#iACast 82 – Google Tablet Degradation

Pixel C standing vertically.

On this episode of the #iACast, Aleeha, Michael, Allison, and Jason talked about the degradation of Android tablets. They mentioned the top Android tablets from PCMag,  and the fact that Google removed support for their tablets from Android P. In the news, they talked about:

This week’s advertisement featured the iAccessibility training program.

The show concluded with everyone’s weekly picks. Aleeha talked about Flicktype beta, Allison talked about the West World TV show and  Aira’s description of the royal wedding. Jason’s pick was File explorer by Skyjos. Michael talked about his pick Movie Pass. Feel free to send feedback to feedback@iAccessibility.net or follow us at iAccessibility1 on Twitter.

#iACast 81 – Google I/O Predictions

Google iO 2018 image with hashtag

On this episode, Michael, Aleeha, Jason, and Scott mainly discuss Google I/O and our predictions for what this year will bring. In the news, we talk about Siri providing an explicit definition of the word “mother” and the release of KNFB Reader version 3 for iOS. After the discussion of Google I/O, we give our favorites for the week. Scott’s pick is the Behringer 302 USB Mixer and Shure PG58A microphone, links to which can be found in our podcast etiquette episode. Michael’s pick is an audiogame called Sonarium. Jason’s is the ever popular food ordering app called DoorDash. Finally, Aleeha showcases the password management system 1Password. Don’t forget to send us any comments or suggestions to feedback@iaccessibility.net and follow us on Twitter at @iaccessibility1.

#iACast UnboxCast 18: Google Pixel 2

Google Pixel 2 front and back

On this episode of the iA UnboxCast, Michael unboxes the Google Pixel 2 with guests Aleeha, Lauren, Chelsea and Jason. Michael takes us through initial setup and talks about the basic features of the phone. Don’t forget to contact us with any feedback at feedback@iaccessibility.net or by following us on Twitter @iaccessibility1. Also, please donate to our Patreon at patreon.com/iacast.

PocketBraille for Android Now Live!

PocketBraille icon with letters P and B in Braille.

PocketBraille for iOS has provided teachers and students the ability to learn Braille characters in a quick and easy reference style application for several years.

iAccessibility is proud to announce that PocketBraille is now live on Android in the Google Play Store for $1.99, and we even have a lite version so you can see if you like the app.

We are also in the process of adding grade 2 contractions to both apps so please stay tuned for that update as it will open new doors for teachers and students learning Braille.

Google Play Badge

 

#iACast 70: Not A Very Smart Speaker

On this episode of the iA cast, Aleeha, Jason, and Michael talk about the following news topics.

We also discuss some topics related to iAccessibility since this is episode 70.

Want to leave feedback about this episode? email us at feedback@iaccessibility.net, or use the hashtag #iACast on Twitter.

Managing Your Busy Life: Accessible Task Management Apps

Task management apps Reminders iOS icon

We get it. Managing all that you have to do in your busy life can be a difficult task. That’s why I have gathered four task management apps for analysis here on the iAccessibility Report. I’ll be analyzing Apple’s Reminders app, Things 3, WunderList, and Trello. All are very powerful apps, with very unique feature sets. Let’s dive right in.

Apple’s Reminders App

This one needs little introduction. It’s been a part of the iOS experience for many years and it’s the one that many users turn to for access to all their tasks in one spot. On the up side, this app allows the user to use Siri to add reminders to any list, set time sensitive reminders, and even set location based reminders, such as “remind me to call the doctor when I get home.” Time sensitive reminders appear on the screen when they are due, and managing the notifications on the Apple Watch is easy. The app is available on all Apple devices, but there is no availability for Windows or Android. Also, when checking off items, the app does not appear to work in a way that is helpful. The boxes are checked, but the items do not immediately disappear from the list. As someone who gets overwhelmed by large lists of things to do, I don’t want extra items hanging around once I’ve taken care of them. A workaround for this is to simply swipe up and delete the item, but it will not show up in the completed list.

Things 3

This next app happens to be one of my favorites. Things 3 offers a great deal of functionality, but the interface is quite simple. It has Siri integration, although the language you need to use is definitely a bit clunky. The user can create multiple projects, which are categories for different lists. Checking off items is very easy: simply double tap on the checkbox and the item moves to your logbook, where all completed tasks go once removed from their lists. The app also has the ability to import tasks from the reminders app to assist in easy transition. The app is $10 for the iPhone version, $20 for the iPad version, and $40 for the Mac version, making it a definite expensive solution. Also, the Mac app does not appear to be accessible at all, but I have been talking with the developers, who are working on a solution for this issue. The iOS apps also have some problems, but are not unusable.

Trello

Here’s a very interesting approach to task management. Trello is a free app for many different platforms, including Windows and Android, that allows you to create and share boards: groups of cards, which are like tasks, with whomever you want who has the app, making it ideal for cross-platform collaboration for work, school, or any other project. It does not rely on checkboxes, but rather uses drag and drop to organize cards, which I find a little clunky but which others may find handy. I’m a checklist kind of girl when it comes to these things, so Trello isn’t my favorite, but it’s here and it’s very accessible on all platforms.

WunderList

The final app in this throwdown is Wunderlist: To-Do List & Tasks. It appears to be very accessible on all platforms, has the ability to have multiple lists, has collaboration features like Trello, and makes things disappear with a satisfying little sound when you check them off. I have found free apps for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. I am very happy with this app, as it combines the simplicity of Things with the sharing features and low price of Trello. It appears to be the best of both worlds.

Conclusion

There’s an app out there for everyone, and I hope this article helps you if you’re looking for something to make your life just a little easier. Did I miss your favorite? Let me know in the comments or mention us on Twitter with your thoughts.

 

What is an Android Launcher?

Nova Launcher

The title says it all. To those who have never used an Android device, or maybe to those who are familiar with their Android device only somewhat, you may be wondering what a launcher is. Let’s see if we can shed some light on this topic.

A launcher on Android is similar to the desktop you use to interact with your desktop or laptop computer. All interaction you have with your Android device is done through the launcher. That is it!

Here is the part that tends to trip people up. Why are there so  many launchers available in the Play store? The answer is: Choice! So why have so many choices? Everyone has a different idea of how they would like to interact with their device. I, for one, find this to be a nice feature of Android in general. The flexibility and choice you have as a user to create your own experience is extremely important to me. You can spend days, weeks, even months customizing your device to be able to interact with it exactly how you want.

That is it! A launcher is the user interface that allows you to interact with your device. It can be customized to do exactly what you want.

In the coming weeks, I will introduce several launchers and include screenshots where I can. I will go through basic setup and customization steps to show how launchers are the same, but different at the same time.

Here are a few of the launchers that will be covered (not in any particular order):

Nova Launcher

Apex Launcher

Google Now Launcher

Go Launcher

ADW Launcher

CM Launcher 3D

If you have any launchers you would like to see demonstrated, please send me an email: dan@iaccessibility.net

You may also follow me on twitter: @dan_droid_hart

 

#iACast 62: Fall 2017 Phone Comparisons

Picture of iPhone X with gradient wallpaper

On this episode of the iACast, Aleeha, Michael, and Matt discuss the following topics:

 

Access Your Movies From All Your Accounts with the Movies Anywhere App for iOS

Movies Anywhere

Recently, a new app was released, in collaboration with Disney and several other movie studios, called the Movies Anywhere app. It’s available for iOS and Android, and offers some unique functionality for blind movie lovers. You can sign into Amazon, Google, and iTunes to link all your accounts together. For a limited time, if you link your Google Play Movies account with the app, you will get access to five free pre-selected movies. How, though, can a user access audio described content? The answer is this: once all your accounts have been linked, go into iTunes on your Apple device, access your purchased movies, and, voila!, you have access to your purchased movies from all platforms, enabling audio description for those that have it in the iTunes store, even if you bought them elsewhere.  So, essentially, you can use the Movies Anywhere app as a method of collecting all your movies into one place, but don’t use it to watch them if you want audio description. Access them from the iTunes app and you’re all set!

#iACast 52 – Music Streaming Services

Apple Music icon with music note with many colors

On this episode of the iA Cast, Michael, Jason, Aleeha, Dan, Matt and Anne discuss the different music streaming services and which ones everyone uses and why. Here is the list of services.

#iACast UnboxCast 8 – Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Midnight Black

On this episode of the iA UnboxCast, Michael, Jason and Aleeha talk about, and Michael unboxes, the Samsung Galaxy S8+. Michael goes through initial setup with TalkBack, and describes and demonstrates some of the features of the device.

#iACast 48 – An Interview With Hooke Audio

Hooke Audio Logo

The National Federation of the Blind convention brings people together to network and to discuss all new technologies. Though we have had the chance to unbox and review the Hooke Audio headphones, we have had the pleasure to sit down today with Anthony and Justin of Hooke Audio to talk more about the amazing 3D audio headphones.

We will be posting this podcast twice. We recorded this on the Yeti Pro, and on the Hooke Verse headphones to compare the audio in a podcast setting. This version of the podcast was done on the Yeti Pro, and the other version will be up soon.

We would like to thank everyone at Hooke Audio for letting us try the Hooke Verse headphones, and we urge all of our listeners to look at and possibly purchase these headphones. While there are limitations to the Hooke Verse, the possibilities are endless for future updates.

Hooke Audio Website

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