Welcome to the September 2015 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.
Blog
Intro
AppleVis already has posts on iOS9: we've seen an overview of the new accessibility features, a podcast covering all that iOS9 brings to the table, a…
New Everything
It's September again, and that means another media event from Apple. Apple usually uses these to announce the newest iPhones, the release date of the next major versions of iOS and OS X, and any other big secrets it's been hiding. Normally, the iPad gets either a silent update or a smaller event later in the year, but this time, Apple broke with tradition.
Today, at an event entitled "Hey Siri", Tim Cook and friends delightedly showed off a whole range of new…
Below is the AppleVis live blog for the September 9, 2015 special event. Information has been taken directly from the @AppleVis Twitter timeline, as well as quoted from the Twitter timelines of [Mac Rumors LiveLive](http://www.twitter.com/Mac Rumors Live). All external information is indicated as such with a source name, and all external tweets are in quotes.
Apple Watch
- Tim Cook: Apple Watch customer satisfaction is 97…
WWDC 2015: Watch Some Music While Apple Goes Bug-Hunting
Today was Apples annual World Wide Developer's Conference keynote. This time each year, the world gets to preview the hardware and software coming out of Cupertino. We traditionally see the next iterations of iOS and OS X, and maybe a new service or cloud-based offering. This year was no exception: iOS9, OS X 10.11, watchOS 2.0, an updated Apple Pay, and the all-new Apple Music were all shown off with Apples usual flare. If…
Below is the AppleVis live blog for the June 8, 2015 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote presentation. Information has been taken directly from the @AppleVis Twitter timeline, as well as from the Twitter timelines of MacRumorsLive / MacRumors, Macworld, and…
How Will Apple Finish Out 2015?
With Apple's annual Worldwide Developer's Conference now just days away, a lot of people are wondering what new shinies we'll see. Will there be a new Apple TV? Yet another update to some Mac or other? A better iPad Mini? What will iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 bring to the table? Will Apple continue its headlong rush into dazzling new features at the expense of quality, or will it slow down and start refining what it has already done? what shots did…
Over the last couple years, I’ve come to a conclusion about life as a blind person: it isn’t the physical lack of sight that’s the biggest difficulty I face; but rather, it is attempting to overcome peoples’ negative stereotypes and misconceptions about what I can—and cannot—do that is the real problem.
When I think of situations where negative stereotypes about blind people come into play, the use of technology isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. I tend to think about…
Intro
Today (October 16, 2014) was Apple's third major announcement of the year, after WWDC in June and the iPhone/Apple Watch event last month. This time, the focus was on the Mac and the iPad, with some exciting new products announced, not to mention the release for the long-awaited OS X 10.10 Yosemite, iWork updates for the Mac, and the scheduled release of iOS8.1 on Monday, October 20.
If you'd rather watch the video, you can now do so. Here's Apple's…
Barely a month after announcing new iPhones, Apple Pay and the Apple Watch, Apple CEO Tim Cook will be back on stage tomorrow to announce more new products … just in time to grab a share of your money this Holiday season.
However, unlike the September event, this will be much more low-key. To be staged on Apple’s Cupertino campus and with a much shorter…
Update, 9/27/2014: Some users are reporting some accessibility improvements in iOS 8.0.2. Check out the comments section for all the details!
Apple has just released iOS 8.0.2, an update which brings several bug fixes and feature improvements. iOS 8.0.2 comes on the heels of iOS 8.0.1, an update which broke cellular service and Touch ID for some…
Update 2: Apple has just pulled the iOS 8.0.1 update, and it is no longer available for download. (Via Mac Rumors.
Update 1: It appears that the loss-of-cellular-service and Touch ID issues with iOS 8.0.1 are limited to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, according to Mac Rumors.
Just over a week after releasing iOS 8,…
Apple has today released iOS 7.1.2, bringing with it bug fixes and security improvements.
According to 9 to 5 Mac, the iOS 7.1.2 update contains the following changes:
• Improves iBeacon connectivity and stability • Fixes a bug with data transfer for some 3rd party accessories, including bar code scanners • Corrects an issue with data protection class…
Apple is now offering hands-on accessibility training workshops at many of its retail stores.
As originally reported by Access iQ, Apple is now offering workshops for users of its assistive technology software at many Apple Store locations. Accessibility workshops include those for users with vision, hearing, and physical disabilities and cover both iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks.
For blind and…
The Sendero Group, developers of the Seeing Eye GPS app and other accessible GPS products has, in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People, just launched a fully-featured turn-by-turn GPS app for users in the United Kingdom.
The app, called RNIB Navigator, was developed in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Sendero’s RNIB Navigator webpage lists the main features…
Apple today released iOS 7.1.1, an update that brings bug fixes—including a fix for the Bluetooth keyboard issue many VoiceOver users have experienced.
According to Mac Rumors, iOS 7.1.1 contains Touch ID improvements, a fix for an issue that could impact keyboard performance--and a fix for a Bluetooth keyboard issue when VoiceOver is enabled.
iOS 7.1.1 is available via Over-the-Air update and through…
Intro
Have you ever thought about making the switch from braille notetaker to iOS device? Are you unsure which one you should choose? Do you have both, and can't decide which one to invest in moving forward? I made the switch from a BrailleNote Apex to an iPhone, quite slowly and mostly by accident, and I'm here to tell you why a notetaker is the only way to go, and why that metal and glass frisbee in your hand is nothing but trouble. Then, I'll explain why you should ditch that…