When the iPhone X was released in late 2017, there was a lot of concern in the blind community regarding several significant changes. Would someone who is blind be able to use Face ID? How do you set up Face ID if you can't see the camera? How do you use a phone without a designated Home button and how do the new VoiceOver gestures work?

I received my iPhone X in late November. For the first 24 hours, I wasn't sure if I was going to keep it. I had some difficulty with the new gestures. I needed to get my finger in the correct location and make sure to listen for the sounds. But by the end of 24 hours, my opinion changed completely; I had become a fan.

In this article, I will describe the iPhone X and explain how to set up Face ID. I will describe the new gestures and provide useful iPhone X commands.

Physical Description

The phone's screen is a perfectly flat surface. Unlike earlier phones, there is no surrounding bezel. A protective case may be used.

According to Apple, the phone measures:

Height: 5.65 inches (143.6 mm)

Width: 2.79 inches (70.9 mm)

Depth: 0.30 inch (7.7 mm)

Weight: 6.14 ounces (174 grams)

The iPhone X is made of surgical-grade stainless steel and has an all-glass casing. It has a 5.8-inch (diagonal) all-screen OLED Multi-Touch display. It has a fingerprint resistant coating and is splash, water, and dust resistant.

On the left edge of the phone are the mute switch and the volume up and volume down buttons. At the top of the screen, there is a cut out or notch. Part of the status bar is on one side of the notch and the rest is on the other side. On the right side of the phone is the Side button. The new Side button is much longer than the old one.

There are speakers at the top and bottom of the phone. The bottom also contains the microphone and a Lightning port. The phone supports wireless charging.

The camera is on the back, in the same location as on older iPhones, but with a vertical rather than a horizontal opening. You do not need to turn the camera in order to photograph.

What's in the Box

The iPhone comes with the following:

• A Lightning to USB cable.
• An AC adapter for charging from house current. If you are using a Mac with USB-C ports, you will need a USB to USB-C adapter if you want to charge your phone from your computer.
• A pair of EarPods, Apple's wired headphones that fit in the ear. If you are upgrading from a phone older than the iPhone 7, note that these EarPods have a Lightning connector rather than the standard 3.5mm connector.
• A small cable with a Lightning connector on one side and a 3.5mm jack on the other end for accommodating headphones with a standard connector.

Setting Up Face ID

VoiceOver will talk you through the set up process. When VoiceOver is on, the Attention feature is turned off automatically. This means you do not have to look directly into the camera for the iPhone to recognize your face. Apple does say, "Requiring Attention makes Face ID more secure." Unlike Touch ID where several fingerprints can be entered, Face ID only allows one face.

During the iPhone activation process, you will be prompted to set up Face ID. There is a button to activate. Double tap to select it.

VoiceOver will tell you to position your head in the camera frame and move your head in a circle. Don't panic, VoiceOver will guide you. Activate the Get Started button.

Hold the phone at approximately arm's length. VoiceOver will tell you how to move the phone so your face is in the camera frame. Slowly move your head clockwise. VoiceOver will guide you how to move your head. You will also hear VoiceOver speak the progress of the scans. Once VoiceOver announces that the first scan has been completed, select the Continue button. The iPhone will do another scan. When VoiceOver announces that the scan is complete, select the Done button.

You can go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode to choose which features can use Face ID. This works the same way as Touch ID & Passcode. There is also a button to re-set Face ID.

Face ID settings can be changed at any time by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. There is a Face ID & Attention setting in Accessibility. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Face ID & Attention. There is a button to toggle to turn requiring Attention on and off. If you are using VoiceOver, this button is off by default.

The Status Bar

The Status Bar is in two separate sections, separated by the notch in the middle at the top of the screen. The left side tells you the time and whether Location Tracking is on. The right side has signal strength, Wi-Fi strength, battery level, and charging status.

You can still flick left or right to read the Status Bar. VoiceOver will automatically speak items on both sides of the notch when performing this gesture. It works exactly as on previous iPhones. The notch does not interfere with VoiceOver.

New Gestures

The iPhone X has new gestures for getting to the Home Screen, App Switcher, Control Center, and Notification Center. When performing these gestures, remember to slide your finger. Do not lift it off the screen until the appropriate action is completed. When your finger is placed in the correct position for beginning a gesture, you may hear a brief popping sound.

The Home Screen

Place your finger on the very bottom of the screen just above the Lightning port. Slide your finger up toward the top of the phone until you hear a soft pop sound. You are now on the home screen. This gesture also can be used to close apps, folders, the App Switcher, the Control Center, and Notifications Center.

The App Switcher

Get to the App Switcher by putting your finger on the very bottom of the screen. Slide your finger up toward the top of the phone. Keep sliding after you hear the first pop sound. When you hear the second sound, you are in the App Switcher.

The Control Center

Place your finger at the top of the screen, and slide it towards the bottom. When you hear the first pop sound, the Control Center will open.

The Notifications Center

To open the Notifications Center, place your finger at the top of the screen and slide it towards the bottom until you hear the second pop sound.

VoiceOver Practice

You can practice these gestures in the VoiceOver Practice section on the iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver > VoiceOver Practice. Gestures for the Home screen and App Switcher work as expected. As of this writing, using the gestures for the Control Center and Notifications Center, while in VoiceOver Practice, will open them.

The Side Button

The Side button, located on the right edge of the phone near the top, is used for many of the tasks previously done by the Home button. These include summoning Siri, activating Apple Pay, and activating the Accessibility Shortcut.

Turning VoiceOver On and Off

If you have selected VoiceOver for the Accessibility Shortcut, triple clicking the side button will toggle it on and off. Set up the Accessibility Shortcut by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut. Activate the button and select VoiceOver from the list.

Press and hold the Side button until you hear the sound for you to begin speaking to Siri. To use ApplePay, double click the Side button to begin the payment process. Face ID will be used for authentication.

To turn off the iPhone, Hold down the Side button and one of the volume buttons. VoiceOver will speak four options: slide to power off, medical ID, emergency SOS, and cancel. To turn the iPhone on, press and hold the Side button for a few seconds, as witih previous iPhones. To force the iPhone to reboot, follow these steps:

1. Press the Volume Up button and quickly release it.
2. Press the Volume Down button and quickly release it.
3. Press and hold the Side button until the phone shuts down and then begins the re-start process.

To launch Emergency SOS, simultaneously hold down one of the Volume buttons and the Side button. The same screen as when you are shutting down the iPhone will appear. Select Emergency SOS.

If you do not make that selection but continue to hold down the buttons, a countdown begins and an alert will sound. When the countdown ends, the phone will automatically contact emergency services.

Conclusion

I am very happy with the iPhone X. The initial period of frustration went away quickly and I find Face ID more reliable than Touch ID. The phone is very expensive. I upgraded from an iPhone 6 to the X and am very pleased with the new and improved features and ease of use.

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• Book Review: iOS 11 Without the Eye by Jonathan Mosen by Jamie Pauls
• A Review of the Mystic Access Apple Watch Tutorial by Shelly Brisbin

More by this author:

• A Tour of Apple's iOS and tvOS TV App Plus Remote Options for the Apple TV
• Exploring and Using Apple AirPods Cordless Bluetooth Earbuds

Here at AccessWorld we are frequently contacted by newly blind individuals—especially seniors—or their family members, requesting information about accessible phones. We nearly always try to steer them toward an accessible smartphone, but many shy away from this purchase. Some feel incapable of learning to use the technology—they are incorrect, in our opinion—while others are hopeful they might learn to use an iPhone or Android smartphone if given enough time, but they can't bear the thought of going weeks or months being unable to make calls or read texts on a phone they don't yet know how to operate.

In this article I will introduce you to a new possibility, a software solution called RAY Vision combined with optional hardware not generally available here in North America. Together they occupy the ground halfway between a feature phone and smartphone. I say halfway, but in effect it's actually a combination of a feature phone and a smartphone you can switch between as your needs and ability change. It's being developed by an Israeli company called Project RAY, and recently it won the 2018 Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Foundation Eureka Park Accessibility Contest CES award.

The RAY Vision Software

RAY Vision combines proprietary software with an Android smartphone.

Basically, the RAY Vision software is a suite of accessible apps combined with its own, third-party launcher, the part of the Android interface that enables users to customize their device's home screen, launch mobile apps, make phone calls, and perform other tasks on Android tablets and smartphones.

RAY Vision also comes with its own voice guide, a suite of easy-to-use accessible apps, and a secure Web interface that enables user's friends and family members to use a remote connection to help perform a variety of tasks, including the following:

• Managing a Contacts list.
• Managing the Calendar and Scheduler (alarms).
• Initiating a beeping sound on RAY (finding your phone at home).
• Displaying the geographic location of RAY (where am I, and where was the last place I used my phone?).
• Uploading music, periodicals, and books.

The RAY Vision software can be downloaded and installed on any Android device running version 4.2 or later. There is a 30-day free trial; after that the cost is $5 per month. RAY Vision works best when it comes preinstalled on one of the phones offered by the company itself, however, so here let's hit the pause button on our discussion of the software and introduce you to the two unusual phones offered by Project RAY.

Feature Phones with Bonus Features

Project RAY offers two mobile phones with RAY Vision software preinstalled: the RAY L5 ($645, based on the LG H410 running Android Lollipop), and RAY S7 ($799, based on the Samsung J7 running Android Marshmallow). Both of these are combination feature/smartphones. Both have a flip-phone style dial pad with raised buttons and a smartphone-style touch screen.

The LG H410 resembles a slightly longer than normal flip phone. Open the device and reveal a full raised-button keypad and standard feature phone navigation ring. But instead of a barebones, single color display, the LG H410 phone sports a full color touch screen.

The S7 resembles two GSM smartphones stacked one atop the other. Unfold the phone and you find the same physical buttons and navigation ring. There is a standard color display inside, but when closed, you have access to a second touch screen. Thus with the unit closed, you are presented with a double thick standard touch screen Android smartphone.

Running the RAY Vision Software

The RAY Vision software is menu driven. It can be accessed two ways. On the L5 and S7 you can use the physical dial pad and navigation ring to move between the entries, make selections and enter phone numbers, text messages, and other data. On touch-screen only phones, and on both the RAY Vision models, you can also access RAY Vision via the devices' touch screens.

RAY uses a combination of ultra-clear, prerecorded prompts and the stock Android voice, which can be changed. The prerecorded prompts are used for RAY Vision menus and accessible apps, the Android voice whenever you venture into Android territory in an apps list, browser screen, or dictated text.

Longtime Android users will recall that prior to the introduction of TalkBack there was another touch-screen reader called Spiel. This seems to be the model upon which RAY Vision's touch interface accessibility is based. To make a menu choice, the user begins by placing a finger at the center of the touch screen, as though you were reaching for the number 5 on a standard dial pad. Wait for the confirmation sound, at which time menu or app options will be arranged out in the 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 positions, with the Cancel option at the top left of any screen. Slide your finger until you hear the desired option spoken, then simply raise your finger off the screen—much like users of TalkBack and VoiceOver do to enter a character on their unit's onscreen keyboards. The RAY onscreen keyboard displays the entire alphabet and number row and punctuation at once. You can disable this keyboard, however, and use a standard Android keyboard—either the stock keyboard or any third party keyboard installed on the device.

You can use a combination of dial pad and touch commands to access the phone, but this is much more easily done using the LG phone, since the S7 requires the user to hold the phone awkwardly or else close the device before using the touch screen.

RAY Vision enables display colors and font size to be easily configurable for low-vision users. Voice speed can also be changed. To do either, access the Information and Settings option.

The preinstalled RAY Vision apps include accessible replacements for the stock Android versions of the Phone, Calendar, Scheduler, Message, Location, Library, Weather, and Music player apps. It also includes an accessible interface for the What's App texting app, and apps for color recognition and currency identification.

If you select More Options you will also discover the Android Camera, Gallery, and YouTube apps, along with an "Applications list" option that offers up dozens of preinstalled Android essentials, including Google Play so you can add more. It is obvious which apps are supplied from RAY Vision, since they are spoken with the higher quality voice. Announcement of Android apps is performed using TalkBack.

A RAY Vision Road Test

I had the opportunity to test Project RAY on three different phones—the two described above and a stock Nexus 5. The LG was the most convenient if I wanted to mix dial pad and touch commands. Using the S7, I spent a lot of time opening and closing the phone. With 2 GB RAM and 16 GB memory the S7 was much more responsive than the L5 (see the entire specifications here), while the L5 (see complete specifications here) only has 256 MB of RAM and 8 GB of memory, so at the very least it would need to be augmented with a micro SD card. Needless to say the Nexus was the snappiest of the three. Of course it doesn't offer dial pad access, although it would not be at all difficult to either pair a Bluetooth keyboard or purchase an optional $50 RAY Click—a four-button accessory that you attach to the rear of the phone to enable use of all of the Project Ray software features with a bring-your-own device.

Phone and Text

Let's start with the basics, making and receiving phone calls and text messages.

These are both done via menus—use the dial pad on the phones that have one, or the touch screen. Additionally, the RAY Vision software comes with dictation automatically enabled. When you're going to compose a text message you will hear a sound, after which you can dictate if you like. (Note: auto dictation can be toggled off in RAY settings.) I found the dictation extremely accurate when speaking phone numbers, summoning contacts, and composing text messages. As a longtime iOS user I am always pleasantly surprised by the quality of Google dictation.

Remember, you or a delegated helper can add a contact, either on the phone or on the website. You can also add speed dial to your favorite contacts. As with most feature phones, you must press a key repeatedly to cycle through the various numbers and characters on each physical button. This was a bit confusing at first: when three taps of the 2 key led the phone to voice "B replaced A," I wondered if I mistyped the backspace. The touch screen RAY Vision keyboard displays both completely and alphabetically, and I found it a bit awkward to use. I repeatedly lifted my finger when I did not intend to. So, I went into settings and disabled the RAY keyboard in favor of the stock Android keyboard.

Other RAY Vision Apps

The Music app enables users to play music uploaded to the Web interface or copied directly to the phone. Currently the books and magazines include extremely limited offerings. The Navigation app has a flaw here in the US. The My Location option does not report the current address, even though it does know it. Every time I attempted to obtain my current location, the software reported "US, accuracy 16 feet," but it would give me the proper nearby points of interest. For now, the free Nearby Explorer Online navigation app is a much more feature rich and accurate option.

One last piece of RAY Vision software I will discuss in this section is RAY Eye Assist Pro. This software enables a friend or family member to conduct a remote video session with your device, much like Be My Eyes. The remote helper can also view a map of your current location, if you need navigation assistance. The helper must install special software available from Google Play. It costs $55 per user, and if you have several helpers this cost can quickly add up. Better to use Be My Eyes, Google Hangouts, or Skype, possibly combined with Nearby Explorer.

Venturing Into Android Territory

Under the RAY "Applications List" option I discovered 81 apps that had been preinstalled on my test devices—including the Audible app and the KNFB Reader app, which will recognize up to 25 pages before it must be purchased. (Note: I do think the BARD Mobile app should be included on US versions of the software setup.) As soon as you open any of these Android apps TalkBack is enabled. You can use the dial pad and navigation rings for some navigation tasks, but mostly you will need to use the standard TalkBack slide and tap gestures to invoke controls and enter data.

You can exit RAY Vision, but you will be deposited into the RAY Vision Launcher, which is quite basic, and a good starting place for new Android users.

Summary

It's been a long time since I've used a feature phone. I had trouble remembering which non-numerical keys performed which functions. I think it would be extremely useful for the developers to include a review mode where a user could press feature phone keys to hear their functions spoken aloud.

I also found myself often confused as to which commands to use, the RAY touch and slide commands or the TalkBack swipe and double tap. I am certain this situation would improve with practice and familiarity with the RAY Vision vs Android apps, but I fear the novice user with little smartphone experience who is seeking a feature phone replacement would quickly grow just as frustrated with this setup as he or she would with a full smartphone. So if you are setting up a Ray Vision phone for a first-time smartphone user, perhaps limit the menu choices to those apps the new user will find most important, then add more as they grow more comfortable with the interface.

RAY Vision is not a product for anyone with smartphone experience, and to their credit the makers actively state this. "RAY Vision is for newly blind and others with disabilities who feel intimidated by smartphones," says Boaz Zilberman, Project Ray CEO. "Our biggest hope is that the next smartphone our users will buy, will not be a RAY device but a regular, off-the-shelf smart device."

If you are newly blind, or a friend or family member hoping to persuade a loved one to give accessible smartphones a try, I would definitely download RAY Vision onto your own device and give it a good workout. You have 30 days free to try it. Show them the basics of making and receiving calls, then slowly add additional functionality as they become ready. My guess is that within the year they will be a full-fledged TalkBack user.

Contact Information

Project Ray
support@project-ray.com, 201-338-0394
20 Church St.
Mezzanine
Hartford, CT 06103

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• What's New in iOS 11 by Janet Ingber
• Easier-to-Use Cell Phone Options for People with Vision Loss by Jamie Pauls

More by this author:

• Accessible Reading : A review of The Abundant Bookshelf by Judith Dixon and A First Look at Downpour, a New Source for Audiobooks
• An Accessibility Check of the Rachio Smart Wi-Fi Sprinkler Controller

Every year, my wife and I end our holiday festivities by spending New Year's Eve with some friends. A few years ago, our friends bought an Amazon Echo, and I was able to see it in action for the first time. This cylindrical piece of hardware was small enough to sit on any flat surface, had no screen, and filled the living room of the home I was in with decent-quality sound. The Echo connects via the Internet to Alexa, Amazon's voice-activated digital assistant that is quite similar to Apple's Siri, and can perform a wide array of actions (more about that later).

For several days after my wife and I returned home, we jokingly told a nonexistent Echo device to "Set a timer for 10 minutes." I wondered then if I should consider purchasing a device for our home, but I got distracted and didn't take the plunge. The next New Year's Eve at our friends' house, I once again saw the Echo being put through its paces. Again, after returning home, I briefly considered purchasing an Echo, and then quickly put it out of my mind.

This past New Year's Eve, my wife and I spent an extra day visiting our friends. During that time, I asked some serious questions about the Amazon Echo, and even began issuing commands of my own to this cool little gadget. I played some games, listened to my favorite music, and got the latest news headlines simply by issuing natural voice commands to the unit. I finally decided it was time for me to spend the money and purchase an Amazon Echo of my own.

Which Amazon Echo Should I Purchase?

Today, Amazon offers an ever-increasing line of Echo products, from the Echo Show ($230), which uses a visual screen, to an Echo Dot ($50), which is much smaller than the original Echo device ($100). See the Amazon Echo and Alexa Devices page to compare options.

Tyson, a computer programmer and one of the friends who originally introduced us to the Echo, is in a wheelchair and has limited use of his hands. In addition to the original Echo, he uses an Echo Dot in his home office. I was able to compare the performance and sound quality of the Echo and Echo Dot, and was impressed by how well the smaller Dot performed. Although the Dot's sound quality wasn't nearly as good as the Echo's, the microphone performance was quite impressive. Tyson uses the wake words "Alexa" (for the living room unit) and "Amazon" (for the office unit). He could add another unit and give the wake word "Echo" to that device. The units are smart enough that you can tell Alexa to play music in the office from your easy chair in the living room. If you don't want to spend $100 for the Echo, you can purchase a less-expensive unit and connect it to a speaker either through a cable, or via Bluetooth. I seriously considered this option, but decided to go for the Amazon Echo with its larger size and better sound quality, since this unit would reside in my living room.

The dimensions of the Echo are 5.9″" × 3.5″ × 3.5″, and its weight is 29.0 oz.

Making Friends with Alexa

The Amazon Echo requires wireless connectivity, so you may be wondering how a device with no screen and very few controls (there's a button that controls whether the unit responds to voice commands, one that wakes the unit, and a couple volume controls) could possibly get connected to in the first place. The answer is that you must use either a computer connected to the Web, or an app to get the Echo up and running with the Alexa service. In addition to simply getting things set up initially, you can configure the Alexa service to your liking via your computer or mobile device. In my case, I downloaded the Alexa app to my iPhone. Apps for all major platforms are available, and can be easily searched for in the appropriate store.

The Alexa app was easy to use with VoiceOver on my phone, so I had no trouble moving through screens. Since I'm an Amazon Prime member, all of the relevant information Alexa needed was readily available when I signed into my account, including my address and credit card information. The Echo can make purchases, so I could say something like "Alexa, re-order my Prodigy test strips," and the order would be placed. Amazon already knows which credit card to use, because I have enabled one-click settings in my account. I set up a passcode that Alexa will ask for before making a purchase, so that not just anyone can use my Echo, and therefore my credit card, to make purchases. I also trained Alexa to recognize my voice specifically so I shouldn't need to enter the passcode when making purchases, while others will need to do so.

From the Alexa app, I was able to connect Alexa to my Sirius/XM Radio account. Alexa can read books I have purchased from Audible and Kindle and sync my reading progress across all of my devices.

It was a simple matter to use the Alexa app to configure news and weather preferences, and to link my Google calendar to Alexa. I can read the news and weather, as well as learn about upcoming appointments by issuing commands to Alexa.

It is possible to add skills to Alexa, in much the same way that you would download apps to your Smartphone. I can either enable skills from the Alexa app, or in some cases, ask Alexa to enable a skill for me. Some skills I have discovered include trivia games, interactive fiction games complete with human narration—Scott Brick, in one case—and a Bible skill. Alexa will read scripture passages for me, and I can even configure a daily Bible reading plan if I choose to do so.

Expanding Possibilities with Alexa

My friend Tyson has added some hardware to his home lighting system so that he can tell Alexa to turn on the lights in his home. He has also purchased a thermostat that will allow him to control the temperature using voice commands.

There are more and more Alexa-compatible devices coming online every day. According to this article, Alexa will soon be able to control your microwave and oven. Imagine the possibility of not needing to fiddle with a touch screen in order to make popcorn!

The Bottom Line

For many people with visual impairments, including seniors who may not desire to acquire a lot of computer skills, devices such as the Amazon Echo can simplify tasks such as reading books, playing games, and listening to music. Home automation is most certainly the wave of the not-too-distant future, and talking to your home appliances will appeal to many people.

Getting up and running with the Amazon Echo requires Internet connectivity, and the more configuring of Alexa one is able to do, the better the experience will be. A person who has little or no computer experience will need some assistance in order to get the device up and running, but once this has been accomplished, the experience for the new user should be quite pleasant. I am amazed at how well Alexa responds to my voice, even when there is a lot of activity in the room, including people talking, a furnace running, and a TV playing in the background. Someone with hearing difficulties might want to find a person who has one of these units to determine whether the Echo, or perhaps the Echo Dot will be something they are able to hear clearly. Also remember that it is possible to connect these devices to a speaker of your choice.

Some who read this article will point out that Amazon's Alexa service is available on smartphones and other mobile devices. This is certainly true, but the ability to talk to my Echo from anywhere in the room while keeping my hands free for other tasks is something I am willing to pay for. When the alarm clock that I have used since high school finally stops working, I will consider purchasing an Echo Dot for the bedroom. Today, if I use the alarm feature on my phone or watch, I need to make sure those devices are within reach and charged up. The Echo does not run on batteries, and must be plugged in at all times. The ability to set and control alarms with my voice appeals to me.

As a fairly advanced user of assistive technology, I am not sorry I purchased my Echo, and I suspect that those who have less experience with technology will be equally pleased with their purchase. I am anxious to see where technology takes us, and how many home appliances make use of technology such as Amazon's Alexa service.

Amazon automatically subscribed me to a newsletter that periodically lets me know what new skills have been added to Alexa. In the May, 2016 issue of AccessWorld, Bill Holton reviewed a tutorial by Mystic Access that teaches a blind person how to use the Amazon Echo, if you feel that you would like some extra assistance in learning to use the device.

Now, if only I could tell Alexa to make me a cup of hot tea. Maybe someday!

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• Keeping Cool This Summer: An Accessibility Review of the Emerson SensiTM Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat by Bill Holton
• There's No Place like Google Home: A Review of Google's Voice Assistant by J.J. Meddaugh

More by this author:

• CAPTCHA Be Gone from Accessible Apps Removes Another Barrier to Accessibility
• CSUN 2017: Observations of a Conference Newbie

With barely enough time to recover from the holidays, the 2018 conference season is now in full swing. One of the first opportunities to learn about the latest trends in our industry came this past month at the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) annual conference, held January 31 through February 3 at the Caribe Royal Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando. I took some time to walk the floor of the exhibit hall, which included several interesting new finds and updates to existing technologies. From smart glasses to smartphones, perhaps there's a product here for you.

Disney Wants you to Touch the Fireworks

One of the most interesting technology demonstrations could be found before even entering the hall. Disney Research, a Zurich-based group which develops new and innovative technologies and experiences that may later be used at Disney's theme parks, was making a lot of noise with "Feeling Fireworks", a tactile and visual experience which aims to transform the graphic effects of a fireworks show to a form that can be felt. The display used a large, flexible latex screen and jets of water to create a rather interesting tactile sensation. The screen included a raised triangle near the bottom which symbolized the area where the fireworks would be launched, and a circular area where the resulting fireworks would explode. The specialized jets of water were programmed to move in various patterns, starting at the triangular launchpad and finishing up in the circle above. In essence, one could trace the movement of the fireworks as they moved across the screen. Different water nozzles were used in a variety of patterns to simulate various firework effects.

The "Feeling Fireworks" show was first presented at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology conference in October 2017. Disney performs research such as this to ultimately enhance the experience in their parks, and based on the feedback received at the ATIA conference, it's possible you may find a tactile firework show at a Disney park in the future.

APH's Nearby Explorer Goes Indoors

Several companies have been tackling the age-old challenge of providing navigational solutions for indoor spaces. The satellites which are used to guide the GPS system on your phone or in an automobile cannot generally penetrate walls, making it difficult or impossible to gain reliable directions indoors. The American Printing House for the Blind is one of the latest companies to take a stab at solving this conundrum with a recent update to their Nearby Explorer app. Using 39 beacons strategically placed around the ATIA convention center, the iPhone app was able to identify nearby landmarks such as meeting rooms, restrooms, and the ATM. One could either walk around the building while the app spoke nearby points of interest, or search for a specific location and then receive feedback as they walked closer to their destination. One of the next challenges for the app's developers will be to provide turn-by-turn directions to these destinations.

APH has already deployed the technology at several locations in their home state of Kentucky including Louisville International Airport. One advantage of the APH system over others is their use of an open-source system for indoor tracking, making it potentially more cost-effective for companies and organizations to install the technology.

If you have an iPhone, you can try out the feature now using the latest versions of the free Nearby Explorer online or the paid Nearby Explorer apps. Shelly Brisbin reviewed the app in the November, 2016 issue of AccessWorld. The indoor navigation features should also land in the Android version of the app in the coming months.

A Touchscreen Phone with a Numeric Keypad

The iPhone is unquestionably the most popular mobile device used by blind and visually impaired consumers. But there are many people who long for the days of traditional buttons, especially when attempting to navigate those pesky phone trees.

Irie-AT was demoing the Kapsys SmartVision2, an Android-based phone which attempts to combine the best of both worlds by including both a touchscreen and physical buttons. The device features a traditional touchscreen on the top of its face with a full numeric keypad, arrow keys, and other dedicated buttons such as Home and End Call below the screen. It includes a simplified interface which can be used for making calls, browsing contacts, or sending texts. Other features include a magnifier function that can enlarge up to 7X, a remote assistant mode for those needing help with their device, and full access to Android apps with Google Play.

The basic version of the phone costs $599 and works on GSM networks, which includes AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States. The SmartVision2 Premium includes a book reader, GPS, and optical character recognition apps and sells for $889.

Smart Glasses are Getting Smarter

One of the biggest trends at this year's ATIA conference was the proliferation of smart glasses. These devices can provide a magnified view of your surroundings for those with usable vision and audible information for anyone wearing one of these devices.

Perhaps the most well-known entry in this category is the MyEye from OrCam, a virtual reality headset which can enlarge text, discern faces of nearby people, identify barcodes, and read printed materials. Bill Holton reviewed the original MyEye in an AccessWorld article in 2017.

Now, OrCam has made improvements to the system with the MyEye 2.0. The bulky and wired control box has been replaced by a thumb-sized, wireless remote which attaches magnetically to the glasses. The camera is on the end of the remote, and still performs the same functions as its predecessor. In our limited tests, OrCam does well at simpler tasks such as reading print or identifying a nearby face. Recognizing bar codes remain a bit more difficult, a problem that is not unique to OrCam since the product needs to be positioned in such a way that the code is visible.

Portability also comes with the price, as the MyEye 2.0 retails for $4,500, $1,000 more than the original model. Both versions are available now from their website or a local dealer.

A more recent entry in the smart glasses arena came to us from a newer company called Cyber Timez. Cyber Eyez includes many of the same functions as other smart glasses, but uses mainstream hardware in the form of the Vuzix Smart Glasses. The glasses run Android 6.0 and include a variety of applications as a part of the Cyber Eyez suite including object recognition, Skype video calling, and text recognition. The company touts that the glasses can recognize 16 billion objects, read text in 100 languages without an Internet connection, and identify a wide range of bar codes, though again we had difficulties with this last task.

Cyber Eyez, which includes the glasses and the custom software, retails for $2,295. Given the retail price of the glasses alone, we are happy to see a reasonable price for the provided software on the device.

Other companies are also delving into this market, including the $2,500 IrisVision which promise wireless connectivity and a 70-degree field of view, and the NuEyes Pro which feature voice-activated commands and a 10-hour battery life.

After trying various forms of glasses around the exhibit hall, my major takeaway is that these devices have a lot of potential and are currently best-suited for people with some usable vision. The audio cues that a totally blind person might need to line up a bar code or position a document for text recognition were lacking from all of the units we tested. That being said, these are limitations that could be overcome with the right software, and I would expect this category to make big gains in the coming months and years.

NBP Goes Metric

The conference brought some good news for users of tactile devices as well. In the summer of 2016, the National Braille Press, in conjunction with Squirrel Devices, released the Tactile Caliper, a simple device which can be used to measure objects with precision down to 1/16 of an inch. The measurements are displayed in braille as the mechanical portion of the caliper moves from one end of the device to the other. Put simply, it's a $18 work of art and an indispensable tool for the classroom or the home. Now, a metric version of the caliper is being released with similar specifications. It will measure to the nearest millimeter and sell for about $20. Look for it soon on the National Braille Press website.

Braille Moves

Astute observers of access technology likely noticed the appearance of Handy Tech braille displays in a new location, as the line of German displays including the 16-cell Actilino is now being distributed by Hims in the United States. A Hims representative assured me that their homegrown displays including the Smart Beetle and Braille Edge aren't going away any time soon. The website for Triumph Technology, the former dealers for Handy Tech displays in the United States, now forward to the Hims website and Triumph's Earle Harrison has come along for the ride as well.

Conclusion

As is customary, ATIA provided an early glimpse into the access technology trends of 2018. ATIA seems to have regained its footing as a strong access technology conference, with a major emphasis on education and sessions for teachers and rehabilitation professionals. The exhibit hall was lively and busy throughout the time I was in attendance.

Many companies will save their big news for the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference which will be held in San Diego in mid-March. We Expect more progress for Indoor navigation, smart wearables, braille access, and a variety of new gadgets all vying for our attention over the coming months. Be sure to check back with AccessWorld as we cover 2018's biggest technology stories.

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• ATIA 2017 Exhibitors Deliver Product Updates, and a Few New Tools by Shelly Brisbin, Janet Ingber, and Lee Huffman
• CSUN 2017: Observations of a Conference Newbie by Jamie Pauls

More by this author:

• There's No Place like Google Home: A Review of Google's Voice Assistant
• Tackling the Research Paper: Tips and Tools for Success for People with Vision Loss

If you are practiced with using a smartphone but new to vision loss or blindness, you will find that mobile touch-screen readers can take some getting used to. Here at AccessWorld you'll find a treasure-trove of learning resources to help you get up to speed with all manner of smartphone access for users with visual impairments and blindness. We've collected some of the most helpful pieces in the Additional Links section at the end of this article.

You will find that accessing and using a smartphone is a different experience with a visual impairment or blindness, and that the apps you find most useful now might be different than those you preferred before losing your sight.

This article will take you on an app tour that highlights what we consider the most essential apps for the sight-impaired smartphone user. Unless noted otherwise the apps included here are available for both iOS and Android. Also, many if not most have been reviewed thoroughly in previous AccessWorld issues. Follow the included links to learn more.

The "Built-Ins"

The essential built-in apps—meaning the apps that come pre-installed on your device—that make a smartphone a smartphone are the phone, contacts, calendar, and text messaging apps. There is also a web browser—Safari for iOS and Chrome for Android and an app you can use to access the store where you can buy and download more apps—many at the bargain price of $0.00—for your device. The store is called simply "App Store," on the iPhone and "Play Store" on Android devices.

Because built-in apps are all quite accessible, using these apps is a great way to hone your skills with your device's built-in touch-screen reader, which is called VoiceOver for iPhones and TalkBack for Android.

Smartphone Apps that Work Like an Extra Pair of Eyes

Now that we've mentioned the basics, let's show you how your smartphone can help you accomplish tasks you may think you can't do without vision.

Be My Eyes

The Be My Eyes app offers remote assistance from one of over a half million volunteer sighted helpers. The app uses your device's camera to create a video link, meaning you can point the camera and and ask questions ranging from "Can you help me set my oven to 400 degrees?" to "My computer has stopped talking. Can you help me figure out why?" Be My Eyes began its life as an iOS only app, but recently it was also made available for the Android operating system.

In either case, this is an absolute must-have app for your smartphone.

Seeing AI

A second excellent app is Microsoft's Seeing AI, and unfortunately, it's currently iOS only. This is an amazing app, offered absolutely free.

Seeing AI can recognize and speak text detected by the smartphone camera, either in tiny snatches or full pages at a time. It can read bar codes on grocery and other product labels, offer up the product name, and usually additional information, such as nutrition labeling, cooking and other instructions.

Using Seeing AI you can snap pictures of your friends and family members, and later use the app to tell you who's nearby. An experimental setting can describe the scene around you, such as "A fenced-in yard," or "A blue door on an apartment building." You can also forward images you receive in email, or find on Facebook or Twitter, and Seeing AI will do its best to describe the action and read any text contained in the image.

A recent update to the app includes several new features.

• A currency reader that can tell you the denomination of US and Canadian currency. All you need to do is select the "Currency" option and point your iPhone's camera at the bill.
• A light indicator that changes audible tones as the light level increases. Perfect for locating windows or determining if you've left the lights on—again.
• A color monitor that can name the color of clothing and other items you hold in front of the camera.
• A handwriting recognizer that can actually read cursive. It's a remarkable achievement, and the performance will doubtless improve over time.

KNFB Reader

Did you know that optical character recognition (OCR) was originally developed by Ray Kurzweil to be used in reading machines for the blind? Those original machines were large and bulky, and cost $50,000 apiece. Today the same technology can be found in your iPhone or Android device. And Kurzweil is the K in KNFB Reader.

For Android users KNFB-Reader is a must-have app. iOS users may find that Seeing AI does the trick when it comes to going through your mail, reading a recipe card, or checking out the memo that gets passed around at work five minutes before the meeting is scheduled to begin.

KNFB Reader does its OCR directly on your device, so it tends to be faster than Seeing AI, and more languages are supported. The app usually costs $99, but you can often find it discounted up to half off. The Android version also allows you to "try before you buy" with up to 25 free recognitions before you make your purchase decision.

Get Moving

Your iPhone or Android smartphone is an excellent navigational aid. And much of this functionality comes built-in.

Apple and Google Maps

Both iOS and Android devices come equipped with GPS technology and a set of maps you can use to navigate. You can set a destination and receive turn-by-turn directions both for driving and for walking. The latter, of course, is of considerably more interest to those with visual impairments who wish to travel independently.

Many cities also offer their public transportation routes and schedules to GPS apps so you can plan your bus, train, or light rail trip. If this information doesn't seem to be available through your built-in map app, check with the public transport authority in your city to see if they offer their own app.

Nearby Explorer

The stock Apple and Google navigation services can cover most of your travel needs, but there are a number of features that specifically help the blind traveler. Perhaps you would like to see the layout of your neighborhood, or a street map of a distant city where you plan to travel. For this you will definitely want to download Nearby Explorer, developed by American Printing House for the Blind. This app comes in two versions: Nearby Explorer Online (free) and Nearby Explorer ($79.99). The difference is in the maps. The paid version downloads the maps to your device so you do not need to have a data connection in order to use it. The free version relies on online maps, and requires an active data connection.

Nearby Explorer offers many other "blind friendly" features. For example, you can point your phone in any direction and hear what stores, restaurants, and other points of interest (POIs) are located in that particular direction. You can obtain street numbers as you walk past, and hear at any time the streets in the next intersection and how far away it is.

Uber and Lyft

Are you taking a lot more cabs lately? If so, you may wish to try Uber and/or Lyft, both ride sharing services staffed by private drivers. You use the app to summon a car, offer the destination, and, when you arrive, the fare is automatically paid using your registered credit card.

When you set up your Uber or Lyft account you will need to include a photo, which helps the driver locate you. Make sure your guide dog or white cane is in the photo, so the driver will know you are sight-impaired before he or she even arrives.

Reading

If you thought your reading days were behind you because now you can't even make out large print, think again. Today is a Golden Age for accessible reading. There are more resources now than ever. That latest bestseller your friends are all talking about? The obscure book you heard about on a talk show? You can almost certainly find it available using one of these resources.

BARD Mobile

The Talking Book Library is the oldest producer of accessible books and magazines. In the past, you called your local NLS library and requested a book. Now you can search the catalog yourself and download a book or magazine anytime you like using the BARD Mobile app, developed for both iOSand Android by the National Library Service of the Library of Congress.

Audible

Audible.com provides downloadable recorded books. Their collection currently includes well over 150,000 books and periodicals. Most major titles are available on the same day the printed version is released; many can even be preordered at special prices.

You can purchase Audible books individually or in larger quantities and at a discounted price. The most popular purchase option is to become an Audible Silver or Gold plan member, which includes either one or two book credits per month, along with a subscription to an excerpted daily production of either the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Members receive occasional free books and special sale pricing on selected book collections.

OverDrive

If you have or can get a library card you probably already have free access to a growing collection of CD audio books you can find on library shelves. But that may just be the start.

Many local libraries are members of OverDrive, a service that provides both audio and text eBooks to libraries, schools, and other institutions. The OverDrive catalog contains nearly two million titles, but you will almost certainly not be able to enjoy the entire collection. This is because libraries must purchase one or multiple copies of each title individually, the same as they would purchase print books or CD audio books. And like other library offerings, you cannot keep copies indefinitely. You have to check them out for a specific number of days or weeks, after which you must either renew or the book becomes unplayable. If another patron is reading the only copy of the book the library has purchased, you will have to add your name to a waiting list, the same as you might for any popular library book.

Kindle

New model Kindle e-Readers will read books aloud using a Bluetooth speaker or earphones. You can also use an Amazon Echo to have the books read. An even easier way to read Kindle books is to use the mobile apps for iOS and Android. Both are extremely accessible, and you can find nearly any book you want to read in the Amazon Kindle store, often priced at a discount to the print version.

Bookshare

Bookshare is an accessible online library for individuals with print disabilities, including the blind and dyslexic. Currently, the Bookshare collection contains nearly a half million titles, which eligible users can add to their personal libraries and read online. Titles can also be downloaded in either text format or as MP3 audio files.

A Bookshare membership requires verification of your print disability, and costs $50 per year. Downloads are free.

Android users can use the Go Read app to search the Bookshare library, download and read books on their mobile device. Apple iOS users can use the official Bookshare Read2Go app to access Bookshare titles. Another app that does an excellent job accessing Bookshare titles is Voice Dream Reader. This app will also store and speak PDF files, word processing files, spread sheets and other documents in your choice of dozens of different voices you can obtain via in-app purchases.

Check out the August, 2013 issue of AccessWorldfor a thorough review of this handy app.

NFB-Newsline

Even if you can no longer read a newspaper, you can still keep up with all the local and national goings on. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) offers a free service, NFB-NEWSLINE, that allows eligible recipients to phone a local number and use the phone dial pad to navigate and listen to any of over 300 participating national and local newspapers, magazines, and other news sources. Offerings include such national publications as USA Today, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. Small town papers are also included, ranging from the Aberdeen American News to the Zanesville Times Recorder. Local TV listings are also available.

The best way to read NFB-NEWSLINE publications is with their app. This app also provides TV listings customized to your local cable or satellite service, and local hour-by-hour weather forecasts.

The iPhone App Store offers the NFB-NEWSLINE app, an easy-to-use interface for subscribing to and reading periodicals and TV listings. An Android version of the app is currently not available, but Android users who are Bookshare members can use the Go Read app to download and read NFB-NEWSLINE periodicals.

Regular AccessWorld readers may recall that we offered an in-depth look at the NFB-NEWSLINE service in our 2017 special seniors issue.

Shopping

Going on a shopping trip? Don't forget your phone. And not because you want to stay in touch while you're out, but because you'll be surprised how much of your shopping you can get done using just your phone. Even groceries can be ordered for delivery in many locales. Check with your favorite supermarket to see if they offer this service yet.

Walmart and Target are among the largest retailers, but when it comes to online shopping, the true giant is Amazon.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com apps are available for both iOS and Android, and the company goes a long way to make the shopping experience convenient for all their customers, including those with visual impairments. The apps work extremely well with touch-screen readers, and if you do have a problem, help is available directly through the app. The Help tab includes controls to have an Amazon customer service tech give you a call—callbacks are nearly instant. But wait—as they say on TV—there's more. Recently Amazon.com introduced a separate dedicated disability hotline, which your device will only show if you are running a touch-screen reader. You can also reach the help desk by calling 1-888-283-1678.

eBay

eBay started out as an auction site where individuals go to buy and sell. Over the years it has spawned a small business revolution, and these days nearly anything from anchovy paste to zebra-print pillows can be found and purchased using eBay. Again, the iOS and Android apps are quite accessible. If you are a registered PayPal user, purchases are even easier because you can "Buy Instantly," with a single double tap.

Described Video

You may have used the Secondary Audio Channel (SAP) control on your TV to play video with audio description. Many of these same videos, and more, are also available to be rented, purchased or streamed using your iOS or Android smartphone. We'll discuss the two most popular services here: Netflix and Prime Videos from Amazon.

Netflix

Netflix is a subscription service that offers flat fee plans for all the videos you wish to watch. The app can be a bit confusing to navigate at times, but it's well worth the effort. Beginning in mid-2015 with their Marvel's Daredevil series about a blind superhero, Netflix began offering audio description for all of their in-house productions and many third party movies and TV series.

Prime Video

If you are an Amazon Prime customer, not only do you receive free two-day, or even same day delivery on most of your purchases, but you are also subscribed to Prime Music and Prime Videos. Amazon was a bit late to the game, but starting last year they too began offering free audio description for their in-house productions and other content available free via Prime Video, or for titles rented or purchased from Amazon and played using the same accessible Prime Video app.

Getting Started

Both Netflix and Prime Video offer "Language" settings on their player screens. Activate this control, and if audio description is available, it will show up as an option to be selected. You'll only have to do this once. The setting will remain active until you toggle it off.

So What's on Your Home Screen?

In this article we've offered a roll call of some of what we consider the must-have essential apps for your new accessible smartphone. And we've barely scratched the surface.

Your phone can include any number of screens filled with apps. However, you will spend most of your time on your Home screen—the first screen to appear when you power on your smartphone. Pick your favorites from the apps we've discussed here, and you'll be astonished by just how useful that smartphone can be.

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• Microsoft Seeing AI: A Quick First Look at this Groundbreaking iOS App by Bill Holton
• Ten Thousand Steps, Cane Not Included: A Guide to Fitness Tech for Blind Users, by Anna Dresner by Deborah Kendrick

More by this author:

• Getting the Most Out of Sighted Computer Assistance: How to Help the Helpers
• VizLens and HALOS: Making Touch Screen Appliances and Other Devices More Blind Friendly

Dear AccessWorld readers,

Last month AccessWorld celebrated the birthday and life's work of Louis Braille. I hope everyone had a chance to visit The Louis Braille Museum on the AFB website, and read The Reading Fingers, the full text of Jean Roblin's classic 1952 biography of Louis Braille, and Braille, the Magic Wand of the Blind, Helen Keller's essay on Louis Braille. If not, I encourage you to take a look at these great works.

As we move from celebrating the achievements of Louis Braille to recognizing February as Low Vision Awareness Month, valid questions are "Who experiences low vision?" and "What exactly is low vision?" "Low vision" is a term commonly used to mean partial sight, or sight that isn't fully correctable with surgery, medications, contact lenses, or glasses. In the United States, the most common causes of low vision are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy. Some people are born with conditions such as albinism or optic nerve damage that can result in low vision. People of all ages, from infants to seniors, can experience low vision, most often due to eye disease, but also due to eye injury.

The largest population of Americans who experience low vision is seniors over the age of 65. This is why, for the month of February, AccessWorld is focusing, so to speak, on topics and technologies that may be especially relevant to seniors. At times, seniors may be hesitant to adopt the use of technology, especially access technology, and in this issue of AccessWorld, we want to help break down barriers, remove the uncertainty of what technology and access technology can do, and demonstrate how access technology can help improve independence and daily life.

People with low vision can use magnification devices, electronic devices, computer-access software, and other access and mainstream technologies to maximize their remaining vision, or they can learn alternative ways of doing things, such as using their senses of touch and/or hearing. As our regular readers know, AccessWorld regularly reports on many technologies used by people with low vision. For additional information on living with low vision, please visit the AFB VisionAware Low Vision resources page.

We at AFB are, once again, very pleased to be partnering with the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) at Mississippi State University to bring you this special AccessWorld issue on aging. The NRTC received a grant from the Rehabilitation Services Administration to provide training and technical assistance to programs serving older adults with blindness and low vision. This aging issue is part of our joint emphasis to encourage and prepare service providers to introduce seniors to technology they can utilize in their everyday lives. We also intend for information in this issue to be useful to persons who are themselves aging with vision loss.

In observance of Low Vision Awareness Month, I encourage everyone to have a complete eye exam from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist. Getting a yearly exam increases the chances of early detection and diagnosis of conditions that may lead to vision loss. If you or someone you know has experienced significant vision loss, I encourage you to have a low vision examination.

A low vision examination is quite different from the basic examination routinely performed by primary care optometrists and ophthalmologists. A low vision examination includes a review of your visual and medical history, and places an emphasis on the vision needed to read, cook, work, study, travel, and perform and enjoy other common activities. The goals of a low vision exam include assessing the functional needs, capabilities, and limitations of your vision; assessing ocular and systemic diseases; and evaluating and prescribing low vision therapies. Education and counseling of family and other care providers; providing an understanding of your visual functioning to aid educators, vocational counselors, employers and care givers; directing further evaluations and treatments by other vision rehabilitation professionals; and making appropriate referrals for medical intervention are all a part of a low vision evaluation.

The low vision examination takes much longer than a typical eye exam, but the information gained can be invaluable. No matter what your visual acuity, it is important to understand any diagnosis you may receive and to keep your eyes as healthy as you possibly can.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind readers of the "Comment on this article" link at the bottom of each article. This link allows you to provide direct feedback on an article to the author and me; we want to hear your thoughts, questions, comments, or concerns. As a publication, being responsive to you, our readers, is our priority.

Sincerely,
Lee Huffman
AccessWorld Editor-in-Chief

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

This letter comes from the American Printing House for the Blind, and is in response to Scott Davert's January 2018 article, A Big Compromise in Price with a Small Compromise in Features: a Review of the Orbit Reader 20 from American Printing House for the Blind.

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) completely agrees with all the points Scott Davert's article detailed. The compromise in features for price is one way to state the Transforming Braille Groups' goal of shaking something loose when it comes to the continuously high cost of literacy for blind citizens around the world. The other compromise, however, is just as substantial—the compromise of complexity for flexibility.

Orbit Reader's simplicity means a system that is easy to use for even the beginner to refreshable braille display technology and continued ease and simplicity for the expert. From the automatic editor saving features to instant recovery and ready to use editor, the units lack of translation on the device equates to using it like a blank slate—you can write whatever combination of contractions or special codes is best suited for the task at hand. It is like using a braillewriter—what every you write is what you get.

Teachers may find this rare nod to manual control especially inviting to the new braille learner not necessarily familiar with all the contractions. If the teacher wants UEB with Nemeth math, no problem. What you write is what you get.

No one can deny the introduction of this amazing device took far too long. We all wish it had been available 30 years ago, but even the seemingly endless delays during the ramp up to full production were incredibly frustrating to everyone involved. Every delay improved the product in countless ways most of us will never fully appreciate except for the continuously reliable unit to use. These numerous production tweaks along with the future-proof nature of features means the unit should last each of us for years to come.

Now that Orbit Reader 20 is available, APH and the rest of the Transforming Braille Group are ready to watch the revolution continue.

Sincerely,

The APH Technology Product Research Team

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

This message is in response to Bill Holton's May 2017 article, Accessible Reading: A review of The Abundant Bookshelf by Judith Dixon and A First Look at Downpour, a New Source for Audiobooks.

Thank you so much for the article. I recently opened an account with Downpour.com, and I love it. When I first downloaded it three months ago it was not very user-friendly, but since the update it's become more user-friendly.

Sincerely,

Merisa Musemic

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

This letter is in response to Scott Davert's January 2018 article entitled, A Big Compromise in Price with a Small Compromise in Features: a Review of the Orbit Reader 20 from American Printing House for the Blind.

Thank you for your review of the Orbit 20. It seems like an interesting reader; however, I have had very little success tracking down when it will be released. Have you heard any information about a release date for this device?

Sincerely,

Andrew Green

Answer from AccessWorld author, Scott Davert:

Dear Andrew,

As of this writing, the Orbit Reader is now available. Please contact the American Printing House for the Blind for shipping details.

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Partner for a Future of No Limits for People Who Are Blind

APH to Provide Ongoing Stewardship for Key Programs Founded by AFB

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) recently announced a partnership with the mutual goal of generating substantial impact on the lives of children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. APH will become the steward of several key programs founded by AFB and assume responsibility for ensuring their continued impact. AFB will take the work to a new level by investing in policy and programs focused on creating stronger social systems, and ultimately a more inclusive, accessible society for people with vision loss. These complementary strategies will ensure that people who are blind or have low vision can live a life of no limits, recognizing that the future belongs to everyone.

This decision comes following extensive strategic planning by both organizations. The partnership gives APH the opportunity to expand its lifelong learning offerings and gives AFB the opportunity to expand its influence on the research and policies that impact the lives of people with vision loss.

APH will become the caretakers of:

AFB Press - a program that publishes textbooks for college and university programs and professional books for teachers, researchers and other professionals. The Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness will remain in the care of AFB.

VisionAware - an online program that helps adults who are losing their sight continue to live full and independent lives by providing timely information, step-by-step daily living techniques, and a supportive online community.

FamilyConnect - an online program that gives parents of children who are visually impaired a place to find resources and support each other.

CareerConnect - an online program that provides employment information, career-exploration tools, and job-seeking guidance for individuals with vision loss and professionals who work with them.

BrailleBug - an online program that teaches children about braille through games and activities and provides resources to teachers and parents.

Both organizations are committed to a smooth transition and will be working in close partnership for several months.

"We are proud of what we have accomplished in partnership with so many in the field. This work has brought us to this crossroads where it is necessary for AFB to assume a stronger and more active voice in decisions that impact the broader world, particularly in the areas of education, employment, and aging and vision loss," explains Kirk Adams, President and CEO of AFB. "We are excited about our new direction and optimistic about what the future holds for people who are blind or visually impaired. Our partnership with APH is a win-win for the people we serve."

"Learning is critical to improving the lives of everyone across the life spectrum. Quality information is key for providing opportunities for employment, education and ultimately, happiness," says Craig Meador, President of APH. "We are committed to continuing the standards of credibility and excellence established by AFB while evolving and growing these programs to keep them relevant in the 21st century knowledge economy."

Both organizations are realigning priorities in response to the growing needs of children and adults who are blind and visually impaired. There are more than 25 million Americans with vision loss and those numbers are expected to grow as the population ages. As more people become blind or visually impaired, as schools experience a shortage of teachers trained to teach students with vision loss, as the economy and workforce changes, and as accessibility becomes even more essential to workforce training and technologies, service organizations are relying on new partnerships and sharing resources to provide the necessary supports and systems for people to succeed today and in the future.

The mission of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is to create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired. AFB mobilizes leaders, advances understanding, and champions impactful policies and practices using research and data. Learn more atwww.afb.org.

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) designs innovative lifelong learning solutions for children and adults who are blind or visually impaired. In this fast changing world, APH levels the learning playing field by providing specialized technology, materials, products, information, and services that are essential for education and life. Learn more atwww.aph.org

We invite you to visit AFB's YouTube page for "A Video Message From Kirk Adams and Craig Meador."

For more information, contact:

Adrianna Montague, American Foundation for the Blind
amontague@afb.net 1-212-502-7615

Anne Durham, American Printing House for the Blind
adurham@aph.org 1-502-593-2540

World Institute on Disabilitied (WID) and JP Morgan Chase Announce Scholarship

The World Institute on Disability (WID) and JPMorgan Chase are launching the third year of their Conference Accessibility Initiative in order to bring disability inclusion and accessibility to some of the most influential community development and economic empowerment conferences in America.

Applications are open now for the Disability Ambassador Scholarship. Disability Ambassadors will receive complimentary registration, travel, and hotel accommodations, as well as disability accommodations from the WID team.

Applicants should have disability inclusion experience and interest in community development or economic empowerment (depending on the conference they choose to apply for).

Apply to be a 2018 Disability Ambassador today!

Would you like to be a trailblazer for disability inclusion at some of the most influential civil rights and community development conferences in America? Would you like to do this while being supported by a generous scholarship and a team of fellow disability advocates? If so, apply to be a 2018 Disability Ambassador today!

Have a new business idea? Hadley can help!

Announcing Hadley's 2018 New Venture Competition

Submit your business plan and you could win up to $30,000 to turn your idea into a reality!

In its third year in 2018, Hadley's new venture competition is open to any visually impaired individual who completes at least one business course or module through our Forsythe Center for Employment and Entrepreneurship and submits their business plan.

The deadline for submission is March 15, 2018.

VFO Group announces merger with Enhanced Vision

VFO Group has announced a merger with the assistive technology company Enhanced Vision. Enhanced vision is well known for their desktop, handheld, and wearable video magnifiers. with their ownership of the Freedom Scientific and Optelec brands, VFO has extended their portfolio significantly in this area through this merger. At this time VFO has stated that the Freedom Scientific, Optelec, and Enhanced Vision product lines will continue to be produced and distributed. Full details on the merger are here.

iOS Access for All (iOS 11 edition) by Shelly Brisbin Released

Shelly Brisbin has released the iOS 11 edition of her book "iOS Access for All". The book provides a comprehensive guide to the accessibility features found in iOS 11 for people with vision loss as well as other disabilities such as hearing loss. The book also includes reviews of stock iOS apps as well as accessible third party apps from the App Store. This edition contains over 700 pages and can be purchased from the iOS Access For All website or Apple's iBooks store for $19.50.

Mozilla Releases Firefox version 58 with Improved Support for the NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA ) Screen Reader

Due to significant underlying changes in Mozilla's Firefox version 57, the browser became slower when using a screen reader. With the release of version 58, Firefox reduced slowdowns for NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA) users to pre version 57 levels. Slowing still occurs when using JAWS though it has been improved slightly. Marco Zehe of Mozilla has detailed the benefits of upgrading to version 58 when using NVDA here.

The American Foundation for the Blind Now Accepting Applications for its 2018 Scholarship Program

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) administers 4 post-secondary education scholarships for up to 8 deserving students who are legally blind. The available scholarships for 2018 are detailed below.

The Rudolph Dillman Memorial Scholarship: Four scholarships of $2,500
Requirements:
Full-time Undergraduate or Graduate student
Studying rehabilitation or education of persons who are blind and/or visually impaired

The Paul and Ellen Ruckes Scholarship: Two scholarships of $2,000
Requirements:
Full time Undergraduate or Graduate student
Studying engineering or computer, physical, or life sciences

The R.L. Gillette, Gladys C. Anderson, and Karen D. Carsel Memorial Scholarship: One scholarship of $3,500
Requirements:
Female undergraduate student
Studying music

The Delta Gamma Foundation Florence Margaret Harvey Memorial Scholarship: One scholarship of $1,000
Requirements:
Undergraduate or graduate student
Studying rehabilitation or education of persons who are blind or visually impaired.

Visit the AFB scholarships website for further information and to complete an application.

Please direct all scholarship questions to:
Aaron Preece, Scholarship Coordinator
Telephone: 304-710-3034
E-mail: apreece@afb.net

Since the last significant drop in my hearing, it has become more challenging to carry out tasks such as using a screen reader, boiling water, or waking up in the morning. Many of the adaptive products made for the blind assume the user has typical hearing, and those made for the deaf assume the user has typical vision. Tasks requiring adaptations are greatly complicated for the person who may be losing hearing and vision as they age or who is deaf-blind and wants to maintain their independence. For the deaf and hard-of-hearing, there are alarm systems like those made by Sonic Alert and many others. As a person who is deaf-blind, I've found there are few options available for those with a dual-sensory impairment. One solution is to leave my iPhone under my pillow and hope its vibration feature will be enough to wake me. Whether it does or not depends on how heavily I sleep and whether the phone shifts during the night.

There is a product on the market that inadvertently addresses the inaccessibility of its predecessors, as well as notifies a user of incoming texts, alarms, and calls on their smartphone. The DreamZon LightOn is a signaler originally designed for the deaf, which flashes a light to alert the individual that their phone is vibrating when it is placed on top of the device. There is an add-on which allows a bed shaker to be plugged in which can act as a signaler when put in a pocket. One drawback to this system is that it can easily be set off by loud noises such as car stereos, slamming doors, or thunderstorms that vibrate the room you are in. There is also no way for someone who is blind to adjust the sensitivity of the system. Also, this device is battery-operated, with the battery status indicated by lights, making it inaccessible to a person who is blind. In and of itself, this may not be a large concern, but because of the aforementioned sensitivity issue it certainly can be. There are other solutions, each presenting their own set of problems, such as the Helen Vibrating Alarm Clock, the Reizen Braille Quartz Alarm Clock with Vibrating Option, and the Amplicom Talking Digital Alarm Clock with Vibrator just to name a few. I considered and dismissed these options for various reasons. The Apple Watch is also a solution, though much more expensive than other possibilities, and has its own limitations.

The TCL Pulse: A Description

The TCL Pulse is a very small square-shaped piece of hardware with rounded corners measuring 2.8 by 2.8 by 0.8 inches, and weighing just 5 ounces, which makes it great for traveling. It connects to your iOS device via Bluetooth. The TCL has three buttons on the top side. From left to right, they are:

• A Pairing button with two bumps on it
• A small, concave Reset button
• A small, smooth button for turning off the alarm

On the top of the unit is the Snooze button. This device is controlled with an iOS app, and can serve as either an alarm or timer. The type and frequency of alarms is wide-ranging. You can have soft noise with a strong vibration, loud noise with no vibration, and almost any other combination you could want. You can set alarms to go off every day of the week, weekdays only, only once, or any combination in between.

The TCL Pulse: Alarm Performance

First, insert the three AAA batteries that came with the TCL Pulse, and replace the battery door. Next, download the iOS app, as this is how you will pair the alarm with your iOS device and control it in future. Once the app is installed, press and hold the Pairing button for five seconds until it vibrates or you hear it beep indicating that the TCL Pulse is in "discoverable mode." When the app is launched, find the Pair New Device button, and double tap, or press a cursor routing button on a braille display, to begin the search process.

Using version 2.0 of the app, setting and editing alarms, managing timers, and all other functions are very accessible using speech or braille.

Staying Connected

One of the challenges of some of the iOS solutions in the past has been their tendency to come unpaired. Two vibrating wristbands I tried, the Lark up and the Ditto, could not stay paired reliably enough to be considered viable options. With the TCL Pulse, you need not be in range of your phone or tablet once the alarm has been set using the app. As long as the alarm was set to go off at a designated time, it will continue to do so whether the TCL Pulse is in range of your iOS device or not (assuming the batteries do not die). Finding out how much battery your device has remaining is a problem with many of the products mentioned in this article. Users of the TCL Pulse do not struggle with obtaining this information, as it can be had from the app's main screen when the Pulse is connected.

Conclusion

After having the TCL Pulse for two years, I've found it to be the most reliable and cost-effective solution for waking up as a person who is deaf-blind. The only criticism some may have is that the alarm's vibration may not be strong enough to wake those who sleep very heavily. Since I've been using the TCL Pulse, it has failed to wake me twice while serving its purpose very successfully over 200 times.

Product Information

Product: The TCL Pulse
Available from: A T Guys
Price: $39.95

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• Feel the Buzz of the BuzzClip by Janet Ingber
• When Hearing Causes More Vision Loss by Deborah Kendrick

More by this author:

• Keeping it Portable: Comparing Braille Displays on iOS Devices, Part I
• Keeping It Portable: Comparing Braille Displays on iOS Devices, Part II

Often in my work with the AFB Information Center, I field inquiries from seniors and others who are new to vision loss who want to read mail and other documents or access information without the complexity of a computer or smartphone. The Blaze ET, and its less complex cousin the Blaze EZ, are DAISY book and media players that have the ability to access and download content from the Web and perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to convert printed text into speech. The Blaze ET can also connect to a HIMS braille display, though I was not able to test this feature. In this article, I will be exploring the various features of the Blaze ET. In particular, I'll evaluate its capability regarding online content, ease of use, and OCR.

Documentation

The Blaze ET has both a full user manual and a quick start guide. The Blaze ET user manual can be downloaded from the HIMS website in DOC format. The manual is also available on the Blaze ET itself in both DOC and TXT format. I was not able to find the quick start guide from HIMS, but the guide can be downloaded in DOC format from the A T Guys website. The quick start guide is also included in the Blaze ET's box in both print and Grade 2 braille.

I found that the quick start guide provided enough information to operate the great majority of the Blaze's features. Since the Blaze is quite intuitive to use, I used the manual primarily as a reference for obscure information, such as the location of various symbols on the symbol keyboard. The manual is comprehensive and describes in detail each function and nearly any possible action an individual can perform.

Device Description and Basics

The Blaze is 4 by 2 by 0.6 inches and weighs 4.1 ounces. The Power button is red and located at the top of the front face between the stereo speakers. Just below is a row of three rectangular buttons: Info, Home, and OCR. Below these are the four-way arrow keys with the round OK button in the center. Following these are the rectangular Cancel, Menu, and Review buttons—red, blue, and green respectively—followed by the telephone-style keypad. The left edge contains the Voice Control button followed by the Volume keys and the SD card slot below. The right edge contains the Record button and a keypad lock switch, while the back of the device houses the camera followed by the battery compartment.

Though it is complex for a digital book reader, the Blaze ET is quite intuitive to use. Most functions can be accomplished with the arrow keys and the Cancel, Menu, and Review keys. Lists, which are used for navigating files and folders and menus, use the Up and Down Arrows for navigation. The Right Arrow enters folders and opens programs while the OK button will begin playing the content of a folder or select a menu item. The Menu key opens a menu of options for the given program. The Review button will generally read the item that currently has focus.

The numeric keypad is used to perform various actions quickly when in programs. Often, these can also be activated from a menu and, if not, holding the asterisk (*) key for 2 seconds will start a key describer that will tell you the current function of a key when it is pressed. In addition to lists, the Blaze makes use of combo boxes. These can be navigated using the Left and Right Arrows. Often, these are found when searching for content online or when adjusting options.

To enter text on the Blaze ET, you must use T9 entry, which assigns different letters to each key on the numeric keypad. The # key will allow you to cycle between upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. If you are not familiar with this system, you rapidly press a numeric key to enter a letter. For example, the 2 key types the letters A, B, and C. To enter the letter C, you would quickly press the 2 key three times. The manual contains a list of keys and the letters and or symbols they type.

Transferring Files to the Blaze ET and File Manager

There are several methods for accessing content from a computer or external drive on the Blaze. You can move files from your computer or other device to an SD card, then insert the card into the Blaze. With the included Micro USB to USB converter, you can connect USB flash drives to the Blaze. The Blaze will alert you when inserting or removing SD cards or USB drives.

You can also connect the Blaze directly to your computer and add files to either the internal storage of the Blaze or to an SD card if one is inserted. When you open the Blaze on your computer, you will see a folder called Internal Storage as well as a folder called SD Card if one is inserted. You can then move files into, or out of, these folders.

The file manager allows you to view and manipulate almost all files and folders on the Blaze. For a book reader, it is surprisingly full featured and allows many actions. Some of the functions of the file manager include copy/cut/paste, folder creation, the renaming of files and folders, the ability to unzip .zip files, and the ability to create a .zip archive of files.

It is possible to copy, cut, or delete a single file in focus or select several and perform these actions. Files can be selected manually, or pressing the 0 (zero) key for 2 seconds will cycle between different selection modes. Selected files can also be compressed into a .zip archive. When unzipping a .zip archive, you can choose to unzip the files in the directory containing the .zip file or to create a subdirectory for the files. The manual incorrectly identifies the Extract Here option as the option that creates the subdirectory. If your actions will result in file conflicts such as when unzipping files in a directory that contains files of the same names, you will be able to choose which are overwritten and which should be left unchanged.

Media Player and Book Reader.

Both the media player and book reader operate in very similar ways. The media player is used to play various types of audio content or the audio portion of a video file. The media player can play the following types of content: MP3, M4a, WAV, OGG, ASF, FLAC, AVI, WMA, and WMV. The book reader can read formats including DAISY content, TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, HTM/HTML/XML, HBL/HBF (document files used on HIMS Sense notetakers), EPUB, and PDF (PDF documents containing only images are not supported). The first time you enter the media player or book reader, you will be placed in the explorer. The explorer for any given program that plays content will only display the files that can be played.

Once you select a file, the media player will continue playback from the start of the last file played, while the book reader will remember your position in the last document or book. In the media settings, there is an option that will allow you to choose to have your position saved when exiting the media player if the file is longer than a certain time. In the book reader, I discovered that if you exit DAISY content using the Home or OCR buttons instead of the Cancel button, your position in the book is not saved. In addition, in some cases the book reader would save my position in Bookshare books slightly ahead of my last read position. If you want to play another file or folder, you can access the explorer from the menu during playback.

During playback of audio or document files, you can move through the current file or to other files using the arrows. You can select what navigation unit you would like with the Up and Down Arrow keys and move by that unit with the Left and Right Arrows. Note that if a certain navigation unit is not available for the current file, it will not appear. For example, the options to move from one file to another will not appear if you are playing a single file instead of an entire folder.

With the # key you can access the bookmarks menu and insert various types of bookmarks into files, access already placed bookmarks, and delete your placed bookmarks. You can insert a standard bookmark, a voice mark that will play a brief recording that you create at the point of the bookmark, and create highlight bookmarks to mark sections of a file.

In the book reader, navigation elements above the sentence level may not always be accurate. For example, the page unit may move by entire chapters and in some Bookshare books, heading levels moved by all heading levels instead of the specific level selected. The accuracy of these levels depended heavily on the quality of the markup in the book or document.

Radio, Web Radio, and Podcasts

The Blaze contains an FM radio and allows access to online radio streams through the Web radio program. It is also possible to download podcasts with the podcast program. The FM radio requires that you connect a set of headphones as they are used as the radio's antenna. If you would prefer to listen through the Blaze's speakers, you can choose to do so from the menu. You can move frequency by frequency with the Left and Right Arrows. You can hold either of these to jump to the next or previous channel that the Blaze recognizes. The Up and Down arrows will move you by your presets. You can set these from the menu or by holding numbers 1 through 6. Pressing a preset number (1-6) will take you to that channel.

It is possible to record radio stations when they are being played. Hold the Record button to start recording. You will hear a chime when recording begins. Note that you cannot change channels during recording. When you are finished recording, press the OK button and the recording is stopped and saved to the folder on the Blaze titled Radio. Recordings of radio stations sound identical to the radio broadcast without any loss of quality.

The Web radio allows you to listen to Internet radio stations and streams. there are several preloaded on the device. You can both navigate the channels as a list or cycle between them during playback. If you would like to find other stations, you can both download a database of available channels and search it from the menu. You can search by word or by category. When searching by category you can also select the country and language. In addition, you can add radio stations and streams by downloading M3U or PLS playlist files and adding them to the Web Radio folder in the Blaze's internal storage.

The podcast program will allow you to download and listen to podcasts. Some feeds are included on the device, but it is possible to search for others from a database or add them manually in the Podcasts folder in the Blaze's internal storage. Each time you open the podcast program you are placed in either the list of podcast feeds, or, if you had previously been listening to an episode, in the feed of the last podcast you were listening to. You can navigate the list of feeds with the Up and Down arrows and update and review episodes in any given feed with the Right arrow. You are informed of the status of episodes so you can determine their download and play status. Activating an undownloaded podcast will download it and begin playback when the download completes. Your position in the podcast file is saved. It is also possible to listen to podcast files with the media player; podcast files are stored in subfolders of the podcasts folder with the title of the feed. If you set the media player to retain your position in files over a certain length, I found this an easier method for listening to podcasts as I did not have to scroll through undownloaded or played files to find the particular episode I wanted to play.

OCR and Library Services

The key feature of the Blaze is its OCR capabilities. When you press the OCR button you are taken to the OCR program and placed in the list of options. Your focus is placed on the option to take a picture so you can quickly take an image to be processed by the OCR with either the OK or OCR buttons. When taking an image, there are options that can be activated to provide a guide for situating the camera. When this option is activated, the Blaze will provide directions such as Down and Left or Up. When text is focused you can choose to hear a beep, speech, or both. Both your captured images and the results of the OCR process are saved so that you can access or recognize them again. You can also import JPG image files or PDF files containing only images and have them recognized, but they must be placed in the Import folder in the OCR directory for the Blaze to find them.

I tested the OCR function on various types of text and compared the results to the KNFB Reader app on iOS. When scanning standard black print on white paper it recognized the document almost perfectly. It did identify a barcode as a series of ls but otherwise did not seem to make any mistakes. KNFB did not recognize the barcode but did jumble some of the text in its vicinity. When testing on glossy paper with images the Blaze was less accurate but was still able to recognize the majority of the text.

Compared to the KNFB reader app, the Blaze struggled significantly when attempting to read instructions on the back of a box. In this case, KNFB reader was able to recognize the instructions while the Blaze was not. Finally, I attempted to scan pages of a paper book that contained very small print. Both the Blaze and KNFB Reader made several mistakes but interpreted enough of the page so that I could follow what was occurring in the book.

The library services program allows you to download DAISY content from the NLS BARD program as well as Bookshare.org. For those in countries outside of the US, there is an option called Online DAISY, which contains other libraries. The process to search for and download NLS and Bookshare books is almost identical. You must first log in to the given service with your user credentials. Once you are logged in, you can either search the collection using search terms or navigate available categories such as Latest or Popular. Activating a search result will allow you to view the book's information or download it. You can also choose the download location when browsing search results.

Utilities

The Blaze contains several programs unrelated to multimedia content in the Utilities menu. The record option allows you to make audio recordings. Hold the Record button to begin recording and press OK to stop. A short press of the Record button will place you in either the recordings or radio recordings folder and begin playback. Oddly, pressing the OK button does not pause if you listen to files using the record program. The record program also allows you to record audio DAISY files. You are able to record a title for the DAISY book and then insert headings, pages, and phrases during recording. Note that you will not be alerted that you are recording the title or when inserting markup in the DAISY book unless you have adjusted your recording alert setting to Message.

The color reader allows you to use the Blaze's camera to learn the color of objects as well as their exact red, green, and blue hexadecimal values. I was able to acquire one correct result in both hue and shade but other attempts were always incorrect in at least one area. The memo program allows you to use T9 entry to create text memos. You can review memos from a list or search for specific memos either by their titles, their content, or both.

The Blaze also contains a calculator. To enter symbols such as + or − you can hold keys on the numeric keypad or select them from the menu. When finished typing your calculation, you can press the OK button to hear the result. The Blaze also contains an alarm. In addition to the time, you can set on what days you would like the alarm to sound, the number of times it sounds and if you want it to repeat after a set duration similar to a snooze function. The utilities menu also includes a dialog for setting a sleep timer, an option for formatting either a connected drive or the internal storage, and the ability to upgrade the device.

The Bottom Line

Though the Blaze contains some bugs, most are easy to work around or are minor, and those that are not occurred infrequently in my testing. For its complexity, the Blaze was easy to understand and use. It was possible to accomplish most tasks with the basic controls located on the top half of the device, which made it easy to begin using the Blaze.

The Blaze faces strong competition from smartphones and tablets, particularly iOS devices. In the areas where their features overlap, the Blaze has a few minor advantages such as the FM radio and DAISY recording capabilities, but most features can be matched by an iPod touch or iPad with a few low or no cost apps. That being said, for individuals who do not wish to learn or use touch-screen devices and have the budget, the Blaze ET and the Blaze EZ would be worth consideration. The Blaze devices also can serve as a simple, standalone OCR solution. Overall, the Blaze can't outmatch a smartphone or tablet in a feature-to-cost comparison but might be the exact solution for you depending on your specific needs and budget.

Product Information

Product: Blaze ET
Available from: HIMS Inc.
Price: $795

Manufacturer Comments

THE HIMS team would like to thank AccessWorld for taking the time to review the HIMS Blaze ET. We always appreciate feedback, and we use it to continuously improve our braille and low vision products through free firmware updates which are eligible to everyone free of charge.? Both Blaze models will continue to improve through feature enhancements and implementation of customer submitted ideas and feedback.? Remember to check out the resource center link on our webpage, www.hims-inc.com for the latest and greatest information on firmware releases, how-to videos, and much more about all of our blindness and low vision solutions.

Comment on this article.

Related articles:

• BrailleSense Polaris: Ready for the Road by Jamie Pauls
• Not Yet the Holy Grail: A Review of the ElBraille from VFO by Deborah Kendrick

More by this author:

• A Review of Manamon, an Audio-Based Role-Playing Game by VGStorm
• Book Review: Getting Started with Android by Ana Garza and JJ Meddaugh