Category: Get Together with Technology Program

iPadOS 13 Features: What’s New for iPad, iPad Pro and iPad Air by Khamosh Pathak

iPadOS 13 Features: What’s New for iPad, iPad Pro and iPad Air

Author: Khamosh Pathak

Date Written: Jun 3, 2019 at 5:00 PM

Date Saved: 6/4/19, 9:32 AM

Source: http://www.iphonehacks.com/2019/06/ipados-13-features-whats-new.html

 

Apple is finally taking the iPad seriously. And their way of showing it is a whole new OS specially designed for the iPad. And they’re calling it iPadOS. While iPadOS shares a lot of features with iOS 13, it adds many iPad specific features for enhances multitasking, file management, Apple Pencil use, and pro app usage. Here are all the new iPadOS 13 features you should care about.

iPadOS 13 Features: Everything That’s New 1. Dark Mode

 

iOS 13’s new Dark Mode is also available on iPadOS 13. It is system-wide. It extends from the Lock screen, Home screen, to stock apps. Apple has even integrated dynamic wallpapers that change when you switch to dark mode.

Dark Mode can be enabled from the Brightness slider and it can be scheduled to automatically turn on after sunset.

  1. Multiple Apps in Slide Over

 

iPadOS 13 features a bit multitasking overhaul. And it starts with Slide Over. Now, you can have multiple apps in the same window in Slide Over. Once you’ve got one floating window, you can drag in an app from the Dock to add more windows to it. Once more than one app is added to Split View, you’ll see an iPhone style Home bar at the bottom. Swipe horizontally on it to switch between apps just in the Slide Over panel. Swipe up to see all apps in Slide Over.

  1. Same App in Multiple Spaces

The next big thing is the fact that you can have multiple instances of the same app in multiple spaces. This means that you can pair Safari with Google Docs on one Space, Safari and Safari in another space and have Safari and Twitter open in yet another space.

And this works using drag and drop. You can just pick a Safari tab from the toolbar and drag it to the right edge of the screen to create another instance of the app.

  1. App Expose Comes to iPad

App Expose on iPad answers the question, how do you keep track of the same app across multiple spaces? Just tap on the app icon that’s already open and it will open App Expose. It will list all instances of the open app. You can tap on a space to switch to it or swipe up to quit the space.

  1. New Tighter App Grid on Home Screen

Apple has also tweaked the iPad Home screen grid so that you now have a row of 6 icons on the 11 inch iPad Pro.

  1. Pin Today Widgets on Home Screen

If you swipe in from the left edge of the Home screen, you’ll find that the Today View widgets will be docked to the left edge. And you can see and use all your widgets easily. But you can also pit it so that it’s always available (from the Edit menu).

  1. Favorite Widgets for Home Screen

You can also pin your favorite widgets to the top so that they are always accessible.

  1. 30% Faster Face ID Unlocking

The new iPad Pros with Face ID now unlock up to 30% faster when running iPadOS 13.

  1. New Reminders App

The new Reminders app is also available on the iPad and it looks gorgeous. The sidebar has the four filters at the top, and your lists below. You can quickly tap on a list, see all reminders and create new ones. New reminders can be created using natural language input.

  1. Real Automation in Shortcuts App

There’s a new Automations tab that brings real-world automation to the iPad. Shortcuts can now be triggered automatically based on time, location and even by using NFC tags.

  1. Improved Photos App

Photos app brings an improved browsing experience. There’s a new Photos tab that is a list of all your photos. You can pinch in and out to zoom. From the top, you can switch to the Days tab to only show the best photos from a given day. The same goes for the Months tab as well.

  1. New Photo Editor

There’s a new photo editor in the Photos app. Just tap on the Edit button to access it. The new UI is much more visual and easier to use. All the standard tools are available, along with new tools for editing Brilliance, Highlights, Shadows, Saturation and more. There’s also a very good auto-enhance mode.

  1. New Video Editor

The new Video editor is also quite good. You can quickly crop videos, change the aspect ratio, rotate videos and more..

  1. Access Apple Pencil Tool Palette Anywhere Apple is integrating the Apple Pencil deeply into iPadOS. The new Pencil Tool Pallete will be available in more apps. And it can be minimized and moved around easily.
  2. Reduced Apple Pencil Latency

Apple Pencil is even faster with iOS 13. The latency has been reduced from 20ms to just 9ms.

  1. Full Page Markup Anywhere

You can swipe in from the bottom corner of the screen using the Apple Pencil to take a screenshot and to start annotating it. You’ll also see an option to take full page screenshot in the right side.

  1. Scroll Bar Scrubbing

You can grab the scroll bar from the right in any app and quickly move it up or down to jump to the particular part.

  1. Use your iPad As Second Mac Display

Apple’s new Sidecar feature will let you use the iPad as a secondary display for a Mac that’s running macOS Catalina. It will work both wirelessly and using a wired connection. It’s quite fast and there’s no latency.

  1. Use Your iPad As a Mac Tablet with Apple Pencil If you have an Apple Pencil, you can use the attached iPad as a drawing tablet for your Mac.
  2. Easily Move The Cursor Around

Apple is also taking text selection seriously. You can now just tap and hold on the cursor to pick it up and instantly move it around.

  1. Quickly Select Block of Text

Text selection is way easier now. Just tap on a word and instantly swipe to where you want to select, like the end of the paragraph. iPadOS will select all the text in between the two points.

  1. New Gestures for Copy, Paste, and Undo Once the text is selected, you can use gestures to copy it. Just pinch in with three fingers to copy, pinch out with three fingers to paste and swipe back with three fingers to undo typing or action.
  2. Peek Controls

There’s no 3D Touch on iPad looks like there’s no need for it. You can tap and hold on app icons and links to see the preview and actionable items. This works very well in apps like Safari.

  1. New Compact Floating Keyboard

You can detach the keyboard in iPadOS 13. It turns into a floating window, with a compact view that can be moved around anywhere.

  1. Gesture-Based Typing on the Compact Keyboard You can type on the iPad’s software keyboard using gestures. Just glide your finger on the keys instead of typing on them. It’s similar to SwiftKey.
  2. New Start Page and UI for Safari

Safari gets a slightly refreshed UI and a more feature-rich Start page. You’ll now see Siri suggestions for websites and pages in the bottom half. Plus, there’s a new settings screen where you can increase or decrease the font size of the text (without zooming into the page itself).

  1. Desktop Class Browsing in Safari

Safari automatically presents a website’s desktop version for iPad. Touch input maps correctly when a website expects mouse or trackpad input. Website scaling takes advantage of the large iPad screen, so you’ll see websites at their optimal size. And scrolling within web pages is faster and more fluid.

  1. Full Safari Toolbar in Split View

Now, even when you’re in Split View, you’ll see the full tab toolbar. This makes it easier to switch between tabs and perform actions.

  1. Open Three Safari Web Pages At The Same Time Thanks to the new multitasking features, you can basically have three Safari tabs open together at the same time. First, take a tab and put it into Split View. Next, take a tab and put it in Slide Over!
  2. Safari Gets a Full Fledged Download Manager Safari gets a download manager on both the iPhone and iPad. When you visit a link that can be downloaded, you’ll see a popup asking if you want to Download the file. Then, a new Download icon will appear in the toolbar. Tap on it to monitor all your downloads.

Once the download is finished, you’ll find it in the Downloads folder in the Files app, It will be stored locally.

  1. New Super-Charged Share Sheet

Share sheet gets quite a bit overhaul. On the top is a new smart sharing option with AirDrop and contact suggestions. The whole actions section has been redesigned and it’s now a vertical list of actions. All available actions for the app are listed here in a long list. There’s no need to enable or disable action anymore.

  1. Create Memoji on Any iPad

You can now create multiple Memojis on any iPad with an A9 processor and higher. Memoji creation is also much better now.

  1. Share Memoji Stickers From iPad

Once you create a Memoji, Apple will automatically create a sticker pack for you. It will be accessed in the iMessages app and in the native keyboard so you can share the sticker using any messaging app.

  1. Desktop Class Text Formatting Tools for Mail App Mail app has a new formatting bar. You can change the font, font size, indentation and lot more.
  2. New Gallery View in Notes App

Notes has a new Gallery view which shows all photos, documents and attachments at a glance.

  1. Audio Sharing with AirPods

When two AirPods are active, you can now send a single stream of audio to both of them.

  1. Manage Fonts Easily on iPad

iPadOS 13 will let you download and install fonts from the App Store. And you’ll be able to manage them from Settings. Once added, a font will be available across all supported apps.

  1. A New Detailed Column View for Files App Files app has a new detailed column view, similar to the Finder app. It will help users quickly drill down into a complex nested folder structure.
  2. Quick Actions

When you’re in the column view and you select a file, you’ll see quick actions for it right there below the preview. You can convert an image to a PDF, unzip files and more.

  1. New Downloads Folder

There’s finally a designated Downloads folder in the Files app. Safari and Mail apps use this for now. But I hope third-party apps will be able to use it as well.

  1. Create Local Storage Folders

One of the biggest annoyances of the Files app has been fixed. You can now create folders for the local storage on the iPad. There’s no need to use iCloud Drive every time. Apps will be able to use these folders as well.

  1. Zip and Unzip Files

Files app will help you quickly unzip and zip files.

  1. Easily Share iCloud Drive Folder With Anyone You can easily share iCloud Drive folder with any user from the Files app. This will ease the collaboration process for iPad Pro users.
  2. Add File Servers to Files App

You can also add remote file servers to the Files app.

  1. Connect External Hard Drive, SD Card Reader or USB Drive to iPad You can finally connect any USB external drive to the iPad Pro using the USB-C port. And now it will show up as a USB drive in the sidebar. It will work just how it works on the Mac. You’ll be able to access all files, copy files over, move files and even save files from apps directly to the external drive.
  2. Mouse Support Using Accessibility

There’s official support for an external mouse on the iPad. But it’s accessibility support. Basically, the cursor is imitating a touch point. You can add a Bluetooth mouse from settings. A wired USB-C mouse will work as well.

  1. Unintrusive Volume HUD

Volume HUD now shows up at the top status bar, in a small pill-shaped slider.

  1. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Selection from Control Center If you tap and hold the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth toggle you’ll be able to switch between networks right from Control Center now.
  2. iOS 13 Features in iPadOS 13

There’s a lot more to iPadOS 13. The smaller features from iOS 13 have been carried over to the iPadOS as well. Features like:

  • Improved Siri voice
  • Voice Control
  • Newer Accessibility options
  • Low Data mode for Wi-Fi networks

We’ve outlined these features in detail in our iOS 13 roundup so take a look at that list to learn more.

Your Favorite iPadOS 13 Features?

What are some of your favorite new features in iPadOS 13? What did we miss out featuring on this list? Share with us in the comments below.

 

 

Yes, Alexa, Siri, and Google are listening — 6 ways to stop devices from recording you by Janet Perez, Komando.com

Yes, Alexa, Siri, and Google are listening — 6 ways to stop devices from recording you

komando.com

 

Yes, Alexa, Siri, and Google are listening — 6 ways to stop devices from recording you

Janet Perez, Komando.com

Full text of the article follows this URL:

 

Seems like we owe the tinfoil hat club a big apology. Yes, there are eyes and ears everywhere in just about any large city in the world. Here in the good,

old U-S-of-A, our smartphones, tablets, computers, cars, voice assistants and cameras are watching and listening to you.

 

We don’t know what is more troubling — that these devices keep track of us or that we shrug our shoulders and say, “Oh well?” That attitude of surrender

may stem from an overwhelming sense of helplessness. ”

Technology is everywhere.

Why fight it?”

 

Truth is, it’s not a fight. It’s a series of tap-or-click settings, which we’ll walk you through.

 

You can take control of what your devices hear and record, and it’s not that hard. We have 6 ways to help you turn off and tune out Alexa, Siri, and Google,

as well as smartphones, third-party apps, tablets, and computers.

 

How to stop Alexa from listening to you

 

Weeks after the public discovered that Alexa, and by extension Echo devices

are always listening,

Amazon announced a

new Alexa feature that’s already available.

It allows you to command the voice assistant to delete recent commands. Just say, “Alexa, delete everything I said today.”

 

Sounds great, but there’s still the problems of Alexa always listening and your old recordings. Let’s tackle the old recordings first. Unless the delete

command is expanded to include all recordings, you still have to remove old files manually. Here’s what to do:

 

list of 4 items

  1. Open the Alexa app and go into the “Settings” section.
  2. Select “History” and you’ll see a list of all the entries.
  3. Select an entry and tap the Delete button.
  4. If you want to delete all the recordings with a single click, you must visit the “Manage Your Content and Devices” page at amazon.com/mycd.

list end

 

As for Alexa and Echo devices always listening, well you could turn off each of the devices, but then what’s the point of having them? The real issue is

that we discovered Amazon employees around the world are listening to us and making transcriptions.

 

Here’s how to stop that:

 

list of 7 items

  1. Open the Alexa app on your phone.
  2. Tap the menu button on the top left of the screen.
  3. Select “Settings” then “Alexa Account.”
  4. Choose “Alexa Privacy.”
  5. Select “Manage how your data improves Alexa.”
  6. Turn off the toggle next to “Help Develop New Features.”
  7. Turn off the toggle next to your name under “Use Messages to Improve Transcriptions.”

list end

 

For extra privacy, there’s also a way to mute the Echo’s mics. To turn the Echo’s mic off, press the microphone’s off/on button at the top of the device.

Whenever this button is red, the mic is off. To reactivate it, just press the button again and it will turn blue.

 

How to stop Siri from recording what you say

 

Alexa isn’t the only nosey assistant. Don’t forget the ones on your iPhones and Androids. On your iPhone,

“Hey Siri” is always on

waiting to receive your command to call someone or send a text message, etc. Apple says your iPhone’s mic is always on as it waits for the “Hey Siri”

command, but swears it is not recording.

 

If it still makes you nervous, you don’t have to disable Siri completely to stop the “Hey Siri” feature. On your iPhone, go to Settings >> Siri & Search >>

toggle off “Listen for Hey Siri.”

 

Note: “Hey Siri” only works for iPhone 6s or later. iPhone 6 or earlier has to be plugged in for the “Hey Siri” wake phrase to work.

 

How to delete your recordings from Google Assistant

 

Google Assistant has the

“OK Google” wake-up call,

but the company introduced the My Account tool that lets you access your recordings and delete them if you want. You can also tell Google to stop recording

your voice for good.

 

Here’s how to turn off the “OK Google” wake phrase: On Android, go to Settings >> Google >> Search & Now >> Voice and turn “Ok Google” detection off.

 

How to control third-party apps that record you

 

Even if you do all these steps for your Apple and Android devices, third-party apps you download could have their own listening feature. Case in point:

Facebook (although it denies it. But it’s still a good practice to check to see if third-party apps are listening).

 

Here’s how to stop Facebook from listening to you:

 

If you are an iPhone user, go to Settings >> Facebook >> slide the toggle next to Microphone to the left so it turns from green to white.

 

Or, you can go to Settings >> Privacy >> Microphone >> look for Facebook and slide the toggle next to it to the left to turn off the mic. You can toggle

the mic on and off for other apps this way, too.

 

For Android users go to Settings >> Applications >> Application Manager >> look for Facebook >> Permissions >> turn off the mic.

 

Tricks to disable screen recorders on tablets

 

Certain Apple iPads have the phone’s “Hey Siri” wake-up command feature. They are the 2nd-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Other iPad

and iPad Touch models have to be plugged in for the “Hey Siri” wake phrase to work.

 

The bad news for privacy seekers is that iPads come with a screen recording feature that also records audio.  It may pose issues in terms of both privacy

and security.

 

You can disable the screen recording feature through another feature, “Screen Time”:

 

list of 4 items

  1. Open the Settings app, and then tap Screen Time. On the Screen Time panel, tap “Content & Privacy Settings.”
  2. Tap “Content Restrictions.” If you don’t see this option, turn on the switch next to “Content & Privacy Restrictions” to unhide it.
  3. Under “Game Center,” tap “Screen Recording.”
  4. Tap “Don’t Allow” and then exit the Settings app. The screen recording control should no longer work, even if it is enabled within the Control Center.

list end

 

Screen Time is available in iOS 12 and above. If you are still using iOS 11 or iOS 10 on your iPhone or iPad, the above steps can be found under Settings

>> General >> Restrictions.

 

Android tablets also can record video and audio. However, you have to use a third-party app to disable the camera.

 

On your Android device, go to the Play Store, then download and install the app called “Cameraless.”

 

list of 5 items

  1. Once installed, launch the app from your app drawer.
  2. On the app’s main menu, tap the option for “Camera Manager On/Off.” By default, the camera manager is set to “Off,” so you need to enable the app first

as one of your device administrators before you can switch it “On.”

  1. Once your camera manager is “On,” just tap the option for “Disable camera” then wait until the notice disappears on your screen.
  2. Once you’re done, just close the app then go to your tablet’s camera icon.
  3. If successfully disabled, you’ll immediately get a notice that your device camera has been disabled due to security policy violations. This is the notice

that you’ll get from the “Cameraless” app. If you click “OK” you’ll be taken back to your home screen.

list end

 

Desktop and laptops are watching and listening too

Computer monitor and keyboard

 

We’ve been warned for years about hackers taking control of cameras on your computer screen. No need for elaborate instructions on disabling and enabling

the camera. Just slap a sticker on it and only remove it if you have to use Skype. Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones.

 

Unfortunately, you do have to root around your computer a bit to turn off mics.

 

For PCs running Windows 10, the process is actually quite painless. Right-click on the “Start Button” and open “Device Manager.” In the “Device Manager”

window, expand the audio inputs and outputs section and you will see your microphone listed as one of the interfaces. Right-click on “Microphone” and select

“Disable.” You’re done.

 

For Macs, there are two methods depending on how old your operating system is. For Macs with newer operating systems:

 

list of 5 items

  1. Launch “System Preferences” from the Apple menu in the upper left corner.
  2. Click on the “Sound” preference panel.
  3. Click on the “Input” tab.
  4. Drag the “Input volume” slider all the way to the left so it can’t pick up any sound.
  5. Close “System Preferences.”

list end

 

If you have an older operating system, use this method:

 

list of 5 items

  1. Launch the “System Preferences.”
  2. Click on “Sound.”
  3. Click on the “Input” tab.
  4. Select “Line-in.”
  5. Close System Preferences

list end

 

Now you know how to take control of your devices and how they listen and record you. It’s a pretty simple way to get your privacy back, at least some of

it.

 

Stop Facebook’s targeted advertising by changing your account settings

 

Let me be frank: I only keep a Facebook account to engage with listeners of my national radio show. I don’t use my personal account. I stepped away from

the social media platform, and I never looked back.

 

Click here to read more about Facebook advertising.

 

Please share this information with everyone. Just click on any of the social media buttons on the side.

 

list of 14 items

  • Fraud/Security/Privacy
  • Alexa
  • Amazon
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Echo
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • iPad
  • Mac
  • PC
  • Privacy
  • Security
  • Siri

list end

 

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CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Apps Round-up, June 3, 2019

June 03, 2019

xApps round up

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my apps roundup.

Enjoy!

 

  1. Clew (iOS, Free)

 

Clew is an AR indoor navigation app designed for visually impaired users to help them retrace their steps in unfamiliar environments.

Current Version: 1.0.4 (February 17, 2019)

Read Clew’s AppleVis App Directory entry for more information

https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/navigation/clew

 

  1. MiniWiki (watchOS, Free With In-App Purchases)

 

MiniWiki is the best way to browse Wikipedia™ on your Apple Watch with ease.

 

From searching across 40 million articles, to downloading articles for offline reading, MiniWiki has you covered!

 

MiniWiki was designed from the ground up to compliment the Apple Watch’s unique screen size, resulting in a smooth and intutive Wikipedia experience.

 

Read  MiniWiki’s AppleVis App Directory entry for more information

https://www.applevis.com/apps/apple-watch/reference/miniwiki

 

Visit MiniWiki’s App Store page

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/miniwiki/id1448143759?mt=8&at=11l4LS

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, ReadEasy Move, May 27, 2019

May 27, 2019

Meet the ReadEasy Move

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to talk about the ReadEasy Move.

Let’s meet this product.

 

Meet the ReadEasy Move

 

Well folks, here it is.  Another alternative for you to check out!

 

Yet another  portable scanner for you to go out there and make friends with.  This is good, exciting, and a must read for you.

Please see below.

 

http://www.gwmicro.com/Reading_Systems/ReadEasy_Move/

The ReadEasy Move

Has Arrived

 

ReadEasy Move is an easy to use all-in-one portable device that reads to you.

 

ReadEasy Move will read practically any printed text out loud within seconds, in a clear human sounding voice.

 

Simply line up your document or book against the right hand edge of ReadEasy Move’s case, press the “Capture” button and within a few seconds your print material is being read out loud to you.

 

Who is the ReadEasy Move For?

 

ReadEasy Move is for anyone who needs quick, easy and accurate access to printed material.

 

ReadEasy Move has an intuitive and tactile design that makes it an ideal solution for people with all levels of vision from low vision to total blindness.

 

The one button operation of the ReadEasy Move makes it suitable for people of all ages whether you are 4 or 104!

 

ReadEasy Move could be the perfect reading system for you if:

 

*          You find it difficult to read with a magnifying glass.

*          You would like to be more independent and be able to read your own documents (mail, newspapers, bills, etc.).

*          You have a learning disability such as dyslexia and benefit from listening to text read to you out loud.

*          You find reading with a video magnifier (CCTV) too difficult because you can’t fit enough characters on the screen to read at your desired pace.

*          You find the constant movement of text on a video magnifier’s screen makes your eyes fatigued or gives you a nauseous feeling.

*          You already have a reading machine but wish it was faster, more accurate and had more features.

*          You have a degenerative eye condition and would like a system that is suitable both now and for the future.

 

What are ReadEasy Move’s Benefits?

ReadEasy Move features many benefits over other scanner and digital capture reading machines including:

 

ReadEasy+ capturing text from a letter size document image:

 

http://www.gwmicro.com/images/RE-Move-Letter-Cropped-w1000.jpg

 

Ease of use: ReadEasy Move is so easy to use. A single button press is all it takes to start reading your document. The six tactile in built controls are all that are required to access ReadEasy Move’s main features.

 

*          Accuracy: ReadEasy Move uses the latest camera and recognition technology to ensure it is as accurate as possible, even on complicated newspaper layouts or curved surfaces like cans of food.

*          Quality of speech: Using the latest natural sounding voices, together with a custom designed, integrated, 6 watt RMS stereo speaker system, there is no better sounding reading machine.

*          Speed: ReadEasy Move reads your document to you in just a few seconds, (typically 4-6), which means less waiting and more reading!

*          Stylish and practical design: A sleek, all aluminum case together with a detachable camera, allows the ReadEasy Move to fit anywhere in your home and can be easily transported when on the go with the included custom carrying case.

*          Footprint: Occupying just 7.6 x 3.1 inches, (192 x 78 mm), of table area, ReadEasy Move is extremely compact and 75% smaller than the previous versions.

*          Weight: ReadEasy Move is the world’s lightest free standing reading machine at just 4 lbs., (1.80 kg), making it easy to take with you or pack away.

*          Versatility: Read almost any surface, flat or round. ReadEasy Move’s camera allows it to capture deep into the spines of books without flattening them, as well as reading 3D objects like cans or prescription bottles.

*          Low Vision Pack: If you benefit from reading magnified text in high contrast then the ReadEasy Move with the Low Vision Pack is just for you. The ReadEasy Move with Low Vision Pack offers additional features that benefit users with low vision including being able to output captured text to a monitor so you can see the text as it is read aloud.

*          Advanced Feature Packs available: The Optional Keypad Feature Pack, Low Vision Pack and Low Vision Touch Pack greatly increases the capabilities of each device (e.g. saving, importing, exporting, bookmarking documents and large print text output to an interactive touch screen).

 

ReadEasy Move Features

ReadEasy Move lets you read more easily than ever before.

 

The ReadEasy Move is Easy to Setup

 

Image of the ReadEasy Move simple three step setup process. Image displays

ReadEasy Move with camera disconnected, camera connected and camera connected and opened for use.

 

ReadEasy Move is designed to be simple to set up and pack away. ReadEasy Move features a unique magnetic quick release camera system allowing the unit to be far more compact and lightweight. Simply placing the camera into its dock on the base unit automatically locates it into the correct position. Once the camera system is docked into place, pull the camera head out towards you. To pack away, just complete the same steps in reverse and place the unit in the included custom carrying case!

 

The ReadEasy Move is Easy to Use

 

With a specially designed tactile keypad, comprised of just 6 buttons, ReadEasy Move is incredibly simple to operate. From left to right, the tactile and uniquely shaped buttons include: speech faster, speech slower, previous sentence, play/pause, next sentence and capture.

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable

informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,

Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

 

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, scam alert, May 20, 2019

May 20, 2019

A scam alert

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my scam alert.

 

A scam alert

You have been left in someone’s will

 

If you receive an email telling you that you have been left in someone’s will;

Someone’s name that you do not recognize;

Just simply delete this email.

It may appear to you as being very real and you may want to investigate further

but do not do so.

If you make the mistake to reply, then guess what?

Your email address will be captured and the rest is now history.

 

Just take a moment to think of it!  You get an email out of the blue from someone telling you that you have been left a large sum of money by someone that you do not even know let alone that you have never even met!  In the general scheme of good luck; can this really be expected to be true?  Not really!

 

These emails are meant to grab your attention and get you to make that wee slip to respond and then bingo!  You have just opened wide your virtual door to the one lurking out there just waiting to pounce.  These emails usually originate from either Europe or Africa.  So just be aware.

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable

informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,

Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

Voice Dream Scanner: A New Kind of OCR by Bill Holton, AccessWorld

Voice Dream Scanner: A New Kind of OCR | AccessWorld
Author Bill Holton
9-11 minutes

Bill Holton
There is a new player in the optical character recognition (OCR) space, and it comes from an old friend: Winston Chen, the developer of Voice Dream Reader and Voice Dream Writer, both of which we’ve reviewed in past issues of AccessWorld. In this article we’ll start out with a brief conversation with Chen. Then we’ll take a look at the developer’s latest offering: Voice Dream Scanner. Spoiler alert—it will probably be the best $5.99 you’ll ever spend on a text recognition app!
AccessWorld readers who use their phones to audibly read e-Pub books, PDFs or Bookshare titles are likely already familiar with Voice Dream Reader. It works so well with VoiceOver and TalkBack, it’s hard to believe it wasn’t developed specifically for the access market. But according to Chen, “I just wanted to build a pocket reader I could use to store all my books and files so I could listen to them on the go. No one was more surprised than me when I began receiving feedback from dyslexic and blind users describing how helpful Voice Dream Reader was for their needs and making some simple suggestions to improve the app’s accessibility.”
Chen’s second offering, Voice Dream Writer, was also directed at the mainstream market. “Sometimes it’s easier to proofread your document by listening to it instead of simply rereading the text,” says Chen. At the time, Apple’s VoiceOver cut and paste features and other block text manipulation capabilities were,shall we say, not quite what they are today? The innovative way Chen handled these functions made Voice Dream Writer equally useful to users with visual impairments.
Reinventing the OCR Engine
“I’ve been wanting to add OCR to Voice Dream Reader for a few years now,” says Chen. “It would be useful for reading protected PDF’s and handouts and memos from school and work.”
The hurdle Chen kept encountering was finding a useable OCR engine. “There are some free, open source engines, but they don’t work well enough for my purposes,” he says. “The ones that do work well are quite expensive, either as a one-time license purchase with each app sold or with ongoing pay-by-the-use options. Either of these would have raised the price I have to charge too much for my value proposition.”
Last year, however, Chen began experimenting with Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI), called Vision Framework, that’s built into the latest iOS versions, along with Google’s Tesseract, TensorFlow Lite, and ML Kit.
“Instead of using a single standard OCR engine, I combined the best aspects of each of these freely available tools, and I was pleasantly surprised by the results.”
Instead of making OCR a Voice Dream Reader feature, Chen decided to incorporate his discovery into a separate app called Voice Dream Scanner. “I considered turning it into an in-app purchase, only there are a lot of schools that use Reader and they aren’t allowed to make in-app purchases,” he says. As to why he didn’t simply make it a new Reader feature, he smiles, “I do have a family to feed.”
Chen has been careful to integrate the new Voice Dream Scanner functionality into VD Reader, however. For example, if you load a protected PDF file into the app and open it, the Documents tab now offers a recognition feature. You can now also add to your Voice Dream Reader Library not only from Dropbox, Google Drive, and other sources, including Bookshare, but using your device’s camera as well.
To take advantage of this integration you’ll need both Voice Dream Reader and Voice Dream Scanner. Both can be purchased from the iOS App Store. VD Reader is also available for Android, but currently VD Scanner is iOS only.
Of course you don’t have to have VD Reader to enjoy the benefits of the new Voice Dream Scanner.
A Voice Dream Scanner Snapshot
The app installs quickly and easily, and displays with the icon name “Scanner” on your iOS device. Aim the camera toward a page of text. The app displays a real-time video image preview which is also the “Capture Image” button. Double tap this button, the camera clicks, and the image is converted to text almost immediately. You are placed on the “Play” button, give a quick double tap and the text is spoken using either a purchased VD Reader voice or your chosen iOS voice. Note: You can instruct Scanner to speak recognized text automatically in the Settings Menu.
From the very first beta version of this app I tested, I was amazed by the speed and accuracy of the recognition. The app is amazingly forgiving as far as camera position and lighting. Envelopes read the return addresses, postmarks and addresses. Entire pages of text voiced without a single mistake. Scanner even did an excellent job with a bag of potato chips, even after it was crumpled and uncrumpled several times. Despite the fact there is no OCR engine to download, and the recognition is done locally, a network connection is not required. I used the app with equal success even with Airplane mode turned on.
After each scan you are offered the choice to swipe left once to reach the Discard button, twice to reach the Save button. Note: the VoiceOver two-finger scrub gesture also deletes the current text.
Scanner does not save your work automatically. You have the choice to save it as a text file, a PDF, or to send it directly to Voice Dream Reader. You probably wouldn’t send a single page to Reader, but the app comes with a batch mode. Use this mode to scan several pages at once and then save them together: perfect for that 10-page print report your boss dropped on your desk, or maybe the short story a creative writing classmate passed out for review.
Other Scanner features of interest to those with visual impairments are edge detection and a beta version of auto capture.
Edge detection plays a tone that grows increasingly steady until all four edges are visible, at which time it becomes a solid tone. Auto-capture does just that, but since the AI currently detects any number of squares where there is no text this feature is only available in beta. However, if you’re using a scanner stand it will move along quite nicely, nearly as fast as you can rearrange the pages.
You can also import an image to be recognized. Unfortunately, as of now, this feature is limited to pictures in your photo library. There is currently no way to send an e-mail or file image to Scanner. Look for this to change in an upcoming version.
The benefits of Voice Dream Scanner are by no means limited to the blindness community. Chen developed the app to be used as a pocket player for documents and other printed material he wishes to scan and keep. Low vision users can do the same, then use either iOS magnification or another text-magnification app to review documents. It doesn’t matter in which direction the material is scanned. Even upside-down documents are saved right-side up. Performance is improved by the “Image Enhancement” feature, which attempts to locate the edges of scanned documents and save them more or less as pages.
The Bottom Line
I never thought I’d see the day when I would move KNFB-Reader off my iPhone’s Home screen. Microsoft’s Seeing AI gave it a good run for its money and until now I kept them both on my Home screen. But I have now moved KNFB-Reader to a back screen and given that honored spot to Voice Dream Scanner.
Most of my phone scanning is done when I sort through the mail. Seeing AI’s “Short Text” feature does a decent job helping me sort out which envelopes to keep and which to toss into my hardware recycle bin. But Scanner is just as accurate as any OCR-engine based app, and so quick, the confirmation announcement of the Play button often voices after the scanned document has begun to read.
This is the initial release. Chen himself says there is still work to be done. “Column recognition is not yet what I hope it will be,” he says. “I’d also like to improve auto-capture and maybe offer users the choice to use the volume buttons to initiate a scan.
Stay tuned.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
Comment on this article.
Related articles:
• Envision AI and Seeing AI: Two Multi-Purpose Recognition Apps by Janet Ingber
• An Evaluation of OrCam MyEye 2.0 by Jamie Pauls
More by this author:
• Letters, We Get Letters: Receiving Digital Scans of Your Mail Envelopes Using Informed Delivery
• A Look at the New Narrator, Microsoft’s Built-In Windows Screen Reader
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Getting the Job Done with Assistive Technology: It May Be Easier Than You Think, AccessWorld

Getting the Job Done with Assistive Technology: It May Be Easier Than You Think | AccessWorld
afb.org

Getting the Job Done with Assistive Technology: It May Be Easier Than You Think | AccessWorld
Author Jamie Pauls
10-12 minutes
——————————————————————————–

main region
article
Jamie Pauls

I remember getting my first computer back in the early 90s almost like it was yesterday. A friend of mine was receiving regular treatments from a massage
therapist who happened to be blind. My friend mentioned that this gentleman used a computer with a screen reader. I was vaguely aware that this technology
existed, but I never really considered using a computer myself until that first conversation I had with my friend. I began doing some research, and eventually
purchased my first computer with a screen reader and one program included. I’m sure there were a few other programs on that computer, but WordPerfect is
the only one I recall today. The vendor from whom I purchased the computer came to my home, helped me get the computer up and running, and gave me about
a half-hour of training on how to use the thing. A few books from what is now
Learning Ally
as well as the
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
along with some really late nights were what truly started me on my journey. I sought guidance from a few sighted friends who were more than willing to
help, but didn’t have any knowledge about assistive technology. There were times when I thought I had wasted a lot of money and time, but I eventually
grew to truly enjoy using my computer.

I eventually became aware of a whole community of blind people who used assistive technology. They all had their preferred screen reader, and most people
used only one. Screen readers cost a lot of money and hardware-based speech synthesizers increased the cost of owning assistive tech. Unless the user was
willing to learn how to write configuration files that made their screen reader work with specific programs they wanted or needed to use, it was important
to find out what computer software worked best with one’s chosen screen reader. I eventually outgrew that first screen reader, and spent money to switch
to others as I learned about them. I have no idea how much money I spent on technology in those early years, and that is probably for the best!

Fast forward 25 years or so, and the landscape is totally different. I have a primary desktop PC and a couple laptop computers all running Windows 10.
I have one paid screen reader—JAWS for Windows from
Vispero
—and I use two free screen-reading solutions—NVDA, from
NVAccess
and Microsoft’s built-in screen reader called Narrator.

I also have a MacBook Pro running the latest version of Apple’s Mac operating system that comes with the free VoiceOver screen reader built in. I have
access to my wife’s iPad if I need to use it, and I own an iPhone 8 Plus. These devices also run VoiceOver. Finally, I own a BrailleNote Touch Plus,
HumanWare’s
Android-based notetaker designed especially for the blind.

Gone are the days when I must limit myself to only one screen reader and one program to get a task accomplished. If a website isn’t behaving well using
JAWS and Google’s Chrome browser, I might try the same site using the Firefox browser. If I don’t like the way JAWS is presenting text to me on that website,
maybe I’ll switch to NVDA. If the desktop version of a website is too cluttered for my liking, I’ll often try the mobile version using either Safari on
my iPhone, or Chrome on my BrailleNote Touch.

The lines between desktop application and Internet site have blurred to the point that I honestly don’t think about it much anymore. It is often possible
to use either a computer or a mobile device to conduct banking and purchase goods.

So what makes all this added flexibility and increased choice possible, anyway? In many cases, the actual hardware in use is less expensive than it used
to be, although admittedly products such as the BrailleNote Touch are still on the high end of the price spectrum. Along with the availability of more
screen readers and magnification solutions than ever before, the cost of most of these solutions has come down greatly. Even companies like Vispero that
still sell a screen reader that can cost over a thousand dollars if purchased outright are now offering software-as-a-service options that allow you to
pay a yearly fee that provides the latest version of their software complete with updates for as long as you keep your subscription active.

While some may not consider free options such as NVDA or Narrator to be as powerful and flexible as JAWS, they will be perfectly adequate for other people
who aren’t using a computer on the job complete with specialized software that requires customized screen reader applications to make it work properly.
There are those who will rightly point out that free isn’t really free. You are in fact purchasing the screen reader when you buy a new computer as is
the case with VoiceOver on the Mac. While this may be true, the shock to the pocketbook may not be as noticeable as it would be if you had to plunk down
another thousand bucks or so for assistive technology after you had just purchased a new computer.

In addition to the advancements in screen reading technology along with the reduced cost of these products, app and website developers are becoming increasingly
educated about the needs of the blind community. I once spoke with a game developer who told me that he played one of his games using VoiceOver on the
iPhone for six weeks so he could really get a feel for how the game behaved when played by a blind person. Rather than throwing up their hands in frustration
and venting on social media about how sighted developers don’t care about the needs of blind people, many in the blind community are respectfully reaching
out to developers, educating them about the needs of those who use assistive technology, and giving them well-deserved recognition on social media when
they produce a product that is usable by blind and sighted people alike. Also, companies like Microsoft and Apple work to ensure that their screen readers
work with the company’s own including Safari and Microsoft Edge. Google and Amazon continue to make strides in the area of accessibility as well. Better
design and standards make it more likely that multiple screen readers will work well in an increasing number of online and offline scenarios.

You may be someone who is currently comfortable using only one screen reader with one web browser and just a few recommended programs on your computer.
You may be thinking that everything you have just read in this article sounds great, but you may be wondering how to actually apply any of it in your life.
First, I would say that if you are happy with your current technology then don’t feel intimidated by someone else who uses other solutions. That said,
I would urge you to keep your screen reading technology up to date as far as is possible. Also, make sure that you are using an Internet browser that is
fully supported by the websites you frequently visit. This will ensure that your experience is as fulfilling as it should be. For example, though Microsoft
Internet Explorer has been a recommended browser for many years for those using screen access technology due to its accessibility, it is no longer receiving
feature updates from Microsoft, and therefore many modern websites will not display properly when viewed using it.

If you think you would like to try new applications and possibly different assistive technology solutions but you don’t know where to start, keep reading.

Back when I first started using a computer, I knew of very few resources to which I could turn in order to gain skills in using assistive technology. Today,
there are many ebooks, tutorials, webinars, podcasts, and even paid individual training services available for anyone who wishes to expand their knowledge
of computers and the like. One excellent resource that has been referenced many times in past issues of AccessWorld is
Mystic Access,
where you can obtain almost every kind of training mentioned in the previous sentences. Another resource you may recognize is the
National Braille Press,
which has published many books that provide guidance on using various types of technology. Books from National Braille Press can generally be purchased
in both braille or in electronic formats.

There are also many online communities of people with vision loss who use a specific technology. Two of the most well known are
AppleVis
for users of iOS devices and the
Eyes-Free Google Group
for users of the Android platform. Both communities are places where new and long time users of these platforms can go to find assistance getting started
with the technology or for help troubleshooting issues they may encounter.

While I vividly recall my first experiences as a novice computer user, it is almost impossible for me to imagine actually going back to those days. Today,
the landscape is rich and the possibilities are endless for anyone who wishes to join their sighted counterparts in using today’s technology. While there
are still many hurdles to jump, I am confident that things will only continue to improve as we move forward.

So fear not, intrepid adventurer. Let’s explore this exciting world together. In the meantime, happy computing!

This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

list of 2 items
• Looking Back on 20 Years of Assistive Technology: Where We’ve Been and How Far and Fast We’ve Come
by Bill Holton
• Getting the Most out of Sighted Computer Assistance: How to Help the Helpers
by Bill Holton
list end

More by this author:

list of 2 items
• Pinterest Takes Steps Toward Accessibility
• A Review of “Stress Less, Browse Happy: Your Guide to More Easily and Effectively Navigating the Internet with a Screen Reader,” an audio tutorial from
Mystic Access
list end

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Alt-texts: The Ultimate Guide by Daniel Göransson

Alt-texts: The Ultimate Guide

Author: Daniel Göransson

Date Written: Oct 14, 2017 at 5:00 PM

Date Saved: 5/14/19, 1:43 PM

This post contains everything you need to know about alt-texts! When to use them and how to perfectly craft them. By me, Daniel, a web developer with vision impairment who use a screen reader in my day-to-day life.

 

My experience of images on the web

I use a combination of magnification and screen reader when surfing the web. As a rule of thumb, I use magnification on larger screens and a screen reader on smaller devices.

I, like everyone else, come across many images when surfing the web. If I’m using a screen reader I depend on getting a description of the image – the alt-text – read to me.

Many times the alt-text is not helpful, often even a waste of my time because it doesn’t convey any meaning.

Let me illustrate this on The Verge’s startpage. This is what it looks like for sighted people:

 

Below is what I see. I’ve replaced the images with what my screen reader reads:

 

Not very useful, huh?

Here are some common alt-text-fails I come across:

  • “cropped_img32_900px.png” or “1521591232.jpg” – the file names, probably because the image has no alt-attribute.
  • “” – on every image in the article, probably for improving search ranking (SEO).
  • “Photographer: Emma Lee” – probably because the editor doesn’t know what an alt-text is for.

Alt-texts are not always this bad, but there’s usually a lot to improve upon. So whether you are a complete beginner or want to take your “game” to the next level, here’s our ultimate guide to alt-texts!

What is an alt-text

An alt-text is a description of an image that’s shown to people who for some reason can’t see the image. Among others, alt-texts help:

  • people with little or no vision
  • people who have turned off images to save data
  • search engines

The first group – people with little or no vision – is arguably the one that benefits most from alt-texts. They use something called a screen reader to navigate the web. A screen reader transforms visual information to speech or braille. To do this accurately, your website’s images need to have alt-texts.

Alt-texts are super important! So important that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have alt-texts as their very first guideline:

All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.
– WCAG guideline 1.1.1

How do I add an alt-text?

In html, an alt-text is an attribute in an image element:

HTML

Most content management systems (CMS), like WordPress, let you create the alt-text when you upload an image:

 

The field is usually named “Alt-text”, “Alternative text” or “Alt”, but in some interfaces it’s called “Image description” or something similar.

Let’s create the perfect alt-text!

Here are the steps to crafting fabulous alt-texts!

It might sound obvious, but an alt-text should describe the image. For example:
“Group of people on a train station.”
“Happy baby playing in a sand box.”
“Five people in line at a supermarket.”

Things that do not belong in an alt-text are:

  • The name of the photographer. This is very common, but makes absolutely no sense.
  • Keywords for search engine optimization. Don’t cram alt-text with irrelevant words you’re hoping to rank high on Google with. That’s not what alt-texts are for and it will confuse your users.

Content of the alt-text depends on context

How you describe the image depends on its context. Let me give you an example:

 

If this image was featured in an article about photography, the alt-text could be something along the lines of:

“Close up, greyscale photograph of man outside, face in focus, unfocused background.”

If the image is on a website about a TV-series, an appropriate alt-text could be completely different:

“Star of the show, Adam Lee, looking strained outside in the rain.”

So write an alt-text that is as meaningful as possible for the user in the context they’re in.

Keep it concise

Reading the previous section, you might be thinking to yourself: “I, as a sighted user, can see many details in the image, like who it is, how it’s photographed, type of jacket, approximate age of the guy and more. Why not write a detailed, long alt-text so a user with visual impairment gets as much information as I do?”

Glad you asked!

Well frankly, you can also get the necessary information from the image at a glance, and that’s what we’re trying to achieve for users with screen readers as well. Give the necessary information in the alt-text, but make it as short and concise as possible.

One of the few times you should write long alt-texts is when you’re describing an image containing important text. Ideally, you should not have images of text, but sometimes you need to. Like on some screenshots or photos of signs.

But the general rule of thumb is to keep it concise and avoid a verbose experience.

Don’t say it’s an image

Don’t start alt-texts with “Image of”, “Photo of” or similar. The screen reader will add that by default. So if you write “Image of” in an alt-text, a screen reader will say “Image Image of…” when the user focuses on the image. Not very pleasant.

One thing you can do is end the alt-text by stating if it’s a special type of image, like an illustration.

“Dog jumping through a hoop. Illustration.”

End with a period.

End the alt-text with a period. This will make screen readers pause a bit after the last word in the alt-text, which creates a more pleasant reading experience for the user.

Don’t use the title-attribute

Many interfaces have a field for adding title-texts to images close to where you can add an alt-text. Skip the title text! Nobody uses them – they don’t work on touch screens and on desktop they require that the user hovers for a while over an image, which nobody does. Also, adding a title-text makes some screen readers both read the title-text and the alt-text, which becomes redundant. So just don’t add a title-text.

When not to use an alt-text

In most cases you should use an alt-text for images, but there are some exceptions where you should leave the alt-text blank. Important note: never remove the alt-attribute, that would mean breaking the html-standard. But you are allowed to set it to an empty string, that is: alt=””. Do that in the following cases.

Repeated images in feeds

Pretend you’re scrolling through your Twitter feed. Everytime you want to read a new tweet, you first have to listen to “Profile picture of user ”. In my opinion, that would be super annoying!

Other examples of feeds are:

  • A list of links to articles. Like the one on our page Articles.
  • Chat or messaging feeds
  • Feeds of comments

So for an ideal user experience, leave the alt-text blank for images that are used repeatedly in feeds.

Icons with text labels

You should always have text labels next to icons. Assuming you do, the icon should not have an alt-text. Let me explain why!

Let’s take a social media button as an example:

 

If you would write an alt text to the Facebook icon, a screen reader would say something along the line: “Facebook Facebook.” Very redundant!

OK, this is technically not about alt-texts but still important: make sure both the icon and the link text are in the same link-attribute, to get a smooth experience. Like this:
HTML

  

  Facebook

 

Another common mistake with icons is on menu buttons:

 

If the menu button has no visual text label – which, by the way, is really bad for the user experience – then it needs an alt-text (or another way of describing its function in code, like aria-label). Explain the icon’s function, like “Menu”. Don’t write “Three horizontal lines” or “Main hamburger”, which sadly are real examples I’ve stumbled on.

If the menu icon has a label, you should leave the alt-text blank. I often find menu buttons which are read as “Menu menu”. Once I even came across “Hamburger menu menu”. Somewhat confusing wouldn’t you say?

Images in links

Usually an image within a link is accompanied by a link text. Like in the example below:

 

In this case, the image and the link should be in the same link-tag in the html. In this case, you can just leave the alt-text blank. The important thing for the user is to hear the link text. An alt-text of the image would only distract by adding information that the user will not find necessary. The image is probably found on the page that is linked, and then you can give a good explanation of it in the alt-text.

If you really, really have to have an image in a link without an accompanying text, then the alt-text should describe the link destination, not the image.

Preferably, decorative images that do not convey any meaning to the user should be placed as background images in css. It probably goes without saying, but this means you don’t need alt-texts on them at all.

I’d classify most images that you place text on as decorative. You don’t need an alt-text on them. One example is the background image on Netflix’s startpage:

 

Special cases

Logos in the banner

Logos in the banner almost always link to the websites start page. The opinions vary a bit on the topic of alt-texts for logos.

Some say it should include the company name, the fact that it is a logo and the destination of the link. Like such:

“Axess Lab, logotype, go to start page.”

In my opinion, this is a bit verbose. Too much noise! Since my screen reader already tells me it’s an image and a link, I only feel I need to hear the company name. From the fact it’s an image I assume it’s a logo and from the fact it’s a link I assume it follow conventions and links to the start page.

Svg

Scalable vector graphics (svg) is an image format that’s becoming more and more popular on the web. And I love them! They keep their sharpness while zooming and take up less space so websites load faster.

There are a two main ways of adding an svg to an html-page.

  1. Inside an img-element. In that case, just add an alt-text as usual:
HTML
  2. Using an svg-tag. If you use this method, you can’t add an alt-attribute because there’s no support for that. However you can get around this by adding two wai-aria attributes: role=”img” and aria-label=”.

Actually, for the second case, you’re supposed to be able to add your alt-text as a title-element in the svg, but there is not enough support for that from browsers and assistive technologies at the moment.

Can’t a machine do this for me?

Although machine learning and artificial intelligence is improving quickly and can describe some images quite accurately, they are not good enough at understanding the relevant context at the moment. On top of that, machines are not good enough at deciding what is “concise”, and will often describe too much or too little of the image.

Facebook has actually built in a feature that describes images automatically. But I feel like the descriptions are usually too general. One image in my feed right now is described as: “Cat indoors”. The actual photo shows a cat hunting a toy mouse.

So I’m sorry, you still have to write alt-texts yourself!

Thanks for making the web better!

I’m happy you read this far! It means you care about making the web a better place for all users. Spread the knowledge and keep being awesome!

Get notified when we write new stuff

About once a month we write an article about accessibility or usability, that’s just as awesome as this one (#HumbleBrag)!

Get notified by following us on Twitter @AxessLab or Facebook.

Or simply drop your email below!

 

 

 

NaviLens for iOS and Android: The cutting edge technology for the visually impaired

NaviLens for iOS and Android: The cutting edge technology for the visually impaired

Date Saved: 5/13/19, 10:44 AM

Source: http://www.navilens.com/

 

Maximum autonomy for the visually impaired

 

Unlike other markers, such as the well-known QR codes, NaviLens has a powerful algorithm based on Computer Vision capable of detecting multiple markers at great distances in milliseconds, even in full motion without the need of focusing. It is a cost-effective solution with minimum maintenance required.

 

The application is based on a novel system of artificial markers, which combines high density (multitude of combinations) with long range (a 20cm wide marker is detected up to 12 meters away).

In addition, the detection algorithm could read multiple markers at the same time, at high speed and even in full motion.

Discover the interface

100% user friendly interface for the visually impaired

 

See for yourself, YouTube testimonials!

This is how NaviLens can help the visually impaired. Below discover the testimonials of the first users

 

Underground

Ticket machine

Signs

Bus stop

Press

Awards

 

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You will receive the latest updates. We won’t spam you, we promise 🙂 NaviLens is a new integral system of artificial markers based on Computer Vision. It allows the user to read a special tag, displayed in their environment, from a great distance; it also assists in orienting the user toward the tag as well as obtains detailed information associated with that tag in particular in the same way that traditional signs would be read by a person with full visual capacity. To do this, the marker recognition algorithm is complemented by a novel 3D sound system that, without the need for headphones, informs the user of the position, distance, and orientation of the marker. It allows a visually impaired person to navigate in unfamiliar territory with complete autonomy in the same manner a person without a visual impairment could.

 

How to use NaviLens from YouTube:

Published on Dec 28, 2018

NaviLens, an app that makes it easier for visual impaired people to access information through QR codes of colors, has a new functionality available for users to download tags for their own personal use. Until now these tags were available in public spaces such as train stations. In this new functionality, the codes provided are blank for users to record any information about the objects in their environment. The developers have created tags of different sizes that can be adjusted to the needs of remote reading. In addition, they are printable and easily separated.

 

Category

Science & Technology

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Privacy Protection, May 13, 2019

May 13 2019

Privacy protection

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my tip on privacy protection.

 

Privacy protection

We are constantly striving to protect ourselves from scams and scammers, but most of all we need to ensure that our privacy, confidentiality, and independence are kept safe from prying eyes and those who thrive on destroying our right to these precious commodities.

 

Applying for a passport

These are the following ways that you can do this and it all depends on whether you are applying for a new passport or applying for a passport renewal.

You can do it online but the relevant website is not user friendly for a vision impaired person.

Or you can obtain the relevant forms at the nearest post office.

However, you will again need help to do this with the aid of a trusted person.

You could get a head start by phoning your Federal MP’s office and asking them to tell you which supporting documentation you would need and you could also ask them to help provide you with a trusted person if you are unable to find someone.

Chances are that they will help you all the way.

From completing the forms to accompanying you to the nearest Service Canada office to present it to the agent.

However, you should be prepared that this may not be the case but it is worth a try.

To obtain the name and phone number of your Federal MP, call the toll free number 1 800 622 6232

 

Remember now:  Make sure to store your passport in a very safe place as it contains details of your date of birth and if your passport is ever lost, it means that your details are probably now in the hands of unauthorized persons.

 

That’s it from me for this week!

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to any of the following libraries.

Recipes – A collection of hard to find recipes

Audio mysteries for all ages – Comfort listening any time of the day

Home and garden – A collection of great articles for around the home and garden

Or you can subscribe to all 3 for the price of $30 annually.

Visit http://www.donnajodhan.com/subscription-libraries.html

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Apps Round-Up, May 6, 2019

May 062019

Apps round up

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my apps roundup.

Enjoy!

 

1. Calm Radio – Relaxing Music (iOS, Free with In-App Purchases)

 

Calm Radio is the world’s largest collection of relaxation music, meditation

focus study and sleep music and nature sounds.

 

Calm is also the world’s largest collection of classical music channels

like Mozart, Bach, Symphonies, Sonatas, Choirs … more.

 

All designed so you can work, focus and sleep better.

 

Current Version: 11.6 (January 25, 2019)

 

Read Calm Radio – Relaxing Music’s AppleVis App Directory entry for more

information https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/music/calm-radio-relaxing-music

 

Visit Calm Radio – Relaxing Music’s App Store page

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/calm-radio-relaxing-music/id918425515?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D8

 

2. Ralphs (iOS, Free)

 

Looking for a faster, easier, more rewarding shopping experience? Save time

and money with the Ralphs app! It puts convenience, savings and rewards at

your fingertips. Simply download the app, create an account and register

your Ralphs Rewards Card to access all these great benefits:

 

* Shop Pickup or Delivery right from the app!

* Easily build your online shopping list, and use it to shop in-store or to

place your online order.

* View your Weekly Ads and quickly add sale items or specials to your

shopping list.

* Load digital coupons directly to your Rewards Card and use them to save

on items from your shopping list.

* Get even more savings with exclusive promotions, personalized offers and

bonus rewards.

* Refill your Ralphs Pharmacy prescriptions directly from your phone or

tablet. Just type in your prescription number, select your Pharmacy and

schedule a convenient pickup time.

* Check your fuel points.

* Use our locator to find the closest Ralphs store or fuel center.

* View your purchase history. Use it to create standard orders that will

save you time.

* Add your Rewards Card to Passbook for iPhone and iPod Touch.

 

To use the Ralphs app, you’ll need a Ralphs digital account. You can

register for your account and link your Rewards Card through the app. If you

don’t have a Rewards Card, you can create one when you register to access

all of these savings and rewards!

 

Current Version: 16.0 (January 24, 2019)

 

Read Ralphs’ AppleVis App Directory entry for more information

https://www.applevis.com/apps/ios/shopping/ralphs

 

Visit Ralphs’ App Store page

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ralphs/id584459861?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D8&at=11l4LS

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media, Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, media pocket watch, April 29, 2019

April 29, 2019

Meet the media pocket watch

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to talk about the media pocket watch.

Let’s meet this product.

 

Meet the media pocket watch

 

Well readers, here is what I have discovered and although this article me be a bit long, it is worth the reading.  I myself have bought this great little gadget and I simply love it.

Please have a read.

 

Alexandravision is an innovative Swiss company specialized in watches for

the visually impaired.

 

The “Meteor” quartz timepiece was developed for visually impaired people

with the help of visually impaired people.

 

Its beauty lies in its elegant shape and pleasant feel, appealing to

visually impaired and sighted people alike.

 

Its original appearance of a crescent moon with a rounded bottom will make

more than one of your friends curious or even envious.

 

With its three buttons, the Meteor gives the time very simply by discrete

vibrations.

 

It also has many other qualities.

 

Of course, it’s a precize quartz watch.

 

It’s sturdy and waterproof.

 

Time setting is child’s play which only appeal to the sense of touch.

 

The batteries are powerful enough to make it vibrate more than five years.

 

It’s affordable for all.

 

Its nomination for the 2011 Canne Blanche award is firm evidence that we’ve

achieved our goal.

 

And providing the instructions for use as a video designed for the blind

adds the finishing touch to its ground-breaking approach.

 

How it works in detail.

Our watch was conceived to be of a simple use.

 

It indicates time by inaudible and discreet vibrations.

 

It has 3 buttons:

 

The upper button for Hours,

 

the central button for Tens of Minutes,

 

and the last button for Minutes.

 

Time indication.

A brief pressure with the thumb on the upper button indicates the Hours,

 

a brief pressure on the central button indicates the Tens of Minutes,

 

a brief pressure on the last button indicates the Minutes.

 

A short vibration indicates 1 unit and a long vibration indicates 5 units.

 

The indication range for the Hours is 1 to 12, for the Tenth of Minutes 0 to

5 and for the Minutes 0 to 9.

 

Examples:

 

3 short vibrations indicate 3 Hours or 30 Minutes or 3 Minutes depending on

the pressed button,

 

1 long vibration indicates 5 Hours or 50 Minutes or 5 Minutes depending on

the pressed button,

 

2 long vibrations followed by 2 short vibrations indicate 12 Hours,

 

no vibration indicates 0 Tens of Minutes or 0 Minute depending on the

pressed button.

 

The buttons may be pressed in any order.

 

For example, you can check just the Tens of Minutes and then the Minutes.

 

Time Setting.

Press and hold the upper button to set the Hours,

 

press and hold the central button to set the Ten of Minutes,

 

press and hold the last button to set the Minutes.

 

The pressure has to go beyond a long vibration which indicates you are in

setting mode.

 

Each of the short vibrations that follows, counts for 1 unit and adjusts the

watch until the button is released.

 

Examples:

 

To set the Hours at 9 o’clock, press and hold until you have felt the long

vibration followed by 9 short vibrations. Then release the button.

 

To set the Tens of Minutes to 0, press and hold until you have felt the end

of the long vibration. Then release the button.

 

The time can be set in any order.

 

For example, you can just set the Minutes. Hours and Tens of Minutes will

not be affected.

 

Changing the battery.

The battery will last between 2 and 5 years depending on the use of your

watch.

 

Use only Energizer 357 type batteries or equivalent.

 

Whenever possible, have your battery changed by a specialized watchmaker.

 

Guarantee.

Alexandravision watches are guaranteed for 2 years. This warranty covers all

manufacturing defects.

 

It does not cover the normal wear of the materials of which they are

constituted, nor damages due to an abnormal use, nor the battery. The Meteor

is waterproof. It can be cleaned with a wet tissue but should not be put

into water. The pendants are not waterproof.

http://www.alexandravision.com

Meteor Vibrating Pocket Watch Demo

Transcribed from audio by Kayde Rieken

J.J. Meddaugh: Hi, everybody. J.J. Meddaugh here, and I want to tell you

about a new product that we’ve added to A.T. Guys that we actually

discovered at the CSUN conference in San Diego. It’s from a company in

Switzerland called Alexandravision, and it’s a vibrating pocket watch. So

what this allows you to do is completely independently-and without

distraction to other people-check the current time, completely without audio

or Braille or anything else.

 

So it’s a really simple design. This is called the Meteor, and it has three

buttons on it. So the first button is for the hours, and I’m going to put

this up to the speaker so you can hear it vibrate.

 

[The watch gives four short vibrations.]

 

That’s four vibrations for4:00, and then I press the middle button, which is

for the tens .

 

[The watch gives three short vibrations.]

 

Three vibrations for 30, and then I press the bottom button for the minutes

digit .

 

[The watch gives one longer vibration.]

 

And one long vibration for 5. So the long vibrations are fives, the short

ones are ones. So it’s 4:35. A.M. or P.M. does not matter here, it’s just a

12-hour timepiece, and as you can tell, you can figure out the time

completely by vibration. So you can just keep this in your pocket and

determine the time without distracting other people.

 

The shape of this thing is like a small oval with part of it cut out. So the

oval is maybe two and a half to three inches long. There’s one end that’s a

little bit thicker, that’s the bottom. The top end is thinner, that’s the

top. And on one side of the oval it’s cut out a little bit, and that’s where

the buttons are. They feel like little Braille bumps, but a little bit

bigger than that, and they are very well-defined and easy to find.

 

To set the watch, it’s also really simple. So say I actually want to change

it to 5:00. I hold down the hours button, and I wait for a long vibration.

 

[The watch gives a long vibration.]

 

And then.

 

[The watch gives shorter vibrations, and J.j. counts them.]

 

One . two . three . four . five . and let up on the button, and now I’ve set

it to 5:00.

 

[The watch gives a final vibration.]

 

One other thing to note here is that you don’t necessarily have to press all

of the buttons. So you know it’s already 5:00. You can just press the tens

of minutes button .

 

[The watch gives three short vibrations.]

 

30 .

 

[The watch gives one long vibration, then two short ones.]

 

  1. 5:37. So as you can see, the operation of this pocket watch is quite

simple. It was designed that way on purpose. It’s just to act as a really

simple timekeeping device, so if you’re in a meeting, or if you’re someplace

where you don’t want to deal with a loud talking watch or pull out your

phone, you can really discretely tell the time. Also, if you are or know

someone who is hard of hearing, this would be a great tool as a timekeeping

device, since it operates completely via vibration. So anybody, even someone

who has no hearing at all, could use this watch.

 

The watch uses a typical watch battery and will last from two to five years

on a single battery, and of course you can replace it after that. It comes

with a two-year manufacturer warranty against hardware defects.

 

So this is the Meteor pocket watch. We are the first in the United States to

be distributing this. It’s available currently on the A T Guys website for a

retail price of $117 plus shipping. I’d be happy to answer any questions you

might have. Of course, you can email support@atguys.com

<mailto:support%40atguys.com> , @atguys on Twitter, or call us at

269-216-4798 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 269-216-4798 FREE

end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Again, http://www.atguys.com. Thanks so much for

listening. I’m J.J. Meddaugh.

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable

informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,

Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

 

Beepball: Leveling the Playing Field for 125 Years

Beepball: Leveling the Playing Field for 125 Years
— Read on www.fredshead.info/2019/04/beepball-leveling-playing-field-for-125.html

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Franklin language master, April 22, April 22, 2019

April 22, 2019

Meet the Franklin language master

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to talk about the Franklin language master.

Let’s meet this product.

 

Meet the Franklin Language Master

 

Now, here is one of my very favorite gadgets and I have been friends with this particular gadget for many years now.  What is it?  Well, the Franklin Language Master is a full blown dictionary that enables you to use it as a dictionary.  It is a dictionary with the following functions:

Thesaurus, word lookup, synonyms, homonyms, spelling capabilities, and it even has a number of games that you can play.

 

These are all word games.  The voice is very clear, and it runs on battery as well as via an adapter.  It comes with a pair of headphones and has a very nice little traveling case.

 

I take my Franklin Language Master with me everywhere I go.  It is a real gem for me and I hope you go out there and make friends with it.

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable

informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,

Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, scam alert, April 15, 2019

April 15, 2019

A scam alert

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my scam alert.

 

A scam alert

This is for those of you who own your own domain name.

 

Your domain name is in violation

 

You’ll probably receive an email telling you that someone else in another country has the exact same domain name as yours and you’ll be asked to cease and desist.  Or you’ll be asked to sell your domain name.

 

You can do any of three things:

  1. Simply ignore this email and move on.
  2. You can choose to get rid of your domain name.
  3. You can choose to sell your domain name.

 

My suggestion would be for you to just ignore this email and move on.  Any communication with the sender could only lead to you getting in over your head in that you are bound to be asked more questions.

The thing is that you will never know if this is an authentic email and it is not worth the while to even find out.

 

That’s it from me for this week.

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to either of the following libraries.

Recipes –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-recipes.html

Audio mysteries for all ages –

http://www.donnajodhan.com/library-audio-mysteries.html

Or you can subscribe to both for the price of $20 annually.

Now you  can subscribe to “‘Let’s Talk Tips”‘ which is my monthly resource for the most current and reliable

informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,

Business, and Advocacy.

http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

Supersense App for Android

To our Android followers here’s another helpful Artificial Intelligence app.

 

Hey friends,

 

We have just released Supersense, a new kind of Android app for the visually impaired and the blind. It is very different from SeeingAI, Envision, and others. Supersense helps you locate an empty chair, a door, a trashcan, and many other useful things. It does all of this offline, without an internet connection. If you have ever had difficulty finding objects around you, you may want to give this app a try.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mediate.supersense

 

I have previously shared the beta version of our app with you. It was called Mediate Vision, some of you may have tested that one. We heard some encouraging words from our testers so far.

 

– “Excellent app and excellent concept indeed! I’ve fallen in love with the app!”

– “I have tested it out a few times and I love it. I was able to independently find my house dumpster for the first time!

– “Many thanks for your app. I use it to find stairs on our house block or in front of the mall.”

 

You can try it for free and then there is a monthly subscription. We will soon add yearly and lifetime subscription options.

 

The app works on phones with Android 6.0 and above. The iOS version will be released this summer.

 

We are trying to empower people with visual impairments and blindness to navigate and use their environments more independently. I would love to hear your feedback on how this app can make that happen better.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you,

 

– emre

—

 

Emre Sarbak

 

Co-founder | Mediate

Sign up to our newsletter on our website

 

CCB Tech Articles, Donna’s Low Tech Tips, Privacy protection, April 8, 2019

April 08, 2019

Privacy protection

 

Hi there!  It’s Donna and thank you for allowing me to come into your inbox.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to my tip on privacy protection.

 

Privacy protection

We are constantly striving to protect ourselves from scams and scammers, but most of all we need to ensure that our privacy, confidentiality, and independence are kept safe from prying eyes and those who thrive on destroying our right to these precious commodities.

 

Signing cheques

When you go to sign a cheque, there are some banks that provide raised line cheques but the problem here is that even if you can use these raised lines to help guide you, a vision impaired person has no way of telling whether or not the pen is writing.  That is, whether or not the pen has ink enough to write.

Here, you need a trusted person to help you complete your cheques but if you do not have access to someone you trust; it is probably best to visit your banking institution and seek assistance of a staff member.

 

That’s it from me for this week!

If you would like to become a member of  my CCB Mysteries chapter you can do so for the price of $10 annually and in return you will receive unlimited access to any of the following libraries.

Recipes – A collection of hard to find recipes

Audio mysteries for all ages – Comfort listening any time of the day

Home and garden – A collection of great articles for around the home and garden

Or you can subscribe to all 3 for the price of $30 annually.

Visit http://www.donnajodhan.com/subscription-libraries.html

 

To contact me, send me an email at info@sterlingcreations.ca and I’d be happy to respond.

Have yourselves a great day and see you next week.

Donna

 

 

 

Re-post: Orbit Reader 20 Removed from APH Catalog

Orbit Reader 20 Removed from APH Catalog
Author: APH Blogger
Date Written: Apr 3, 2019 at 5:00 PM
Date Saved: 4/5/19, 12:44 PM
Source: http://www.fredshead.info/2019/04/orbit-reader-20-removed-from-aph-catalog.html

Photo of the Orbit Reader 20 on a white background.
After months of ongoing negotiations between the Transforming Braille Group (of which APH is a member) and Orbit Research (the manufacturer of the Orbit Reader 20), American Printing House has removed the Orbit Reader 20 from its catalog and shopping site. This comes after discussions have stalled regarding the terms of distribution to TBG partners. The global nonprofits that make up the TBG collaborate as a group to purchase Orbit Reader 20s as part of an effort to keep costs low.
“Working with the TBG, APH has negotiated in good faith for many months, balancing the needs of our customers and organization, our interest in driving a low-cost braille market, and our valuable partnerships with TBG members,” says APH President Craig Meador. “Despite our best efforts, we have not found alignment on the issues at hand. APH must now move forward, and focus our energies on our mission to support students with braille literacy and adults in their independence.”
The Orbit Reader 20 started with a question: “how do we make refreshable braille more affordable?” To that end leaders in the field of blindness from around the world, including APH, gathered to create the Transforming Braille Group. Creating low cost refreshable braille is a difficult task, and there were a lot of setbacks throughout the process. Thankfully the effort had an impact.
“APH was proud to be the company that stood up to be the first to bring this ground-breaking technology to market,” says Meador, “It was all worth it to be an innovator, and show that we could bring prices down. That part worked. We now have competition in the low-cost braille market that wasn’t happening five years ago. Sometimes you have to take a risk – that’s what we did.”
The drop in prices created more access by showing what can be possible. For example, the National Library Service has announced they plan to offer free refreshable braille devices to their readers in the coming years.
APH will continue its efforts to support low cost braille. “Braille cells cost a lot of money to manufacture, and the demand isn’t high enough to drive that price down – we’ll keep trying. Although it’s not an easy journey, we believe everyone who needs braille should have access to it.”
APH and the TBG are continuing to negotiate with Orbit Research in hopes that a resolution can be found. In the meantime, APH is looking at other possible low-cost refreshable braille options to include in its catalog. They will complement new premium refreshable braille devices built for students and educational use now and soon available from APH through a partnership with HumanWare.
Orbit Research is expected to honor the warranty and continue repairs for already purchased Orbit Readers. Any requests for repairs should continue to come through APH. Supporting documentation, like the Orbit User Guide and user videos, will remain available to customers who have purchased an Orbit Reader from APH.

Repost: Google Inbox was the Gmail we desperately needed — but now it’s dead

Google Inbox was the Gmail we desperately needed — but now it’s dead
Author: Jackson Ryan
Date Written: Apr 2, 2019 at 10:10 PM
Date Saved: 4/3/19, 8:46 AM
Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/google-inbox-was-the-gmail-we-desperately-needed-but-now-its-dead/#ftag=CAD0610abe0f
Google Inbox, the much-loved, experimental email client that launched in 2014, is officially dead. And I am officially heartbroken.
I knew this was going to happen. We all did. It still hurts.
Google announced that Inbox’s time was up on Sept. 12, 2018, writing in a blog post the company was shutting it down and “planning to focus solely on Gmail.” Over the past two weeks, incessant warnings have popped up on the desktop and across my phone screen whenever I opened the app.
“This app will be going away in 5 days” it would tell me like a passive-aggressive Doomsday Clock. Each time, it would ask me to switch to Gmail and I’d wave it away with a push: “Not now.”
But it’s all over. This morning, I got this message:

Screenshot by Jackson Ryan/CNET via Google
Gmail was unleashed on the world 15 years ago on April 1 and is now used by around 1.5 billion people every day. It allowed the search engine provider to reach lofty new heights, giving it the confidence to take over the world. When it rolled into town in 2004, it slowly began swallowing up every email client in its path.
AOL Mail? More like LOL Mail. Hotmail? More like… cold mail. Yahoo? Bye.
Slowly we all became engulfed by the email version of The Blob. Email became monotonous, slinking into the shadows, filling up with spam and social media blasts. It gradually became normal. It became boring.
Then in 2014, Google announced Inbox and email was Great Again. It Marie Kondo’d my online life before I even knew who Marie Kondo was. When Sarah Mitroff reviewed Inbox in October 2014, she laid all manner of compliments on the app: “Visually appealing”, “equal parts colorful, clean and cheerful” and “fresh”. Gmail felt like a harsh, sterile hospital next to Inbox’s bright, buoyant Happy-Time-Fun-Land.
Now Inbox is dead, Google has said it will be bringing some of the service’s most popular features over to Gmail. As I’ve finally been forced to switch over, there’s a hole in my heart. Gmail still lacks many of the features that made Inbox so powerful — and so beloved.
There’s work to do to make email Great Again, Again. What can Gmail do to ease the pain?
(, but let’s pretend we can answer that question anyway.)
Bundle of joy
When you read about Inbox’s premature demise, you will no doubt read plenty about “bundles”. Inbox’s clever bundling system was the best thing to ever happen to me, a nearly 30-year-old unmarried man with zero children in a stable, loving relationship.
Inbox had that galaxy-brain energy. The real BDE. Supported by Google’s powerful algorithms, Inbox was able to sort your life out for you. It saw what was dropping in your Inbox and automatically filed it away in its own category via the voodoo magic of machine learning.
It was powerful for bundling all your receipts, purchases, holidays and business trips, placing all that information in easy-to-navigate, simple-to-find locations. I never even had to think about manually labeling or filing emails with Inbox — it just worked, from Day One. And it continued to work until it was dead.
Finding details about a trip home took seconds in Inbox, a one-click process that returned my booking, accommodation, the car I’d hired and any tours I’d booked while I was away. In Gmail, I have to sift through a torrent of banking statements, receipts, a regretful order I made for Thai food when I was sloshed three nights ago and a random PR email about their genius April Fools’ Day stunt.
There have been rumblings that Google will also be bringing bundles across to Gmail, though a timeline for that update is currently unknown so, thanks, big G — my life is now a living hell.
This is how you remind me
Besides bundles, Inbox quickly became the place where I started my day because it centralized my to-do list.
Email is, essentially, just a place where tasks get filed and Inbox’s “Reminders” feature was critical to this. In the same way you would compose an email, you could set yourself a reminder that would jump to the top of your Inbox. At the end of a busy day, I’d whip a few little reminders in for the following morning.
And sure, I can do this with Gmail’s “Tasks” integration but this opens an entirely new window on the side of my desktop. That’s a game of hide-and-seek that I don’t want to play. Because reminders were able to be pinned or snoozed, they were unobtrusive, nesting neatly within the inbox like a digital post-it note.
I don’t know why Gmail doesn’t have reminders. I can’t tell you why. They exist in other G suite services, like Calendar and Keep, but not in Gmail.
Inbox is like the Carly Rae Jepsen of email. It swept in and took the world by surprise with its spark and smarts and brightness and now, every waking moment without it is torture. Gmail, in contrast, is the Nickelback of modern email clients. It’s the homogenized radio-rock version of email.
In fact, maybe it’s worse. Maybe it’s Smash Mouth.
G’mourning
Attention spans are being obliterated by the internet and my apartment is a disorganized mess.
I mean, it’s tidy — but there’s no rhyme or reason to how I file away important tax documents, receipts or mementos. Invoking the holy name of Kondo, I tried to improve my systems a month ago. That amounted to buying more boxes and storing more things in those boxes.
I couldn’t organize myself in the real world, but with the power of machine learning and AI, Google Inbox made sure I could do it when I was inside the internet.
And I wasn’t alone.
Search for Google Inbox on Twitter and you’ll find tales of woe and misery. You’ll find users decrying the switch to Gmail. You’ll find them celebrating the life of an email service as if it were their own flesh and blood. Like the untimely deaths at Game of Thrones’ Red Wedding, we’re all watching on in horror at the injustice.
No one is celebrating. Everybody’s mourning.
New world order
But it’s all over.
Inbox was so good because it was so easy. It was . It was . It bundled emails together long before Gmail was doing anything of the sort. It felt like it was made for me and only me. I didn’t have to spend mornings sifting through mountains of internet text. I could get what I needed and get on with life.
It was also a calming, soft blue rather than an alarming, CHECK-YOUR-EMAIL-NOW red. That’s a fact that gets lost in this funeral. Even the logo is an open letter with a positive, life-affirming tick, rather than the closed, menacing red “M” made famous in Gmail.
I could go on and on, but I digress.
Google has slowly integrated some of Inbox’s best features into Gmail. Snoozing emails, smart replies and nudges to remind you to follow up on your to-do list were all pioneered in Inbox. On Gmail’s 15th birthday, it even brought in a host of new features, like enabling emails to be scheduled and sent at a later time and improving its Smart Compose feature, which offers suggestions to make writing email a lot faster.
I’m holding on as long as possible. The mobile version of Inbox is now six feet under, taking its place in the Google Graveyard next to Reader, Hangouts, Google Plus and Allo, but the desktop version of Inbox lives on (at least, for now). Inbox clones are popping up, aiming to make the transition period easier, but its fate is sealed.
I can do without Hangouts or Plus. Somehow, I even survived after the transition away from Reader.
But this one really stings.

Resources: With AirPower canceled, here are the best alternative Qi wireless iPhone charging pads by Mike Wuerthele, Apple Insider

With AirPower canceled, here are the best alternative Qi wireless iPhone charging pads

Author: Mike Wuerthele

Date Written: Mar 29, 2019 at 6:36 AM

Date Saved: 4/1/19, 12:55 PM

Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/03/29/now-that-apples-airpower-is-canceled-here-are-the-best-qi-wireless-charging-pads

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The AirPower is gone. But, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t Qi charging options for your iPhone or AirPods Wireless Charging Case. Here are some of the options that we like the most.

 

Nomad Base Station

Introduced with the iPhone X in 2017, wireless charging is a great way to recharge an iPhone, without needing to connect a Lightning cable. Instead, the iPhone is placed on top of the charger, positioned in line with an embedded charging coil which transfers power to the iPhone’s battery.

Generally speaking, wireless charging is not the fastest way to apply charge to your device, as current iPhone wireless charging is limited to 7.5 Watts in the iPhone X and iPhone 8, following an upgrade from the 5 Watt limit at launch. By contrast, a wired connection can take advantage of Apple’s other wall chargers offering far higher power transfers.

While wired charging is faster, wireless charging offers more convenience, in that all you have to do to start the charging progress is to place the iPhone down on a surface. This also makes using an iPhone as a clock far easier, as there’s no fumbling to plug the cable in before falling asleep, nor to unplug it when waking up or needing to answer an important early morning call.

Obviously, we’d have preferred the AirPower. Now that it’s gone, we have suggestions.

Nomad Base Station

Looking for something to charge multiple devices? Consider the Nomad Base Station. This premium charger is made of leather and aluminum with both USB-A and USB-C outputs. It can charge two phones simultaneously at 7.5W. If you want more details, check out our full review.

You can grab it now from Nomad for $99.95.

Nomad also has a Base Station that will charge the Apple Watch too. The Nomad Base Station is an excellent charging solution. On top is a leather-covered charging pad with a trio of coils beneath. This allows two devices to be charged at once, or a single iPhone horizontally. The Apple Watch charging puck is fully integrated so you don’t need to supply your own, works with any band, and supports Nightstand Mode.

 

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The body is made of metal which gives it a solid feel compared to the plastic alternatives.

Nomad also makes available a Base Station without the Apple Watch charger and dual USB outputs instead, and an optional walnut finish.

Zens Charging Pad and Watch Charger Station If you’re lucky enough to have three Apple devices, the Zens Charging Pad and Watch Charger Station can handle them all simultaneously — though with 20-watt maximum output, it can only fast-charge two. That’s still probably more than sufficient if you sit this in your office or bedroom.

The Station is MFi-certified by Apple, and made of aluminum for better durability and aesthetics. Some other touches include anti-slip material, auto power-off, and wide coils that avoid fumbling around for precise placement.

Amazon is selling the product for $99.99.

Belkin BoostUp Charging Dock

Belkin has always made reliable Apple accessories and they’ve done so again with their BoostUp Charging Dock. It can handle both your iPhone and your Apple Watch with an additional USB-A output on the back.

The body is mostly made of metal with a soft-touch silicone surface on top to rest your watch and phone. The USB-A port on the back can be used to power up and iPad, another iPhone, a battery pack, or your headphones.

This too has the Apple Watch charging puck entirely integrated so no need to supply your own.

You can grab it for $149 from Belkin in black or white.

Kanex GoPower

The Kanex GoPower Watch Stand with Wireless Charging Base is an Apple-certified Apple Watch charging puck positioned above a round wireless charging pad for your iPhone or other Qi-enabled devices. We’ve covered our fair share of multi-chargers thus far, but Kanex is the most compact we’ve seen yet. It has an overall small footprint with the ability to power up three devices simultaneously.

A USB-A output on the back lets you charge devices of your choice, while the Qi charger can be used for a phone or a wireless set of AirPods.

It is available just under $80 from Amazon.

Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad For those wanting a simple charging mat, the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad is a good option, providing up to 10W charging for some devices. Supplied with a Quick Charge 3.0 wall charger and a 6-foot Micro USB cable, it offers over-charge protection and foreign object detection, in case something is incorrectly placed on top of the mat.

Amazon is selling the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad for $45.99. For more info on the charger, see our detailed review.

 

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RAVPower

 

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RAVPower is another of our favorite brands, creating great batteries and chargers at affordable prices. We reviewed their new line of iPhone compatible chargers when they launched and have recommended them ever since.

They’ve options to choose from including a charging stand and the common charging pad. Even a portable battery if that is more to your liking.

They start off at $16.99 on Amazon, though our favorite HyperAir charging puck will run you $29.99.

Monoprice Wireless Charger

Want a cheap and simple charger? Monoprice’s Wireless Charger is Qi compliant and has a clean appearance, resembling a thin white puck measuring 3.3 inches in diameter, 0.4 inches thick, and weighing in at 1.8 ounces. It only outputs power at 5V DC 1A, meaning it won’t offer any fast charging capabilities, but it does include a blue “breathing” indicator light when it is charging a device, switching to a solid red when fully charged.

Monoprice is currently pricing it at $7.99. The low cost makes it a viable option for adding wireless charging points in multiple locations around the home, or even to add one in the office.

Aukey Graphite Wireless Charger

Winner of the Red Dot Design Award in 2018, the Aukey Graphite Wireless Charger offers a stylish matte black pad and a lighter trim, with the plate measuring 3.41 inches square and 0.46 inches thick. Able to work with Qi-compatible smartphones in cases, the charger includes a plethora of safety features, including temperature control, power input monitoring, foreign object detection, and overcharging.

Supplied with a 3.3-foot USB 2.0 A to USB-C cable, the charger is available for $15.99.

Grovemade

Grovemade has a history of using natural materials to make beautiful products. It is seen clearly in their wooden iPhone cases, as well as their Qi wireless chargers.

The topmost surface is made of cork which gives your phone a gentle surface to rest on. Stainless steel makes up the bottom, giving the pad added heft.

Nylon wraps the extra long USB cable for bonus durability. If the cable is too long, it can be wrapped up on the underside which is useful for keeping your desk tidy, or for taking with you for a weekend getaway.

You can get a Grovemade pad in one of three colors starting at $79.

Belkin BoostUp

Belkin has always put out top-notch products and all their BoostUp chargers exemplify this. There’s a charging pad as well as a stand to give you options.

The newer Bold line of pads and stands are a bit pricier at $59.99 and $69.99 respectively, but they are a bit more powerful and compact.

Grab any of them direct from Belkin.

MobilePal Gen-3 Qi Wireless Charging Power Bank If you want wireless charging on the move, the MobilePal Gen-3 10,000mAh Qi Wireless Charging Power Bank is portable power that offers more than the usual power bank features. Like others on the market, it includes two USB ports for wired charging, including one with QuickCharge 3.0 support, while on one side is a Qi wireless charging spot that delivers at up to 5 Watts. This can even enable for up to three devices to be recharged simultaneously.

Including a power button, microUSB input for charging, a battery indicator, and a flashlight function, this power bank is available for $39.99.

RAVPower Qi Wireless Charging Pad

The RAVPower Qi Wireless Charging Pad stands the iPhone X upright on a non-slip rubberized base, with a single discrete LED informing users of the charging status. This unit uses two wireless charging coils, which allows for the iPhone to be oriented vertically or horizontally, allowing users to position it in relation to the apps they are using, while still charging the battery.

Offering a maximum output of 10W for compatible Qi devices, the RAVPower Qi Wireless Charging Pad is $16.99 on Amazon.

Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Charger Stand Yes, Samsung, stole Apple’s ideas, boo. The fact stands that Samsung’s charger is one of the better options on the market, and visually appealing to boot. It supports fast charging, and uses a multi-colored LED to indicate status. It’s also designed so you can use your iPhone while charging is in progress — a definite plus for work environments.

The Fast Charge Wireless Charger Stand is available in black, blue, and white colors at Amazon, beginning at $39.49.

Yootech Wireless Charger

Another budget option, the Yootech nevertheless promises to fast-charge compatible Apple devices, and comes in four trim colors: black, blue, red, and neon green. There’s not much else to distinguish it beyond price, though the lights do turn off if you’re worried about being kept awake at night.

You can find the product at Amazon for $12.99.