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As I finished reading How the Blind Are Reinventing the iPhone in The Atlantic, I couldn't resist sharing it with you. I'm pleased to see that Apple's access-oriented efforts are deservedly being brought into the limelight. It'll also help developers become fully aware of access issues and the infrastructure which is available to them if they wish to work…

When I heard the news of the recently released $0.99 Bluetooth OnOff app, an application which allows iOS users to turn bluetooth on and off quickly without going to Settings/General/Bluetooth, some thoughts came to my mind. First and foremost, I hope Apple doesn't remove this app from the App Store as it's quite easier to alter a feature like Bluetooth this way without delving into Settings. I also hope to see the same official apps for the WiFi and the Airplane mode switch. After all, it's…

When it comes to adding to the list of the benefits of owning an iDevice, some don't hesitate to mention excellent tech support. That's intriguing enough, but the proof of the proverbial putting is in the actual eating. As some of you might remember, a while ago I posted a review for the unusable New Oxford American Dictionary. Simply put, I love dictionaries and always want to try new and…

Apple and Google love their mobile operating systems. They do their best to convince users that their way of implementing features is better than the competition. Of course, therein lies a fundamental difference. Apple uses iOS on its own handsets and iDevices but Google practically gives away Android to hardware manufacturers -- to every company which wants to utilize and modify it.

It's no secret that Android is a fragmented operating system and some even call Android's status quo…

First and foremost, I admit that I love the double-tap approach Apple has implemented in VoiceOver. However, as one becomes more and more familiar with certain apps, it would be quicker to locate a button or link and then activate it via a single tap instead of two. Imagine being able to flick around left or right to find something and then tap once to activate it.

So I suggest that a new setting called "Simple tap to activate" be added to the VoiceOver section of the Accessibility…

After my first and second posts concerning VoiceOver new features, it's time to mention one more feature.

I know how useful VoiceOver sounds are. They're used to signal the move from one control to adjacent ones, notify users of a focus switch, and so forth. However, the more one…

Yes, it's too big a dilemma to be ignored by VoiceOver users. While sighted iOS users can easily rely on app reviews to determine if an application works the way they want, VoiceOver users should solely rely on websites such as AppleVis -- the most comprehensive repository of app reviews from the viewpoint of the visually impaired, a couple of email lists and the very occasional mention of VoiceOver support on the App Store before making a purchase.…

Well, had it not been for the unusability of many Reference apps, I'd have mentioned this first. Any decent and feature-rich screen reader should provide a pronunciation editor. All TTS engines have their own pronunciation problems or quirks and VoiceOver's TTS engine (called Nuance…

As I’m gradually adding apps to my iPhone 4S and enjoying the extensive features and gestures provided by VoiceOver, I thought I’d add my desired features which might be considered by Apple for inclusion in future releases of iOS. Of course, I use the phrase “iOS 6” here and in the rest of posts dedicated to this topic because it seems the most logical release of the OS which can accommodate my features; however, there would be nothing wrong with implementing one or…

When it comes to choosing a new handset, I can become as meticulous and picky as hell! It’s not necessarily a vice; however, if it takes more than three months to make your final decision, it can no longer be called a “virtue” either.

Having used several Symbian handsets such as the 6630, N73, N82, N86, and X7, I finally decided to kiss goodbye to Symbian about four months ago. My phones were sort of decrepit and I needed something new. Having had heard many good points about Android…

Apple has officially confirmed that several bugs in iOS 5 are negatively affecting battery life.

In their statement they acknowledge the problem and said that they will "release a software update to address those [bugs] in a few weeks." Apple haven't provided any information on the specifics of the bugs, nor have they offered any temporary work arounds or advice for those experiencing poor battery life.

Shortly after their statement, Apple released a beta build of iOS 5.0.1 to…

Apple has received much praise since accessibility became an integral element of iOS. Much has certainly been said and written on how this has been a life-changer for so many people, and that it has opened up a world of possibilities.

These are sentiments that it's hard to disagree with.

A few short years ago miniaturization was the trend for mobile phones, resulting in handsets so small that you could almost lose them in the fluff that gathers at the bottom of your pockets. At…

As much as we all love the level of accessibility that is available 'out of the box' with an iDevice, we probably all feel a sense of apprehension when a new update to iOS is released. We click the 'Update' button, silently hoping that accessibility problems from the previous version will have been fixed and that no major new problems will be introduced.

It's certainly difficult to imagine how it could be any other way. Apple undertakes extensive beta testing of every iOS version, but…