I totally agree with the article. Even little things like the reader mode in Safari for mac and iOS, make things so simple and lovely. I can't wait to see what's new in Yosimidy though. On a side note, do they have to make OS names so hard to spell nowadays? What ever happened to simplicity there? LOL. On Jun 28, 2014, at 2:15 AM, Nicholas Parsons <mr.nicholas.pars...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thought the below article might be of interest to some on the list. > > http://www.macstories.net/stories/an-overview-of-ios-8s-new-accessibility-features/ > > An Overview of iOS 8's New Accessibility Features > > > Since this year's WWDC keynote ended, the focus of any analysis on iOS 8 has > been its features -- things like Continuity, Extensions, and iCloud Drive. > This is, of course, expected: iOS is the operating system that drives Apple's > most important (and most profitable) products, so it's natural that the > limelight be shone on the new features for the mass market. > > As I've written, however, the Accessibility features that Apple includes in > iOS are nonetheless just as important and innovative as the A-list features > that Craig Federighi demoed on stage at Moscone. Indeed, Apple is to be > lauded for their year-over-year commitment to improving iOS's Accessibility > feature set, and they continue that trend with iOS 8. > > Here, I run down what's new in Accessibility in iOS 8, and explain briefly > how each feature works. > > > Alex. Apple is bringing Alex, its natural-sounding voice on the Mac, to iOS. > Alex will work with all of iOS's spoken audio technologies (Siri excepted), > including VoiceOver, Speak Selection, and another new Accessibility feature > to iOS 8, Speak Screen (see below). In essence, Alex is a replacement for the > robotic-sounding voice that controls VoiceOver, et al, in iOS today. > > Speak Screen. With Speak Screen, a simple gesture will prompt the > aforementioned Alex to read anything on screen, including queries asked of > Siri. This feature will be a godsend to visually impaired users who may have > issues reading what is on their iPhone and/or iPad. It should be noted that > Speak Screen is fundamentally different from Speak Selection, which only > reads aloud selected text. By contrast, Speak Screen will read aloud > everything on the screen -- text, button labels, etc. > > Zoom. Apple has made some welcome tweaks to its Zoom functionality in iOS 8. > The hallmark feature is users now have the ability to specify which part of > the screen is zoomed in, as well as adjust the level of the zoom. In > particular, it's now possible to have the virtual keyboard on screen at > normal size underneath a zoomed-in window. What this does is makes it easy to > both type and see what you're typing without having to battle the entirety of > the user interface being zoomed in. > > Grayscale. iOS in and of itself doesn't have "themes" like so many > third-party apps support -- and even like OS X Yosemite's new "dark mode". > iOS does, however, support a pseudo-theme by way of Invert Colors > (white-on-black). In iOS 8, Apple is adding a second pseudo-theme to the > system with Grayscale. With this option turned on, the entirety of iOS's UI > is turned, as the name would imply, gray. The addition of a Grayscale is > notable because it gives those users who have issues with colorized display > -- or who simply view darker displays better -- another way to alter the > contrast of their device(s). > > Guided Access. The big addition to Guided Access is that Apple is leveraging > its own new-to-iOS-8 Touch ID developer API to enable users to be able to > exit Guided Access using their scanned fingerprint. This is a noteworthy > feature because it effectively guarantees that students (or test-takers or > museum visitors) can't leave Guided Access to access the Home screen or other > parts of iOS. > > As well, Apple has added a time limit feature to Guided Access, thereby > allowing teachers, parents, and the like to specify the length of time Guided > Access is to be used. Especially in special education classrooms, features > such as Touch ID to exit and the timer can be extremely powerful in ensuring > an uninterrupted learning experience, keeping students on task yet still set > the expectation that a transition (i.e., "You can play games now", for > instance) will take place in X minutes. In terms of behavior modification, > Guided Access's new features are potentially game-changing, indispensable > tools for educators. > > Enhanced Braille Keyboard. iOS 8 adds support for 6-dot Braille input > system-wide. This feature involves a dedicated Braille keyboard that will > translate 6-dot chords into text. > > "Made for iPhone" Hearing Aids. Apple in iOS 8 has improved its Made for > iPhone Hearing Aids software so that now users who use hearing aids and have > multiple devices now can easily switch between them. Moreover, if a hearing > aid is paired with more than one device, users will now be able to pick which > device they'd like to use. > > Third Party Keyboard API. This topic (as well as QuickType) is worthy of its > own standalone article, but the accessibility ramifications of iOS 8's third > party keyboard API are potentially huge for those with special needs. > > > A third-party keyboard on iOS 8. (Source: Apple.com) > > Anecdotally speaking, I hear from several low vision iOS-using friends who > lament the default system keyboard, which is essentially the same keyboard > that shipped with the original iPhone in 2007. The problem, my friends say, > is that the key caps are too small and the glyphs too hard to read. With the > new API, though, third party developers such as the team at Fleksy can create > entirely customized keyboards that users can use instead of the stock one. > This means developers can control key spacing and size, color, and so forth > in an effort to create keyboards that accommodate for a wide array of visual > -- and motor -- needs. > > In fact, at WWDC I had a chance to speak with Fleksy co-founder and COO, > Ioannis Verdelis, about the keyboard API and his company's product. While I > won't divulge anything that was said at our meeting, suffice it to say that > Ioannis and his team were stoked at the news of the new API, and are really > excited for what they have in the works for iOS 8. They really believe the > new Fleksy will benefit a lot of people with special needs. > > Miscellany. iOS 8 brings with it a few housekeeping changes to Settings.app, > where the Accessibility options are located. For example, the Subtitles & > Captioning option -- which previously was found under Hearing -- has been > moved to a new Media section, right next to a new Video Descriptions toggle. > Furthermore, the Physical & Motor pane -- home to such features as Switch > Control and AssistiveTouch -- has been rechristened Interaction. > > As stated above, Apple's steadfast commitment to improving Accessibility year > after year deserves the utmost praise, and 2014 is no different. As someone > who relies on some of iOS's Accessibility technologies in order to use my > devices, the breadth and depth of these features never cease to amaze me. > > Without any tinge of hyperbole, I often marvel at how truly Accessibility > reflects Apple's ethos of designing products for everyone, regardless of > cognitive or physical impairment. (A sentiment I have expressed numerous > times elsewhere.) Again, these are signs of real innovation, although they > (unfortunately) go largely unheralded. It's my strong opinion that Apple is > leading the industry in this regard, and iOS 8 takes another step forward in > extending their lead. > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. 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