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.

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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 , , , , , , , | 7 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

New – Added editing text and copy/paste instructions using VoiceOver

Posted on October 30, 2011 by David

Through a previous oversight on my part, someone asked how to edit text and use these key functions with VoiceOver.  Featured on iOS Developers + VoiceOver.

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iHeartRadio | VoiceOver Review (updated to version 4.0.1)

Posted on October 26, 2011 by David

Rated three stars out of five.

 

App Name: iHeart Radio
Developer: Clear Channel Management Services, LP
Version: 4.0.1

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Noticeable Changes:

  • The clear more intuitive interface makes for browsing radio stations and listening a reality with VoiceOver.

Possible Improvements Needed:

  • All buttons are labeled with “inactive” status, whether inactive or currently selected.
  • One minor and personal gripe is the requirement to login to Facebook in order to add radio stations as favorites.

Reassessment: The reworked interface and fact that it is completely usable with VoiceOve is worth another look.  If adding stations were not connected to Facebook, I would probably end up using this app.

Download iHeartRadio in the iTunes App Store. (free)

VersOne star rating out of fiveion: 3.0.2
Using iPhone 3Gs, version 4.3.3
Originally Reviewed: June 23, 2011

Pros:

  • Somewhat accessible interface, tapping the bottom bar announcement of “tab bar stations”  takes you to the random station selection screen. Here, you can shake the iPhone to choose a random station. VoiceOver will announce the current station, and to start playing is simple.
  • Pause/Play functions work with iPhone headphone controls.

Cons:

  • Buttons on the bottom row of the app are mostly inaccessible. Unfortunately, these are the primary functions of the application. VoiceOver cannot read or access the buttons “Home” – navigates to the main page. “Favorites” – Where bookmarked stations are stored, and “Settings” – clears a station that is set to auto-play at start, and ironically report bugs and issues with iHeartRadio.

Breakdown: Although I do enjoy using this app, the very limited functionality exclusively to VoiceOver cannot warrant a recommendation.  If by chance you have limited vision, it is possible to turn off VoiceOver and successfully navigate the program to what you want to accomplish.  Otherwise, it is hard to fully take advantage of this app and its functions.

 

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

Facebook | VoiceOver Review

Posted on October 23, 2011 by David

Two stars out of five.App Name:  Facebook
Developer: Facebook, Inc.
Version: 4.0.2

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

Pros:

  • Despite the major interface change from prior versions, navigation for the most part appears solid with VoiceOver.
  • One advantage of using the Facebook app over the website is the ability to change privacy and security settings.  Yes, both are present on the website, but changing these settings with the app using VoiceOver is a snap.

Cons:

  • The notification icons which inform you of new items only state “off” in VoiceOver, when visually I can tell the buttons are turned on. Certainly for someone completely blind would find this very confusing and frustrating.
  • When reading through posts that do not yet have a comment, the tiny like button located on the far-right side of the page is not accessible to VoiceOver. Essentially this makes the ability to comment on such posts impossible. Likewise, limiting the ability to like something as well.
  • Most to all of the buttons are not labeled properly. Thankfully though all of these buttons with the exceptions of the notification panel are self-explanatory. However, getting the sense of guessing where each button may take you next is disorienting.
  • Images throughout the app are labeled as “button” in thumbnail mode. In addition, pictures do not respond to the three finger swipe gestures of previous and next. Why does this matter to someone using visually impaired software?  Even those who can see just a little, try very hard to get as much as possible out of it.
  • One major advantage from the old interface was the ability to create favorites on the main panel. Adding friends and their news feeds onto new pages made Facebook very accessible and not much of a hassle. Tragically this was all stripped away in the new iteration focusing on the overall news stream.

Breakdown: Admittedly I have not fully used the Facebook app in quite some time. Instead preferring remote access services as Voice Brief to pull in new content from my Facebook account. While the previous versions of the Facebook app were not perfect, it seems the new approach was rushed into production leaving accessibility near completely out of the picture. If you happen to upgrade as I did without an option of downgrading; the new release is still somewhat workable with VoiceOver. As the ability to comment and like posts are constrained, interacting in this version of the Facebook app is passive at best.

 

Download Facebook in the iTunes Store.

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Social Networking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Craigslist Mobile | VoiceOver Review

Posted on October 17, 2011 by David

Five star rating out of five stars.

App Name: Craigslist Mobile
Developer: YYH Creative
Version: 1.7.7

Originally Reviewed: October 17, 2011

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Pros:

  • Very clean easy to use interface with little to no hang-ups using VoiceOver.
  • Reading posts continuously using the two finger swipe down gesture is seamless and simple.

Cons:

  • Occasionally while reading a post, VoiceOver will stop and begin rereading the post from the beginning. While not personally annoying, this bug is not extremely rare either.

Breakdown:

This is possibly one of the very few completely accessible apps for the iPhone out there. The developers either put a lot of thought into making it intentionally accessible or just used controls and labels VoiceOver can easily understand.  Either way, if you ever have a need for Craigslist this app is a must have.

Download Craigslist Mobile in the iTunes Store.

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, Safety, Social Networking | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

App Advice | VoiceOver Review

Posted on October 17, 2011 by David

Four stars out of five.

App Name: App Advice
Developer: AppAdvice.com
Version: 1.4.2

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Pros:

  • Fluid navigation through a majority of the application with VoiceOver.
  • Buttons and their labels are evident enough to understand which section Is presented and navigation is easiest when using the single finger swipe left and right gestures.
  • Many new applications have been found, used, and enjoyed through App Advice’s articles and updates.

Cons:

  • Some elements of navigation can be confusing at times. When cycling through all available buttons, a few are only labeled as “button” along the top section of the app. These essentially take you back to the main selection panel.
  • When an article is presented, VoiceOver will begin reading when touched. Logical enough, until trying to move down to select other text does nothing. VoiceOver instead treats the entire article as one body of a unified text block. Getting around this issue as mentioned above, use the single finger swipe left and right gestures to break down and read the article at your pace.
  • Selecting an app typically presents its own page and content. However, the page itself sometimes appears “stuck” if attempting to swipe up to view more of the page. To solve this issue, swipe left using the three finger gesture to  squash this bug.

Breakdown:

Despite not being as polished or a seamless experience with VoiceOver, navigation is reliable and all elements of the app are within reach. There is a lot of work clearly demonstrated in its content, so the VoiceOver nuances and gripes can be easily overlooked. Fortunately at the time this review was released, App Advice was offering their app for free for a limited time. Normally the cost was $2.99 but well worth it.

 

Download App Advice (paid $2.99) in the iTunes Store.

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

Fox News | VoiceOver Review

Posted on October 17, 2011 by David

One star rating out of five

App Name: Fox News
Developer: Fox News Digital
Version: 1.2.2

Originally Reviewed: October 17, 2011

Using iPhone 3Gs, version 5.01

Pros:

  • Unfortunately, I cannot find anything good within this app due to the main viewing panel is completely inaccessible with VoiceOver.

Cons:

  • See above.

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 Fox News from the iTunes Store.

 

 

Posted in IPhone App Reviews, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments