Category: Cell Phone Talk
I thought the text of this press release from Code Factory may be of interest to some. It looks as though Windows PHone 8 will become an option for blind users.
My immediate take is that this may not mean that Windows Phone 8 will come with a screen reader making all the device's functions accessible, but rather it will include a suite of talking apps that will let users access some of the phone's features.
Here is the text of the press release.
Code Factory, developers of software solutions for the blind and the
visually impaired, has announced today that their Mobile Accessibility suite
of apps will support Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8. Mobile Accessibility for
Windows Phone 8 will be offered free of charge in the Windows Phone Store.
Blind and visually impaired users will be able to access and enjoy their
devices within a suite of accessible apps for the most common wireless
tasks. Along with basic functionality of calling and contacts management,
users will have access to emails, web browsing and messaging.
Code Factory CEO Eduard Sánchez explains: “We are very excited to see that
Microsoft has decided to count on our input and knowledge of the field of
accessibility for the blind and visually impaired, based on 10 years of
experience developing accessibility services for mobile devices. Combining
Code Factory’s expertise in mobile accessibility with Microsoft’s uniquely
personal smartphone to enable Mobile Accessibility for Windows Phone 8 has
been a very enriching experience.“
“I am extremely excited to have Code Factory as part of our rich Windows
Phone developer ecosystem. Code Factory has done an incredible job of
bringing their Mobile Accessibility experience to Windows Phone,” said
Darren Laybourn, corporate vice president, Windows Phone, Microsoft Corp.
“Code Factory’s history and expertise of developing products that eliminate
barriers to accessibility in mobile technology made them the obvious first
choice for us to work with. We are delighted that Mobile Accessibility,
with its suite of apps designed to make Windows Phone easier to see, hear,
and use, is now available for Windows Phone 8 to address the needs of our
blind and visually impaired customers.”
Mobile Accessibility gives access to six simple and intuitive apps that will
increase user's productivity on everyday tasks:
· Phone app to place and answer calls, and manage your call log
· Contacts Manager app for managing contacts from users’ Microsoft
Account
· Messaging app to compose and read SMS messages
· An easy-to-configure email app, compatible with IMAP
· First-class accessible web browser
· Settings Manager to configure the app details and notifications
to fit each user's needs
Well, i'm glad they're trying, but considering this most likely won't have access to the complete windows phone 8 UI, I advise anyone to think strongly before committing to this. I know I personally couldn't.
This is the first step forward and Windows Phone accessibility, but I hope Microsoft follows up with a screen reader in there next update I believe it Windows Phone 8 point 3 not really sure.
I did see part of this and was happy to learn more here. Good for Code Factory. The screen reader programs for phones before were expensive, so it is good to see them including it in a phone.
Microsoft footing the cost is great.
I am all for choice.
That's horrible! I've used MA on android, and it was terrible!
I'm ... hoping this is just a stopgap measure for Microsoft to cover its arse where the CVAA is concerned, and that a better solution is in the pipeline. Windows Phone 8 is now the only platform where "accessibility" here means essentially access to a small array of functions. In point of fact, could you not get similar functionality with something like the Kyocera Kona<sup>*</sup>, or a reasonably inexpensive Android phone? With Windows RT being at least somewhat usable, I sort of expected a better v1.0 on Windows Phone, even if that meant delaying the release of any accessibility until they could roll out their own solution.
<sup>*</sup> Why yes, I realize that the Kona is not a smartphone. Effectively, where blind users are concerned, neither is Windows Phone 8 with this rather meager subset of features.
what is the Kyocera Kona? a feature phone?
i think its cool that MS is doing something.
accessible or not, it is not the answer for those who have touch screen fobia. Windows 8 phone so far that i come across, are all touch screen. Honestly, if what windows phone can offer is only Code Factory screen reader, i won't consider it. Like what Ed said, i think the accessibility features will be very limited
Windows phone when iOS and Android are so stable and advanced? Nope! Nice try guys, but you had 2 versions of Windows phone to do something. Android had basic access in 1.6, and when Apple came out with a screen reader on the iPhone 3GS, it was fully functional and robust. There's absolutely no excuse for Microsoft.
I tried MA on android, as well. Was extremely limited, almost useless, unless you want to spend a few hundred dollars on a feature phone sighted people could get for free.
that's why I wrote what I did above. this is kinda useless if you can't use 99 percent of your phone.
Perhaps it's a step forward. MA came before TalkBack on Android, did it not?
I think MA came way before all this business about touch screen phone in place. It never great, it was okayish, if you can't afford Talks or such. Suppose, for those that only looking at phone calling, texting, and want to have a reasonable price phone, perhaps it is not a bad idea. To have MA to do what you can with iOS or an Androy phone at this stage, i must admit, i'm very doubtful about it.
Yes, Thanks to Nokia, Windows phone is absolutely nice to hold and nice to look. In fact, the visual content of windows mobile 7 and 8 is fairly desirable, and easy to use to a point for an average phone user that mostly do texting, calling, and perhaps emailing and social networking. Most people that own a windows phone so far are those that is attracts to the camera, rather than the phone function itself.
It's a definite step forward. Not something I would consider, but options are good. On Android, Mobile Accessibility is unnecessary now that TalkBack has improved, but when I got my first Android phone, I purchased MA and used it on a regular basis. At that time, it was much more responsive than TalkBack was.
I stand on the options side. Anything that makes electronics more accessible is for sure a step forward.
If it makes the phone 50% accessible, that is better than it being 0% accessible.
Most users just want to make a call, receive and send a text, control the address book. If this will do that, it will be wonderful.
I upgraded as far as accessible goes from LG's EnV2 up to an iPhone 4S. The LG phone suited my needs just fine. I was amazed, and sometimes still am, of the power I hold in my hand with an iPhone.
Sure, sighted people had these benefits for a long time, but I still get impressed daily.
I'd say even sighted people are impressed with how much power they have on the mobile devices.
Instead of saying what should have been, and could have been, and should be, we should say, bring it on!
here is a history lesson, talkback came before CF's moble accessibility and sense has left it behind. I agree with Wayne here, any access is better then no access at all.
I can agree there, but still! Microsoft has absolutely no excuse! They could've done something great here, being the most popular tech company in the world, but did they? No! They had options with Narrator, and made great advances in Windows 8.1, but why couldn't they just bring that over to the phone? I've used a Surface with it, and it's not awful. It's not amazing, but it's not the end of the world. I applaud a step forward, but they really could've rolled out something better.
On principal, I agree, having some options is better than none.
I just meant this makes no sense. You can get a basic android or iPhone with reasonable access for the same price as the bottom tear windows mobile devices. Mobile accessibility does a lot less to make windows phone usable, much less accessible, and yet it costs money. Unless you're stuck in a situation where your work requires you use windows phone, this just looks like a net loss to me, that's all. I'm glad they're trying something, but its not rational.
Well James, you are not being fair there. There are some die heart blind people out there will die to optain a dnwindows phone even if it is 10% accessible, you know. :)
Oh yeah! We should start a board topic just for them! Bet it won't get too full!
If this was four to five years back, this would have been amazing news for the blind. However, it's not. I'm seriously hoping that Microsoft would work on more accessibility functions for the blind such as a good screenreader and such. It's good that Microsoft is taking the first step forward with this but it's seriously behind Android and iOS. I always wondered why such a great company like Microsoft never improved on their accessibility features for the blind. They have their Narrator on Windows but it could be so much better and they took so long to take this first step forward to introduce accessibility for the blind in Windows Phone. I hope that by the time I'm ready to change to a new smartphone, I would have three options, Windows phone, Android and iOS instead of just the current two that we have now.
Hi Hongsen,
It looked possible in the 90s that Microsoft would try and develop a fully functioning screen reader, but the 8 or so paid-for screen reader manufacturers at the time threatened to cry foul as it would have put them out of business. They also claimed that Microsoft would then be able to neglect the screen reading functionality of the OS meaning that blind people would not have access. It was around the time they were getting into trouble making people use IE, so I think they were a bit nervous. The situation was a bit different for Apple when they started to include Voiceover in OSX 10.4 because Outspoken for Mac had effectively died so they weren't about to put anyone out of business.
That doesn't explain why they've gone down this route with Windows Phone 8 and Mobile Accessibility though. I've no idea what Nuance are doing with Talks these days but that would have been a much more sensible tie-up.
And what Microsoft did to make sure they weren't sued, was start to support the screen reader companies. I personally don't know how such things are setup, but Microsoft remains active in this regard.
I think there is room for both free and premium screen readers, and it fosters competition. In otherwords, if some company came out with a paid screen reader for Android that did more than the built-in screen reader, folks would buy it. In turn, if the free screen reader outdid the paid one in a future update...Oh wait, that happened! We see what happened to the paid guys that were coasting. Code Factory could've put out something better than Talkback, but instead just chose to coast. The result is that nobody's buying their rather pricy screen reader anymore. My point is that Microsoft should have a fully functional screen reader in it's mobile OS. It should've from day 1, and it failed miserably. There's no reason to jump for joy now, since their stand on day 1 was that they weren't going to support the blind. Sorry, that's just how I see it. Choice is good and all, but Microsoft has not given me a compelling reason to choose them.
Oh, thanks, Ed_G for the explanation about Windows screenreaders. I did hear something like that but it wasn't that specific. I do hope that I won't have to use a third-party screenreader for Windows and Windows Phone in the future.
Do correct me if I'm wrong but I feel that Windows Phone is more open compared to Apple's iOS but not as open as Android. In that case, updating a Windows Phone should be relatively easy; at least in the consumer's point of view and manufacturers should be able to send updates for Windows Phone to consumers more quickly compared to Android. It seems to me that Windows Phone is not maturing as fast as Android and iOS did. Hopefully, when Windows Phone matures further, accessibility for the blind would improve as well.
windows phone is just as locked down as iOS. Even more so, in some ways, though they're slowly opening the doors a little.
It is updated however across the board I understand. Just like any other Windows product.
Microsoft insures that Windows Phones are updated. Unfortionately unlike with the iPhone the carriors can "test" updates. This means that it may take several months for your phone to get updated but it will eventually get updated unlike Android which often does not.
yes, agree with post 28. However, considering it is a smaller market than Androy and iOS, the market control from Microsoft wwouldn't as obbvious as Androy, or iOS.
I sign up for a Nexus Galacy mid last year, the time where Androy4.1 is already out. I couldn't update my os on the galacy. Vodafun excuse is that they need more testing to make sure everything is well and smooth etc.
after months when Androy came out with 4.22, my phone still running on 4.04. At that stage, i pretty much give up the idea of upgrading my phone os.
Now, when my Nexus 7 is running on the latest Droy os, my Nexus Galacy still running on 4.04. Whenever i goes to setting; about; update; it always show there is no update available. Yes, i can break the os back to raw google os, but that is not the point i try to make.
What i try to say is that, although it seems like Androy is a totally open source system, telco can simply block it, and restrick it.
I was hoping that Windows Phone would be as customizeable as something like Android but with Microsoft more in control of updating the OS compared to Google or like how Apple does it. That would be wonderful. Oh, well...
I agree with Joanne about Android. It's all well and good to talk about choice but Android is as closed a market as Apple, more so, unless you know how to root your device. Which most people don't and can often void the warrantee - which is important to consider for everyone but geeks perhaps.
I admire the Android users out there who are lobbying phone carriers to behave differently but I don't know how effective this will be. The carrier has to support the product, and so they are left to force upgrades to wait until such time as they can field the support issues for the particular device.
Something people forget in the echo chamber that is these types of technical forums.
As to the Windows 8 thing: How is a blind person going to get this add-on up and running? Again, outside the techie echo chamber this gets difficult in the world of real users.
I tend to like Apple's and Microsoft's closed OS model. If you purchase and iPhone, you get an iPhone, and updates. I don't like spending top dollar on a flagship product to learn in 6 months it is outdated and will remain so unless I am technically gifted enough to get around it.
Next, as soon as I install that software I've voided my contract for service with my phone carrier.
I am hoping Google soon starts an update process for all models. I don't think it hurt sales at all, because people like the latest and greatest.
Even with Microsoft, it will be the same problem too. I have Nokia die heart fans that uses Nokia Verious of Lumia. And most of the Lumia that is pre 2013 or late 2012 are not upgratable after Window 7.5 As if, they really make it in a way that, "Well, if you want windows 8, buy a new phone."
And, we are not talking about phones that is 3 years old, we talking about phone that is less than 18 months old
I am going to toss this argument about OS upgrades for those who are with A T and T, T-Mobile now VZ. Prier to T-Mobile turning the wireless industry upside down, OS's update were critical. Do not get me wrong they are still but 4.4 kitcat has now changed the requirements of android. It can easly run on 512 megs of ram with almost all of the features found in the OS. Okay now back to what I was saying about wireless cariers. If Your with the 3 out of 4 cariers you will be able to either upgrade once a year, 3 times out of your contract "T-Mobile:" "I will by the purple t-shirt and wear it lol" you can ditch that old android phone that will not be getting kitcat. I promise you this, because of the new OS its going to be war between apple and google, guess what!, one of them has their apps in the enamies camp. I will leave you guessing how this will hurt apple in the long run, so the argument if I by the latest flagship from my carier and it does not get updates I am stuck with it for two years is now mute. now for smaller pre-paid cariers or other countries, I can see how getting a nexis5 nexis4 or, a flagship device is critical so you can get the latest updates. I also can see for accessibility purposes, getting an Iphone over an older android would be beneficial.
Also, I see all out war soon coming between apple and google, when even I can not say but I am willing to stick my neck out there and say soon.
Oh, to add to my google VS apple post, Microsoft better get off there ass and build a screenreader for windows mobile8 or there going to keep loosing a market share that does not mind paying for accessible apps if its reasonable. After all, the long this is drug out over time, I personally will not jump camp just because MS finally got off there lazy ass made win8 moble accessible. After all by then I will be very deep in the google camp and apple camp that it will not be profible for me to jump ship to windows mobile8. Oh, wait!! I am already there lol!!!.
Sorry Ms, google has my dollars from apps and so does apple, you can keep win8 mobile.
I, for one, am excited for the war! Apple's been coasting, Google's been innovating! Let's see what happens!
Oh, and who is MS again? Didn't they have something called Dos or something similar?
MS: Microsoft.
Hongsen, that was a joke.
I want to see face time go cross platform, heck look at google hang out, its on both platforms.
Um... Oops. Lol!!!
Apple doesn't need its apps to go cross platform. Only reason iTunes did was to insure more people could purchase iPods.
And well, considering google isn't even going to upgrade the galaxy nexus, which is almost 18 months old, I doubt any other company will start supporting phones as long as apple does.
Lets be honest, not everyone wants to buy in to the scam that is jump, or next, or any of those other upgrade plans. You end up paying more than your phone is worth in most cases.
So, bottom line, don't buy the nexus 4, because 6 months from now it will be out of date. Hell, I wouldn't buy anything older than the nexus 5 at this point, so anything that came out in the last month, maybe? Because at this point, you'd be buying a phone that's getting even less support time than the 18 months the manufacturers grudgingly commit to.
Apple is still supporting the iPhone 4, with most iOS features... While its not the ideal phone, I still know people that have them, who are glad they can get some updates/features/functionality from their device they purchased back in 2010. and, lets be honest, getting the latest updates is about more than features. Its about security as well.
Come on, Nexus 4 was a joke. I mean, it physically looks crappier and plusticky than Galaxy Nexus, which, is quite hard really. and really, have nothing really fancy to bost about. If i'm in the market for a new non Apple device, (which in all honesty i'm not) i will seriously consider Galaxy Note II, or Nexus 5.
I'm surprise Galaxy 4 holds as long as it hold, i thought it will phase out much quicker than Galaxy Nexus.
What happen with Google promising more nexus share across other manifectures? From my understanding, i thought Google have plans to make Nexus more available across the Droy platform, allowing them to use the raw Androy, instead of having their own patch on?
Well, i'm not sure what will really fancy me on Windows phone anymore. i mean, Windows Live messenger is out of the window, msn.com is messy in so many way. and the apps store? Well, it got about 30,000 to 100,000 apps to speak of (depending on your location), and maybe more than 25% of those come with some sort of viruses? I do like the fact that MS windows phone come with fancier wallpapers by default though. I remember, one of my friend use to change it in a daily bases. depending on her mood she's in, will determine which wallpaper and what colour. :)
Wallpaper can be changed. Lol
Now Starfly, I don’t know if you know this, but now all carriers are offering an early upgrade program.
The problem with that to me, is it is like renting your device.
You keep it 6, 8 months, and you have to have enough paid in to trade, or add it, plus take on the new cost of your new device, if it is more expensive.
When I pay 600 for something, I want to keep it until I decide I don’t.
If all you get mostly, is an OS upgrade and some features you’ll never use, or even know you have, well I like the contract.
I made out well this trade for the simple reason iPhone retain resale value. I got exactly what I paid under contract.
Next keeping my 4S 2 years was really easy, because you know, these updates.
It'll be interesting to see if Nokia and Microsoft save or drown each other, I reckon it could go either way. Nokia hardware was always good but their software let them down badly in terms of usability when companies such as Apple came into the market. They might be what each other need but I suspect it's too late.
That is very true. I do hope Nokia will stay though, as you said Ed, their hardware is really one of the best around. Yes, "one of the best", not the best. :)
Yes, I like Nokia products. They are usually ahead as far as features and such.
Nexis4 was last years model but the nexis5 is out it has the same look and feel as my LG G2 does except the volume buttons are on the side. the camra is a * MP instead of a 13 MP. Ya, the nexis5 runs KitCat :) which is the new android OS.
Yes I do know all cariers are offering early upgrade plans, the carier I am with started this trend "T-Mobile."