All Cool Blind Tech Shows

In this demonstration, Justin walks us through the clock application on the Apple Watch. We learn how to change the clock face, customize faces and how to change settings for the Apple Watch clock on the iPhone.

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In this demonstration, Justin goes over how to use glances on the Apple Watch. He shows how to get to the glances section, to go to the next or previous glance, how to delete and reorder glances in the settings on the iPhone and how to add new glances through the iPhone settings.

Justin also shows the Ping option allowing you to locate your iPhone using the Apple Watch.

In this podcast, Raymond gives a brief demonstration of Comcast’s Voice guidance service and explains a little about how it works and the reasons why. Also, he points out the fact that Comcast is not charging for the accessibility.

Coming soon to a screen near you!

VOICE REMOTE

Say it. See it.

The voice remote provides a new level of independence to customers who have limited mobility or dexterity, or have a visual disability. By using simple voice commands, customers can change channels, search for shows, enable closed captioning and more. The voice remote also includes a backlit keypad making it easier to see the buttons in the dark.

In this podcast, Justin proceeds to do a general overview of the Apple Watch including design, VoiceOver jesters that are new to it, and some of his favourite features. The Apple Watch was released to the public on April 24 and is available for order on Apple's online store, along with accessories and more. It includes the popular VoiceOver screen reader that is found on all of Apple's newer devices, as well as accessibility features for people with hearing impairments and low vision.

In this episode Quentin gives a demonstration of the currant version of Microsoft’s Windows 10. He looks at the differences in TTS and other features in Windows 10 as compared to previous versions of Windows.

It is advised when installation of any beta or technical preview software be installed on a secondary testing device as it may result in corruption or loss of data.

In this podcast Leonid demonstrates a simple way to flash a stock Android rom on to a Google Nexus device.

The factory images can be downloaded here.

The following tools were used to flash the image:

Download the 7-zip utility to extract the compressed image here.

The ADB and Fastboot tools are used to flash the image on the Nexus device.

Download the Minimal ADB and Fastboot installer here.

Please be sure to back up any important data before proceeding!

Brandon Cross gives a short introduction to Podcast Addict which is a podcast aggregator app for the Android operating system. He gives a brief overview of how easy it is to add a podcast via search engine.

If you enjoyed this podcast and think this app might be something you will like, you can download it from the Google PlayStore.

More from developer

With Podcast Addict, manage all your audio & video Podcasts as well as your YouTube channels and RSS News feeds from your Android device.

Subscribe to your favorite podcasts using the embedded networks (5by5, ABC, AfterBuzz TV, BBC, CNN, Carolla Digital, ESPN, FrogPants, LibriVox, Nerdist, NPR, Revision3, Smodcast, Ted Talks, Twit and Cool Blind Tech…).

You can also import your podcasts subscriptions from an iTunes or Google Reader OPML file, or use the embedded search engine to browse Podcasts Addict (200K podcasts) or iTunes databases (250K podcasts).

Finally you can also copy and paste your podcasts RSS feeds in order to subscribe.

The app displays a small ad banner at the bottom of the screen.

If you want to support Podcast Addict and/or disable the ad banner, you can buy Podcast Addict - Donate app

Features:

• Android Wear notifications & controls (Android 4.3+ only)

• chromecast support

• minimal permission requirement

• manage Audio & Video podcasts, iTunes podcasts, Soundcloud url, Youtube Channels & RSS News feeds

• standalone player (MP3, local files, streaming)

• support both download & streaming

• automatic update

• automatic download

• advanced automatic deletion features (trash...)

• advanced Custom Settings per Podcast

• automatic podcasts Flattr

• podcast & episode search engine (use both Podcast Addict database & iTunes database)

• audio & video player with resume, shuffle, loop, ...

• variable playback speed, volume boost and skip silence (available for Android 4.1+)

• audio & video playlist

• customizable widgets

• full app backup / restore

• themes

• lock screen widgets (Android 4.0+ only)

• sleep timer

• both list & grid mode display (podcasts & episodes)

• authenticated feeds

• virtual podcasts (handle a folder content as a podcast)

• trending, new, TOP 250 most successful podcasts

• Browse podcasts by category

• OPML import (iTunes, Google Reader...)

• OPML export

• Full screen reading mode for RSS news feed

• Podcasts suggestions

• comments download feature

• episode & podcast sharing

• episode search engine

• pebble support (player notifications)

• support for Nova Launcher TeslaUnread plugin

• support for Tasker, AutomateIT, ...

On this edition of Spotlight, Cory Martin meets with Mr. Brian Hartgen, owner of Hartgen Consultancy and a well-known leader in the Assistive Technology field who has brought amazing advancements to the way people with multiple disabilities use their computers.

With Brian’s bridging product, J-Say, it is possible for a person to completely control their computer by voice alone, using both JAWS for Windows from Freedom Scientific and Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking.

While J-Say has been improved over a number of years, Hartgen Consultancy brings a number of new products to the table, such as J-Dictate, a product which is focused on the professional or student who wishes to still use the Keyboard but receive audible feedback from JAWS, or transcribe notes in to text.

In addition, Brian’s product Leasey makes it possible for beginners and power users alike to interact with their computers in a simplified and meaningful way with a straight-forward command structure and several tools to improve the computing experience.

Brian discusses his beginnings, he tells us how he got started in the assistive technology field and how J-Say came to exist. Finally, Brian tells us about some of the new advancements to his Leasey product including all new support for complex iTunes tasks and the Spotify music streaming service.

If you would like, click this link to visit Hartgen.org or if you wish to hear Brian demonstrate his various products, you may listen to his Laircast podcast with comprehensive demos.

Emoji characters have taken off across the world in the last 5 years as an affective way of communicating through images. There are those who will tell their messages in pure Emoji fashion. With over 200 characters to choose from, what’s not to love?

An unfortunate limitation of Emojis was their lack of diversity. Different sexual orientations, skin tones, and other cultural aspects were not portrayed well within the tiny images. Apple started proposing changes to this last year, and the results of this now bare fruit in iOS 8.3’s beta releases.

For iOS 8.2 and below users, these new symbols will not work as they would in 8.3. An emoji of a family might show up as separate “man’s head, boy’s head, woman’s head, and girl’s head” as opposed to “family with woman, man, and son.” iOS can now essentially stitch multiple symbols together, and of course the representations of skin colour will not show up for earlier users either.

iOS 8.3 entered public beta on March 16, which means that it is no longer exclusive to developers or internal testers.

Interested users can click this link and join the beta program. Note that the iOS 8.3 beta might not be available right away for some, so you might have to wait. The beta program is not for everyone, however. If you are ok with sometimes having work-arounds, with having little to no support in finding those, and updating your device once or twice a month, then feel free to join. Beta users can submit feedback using a feedback app found on the home screen, allowing a more direct input into the way iOS is created.

For our first show, the Android Crew, Greg Lopez, Tomi Geczy, Brandon Cross and Cory Martin all meet to hash out the latest Android happenings, starting with new hardware announced at Mobile World Congress.

The crew starts out with the Samsung Galaxy S6 by discussing the pros and cons of the drastic new design.

Here are a few links to some of the items which they discussed:

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge reportedly facing touchscreen issues - SamMobile https://is.gd/Y7hOc1

Here is a link to the new accessibility features for the galaxy S6 https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/eyes-free/bpaJIotS1kE

Here is a PDF for the Samsung S6 manual that talks about the accessibility features https://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/201503/20150303094626458/SM-G920F_UM_EU_Lollipop_Eng_Rev.1.0_150302.pdf

The new Loop Pay on the S6 looks possibly better than other NFC-based payment options, offering backward compatibility with existing point-of-sale hardware. Loop Pay on S6: https://www.nfcworld.com/2015/03/01/334371/samsung-unveils-galaxy-s6-with-nfc-and-looppay-mobile-payments/

S6/S6 Edge available via US and Canadian carriers on 4/10/2015, prices still unknown

https://mobilesyrup.com/2015/03/10/samsung-galaxy-s6-gold-canada/

Wireless charging and Fast Charge 2.0 technologies are contrasted, speed versus convenience?

It is suggested that wireless charging might be detrimental to battery-life. One of the sources of this information came from the Wikipedia article provided here. Wireless charging may generate additional heat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging

Finally, it was unanimously decided that the Samsung Galaxy S6 would make an excellent choice for those considering switching to Android from other platforms.

The S6 wasn't the only cool phone announced, with HTC and their M9 now boasting a 20 Megapixel camera and 2800 MA battery which might be important for another soon to be announced app: https://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-one-m9-what-we-want-to-see-1266545

At finally long last, Blind Bargains brings us an interview from CSUN where it is suggested that the KNFB Reader app might soon be coming to Android: https://www.blindbargains.com/bargains.php?m=12451

Those monster megapixel cameras on these Android phones might soon be a very important tool for us who are blind or visually impaired.

For those of us who might need to conserve the cash, the new Motorola E now has LTE, 4.5 inch screen, 5 MP camera, yet has no flash according to All about Android

It is suggested that the phone may have a price-point of $150.00 US.

If you're in to unusual, you might enjoy the Alcatel One-Touch Idol-3

Handset with earpiece on front at top and bottom. Check out this article, Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 can take phone calls even when upside down https://www.engadget.com/2015/03/01/alcatel-onetouch-idol-3/

Finally, if you're a fan of the stock droid experience,