Technology Edu

Monday, 23 September 2013

Macally iKeyLT Keyboard: Full Sized Wired Keyboard for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

The Macally iKeyLT is a full sized wired keyboard for iOS devices with the lightning connector. The iKeyLT version is designed for devices with the lightning connector while the iKey30 is designed for devices with the 30-pin connector. The keyboard has a solid and responsive feel. It has a standard layout and also includes a number of buttons specifically for iOS devices. For people who struggle to type on their iOS device the iKeyLT offers a solution. Unlike many other keyboard accessories, iKeyLT is a wired keyboard that plugs directly into the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. In most situations Bluetooth keyboards are more convenient, but it some situations a wired keyboard does have advantages. With the wired keyboard there is no need for extra batteries, because the power is drawn from the iOS device itself. Also, in some testing environments wireless devices are not allowed. One downside is that because the keyboard plugs directly into the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch it is not possible to charge the iPad and type at the same time. This would only become an issue if the iPad was low on battery. The iKeyLT also comes with a external stand so you can position your device for easy viewing while typing. Unfortunately the small stand does not attach or connect to the keyboard in anyway so it is easy to misplace.

The iKeyLT costs $60 and can be purchased directly from Macally. Click read more below to view more images of the iKeyLT.

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Friday, 20 September 2013

visually impaired 22:50

New in iOS 7: Redeem iTunes Gift Cards with the Camera

Apple�s new mobile operating system for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch includes the ability to redeem iTunes gift cards with the camera instead of manually typing long codes. To redeem a gift card with the camera go to the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store and hit redeem at the bottom of the featured page. Then choose to redeem the gift card with the camera. You can use either the front facing or rear facing camera. To redeem the gift card just point the camera at the back of the gift card and the code is automatically redeemed. This new feature makes it possible for the blind and visually impaired to redeem gift cards without sighted assistance. Also, iOS 7 eliminates the need for sighted users to type in long and complicated codes. iOS 7 is available now for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

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Thursday, 19 September 2013

VoiceOver 18:16

New in iOS 7: Ask Siri to Turn on VoiceOver and other Accessibility Settings

iOS 7 is Apple�s new operating system for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. iOS 7 includes a complete redesigned look and many new features. Siri in iOS 7 has learned some new tricks that can benefit users of VoiceOver and the other built in accessibility features that iOS offers. The feature allows you to ask Siri to turn on and off different accessibility settings using your voice. For example you can say, "turn on VoiceOver" and Siri will turn on VoiceOver in seconds. This feature will make iOS accessibility features easier to find and access. If a VoiceOver user is presented with an iOS device with VoiceOver turned off and triple click home disabled they could use this new feature to ask Siri to turn on VoiceOver. Besides accessibility settings Siri can also change other settings such as brightness, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

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Wednesday, 18 September 2013

what is switch control 15:49

New in iOS 7: Detailed Look at Switch Control

Apple�s newly released iOS 7 includes many new features and improvements. iOS 7 runs on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Users will notice changes as soon as they boot up their iOS 7 device for the first time. But this release allows a group of users to use iOS for the first time. Just as VoiceOver allowed the blind and visually impaired to access the iPhone, Switch Control now allows switch users to navigate and use their iOS device. Switch users are users who are only able to activate a few large buttons and who don�t have the ability to interact with the complexities of a touch screen. For example, a quadriplegic may be able to activate switches mounted on their wheelchair with their head. Switches come in all different sizes and configurations but they give users who are unable to interact with the touch screen the ability to control their devices.

Switch Control for iOS is similar to other switch interfaces, a cursor scans around the screen and when a switch is activated the user is given options to interact with that object or button. For example, a cursor will scroll through all the app icons on your home screen and when the switch is activated it will open the selected app.

Click read more to learn below to learn more about Switch Control on iOS 7.

Switches

Example of a switch

Switch Control can be used with external switches connected to the device via Bluetooth. Switch control can also use the front facing FaceTime camera to recognize a user�s head movements. A third option allows the entire touch display of your iOS device to be used as a switch. Once you have a switch you can choose its action. A switch can control scanning by controlling the cursor or can be used to control system functions such as activating Siri, notification center, or the app switcher.

Settings

Switch Control is extremely customizable to fit the needs of many different users. The settings can be accessed by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Switch Control. The speed at which the cursor moves can be change for faster navigation or easier use. The cursor can also be set to pause on the first item. There are also switch stabilization settings to increase or decrease hold duration and also to ignore repeat. Switch Control can also speech items to the user as the cursor highlights items. The cursor size and color is also customizable. Similar to Assistive Touch Switch Control allows saved gestures to be saved and activated later.

Using Switch Control

A cursor highlights the elements or groups of elements on the screen. Activating the switch selects the group and then pressing the switch again activates an element. This process allows users to select apps from the home screen, keys on the keyboard, and other buttons. A secondary menu can also be activated with options specific to that element. The menu includes options to tap the element, scroll, activate saved and pre-set gestures, activate device functions such as volume, and shortcuts to change Switch Control settings. On elements such as volume sliders you are also given the option to decrement and increment. The gesture menu gives you the option to flick, pan, pinch, tap and hold, drag, drag and hold, double tap, freehand, and access saved gestures. Amazingly, these gestures can be precisely controlled through one switch by following on screen options. For scrollable list you can activate the �scroll� submenu.

Switch Control Compatibility with Third Party Apps

As with most accessibility features, support for Switch Control with third party apps unpredictable. Luckily, VoiceOver has laid the ground work for Switch Control. As I understand, Switch Control and VoiceOver use the same accessibility elements. This an app that works with VoiceOver will work with Switch Control and vice versa. This makes app developer�s jobs much easier.

Wrap-Up

Switch Control is one of many great new accessibility features in iOS 7. Switch Control will allow a whole new group of people (switch users) access to the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Like all of Apple�s accessibility features Switch Control is available on all iOS 7 devices and works out-of-the-box.

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iOS for disabled 10:00

Apple Releases iOS 7 With New Accessibility Features

Today Apple released iOS 7, a new version of the operating system for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. iOS 7 includes a number of new features including a totally redesigned interface. iOS 7 also includes a number of new accessibility features that will benefit users with disabilities. The operating system also builds on existing accessibility features such as Speak Selection, VoiceOver, Guided Access, Assistive Touch, and Zoom. Click on a link to learn more about the corresponding feature. It is exciting that Apple has continued its commitment to accessibility in every new iOS release. Among the new accessibility features are system wide large fonts, customizable captioning, Siri improvements, Switch Control, and more. All of these features are available to all iOS 7 users automatically. To learn more about these features as more information becomes available look for posts titled "new in iOS 7."

iOS 7 is available for iPhone 4 and newer, iPad 2 and newer, and the fifth generation iPod Touch. To download iOS 7 go to Settings > General > Software Update.

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special education 09:01

Prizmo 3 Adds New Features and iOS 7 Optimization

Pizmo 3 has just been released with a new design which is perfect for iOS 7, and has some helpful new features. After updating, you will notice a new app icon and a redesigned interface, but the changes go deeper than just a new design. The updated app is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touches running iOS 7. Click here to download Prizmo. Similar to previous versions, Prizmo 3 still allows you to take pictures of text and have the text extracted using optical character recognition (OCR) in order to have the text read aloud using text-to-speech. In other words, you can take a picture of a document and then Prizmo will read it back to you using text-to-speech. Amazingly, whole process takes less than a minute per page. Prizmo 3 also includes PDF exporting and business card scanning.

Prizmo 3 adds a handful of helpful new features including support for dynamic text size, optional faster text-to-speech rate, and one touch multiple page scanning. Dynamic text is a new feature of iOS 7 that allows users to specify a text size that is easier for them to read. This text size can be larger or smaller than the default text size. After choosing a text size, all compatible apps, such as Prizmo, will display text in your preferred size. Prizmo 3 also allows users to speed up the text-to-speech rate up to 400% for people who can understand faster speech. Another new time saving feature allows users to scan multi-page documents with a single button press instead of scanning one page at a time. Prizmo 3 is definitely a worthwhile update for all iOS 7 users.

To learn more about the features of Prizmo 3 click here. Click here to view screen shots of Prizmo 3 in action.

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Monday, 16 September 2013

iPad protective case 15:23

G-Form Extreme Sleeve Provides Protection For Your Important Devices

The G-Form Extreme Sleeve is soft and flexible while still protecting your devices. As the school year gets underway it is important protect your electronics from the daily bumps and drops that are inevitable for school children. I tested the G-Form Extreme Sleeve 2, but I did not do any extreme tests that would have put my iPad in jeopardy. That being said the construction and feel of case gives me confidence that the protected device would survive daily falls and bumps. I would be slightly concerned if the iPad or other device fell on its corner because the padding seems slightly thinner on the edges. The case is available in black and bright yellow depending on your preferences. The G-Form Extreme Sleeve comes in a number of sizes ranging from 7 inch tablet to 17 inch laptop. If you're sending your child to school with expensive electronic devices I definitely think that the G-Form Extreme Sleeves are a worthy investment. The cases range in price from $60 to $100 depending on the size. To learn more or to order a case click here to visit the G-Form website.

Click here to view images of the G-Form Extreme Sleeve 2.

Product was provided complimentary to reviewer.

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Tuesday, 10 September 2013

Touch ID for the blind 14:45

The Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor on the New iPhone 5s Has Major Accessibility Implications

Today Apple announced the iPhone 5s with a fingerprint sensor dubbed Touch ID. Touch ID allows users to unlock their iPhone and purchase iTunes content using just their fingerprint. The Touch ID sensor is located under the home button. This feature allows all users to secure their iPhone without typing in a passcode each and every time. This will encourage more users to secure their phone and decrease frustration when they enter the passcode incorrectly.

While the new Touch ID sensor is not exclusively an accessibility feature it will have large implications for some disabled users. Blind and visually impaired users will be one group to benefit greatly. These users use the built in VoiceOver screen reader to navigate the iPhone. Without being able to see the screen typing in even a simple four digit passcode with VoiceOver may be time consuming compared to a sighted user typing in the same passcode. (Don't take this the wrong way, VoiceOver is a fantastic feature that gives blind and visually impaired users access to their devices. It just takes longer to enter information). With the new Touch ID sensor VoiceOver users will be able to almost instantly unlock their iPhone just as quickly as any other sighted user.

The Touch ID sensor will also benefit people with cognitive disabilities who are unable to remember a passcode, but still need to protect their device. People with cognitive disabilities can benefit greatly from various iPhone apps, but may not be able to remember a passcode to protect their device. Now with the Touch ID sensor cognitively impaired users can easily unlock their iPhone with their finger. It eliminates the fear and possibility of forgetting your passcode.

The iPhone 5s will also include iOS 7 which includes new accessibility features. Click here to learn more about iOS 7 accessibility. Click read more below to view videos about the iPhone 5s.

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Tuesday, 3 September 2013

iPhone fingerprint sensor 09:50

Apple Confirms September 10th iPhone Event

Apple has confirmed previous rumors that the next iPhone will be announced on September 10^th at 10 am pacific time. Apple is widely expected to unveil two new iPhone models at the event; a cheaper plastic model and a new top of the line model. The higher end model is rumored to include a fingerprint sensor for unlocking the phone more quickly than a pass-code Apple is also expected to provide further details and a launch date for their redesigned iOS 7. iOS 7 will be available on most current devices and will include new accessibility features. Unlikely to make an appearance at the event are new iPad models which are expected to be announced later in the year.

Be sure to check back here on Tuesday, September 10^th for analysis of all of the day�s announcements and how they impact the world of accessibility.

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