CNN Mobile for iPhone | VoiceOver Review (Updated to version 1.2.4)

Posted on January 29, 2012 by David

Two Star Rating
Developer: CNN Interactive Group Inc.
Version: 1.2.4

Notable Changes:

  • No major improvements, sadly.

Possible Improvements Needed:

  • Unfortunately the same issues exist when it comes to the main content of articles and “iReports” being inaccessible.

Reassessment:

With a virtual unlimited selection of news apps available for the iPhone, the complete lack of support for VoiceOver, it appears a waste of time revisiting this app.

Originally Reviewed: October 17, 2011

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Pros:

  • There is a definite improvement from the experience of using the Fox News app, however, the same problem exists.
  • Headline news is partially readable and the ability to move from one section to another using the three finger swipe left or right gesture works fine.

 

Cons:

  • The main body of articles within  the iReport section are completely unreadable to VoiceOver. This is a significant loss of information and reduces the worth of keeping this app on your iPhone.
  • Headline news appears only readable when using the single finger swipe left and right gestures, and two finger swipe down gesture. Touching the text to read information yields nothing.

 Breakdown:

Depressingly so with most news applications currently available, the interface is built with no consideration or possible existence of VoiceOver. Sadly this leads to limited access to news/information in general. True, that there are endless choices – but if most are not compatible with adaptive technology then they cannot be considered as an option.

Download CNN Mobile for iPhone on the iTunes Store.

 

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myAT&T | VoiceOver Review (Updated to version 2.2)

Posted on January 29, 2012 by David

Five star rating out of five stars.

Developer: AT&T Inc.
Version: 2.2Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Revised Review: January 29, 2012

Notable Changes:

  • The confusion regarding an ad banner on the bottom of the app with VoiceOver has been fixed.
  • One very useful and added feature which benefits VoiceOver users, the “Saved User IDs” enable simple access to logging in.

Possible Improvements Needed:

  • Currently, and quite honestly, nothing that I can see. All former and minor VoiceOver compatibility issues have been resolved.

Reassessment:

There are no disappointments here when it comes to complete VoiceOver compatibility. It is evident a lot of work went into making this app easy to use for all in mind. There are not a lot of options or radio buttons to sift through, which makes it ideal and fluid to use with VoiceOver. Aside from being an essential component of your iPhone if using AT&T, it is definitely worth a download

Download myAT&T in the iTunes App Store. (free)

Originally Reviewed: June 28, 2011
Using iPhone 3Gs, version 4.3.3

Pros:

  • Easy navigation throughout the entire application. Menus are simple and self-explanatory with no dead ends.
  • Even the billing PDF and AT&T Forums are accessible – which I initially thought would not be the case.

Cons:

  • On the main screen of the Wireless section, the top is labeled as “button”. This is only an ad.

.
Breakdown: Taking into account the limitless flak and complaints of almost anything AT&T, this however is done very well. I had my skepticism even before downloading this app but was proven wrong.


 

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Mobile, Utilities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

BBC News | VoiceOver Review (Updated to version 1.7.3)

Posted on January 29, 2012 by David

Four stars out of five.

Developer: BBC News

Version: 1.7.3

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01
Revised Review: January 29, 2012

Notable Changes:

  • The latest app update has fixed all former inaccessible issues with VoiceOver. The BBC News app now rivals AP Mobile in ease of use and accessibility.
  • Using “landscape” mode works great, each section is now accessible and helps separate all current stories available.

Possible Improvements Needed:

  • In “portrait” mode, one thing which can get confusing is by casually browsing the front panel using only the standard touch gesture. The column style layout and cells for stories works great, but headers for those columns are only noted when directly touched over them. This can lead to a mishmash of stories, not really being clearly separated.

 

Reassessment:

The severe and unacceptable delay in re-reviewing this app was mainly due to the very poor initial experience of being completely inaccessible. However, I think the BBC News app has shown the greatest improvement of accessibility to VoiceOver of the collection of other apps reviewed thus far.  The app has been placed back onto my iPhone and on the front page within my Business folder.

Download BBC News in the iTunes App Store (free)

Originally Reviewed: June 22, 2011
Using iPhone 3GS 4.3.5
App Version: 1.7.1

Pros:

  • Quickly locate and listen to the Live Radio feed from the BBC World Service.
  • In landscape mode, the highlighted section is accessible, kind of. Story headlines are announced, then when tapped,  followed by a fully readable article in VoiceOver.

Cons:

  • Front page content (in portrait mode) cannot be individually selected in VoiceOver. Instead, the headlines are read in groups. Selecting a story while the group is being announced seems to randomly choose an article from the group.
  • Although in landscape mode the navigation seems a bit accessible, that comes to a disappointing end when you realize there is no way to change news categories. The row of buttons which control content selection are invisible to VoiceOver. These buttons are located above the articles. In my own case, having a tiny bit of vision to see this huge bug, was able to navigate around it by shutting off VoiceOver, selecting the next category, the turning VoiceOver back on.

Breakdown: This was quite a letdown. Of all news agencies, my initial thought was thatBBC News would really go out of their way to be fully accessible.  I guess not. Beyond the convenient live radio feed button which I keep it for; my suggestion in its current version and state, let other news apps do the heavy lifting.


Posted in IPhone App Reviews, News | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Chime | VoiceOver Review

Posted on January 28, 2012 by David

Rated three stars out of five.

Developer: Blacktree
Version: 1.0.3

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01
Originally Reviewed: January 28, 2012

Pros:

  • This app fills in a much needed gap between the normal clock functions of the iPhone and a useful feature which makes the pair complete one another.
  • Straight forward navigation with VoiceOver, when using single finger left and right swipe gestures.
  • One side benefit of hit or miss consistency (noted below) is the app loads in resident memory. Meaning you can close the app and it will still function. However, I don’t rely on this as being a repeatable “feature”.

 

Cons:

  • There is no VoiceOver indicator noting that the chime function is actually turned on. Only the two available options are listed as equal values (no status). When viewed under my CCTV, double tapping each one will select the button.
  • There are two “buttons” which are in fact not buttons but blank dividers.
  • Inconsistent performance when it comes time to reset (turning off/on) your iPhone. While it appears in the App Switcher, sometimes the app does not work. Closing and re-launching the app fixes this.

 

Breakdown:

Chine is one of the more useful apps that greatly increase my already crippling reliance on my iPhone

Download Chime from the iTunes Store. (free)

 

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Budget Minder 1 | VoiceOver Review

Posted on January 21, 2012 by David

Five star rating out of five stars.

Developer: Reticent Arts
Version: 1.1

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01
Originally Reviewed: January 21, 2012

Pros:

  • Very clean and easy to use interface with VoiceOver enabled.
  • There are no unlabeled elements or mystery buttons, everything is within reach.

Cons:

  • While not directly VoiceOver related, there is a sense that this basic app could be presented to do a lot more. Only offering four categories to maintain a budget for seems a little tight. Also, category names cannot be customized or moved around.

Breakdown:  

The accessibility of Budget Minder 1 far exceeds any other budget-oriented program I’ve played with yet. This is a skeletal budgeting app at best, but if you’re not running a complex household or have a need to have a “set it and forget it” automated process, this just might work for you. I personally found that in tandem with a regular written monthly budget, this app keeps me much more on track than I otherwise would be.

 

Download Budget Minder 1 from the iTunes Store.

Posted in Finance, IPhone App Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ambiance | VoiceOver Review

Posted on January 16, 2012 by David

Rated three stars out of five.

 

 

Developer:  Urban Apps
Version:  3.3.8

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Originally Reviewed: January 16, 2012

Pros:

  • Use of the app and navigation is easy enough with VoiceOver enabled. All elements of the program are accessible and have a fairly short learning curve.

Cons:

  • For the best results and easiest time using this program, single finger left and right swipe gestures work consistently. Merely moving your finger around the screen results sometimes in VoiceOver focusing only on a specific part of a button or description. Which can be annoying.
  • Some buttons are unlabeled, leaving them a mystery as to what they do until tapped on.
  • Going through lists within category sections either within the Store or Library can be slow using VoiceOver. For some reason, it takes a second or two for VoiceOver to catch up with what is currently displayed on the screen.
  • Controls within the Ambiance Player itself are disappointing attempting normal touch navigation.

Breakdown:

The program overall is worth its price regarding compatibility with VoiceOver. While there are some rough edges, and small things which at first stand out, when used to navigating the app and downloading sounds the experience gets better with time.

Download Ambiance from the iTunes Store. ($2.99)

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Utilities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

VizWiz | VoiceOver Review

Posted on December 22, 2011 by David

Five star rating out of five stars.
App Name: VizWiz
Developer: ROCHCI
Version:  1.3.1

Originally Reviewed: December 23. 2011
Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Pros:

  • This app was created specifically for VoiceOver in mind. Serving as a visual aid for the blind and visually impaired to judge almost anything to do with visual cues or the requirement for sight.
  • Navigation with VoiceOver is very basic but easy. No real need for explanations or tutorials.

Cons:

  • When tapping on the record button a second time to stop the recording, VoiceOver seems to freeze and not respond for a half second. Either that or the pause function in place does not bode well with VoiceOver for some reason.

Breakdown: If you have trouble seeing small print, have any form or visual acuity problem, or blind, this app is a must have.

Download VizWiz from the iTunes Store. (free)

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Text Marks the Spot | VoiceOver Review

Posted on November 20, 2011 by David

Four stars out of five.

 

 
App Name: Text Marks the Spot
Developer: BCM
Version: 1.2
Using iPhone version 5.01
Originally Reviewed: November 20, 2011

Pros:

  • This app is very straightforward and easy to use with VoiceOver. Double tapping the “Pin” button will bring up a screen where you can either directly type in a phone number or select from your contact list.
  • While initially created for convenience, Text Marks the Spot also serves as a safety net for someone who is blind or visually impaired. If you are like me, and occasionally have a random notion or paranoia of getting off route or completely lost;  this app can serve as a distress beacon of sorts to family or a friend to either assist in finding your way or just to come pick you up.

Cons:

  • The map portion at the bottom of the screen is not accessible with VoiceOver. Although if you are fluent in latitude and longitude coordinates, they are provided after the telephone entry field using the single finger left and right swipe gestures.
  • Navigation using exclusively touch and no swiping with VoiceOver is kind of random as the app is visually oriented.

Breakdown:

This was a very random and off-chance find browsing through an app recommendation program. I do feel better having it on my iPhone, and have tested it with my wife’s Windows Phone as a recipient and it really works. If you are blind or visually impaired I believe this is a must-have on your iPhone.

Download Text Marks the Spot (free) in the iTunes Store.

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Bing | VoiceOver Review (updated to version 3.0)

Posted on November 6, 2011 by David

Four stars out of five.

 

 

App Name: Bing
Developer: Microsoft Corporation
Version: 3.0
Revised Review: November 6, 2011
Using iPhone 3Gs, version: 5.01

Noticeable Changes:

  • Significantly improved UI with VoiceOver even describes what the “camera” and “microphone” buttons do. This release was made to be simple and much easier to navigate as all buttons are properly labeled to work with VoiceOver.

Possible Improvements Needed:

  • In directly using the main screen with VoiceOver, the page cannot be pulled up as beforeusing the three finger swipe up gesture. Instead, the list seems to stop at “Movies”. The list of available choices continues however, using the single swipe right gesture.
  • One bug that I can recall existing in previous versions is the ability to interact with other screens while the “My Stuff” section is displayed. This causes some initial confusion, as opening the main page links is still possible.
  • Using the “Maps” or “Directions:  functions with VoiceOver results will vary. When viewing directions within the far bottom-left section of the screen, VoiceOver reads aloud well enough. However when touching anywhere else along the map, VoiceOver seems to be hypersensitive in feedback and jittery only announcing “map view” followed by all related location information.

Reassessment:  Despite the minor remaining bugs, version 3.0 of Bind really feels as if a lot of consideration has been taken into account regarding accessibility. Additionally, the user interface experience appears cleaner and less clunky. If you downloaded and may have dismissed this app once before, it is certainly worth a hard look and reconsideration.

Rated three stars out of five.

Version: 2.2
Using iPhone 3Gs, version 4.3.3
Originally Reviewed: June 22, 2011

Pros:

  • Excellent voice search capability and compatible with VoiceOver. Bing can be configured to automatically start a voice search when the phone is held in the upright position.
  • Both camera and microphone search buttons are easily located and labeled “camera icon” and “microphone icon” in the top right corner of the screen. Camera search only finds book titles and related information.

Cons:

  • Menu selection isn’t instantly obvious. With VoiceOver off, the menu system flows to the top with one flick of the finger. With VoiceOver on, a four finger swipe up is needed to pull the menu only partially up.  Somewhat clunky, but it still works.
  • One hidden announced “ button” above the “images” listing, when tapped, takes you to a background image information screen. This is a dead end. Switching out of Bing then back into the app will bring you back to the menu functions.
  • Navigation within the announced “button app menu” (arrow located in the far-right corner)  can be confusing. Confusing, in the sense that VoiceOver will tell you buttons are present at the bottom of the screen when in fact they are not. In this bug, strangely enough, an one of these “buttons” two-thirds along the bottom right corner, will lead you to the preferences menu. All of the actual buttons are “bookmarks” to “private search”.

Breakdown: While the navigation at times can be intimidating, sloppy, or both, the voice search Capability and compatibility with VoiceOver.

Download Bing in the iTunes App Store. (free)

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Search | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

TuneIn Radio Pro | VoiceOver Review (Updated to version 2.2)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by David

Four stars out of five.

App Name: TuneIn Radio Pro (paid $0.99)
Developer: Synsion Radio Technologies
Revised Review: November 3, 2011
Version:  2.2
Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Noticeable Changes:

  •  Corrected the visual icons bug which treated each one as a visible button in VoiceOver, essentially rendering the program useless. .

Possible Improvements Needed:

  • No notable or significant changes from the previous review of version 2.0.

Reassessment: Restored to former glory, TuneIn Radio still remains one of my most used and favorite applications for the iPhone.

 

Originally Reviewed: September 12, 2011
Version:  2.0.1 (TuneIn Radio free)

Four stars out of five.

 

Pros:

  • Surprisingly simple and smooth navigation with VoiceOver. Easy transition from finding new radio stations, adding presets, and removing stations from lists.

Cons:

  • Two small bugs; when interacting with the home preset stations screen, “one of two button” is Presets, and “two of two button” is Songs.
  • When inside the station information screen under the options menu, choosing “clock display” will send you to a large display clock. Seems easy enough until all of the buttons appear still readable by VoiceOver but actually are not. To solve this small dead end, there is a “cancel” button located in the far left bottom corner.

Breakdown: If you are seeking to branch out your collection of internet radio stations and have not yet found this gem, downloading and spending some time with this app will not disappoint. There is a pro version available for $0.99.

Download TuneIn Radio Pro (paid $0.99) from the iTunes Store.

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Radio | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments