accessibility
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Fleksy is an alternate text input tool for the visually impaired
Fleksy is an interesting take on alternate text input for the iPhone. Designed for those whose eyesight is bad or nonexistent, Fleksy records the taps on the screen and makes a guess based on your patterns. It then says the word, enabling you to quickly construct sentences without even looking at the screen. Does it work? Absolutely it does, and as proof I found it was far more accurate when I didn't look at the screen than when I tried to type quickly while looking at the "keys." Fleksy is simple enough, with a text area up top and modified keyboard below. As you type, it guesses what you're trying to type. When you go to the next word by swiping right, Fleksy reads the word it guessed, allowing you to delete it (swipe left to delete), ask for another suggestion (swipe down), or continue by typing again. What's incredible is the speed and accuracy of the app while not looking at the screen. If you're familiar with the basic QWERTY layout on an iPhone's screen, you can tappity-tap on the screen, pretending you're seeing the keys, when Fleksy is actually making several educated guesses about what you're wanting to write. Fleksy is free to test, and I highly recommend you do so to understand what's going on. My video below is but a tiny sample of how good Fleksy is at guessing your keystrokes. To unlock the ability to use this text outside of the app, it'll cost you $9.99. If you are visually impaired, it's a decent bargain, even though Apple continues to make iOS more accessible.
EVE's Inferno build patched to 1.2, newb-friendly tweaks abound
How many times has CCP talked about revamping EVE Online's tutorials, and how many times has the Icelandic development firm sought to make the sci-fi sandbox less like ancient Sanskrit and more like an intuitive MMO? Frankly we've lost count, but today's Inferno 1.2 patch takes yet another crack at accessibility. The initial tutorial sequence has been "completely overhauled" according to the patch notes, and the character creation process (specifically racial maps and bloodline avatars) has been tweaked a bit. Also included in this patch are some newbie-friendly enhancements to Aura's directions, module mouseover updates, and various and sundry balance and gameplay changes. Head to the official EVE website for more details and the full update notes.
Flashy notifications from Flashr Kickstarter project
LED notifications -- the flashing reminders of incoming calls, waiting voicemail or text messages -- are often cited by Android users as an essential advantage over the iPhone. A dedicated LED on the front bezel of many Android devices lets you know when you have something to attend to without even picking up your phone. Soon iPhone owners may be able to share in this convenience if the FLASHr, a Kickstarter project from Phaze5, gets funded and made. The FLASHr design shows an iPhone case with a light-up border that will flash when you get an incoming call, text message or other push notifications. And it's not just a little round circle -- two sides of the case and the back logo will glow. Based on the images provided on the Kickstarter page, the LED alert would be difficult to miss. In case you're wondering, FLASHr takes advantage of the accessibility options in iOS, one of which lets hearing-impaired users turn on LED Flash alerts. When the LED flash of the camera lights up, a reflective component directs this light into the translucent glow frame part of the case. There are several different color combinations that'll let you customize the case color and glow frame part of the case. Pledges start at $30 for the Early Bird special which will get you one FLASHr case with your choice of case and glow frame color. You can watch a demo of the case in the video below. Post updated to clarify that the FLASHr uses passive reflection of the iPhone flash and does not have its own LEDs. [via TechCrunch] #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Fujitsu intros RakuRaku accessible smartphone for the elderly
While there are a number of ways to make existing smartphones more accessible for the elderly, there are very few on the market designed specifically with them in mind. There's devices like the Jitterbug, but they're not particularly "smart." Fujitsu's latest entrant in its RakuRaku line, however, is loaded with friendly features and hardware designed specifically with the elderly in mind -- and it runs Android. When it lands in Japan this August it'll sport a customized UI with large text and oversized virtual buttons. Even the few physical buttons are large and easy to operate for those whose agility may be waning. The screen is even able to distinguish between accidental touches and purposeful taps. To see the device in action check out the video after the break.
Georgie app offers up Android features and voice-guided menus for the blind: we go hands-on (video)
Phone options for the blind previously been pricey hardware based solutions -- or feature-light (physically-heavy) handsets. While the functional abilities of smartphones have expanded out wildly from the mobile devices we used to use, accessibility options have remained firmly in the past. Enter Georgie, an Android app that offers up a blind-friendly interface to open up the likes of maps, Twitter and email. It also includes an OCR function that can both re-display text in larger fonts and offer an audio version for listening. You can even store these photos for listening to later. Navigation through the app is steered by holding your finger to the screen, hearing the menu described and giving haptic feedback to confirm your choice. Keep reading to see how the app developed and our impressions on how it all works. You can also check out our hands-on video, which includes a glimpse at the app's OCR read-out feature and a quick demonstration from its co-creator Roger.
Does World of Warcraft need to be more difficult?
The above video is a bit lengthy, but it's well worth the watch simply because it does raise a few valid points along the line. And lest you think this is yet another player whining about the endless hardcore vs. casual debate, it's not -- this is simply a player who is incredibly passionate about the game we all play. In that passion, he's decided to talk about the direction that raiding in WoW has taken and how it has gone downhill, in his opinion. On the one hand, he has a point. There is a stark difference between the feel of raiding back in the days of vanilla, The Burning Crusade, and now. There's a stark difference in numbers, which any graph can illustrate. More and more people can complete raids now from one degree or another, which leaves people barreling through content at light speed and doesn't really give that same feeling that raiding had in years past. On the other, is changing the difficulty in WoW really the way to accomplish that goal? I don't think so.
The Firing Line: Three reasons to love PlanetSide 2
So you've heard of this PlanetSide 2 thing, and you're fairly sure that some significant buzz is building. You know that Sony Online Entertainment wowed a lot of people with its demo at this month's E3, and you know that the game is a high-dollar sequel to one of our early genre stalwarts. It's a shooter, though, and you're either not very good at shooters or not very enamored of their gameplay. The good news is that there's still room for you on the PS2 bandwagon, and there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the title even if it falls a bit outside your comfort zone.
Apple announces Guided Access for iOS devices, offers expanded accessibility controls
We didn't get a ton of details on this one during the keynote, but Apple has announced a new Guided Access feature for iOS that promises to let folks limit what sort of input their devices are able to respond to. Some examples given by Apple are a parent of an autistic child who could disable on-screen controls so they don't accidentally exit an app, a teacher who could prevent students from exiting a test app, or museums who could keep folks locked in to their own display apps. That includes the ability to confine touch input to certain parts of the screen, in addition to disabling the home button or touch input altogether. %Gallery-157919%
Photography for the blind, courtesy of the iOS Camera app
Most of us in the sighted world never need to use the amazing accessibility features that are built into iOS, but blogger and developer Stephen van Egmond recently found that these features go well beyond what is expected by even allowing the blind to take pictures with the Camera app. Van Egmond was talking to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) iDevice User Group about using Pocket Rocket -- a useful Toronto public transit app from van Egmond's company Tiny Planet Software that fully supports the iOS VoiceOver capability -- when he "simply gawped when one blind woman pulled out an iPhone then snapped a perfect shot, guided by the built-in Camera app." He notes that all of Apple's iOS applications, including Calendar, Mail, Messages, iPhoto, Maps, and Camera, are completely usable by blind people through the standard UIAccessibility framework. However, most developers do a poor job of implementing even the most simple facets of VoiceOver in their apps. Van Egmond talks about what happens when you launch Camera with VoiceOver enabled. His annotated screenshot, seen above, shows what VoiceOver does to make it possible to take perfectly composed photos of other people when you're blind. The last paragraph of van Egmond's blog post is worth quoting: You might end up asking yourself why Apple went to such effort to let a blind person take a picture. The only answer I can give is they not only care about making accessible applications: they also actually put in the effort. [via @mpanzarino and Daring Fireball]
Blindsquare uses Foursquare data to guide the visually impaired
Blindsquare is giving guidance systems for the visually disabled a new twist with user-generated Foursquare data, text-to-speech, GPS and some OpenStreetMap mojo. While users are out and about, the app narrates their trip via headphones with information about nearby places, intersections or guidance to their destination. One shake of the iPhone or iPad gives users their current location and a second shake checks them in on Foursquare. The app can also be controlled via a Bluetooth remote while the device sits in a pocket or backpack. After going from concept to completion in six months, it's now out of beta and available on the App Store for $14.99. Sonar gauntlets won't let you check-in to your haunts? Hit the source link to step up that location-based social networking.
World of Darkness creative director talks design and the MMO mainstream
A new interview at Gamasutra posits that CCP is gunning for mainstream success with its upcoming World of Darkness MMO. The EVE Online developer has cornered what's left of the hardcore sandbox market, so now it's looking to marry EVE's emergent gameplay with more familiar MMO staples. "The way to drag people in will be traditional themepark-style PvE play. Once players get into the setting, they'll see the appeal of the sandbox play," says WoD creative director Reynir Hardarson. Despite the concessions to mainstream accessibility, EVE's influence on World of Darkness will be more than superficial. "The live-action roleplayers of the Vampire the Masquerade tabletop game play this way," Hardarson explains. "It's really about politics and power plays." Why don't more MMO developers try their hand at sandbox mechanics? Hardarson says designing for emergent play is difficult because you can't test it. It's worth it, though, because MMOs that hand-hold and limit players to a linear path miss the point. "I'm not a five-year-old. If I want to go in the cave and I want to die, that's my problem," Hardarson says.
Regal Entertainment Group teams up with Sony to bring subtitle glasses to US theaters
We've been hearing about glasses that only display subtitles to those who need them for years (most recently with a trial run in the UK), but it looks like they're now finally about to enter the US market in a fairly big way. Regal Entertainment Group announced today that it's partnered with Sony Entertainment to bring the company's Access Glasses to "practically all" of its digital theaters in the US (that includes the vast majority of its 500+ theaters and more than 4,700 screens in all). Those glasses work with both 2D and 3D movies (the latter courtesy of a clip-on filter), and can provide closed-captioned text in up to six different languages for the hearing impaired, as well as descriptive audio for the visually impaired when they're paired with headphones. According to Regal, the glasses are already rolling out to some theaters this month, and it says they should be everywhere by the first quarter of 2013.
Accessibility Spotlight: One Switch. One Head. The World.
Over the years, Apple has consistently followed through on its strong commitment to accessibility in the development of new technologies and products. We at TUAW have a diverse community of both writers and readers, and we use many assistive technology features in our day-to-day lives. We appreciate the opportunity to highlight these important enhancements -- both OS X and iOS -- in our continuing coverage of accessibility and assistive technology developments. If you have a great AT story, we would love to hear from you. Speaking of great accessibility stories: we were thrilled to see this self-made video (via Chris Pirillo) showcasing exactly what the title says: One Switch, One Head, The World.
Even cerebral palsy can't stop this dedicated video creator
Christopher Hill isn't your typical video producer. The youngster whipped up the clip after the break controlling his array of Macs almost entirely with a single switch. Chris has cerebral palsy, a severe motor function impairment that makes it all but impossible for him to interact with a computer through a traditional keyboard and mouse. Instead, a button is mounted behind his head on his wheel chair, which connects to a Discover Switch. That blue and green USB peripheral, which looks quite a bit like the Staple's Easy Button, allows him to manipulate anything on the screen with nothing more than the back of his head. The one thing Chris left to someone else in the clip below is the subtitles. While he could actually type them himself, it would have taken a very long time, so he graciously accepted some help from his father. Click on through for a nice heart-warming tale about the power of modern technology.
Google aids accessibility with ChromeVox reader, better YouTube captions and more
Engineers from Google have commandeered a booth at this year's CSUN accessibility conference and they're keen to talk up their latest efforts. For the visually impaired, there's now a beta version of a Chrome screen reader called ChromeVox (demo'd after the break), plus improved shortcuts and screen reader support in Google Docs, Sites and Calendar. Meanwhile, YouTube boasts expanded caption support for the hard of hearing, with automatic captions enabled for 135 million video clips -- a healthy tripling of last year's total. Check the source link for full details or, if you're anywhere near San Diego, go and hassle those engineers the old-fashioned way.
CCP: DUST will offer a 'more intuitive' EVE experience
Rock, Paper Shotgun has a new interview with CCP CEO Hilmar Petursson and CMO David Reid. The pair have a few interesting nuggets to share about DUST 514 and EVE Online, as well as how the two games are related. Petursson says that initially, DUST mercenaries will not be riding the proverbial space elevator into orbit to parlay with their capsuleer counterparts in EVE. As in the eight-year-old spaceship MMO, though, the design will evolve and change, and "the two experiences are going to be more and more crafted over time." The interview also also posits that DUST's accessible shooter design may lead new players into the world of New Eden in spite of EVE Online's legendary learning curve. "EVE is a very particular type of experience, made for people who want to commit a lot of energy to have a game experience like that," Petursson explains. "Over the years we've seen a lot of people interested in the EVE universe, the single shard and the political drama, but [they] might not be particularly looking for an experience like the game itself. We see DUST as a way to allow people to participate in this universe by offering them a more intuitive, familiar, speedier, quicker, shorter time-commitment type of experience."
Microsoft outlines new accessibility features for Windows 8 (video)
Ready to submit your premier Windows 8 app? Interested in adding some new accessibility features? Microsoft wants to ensure that its incoming OS can be used by people with disabilities right out of the box, detailing its "comprehensive accessibility platform" that will arrive on the next version of Windows. It's redesigned the built-in screen reader, improving performance speed while adding more languages and voices. Microsoft has also extended its compatibility, including the ability to read output from applications. The Narrator will even assist with the installation of Windows 8, something that's already integrated into the developer preview. The voice assistant will also be better equipped to keep up with your web browsing habits, with improved processing speed and keyboard shortcuts to navigate during narration. Microsoft's looking to ensure that developers will find it easier to include accessibility into their projects, including support for standards like HTML5 and XAML, as well as accessibility testing tools found within the Windows SDK. Stylistically, the new Metro UI allows for new high contrast viewing options alongside the ability to adjust element sizes. Microsoft promises that these are now simpler to apply and adjust within the OS. Touch-only Windows 8 devices will also benefit from redesigned tools like the magnifier, now transformed into a touch overlay around the border, while a preview view will show exactly where you've zoomed in. Catch the developers explaining it in their own words right after the break.
Ben Heck delivers holiday cheer to gamer with modded macro controller
Benjamin J. Heckendorn is no stranger to game pads designed for people with disabilities, but the macro controller he just whipped up for Patrick Crowley (pictured above) might be his most impressive accessibility hack yet. On the latest episode of his show the modding extraordinaire crafts a breakout box that allows a complex set of commands to be triggered with just the touch of a button or foot switch. The box at the heart of the project is powered by a PIC microcontroller that takes inputs from a series of modular switches (up to eight) and turns them into virtual button presses that are fed to an Xbox 360 through a standard controller. In addition to being able to swap in eight different inputs, each one can be programmed to perform a different macro. We won't ruin all of the fun -- check out the PR and full episode in the source link to watch everything from Ben Heck's holiday epiphany through the final testing.
The Firing Line: A look at World of Tanks
I'm not the biggest tank fan in the world. Don't get me wrong; I'm a red-blooded American male who loves engines, horsepower, and most types of heavy machinery, but for whatever reason, I've never looked at a tank and come away particularly aroused. Imagine the surprise, then, when I loaded up World of Tanks a couple of weeks ago and found myself having a jolly old time. Wargaming.net's free-to-play action title is a deceptively simple shooter with a lot of depth under the hood, and despite what some players refer to as pay-to-win shenanigans, I highly recommend it.
Dear Aunt TUAW: My iPhone won't stop talking to me
Dear Aunt TUAW, While playing around with his new iPhone 4S Monday evening, Tim's phone started responding to every touch to the screen -- identifying vocally everything he touched and giving instructions about what to do there. He can't figure out how he turned the function on -- and he sure can't figure out how to turn it off. Your loving nephews, Jim and Tim Dear Jim and Tim, Accessibility enhancements open up the iPhone to users with a range of disabilities. iOS features allow users to magnify (or "zoom") displays, invert colors, and more. VoiceOver provides a way that visually impaired users can "listen" to their GUI. The VoiceOver service converts an application's visual presentation into an audio description. Don't confuse VoiceOver with Voice Control or the Siri Assistant. VoiceOver is a method for presenting an audio description of a user interface and is highly gesture-based. The latter two terms refer to Apple's voice recognition technology for hands-free interaction. As this Apple tech note details, you can control accessibility settings either from iTunes (easier for most visually-impaired users) or directly on the iPhone. To disable VoiceOver on the phone itself, navigate to Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver. Switch the VoiceOver option from ON to OFF. Unfortunately, with VoiceOver turned on it can be tricky to get into Settings in the first place. If you have the triple-tap Accessibility setting turned on, you can try pressing the home button three times quickly, then double-tapping the "Turn VoiceOver Off" button. If triple-tapping does nothing, just push the Home button once. That will get you to the main page with the Settings app. Then use a series of tap-followed-by-double-tap selections to launch Settings, and then to move to the correct Settings page. Use triple-finger swipes to scroll the screen if needed. Once disabled, the mysterious voice will be gone. Auntie hopes it wasn't too traumatic for you. Hugs, Auntie T.
