The blobby, glowing, white-on-black magnified letters are smudging together again. I blink several times, only now realizing I am squinting. I lean back from my MacBook Pro, a dull thudding beginning behind my eyes. It seems like it's getting to that point, my ability to read and write is rapidly disappearing. Gently rubbing my eyes, I decide to take a break.
Almost…
Welcome to the September 2016 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you'll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.
I considered skipping this iPhone due to the disappearance of the headphone jack, for about one second, then I moved back into reality and took the plunge. Why?
The iPhone 7 is much more than just a missing headphone jack, even for those of us in the connected, online blind community.
Image stabilization on the camera, now in both iPhone models, means it should be easier to receive remote sighted assistance through apps like BeSpecular…
Apple has today released iOS 10.0.2 to address some bugs introduced in last weeks public launch of iOS 10.
According to the release notes via AppleInsider, the full list of changes spotlighted by Apple are:
- Addresses an issue that could prevent headphone audio controls from temporarily not working…
Today, Apple released a free update to its Mac computers: macOS Sierra. Apart from the new name for this version (Sierra), you'll notice that Apple has re-branded the entire line of the Mac's operating system. No longer is it OS X; it's macOS, to line up with tvOS, watchOS, and iOS. As always, this is a free upgrade, available to anyone with a supported Mac. And, again as always, we urge you to back up important files before upgrading, just in case.
A few…
Apple has today released watchOS 3, proudly claiming that this release will let you “do more in an instant”:
With the latest watchOS, apps launch instantly and are easier to access. You can choose from a range of watch faces and share your daily activity with friends. The Breathe app helps you stay healthy by taking a moment for yourself every day. And messages are more expressive and delightful. It’s the world’s most loved…
Apple has today released tvOS 10 for the fourth-generation Apple TV, proudly claimingl that with this release the “Apple TV keeps getting better and better”:
With the tvOS update, Apple Music has been totally redesigned. A new Remote app lets you control your Apple TV with your iPhone. You’ll even be able to adjust the house lights and thermostat straight from your TV.
Another fall is upon us, which means football season has started, temperatures are starting to drop, and that a new version of iOS is coming out. Another seemingly established tradition is that another article discussing the new accessibility features is in order. Just like the past several years, there are many changes to iOS that are mainstream and will be welcome changes. Some of the new features include a revamped Music app; a new Home app; new 3d Touch functionality in Apple apps; and…
Detailed in this post are possible accessibility-related bugs that members of the AppleVis Editorial Team have identified during their testing of iOS 10.
As is now our routine practice, the bugs have been grouped based upon what we believe to be there likely level of impact to the user experience to those affected by each bug. At the time of writing, we have only identified one bug which we believe to be serious—an issue which relates to using iOS 10’s Mail app with a braille display…
Apple has today released iOS 10, proudly claiming this latest iteration of the software to be “more personal, more powerful and more playful”:
Everything you love is now even better with iOS 10, our biggest release yet. Express yourself in bold new ways in Messages. Find your route with beautifully redesigned Maps. Relive memories like never before in Photos. And use the power of Siri in more apps than ever.
…
Today, Apple took the wraps off updates to its most popular product, and its wearable. We saw the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, as well as the long-anticipated Apple Watch 2. We also got hard dates for the public releases of the upcoming software updates across all of Apple's products. There was a lot covered today, so let's get right to it! If you like, you can follow along on the full video of the event…
Welcome to the AppleVis live blog for Apple's September 7, 2016 event. Information in this post was taken directly from the @AppleVis Twitter timeline, as well as quoted from the timelines of MacRumorsLive, 9to5Mac, Macworld, and Apple Insider.
Welcome to the August 2016 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you'll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.
Welcome to the July 2016 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you'll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.
More than twenty years ago, I was attending a MacWorld Expo during a business trip. One of my favorite distractions at these events was to hunt down any Macintosh software that used speech. Self-voicing software was rare and VoiceOver did not exist. I remember visiting with an exhibitor about their new product. I never clicked as to what the application might do for me, but the vendor promised that it would talk. Good enough. I relinquished $35 for a diskette and ran back to my hotel room to…
Over the past day there has been much coverage online of a Mashable article featuring Jordyn Castor, a blind member of Apple’s Accessibility Team.
In the article, Castor speaks passionately about Apple’s deep commitment to accessibility and her own personal journey.
Coming so soon after the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) passed…
Apple has today issued the first preview releases of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra for members of its public beta testing program.
The Public Beta Program allows end-users the chance to test pre-release software and provide meaningful feedback directly to Apple. If you have a secondary device—or are an experienced user willing to put up with the quirks of beta software—and have an interest in helping make the next releases of iOS and macOS the best possible for VoiceOver users, one of the…
For a while now, rumors have been piling up that suggest the venerable, reliable, universal 3.5mm headphone jack could vanish from future Apple products as soon as the iPhone 7. While we don't know whether this will definitely happen, there is mounting evidence that it might; a prominent Android phone maker released a phone sans headphone jack, and Apple's audio supplier just released…
Update, 7/4/2016, 3:25 PM CDT: Members of the National Federation of the Blind have just passed Resolution 2016-04. The resolution, Resolution 2016-04, calls on Apple to "make nonvisual access a major priority in its new and updated software by improving its testing of new releases to ensure that nonvisual access is not limited or compromised." The resolution further calls on Apple to "work actively to incorporate feedback…
Welcome to the June 2016 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you'll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.