Welcome to the March madness edition of the Blind Vet tech News Update. In this episode my co-host of the Blind Vet Tech Monthly Tech Talks, Richard, and I announce the times and dates for our calls in March, using iOS with Microsoft apps to increase independence, and a review of smart speakers and digital assistants.
March’s Blind Vet Tech Teleconferences
If you have any questions with life with a visual impairment or methods to address barriers associated with low vision and blindness, join us on one of our Blind Vet Tech Monthly Talks. Our Monthly Talks provide visually impaired individuals the chance to learn and share information about their favorite devices. Below is a list of our calls for March and how to connect via your computers, smart phones, or landline phones. We rely on Zoom for our teleconferencing platform, which is very usable. More information may be located by clicking here.
* March 13 – Blind Vet Tech Monthly Narrator Talk
* When – 1300 or 1PM CST
* Dial – (646) 876-9923,,7854091838#
* URL – https://zoom.us/j/7854091838
* March 8 – Blind Vet Tech Monthly MacOS Talk
* When – 1300 or 1PM CST
* Dial – (646) 876-9923,,7854091838#
* URL – https://zoom.us/j/7854091838
* March 15 – Blind Vet Tech Monthly Tech Talk
* When – 1300 or 1PM CST
* Dial – (646) 876-9923,,7854091838#
* URL – https://zoom.us/j/7854091838
* March 15 – Blind Vet Tech Open Mic Night
* When – 1900 or 7PM CST
* Dial – (646) 876-9923,,7854091838#
* URL – https://zoom.us/j/7854091838
How marrying Apple’s iOS with Microsoft’s Accessibility Apps Enhance Blind Independence
If you told me 10 or even 5 years ago my life would revolve around a touch screen phone made by Apple, I would have not believed you. Now if you added that this is made possible by pairing the iPhone with apps from Microsoft to explore and recognize the world around me, I would have flat out laughed. For the history of Microsoft, a rather hands off approach and reliance on third party solutions influenced how the blind accessed Windows. Since Narrator’s inception, its been a joke, until Windows 10 brought about a renewed focus on making it on par with JAWS and NVDA. Alongside this, Microsoft, through its accessibility initiatives, have developed amazing iOS apps, like Seeing AI and Sound Scape. These apps, along with the standard Microsoft Office apps on iOS continues to advance the notion that an iPhone or iPad is a multi-functional tool and computer replacement for the blind.
Review of Smart Speakers and Digital Assistants
The leading digital assistants for the home includes Apple’s Siri through iOS and HomePod, Amazon Alexa through Echo and other smart speakers, and Google Assistant. Each possesses the ability to control compatible smart home devices. Richard has developed a smart home system that relies on both Siri and Alexa to preform separate functions, like geo fencing automatic actions through Siri and relying on Alexa for entertainment.
Richard powers his smart home through the Sonos smart speakers througho...
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