# first glance win8.1 moble's accessibility

Category: Cell Phone Talk

## Post 1 by starfly (99956) on Saturday, 24-May-2014 18:25:30

So I got a chance to see narrator run on the new update that is still in testing for win8.1's moble platform. So far you can read all Icons, type on the screen, read the bottom back, start screen buttons. All of this is accessible. Also you can read the phones settings, make changes and I bet more. I will add to this as time goes on when I can get my hands on another win8 phone device.

## Post 2 by Hongsen (Zone BBS Addict) on Sunday, 25-May-2014 7:57:24

I have not personally used a Windows Phone 8.1 device but here's instructions to start Narrator and gestures to use it if anybody is interested.
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/how-to/wp8/settings-and-personalization/use-narrator-on-my-phone

## Post 3 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 27-May-2014 14:29:24

Very nice, this has got to be useful info for people who may end up with a Windows phone for one reason or another.

## Post 4 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Friday, 04-Jul-2014 15:39:35

I just got a Nokia Lumia 520. With help I was able to lode Windows Phone 8.1. As of this moment you have to get sighted help to enable Narrator. There is a Narrator quick launch setting that has to be enabled separately. I'm still playing with it. I might do a short podcast showing how it works.

## Post 5 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 04-Jul-2014 21:01:43

I would like you to do one. i'm curious to know how kortonna works too

## Post 6 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Friday, 04-Jul-2014 23:11:54

I believe that I'll do one tomorrow. As for kortonna there is a problem activating it with Narrator running. You should be able to press and hold the search button. However, Narrator does not let you do that.
Yesterday it was telling me the flash flood warnings for my area and this was without me even using the phone at the time.

## Post 7 by Senior (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Sunday, 06-Jul-2014 7:35:49

Does JJaws work on Windows phones? It is Jaws for Windows.
What about NVDA?

## Post 8 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Sunday, 06-Jul-2014 15:20:01

No, this is Windows Phone 8.1.

## Post 9 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Sunday, 06-Jul-2014 19:50:06

I have found some buttons that are not labeled. They are located on the screen when you want to install an app. So far I don’t know what they do. One of them must be the install button.
There is another issue that deals with the OS itself. I was unable to play the audio located at www.blindy.tv. It seems that there is no way to play an online stream. When I tried, I received an option to look in the store for an app to play it. There were only three apps and none of them from Microsoft. They seemed to be online radio apps.

## Post 10 by forereel (Just posting.) on Monday, 07-Jul-2014 8:06:24

NVDA and Jaws as of now don't have a mobile platform. Code Factory was working on this, but I haven't kept up with the development.

## Post 11 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Monday, 07-Jul-2014 23:29:59

Code Factory made self-voicing apps for Windows Mobile 8. This was due to the fact that Windows Mobile 8 did not have any accessibility framework build in.

## Post 12 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Sunday, 10-Aug-2014 15:17:46

I just updated my Nokia Lumia 520 to Windows Mobile 8.1 update. It is a Preview for Developers at the moment. Microsoft has made slight improvements to Narrator.
Let’s start with the lock screen.
Now there is an audible sound letting you know when the screen is on or off.
In order to unlock the screen all you have to do after pressing the power button is to double top on the screen. There is still the problem that you can only swipe to find the unlock button.
There is now an option to use touch typing.
Help messages can be turned off.

## Post 13 by KC8PNL (The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.) on Sunday, 10-Aug-2014 16:42:40

Thank you all for this info, please keep it coming! As someone with a vested interest in the tech industry as it relates to telecommunications, this really helsp. As for Code Factory, last I knew, they were working on a series of apps similar to what you have with Mobile Accessibility, but the project was still under development. Will have to check with my sources and get back to you all if interested.

## Post 14 by Grand_Admiral_Thrawn (Veteran Zoner) on Saturday, 28-Mar-2015 11:12:35

Code Factory quit a while back.
As far as Windows phone goes, how is it?
I looked at a Lumia 529 the other day and promptly crashed it in under 5 minutes.
Either I was doing something wrong or the screenreader is crap imo.

## Post 15 by The Roman Battle Mask (Making great use of my Employer's time.) on Saturday, 28-Mar-2015 12:24:25

I intend on writing a blog on this in a couple weeks but here's the short answer. I've played with a Lumia 635 and it's great as a phone horrible for everything else. Email, phone functions, text messaging, and phone settings are accessible. All other apps such as music, weather, etc as well as apps you get on the store are inaccessible. This is mainly do to unlabeled controls in everything including the Windows Phone store. I have a $5 a month phone plan on it with puretalk USA which is worth it to me since it's a backup phone for making calls if my iPhone breaks. For a backup phone to make calls and send texts it is worth the $50 it costs. For anything else it's not worth it. I have not done this yet but you can upgrade a 635 to the Windows Phone 10 beta. I will probably do this at some point just to see how it is. If you want to play with new technology realizing that this will not be a main phone and you have disposable income then $50 is worth it.

## Post 16 by kingshand (Veteran Zoner) on Saturday, 28-Mar-2015 12:53:26

I have to agree that for basic things it is OK. As of now things are not improving. Maybe with 10 there will be some improvements. At this time Android is much better then Windows Mobile.

## Post 17 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 29-Mar-2015 0:10:39

If my dad gets an icon in a few months, i'll be able to play with a Nokia 928. if i don't have this on a phone plan (since his sim wil need to be used for the n new iCon,) will i be able to do anything with it? just figured i might as well play with it before i pop t it up on ebay .

## Post 18 by The Roman Battle Mask (Making great use of my Employer's time.) on Sunday, 29-Mar-2015 12:19:45

You should be able to use it with a deactivated SIM. I used a Lumia 635 ATT Go Phone with the included SIM with out activating service.

## Post 19 by JH_Radio (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Sunday, 29-Mar-2015 12:51:57

I think the Lumia 928 should be one fast beast. he loves this thing.
He wants an icon now, lol.