Category: Cell Phone Talk
Hi,
I've just recently purchased an android phone. I am using code factory's mobile accessibility with it. My first impressions are very positive, especially since I'm using a phone with the qwerty keyboard, it being soni erixon experia mini pro. I find the combination of using touch screen and keyboard a lot easier of a transition process from symbian to the touch screen like environment.
There is of course some issues with MA software, like the fact that the touch screen part of navigation doesn't really work when outside of MA, the fact that the streaming links can't be opened and a few other minor issues.
But something that is rather frustrating me is inability to open links within a text message and also the email client. Since apparently MA client can only accessibly work with gmail/googlemail, I am using a client called k9-mail, which is pretty accessible, but I don't seem to be able to open links that are in an email message. Same goes for SMS messages. So, am I doing something wrong/missing something or is this at the moment just not possible? If anyone knows please let me know and apple fanatics, please do not tell me to get an iPhone.
I will not tell you to get a Iphone, I am a android user as you can tell by my tag. Let me get someone I know to send me a link and get back on you.
so far I have come to the conclusion that its not possible to open links in a email. If someone knows how please educate me.
Imagine that... lol
ok, as far as I know k-9mail doesn't allow for this but to open a link in an sms message, go to apps, and either messenger or text messenger, it could be one or both on your phone and select the message. choosing it again will bring up a prompt to select a link. Just tap enter, select, or the ok buttons and away you go.
Can someone say iphone? Lol
OK Starfly: Today we learn the difference between dogman and reality. Most productive people have to open links in their email every single day on their device. This, in combination with your other rant about nobody like Android everyone hates Android going to the garden to eat worms ...
People use devices to be productive. I've smacked Apple around a good bit over the years for many of these things, long before the so-called blind community started using it, but ... not being able to open links in an email?
It looks like maybe where Apple is behind on Office, Android is behind on some really basic tasks.
Even where Apple does pretty poorly - Excel spreadsheets - I can still at least look at one that comes from the Coast Guard, and make some sense of it.
If the Android platform is going to be taken seriously by blind consumers, then they'll have to improve simple productivity with the device. No sighted user would accept a device where they could not open links in an email, for the simple reason that they got the device with the expectation (from them and their employers) that it be a productivity-enhancer. All the psychobabble about blind education / blind users should use <insert device here> to give feedback and improve its accessibility etc is totally meaningless. Unless said users have a real-world device they actually use to get things done with.
Actually you can open links with android!! I had this proven with my wife. As for us opening links its hit or miss. Again I tried this. If I want to open a link there is always the web for it on my phone. Yes! it needs to bee fixed and google plans to fix it in the next upgrade along with other issues. I would say more but this is not the time nor place.
This is slightly off topic but I can't ignore this. "Most productive people open links in email", and equating opening links in email as basic functionality. I am sorry I have to disagree. It depends on your definition. That statement is as bad as claiming that copy and paste is basic functionality and most productive people cut and paste or copy and paste almost every day. this is not the case and neither is opening a link in email. In fact, google is working on this and I'm sure that the developer of k-9mail is as well. I will not dispute that at this point the four year old IOS operating system is more accessible than the roughly two year old Android platform, and this is my opinion,but Android at this point is far more accessible than apple was.
OK guys, again, I did not want this to get in to an IOS verses android war, which is why I exactly said that I don't want people to tell me to get an iPhone, there are advantages and disadvantages of both and it is my personal choice and preference to choose what I like, I chose an android and please respect that. Sure there are problems with it, but like some on here pointed out, google and web developpers are working on this. Is it annoying that we can't open links in emails? Of course it is. Will it be fixed? Hopefully it will, or more like I'm pretty sure that it will. As for opening links in the text, I have been told by some that you can do it by touching a particular part of the screen, I've even seen some people do it..well one person to be precise lol, but I am still to be successfull. I have not tried to pressing enter when in a message, but I think when I did try it it didn't seem to do anything at all. Do we do this through phones main messiging or do we do this through mobile accessibilitty client? I will play with it a bit more, but thanks all for your help so far and please let's stay away from arguing about which OS is better, at least on this post. Thanks.
When it was Winblows Mobile who couldn't copy and paste, and we all made noise about it (at least many of us), nobody gave it a second thought. When iPhone 1 couldn't copy and paste, and iPhone 3 still couldn't multitask, we all gave 'em hell.
But because it's Android, they get the free pass? Ok. Zeal doesn't have to make sense.
you use the phone's stock messenger not ma's messenger to launch links. Alternatively, you could switch to character view and read the link that way and type it in to MA's web client.
Oh yeah I was already aware that I had to use stock messenger to open links, but pressing enter when within the message still does not work for me, though tapping about the middle of the screen actually does work. Perhaps I just needed some time to get used to it, but seems like I have mastered opening links via the screen now. Now if we can only get k9-mail to do it, or some other client that we can use for mail that would be able to do it, but I'm sure that time will come soon.
I was saying, in the stock messaging client as stated before links can bee opened. Given the age of android's OS it being 2 years in and "the promise that was made in front of NFB members" at the "NFB convention" things are going to get better. After all if the NFB does not like googles progress they tend to start pushing their weight around. This is oveus seeing how the same action was done to apple and now we have a fully accessible platform from them meaning apple.
Let's write the developer of k-9 mail and ask for this, also, let's ask them to give us the ability to navigate by words and link and to be able to move back in a mail we are writing to know where we are to edit it. Since the stock gmail app is now accessible, if the same thing happes to the otherall email client and the stock web browser, It will do a lot for acessibility. Add full touch screen accessibility and we might have something that is definitely as good as apple.
You are absolutely right, in fact I will certainly write about this to the developer. Also on a slightly different topic, have you ever tried to go to this website via mobile accessibilitty brouzer? If so, have you noticed that there is no sounds? Seems like MA brouser not only does not support stream links, but does not support sounds on any webpage. Even if you click on a youtube link, you can not hear the sound. I went on here the other day and noticed this, I think it is a serious issue. I suppose if the stock brouzer becomes accessible we won't have to worry about this thing, otherwise I really hope that MA fixes these things in their next reliece whenever that will happen.
I agree the sad part was this was a concern from the beginning, I think if they wanted to produce a stand alone browser they would encorporate the advance file, streaming and sound playback as well. Maybe even if we don't get ice cream, we will get the web browser since we were promised that it would be accessible by then.
I hope so, because i look forward to using the stock browser soon.
I saw an Accessible YouTube Viewer Beta in the Android market today.
as for opening links in a text messege, there is a app called sms to go, wants your done customizing the app to your liking, if a friend send you a link you can click on it. Just check out the eye's free mailing list for more on this app.
Hello,
For those of you whose phones will be getting the upgrade to IcecreamSandwich, you can open links within e-mail messages using the GMail client just fine.
I've got a Desire z, rooted and have installed a custom ICS rom on it and all seems to work ok for me. I'm even happy about having to have a proper homescreen finally, and that I'm not limited by the eyesfree shell.
You're gonna love ICS when it gets to you, or maybe jellybean perhaps, since rumer has it that google is set to release version 5.0 of the OS in Q2 2012.
regards,
Man, would I like to be rid of the eye's free shell screen, but at last, I am not sure the HTC my touch 4G is getting ICS, so far no. I am happy with what I have so far.
Its great to hear that you are happy with what you got, but if you took the chance and went root, you'd also enjoy ICS as well. Oh, and you'll get rid of the eyesfree shell
But I totally understand that going root can be quite dawnting if you're not the type of person to take risks.
But would you rather be stuck on an older version of android, and do less, or go root, and enjoy the latest version of android, even though HTC wont give it to you?
This is one of the reasons whi I chose android. I know that there are developers out there who will help us when manufacturers will say no.
I do agree google's approach to accessibility is horrible, where accessibility is improved with each new build of the operating system, but I don't mind paying the price since there are amazing things one can do with android.
Regards,
i am currently on my android. and i'm trying to learn how to navigate on here.
I tried rooting my device but so far no termanal client I have found so far that works with talkback, spiel or moble accessibility. This is what is holding me back or it would be root all the way.
you can use ADB, assuming you use windows.
I do
Is it possible to go root, and still protect your personal data?
By definition going root is something most admins do not do except for administrative tasks.
The best of both worlds would be for Android to allow you to go root long enough to install your new OS, Boot Loader, whatever else you want to use your IDE to build and put on there, then re-seal the device to run as user, so when you go to actually use it, it's not a rooted device running around.
There are no servers in the world running as root. Tasks are done as root by administrators but the device runs as user.
If this is a misconception on my part, it is one on the parts of many about Android. If you can run your phone as user after you went root to do admin tasks like what I mentioned, those of us with the misconception need an education.
I was told if I root my daughter's phone it would run as root forever, something I wouldn't do to any device for data and security purposes. Are we mistaken? Will it actually run as user once it reboots?
Hello Rob,
I'll try and answer your questions:
Is it possible to go root, and still protect your personal data?
Yes.
For each application requesting root access, it makes use of the super user or su program.
I believe in linux when you want to do something that requires administrative access, you use the superuser command at the terminal and then type in your administrator username and password?
And when superuser comes up, you are either given the option to allow or deny the program which requires root.
We also have a firewall which we can use to allow program access to the internet or not. It provides a gui front-end to the iptables which is found in linux.
We also then have the ability to block applications from getting access to data by denying them permissions such as accessing contact data etc.
So Rob, let me give you a more practical example of why I went root in the first place.
I've bought my phone last year in april, and up till then, I had been using a Nokia N82, so I had no clue about android then. When I did get my phone, I felt it was a waste of money, I could hardly do anything with it, since I had been using htc's modification of the android OS which hampered accessibility in many ways. So, I rooted installed a stock android romm with some very good tweaks in it which actually improved accessibility and this is how I am going from there, of course, I came to know about wonderful applications once one has gone root, as well as other custom android rom modifications which is as a result of me using ICS on my htc desire z or g2 whatever you'd like to call it.
And for people like me who test different rom modifications, its great to know that I can run an entire rom on my SDCard without having to backup the phone rom, install other rom and then restore the phone rom again.
Going root is also a great help for me as I can use my pc to do installs or uninstalling, flashing, copying from my pc without sighted help.
Regards,
Ah so you have the su command on Android. Must be something the T-Mobile people didn't know when they said I could root my daughter's phone for a particular function, and I asked about how to run as user after that.
So in short you're saying: you root the device do whatever you do to get your ROM (Make / build / conf?) then flash your device with your build, and what, it boots as user with access via the SU command or some UI variant thereof?
People make it sound to many of us older admin types that we've got these kids running around with rooted devices ... and there's the data wiping of their gmail from Android market applications to prove that something similar happens.
I asdk, because I certainly understand the value of what you're doing, on the bench. But ultimately a device is mostly useful off the bench and handling real user data like passwords and account data.
So clarify, not justify: you're saying you can root the device, make your ROM and / or boot loader or whatever enhancements you believe you want, then on reboot it runs as user with access to SuperUser via a GUI?
This practical yes or no, alludes a lot of people who understand in practical reality what it is to deal with users' data. I don't mean just kids' text messages and o.m.g.mails. though in my daughter's case she already has data on her device that should remain behind the protection of running as User. Entirely different, by the way, than having to install a firewall (interesting that on a mobile device).
Nobody wants to answer that basic question though - not often, and there are quite a few out there who have said concerns.
Ah so you have the su command on Android. Must be something the T-Mobile people didn't know when they said I could root my daughter's phone for a particular function, and I asked about how to run as user after that.
Well, I honestly think they wouldn't care to bother with it, as they would lose money, where people will be able to upgrade the OS, be it from a dev who ports it to the phone, and so they will not make money but iether way, I'm glad they told you that you could actually root it.
Well, you do run as a normal user, the main purpose of the SU application is to give access to programs that require more privellages. You could uninstall it if you like, but then what would be the purpose of rooting the device anyways!
So in short you're saying: you root the device do whatever you do to get your ROM (Make / build / conf?) then flash your device with your build, and what, it boots as user with access via the SU command or some UI variant thereof?
Well, it can be done via 3 ways from my understanding:
1. If you're a dev, you compile your rom from the various sources, add or remove whatever, build the rom and flash it.
2. If you're normal user, you pick the rom based on the modifications that the dev offers, read reviews, if you like it, then you flash it.
3. If they offer you a tool, then you pick the features you like from a certain rom running a certain version of the android OS, it then compiles it for you, and so you flash it.
No, the rom doesn't boot with the SU GUI application so, if you don't have that app, you can still boot your phone, but programs that require root wont get there required results because there is no program to allow such access.
and there's the data wiping of their gmail from Android market applications to prove that something similar happens.
I believe what you're refering to here is when google had some sort of problem where various users were affected, it happened last year sometime. As mentioned that was a google problem, and whether you had a phone or not, you were still affected. So root is out of the question here.
One doesn't have to install a firewal if one doesn't want to, its optional, but I was merely trying to show you that if you're going root, and you feel you want your stuff to be extra secure, you can install a firewall, an antivirus, deny permissions etc etc.
I'll say it again, I have a rooted device, I have no firewall, no antivirus, but just some common sense.
I guess its up to the people to choose what they'd like to do with their phone, but with every device I get, I always go the extra mile to make sure I can get more out of the money that I have spent.
Well thanks for the coherent answers. Lets hope some company in this biz has enough common sense to hire you.
As you said, it does depend up to the user. Hence, I can see what you're saying, and would never under any circumstance root a teenager's phone.
I used to trust myself more to not have data privacy accidtns caused by 3rd-party applications, but things have changed in the past couple of years. I myself have thus far not been attacked by the proverbial letting down of the guard, but know several very smart and competent developers, and one marine Major, who have.
Again thanks for your answers; they were coherent.
Hello Rob,
You are of course welcome, and I'm not entirely sure whether you were being sarcastic when you said:
Lets hope some company in this biz has enough common sense to hire you.
I do try to answer any questions directed towards me based on the current knowledge I have, as well as through personal experience.
I feel, apart from having said that I have some common sense with regard to the installation of applications in my previous post, in my summary my reasons for going root were:
1. Accessibility.
2. customisation.
And then as you have seen previously, got introduced to ports of different roms, etc.
If I could use an analagy here, it's like:
you buy a phone customised by the manufacturer.
same with pc, you buy it and its got a whole lot of crap from dell, linovo, toshiba, IBM, samsung, etc.
But if you're adventurous to get a copy of the windows disk, install it along with the key given to you by the manufacturers, and you got a clean install of your OS, without the crap that they usually have.
So, microsoft as an example, doesn't load there OS with crap, its just a clean install, yet the manufacturers load crap cause they want to make more money with those software trials etc.
So when I rooted for accessibility, all I wanted was a rom which was clean of any crap from HTC, and that's when I got introduced to the cool stuff.
And as you saw my post to starfly,
being able to root got me access to androids Icecream sandwich where an improvement has been made somewhat to accessibility.
And lastly, I'm not against apple at all, I actually think there devices are great.
If I had the money, I'd definitely buy an iPhone. I love exploring on both sides of the fence, I still really appreciate my phone with Nokia and Nuance talks, since there's some features that I love on it which unfortunately I don't have on android.
Regards,
I was not sarcastic at all. If enterprise is going to end up using Android - and that's several years out yet based on security concerns where it matters, - you might be a good candidate for working on such a build.
All an enterprise version of any OS or software configuration is, is just a modified stock with speicific parts added and removed not for sales and marketing, like the carriers, but for productivity and security.
So no, I was not at all being sarcastic.
Hello Rob,
Thanks for clearing the miss understanding I had.
I'll finally end with a memory that I kinda recall from some months ago.
Apparently, there were carriers that had installed some software called carrier IQ, see this snipet:
Carrier IQ has recently found itself swimming in controversy. The analytics company and its eponymous software have come under fire from security researchers, privacy advocates and legal critics not only for the data it gathers, but also for its lack of transparency regarding the use of said information. Carrier IQ claims its software is installed on over 140 million devices with partners including Sprint, HTC and allegedly, Apple and Samsung. Nokia, RIM and Verizon Wireless have been alleged as partners, too, although each company denies such claims. Ostensibly, the software's meant to improve the customer experience, though in nearly every case, Carrier IQ users are unaware of the software's existence, as it runs hidden in the background and doesn't require authorized consent to function. From a permissions standpoint -- with respect to Android -- the software is capable of logging user keystrokes, recording telephone calls, storing text messages, tracking location and more. It is often difficult or impossible to disable.
Nevertheless, I hear that updates to various OS's have removed the offending software, and again, because I had a custom rom and not that of HTC at the time this software was brought under the spotlight, therefore, I was not affected by this.
Regards,
i heard that mobile accessibility is going to b free for sprent, boost, and mettro pcs customers. is that true?
yes
its not a water down varant of it like A T and T, and to answer Nitrogen
I am sorta afraid of bricking my phone, so I have not tried to flash it with a customer rom. If push comes to shove and I do not get ICS I will flash the phone.
Nice that they are doing this, here's to hoping the carriers are giving them a good price on the deal, else they won't be able to keep it up and keep innovating.