s iOS devices used the VoiceOver screen reader to turn text to speech. We explored the ways Edythe might use an iPad to read The New York Times, read e-Books, audiobooks, and communicate by email, all by mobile apps.  She was anxious to give it a try, and we gave her the opportunity to navigate the touch screen, trying out some of the VoiceOver  gestures that give the iPad (and iPhone) a voice. She also got to try out some of the Siri voice commands and very quickly became interested to get started learning. I provided the details she would need to buy her iPad at the Apple Store and get it set up properly andWe reviewed how the training would be structured. I then cautioned Edythe, as I did everyone about to embark on the VoiceOver learning experience, “It will not be easy. You must be willing to work at it. Practice, on a daily basis, is essential for success. It will be frustrating at times, but soon it will become second nature. Learning VoiceOver is well worth the effort and it will change your life!” 

    A fair number of my potential students left  with the iPad or iPhone buying instructions in hand, and the cautionary words echoing in their head, never to be heard from again. Edythe Heyman returned one week later, with her new iPad, all set up and ready to go. She was able to accomplish her goal of reading her favorite newspaper again, everyday, with efficiency and with joy. She learned to communicate with family and friends by email, using a combination of Siri and VoiceOver, and she delighted in saving photos sent by family to her iPad Photos app.

     

    Photo of Edythe Heyman at age 92
    Photo of Edythe Heyman at age 92
    Image Credit: Lighthouse Guild

     

    Edythe was not only there to learn, she was also there to teach us. A Lighthouse Guild Vision+Health publication from 2015 states, “At 92 years old, Edythe Heyman proves that there is no age barrier to learning new technology. No longer able to read standard print, she has embraced accessible technology to help her stay informed and in touch.  ‘One of my great pleasures was taking The New York Times with me to the breakfast table and reading it. I can’t do that anymore,’ says Edythe, ‘Now I can access The New York Times app, listen to the latest books and use email.’

    Edythe Heyman passed away, at age 98, on December 1, 2021. The New York Times obituary in her memory ended with, “Edythe’s friends are asked simply to remember her.” She was a friend of mine and a generous supporter of the Association for Macular Diseases, OE Patients, Lighthouse Guild and many other organizations. She was an inspiration and she will be missed. 

     

  • Using the iPhone Magnifier

    Using the iPhone Magnifier

    You don’t necessarily have to be of a certain age, or have a serious visual impairment, to benefit from the Magnifier built into the iPhone.  This is one of the accessibility features that is truly universal.  It’s in your phone, which is in your pocket, or in your hand and always ready to help you get a closer look.  It’s there for you whether you need to blow-up the fine print, or you want to make large text even larger.

    Before the magnifier was added to Apple Accessibility Settings, it was only available in third-party apps, most with a low degree of clarity.  The issue was the quality of the cameras in the phones not being sufficient to produce a clear magnified image.  With each new generation of hardware, the camera has improved.  It’s easy to see now, the iPhone’s magnifier is better than ever and you have the option to stick with the basics or explore the features that accommodate every visual need. 

     

    Accessing the Magnifier

    To turn on the Magnifier go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Magnifier.  Once clicked on in Settings, Magnifier can be launched with a triple click that brings up the Accessibility Shortcuts or just ask Siri to “Open Magnifier.”

     

     

    Image shows iOS Magnifier screenshot with control settings
    Image shows iOS Magnifier screenshot with control settings

     

     

    Magnifier Controls

    • Increase the screen size by hiding the feature controls, tap twice and they disappear, twice again and they reappear
    • Magnification is increased or decreased by moving the slider button or simply moving a finger up or down on the screen
    • Color filter options are revealed with a tap and expanded when you slide a finger across filters, tap to select a filter, tap to close
    • Contrast level is adjusted with a tap to expand slider, move slider button to increase or decrease, tap again to close
    • Brightness level is adjusted with a tap to expand slider, move slider button to increase or decrease, tap again to close
    • Flashlight for added light, tap to turn on, tap to turn off
    • Settings allow you to customize Magnifier controls, tap to re-order or hide controls, tap Done to save and close
    • Freeze Frame with a top on the button, zoom in with pinch
    • Apple Accessibility Support: 877-204-3930 is available 24/7 for expert assistance

     

    Getting used to this magnifier is, like everything, all about adjusting.  It’s worth the effort, because the more you use it, the better you’ll get.  It’s incredibly convenient to have a magnifier always available in your phone, and it’s also in iPad and iPod Touch.

     

    Watch the iOS Magnifier tutorials video from Hadley…here.

     

    This post was originally published on Apr 5, 2019 and updated Sep 22, 2021.

     

  • Lost and Found with AirTags

    Lost and Found with AirTags

    Who else but Apple can solve a problem for people who are visually impaired, with a beautiful balance of inclusivity and exclusivity. This product is good for everyone, because you don’t have to be visually impaired to misplace or loose essential items like keys, wallets and backpacks. Apple’s AirTag trackers might even be good for your health, minimizing the stress and self-loathing that occurs when an everyday personal necessity goes missing.

    The disk-like tag, just over an inch in diameter, is tracked by the Find My app, which also keeps tabs on your iPhone, iPad and AirPods.  AirTags are set up with a simple tap gesture, in much the same way AirPods are, and each tag can be identified with a name or description. Only your device can track your AirTags. The app will identify the tags exact location and you can play a sound on the tag through the app or by asking Siri to find an AirTag with a sound signal.  A lost AirTag can be scanned by any smartphone to bring up contact information. Apple is adding Separation Alerts, in iOS 15, so you’ll be informed, right away, if you leave a tag enabled item behind.

    Image shows selection of AirTag case key rings in blue, red and tan colors.
    Image shows selection of AirTag case key rings in blue, red and tan colors.

    Like all things Apple, AirTags at first glance carry a little sticker shock. The actual tag is $29 each, or get 4 for $99. AirTags do not attach to anything independently, thus they have spawned an entire industry of related accessories. You might drop an AirTag into a wallet or the pocket on a backpack, but most items including keys or travel bags require an AirTag case on a keyring, a luggage loop, or a case that will stick to a surface.  There are AirTag cases attached to a strap for your eyeglasses, or for the collar of your dog (although tracking pets and people is discouraged).  Accessories are typically priced in a range from $10 to 50. If price is not an object, take a look at the accessories designed by the iconic fashion brand Hermes, with prices topping out at  $699 for a luggage tag.

    More about AirTags at Apple

  • Your Smartphone is a Comprehensive Low Vision Device

    Your Smartphone is a Comprehensive Low Vision Device

    Living with vision loss, like living in a pandemic, requires us to accept change and embrace technology. Digital access is no longer an option, it is a necessity.  Every patient experiencing changes in vision should know there are a multitude of accessibility options, available in their smartphones (and tablets), designed to help compensate low vision.

    Apple & Android offer similar accessibility options including:

    • Text Size increased and bolded
    • Screen Brightness adjusted
    • Dictation converts speech to text
    • VoiceOver, Talk Back screen readers
    • Zoom magnifies entire screen
    • video Magnifier up to 15x
    • Improve color contrast
    • Reverse contrast to white text on black
    • Color filters for legibility
    • Adjust intensity and brightness of colors
    • Speak Selection reads selected content aloud
    • Speak Screen reads page aloud from top to bottom
    • Highlight Content as it is spoken
    • Typing Feedback spoken
    • Select voice and set speaking rate
    • Audio Descriptions for video content
    • FaceTime, Google Duo or other apps for video calls

    Voice Assistants

    Siri, Google & Alexa await your voice command. Ask them to open apps, make calls, send messages, search the web, tell time, get weather, turn on lights, play music and much, much more.

    More on OE: Siri, Google & Alexa Podcast, Event Recap

    Mobile Apps

    Here are a few or the many special apps designed to help compensate visual loss.

    • Seeing AI, by Microsoft for iOS, is an intelligent camera app that reads text, identifies products, people, currency, color, scenes, and handwriting.
    • Soundscape, by Microsoft for iOS, a map with 3D sound provides background narration into your earbuds from the left, right and center, telling where you are, what’s around you and what’s ahead.
    • LookOut, by Google for Android, camera vision delivers information in 3 modes: Explore describes your environment, Shopping reads product barcodes and currency, and Quick Read reads signs, labels and mail.
    • Google Maps Detailed Voice Guidance, by Google for iOS & Android, added voice guidance feature in the apps navigation settings.
    • Aira, an acronym for AI Remote Assistance, teams artificial intelligence with live agents to help people with vision loss get around and get things done. The subscriber model combines both free and fee-based service options.
    • Be My Eyes, has 3 million volunteers signed up to assist 200 thousand visually impaired users, when they need to borrow a better pair of eyes, or directly speak with technical support or customer service at Microsoft, Google, and more.

    Accessibility Support Phone Lines

    Don’t go it alone, expert technical advice is a phone call away.

    • Apple Accessibility Support: 877-204-3930
    • Google Accessibility Support: Call on Be My Eyes app
    • Alexa Technical Support: 877-375-9365
    • Amazon Accessibility Service: 888-283-1678
    • Microsoft Accessibility Answer Desk: 800-936-5900
    • Verizon Wireless Accessibility Support: 888-262-1999

    More on OE: Accessibility Support Phone Lines

    Image of downloadable PDF.
    Image of the first page of the downloadable PDF.

     

    Image of second page of downloadable PDF.
    Image of the second page of downloadable PDF.

    Download a printable PDF of this information here.

  • Elevating Accessibility Awareness Everyday

    Elevating Accessibility Awareness Everyday

    Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is recognized on the third Thursday in May, and has been since 2012. The focus on digital access and inclusion has progressed in meaningful ways over the past decade, and the future holds endless possibility. This is an effort that unifies people of all ability.

    At OE we celebrate and elevate accessibility awareness everyday, and we think you should too. For people with vision loss, information about accessibility often travels from person to person, so please go ahead and spread the word!  Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your coworkers and your healthcare providers about the accessibility features in technology devices that promote equal access. Living with uncorrectable vision loss brings many challenges, but utilizing accessible technologies can give us back a sense of normal.

    As we have seen during the COVID pandemic, the use of technology is no longer an option; it is essential. Accessibility doesn’t always just work for you, you must also be willing to work for it. Become an advocate. By helping yourself, you can also help others. Learn about the accessibility of the products and services you engage with. A Google search of any product with the word “accessibility’ is an enlightening exercise – try it.

    Big Tech, as you would imagine, has the most comprehensive accessibility detail available online. They have been building this effort for many years now and it shows. They also offer specialized accessibility support to customers, in the interest of providing an excellent customer experience. Take advantage of these opportunities and always share feedback when you find something that can be improved.

    Here is the pertinent accessibility contact and links for Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, but first we’re sharing our comprehensive list of accessibility phone support lines.

    Accessibility Phone Lines You Should Know

    Universal Access symbol image.
    Universal Access symbol image.

    Apple Accessibility

    Web: apple.com/accessibility

    Phone Accessibility Support: 877-204-3930

    Email Feedback: [email protected]

    Microsoft Accessibility

    web: microsoft.com/accessibiity

    Phone Accessibility Support: 800-936-5900

    Send Accessibility Feedback

    Google Accessibility

    google.com/accessibility

    Accessibility Support on the Be My Eyes app

    Send Accessibility Questions

    Send Accessibility Feedback

    Amazon Accessibility

    amazon.com/accessibility

    Phone Accessibility Support: 888-283-1678

    Send Feedback: [email protected]

  • Living Better With Low Vision

    Living Better With Low Vision

    It’s the beginning of 2020, a symbolic year and we hope it brings great things!  Let’s start out the year with an important reminder about the many ways you can promote better living with vision loss, for yourself, a family member or a friend.  It definitely takes some effort to adjust and continue living life productively, but it’s well worth the work, and it totally beats the alternative. 

    A recent statement by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) was eye opening to say the least.  They noted the number of older Americans with low vision will likely double in the coming years, and stated, “the tragedy isn’t that people have lost vision, it’s that most believe nothing can be done to improve their quality of life.”  The ill-informed belief that “nothing can be done” is a false narrative that we are working to correct.

    The basic fact is, when you know better, you do better.  OE Patients is dedicated to elevating awareness and empowering patients to live their best life. Improve your low vision IQ, or help a loved one do the same. 

    Here’s our list of basic tips to inspire change.

    Adjusting

    Small changes have big impacts on daily living.  Your willingness to adjust, as necessary, little by little, delivers compounded dividends.  Forget about the inconvenience of doing something different than the way you did it before, it’s way better than giving up something you love altogether.  Making adjustments is primary, and all you need is some practice!

    Reading

    Reading options are a great way to begin your practice of adjusting.

    • Magnifiers can be a great benefit for reading and other tasks and are available in wide ranges of power and price. More
    • Switch to audiobooks with a free membership to National Library Service. More
    • Adjust the text and contrast on smartphones, tablets and computers.

    Voice Assistants

    Get to know Alexa, Google and Siri, the voice assistants whose popularity is growing at record speed.  They can do simple or complicated tasks, the choices are yours.

    • Get the time, weather, news and music.
    • Play a game, check a score or a stock price.
    • Turn on lights, lock doors, and set thermostats.
    • Listen to OE Patients Podcast: Siri, Google & Alexa

    Happy senior woman with smartphone sitting on bench at park.

    Smartphones

    Apple and Android phones go the distance with accessibility settings that cover the spectrum of vision loss.  And then there are endless apps that do even more.

    • Get help with iPhone, call Apple Accessibility: 877-204-3930
    • Get help with Android through Be My Eyes.

    Accessible Technology

    Accessibility support is available to help you set visual preferences on smartphones, tablets and computers.  So stop struggling with technology and make some adjustments.

    Utilize Contrast at Home

    Low Vision Rehab Services

    Ask your ophthalmologist for information and referral for a Low Vision Evaluation and Vision Rehabilitation Services.

    There’s lots more information on the pages of OEPatients.org.  Here’s to a happy, healthy and productive year!

     

  • Hooray For Inclusive Technology

    Hooray For Inclusive Technology

    As I sit down to write an article, a book or a letter, I am really amazed by the many devices that are now available for people with low vision.  I am happy to have them and to have learned to utilize and become comfortable with them.

    A computer with a 26 inch monitor, ZoomText magnification and speech program and large print yellow keyboard, greet me each morning.  I am legally blind, so it is set to show the date and time in very large print.

    An electronic magnifier (CCTV) sits beside my computer, for increasing the size of printed text for research and writing.  A recently purchased printer that scans and copies, enables the scanning of articles and images directly into the computer.  I use a laser printer as well, set up just to print labels.

    I have the luxury of an Amazon Echo and Alexa, which I ask to confirm spelling on any words I am unsure of, and Siri on my iPhone also answers many questions I have. Google too, is very smart and efficient at answering questions about almost anything in the world!

    My iPhone enables texting by voice, using Siri or Dictation, and Siri reads text messages and emails to me.  There is a Speech option in iOS Accessibility Settings that allows me to highlight text and have it read back aloud.  There is also a full function screen reader called VoiceOver, that reads everything when it is engaged. 

    I’m in the process of learning Dragon Speech to Text, which will then enable me to speak directly to the computer and have the words converted to text, appearing on the screen.  This could bring a whole new approach to my writing.

    If technology issues arise there is technical support available 24/7.  Apple’s Accessibility Support Line (877-204-3930) provides expert help for all Apple products. Microsoft products are supported by the Disability Answer Desk (800-936-5900) by phone, and also with the Be My Eyes app, which provides visual assistance.

    You might also try, Talking Camera, Seeing AI and Magnifying Glass on your smartphone, or look through your app store for any of these accessibility apps that can make life a bit easier.  One of my most precious possessions is a mini electronic magnifier that I can carry with me, but now with a magnifying app in the phone, I no longer have to carry two devices.

    It feels lucky to me, having so much technology that compensates for my vision loss and allows me to continue a very productive life.  And if I can benefit from all these advances…so can you!

     

  • Adjusting To iPhone X

    Adjusting To iPhone X

    Resistance to change is a naturally occurring phenomenon among humans.  So don’t be too hard on yourself if you’ve been putting off that upgrade to an iPhone X. 

    The newest design, which does not have a home button, presents a minor learning curve, but given the fact that you already learned how to get around your iPhone with just one button, learning a few new gestures is really nothing to get worked up over.  Don’t forget, there was a time not long ago, when conventional wisdom said, people with vision loss must have phones with big tactile buttons.  Apple Accessibility busted that myth more than a decade ago. 

    Big changes in hardware and software tend to trigger our techno-insecurity, but the impending doom is often quickly replaced by a rather pleasant surprise.  Remember when you heard Apple was removing the headphone jack from the iPhone?  We were up in arms…it was unthinkable!  How could there be no place to plug in our buds?  That was actually much ado about nothing, because Apple now includes a set of wired buds that plug into the same Lightning port that charges the phone. 

    iPhone has taught me there is no good reason to cling to the past.  Software updates automatically without hesitation, as do the apps.  I upgraded to iPhone X early on.  During personal setup of the new phone at the Apple Store, they also reviewed and helped me practice the new gestures.  This is why you need not worry, it literally takes about 20 minutes to start life without a home button.

     

    Apple iPhone X on white background.

    Here’s how it works without the home button. Many of the new gestures are the same with VoiceOver, the few that differ are noted by * symbol. 

    Wake – press the power button or raise to wake and let Face ID unlock

    Siri – long press on the power button (right side) or set for “Hey Siri”

    Accessibility Shortcut – triple click on power button

    Shut Down – press power button on right with (either up or down) volume button, then slide power off

    • * With VoiceOver – same, but last step needs a double tap to power off

    Return to Home Screen – slide 1 finger up from bottom edge to the top of screen

    • * With VoiceOver – slide 1 finger up from bottom edge to first vibration and lift

    App Switcher – slide 1 finger up to center of screen

    • * With VoiceOver – slide 1 finger up past center of screen to second vibration; slide up with 3 fingers to close app

    Control Center – slide 1 finger down from top right edge

    • *With VoiceOver – slide 1 finger down from top right edge to first vibration and lift

    Notifications – slide 1 finger down from top left edge

    • * With VoiceOver – slide 1 finger down from top right edge to second vibration and lift

    Apple Pay – double click on the power button

    Screen Shot – click power button and volume up button together

     

    We love the iFocus tutorials from Hadley, a great way to learn iPhone X VoiceOver Gestures.

     

  • Accessibility Bridges the Visual Divide

    Accessibility Bridges the Visual Divide

    Accessibility is a term that knows no bounds, defining the ease of use of technologies, services, and environments. At one time associated mainly with disability, its prominence now is largely driven by universal design and the aging population. Smart developers know that for a product to be successful it must be easily adoptable by people of every age. No dumbing-down required.

    The new age of accessibility is a game changer for people with vision loss in particular. We are no longer relegated to the stigma, or the expense, that “special” technology has traditionally carried. Using the same popular devices everyone else is using has incredibly healing and renewing properties, and gives us back some sense of normal. It is ultimately about inclusion.

    The most disappointing thing about these amazing developments is that far too many people are unaware that accessibility exists, and they continue to needlessly struggle with daily tasks! We can all help to change that. Screen settings and speech applications can significantly benefit all patients experiencing any and every degree of vision loss. They just need to know it’s available.

    In 2008, Apple delivered the iPhone with Accessibility Settings built into every phone, at no extra cost, which expanded usability to people with low vision or no vision. The move marked a pivotal shift in mainstream accessibility and Apple became the undisputed leader in this important evolution.

    The iPhone became the most adopted device, ever, among people with vision loss. It is also the most multiple-use device ever available for vision. Today the iOS options under Accessibility Settings for Vision include VoiceOver, Zoom, Magnifier, Larger Text, Bold Text, and Increased Contrast. These settings, along with Siri’s AI (artificial intelligence) and Dictation features, are not just beneficial for people with serious visual impairments…they’re good for everyone!

    In 2010, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) was signed into law, mandating equal access to digital, broadband, and mobile devices for people with visual impairments or blindness. This is why all smartphones and tablets now have accessibility features included. It is also why all cable providers now offer customers the option to enable talking TV guides and menus. We now have an abundance of choices. Although all are not created totally equal, we can expect Android phones and tablets are accessible. Amazon’s Kindle eReaders and Fire tablets are accessible. Google, Microsoft, and Apple all make universal access a standard.

    Accessibility apps also play a meaningful role in improving function for people with visual impairments. There are apps that are magnifiers and flashlights; apps that take notes and send reminders; apps that convert text to speech; apps that help you take a well-focused photograph; and apps that read signs and locate transportation.

    This range of useful options isn’t limited to just cell phones and tablets — Microsoft Windows PC and Apple’s Mac computers can also be depended on for magnification, speech, dictation, and voice commands. People often give up computer use once the screen becomes too difficult to read. They don’t realize that they can adjust the technology to their needs, every step of the way. This is particularly important for people at work. The great majority of low vision users can continue to work, uninterrupted, with a little help from their IT Department to set it up to suit their particular needs.

    Taking an even bigger leap forward, Apple launched a dedicated Accessibility Support phone line to assist their customers with visual, hearing, motor, and learning impairments. The Verizon Wireless Accessibility Center followed. Next came the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk. Comcast, the leader in cable accessibility, offers dedicated phone support. Recently, Google announced that they, too, are preparing to launch a special support line. Amazon does not yet offer dedicated support, but they do have staff well versed in accessibility for Kindle, Fire and Echo accessibility.

    It is a life-changing innovation, and this is just the beginning — the best is clearly yet to come. Intuitive and predictive technology, interacted with by voice, is the next big frontier. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home are already popular and accessible for people of all ages and acuities. A powerful reminder that we are more alike than we are different.

     

    Image Credit: Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital | Northwell Health

    Image Credit: Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital | Northwell Health

     

    Image Credit: Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital | Northwell Health

    Image Credit: Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital | Northwell Health

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Article first published in Manhattan Eye, Ear, & Throat Hospital | Northwell Health, Winter 2017 Newsletter