AT&T providing free version of Mobile Accessible Lite with Android phones

[kestrell]

From the Top Tech Tidbits newsletter

AT&T is giving its US customers a free copy version of Code Factory Mobile Accessibility, called Mobile Accessibility Lite, for use with its Android phones.
https://market.android.com/details?id=es.codefactory.android.app.ma.vocalizerenuattcarrier&feature=search_result

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

Huh — do you think they feel pressure from Apple's "free" inclusion of the VoiceOver screen reader with iProducts?

[kestrell]

Probably. The iPhone has taken off tremendously amongst blind users, and there are already tons of accessible apps for the iPhone, plus accessible games are now being developed for the iPhone. With Voiceover, the user can just buy the phone and turn on Voiceover, all done, while for other phones, one needs to buy the phone, then buy the third-party app, then install the TTS onto the card and hope it all works. Which do you think a blind person is more likely to do, especially when phone stores are usually clueless about TTS, while Apple stores have people who are knowledgeable about Voiceover?

[jesse_the_k]

There are many things in your response that put a big drooling grin on my face.

Perhaps the most remarkable is "Apple stores with folks who know about VoiceOver." I can see it: running a Mac or iBox with VoiceOver is a challenge like an adventure game. ZOMG — when do you think the first blind Apple user will be hired on at an Apple Store?

What I have yet to see is blind people using the touch/gesture interface. Logically it's completely possible: I've seen blind people soldering and turning over thin crepes in hot pans and delicate needlework so of course navigating a small screen won't be the issue.

[kestrell]

Here is the thing which I think ultimately is drawing and will continue to draw large numbers of blind people to Mac products: when you walk into an Apple store, a blind person is treated *just the same* as a sighted person. Blind people are so used to people in stores trying to ignore them completely, or giving off the attitude that the clerk is really hoping you will just go away, on top of the clerk usually being completely clueless about accessibility features in the products they are selling, that every purchase of a tech product is hugely stressful. With Apple products, you walk into a store, and it's as if the clerk doesn't hold it against you that you are complicating his or her day by asking questions to which s/he doesn't know the answer.

Also, I know from being on the MacVisionaries list that many blind people are using the gesture interface. I don't know them personally, but then, I don't know a lot of younger blind people--it may be one of those skills that occurs seemingly naturally in the generation which grew up with the technology. Actually, I do know a younger blind woman who seems to have no trouble with the gesture interface, but she does a lot of texting, and prefers to have an actual keyboard.