Hello everyone! I have to agree with Christine I don't think that you need a special phone Carrie are in order to have an iPhone that's assessable for blind people who are not TechNet technologically savvy
Sent from my iPhone On 07/06/2013, at 14:13, macvisionaries@googlegroups.com wrote: > Today's Topic Summary > Group: http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries/topics > > OT: Mobile Carrier for the Visually Impaired? Um, What's the Point? [24 > Updates] > Blogging sites [1 Update] > OT: Mobile Carrier for the Visually Impaired? Um, What's the Point? > Donna Goodin <doniado...@me.com> Jun 07 10:06AM -0500 > > I'm with you, Christine. I don't get it, > donna > > > Mike Arrigo <n0...@charter.net> Jun 07 11:54AM -0400 > > We really don't, especially with the out of box accessibility that is > provided by IOS and Android. There's simply no need for specialty phones. > Original message: > > > Christine Grassman <cgrassman1...@gmail.com> Jun 07 12:13PM -0400 > > Not just a specialty phone, though: a specialty carrier providing those > phones. Such things make equality and equity harder for us; it makes it > possible for companies to say, "Well, there's that special company helping > the visually impaired, so there is no need for us to make our goods and > services accessible. This perpetuates the idea that we require marginalized > goods and services as well, which has ramifications for education, > employment, recreation, and integration into our communities at every level. > Christine > > > > > "Michael Babcock, Marketing and Sales Manager, Commtech LLC" > <michael.babcoc...@gmail.com> Jun 07 10:19AM -0600 > > I think we all are looking at this the completely wrong way! Look at it from > this point of view, you're able to dial 611 from your phone, because somehow > you disabled speech on your iPhone. However, in the current time, if we > dialed 611 and STA just how we would be able to enable speech on our iOS > device again, they might ask us what we are talking about, or transfer us > around to a myriad of different individuals who still don't know what we're > talking about. However, if a blind person is able to pick up his phone, dial > 611, and receive assistive technology assistance, this might be more > beneficial to him. In addition, there are several smaller carriers out there, > especially running on the T-Mobile network, like this one appears to do. Just > something to think about, imagine being able to call customer service, and > getting assistance using jaws to read that bill, or voiceover, on your new > iPhone especially if you're brand-new customer. > > Michael Babcock > Marketing and Sales Manager > Commtech LLC > Web: http://commtechusa.net > phone: (888) 351-5289 Ext. 704 > Fax: (480) 535-7649 > > > > Richard Ring <richr...@gmail.com> Jun 07 11:26AM -0500 > > That is so true! Any excuse that assists companies to ignore accessibility is > a terrible thing! > > > You can have an off day, but you can't have a day off! ---The Art of Fielding > Sent from my Mac Book Pro > richr...@gmail.com > > > > Christine Grassman <cgrassman1...@gmail.com> Jun 07 12:27PM -0400 > > That's fine -- but we should be able to call such a carrier on any phone we > wish, not proprietary phones for that carrier especially. Also, there could > still be a company, web site, etc., which specializes in this sort of help, > without giving the false impression that a specific carrier must be set aside > for us. In my experience, Apple has always been able to find someone who knew > about VoiceOver enough to help, or the rep researched it and got back to me. > I would be willing to stake money that sighted people have called Apple or > other companies, and have spoken to reps who needed to do some research on a > particular issue. Few reps are familiar with every possible bug, every > technical glitch, tip, shortcut, or troubleshooting strategy. > Christine > > > > "Michael Babcock, Marketing and Sales Manager, Commtech LLC" > <michael.babcoc...@gmail.com> Jun 07 10:40AM -0600 > > This is also a preference thing. For example, I was researching other > carriers yesterday, and a particular carrier Lightyear wireless kept popping > up. I honestly don't even know what they are, it looks like some pyramid > scheme program, however, I do know that there are probably some people out > there because again it kept coming up. So, it's up to the individual who > wants to use it, and I do think it would be a. Interesting program to > monitor, and see how well it does. I also do like the fact that it states > that 2% of the voice plans will go to organizations that support the blind, > so it would be interesting to see which organizations those are, and if those > organizations are behind this network! > AT&T offers a disability number, I don't have it on hand. I am pretty sure > that Verizon does as well, and I know Sprint customer service individuals > have documentation about accessibility. So, three of the four major carriers > I am pretty sure have access to accessibility information. It is up to the > customer service representative whether or not they want to actually research > the questions that a blind or visually impaired individual might have. This > particular carrier, should consider marketing the fact that they have > customer service individuals trained in the knowledge of accessibility > options on mobile devices, and that way there not solely advertising to the > blind or visually impaired or disabled market. Just my two cents honestly! > Sorry if this upsets anyone. > Michael > > Michael Babcock > Marketing and Sales Manager > Commtech LLC > Web: http://commtechusa.net > phone: (888) 351-5289 Ext. 704 > Fax: (480) 535-7649 > > > > Donna Goodin <doniado...@me.com> Jun 07 11:45AM -0500 > > Yep, I agree 100%. this approach sends the wrong message to the "mainstream" > world, by implying that they either can't or don't need to make their > products accessible to us. And also enables disabled people to say they can't > fully participate in things because they have to have all these special > services, equipment, etc. It also short-changes us by giving us the illusion > that we have something that is empowering while really it's just separating > us from the rest of the world. And as for the notion of being able to dial > 611 and get a question about JAWS answered, there are lots of other places > where one can get answers to those sorts of questions if people just take the > time to learn where to look. > Donna > > > > Donna Goodin <doniado...@me.com> Jun 07 11:50AM -0500 > > But preference in this case doesn't justify the potential loss for the rest > of us who don't want to take the easy way out. also, I don't buy the > preference argument in situations like this. If all my life everyone has > always waited on me and I've never been expected to learn to do anything for > myself, of course my preference will be that that would continue. But it > certainly isn't in my best interest to live my life that way, because at some > point, someone isn't going to do everything for me and if I haven't developed > the skills I need, I won't be equipped to stand on my own two feet when the > time comes. > Cheers, > Donna > > > Ray Foret jr <rfore...@att.net> Jun 07 11:51AM -0500 > > I decided to read this intire thread before responding. Frankly, I'm fullly > with Christine on this one for sure. Special carrier for the blind? Oh > please!! I hardly think that's necessary at all. Seperate ain't equal. > > > Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind > built-in! > Sincerely, > The Constantly Barefooted Ray > Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user! > > > > Ray Foret jr <rfore...@att.net> Jun 07 11:54AM -0500 > > Quite correct I'd say. It seems like what's happening here is that most of us > seem to feel this seperate carrier business just is a waste of time. What's > wrong with putting out a little effort to get what you want or need? > > > Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind > built-in! > Sincerely, > The Constantly Barefooted Ray > Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user! > > > > Mark BurningHawk Baxter <markbaxte...@gmail.com> Jun 07 09:56AM -0700 > > I do not understand how any blind person would first such a service. Jimmy, > it's the difference between having a phone bill just for a blind person, or > having an iPhone, that everybody else has. Personally, I like the ability to > go over and turn my girlfriend's iPhone alarm off using voice over. What's > the point of separate but equal, when it isn't equal at all. > > Sent from my iPhone > Messengers and Skype: BurningHawk1969 > My home page: http://MarkBurningHawk.net > Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markburninghawk.baxter > > > > > Donna Goodin <doniado...@me.com> Jun 07 11:57AM -0500 > > Especially when the pay-off for that effort is so huge. > Cheers, > Donna > > > Richard Ring <richr...@gmail.com> Jun 07 12:15PM -0500 > > I am not, I repeat I am not in favor of a special carrier dedicated to people > who happen to be blind. However, having spent many years dealing with people > from all walks of life with varying degrees of technological savvy, I do wish > a mainstream carrier would bring forth a relatively simple phone that would > allow the user to make calls, maintain a list of contacts, and send and > receive text messages. The Haven from Verizon was such a phone. > I believe that some of us fail to realize that there are many people both > sighted and blind who might benefit from simplicity! > I personally love my iPhone, and all that it allows me to do, but I don't > wish to become so immersed in technology that I fail to realize that complex > smart phones are not for everyone. > When you deal with people who are not on your particular technological level, > the issues become different. > My wish is that for those who are either blind or suffering from severe > vision loss that there be a fairly uncomplicated, mainstream accessible phone. > That makes far more sense to me than having a special carrier. > > > You can have an off day, but you can't have a day off! ---The Art of Fielding > Sent from my Mac Book Pro > richr...@gmail.com > > > > Christine Grassman <cgrassman1...@gmail.com> Jun 07 01:21PM -0400 > > Richard, I agree one hundred percent with you on this -- but as you say, this > is true, and there should be simple technology available, for people both > sighted and blind, from all mainstream carriers. Any benefit from something > like Odin Mobile must be balanced against its potential for harm, and I > firmly believe these types of "specialized" companies do more harm than good. > Christine > > > > Donna Goodin <doniado...@me.com> Jun 07 12:22PM -0500 > > Hi Richard, > > But what you're proposing is very different from the special phone, special > carrier thing. *Everybody, sighted or blind, should have the right to choose > the type of phone they want, and of course there are blind individuals who > would not choose a smart phone, just as there are sighted individuals who > would make that same choice. Having the option of a plain, simple phone on a > regular carrier such as VZ, ATT, etc. is a very different thing from having a > blind-only phone on a blind-only carrier. > Cheers, > Donna > > > Richard Ring <richr...@gmail.com> Jun 07 12:46PM -0500 > > True! And the first line of my message clearly states that I am not in favor > of such a carrier! > However, assuming that high tech is for everyone is a somewhat insular and > elitist attitude and not helpful for those who desire simplicity. > I want everyone, blind or sighted to be able to decide what will best suit > their needs. > > > You can have an off day, but you can't have a day off! ---The Art of Fielding > Sent from my Mac Book Pro > richr...@gmail.com > > > > Mark BurningHawk Baxter <markbaxte...@gmail.com> Jun 07 10:52AM -0700 > > Insofar as I am not a great fan of role models or examples, being a horrible > one myself, I would merely point out that such a service Woodset the way for > other companies to fobbed off their accessibility requirements on to such > dedicated services. It would possibly lead to a degradation in overall > services for those blind people who chose to stick with the mainstream. > > Sent from my iPhone > Messengers and Skype: BurningHawk1969 > My home page: http://MarkBurningHawk.net > Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markburninghawk.baxter > > > > > "Michael Babcock, Marketing and Sales Manager, Commtech LLC" > <michael.babcoc...@gmail.com> Jun 07 11:54AM -0600 > > All that I am trying to say, is that if they want to try to do this company, > and experiment with how well there is a response to their services, then that > is up to them. It is up to the consumer, or us, that determines whether or > not this is going to be a successful business venture or not. > > Michael Babcock > Marketing and Sales Manager > Commtech LLC > Web: http://commtechusa.net > phone: (888) 351-5289 Ext. 704 > Fax: (480) 535-7649 > > > > Mike Arrigo <n0...@charter.net> Jun 07 01:55PM -0400 > > Agreed. And they're actually using t-mobile's network, they don't have > their own. > Original message: > > > Mike Arrigo <n0...@charter.net> Jun 07 01:56PM -0400 > > But, if the user learns about their device and how it works, they > should know how to reenable speech if it gets disabled. > Original message: > > > Mike Arrigo <n0...@charter.net> Jun 07 01:57PM -0400 > > Absolutely. Special devices are not the answer. The answer is making > the main stream products accessible, we should not have to pay more or > use other devices to access the same things sighted people do. > Original message: > > > Kerri <shalo...@shaw.ca> Jun 07 11:05AM -0700 > > I've decided to hime in as well. I honestly can't see the point of a carrier > for the blind. Firstly, it would go out of business with great rapidity due > to the fact that the vlid population is small. Seconly, should we be more > alienated than we already are? No, I say. > > > Kerri <shalo...@shaw.ca> Jun 07 11:11AM -0700 > > I must entirely agree and I have an example to site. I used to use a Braille > translation program that included a word processor As a result, I didn't know > how to use main steam programs because I wasn't informed about main stream > programs. > > > Blogging sites > Timothy Emmons <temmo...@gmail.com> Jun 07 11:56AM -0500 > > Hey guys, I have a question and I sent this to both the Vi-Phone list and the > Mac Visionaries list because I'm curious. I am strongly considering doing a > blog, and wondered where I would start, which sites or spots are accessible, > and hbow intensive is it to get started. Just curious. I'm not on twitter or > Facebook near as much but would love to have a writing outlet to sort of keep > going on occasion. Thanks for any help and I appreciate it. Take care and > talk to you soon. > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Group > macvisionaries. > You can post via email. > To unsubscribe from this group, send an empty message. > For more options, visit this group. > -- > 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?hl=en. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- 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. 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