New Notetaker for the Blind: The Apple iPad
This, IMHO, is probably the biggest thing since sliced bread for the blindness PDA industry. Most of our PDAs have rather mediocre storage, by today’s standards, and for that storage & custom user interface that makes the device friendly for people who are blind, you pay about as much as you would for a good gaming PC (approximately $1,000-$2,000). This is the first possibility for a notetaking solution that I’ve seen, talking out of the box, for under $1,000. What do you get for that approximately $900? 64GB of flash storage, WiFi 802.11n (most notetakers are stuck at B or G), it talks out of the box (same setup procedure as the iPhone in iTunes), full sized keyboard on the dock, and the iWork suite ($30 for a full suite that is near-desktop experience; $10 each for individual apps). I love this. Braille may be coming for this. The feature in the iPhone that allows you to keep VoiceOver on with speech off makes me wonder. We’ll see when it comes out in late March.
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February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I never said their …
I never said their security suite was the best. It is pretty good for a free and included security suite. I personally use a better suite, but they’re at least trying. When the Mac is hit with the first serious virus attack (and it will happen), they likely try to name it the “iBug” and make it sound like a new feature. Besides, are you sure the “adware” is really a problem? Many scans show things like cookies as adware. MANY cookies are simply identifiers for sites such as eBay, Amazon, etc.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I wish I could say …
I wish I could say the same but I got adware and I was using Microsoft security suite and it didnt notice it until I did a FULL scan, and it did and I told it to remove it. A month later and a few other scans I find that it said that still have the same adware on my computer. So even after it removed it I still had it. Even with protection im still not protected.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I’ve watched the …
I’ve watched the Keynote presentation on the Apple website, and Steve Jobs didn’t even mention that the iPad was accessible, it’s only because of you that I even know about this. Like you, i’m hoping that if you use the physical keyboard dock the command set between Mac OS and the iPad is the same or at least similar. I’m really not all that interested in the iPad myself, but now I know that it’s accessible I’m more inthusiastic about it, this really is very exciting.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
That’s good.
That’s good.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
This comment didn’t …
This comment didn’t make it, but I did make a response video based on your comments. A friend of mine who’s an iPhone user was a guest in the video. It will be uploaded shortly (may already be up if anyone else is reading this at a later time).
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Luckily – I used my …
Luckily – I used my CCTV, and enabled it myself, but I didn’t know that. I just didn’t like it at ALL. I guess everyone has different tastes. I got my money back.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Viruses are so …
Viruses are so over-hyped. I’ve used windows for YEARS, and NEVER had a virus. Microsoft’s security suite is free, and pretty good. I wouldn’t let that hold me out of Windows. I’ve worked in Tech support, and can tell you that most people mistakenly think they have a virus, when all they’ve done is change a setting that they didn’t need to mess with anyway.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Since it’s just …
Since it’s just like the iPhone, except bigger, it’s a learning curve, but very usable. There’s an item in VoiceOver. If you double tap the screen with three fingers, the speech is disabled. However, the VoiceOver cursor & navigation is still active. What this tells me is that there’s a hole in the command structure, which I feel can be filled with Braille Display support. Let’s wait until it comes out to submit final judgment.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
jetfly15 made a gd …
jetfly15 made a gd comment a lot of people who really use braille do pefer their bralle displays and i also belive i would rather have a real keyboard how gd does the the on screen keyboard on the i pad owrk with voice over
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
To enable VoiceOver …
To enable VoiceOver on the iPhone, since you must go through iTunes anyway, there is a checkbox during setup. Check that box, and VoiceOver will be enabled from the get-go.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
True. I’ve been a …
True. I’ve been a Mac user for so long that, even WITH virus protection, I’m worried about viruses on Windows.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Have you tried …
Have you tried enabling voice over on the Iphone for the first time? You have to navigate to Settings, General, Accessibility, then turn on VoiceOver or Zoom. After that – it’s ok, but it is nearly impossible for a blind low vision user to enable Accessibility on the Iphone out-of-the-box without sighted assistance. Not to mention – the VoiceOver software tends to break up and drop in and out on the iPhone. Glad Wal-Mart and AT&T have a decent return policy!
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
It’s an over-sized …
It’s an over-sized Ipod I’m afraid. You can get a good netbook for $250 that can multi task. And netbooks have a real keyboard. I actually bought an Iphone, and the virtual keyboard sucks for the visually impaired. And they charge extra for a real keyboard on the Ipad? BTW – I returned my Iphone, and cancelled my contract. Plus – they try to lock their devices down to a proprietary market. You can get around that, but it’s a pain. Apple believes in charging for everything. Netbook for me!
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Apple is great …
Apple is great about making their products accessible. Google and Microsoft aren’t even close in that area. It’s not the main reason I prefer Apple, but it definitely makes a big difference as a legally blind person. They could easily get away with offering little or no accessibility like their competition and only a very small number of people would take note, but they don’t. That means something.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
WM & a screen …
WM & a screen reader are rather unstable, and many who use these devices are NOT comfortable with the initial setup process, mainly about it requiring sighted assistance. Same with the Archos 9. You can setup the iPad without any sighted assistance. That’s how all AT for the blind should work.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
There is a command …
There is a command in VoiceOver to disable speech while keeping VoiceOver active, just like on ur iPod Touch. This tells me Braille could very well happen. We will see when it comes out in March.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I don’t think that …
I don’t think that the iPad is compatible with external usb devices either so that might be an issue. o.o
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I still like my …
I still like my pacmate becuase I need braille, if I don’t have braille I’m screwed. I just like the feel of a braille display and as far as battery a 32 GB compact flash disk a 1 TB external hard drive, a 30 hour battery I just think that the pacmate is my chosen poison. I just don’t know about this tablet.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
i was wanting it to …
i was wanting it to run snow leopard
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I agree. It’s only …
I agree. It’s only useful for sight impared people. Knew this review was coming up. Horrible device for sight privilaged people, good device for sight-impared people.
Agreed. I’m highly against this product being on the commercial market though.
Also 10 hours is a lie. More like 6 hours if you’ve ever used Apple products.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
There are a lot of …
There are a lot of devices that will be coming this year that meet that criteria.. Archos 9, HP Slate, etc.
Not to mention all the 1ghz windows mobile devices that are already out.