Category: Geeks r Us
has anyone used this new phone? What do you think of it? I might get it. I am looking in to it first. I think I would have to get a moble speak thing on it though, does anyone know about that? please let me know about any infoe with this phone, even things like something thats better. I want an I phone but I am on Verizion.
There is no real screen reader solution currently for the Droid. If you're looking for an accessible phone, I recommend the Ozone, but remember what my bills are before the air card, and that's about what you'll be paying, since data on a smartphone is mandatory.
hmmm, what is the o zone like/
Like the Q, but with a better form factor, and way more responsive, and no annoying jog wheel.
um im havin issues with my zone i cant access the internet when i do it says "zoom out" amd i do that and then the only thing it says is "search" and thats it. help me!! is there a way to fix this??
Use your up and down arrows. That's how you navigate a page.
I have actually verry quickly handled the droid and am extremely disapointed with the lack of access. Yes, talk back is included however, the big problem is it does not read as you move around the touch screen. So, you have to actually tap it and open something before it will tell you what it is. The keyboard is flush and difficult to use. I was able to type but was not able to find arrow keys. The voice is actually quite good and if they would work on the access it could be great. The hope is that since this is an open source operating system someone will pick it up and get more out of it. In my personal opinion it is sad when you have a blind fellow working there in a rather high capacity and yet the phone has problems. You would think that they would be able to assess a need and actually produce an accessible product. so, apple is still hands down the leader here in making small portable devices accessible out of the box. Let's hope the open source community takes hold of android 2.0 and utilizes the api's and makeing this work.
ah, cool. jesse. does it look like the q also?
To post seven there's another screen reader available besides talkback, I wouldn't write the droid off until you've tried it. ALso ANdroid has been out for a lot less time then the IPhone, and at least google is making it open source, if Apple decides that it isn't worth funding a screen reader for the iphone anymore your screwed at least with android if there's a big enough demand we have access to the code and can even build custom versions of Android if we wish.
Oh I do agree but the other screen reader is not installed at least i didn't see it in the accessibility menu. Can you tell me where to find it? I would love to see another accessible phone. I don't believe Apple will drop voiceover at all however, healthy competition is good and choice is our friend. More companies need to be including speech access and it would be great to see this work well. please let me know how to obtain this other screen reader. It's really close and I am sure as you said since it is open source there is opportunity for development by others.
Info on the screen reader can be found at
http://spiel.thewordnerd.info/
A list of apps that have been tried can be found at
http://spiel.thewordnerd.info/wiki/spiel/Accessible_apps
In summery of the page web browsing doesn't work but a lot of other applications do. Android isn't at the iphone level of accessibility but is at a higher level then say the LG phones from verizon..
Droyd verces O-zone?
hey. I have the ozone,, and am disappointed in it's cheap quality - for instance, the tape on the back of it came off and poof went my phone signal. It's a good phone.
Also, there is no official rom for it yet, and currently I have 2 ozones laying on my desk, both bricked. I installed mobile speak and god knows how but the rom broke. So HTC has no official rom yet for these phones.
It's a great phone, though I find that it overheats quite often, especially in calls and when using the data plan. UG!
The android platform is quite versitile, and I see a future in it - as a poster here said though, the APIs need to be utilized. Google really put effort into it's Android lineup, and honestly I think the blind could greatly benefit were it more accessible (E.G. When you first use the phone, it could say, "to enable accessibility features, tap the lower right hand portion of your screen.").
To date, the iPhone is a real good device, and I've only had the chance to use it a few times when snagging it from friends.
My friend has the Motorola Droid from VZW, and after enabling the talk back feature in the accessibility menu last night nothing was ever spoken, we just flat out couldn't figure out how to make it do anything. Issuing commands from the keyboard or tapping the screen never resulted in any verbal feedback. Not sure if something further needs installed, but my first experiencing put me off just a bit. For now I need something that can be productive today, so while I agree the speed of the droid is amazing for now it's not for me.
Regarding Mr. Masks post thanks for the info on the alternative screen reader. Although my problem here is if it really does work better why didn't it get included? This is not good for beginners and means that someone has to assist with the phone. That said, as you also pointed out it's a step above lg's offerings and has much more growth potential. Let's give it time to see how it evolves. The API's and framework are in place and that's half the battle.
Tomi, I have the Ozone, and have no idea what piece of tape you speak of. If you are speaking of something inside the battery cover, and it came off, then the phone probably got wet, in which case, they won't replace it for you. Flimsy quality? I have no idea what Ozone you got, but mine feels sturdy as a tank! As for there being no official Rom for it, what about the one that came in the phone? Isn't that official? Or, did you try to install a new rom without first backing up the other one? Oops!
um im havin problems accessing the net, tony get of hold of me plz
the tape I guess is what has the barcode on it - it is located along the phone's back side (not battery) on the top surface. It is taped around the camera and covers the longer antenna. Basically I dropped the phone under my bed and the tape began to peal off. At the time I didn't see it's purpose so I took it off, only to find myself with no signal at all.
Yeah, there is no way to backup the rom, since they have a security partition in place. If you try to restore an unoffical rom (backed up dumped roms aren't official), you get an error telling you that the phone can't flash.
This is my 5th ozone to date and for me, I'm just exhausted with the phone...
There is absolutely no tape on mine. Next time, don't install unofficial roms. Leave it alone, and it'll work for you, I promise!
lol I didn't on my last one, simply installed Mobilespeak for Smartphone on it and it broke my rom. The installation froze halfway through and Windows mobile device center also disconnected. It's not really "tape", but very thin material.
um thats to protect it when it gets 2 u u r supposed 2 take it off!! thats all it is for is to protect the phone why it is in the box. other than that it surves 4 no purpose. and i have the ozone but the only prob i have with it sometimes it freezes and the net isnt workin right...
Yeah. I'm thinking your reception problems have nothing to do with that.
it worked before the tape fell off . and it's not the protective thing, according to some friends it had the barcode on it and such... Odd.
Yeah, the Ozone can freeze when texting a lot. I send aroun 100 texts a day (sometimes 350 or more) and it will freeze. The best solution is to quit the messaging application every once in a while. Use the task manager, it comes up by holding the home key down. Just stop the text messages app. Same for the internet.
Have a friend who works in R&D at verizon, and he states that on some of the first shipping models of the Ozone there was a piece of tape to increase reception. Also, out of the Win mo phones he says the Ozone is the most returned.
yea the ozone is really um, not, on, my, level!!!!
Ok. Something must be wrong with two people, because everyone else's Ozone works. Kristabell, take it to a Verizon store with a technician, and get them to give it a quick look. As for Tomi, well, he could take his back, but after trying to crack and hack it without knowing how to put it back to normal, they'd just laugh at him.
I so can't wait to get mine in a week or so, I hope I get it sooner than later, but with the way this month has been going, I will get it later.