Apple has certainly been the talk of the town this week, both in the sighted and blind communities. Everyone had something to say about Apple, and Serotek was no exception. Both Mike Calvo and Michael Lauf posted thought-provoking and heartfelt articles about the buzz surrounding the company this week, and I felt compelled to add my own contribution.
It began with the WWDC conference on Monday, when Apple announced, among other things, the third generation iPhone. While our sighted counterparts discussed the merits of Apple’s latest offering, the blind community, for the first time, had something to discuss as well. And discuss it we did, on email lists, social networking sites, podcasts, blogs, and in any other venue you could think of. When Apple announced that the iPhone 3GS, in all its sleek, futuristic, buttonless glory would be accessible, it wasn’t hard to predict that the blind community would talk about it. But who knew that the addition of accessibility to a wildly popular product would be so controversial? It was, though, in rather spectacular fashion.
There were those who fully embraced the iPhone without ever having seen it, simply because Apple was the company behind it. There were those who expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for what Apple had done, all the while taking a “wait and see” approach to purchasing the device. There were those who decided to show their support for Apple’s accessibility initiative by preordering the iPhone, knowing that if it wasn’t perfect the first time around there would be a need for real-world consumer feedback to make it better. And then, there were those who scoffed at the very idea of a blind person using a device with a touch screen, and who showed not the slightest interest in seeing the unit in action. This was not, after all, the kind of interface that a blind person typically used. After reading the documentation on how the device would work, it could be safely and emphatically stated that such a device would be a hindrance, not a help to a blind person’s productivity.
It was the attitude of this group which really disturbed me. It wasn’t their smug superiority which bothered me the most, though that was bad enough. It wasn’t their complete lack of enthusiasm for new technology which by all rights should have generated at least a spark of curiosity that upset me. A jaded attitude about a new approach to things wasn’t something I could readily understand, but I couldn’t condemn them for that either. No, what bothered me the most was their willingness to denounce others for expressing their enthusiasm in exploring the unknown. Curiosity should never be discouraged, and if you observe those who explore a path you aren’t willing to take yourself, you might be pleasantly surprised by what you learn from them.
On social networking sites like Twitter, the iPhone debate continued well in to Tuesday with no end in site, and discussions became more and more heated. But I had a job to do, and it was time for me to focus on things other than Apple for a while. Well, that was a great idea in theory, but it wasn’t going to happen. You see, something else transpired which dragged my attention back to Apple and its place in the blind community. The Braille Monitor produced by the National Federation of The blind published a review of the VoiceOver screen reader in its June issue. I knew very little about the Mac except that it had beautiful hardware and a screen reader built in to its operating system. This scant knowledge wasn’t nearly enough to decide whether or not to purchase a Mac, so I was excited to see what the folks from the International Braille and Technology Access Center had to say about the functionality and ease of use of the VoiceOver screen reader. The Center, and the NFB itself, have always been well-respected voices in the blind community, and for many the recommendations made by these groups often influence their decisions to purchase a product or not. With the Institute’s high degree of credibility in mind, I sat back and prepared to enjoy a well-informed review of the Mac and its screen reader.
As I began reading the article, a few things jumped out at me. I remember playing with a Mac equipped with the Outspoken screen reader in the early ‘90’s, yet the article states that the Mac platform has been inaccessible until quite recently. While I knew that VoiceOver had been around for a number of years and that Outspoken was available before that, I wasn’t going to dismiss the entire article because of those inaccuracies. As I read on, my excitement for Apple’s innovations began to diminish. Browsing the web seemed cumbersome and counterintuitive, and there were things that I took for granted in Windows, such as a functional calendar solution, that were apparently completely unusable on the Mac. The end result of the article was that the NFB could not recommend any product, even if it was free, if it would hamper the productivity of a blind person. And from what I had just read, I had to agree that the Mac didn’t appear to be a particularly productive solution.
But how could this be? I have several friends who own Macs, and they’re usually rather sensible people. Yet, they are quite fond of their Macs, and many of them spend more time on the Mac than in Windows. Something wasn’t right here. Had my sensible friends been brain-washed to accept a cumbersome and unwieldy screen reader without protesting its many apparent flaws? Were my normally sensible and rather busy friends ok with not having a functional calendar to keep track of appointments? Had my dear, normally sensible friends been influenced by some sort of hypnotic suggestion? Was some strange electromagnetic field generated by the beautiful, sleek hardware keeping them from realizing the truth?
It was time to do a little research, and save my friends from their horrible fate if I could. I set out armed with a google search engine and a thirst for knowledge. Not surprisingly, one of the first things I came across was the VoiceOver documentation itself. After giving it a quick perusal, it seemed that web page navigation wasn’t nearly as cumbersome as it had appeared in the NFB article. But perhaps the documentation was meant to lure gullible and trusting consumers like myself in to believing the hype, and if I wasn’t careful I’d end up just as deluded and brain-washed as the very friends I was trying to save. I knew I needed to find people with real-world experience in using the Mac, so my Google search continued.
Imagine my delight when I found an episode of the Screenless Switchers podcast dedicated to discussing the very article I had just read. As I listened, I got exactly what I was hoping for – an entirely different perspective on the Mac than that provided in the article. Granted, the podcast was produced by seasoned Mac veterans rather than someone who had explored it for only a week, but I was nevertheless intrigued by the podcast. I did get to hear live demonstrations of how the Mac performed in certain situations, and even more importantly, I discovered that some things described in the article as utter impossibilities on the Mac were in fact quite easy to accomplish. My thirst for knowledge still hadn’t been slaked though, so I continued with my trusty Google search engine and discovered a wealth of content related to the Mac experience from a blind person’s perspective. There was the Mac-cessibility blog and podcast, the Mac Visionaries mailing list, and of course I’ve always known that there is a Mac chat held each Friday night on the System Access Mobile Network. In reading blog posts, documentation, and actually speaking with a few Mac users, what I discovered was that those who used the Mac were productive, intelligent people who enjoyed the Mac experience. All agreed that there was room for improvement, which was actually pretty comforting. Every product, no matter how skillfully developed, can use improvement.
I felt much better after having done some research, especially as my findings varied significantly from the rather disappointing and unfavorable experience represented in the NFB article. Imagine if I had read the article with no further research at all.
So, is the Mac right for me? I don’t know yet. I want to do more research and have a little hands-on experience before making that decision. Is the iPhone right for me? I don’t know yet, but I’m keeping an open mind. But it isn’t really my own decisions I’m thinking about at the moment. It is the people who read scathing posts from individuals denouncing the iPhone and accept them on faith that I worry about. It is the people who read articles from seemingly trustworthy sources and accept them as fact that I worry about.
But why am I so concerned? It all goes back to my earlier statement that curiosity should never be discouraged. I always try to approach new technology with an open mind, and often with a sense of wonder. How can this new technology change my life? How can others benefit from this new technology? What new ideas will be sparked by the availability of this new technology? I hope never to lose that sense of wonder. I understand that my approach to technology may not be the right approach for everyone. I know that some people view technology merely as a means to an end, and don’t necessarily feel their heartbeat quicken every time they find out that something new is on the horizon.
Still, I reflect on the idea that we were all beginners in terms of technology at one time, and whether we’re now technical gurus or folks who just use our computers for the bare necessities, we all had hurdles to overcome as we learned more and more about technology. How different might our outcomes have been if we had been discouraged from exploring a new technology on the basis of a single scathing remark or a single poorly researched article from a credible source?
I don’t want to see even one blind person lose their sense of adventure because they’ve been inundated with the message that the status quo is just fine thank you. I don’t want to see even one blind person lose their sense of adventure because it’s easier to stay in the comfort zone than to step outside it. And I don’t want to see a single blind person who loses sight of why we explore new technology in the first place, to see what new things it can offer us, not to compare it to what already exists and find it lacking just because it is different.
What I do want to see is a whole community of blind people looking to the future with that sense of wonder and expectation, and being excited, not afraid to embrace the changes which will inevitably come.
Absolutely! Isn’t curiosity a wonderful thing? We live, we learn, we grow, learn some more, grow some more, and on and on it goes.
As for the iPhone 3G S, my only question is how fast can I get one. I want to go adventuring. As for the article from the NFB, people my age will remember how they were against the Optacon, the machine that opened the doors to the printed word. As for the naysayers, they also can apparently read the writing on the wall, that Apple’s efforts spell the beginning of the end of our enslavement to high-priced adaptive technology which doesn’t always work that well either. I am so proud that System Access has come down so vocally on the right side of this debate.
Dorothea Martin
Very well said. I’m considering buying a MAC when I have the money. I just wish more companies would make their items accessible out of the box like Apple has done with the iPod, Mac, and now the iPhone 3G S. I believe that Apple knows what it’s doing making their three major sellers accessible out of the box.
Well said! Unfortunately I knew even with my excitement and interest when I read of the announcement that some in our community would have the negative response to what they have not even ever had their hands on yet! I want to check this out when it is released! I really have high hopes for it. It may not be there at first or it might be well refined and worked out right from the start or somewhere in between. What I think is important though is to encourage Apple in what they are doing and to make it clear we appreciate their efforts. I have listened to well educated users and fans of the Mac and voiceover and I want to purchase one when I can aford it. I plan to use it for everything I can and load windows onto the same machine for times that is needed. What I do hope Apple and others understand is that the blind community is not all one voice and some of what gets press is not credible and not the opinion of all of us. As for those bashing the very idea of the touch screen screen reader, they should leave it alone if they just do not wish to consider the idea, but understand that it is a choice and additional options are always good! I am very excited about the idea of using the touch screen being opened up to us! This is a pivital point to have the door opened up or be left behind and is a grate opportunity to be able to use exactly what others are using right now!
As for the Mac, I’ve been a mac user here for a little over 2 years, and I’d say you really have to try a Mac for a while to see if you like it. Apple has done very well with Voiceover, and it’s just going to get better as Apple continues to update their OS.
I’m the first to cheer for Apple and everything going on.
But, I just want to leave a word of caution in this discussion.
I was a long time Apple user in the early 90′s up to 2005. I came to the windows os kicking and screaming. I was not thrilled with the prospect of retooling myself. I make a living in a busy studio and I have very little time for playing. So windows happened and here I am. I have been very happy with so much about what I’ve found in windows. I many times am using soft wears that are not very accessible and that require a good screen reader to work with. Many times in the various plug ins I use the screen is invisible to the screen reader and it takes things like user windows and hot spots to be effective and even then it can be hard.
So, I’ve been hearing about apple and I thought I would check in to something.
It is not the main application that is usually problematic for a screen reader, it is the extensions within that application that can be almost impossible to work with.
I use waves audio. Waves is a 1800$ sweet of sound designing soft wear that is hosted in various applications like Pro tools, Sonar and many others. In version 5 it was completely accessible in windows. Then, version 6 came and absolutely all accessibility was gone. Nice. I’ve been in conversation with waves about this to no real avail. I got all excited about voice over and apple and what might be happening with waves and everything apple. I called waves and told them all about voice over and how to run it. Long story short there is no accessibility with this soft wear on the apple side either.
I am only writing this because I feel that we must take care and not jump to quickly in to something that may have all of the same issues.
I do rejoice in everything going on with apple and I am glad to see everyone all excited but I know that care and balance are a must especially for those using computers to make a living.
I do very much want apple users to know I deeply appreciate them and all they are doing to push apple forward. I feel that what is happening at apple is remarkable and deserves support.
The hardship that I have found is with third party developers that make some very good soft wear that are just not interested in accessibility. It is important to remember that application designers have had everything it takes to make there products accessible in windows for many years and still many do not bother.
I think the most important thing to ask when considering a move in your computing life might be, is what I’m using working for me. There are many choices and none of them are bad or better, they just offer different ways of getting results. Windows will be around, apple will be around and S M A’s will be around in some form for a long time. Everyone’s going to get some money from you, there’s no way around that. Many times the developers in assistive technology make down rite cool stuff like samobile. There will always be newer and better and you will in some way pay be that with apple or windows or any other os.
Just wanted to stop back and give my first impressions on iPhone 3GS with Voice Over.
Over all, Apple has done a great job with this and I am very excited at the step forward that this represents for Universal Accessibility—as well as the opportunities that it presents for future applications. The iPhone is home to many a valuable third party applications and having built-in accessibility at no additional cost is something that everyone in the Blindness community should celebrate.
Now to the nitty-gritty. The iPhone 3GS is a device with a very large touch screen that supports multi-touch. Meaning, unlike most touch screen devices, it is capable of detecting where multiple touch points are. Therefore it is not necessary to use a stylus to operate the device. In the United States, it is sold and operated exclusively on the AT&T cellular network. The device is a Quad band GSM phone, capable of operating on 99% of the world’s GSM cellular networks.
The device comes pre-loaded with many applications found on most smart phones. All the Apple-supplied applications appear to be fully accessible.
It is worth noting that there is a learning curve to the gestures used to control the Iphone when Voice Over is running. Reading the directions is definitely a must. As you move your finger over the screen the phone begins to announce what is under your finger. Much like System Access from Serotek announces what is under the mouse. Double-tapping an item activates the control you are on. The plus to this approach is that you will get an idea where items are located and will in the future be able to access them much quicker.
Perhaps the most challenging thing is learning to use the keyboard. When you are in an edit box, the bottom half of the screen displays a QWERTY style keyboard. The same touch and tap method is used to type. It takes some getting used to and at first can be frustrating, given the small space the keys are in, but my experience is that my typing speed is already beginning to increase.
Making and receiving calls is smooth. Apple has taken care to make sure their interface style is consistent across the device and this care shows. The voice command function works very well, and extends beyond the calling contacts and dialing phone number area. You can use your voice to tell the iPod application to “play songs by Jessica Simpson.” Or “shuffle songs.”
Sending and receiving E-mails and text messages is easy once you get the typing thing down.
Moving on to 3rd party applications:
One of the major draws to the iPhone platform are the many applications that are out there for it. Ranging from the totally useless, through the mundane, all the way to the utterly awesome and useful, there are literally thousands of apps out there. I have found them to be mostly accessible, with unlabeled buttons to be the most challenging portions. It is my hope that convincing iPhone developers to lable their controls will not be too difficult.
A few examples of these applications, that I will use daily:
Youmail–this company provides enhanced voicemail not only ffor your cell phone but for your other phones as well. Now I have one voicemail box for my work phone, cell phone, and home phone. I was using this service before I had the iPhone but the iPhone app provides direct access to my messages in the same visual voicemail style (voicemails show up much like E-mails, allowing you to decide which ones to listen to.)
Alarm.com—this application allows you to control your compadible security system from your phone. Very nice for hwen you need to let that service person in your house but you don’t want to give them your alarm codes (for obvious reasons). You can view status, history, arm and disarm, and view video feeds (if you have any cameras connected to your system.)
Pandora—if you are a music fan, you have probably heard of Pandora. The iPhone ap lets you take your customized radio stations anywhere with you.
GVMobile—allows you access to your Google Voice account. Google Voice is outside the scope of this discussion but is sort of like another cell phone number. You can check your messages, send txt messages, make calls…
Grill Guide—custom meat cooking times based on thickness and how you want it done. Pretty cool!
Facebook–The official facebook app is very accessible and provides great mobile access to the main features of the full website.
Being something of an early adopter, I was ready for this to be much worse than it is. I am very happy to report that I can recommend this solution to a blind person as a viable, accessible cell phone solution. Given the fact that it is included out of the box and does not cost extra, it is something to be strongly considered. Besides, the phone is really pretty and I’ve gotten more than one compliment and “wow” today. Most people are shocked to hear you tell them it works for a blind person and it tends to spark some interesting (and good!) conversations about accessibility, blindness, etc.
So in closing, thanks Apple for stepping up to the plate. Keep up the good work.