What the iA staff would like to see from #WWDC17

WWDC17 poster

Each year, Apple announces their latest software at their Worldwide Developer Conference, and WWDC 2017 starts today. the management staff here at iAccessibility has written down what they would like to see, and is written below.

Matt’s wishlist

Monday, June 5 is Apple’s World Wide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) where we will most likely see some new hardware and software. Here are a few of my hopes for tomorrow’s conference announcements.
iOS

  1. Updated Braille translation support – I should be able to type quickly on my Braille display without waiting for the operating system/display to sync with each other.
  2. Siri – Hopefully in iOS 11, Siri will be able to support more third party applications with Siri kit. I would love to be able to say, “Hey Siri, Play podcasts with Overcast,” or, “Hey Siri, play my Audible Book.” Also, while using Hey Siri, you should be able to continue to speak to Siri after you’ve asked it a question. This should be true for which ever device, especially if the rumour is true about Apple releasing a Siri speaker.

MacOS

  1. No more lag — personally, there shouldn’t be any lag when moving with VO, whether it be in Safari, Pages or Textedit. At the moment there is also a lag when switching activities with both apple voices and Vocalizer voices.
  2. “Hey Siri,” – Apple is always about the “universal experience across devices.” Hopefully in the next version of both MacOS and TVOS we see “hey Siri” added.

These are just a few things I would love to see at today’s event. It will be great to see what’s added in the upcoming operating systems.

Jason’s Wishlist

As we all know, Apple’s WWDC conference is happening on June fifth. Here are some things I’d like to see.

iOS

I’d like to see Apple put the “Pro” into iPad Pro. From Apple’s website: “iPad Pro is more than the next generation of iPad — it’s an uncompromising vision of personal computing for the modern world. It puts incredible power that leaps past most portable PCs at your fingertips. It makes even complex work as natural as touching, swiping, or writing with a pencil. And whether you choose the 12.9-inch model or the 9.7-inch model, iPad Pro is more capable, versatile, and portable than anything that’s come before. In a word, super.”

For me, two things come to mind that would make the iPad “super.” 1. Finder for iOS, and 2. xCode for iOS. If apple wants the iPad Pro to be an “uncompromising vision of personal computing,” adding those two features to iOS would, I think, really help Apple meet that goal.

Siri

I’d like to see Siri get smarter, and more capable.

More app categories being added to Siri kit would be nice, especially if Apple is indeed going to announce a Siri speaker.

I think Siri needs to have a more natural conversation stile than it currently does, and that stile should be hands-free. We can already say something like “Hey Siri. What’s the weather?” And it’ll respond. But if you want to ask something else, you would keep having to say “Hey Siri.”

Maybe Siri could listen for a couple seconds to see if you have something else to ask before waiting for the “Hey Siri” command again?

I can already see a downside to my idea, but it leads me to the last thing I’d like to see for Siri, and that would be to improve Siri’s ability to only respond to your specific voice.

Conclusion

These are just a few things I’d like to see announced at WWDC. Will they happen? Well, all I can say is it’s going to be fun to watch it and find out.

Michael’s Wishlist

WWDC is one of my favorite announcements of the year, and I can’t wait to see what Apple brings us today. There is so many things that I would like to see them release today, so I will separate them out by OS.

iOS

  1. I have to agree with what Jason said about the iPad Pro. I would really like to see this become more of a Pro device for dev and others.
  2. I would like to see a full file system come to iOS
  3. I would like to see full audio support come to iOS where multiple media types can play at the same time, so I could have TeamTalk and music playing at the same time, or have recording from multiple inputs work.
  4. Better support for Siri to learn new skills
  5. Removal of Apple Music Cache files. You can do this on Android, so iOS should have this as well.
  6. less use of iTunes to get items like Ringtones on your device.

macOS

  1. Support for, “Hey Siri”
  2. Support for touch screen macs

WatchOS

  1. Allow the watch to unpaid and pair with different phones.
  2. Speed improvements
  3. Siri Improvements

Windows

  1. Support for iMessage for Windows

Android

  1. Support for iMessage
  2. Support for Apple Watch
  3. iCloud contacts and sync for Android

While I am sure much of my list will not be on the list for today’s event I can hope that some things will make it to reality.

Conclusion

I think our team has put together some awesome ideas of things we would like to see today at WWDC, and we will see what we get in an hour.

WWDC 2017 – Apple

#iACast 43 – When One Door Closes

google io 2017

On this episode of the iA Cast, Michael, Aleeha Aaron, and Matt return to the traditional news format of the podcast and discuss the following items.

Please leave us comments at feedback@iaccessibility.net, and we hope that you have enjoyed this episode.

#iACast 40 – Mobile OSWars: iOS VS Android

images of mobile devices iPhone vs Android

Welcome to the latest episode of the iA Cast. This week we talk about the differences between the two most popular mobile operating systems iOS and Android and we say which ones we prefer.

Patreon

iAccessibility has set up a new pattern account for our community to support our podcast each month. If you would like to support the podcast, head over to Our Patreon

Mobile Operating Systems

On this episode, we talk about the differences in iOS and Android and why we use the hardware we do. These episodes are designed to be open so that podcasters can voice their opinions and let others know how they feel about the devices they use.

Conclusion

During the episode, Aleeha Dudley, Jason Earls, and Michael Doise decided that iOS is the best platform for getting work done on quickly with the least amount of setup, but that Android can offer more power to users with more customization with features that iOS can’t provide.

What are your thoughts, Please tweet us at @iaccessibility1 or email us at feedback@iaccessibility.net

#CSUNATC17 – Dot Incorporated Makes a Braille Smart Watch For The Blind.

Dot Watch with four Braille cells and orange crown

There were many companies showing products this year at the CSUN Assistive Technology conference this year, and one of those companies was Dot Incorporated. DOT makes a Braille smart watch that is similar to a standard braille display with four braille characters only to let someone tell time and much more.

Features

The Dot smart watch is a light Braille smart watch with four refreshable braille cells. It shows the time with these cells, so you would feel something like 1230 instead of 12:30. The watch also allows for pairing with your smartphone over bluetooth to receive push notifications and other smartphone features that you would expect on a smart watch. The Dot watch will even vibrate your wrist when you receive a push notification on your phone. One of the things I liked about the watch is that it is very light weight, and the leather band is comfortable to wear. It also appears that the watch charges with a magnetic charger that attaches to the bottom of the watch.

issues

I have a few issues with this product though and while they are not huge issues they are things that people need to be aware of. The Dot watch has an orange crown. I think the watch looks very nice until you see that orange color on the crown. I personally don’t think it goes well with the aesthetics of the watch. Also, While I think the Dot watch has great features, it does not have any fitness possibilities which puts it below other mainstream watches like the Apple Watch which are at the same price point of around $300.

Conclusion

While there are some issues with this watch, I feel that it is a good start in offering a Braille smart watch to blind and low vision users. The Dot Smart Watch is still not shipping yet, but you can pre-order it for $300 from their website at Dot Incorporated.

Getting Around Unfamiliar places.

Around Me app icon dropped gps pin over blue circles

This week I will be traveling to the CSUN 2017 AT conference, and it occurs to me that it would be a good thing to get a few apps that can help me find things in San Diego, so lets look at two of these kinds of apps that can really help you in these types of situations.

BlindSquare

BlindSuare is a blindness specific app that utilizes the power of GPS and Foursquare to let users find places near them. Foursquare is an app that lets users check in and name places. You get points for each check in, and you can even make points of interest that may not be in Google Maps, or on Apple Maps. BlindSquare is on iOS. BlindSquare has a mode that lets you see what is around you by moving your phone. The good thing is that it works with Foursquare, so all of the user points of interests that have been made will show up in the app.

Blindsquare will also let you see what town you are flying over. You ca learn more about this by visiting Blind Bargains and it is on one of their podcast episodes.

BlindSquare is $39.99, and also has in app purchases. Unfortunately, BlindSquare is only for iOS and is not currently available for Android.

Around Me

Around me is a free app on iOS and Android, and is $2.99 as an in app purchase to remove ads. With AroundMe, you can select a category like hotels or restaurants and the app will give you a list of the closest points of interest in that category. Alternatively, you can select the visualization button and pick between list, map and live view. Live view is a really neat feature, because it lets the user move the device they are using around and items will float in to view. This uses the camera, and does utilize explore by touch for VoiceOver on iOS. Unfortunately, Live View is not available on Android devices, but more map options are available.

Nearby Explorer for Android

Nearby Explorer by the American Printing House for the Blind is another app for Android and iOS also assists users in this area, but will run you around $80 and will not be covered in this article.

Conclusion

While BlindSquare is a grea5 option for users, it is quite expensive, and will only be on the iOS platform. If you are on Android you can look at Nearby Explorer, but this will also run $80, so while AroundMe doesn’t have the live view feature, it does allow you to see what is in your general area.

#iACast 35 – Hands Free Purchasing Power

Image of Amazon Tap on white background

Welcome to our latest episode of the iA Cast. This week we discuss the following topics.

We will have one more episode this week and then we will have new content fresh from the CSUN 2017 conference

We are looking for new ways to bring you into the conversation, and we encourage people to join us for the podcast recording on TeamTalk at teamtalk.iaccessibility.net. We only ask that you mute while we record the podcast.

We hope that you have enjoyed this episode. Please email us at feedback@iaccessibility.net for suggestions or to leave comments or feedbac.

#iACast 27 – Backdoor

iAccessibility Logo

Hello, and welcome to another delayed edition of our podcast! We are hopeful that our schedule will be a little more regular soon, so we hope you all are sticking with us. In this episode, which was recorded on November 16, 2016, we cover the following topics:

  • A Backdoor to ChinaHow would you feel if you found out that your text messages, location data, and private information were being sent to China for analysis? Unfortunately, if you own a cheaper android phone, or if you are an international customer, this could be a reality for you. The worst part is you may never know if your phone is affected, and the software that does this was put there on purpose by the manufacturer. Whoa!Your User Data is Secretly Sent to China Through a Backdoor on Some US Android Phones
  • Microsoft Joins Linux FoundationThis surprised a few members of our team. Apparently, Microsoft is reversing course on its opinion of Linux. This is especially interesting, because some of Microsoft’s choices still contradict the choice to join the Linux Foundation. We think it will be interesting to see what the future holds in this regard.Microsoft – Yes, Microsoft – Joins the Linux Foundation
  • Visual Studio Invades the MacNow developers can develop cross-platform applications using Visual Studio on macOS. Although our group finds Xcode to be the best IDE for developing Mac and iOS apps, we believe choice is always good. Hopefully this will allow more developers more flexibility in how and which operating system they use while developing apps.Announcing the new Visual Studio for Mac
  • MacBook Pro with Touch Bar ReviewsIt’s all pretty mixed! Some think the Touch Bar is useful, while others think a touch screen would make more sense. We believe the usefulness of the Touch Bar depends on how you use your computer, and which apps support it. We think it will become more useful over time as mor uses are found for it, and the price will decrease as well. You should definitely feel free to check out reviews online, and if you have a store nearby, check out these new machines in an Apple Store.The Reviews are in — Here’s What People are Saying About Apple’s Latest Laptop
  • First Impressions of Apple’s AirPodsWhat will it be like to use the long-awaited Airpods? What is latency like? Will they work well with VoiceOver? Well, most of us have yet to find out any of this first-hand, since the AirPods have not been released! However, lucky members of the media have been testing AirPods, and we have read a little information from one of our favorite websites, iMore. Here’s the link!AirPods First Impressions
  • We’re All About the TV AppListen to us discuss what it’s like to use theupcoming TV app on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. We think this is a great addition to our TV-watching experience. We find it frustrating that some services, like Netflix, refuse to participate. However, it’s a great start, and we can’t wait to see how it improves in the near future.3 Ways Apple’s New TV App Will Change the Viewing Experience on Apple TV
  • Prevention is Always Better Than Reaction: Twitter is Finally Getting the PictureFinally, Twitter is introducing new features to help users prevent abuse. Muting keywords, usernames, and conversations is now a little easier. We think this is a good step in the right direction, but that Twitter should be doing more to help users have a more positive experience on the social network.Twitter is Adding New Filtering Tools in an Effort to Curb Abuse
  • Is the Google Home worth Ditching the Echo?On our website, you will find Rich’s impressions of the new Google Home smart speaker. He immediately returned his. Would you have done the same? Do you think it replaces the Amazon Echo? Overall, we think it sounds neat, but it is very much a first-generation product. We think it could still be an option for users who are in the Google ecosystem, but if the Echo meets your needs, we recommend sticking with Alexa.Google Home First impressions
  • VO Starter – Public Beta!We welcome anyone who wants to join us in testing version 3.0 of the VO Starter application for iOS. It is a great resource for blind an low vision users who are new to iOS, and you could help us help them learn to use VoiceOver.VO Starter 3.0 Public Beta

Thank you all for checking out our podcast! Please share it with others, and tweet using the hashtag #IACast. Please visit us online at iaccessibility.net, and check out all we have to offer!

#iACast 23 – Hello Again

Apple invite for its Hello Again event.

Thank you for checking out #IACast, episode 23! In this episode, we discuss the following:

Love our podcast? Please share it with friends! Thank you!

Review: Google Allo Accessibility

Image showing the Google Allo icon

Clearly in competition with Apple’s iMessage, and other messaging services, Google recently released Allo – a messaging app for Android and iOS. Most of its features are very similar to iMessage, with a few exceptions.

First of all, as stated above, unlike iMessage, Allo is cross-platform. That means, regardless of whether you’re rocking an iPhone 7 or a samsung Galaxy S7, you will be able to use this app.

Additionally, Google’s assistant is baked right into the app. You can chat with it, play games with it, and more.

Lastly, Google will read messages sent with the service, unlike Apple’s iMessage. Note: There is a way around this, but it involves giving up most of the app’s unique features. Is that a deal-breaker? Well, that would depend on who you ask.

We have already talked about iMessage on iAccessibility, so we know it is accessible. So, how does Google Allo stack up? Is it worth using to communicate with friends? Let’s see.

The setup process is fairly straight forward. Like WhatsApp, Google Allo uses your phone number to create an account. This means you will have difficulty if you wish to message using tablets or other phones. After verifying your phone number, you are prompted to give the app access to your contacts and to send you notifications. Then you take a selfie, and add your name. And that’s it! You are all set up!

Once you’ve completed the setup process, you’ll notice there’s already a thread with Google Assistant. In this thread, there are unread messages. This is where I first began to encounter accessibility concerns on iOS, but not on Android.

The first thing Google assistant wants you to do is allow access to your location. This makes sense given the fact that the assistant can help plan a night out, among other things.

The reading of messages in this thread by VoiceOver is quite erratic. Some messages are read at least twice and out of order. I quickly learned that it is better to flick rather than to explore the screen by touch.

The smart replies are completely accessible, and I had no problems with those.

However, in some replies from the assistant, VoiceOver will get stuck in a continuous loop. For example, when asking what can you do.

Talkback, on the other hand, has none of these issues as far as I could tell. I was even able to successfully play Tic-Tac-Toe with Talkback running on Android. That was a lot of fun, and it was accessible, too!

I did appreciate the attempt by Google to make the conversation with Google Assistant more like chatting with a friend, but it was a little creepy at times. For example, it wants to know where you are and more about you. For me, it felt a little like talking to a stalker.

So how about chatting with a friend?

Well I tried that too. The same messaging issues that plague the Google Assistant message thread also affect any other threads you have. The most annoying thing for me is constantly hearing VoiceOver say, “double tap and hold to open message edit menu.” I do not know what that means. With all the double tapping and holding I did, I could not make any “message edit menu” appear.

One neat thing that Google Allo has over iMessage for me is that the quality of audio messages is so much better! I get why Apple uses low-quality recording, but it is such a disappointment. similar to Apple’s iMessage, you double tap and hold on the “record an audio message” button and swipe up to send or left to cancel.

If text effects are your thing, you can easily do this with VoiceOver running. Simply enter text, and then double tap and hold on the send button. Without releasing the button, swipe up to make text larger and swipe down to make text smaller. Note: there is no feedback to inform you of just how large or small your text is, regardless of whether you’re sending or receiving.

You can also send your location, stickers, take a photo or video (and draw on it), or attach a photo or video from your camera roll. I was extremely disappointed to discover that taking a photo or video in the app, and sending stickers are both completely inaccessible on iOS. VoiceOver sees no elements on the screen. Android, once again, has no such issues.

There are also a few inconsistencies as far as the interface is concerned. One example is to delete a conversation on iOS, you need to double tap on the menu at the top right of the screen while you’re in the conversation. On Android, on the other hand, you long press on the conversation thread and then double tap delete.

Another inconsistency is that Android users can access quick replies in notifications, whereas that does not appear to be an option on iOS. Neither version of the app allows you to quickly write out your own response, which is disappointing.

I also tried out encrypted one-on-one chats with myself, and that worked just like any other chats. The interface is dark instead of light, which I honestly preferred, and messages can be set to expire. Also, notifications are very vague, only telling you that you have a message.

Overall, I like the app. I think it’s great if you can convince enough people to download it. You can send text messages with it, but you can’t use any of the app’s main features unless the recipient of your messages is also using Google Allo. Also, there are legitimate privacy concerns. If you’re OK with Google reading every single message you send, unless you remember to start an incognito chat, then go for it! Lastly, accessibility has room to improve, especially on iOS, but it is a very new app.

What do you think of Google Allo? Have you tried it yet? Do you plan to download it? Why or why not? Let us know!

Square Cash for Android with Talkback

Square Cash app icon

Last week I had the chance to play with Square Cash for Android. Square Cash is an app for iOS and Android that lets its users send money between users without each party incurring a fee. Cash for iOS has been relatively accessible, allowing blind and low vision users the ability to send money effectively with VoiceOver, but can people do the same with Android and Talkback? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Accessibility issues

Talkback for Android works very much like Talkback for iOS, but it can’t work with everything. iOS has a very strict development cycle and apps can either be native apps or web based apps. Companies can make inaccessible apps for iOS with custom controls, but they literally have to work at it to make apps really unaccessible. Unfortunately, Android in its design, encourages fragmentation. This means that developers are encouraged to build apps in as many ways they can imagine, and many developers don’t realize that when they do this they don’t allow for Talkback to find all elements in their app, which is the problem with Square Cash.

Cash does contain elements that Talkback can find, but when you see a number pad to enter your phone number, and eventually the amount to send Talkback just sees an empty area. This is because an edit field is active, and a keyboard is expected. Talkback on the device I was using could only see the edit field and that was it. Talkback could not find the custom buttons Cash uses to enter numbers, so that means that a person with no vision would not be able to set up their Cash app, or be able to send or request money from people.

Conclusion

While apps and technology continue to improve there are still apps that we just can’t use with screen readers at this point. Square Cash is one of these apps on the Android side, and hopefully SquareUp will work to make this app more accessible in the future, or Talkback will be updated to support the custom controls in the Cash app.

Square Cash – Google Play

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