Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I want to thank you for this great and informative article, AccessWorld 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: Great High- and Low-Tech Ideas Under $100, by Deborah Kendrick, on affordable accessible gifts. I really appreciated reading it and finding the important companies and phone numbers.

Have a Happy Holiday,

Charles Petraske

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

Echo Sense Network Glasses: Remote Vision for the Blind is a fascinating article and one that shows the possibilities of new technologies and newer methods of teaching mobility. I could have used something like this in college years ago. Not all blind people are fabulous travelers, even with much training.

I hope the product is streamlined and improved. I think paying someone to be your eyes while using this software could be a neat job for someone looking for part-time employment. Volunteers are one way to go but not the only way.

Hope to hear more about this.

David F.

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

I wish to congratulate Deborah Armstrong for her letter published in the December 2014 edition of AccessWorld.

I totally agree with her and strongly support her comments. I personally remember the DOS era where you could re-install a new DOS operating system by simply using a talking bootable floppy disk.

Although nowadays it is also possible to install a Windows based operating system using a similar method (but not without some struggle with things like Bios or UEFI configurations).

Although screen readers are continuously improving, …sometimes in a corporate environment you must use the software that particular company wants you to use. This third-party software is not always 100 percent accessible with screen readers. Worse than that, they do not you allow you to (for obvious security issues) install another alternative that does the same job.

Someone on an international level must push the governments around the world to impose on their software developer companies to make sure that the newly developed software must be accessible and provide use by keyboard and not only by the mouse. Maybe we need to teach mouse users a lesson by stealing their mice for one day, and then we will see if they are capable of working efficiently without a mouse!

One last thing, I wish to see more generic articles that appeal to everyone such as how to deal with the UEFI configuration and how to best access it with screen readers. Also…I wish to see a complete article on how we, the blind, can build, manage, and maintain a modern website by using commercial software similar to Dreamweaver. The method of building a website by writing all the code from scratch is too time-consuming.

I wish AccessWorld authors and readers a very prosperous 2015. Keep it up with this publication.

Kind regards,

Michael Micallef

Malta, Europe

Dear AccessWorld Editor,

Please note there has been a delay in launching the new Comcast accessibility features you announced in the December issue of AccessWorld. The November 12 Comcast announcement said the new accessibility features would be available within a few weeks, so I purchased the new X1 digital service at an additional cost. When I called their accessibility center over the Thanksgiving weekend, they said the launch was being delayed, but they expected it would be available beginning December 3. That did not occur, so on December 9 I sent them an inquiry and was told that once it is launched, it will still be in a beta testing phase.

While I applaud Comcast's investment in improved accessibility, they have not been transparent about the revised timeframe for launch. I asked that they escalate my inquiry so I could get an estimate of the new time frame, but have not yet received a substantive reply.

Thank you,

Bob Hartt

Sendero Announces Non-subscription Version of Accessible GPS App

Sendero recently announced the availability of a non-subscription version of its fully accessible turn-by-turn iPhone app. It is called Seeing Eye GPS XT, and it is available to any user in the US and Canada. Sendero may offer an XT non-subscription version in other countries in the future if there is sufficient demand. There is no other feature difference in Seeing Eye GPS XT verses the subscription versions. The price is $299 for XT.

To encourage certified O&M instructors and technology trainers to introduce Seeing Eye GPS to students or clients, Sendero can provide a limited number of free app codes.

Large-Print Bluetooth Mini Keyboards are Now Available from Ai Squared

The industry's first large-print Bluetooth keyboard designed for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad is here. These mini keyboards are compact with Bluetooth technology that can connect to any Bluetooth iOS compatible device.

The function keys on the keyboard are designed to match the latest Apple iOS. The Bluetooth Mini Keyboard is the answer to anyone who wants to type with ease on a Bluetooth device.

What's in the box:

• Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard
• 2 × AAA Batteries
• Quick Setup Guide
• Warranty Information

System Requirements:

• Apple iOS6, iOS7, iOS or later versions.
• Apple OSX 10.9 or later versions.

Order online or call the AI Squared sales team at 802-362-3612 (option #2).

Freedom Scientific Releases a 90-day License of JAWS for Windows

Freedom Scientific announced the release of a 90-day license of JAWS for Windows Professional. The 90-day license represents an opportunity for companies who wish to test the accessibility of their webpages or their applications under development. Agencies can use the 90-day license to test at job sites and start new employees on JAWS immediately. For end users, this provides an option to spread the purchase of a full JAWS license over an extended time period.

After purchase, the activation code for the 90-day trial license will be provided with instructions for downloading and installing the software from the Freedom Scientific Downloads webpage. Once the 90-day period has expired, the product can be reordered for another 90-day license, or a full license can be purchased for continued use of the installed software.

The timed license includes the following features, which can be purchased as add-ons to a full license of JAWS Professional or JAWS Home Edition:

• Remote Desktop, Terminal Server, and Citrix support
• JAWS Tandem Direct for LAN Tandem Sessions

The JAWS 90-day license (SKU: 340624-001) is available for purchase immediately from your local Freedom Scientific representative. Pricing in the US for the JAWS 90-day License is $179. Outside the US, customers should contact their local JAWS Distributor for pricing and availability.

Contact Information:
Phone: 800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000
Website: FreedomScientific
Email: info@FreedomScientific.com

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Dr. Jane Chu announced that the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is one of 919 nonprofit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant. Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is recommended for a $35,000 grant to support their initiative to Increase Accessibility in Pittsburgh Arts and Culture. This is the second year in a row that this program has been awarded NEA support, matched locally by FISA Foundation, as an indicator of its model program at connecting people with disabilities to the arts.

The Increasing Accessibility initiative presents a multi-layered approach to serving the disability community, also addressing specific needs presented by Pittsburgh's aging population, one of the oldest in the country. Through professional development, a peer network, an Advisory Committee, scholarships for conference attendance, resources, technical support, and data collection, the Initiative builds up Pittsburgh's already strong and vibrant arts community to become most inclusive and welcoming. The Initiative's collective impact approach speaks to Pittsburgh's ethos of working together, in this case across the arts and human services sectors to ensure that all citizens enjoy the strong quality of life that ranks Pittsburgh among the most livable cities in America.

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, "I'm pleased to be able to share the news of our support through Art Works including the award to Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. The arts foster value, connection, creativity and innovation for the American people and these recommended grants demonstrate those attributes and affirm that the arts are part of our everyday lives." Shares Tiffany Wilhelm, Deputy Director of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council: "GPAC believes that the long-term impact of this Initiative is to change social attitudes toward people with disabilities. Providing arts organizations with the skills, knowledge, and resources to welcome people with disabilities helps normalize disability by making inclusion visible at arts and culture events and venues — the places people choose to go to have fun, build community, and learn."

The NEA Art Works grant will help fund the Initiative's popular workshop series designed to teach non-profit managers best practices for ensuring accessibility for patrons, staff, volunteers and artists with disabilities. The 2015 workshop series will teach assistive technology, community engagement, staff training, and accessible design, plus a field trip to the Human Engineering Research Lab at Carnegie Mellon University. The full calendar of workshops and registration will be unveiled in mid-January 2015 at www.pittsburghartscouncil.org. For more information about the GPAC Accessibility Initiative, please visit http://www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/accessibility.

For more information, please contact: Jen Saffron, Director of Communications, 412-266-4424, jsaffron@pittsburghartscouncil.org

In the August issue of AccessWorld, we described the new voice guide features available on new Samsung TVs. More recently, Comcast has announced the availability of its own talking TV interface.

There certainly has been a lot of activity on the accessible media front. Here's why: the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) includes a number of provisions regulating the production and availability of accessible broadcast media and devices—television sets, set-top boxes, digital video recorders (DVRs) and descriptive video for broadcast and non-broadcast channel programing.

To help provide a better understanding of the rapidly changing landscape of video accessibility, AccessWorld spoke with Brian Charlson, Director of Technology at the Carrolle Center and member of the FCC Video Programming Accessibility Advisory Committee, which helped draft the CVAA.

Defining the Issues

We began by asking Brian Charlson to help us more clearly understand the problem of accessibility for broadcast media.

"These days a television is a lot more than an on/off switch, volume control, and channel up and down buttons," he began. "There are so many new and exciting things a television can do, and as consumers who are blind or visually impaired, we are not always even aware of what they are."

Ask many blind individuals if they watch TV, and they say yes, definitely. But when you ask them about their viewing habits they may say something along the lines of, "I turn it on for the 6 o'clock news on Channel 4. Then I watch "Friends" repeats on Channel 12, and after that I turn to Channel 10 to watch CBS prime time shows."

"For this individual, and many like him or her, TV watching is done by rote—memorizing what is on when and on which channel, and then sticking to that schedule," Charlson says. "This worked fine back in the days of 3 channels, maybe 4 but today, with 300 or 400 channels to choose from, those old ways simply don't work anymore."

Sighted people can flip through the channels, and most over-the-air channels and cable and satellite providers will flash the network name and show title on the screen for identification. A blind person may need to wait several minutes for a commercial to end, and then a few more trying to figure out what show is on. Multiply this by an ever-growing channel lineup and it's easy to see that channel surfing is not a workable option for those with visual impairments.

"Sighted users also have a program guide channel to show them what's on currently, and, even more useful at times, what is going to be on starting in 30 minutes, an hour, or even tomorrow afternoon," Charlson says. True, this information is available online, or via a smartphone app, but this requires the individual to develop and maintain computer skills just to find and watch TV.

"Elderly, newly blind individuals are the fastest growing segment of the blind community. In general, they tend to be frequent TV viewers. They are also the ones who are least likely to have developed the skills to operate an accessible PC or smartphone," adds Charlson.

There is also the equipment itself. "In my house we have four TVs, each in different rooms. And not one of them uses the same remote with the same button layout," Charlson reports. "Add a digital cable box or a DVR to each set and it's no wonder so many blind persons do not take full advantage of their equipment or available programming."

CVAA Device Standards

Here is a summary describing the upcoming accessible device standards required of all new TV sets, cable boxes, and DVRs manufactured after December 2016.

The following functions must be made accessible if the feature is included in the device at the time of manufacture. If these functions are delivered via a text menu or guide, they must be made audibly accessible, which is to say the device must "speak" the menu or guide. If a feature is not delivered through a menu or guide—for example, turning a set on or off—there is no audible accessibility requirement, but it still must be made accessible to those who are blind or visually impaired.

• Power on/off: an accessible method to turn a device on or off must be available.
• Volume adjust and mute: an accessible method to adjust and mute the device's volume must be available.
• Channel/program selection: users must be able to accessibly select channels and programs via physical numeric or channel up/channel down buttons or via on-screen guides and menus. This includes the ability to select non-linear programming such as VOD and recorded DVR programming, and the ability to launch applications such as Netflix.
• Display channel/program info: users must be able to accessibly display current channel or program information.
• Configuration, setup: users must be able to accessibly access and change configuration or setup options, such as configuration of video display and audio settings, selection of preferred language for on-screen guides or menus, etc.
• Configuration, video description control: users must be able to accessibly enable or disable the output of video description, which is to say to change from the main audio to the secondary audio stream that contains video description and from the secondary audio stream back to the main audio. This rule only pertains to equipment that includes Secondary Audio Programming (SAP), which is not required but which most set manufactures provide.
• Configuration, CC options: users must be able to accessibly modify the display of closed caption data, including configuration of the font size, font color, background color, opacity, etc.
• Configuration, CC control: users must be able to accessibly enable or disable the display of closed captioning.
• Display configuration info: users must be able to accessibly display how user preferences are currently configured.
• Playback functions: users must be able to accessibly control playback functions, including pause, play, rewind, fast forward, stop, and record for DVR and video on demand.
• Input selection: users must be able to accessibly select their preferred input source, such as the port connected to an Apple TV or Chromecast.

The new regulations also specify that these accessibility features may not be restricted to a manufacturer's highest-end, which is to say their most expensive, models. "If a set maker's lineup includes 32-inch, 45-inch and 60-inch models, for example, each of the different screen sizes must have an accessible model available, and for no additional cost," states Charlson.

Along with equipment manufacturers, the new guidelines also affect broadcast and cable networks, as well as service providers, including cable and satellite TV companies.

Requirements for Broadcast and Non-Broadcast Networks

Currently, the top four broadcast networks—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—are required to provide 50 hours of video-described prime time or children's programming per calendar quarter, or approximately 4 hours each week. Same-week rebroadcasts do not count toward the 50 hours.

The requirement to provide 50 hours per calendar quarter of video-described programming also applies to the top five cable networks, which are currently USA, Disney Channel, TNT, Nickelodeon, and TBS. These rankings will be reassessed in July of 2015.

Requirements for Local TV Stations

Today, local ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates in the top 25 US markets are required to own and operate the equipment to broadcast video description. They must also provide 50 hours of video-described prime time or children's programming per quarter. This is the minimum. If the network provides even more video description, the local affiliate must pass it through. There is no requirement for non-network affiliated local stations.

Some smaller network affiliates do not currently have the equipment to broadcast the video description signal. Others have the equipment but choose to use it to add an additional language channel. As of July 1, 2016, the regulations will expand to cover local network affiliates in the top 60 US markets.

This is their target deadline for installing the necessary equipment and joining the top 25 markets in broadcasting at least 50 hours of described content per quarter.

Requirements for Cable and Satellite Companies

Cable and satellite companies, known as multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) that serve 50,000 or more subscribers must also own and operate the equipment necessary to broadcast video description. They, too, must provide 50 hours of video description per calendar quarter during prime time or children's programming on each of the top five national non-broadcast networks that they carry: USA, the Disney Channel, TNT, Nickelodeon, and TBS.

Smaller MVPD systems are not currently required to install the equipment or pass through video description. If they do provide this service, however, they must offer everything that is available. For example, the History Channel is not currently required to provide video-described programming because it is not in the top 5. However, if the History Channel airs a video-described program, any cable or satellite company that offers described video must include the show in their service.

For cable companies, adding more descriptive video presents few challenges. Unfortunately, it's a different matter for satellite companies. For them, each new video description stream requires the use of limited satellite resources.

"We have to maintain a level playing field, so that blind consumers receive the same amount of accessible programming, regardless of whether they subscribe to cable or satellite service," notes Charlson. "This is why the amount of required described programming was not immediately increased."

According to the FCC, however, if the commission determines that the need for and benefits of providing video description for television programming outweigh the technical and economic costs, the Commission has authority two years after a June 30, 2014 Report to Congress to adopt additional regulations, including increasing the 50-hours-per-quarter requirement by up to 75 percent. This would result in roughly 7 hours per week of descriptive video programming per provider, which could be implemented on June 30, 2016 at the earliest.

What It All Means

The good news is that if you are currently in the market for a new TV, you will soon have several models to choose from that offer many, but not all, of the new accessibility requirements. The bad news is that it's not uncommon for newer releases of accessibility software to run only on newer sets, which means after December of 2016 you may be left with a set that will not run a full roster of these features.

Of course, this assumes that all parties implement the services properly. If the devices are not accessible in time, the manufacturer must show the FCC all of the steps they have taken toward making them accessible. To date, however, no fines or other penalties for non-compliance have been determined.

As for video description, the new regulations will not immediately increase the amount of described video available. It will merely codify what is already being done. There is the hope, but not the promise, of more to come.

Another potential issue is that, based on the way the regulations are written, providers must file paperwork every year evaluating their success in implementing accessibility. However, it is up to us, the consumer, to report problems, and, notes Charlson: "Unlike for closed screen captioning, there is no mandated complaint office or hotline where we can report problems with network[s] or your local cable company or broadcast channels' described video or other accessibility features."

Another still unresolved issue is the accessibility of streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu. "Launching the apps must be made accessible, but the waters are still rather muddy as to whether or not actually being able to use these services accessibly falls under the new regulations," says Charlson.

One last issue Charlson brings up is the learning curve for sight-impaired TV consumers. "Many of the soon-to-be available features and capabilities have been added gradually, over the years, allowing sighted consumers to build on previous knowledge and experience. "For us it will be like stepping into a rapidly flowing river," he says. "For example, until now it has been all but impossible for us to set a DVR to record a program so we can watch it later. Now we'll want to know not only how to record "M.A.S.H.," but also how to instruct our DVR to record all of the episodes being played at any time and on any channel, but not the ones I've already seen." It is not likely we will be able to request DVR training from our local rehab agency. And as of now the FCC has yet to determine whether to impose information, documentation, and training requirements on manufacturers and service providers.

Stay tuned.

Comment on this article.

Minnesota-based Serotek Corp. has a knack for capturing media attention in the access technology arena. Almost a decade ago, the company was in a metaphorical David and Goliath situation when one of the largest companies in the blindness technology field threatened a suit for name stealing. Serotek, aka Little David, didn't balk. Rather, the company simply changed the name of its then flagship product from FreedomBox to System Access.

Original CEO, Mike Calvo, featured in a 2007 AccessWorld interview, From Street Kid to CEO, is no shrinking violet himself. Smart, opinionated, and a born innovator, he stirred up the blind community with ideas like "Accessibility is a right," insisting that all people are entitled to "Accessibility Anywhere," the company's ongoing motto. Perhaps wildest of all was the idea that all information stored by individuals should and could be stored in "the cloud" to make that accessibility anywhere concept a more feasible reality.

When Apple took the blindness technology field by storm with its first out-of-the-box accessible iPhone in 2009, Serotek wasted no time developing an app called iBlink that brought together more content in one place than any person who is blind had previously imagined carrying in a pocket. Through this simple app, consumers could hear podcasts, radio reading service broadcasts, music, news, tutorials and more. The content that eventually garnered the most public attention was a host of offerings from the Serotek Podcast Network (SPN). Shows featuring hosts who are blind chatting about technology, themselves, blindness, and pop culture comprised SPN. People who are blind who have always loved radio now had programs by other people with blind interests in mind, and the growth of the listenership (around 60,000 of them according to Mike Calvo) was tremendous.

"But I read it on the Internet"

One problem with the instant communication we all know and love is that anyone can write anything and pass it off as "news" or "journalism." It's a kind of cyber sensationalism that can wreak all manner of havoc under certain circumstances.

On November 20, Serotek again took center stage on many a blindness-related e-mail list and Twitter feed.

"Serotek Fires Five Key People" ran the subject line of messages redistributed by countless individuals to a number of blindness-related e-mail lists.

Like faux journalism throughout the ages, this inappropriate blast was a bit of truth mixed with a bit more fabrication and speculation. When the original posters were called to accountability by Serotek representatives, the initial message on a popular site was removed, but by then, the rumors were flying and the frenzy of questions floating freely.

There are some changes taking place at Serotek for sure.

AccessWorld now brings you the real story—as well as the Serotek road map for its foreseeable future.

Serotek's Side of the Story

First, no one at Serotek was fired. Five people did leave the company, however, and most of those folks remain connected to Serotek activities.

The most "visible" aspect of Serotek for some time has been the SPN. A collection of podcasts and internet radio shows, SPN has been wildly popular among computer users who are blind and visually impaired. Programs like "Triple Click Home," "That Android Show," and "Serospectives" have brought information, speculation, and a lot of jovial chit-chat among show hosts about blindness and the tools used by people who are blind. Sometimes it has been enlightening, other times misleading, but mostly SPN has just been good old-fashioned entertainment.

But Mike Calvo and Michael Fox, Serotek's two co-founders, finally came to terms with the harsh reality that, as a business, Serotek Corp. needed to make money and the popular radio/podcast performances weren't generating an income stream.

The details of discussions that followed are only important to those who participated in them, but the general gist is that Calvo and Fox devised a plan for keeping the podcasts going and its performers on-air. The proposal involved putting the impetus for monetizing the broadcasts on the shoulders of the producers/show hosts and, in short, the proposal was declined.

There's more, as there is more to every corporate bit of messiness, but suffice to say that no one was fired. Some people were not happy with decisions of management and chose to leave, but to answer the question most of you are asking, yes, the show will go on.

Serotek Leadership Now and in the Future

Mike Calvo stepped down as CEO in 2012, and the leadership role was picked up at that point by Michael Fox. Calvo describes the two co-founders this way: Calvo is the visionary, Fox the businessman. When the company is facing challenge or in transition (both of which are currently the case), the two act jointly just as they did in the beginning. It was the vision of creating affordable screen access for people who are blind and of developing a community where people who are blind could share ideas, tips, techniques, entertainment combined with the necessary business savvy to make these ideas realities that has conjured the success Serotek has experienced over the past decade. Now, those same two partners are bringing their distinct talents to the brainstorm table for the road ahead.

I spoke with Mike Calvo and asked him the questions I figured most readers would ask; here are the most relevant answers.

Here to Stay or Going Away

iBlink

A popular app for iPhone and Android, iBlink brings together a variety of content of particular interest to listeners who are blind, including podcasts, tutorials, coverage of blindness-related events, and the broadcasts of those radio reading services that make content available on the web. Through the app, those who subscribe to SAMNet (System Access Mobile Network) can also access music, described TV and movies, e-mail accounts, and more.

iBlink will continue, Calvo says, but it is going through a re-branding process which will mean a new name and broader access on all platforms. While it is currently available for iOS and Android devices and Windows mobile phones, it will soon be available for Windows and Apple computers, as well as for set-top boxes and other devices.

Serotek Podcast Network

SPN, arguably the largest provider of social and technological content in the blindness community, is not going away either. Some programs will continue, and new programs will probably be created. One idea on the table is an intriguing platform for telling the countless stories of individuals throughout the blindness community through informal gatherings and chats.

Another vision is what Calvo dubs the "Uberization" of assistance. Like the popular ride-sharing model, Calvo muses, wouldn't it be nice to open an app on your mobile device and contract for a fee with a sighted person willing to walk with you to explore a new city, go shopping, or come over and read your mail?

Stay Tuned

Best of all news perhaps is that Matt Campbell, the brilliant programmer who has been the "man behind the curtain" for so much of the System Access ingenuity, is staying right where he has been for the company's lifespan, and he and Calvo have plenty of new tricks in process. Calvo and Campbell plan to be releasing in the near future some very cool and innovative products including one that, as Calvo puts it, "will revolutionize the ways in which people consume documents."

The instant communication delivered via the Internet, social networking, and podcasts brings people everywhere closer together with a real-time sense of familiarization. None of us enjoys hearing that another is out of a job or at the end of an era.

The Calvo-Fox formula for blending fantasy with reality has delivered a marvelous blend of new perspectives and services previously unknown to users of technology who are blind. Some of those innovations have perhaps run their course, while others are in transition or metamorphosis and still others still percolating in the think tank.

What we know for sure is that the show will go on and none of us will want to miss it.

Comment on this article.

In previous issues of AccessWorld we reviewed three accessible feature phones, cell phones whose functions are limited to making calls and sending and receiving text messages. These phones, which include the Samsung Haven, Kyocera Kona, and Kyocera Verve, use physical buttons to access and control their features, instead touch screens—which these days are nearly universal in smartphone design. Many individuals with visual impairments still prefer the simplicity and lower subscription costs of feature phones, however, and in this article I'll describe a fourth accessible feature phone, The Odin VI Talking Mobile Phone.

The Odin VI was designed from the ground up to be low- or no-vision accessible. It can be purchased either with an Odin Mobile service plan, starting at a cost of $10 per month, or unlocked for use with any GSM service provider, including AT&T or T-Mobile.

What You Get

The Odin VI package includes the phone itself, a charging stand, and a USB power cable and wall adapter. The user accessible battery comes preinstalled, and is rated to provide up to five hours of talk time and ten days of standby. Odin Mobile customers will receive their phones with the SIM card also preinstalled. The company offers phone and text services via T-Mobile. The company also provides customer service and tech support specifically tailored to users with visual impairments. Additionally, Odin Mobile customers can schedule a free telephone training session with a company accessibility specialist.

The Odin VI manual arrived via e-mail in Word file that was 100-percent accessible. There were no diagrams or pictures that all too commonly voice as, "To do this, press the 'IMAGE' button." Braille or recorded versions are not available, but technical support is free, and the Odin Mobile representatives I spoke with were without exception extremely knowledgeable about the phone's features.

A Touch Tour

Many feature phones use a "flip" design that unfolds to reveal the screen and keypad. The Odin VI uses a two-part design, with a single display that is always visible and a keypad that is accessed by sliding the screen section upward.

When in the closed and locked position, the Odin VI is a bit thicker than many flip phones, but it fit comfortably in my palm with the screen side up. Beneath the screen there are five color-coded buttons.

The square green Call button is located at the far left. The round red End/Cancel button is to the far right. Between these buttons is a narrow, horizontal blue OK button, and above and below this button, the black Up and Down navigation buttons.

Beneath these buttons, on the bottom edge of the phone, there are two square indentations in the phone's case, which connect the phone to the charger. It was a simple matter to position the phone for charging, and with the phone turned on you can be confident you have things right when the VI beeps and announces "Charger connected."

The battery compartment is on the rear of the phone. The battery comes preinstalled, but the compartment was easy to access, and the battery only fits one way so you know you have it in the proper position. The SIM tray is located beneath the battery, and it is thoughtfully designed and extremely easy to access. There is also a micro-SD slot that contains the text-to-speech voices and which the company does not recommend accessing or removing.

The left edge of the Odin VI includes two ports. Near the top is a headphone jack. Near the center is a USB port you can use to charge the phone by either connecting it to a computer with the included USB cable or connecting it directly to an outlet via the cable and power adapter. You must pop out a plastic flap before you can access the USB port, however, which may present problems for individuals with limited manual dexterity. Those users will appreciate the included charger, since you merely need to slide the phone onto that accessory to begin charging.

There are three buttons on the right edge. From top to bottom they are the Repeat Speech button, which we will discuss below, and the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons. When you are on a call, the volume buttons will adjust the call volume. Otherwise, they will adjust the volume of the phone's built-in speech.

Holding the phone with the screen up and the bottom toward you, there is a lip between the phone sections. This is where you slide the two halves apart to expose the phone's 12-key dial pad. The keys have excellent rise and separation. It is extremely easy to find the key you wish.

Set Up

There is no sighted assistance required to set up the voice guide. In fact, there is no voice guide setup required at all. Simply press and hold the round, red End button until you hear an old fashioned telephone ring. Release the button, and in about fifteen seconds the phone will begin to speak. The unit I tested used the Daniel voice, but there is also a female voice, Serena, available from the settings menu. Both of these were among the clearest and easiest to understand text-to-speech voices I have encountered on a feature phone.

Hold down the End button again to turn off the phone. Odin VI will ask if you want to turn it off. Press the OK button to confirm.

With the voice guide enabled, when you slide the dial pad open, the phone sounds a click to let you know the phone is at the home screen and ready to use. If you press the Repeat Speech key on the right edge of the phone at this point, the phone will announce your carrier, signal strength, and battery level. You can obtain any single piece of this information by performing a dial pad combination, such as star + pound + zero + 1 + pound to get the battery level, but these combinations seem needlessly complex and take more time than listening to the complete status rundown.

When you start the phone, the keys are unlocked. To lock the keys, slide the dial pad out and then back in. Slide the dial pad back out to unlock the phone. You can also press first the Call button and then the End button to unlock the phone. This will come in handy if you wish to make a call, send or read a text message, or access the phone's settings and menus, all of which you can accomplish without sliding out the phone's dial pad.

The first time you start the Odin VI you are asked to set the time and date. This is a simple matter, except for one issue. If you make a mistake, it is not obvious what you need to do to backspace over the wrong character. The End/Cancel button does the trick, but the phone does not auto-announce either the deleted character or what is left. You must press the Repeat Speech button to figure things out. This can be awkward. For example, when I typed my name into a text message and spelled it with three Ls—B, i, l, l, l—the mistake was not obvious, since there is no spell check. Uncertain whether I had typed two, three, or even four Ls, I had to press End/Cancel repeatedly, each time pausing to press the Repeat Speech key, until I reached the "i," at which time I retyped the two Ls.

The Odin VI uses the standard dial pad method of entering characters—press the 2 button twice to enter a B, three times for C, etc. Speech does not always keep up with fast key entry, however, and too often I had to rely on the Repeat Speech button to figure out where I was. This problem could be fixed easily with the addition of some way to cursor left and right to review by character, word, or sentence.

The Voice Guide

As mentioned, the Odin VI Voice Guide does not need to be activated; it starts up automatically every time you turn on the phone. You can toggle the voice off and then back on, though, if you wish to let a sighted friend or relative use your phone. Do this by pressing and holding down the Repeat Speech button for several seconds to turn the Voice Guide off, then again to toggle it back on. There are a few other settings you can adjust, and they are found in the Settings Menu.

• Language: You can choose to have the VI speak and show menu options in US English, British English, and several other major languages. The British English uses the male Nuance Daniel voice; the US English uses the female Serena voice.
• Speed: You can adjust the Voice Guide by one percent increments from 85% of normal speed to 120%.
• Voice Guide: Male or female. The English version requires you to switch from British to US English to change from male to female voices. Other language packs include both, and this option allows you to choose which you wish to use.

We will describe how to make these and other changes to the phone's settings below, but first, let's make and receive a call.

Using the Odin VI for Calls

Similar to most feature phones, you can make a call at any time by entering the number on the dial pad and then pressing the Call button. The End button disconnects the call. During any call, you can press the Call button to use the Odin VI as a speaker phone.

When you receive a phone call, the phone announces either the phone number or the name of the caller, depending on whether or not that number is in your contact list (see below). The Odin VI also announces when you have missed a call and when a text message or a voice mail is waiting. To listen to your voice mail, press and hold the 1 key, or call 123. The Odin VI also adds a voice mail entry to your contact list. Strangely, setting up and accessing voice mail is not covered in the product documentation.

If you receive a text message, press the Up Arrow button to open your inbox. Press the OK button to have the message text spoken. Press the OK button a second time if you wish to reply.

The Up Arrow key pressed repeatedly from the phone's home screen also calls up the text message outbox and the "Write a Message" control. The Down Arrow key summons your contact list. Press OK to make a phone call, or use the Add Contact control to create a new contact.

The Main Menu

The main menu is accessed by pressing the OK button from the home screen. The options include:

• Call Log: Here you can review your received, missed, and dialed calls. Easily add a number to your contact list by highlighting it with the Up or Down Arrow key, then press the dial pad 0 (zero) key.
• Contacts: This will bring up your contact list, the same as if you had pressed the Down Arrow key from the phone's home screen.
• Messages: This will bring up your Messages list, the same as if you had pressed the Up Arrow key from the phone's home screen.
• Alarms: You can set 30 different alarms and give each a descriptive name. This feature allows the phone to act both as an alarm clock and a calendar.
• Help: The Help menu calls up a list of useful topics and briefly describes how to use the phone's various features. Context sensitive help is not available.

The Settings Menu

The last option in the Odin VI main menu is Settings. Here you can reset the phone's time and date. You can choose the Voice Guide language and set the voice speed. You can set the default ring tone—there are three—and set the Vibrate mode to Never, Always, or Silent Mode, which turns off the ringer and vibrates without a ring when you receive a call or text message.

If you enable the Talking Watch option, whenever you slide open the Odin VI the time will be announced. You can also set up to three S.O.S. numbers. In case of emergency, simply press and hold down any key except the End/Cancel button and the VI will try calling each of them in turn and place the phone in speaker mode. If this feature is useful to you, consider two family members or friends for S.O.S. numbers one and two, and 911 for S.O.S. 3, in case the first two options can't be reached. The phone announces "Emergency call in progress. Press the red key to cancel," which is useful if you have dexterity issues.

The final two Settings options are aimed toward users with low vision. The Odin VI presents screen text in 24-point font, and message text in 12-point font. You can't change these defaults, but you can increase contrast by setting the screen to display using white text on a black background, and set screen brightness to one of five levels.

Summing Up

The Odin VI is without doubt the most accessible feature phone I have ever tested. With the exceptions of the backspace characters not being voiced and the lack of cursor review, this phone performed exceptionally well.

At $150 for the locked version and $199.99 for the unlocked version, the Odin VI is a bit on the pricey side. Most carriers offer multiple smartphones at this price point, or even lower. The Odin Mobile service plans do seem quite reasonable—ranging from $10 per month for 150 minutes of talk and unlimited text to $40 for unlimited talk and text.

Sprint and Verizon both offer accessible feature phones, but T-Mobile and AT&T do not. If you do wish to use a feature phone and you already have a contract with T-Mobile or AT&T, or perhaps the best coverage in your area is available from one of these carriers, the Odin VI is definitely the phone for you.

Texas residents with visual impairments may be eligible to receive a free Odin VI as part of the state's Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP). Maryland residents with visual impairments may also receive a free Odin VI through the Maryland Accessible Telecommunications Program (MAT). California and Missouri are also currently evaluating the Odin VI for inclusion in their free phone programs.

Product Information

Product: The Odin VI locked or unlocked
Manufacturer: Odin Mobile
Price: $150 with an Odin subscription or pay as you go plan using the T-Mobile network; $199.99 with T-Mobile, AT&T, or other GSM mobile networks.

Comment on this article.

It was only seven years ago that Apple rolled out its first iPhone to the general public, introducing the world to the iOS operating system. In 2008, the HTC Dream was the first commercially available smartphone to run the Android operating system from Google. How times have changed! iOS and Android have quickly become the most ubiquitous mobile operating systems on the planet. Apple and Google remain in fierce competition over market share in the mobile OS space. So what does this mean for consumers who are blind and visually impaired? This level of competition, along with a concerted effort by smartphone manufacturers to offer a higher level of built-in accessibility, has resulted in a continual increase in options for consumers with visual impairments. The FCC rules requiring that telecommunications equipment manufacturers make their products and services accessible to people with disabilities has resulted in industry leaders stepping up and taking accessibility very seriously these days. Manufacturers are also realizing that an expansion of their target audience to include people with disabilities is simply smart business. According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), approximately 135 million people worldwide have low vision.

Caption: Photo of logos representing iOS 8 and Android 5

In this product review, I will compare and contrast the accessibility features designed for people with low vision in Apple iOS 8.1.1 and Android 5.0.

Smartphones Used for Testing

The Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and the Google Nexus 6 were used in this review. These phones offer unique hardware capabilities that allow their respective operating systems to be used to their fullest potential. It's also important to be aware that some manufacturers include their own Android skins—which can modify the options and operations of the device—on top of the stock Android version used in this review.

The Importance of Screen Size

Over the past couple of years, the leading smartphone developers and distributors abruptly reversed course and decided to offer larger screen sizes. As an example of how much perception has shifted recently towards "bigger is better," consider the original 2007 iPhone with its 3.5-inch screen—considered large at the time. Much to the opportunistic delight of Apple competitors, the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 2010 was quoted as saying that "no one is going to buy a big phone." These days, "go big or go home" seems to be the motto with screen size. In September of 2014, Apple rolled out the iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display, as well as the phablet-sized iPhone 6 Plus with a 5.5-inch display. Samsung has been rolling out similarly sized smartphones over the last couple of years. In November of 2014, Google introduced its flagship Nexus 6 smartphone with a 5.96-inch display.

So how much improvement do the larger screen sizes make for individuals with low vision? As would be expected, it all depends on each individual user's preferred font size. If your vision is such that a pair of over-the-counter reading glasses from your local drug store makes a difference when it comes to reading standard-size print, then screen size will likely make a substantial difference. If, however, your vision is such that you rely on screen magnification when using a computer, or you require a hand-held or stand magnifier on a regular basis to read text, increased screen size will likely not provide large enough font to be read easily. If you're not sure how much difference a smartphone with a larger screen size will make, it would be in your best interest to visit a distributor of mobile devices with a wide selection of phones.

Depending on your vision, you might be a little surprised at how little the larger screens increase the overall default display font size. As an example, the font size used within the Settings menu of the iPhone 5 is approximately 10-point. Using the iPhone 6 Plus, these same menu items are displayed at approximately 11-point.

The older Google Nexus 4 with its 4.7-inch display and the Nexus 6 with its 5.96-inch display showed a similar increase. With the text size set to "Normal," the 9-point font within the Display menu of the smaller Nexus 4 is displayed at slightly less than 10-point on the Nexus 6.

Modifying Text Size

The iOS 8.1.1 and Android 5.0 operating systems allow additional text size options within the Settings menu. iOS 8.1.1 offers 12 sizes to choose from on a horizontal slider, while Android 5.0 lists four sizes: Small, Normal, Large, and Huge. iOS 8.1.1 and Android 5.0 apply changes to text size in different ways. Changing the font size in iOS 8.1.1 only affects e-mails, contacts, and text messages. In other words, it does not change the actual label sizes of apps or the text size of menu items within Settings, where increased text size is often needed the most. Android 5.0, on the other hand, changes the viewable text size throughout the entire operating system.

Display Zoom

iOS 8.1.1 offers a new feature within the Display and Brightness menu called Display Zoom, which is only available with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Display Zoom offers two settings: Standard and Zoomed. Display Zoom changes are applied throughout the entire operating system, including the app icons, within apps, and across their associated labels. Changing the setting from Standard to Zoomed increases the viewable font size overall so that 9-point text size is bumped up to approximately 10-point. As with adjusting screen resolution on a Mac or Windows-based computer, using Display Zoom can reduce the amount of information displayed on the screen. However, if bumping the overall font size from 9 point to 10 point makes a significant impact for you, it will be well worth the tradeoff.

Built-In Screen Magnification

Both the iOS and Android operating systems offer their own built-in screen magnification. For many people with low vision, screen magnification represents the most important accessibility feature of the entire operating system. Screen magnification settings can be found within the Accessibility menu. Apple iOS refers to this feature as "Zoom," and Google Android simply labels this feature "Magnification Gestures."

The full screen magnification features offered with previous versions of iOS Zoom are still available in iOS 8.1.1. This includes the ability to increase the viewable display when Zoom is enabled with a three-finger double-tap. With Zoom enabled, increasing and decreasing the level of magnification is still achieved by double-tapping with three fingers, then motioning up to increase or down to decrease. Panning the screen from side to side and up and down is carried out by dragging three fingers in the desired direction.

With Android 5.0, enabling screen magnification after the Magnification Gestures feature has been enabled is still achieved by triple-tapping the screen with a single finger. Increasing and decreasing the viewable screen size is carried out with the pinch and reverse-pinch gestures of pinching the thumb and index finger together or spreading them apart. Panning the screen from side to side and up and down is accomplished by dragging two fingers in the desired direction. Disabling magnification is done by triple-tapping the screen again with a single finger.

iOS 8.1.1 Zoom and Android 5.0 Magnification Gestures are very similar to one another. They both allow any portion of the display to be magnified, and provide a wide range of magnification. That said, the Magnification Gestures feature is superior to Zoom in three areas:

1. The gestures required to enable Magnification Gestures, and pan the screen, require fewer fingers than in iOS 8.1.1 Zoom. This is a big advantage, since even larger smartphones have limited screen real estate, and triple-tapping the screen with a single finger to enable the magnification feature is easier to carry out, and leaves more of the screen visible.
2. The pinch and reverse-pinch gestures used to increase or decrease the viewable display when Magnification Gestures is enabled not only takes up less space on the screen, but is also much more intuitive than the vertical motion of the three-finger double-tap gesture that iOS 8.1.1 requires.
3. The Android Magnification Gestures feature, which was introduced with Android 4.2.2, offers a simple, but very powerful, feature to temporarily magnify the viewable display. Magnification Gestures places the visual focus where the finger makes contact with the screen. This feature is activated with a single-finger triple-tap-and-hold, after which the finger can then be maneuvered around the screen. Lifting the finger off the screen immediately snaps the magnified display back to its standard size, which allows you to quickly see the forest from the trees, so to speak.

Apple Pay and Touch ID Sensor versus Google Wallet

It seems almost unfair to make a side-by-side comparison of these two payment systems when it comes to their level of accessibility. Google Wallet has been around for more than three years, but it hasn't been able to achieve the same amount of traction as Apple Pay, which was launched in October of 2014 and can only be used on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Apple Pay and Google Wallet both take advantage of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows a wireless transaction to take place when a smartphone is in close proximity to an NFC-enabled point-of-sale system. Both Apple Pay and Google Wallet can be linked with a debit or credit card. Although many retailers are not yet equipped to receive this method of payment within their stores, the list of retailers jumping on the bandwagon is rapidly growing.

The major advantage with Apple Pay over Google Wallet is the seamless way in which a transaction occurs. The preferred credit or debit card to be used with Apple Pay needs to first be set up, which is a very straightforward process. It's easy enough to use the same credit or debit card that you use with iTunes or Google Play. The Touch ID Sensor on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus merely requires that you rest your thumb on the Home button to accurately identify you as the owner of the phone, while simultaneously unlocking the Apple Pay feature and making the payment through its NFC technology all at the same time. There isn't even an app that needs to first be opened, and there is no code to punch in. The phone vibrates by default after the transaction has been completed. The entire exchange takes place in less than five seconds. Google Wallet, on the other hand, is locked by default and requires a password to be entered manually.

The first time I used Apple Pay at a Subway, the entire process was so quick and efficient that if it weren't for the insistence from the clerk behind the register that the transaction was successfully processed, I wouldn't have believed it. Not having to determine where to slide a credit card on the point-of-sale system, not having to identify the layout of a keypad and additional buttons (which can vary from one retailer to another), and not having to be hunched over the point-of-sale system trying to read small text on a faint display with impatient customers close behind, makes Apple Pay an absolutely brilliant solution for people with vision loss.

Although Google Wallet also uses NFC technology to make the transaction easier, there are still a few steps that slow down the process and require vision and/or audio output.

iOS 8.1.1 Zoom Additions

A number of additional options have been added to the Zoom magnifying program that are not available in Android 5.0. Those who use iOS devices with larger displays such as the iPad Mini and iPad may find some of these additional options to be of greater value than when using the smaller iPhone and iPod touch displays.

Resize Lens

An added feature that appears to have limited functionality, specifically with smaller-sized iOS devices, is the Resize Lens feature within Zoom. This allows portions of the display to be magnified while simultaneously displaying other portions of the display in their regular size. Even with the larger iPhone 6 Plus display, the screen real estate is too limited to take advantage of this feature. Partitioning such a small display into a combination of the actual display size and magnified display size not only requires nimble fingers, but a clear understanding of which portion of the magnified display has the focus of attention. The concept itself appears to be well intended, but its real-life implementation may be limited.

Speak Screen

The Speak Screen feature is a very useful and easy-to-use feature in iOS 8.1.1 which is likely to be overlooked by many people. It does exactly what its name suggests: it reads the content displayed on the screen. Enable the Speak Screen feature within Settings, then swipe down with two fingers from the top of the screen. Let's face it, whether you have a visual impairment or not, certain lighting conditions such as bright sunlight will wash out the ability for anyone to effectively read the display of their phone. The Speak Screen feature allows for quick and easy text-to-speech access, without having to learn the gestures that VoiceOver, the built-in iOS screen reader, requires. When Speak Screen is enabled, several high contrast controls appear at the top of the screen. On the far left, a control resembling a turtle decreases the speech rate, while a rabbit on the far right increases the speech rate. Also included are controls to pause, play, rewind, and fast forward the speech. If you occasionally require text-to-speech because of visual fatigue, glare, or the inability to read the displayed font size, the Speak Screen feature will come in very handy.

Android 5.0 provides text-to-speech capability through its built-in TalkBack synthesizer. However, loading it can be cumbersome, and it isn't nearly as user-friendly and convenient as the iOS Speak Screen feature, which was clearly designed for ease of access.

Color Variations

The Grayscale option is a new addition introduced in iOS 8.1.1. When enabled, it renders all content in grayscale, including all apps and photos. It also displays webpages in grayscale. This feature can make it easier for someone who is color blind to distinguish between similar colors, and to interpret information conveyed using colors that may be otherwise indistinguishable.

New to Android 5.0 is Color Correction, a feature that can also be particularly beneficial for people with color blindness. It offers three schemes to choose from: Deuteranomaly (red-green); Protanomaly (red-green); and Tritanomaly (blue-yellow).

Color Inversion

Apple has offered color inversion as one of its accessibility options within its iOS for several years, and has recognized this feature as a very important option for reducing glare and visual fatigue for some people. This feature transposes colors so that a typical display of black text on a white background becomes white text on a black background. Recognizing the importance of this feature, companies like Samsung have also provided their own version of color inversion, which they call "Negative Colors." It has taken Google some time, but they have now integrated a color inversion feature into their stock Android 5.0 version. The color inversion features of iOS 8.1.1 and Android 5.0 both work within their respective apps as well.

Additional Text and Display Options

Both iOS 8.1.1 and Android 5.0 include a number of additional modifications to text, some of which are carried over from previous versions. Under Accessibility, iOS 8.1.1 provides the following options: Bold Text, Reduce Transparency, and Darken Colors. It also introduces the Reduce White Point option, which reduces the overall intensity of bright colors. This can be a valuable feature for anyone who is glare-sensitive.

Android 5.0 now includes high-contrast text. By default, Android tends to display much of its sub-text within the operating system in gray. The high-contrast text feature modifies this text so it appears as the bolder font used with the regular text, making it much easier to read.

The Bottom Line

There are a number of factors to consider when purchasing a smartphone. Choosing between Apple iOS 8.1.1 and Google Android 5.0 can boil down to budget, personal preference, functional vision, and the specific tasks that you wish to carry out. iOS devices are generally more expensive than Android devices. If you only require a low level of magnification, and you're comfortable maneuvering within the Google platform, the powerful Magnification Gestures offered by Android certainly make it a viable option. However, if you rely more heavily on the text-to-speech features that VoiceOver on iOS devices provides, and you function well within the closed Apple iOS platform—which ensures a more consistent layout across various devices—iOS 8.1.1 may be a better fit.

It can be argued that Apple has represented the gold standard of accessibility for some time now. It is reassuring to see Google stepping up its game, and taking accessibility more seriously with its more recent Android releases that include Magnification Gestures and color inversion.

Product Information

Product: Android 5.0
Product: iOS 8.1.1

Comment on this article.