iSee - Using various technologies from a blind persons perspective.

Talking Tech for 1 Feb 2022

Torkings Connect 4 Type Game now on the VA Web shop

Not tech exactly, but my family has had fun playing this game over the holidays, and now it’s on the web shop.

https://shop.visionaustralia.org/shop/product/es8041

New Gosford Va Office Now has Bindi Maps up and going.

Just an FUI for folks visiting 40 Mann Street Gosford, on your iPhone or Android phone you can use Bindi maps for indoor navigation.

More on Bindi Maps at:

https://bindimaps.com

Posted Podcast Recording of Exploring Tech Webinar for Jan - BlindShell Classic 2 

More than a feature phone, slightly less than a smart phone, and fully accessible from the gro

Ground up..

For more info, contact Quantum RLV.

https://s330.podbean.com/pb/5d7aec3b2b62032373b81a95d9778666/61f5d598/data1/fs54/339150/uploads/Blinddshell_clasic_283wne.mp3?pbss=39024901-5a45-5ac0-8dd5-c573609d41d7

Posted Intro Podcast of the Annie Self Teaching Braille Device

Vision Australia Vision Store is having a look at this device, it has been around for a while, but thought I’d would just share an intro demo podcast of the unit which looks like it will be a great way of teaching young students Braille.

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-68455-118f1eb

Register for the Launch of the Quantum RLV MB Braille Tutor

Feb 22 at 11AM AEST. Zoom register link is:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rnjHn8tnTCe28KWg7UoiBQ?mc_cid=51035fbe5e&mc_eid=47fb71fc1d

Current Microsoft Windows 11 Insider Build Introduces Naturally Sounding Voices

Not available in Windows 11 Insider build in Australia. However, Microsoft Edge has all of them with the Read feature.

Quick Tip for Google Smart Speakers

You can now just say “stop” to stop the smart speaker from speaking after you give a command.

Apple Releases 15.3 iOS and iPad iOS

Hot Off The Press  after going to air - turn off VoiceOver Caption Panel in VoiceOver settings as when on, causes VoiceOver to speak the word UnderScore when navigating by character or when using the unlock keypad with VoiceOver.

iOS 15.3 fix’s Safari bug for leaking of users history and Google ID.

https://applevis.com/blog/apple-releases-ios-153-ipados-153-fix-safari-bug-could-cause-leaking-users-browsing-history

Apple Quarterly Earnings

Apple’s biggest Quarter ever.

iPhone,, wearable’s, and services all up, not to mention a 25% increase in Mac sales.

iPad sales down due to supply constraints.

https://www.cultofmac.com/765034/heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-apples-biggest-quarter-ever/

Back to School

Stephen and I have a bit of a chat on how you don’t need the latest and greatest to get you up and going at the beginning of the year if your promised stuff hasn’t turned up yet.

Remember the inbuilt accessibility features in Windows, and Mac in particular.

Mac Monterey 12.2 and iOS 15.3 beta’s Released to fix Safari bug Leak

As the topic heading suggests, this fix’s an issue with Safari on Mac and iOS.

https://www.macrumors.com/2022/01/20/safari-data-leak-bug-fix-ios-15-3/

Apple Urges Android Users to install Tracker Detect for Android

To tell if you have an airTag close by etc.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/17387898/android-app-how-to-track-airtags/

7 Ways to Make Your E-Commerce Site More Accessible for consumers with a Disability

Always a good reminder.

https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/7-ways-to-make-your-e-commerce-site-more-accessible-to-consumers-with-disabilities/

10 Voice Memo Features You ∆™aren’t Using

Great tips to get the most out of Voice Memos considering it’s on the Apple Watch, Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2022/01/10-voice-memos-features-you-arent-using-but-should-be/

20 Cool Google Tricks to Search more Effectively

Take more advantage of Google Search, and improve you’r search results.

https://helpdeskgeek.com/how-to/20-cool-google-tricks-to-search-more-effectively/

Talking Tech for Jan 18 2022

Not much tech news as such this week, so some tech news of my own.

My first Experience with an Electronic Sit/stand Desk

As I find myself sitting down a lot and not moving, it was recommended to me to go out and get a sit/stand desk, hence this personal review.

This model is the Matrix Executive Electronic Sit/Stand desk.

Dimensions 1520 long, by 750 wide.

Desk height which is adjustable from the control panel is from 600MM to 1100MM.

Keypad is on left hand side of desk underneath and is a touch panel (I marked with tactile markers).

On the back left and right corners are cable ports to allow cabling through the desk to the floor.

The legs on either side of the desk have a single leg in the middle (which contains the hight adjusting mechanism), and then a single horizontal foot plate which extends forward and back (in other words, like an upside down capital t).

The motor that drives the desk is underneath the bottom of the desk towards the back.

The desktop top its self is white.

Use

The keypad has a 2 by 2 button grid for custom hight settings on left, and on right Up/Down buttons in a column. In the middle of the 2 by 2 grid of buttons is the S button for Settings for the keypad.

When my wife went through settings on the keypad  there is a setting for beep sounds for when buttons are pressed, and the brightness of the keypad can also be adjusted (beep sounds are not on by default).

Besides pressing the custom height grid buttons, you can adjust the desk by continually holding your finger on the Up or Down buttons until the desired level is reached or when the desk stops itself at the bottom or highest setting.

To go through the whole range of movement, takes the desk about 6 seconds.

Tip: I find using Up or Down much better than the custom grid, of buttons as if you miss touch as it were, the keypad may have an error and you may need to reset the keypad which is  a bit of a pain, doable, just a pest for blind folks.

I also purchased an anti fatigue standing mat which is like a balancing mat  so you are not standing perfectly still all the time. I.e. any time if you move, you have to slightly balance yourself.

Only been using it fully for the last 4 days, and its amazing.

I like the fact that I can just stroll up to the desk, use it, then stroll away. 

As my office area is a bit tight, I just use the chair at my demo desk for when I want to sit.

As I purchased the desk from Office Works, I got there setup service to come out and setup the desk for me which took about an hour.

Cost for the desk was approximately $480 plus the service call out setup which I think was about $120 or so.

Amazing How Things Just Don’t Last That Long These Days

There has been black stuff appearing on my brand new sit/stand desk, turns out it was the case that came with one of my Braille electronic devices.

Pity it wasn’t made with real leather or something given the cost of these items, which of course, would not deteriorate as much, just something to keep in mind.

Repaired Macs Back Home and Running

This has really taught me a bit of a reminder lesson. 

Don’t assume your PC can not be fixed, it may be just worth having a shop look at it, and spending a couple of hundred dollars is certainly a lot better than spending a lot more.

My Experience Playing with the Vale - Shadow of the Crown

This is the amazing audio only game for the Xbox, we talked about it last year, but on holidays I was really able to get in to it and play the easy and normal levels, now time for the hard.

Withe more space on my sit/stand desk, I now have the Xbox Controller linked through my mixer, so I can now stand and play on the Xbox at the same time.

The Amazon Alexa App for Windows

I was a bit skeptical about how well this app would work on Windows, and to my surprise, it felt like just using the Amazon Alexa hardware. I.e. anything I could do on the Echo device I could do via the app including all smart home tasks.

Amazon Battery Base Adapter for the Amazon Echo 3rd Generation

I received mine last week, allows you to turn your echo Dot 3rd gen in to a portable smart speaker.

Simple on/off button, clips on to the base of the Echo 3rd Gen, and connects to both the adapter port (for power), and the head phone jack (to sill allow access to head phones to the unit).

Common apps between iOs and Android

If choosing either Samsung/Android or iOS, look at the tasks that are needed to be performed and if the apps to do those tasks are accessible.

Two specific apps which are not currently available on Android are the Microsoft Sound Scape and Seeing AI apps.

As the Seeing AI app currency mode doesn’t work with Australian currency, Cash Reader is recommended for both iOS/Android.

Where it  is not obvious what the apps listed are for, there is a short description.

13Cabs

7Plus

Ten Play

SBS on Demand

ABC iView (ABC online streaming)

ABC Listen (ABC Radio stations)

A Blind Legend (audio game)

Aira (for the Aira service via phone camera

Aldi

Amazon Alexa (for use with the Amazon Echo hardware and giving access to use Amazon’s digital assistant)

Amazon

Amazon Music

Amazon Prime Video

Apple Music

Audio Game Hub (various self voicing games)

Audible (for use with Audible books - nice thing about Android version can buy within app)

Be-My-Eyes (assistance for free via video contact to volunteers around world)

Blind Bargains

Blind Drive (fantastic blind driving audio game)

Blind Cricket

BOM Weather

CoronaVirus Australia

Calm (excellent wellness app)

Cash Reader (currency identification)

Chrome (web browser from Google)

Coffee Link (for use with the Delonghi touch Coffee Machine)

Coles

Dropbox

Dyson

Disney Plus

eBay

Ember (for use with the Enmber temperature controlled BT mug)

Evernote

Facebook

Fitbit (for use with the Fitbit bands - I use this with my Fitbit Charge 2)

Google Assistant (Google’s digital assistant)

Google Fit

Google Duo

Google Home (for use with the Google Nest smart speaker hardware)

Google maps

Google News

Google Play Music

Envision (uses camera for text recognition, surroundings, photos etc)

Lazarillo (excellent GPS app)

Kindle (Kindle eBooks): again can purchase Kindle books within the Android app.

MbMimic (for use with the Mount Batten Brailler)

Messenger

Menu Log

Outlook (Microsoft Outlook)

Music Healing

Netatmo (for use with the Netatmo indoor/outdoor weather modules)

Netflix:

Pocket Cast (pod catcher)

Ring (for use with the Ring video doorbell)

Sensibo (for use with the Sensibo AC device)

Spotify Music

Sunu App (for use with the Sunu Band orientation & Mobility device))

Skype

SuperSense

Tile (for use with the Tile Tag tracking system)

Tripview (public transport for Sydney and Melbourne)

TuneIn Radio

Twitter

Uber

Uber Eats

VIP Code Reader (accessible QR code reader)

Vision Australia Connect (for the VA Library)

Voice Dream Reader (document reader via speech).

WeWalk

White Noise

Woolworths 

Youtube

Zoom (web meetings etc)

Zomby’s Run

With VoiceOver running, turn on in Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Hand Gestures.

Once turned on, activate when watch is waken with a double clench of your fist (need to do this every time watch is woken up).

When on:

double pinch (thumb and index finger twice) move previous item,

Single pinch (thumb and index finger once) next item,

clench (fist once) activate item, and

double clench (make fist twice) Digital Crown function.

Handy for the workout app.