iSee - Using various technologies from a blind persons perspective.

Demo of changing the VoiceOver speech and sound channels when using head phones in iOS 10

Demo of the new VoiceOver sound channel option in iOS 10.

Demo of using the iOS 10 on screen keyboard as an input keyboard with the Apple tv running tv os 10

Demo of using the iPhone running iOS 10 and TV os 10 to allow iOS keyboard on iPhone to be used as input keyboard on the Apple TV when near by.

Demo of the DeLonghi Prima-Donna Elite Touch coffee machine using the iOS Coffee Link app with voiceOver

Demo of using the Coffee Link app on iOS with voiceOver.  Oddly after completing this demo, discovered that the Android version of this app works better with a screen reader to control the machine.

Mac os Sierra Siri demo

At last Siri has arrived on the Mac with Sierra.  Take you through setup and use.

Apple watch v3 demo: using the heart beat app on the Apple Watch.

Demo of the Apple Watch Heart Beat app with Watch os V3.

Apple watch v3 demo: the new Breathing app to manage your breathing

Demo of the new Breathing app with watch os V3.

Apple watch v3 demo: Find my iPhone now finds the Apple Watch.

Demo of using Find my iPhone to find the Aple watch.

Apple watch v3 demo: how to setup and use the Dock button (replacing the Friends Button).

Demo of how to setup and use the Dock button in watch os V3.

Apple watch v3 demo: setting up and using the Mini Mouse or Mickey Mouse talking watch faces

Demo of how to setup and use the talking Mickey or Mini Mouse watch faces in Watch os V3.

Apple watch v3 demo: moving and deleting apps on the Apple Watch home screen

Demo of moving or deleting apps on the Home screen in Watch os V3.

Apple watch v3 demo: using Auto Speak for watch face complications to speak automatically on watch wake: great for exercising

Demo of using the VoiceOver Auto Speak function in Watch os V3.

Apple Watch V3 demo: how to setup and use VoiceOver Taptic Time i.e. get silent time through vibrations

How to setup and use Taptic time with voiceOver in Watch os V3.

Quick preview of some upcoming Apple watch V3 features using VoiceOver

A bit of a sneaky demo of Watch os V3 before full release.

Demo of the updated iOS Remote app for the Apple TV 4 Gen with Siri support (August 2016)

Demo of the updated Remote iOS app which now includes Siri to control the Apple TV 4th generation.

Demo of Using the Victor Reader Stream 2nd Edition with the Vision Australia online Daisy Service

Demo of how to setup and use the VRS with the VA I-Access Lib service.

Demo of creating a weblink file to allow easy access to a website from your Mac/Windows desktop or other folder

Rather than trying to drag and drop web links using VoiceOver, demo of writing a quick file for a web link.

From my Talking Tech Vision Australia Radio program: an interview with the Australian voice of Siri July 12 2016

An interview with the "real" voice of Siri.

Teach young children how to use VoiceOver gestures on iOS: Ballyland Magic app demo

In this demo of the Ballyland Magic app, I give you a demo and overview of the app.

From the developers: http://www.sonokids.org

An educational iPad game that helps children with vision impairment to learn and practice a number of VoiceOver gestures.

The Ballyland Magic app is specifically designed for young children with vision impairment to learn and practice their first navigational touch gestures for VoiceOver, Apple’s built-in screen reader. While engaging with the Ballyland Magic app, children with no or low vision will learn fundamental skills to use a mobile touch screen device. You don’t need to be a VoiceOver expert to assist the child – but by the end of the Magic Show, you may be well on your way to becoming one!!

Features:

• No previous iPad experience required by the child or parent/teacher
• Built-in speech
• Original ‘Tap-tap’ practice song
• Popular Ballyland characters
• Use at home and at school
• Designed with extensive feedback from young children with vision impairment, their parents and educators

Voice Assistant (screen reader) basic gestures demo using Samsung Galaxy tab

Voice Assistant basic gestures demo using Samsung Galaxy Tab

Firstly I give you a physical description of my Samsung Galaxy Tab and a reminder that the Tab has a physical Home button with the Recent apps and Back buttons to the left and right of the physical Home button: i.e. the Recent apps and Back buttons are soft buttons: i.e. part of the touch screen interface with the other icons.

I then go through the following gestures.

3 finger flick left right to change:

Speech rate,

Punctuation,

Dark screen,

Large cursor,

Notification, and

Media vol.

1 finger flick up or down to change.

3 Finger flick up or down to change navigation elements:

Character granularity,

Word granularity.

Line granularity, and

Paragraph granularity,

1 finger flick up or down to move by navigation element.

Jump to first and last items on screen:

1 finger up/down (up pointing arrow) top of screen, and

1 finger down/up (down pointing arrow) bottom of screen.

Drag finger around screen or flick left/right to navigate.

1 finger double tap to activate last item heard/in focus.

2 finger flick left/right up/down:

scroll screen in opposite direction to flick.

Two finger flick down: read down from current position.

Two finger touch to silence speech.

Two finger double tap: start/stop audio if playing.

2 finger triple tap: read out Notification info: time, date etc.

3 finger touch: reads out items in order after the current selected item.

Complete the demo by showing how I unlock my Tab using a pin number at the lock screen.

Demo of the Albert Accessibility Training tutorial Android app to learn how to use the Albert EFTPOS Accessible terminal pin entry from CBA

In this demo, I take you through the Albert Accessibility Training tutorial Android app which is a secure way of entering your pin on an Albert terminal including: Audio Introduction, Tutorial, Practise Gestures, and Help.

When you install the app on your Android device, it will be installed as AEVI Accessibility Tutorial as this is what the Albert Terminal is based upon.

Also keep in mind that to allow you to use the accessible secure pin entry, the merchant needs to turn on accessibility on via the terminals context menu, and then you can either use the speaker in the terminal (or head phones) to listen to your amount, prompts when entering in your pin, and whether it is declined or authorised.

This is a great way to learn how to use the Albert Terminal before you actually have to use one.

Demo of the Vision Australia Connect Android app using VoiceOver for the I-Access online library service

In this demo I demonstrate the Vision Australia Connect app for use with the I-Access library service which provides daisy books, newspapers/magazines and podcasts for members of the VA Library to stream or download to their Android devices: in my case on my Samsung Galaxy Tab..

In this demo I take you through finding and downloading the app from the Google Play Store, signing in with the app to the I-Access service (VA Lib members), description of main bookshelf screen, searching for a book, downloading and reading a book, explanation and demo of the play book daisy screen, and returning a book to the VA Library.

As this was a basic demo, subscriptions to newspapers/magazines and the podcasts plus more advanced usage of the VA Connect player will be covered in another demo.

Demo of the Vision Australia Connect iOS app using VoiceOver for the I-Access online library service

In this demo I demonstrate the Vision Australia Connect app for use with the I-Access library service which provides daisy books, newspapers/magazines and podcasts for members of the VA Library to stream or download to their iOS devices: i.e. iPod touch, iPad or iPhone.

In this demo I take you through finding and downloading the app from the App Store, signing in with the app to the I-Access service (VA Lib members), description of main bookshelf screen, searching for a book, downloading and reading a book, explanation and demo of the play book daisy screen, and returning a book to the VA Library.

As this was a basic demo, subscriptions to newspapers/magazines and the podcasts plus more advanced usage of the VA Connect player will be covered in another demo.

Demo of the Wahoo TICKR Heart Rate Monitor

In this demo I give you a physical description of the Wahoo TICKR Hart Rate Monitor, how to attach and ware the chest band, using the Wahoo utility app to check connectivity, go through the Run Fit app briefly looking at Settings and the Profile tabs (to set your heart zones), and then take you through using the heart rate monitor with a cardio workout on my treadmill.

Microsoft outlook for the Mac demo with VoiceOver

In this demo, I take you through navigating Microsoft outlook for Mac (release 2016 April 11) using VoiceOver covering the layout of the main screen (Toolbar, Ribbon Group, Navigation Table, Message Table [when using Mail], buttons for Mail, Calendar etc, and Status Group, accessing Mail, sending a New e-mail, Replying/Forwarding on an e-mail, checking for e-mail, changing application screens within outlook (Mail Command+1, Calendar Command+2, People Command+3, Tasks Command+4 and Notes command+5), a brief look at the layout of the Calendar screen, and looking at preferences for setting up an Account, and Notification Sounds.

In further demos, will explore Calendar, People etc.

Aim of this demo was to give you an initial feel of the layout of outlook and the ease of navigating and use.

Demo of the Audio Game Hub self voicing game for iOS

In this demo, I take you through a demo of the Audio Game Hub and play two of the eight games: Archery and Hunt.

For an experimental audio game with visuals that you can toggle, it is a great set of eight games.

Note - to use the game, toggle VoiceOver off.

Demo of geting your iPhone to speak an eBook when your screen is locked

In this demo, I show you how to keep listening to an eBook such as an iBook or Kindle book even when your screen is locked using the "speak screen" function that you will find in Settings, General, Accessibility, Speech, Speak Screen.

In the demo, I show you two ways of invoking speak screen: either by two finger swipe down from the status line if using VoiceOver or asking Siri to "speak screen".

You can also get Siri to stop speaking the screen if you wish.

AppleTV 4th generation 9.2 demo: voice dictation, folders, and BT keyboard navigation

In this demo I take you through what is new in TV os 9.2 in respect to using voice dictation: renaming, moving and creating folders to sort apps in to, and demoing navigating with a Bluetooth keyboard which is now available on the Apple tv once again.

I also point out two current issues with using the BT keyboard: pressing Escape 3 times to bring back the Accessibility Short-Cut menu after turning off VO with the same command, will not work.  Secondly when entering passwords in to a secure text field, keys are echoed.

Demo and discussion of using multiple Apple watch's in iOS 9.3 and Watch os 2.2

In this demo, I take you through having a bit of a play around with using more than one Apple watch with my Apple watch 42mm and Apple watch sports 38mm, and suggest a number of benefits of using more than one Apple watch, particularly at least for me, it now allows me to demo one watch without the worry of people accessing private information.

OS x 10.11.4 password protecting a note in the Notes app

In this demo, I show you how to password protect a note within the Notes and where to change or reset the password.

Same functionality to that found now in the Notes app in iOS 9.3.

iOS 9.3 demo: 4 finger flick left or right multitasking app switching gesture to switch between running apps

When in an app (not on the home screen), 4 finger flick left or right will switch between running apps.

iOS 9.3 demo: offline voice dictation

No longer need to be on 4g or Wi-Fi to use voice dictation: can be offline with no internet connection.

Correction: in the demo I say it just works automatically.  However, if your language supports offline voice dictation you may need to turn it on in Settings, General, Keyboard, Dictation on/off toggle.  I dont' know why, but my setting was on by default which according to some blogs will be turned off by default.

iOS 9.3 demo: password or touch ID for protecting Notes

How to secure your notes produced by the default Notes app with either a password or finger print.

iOS 9.3 demo: new 3d touch options with default apps

Demo of new 3d touch options for Settings, Weather, Compass, Health, App Store, and the iTunes Store.

iOS 9.3 demo: Night Shift mode

Where to turn on Night Shift mode if you wish to reduce the amount of blue light to help you go to sleep.

A preview of my Connected Home

In this demo, I take you through my home and discuss all the hardware/software that makes up my connected home.

For this demo, I was using watch OS 2.2, TV OS 9.2, and iOS 9.3.

Jabra Storm Bluetooth Headset demo

In this demo, I go through the following:

In The Box:

Jabra Storm Bluetooth Headset

Micro USB cable

Extra ear bud and wind sock

Getting Started Guide

Main features:

9 hours of Talk Time

2 hours battery charge

Bluetooth and NFC pairing

Pair up to 8 Bluetooth devices, 2 activate at same time (only one activate at a time talking)

Win resistant (if to noisy, put on wind sock).

Ware on either ear

Very light and comfortable to use

Jabra  Assist app for tracking headset, BT pairing tips and battery status (battery status seems not to be accessible)

Physical description:

Arm with Mic and Answer/End button on end

Curved tight letter C to form body of headset that goes around ear

Most controls positioned towards end of boom and on to curved C

Answer/end button

On/off switch

Volume down/up

Micro UsB connector with protective flap

rotate ear piece to put in either ear

Voiced prompts:

Connected 

Battery low Redialling 

Disconnected 

To connect your headset, go to the Bluetooth menu on your phone and select it from the list 

To answer call, say Yes or No

Pairing:

When first used, is in paring mode,

Hold down Answer/End button for 3 second s pair

Functions:

Switch side switch up to turn on headset or down to turn off headset

Press Answer/End to hear Connected

Press Answer/End to answer an incoming call or say yes or No

Press Answer/End twice to reject an 

incoming call or say No

Press Answer/End twice to redial last call

Press Answer/End for 1 second to activate Siri

Press Answer/End for 3 seconds to put in pairing mode

Press Answer/End plus Volume Down to turn off low battery warning

Press volume down or up to adjust volume

Press volume Up/Down at same time to mute

Headset is capable of answering multiple calls and putting calls on hold

Points to consider:

low battery warning starts at 50 percent and announces every 10 minutes if not turned off

Turning off voiced low battery warning sometimes doesn’t seem too work

No charging voiced indication

Benefits:

light weight

Comfortable to ware

Can use in either ear

Have to active devices at the same time

9 hours talk time does last all day

voice prompts

Reasonably good volume

Clear when on phone call

How to activate Voice Dictation when using a BT kb or BT Braille input kb with voiceOver

In this demo I show you how to activate Voice Dictation from the Bluetooth Keyboard using the VoiceOver command VO+Dash (-) or on the Braille display input keyboard Space+dots 156: i.e. the VoiceOver two finger magic double tap.

The trick as I explain/demo is to make sure the on-screen keyboard is visible: with the Bluetooth keyboard just press the Eject key (top right of the keyboard) and on the Braille display input keyboard Space+dots 146.

If the keyboard is not on the screen, you'll just start/stop music playing for example.

With using the Braille display input keyboard, you can set the on-screen keyboard to be visible in Settings, General, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Braille, on-screen keyboard.

Not currently able to be activated on the iPad pro smart keyboard.

Apple watch tip: 3 configuration suggestions for new users and others for daily use

In this demo, I take you through 3 configuration tips suggested by a listener of my podcasts for new users or people that would like a suggested way of using the watch everyday.

These tips are: turning Wake Screen Off, Setting Accessibility (Triple Click) short-cut to voiceOver to allow pressing the Digital Crown on the watch to toggle VoiceOver on/off, and how to turn on VoiceOver Digital Crown navigation.

Note - if you toggle VoiceOver off on the watch, this will turn off Digital Crown Navigation and you'll have to enable it again.

Ring Video Doorbell Physical Installation/Setup with the Ring app on an iPhone 6s Using voiceOver

In this demo of the Ring Video Doorbell, I give you a thorough setup and run through of what the Ring Video Doorbell is, unboxing, Ring app setup to use the physical Ring Video Doorbell, attaching the Doorbell to the wall and completing the setup, using the Ring app, and final comments.

I must say, this is one of the best home connected devices I have purchased yet: i.e. what did I do before I had this device smile.

Physical description and demo of the Incase iPhone nano 7th generation and iPhone 6s Arm Sport Bands from Apple

As I use both of these Incase Arm Sport Bands, in this demo, I take you through a physical description of both of the iPod nano 7th generation and iPhone 6s  Arm Sport Bands available from Apple Stores or online.

I just find these cases handy to use by getting your iPod nano or iPhone out of the way when exercising, gardening etc, and with the use of Bluetooth ear phones, you don't have any wires to worry about.

My first play around with an Apple watch case

In this demo, I take you through a description and play around with my first try out of an Apple watch case.

This particular case (The Spigen SGP11504 Tough Armour Case) was purchased firstly to find out what using a case on the Apple watch would be like, and secondly if it did work, to start using the case to protect the Apple watch when doing the gardening etc.

Demo of an iOS app that I use 2 to 3 hours a day: the Audible app from Audible

Odd that after 384 demos I've finally gotten around to doing a podcast on one of my most used apps on a daily basis: the Audible app.

In this demo I go through purchasing a book from http://www.audible.com via Safari on the Mac, quickly demo how I listen to an Audible book on the Mac, and then go through a fairly extensive demo of the Audible app on my iPhone 6s including: accessing the book I just purchased, discuss in-depth the book title playing screen and its options, the book shelf, and the other Tabs (including the More tab where you will find Settings).

Hope you enjoy listening to the demo as much as I like actually using the app and demoing it.

Demo of Apple's iOS Podcast app now available on the Apple TV 4th generation

In this demo, I demonstrate Apple's Podcasts app that became available with the 9.1.1 Apple TV OS update.

I first start with a demo of the app on the iPone, and then move over to the Apple TV 4th generation.

In the demo I cover the layout of the app, accessing unread podcasts, listing "My Podcasts", searching/subscribing/playng podcasts, and demo how the play position between iOS and TV os is synchronised.

During the demo of searching for podcasts to subscribe, I use the Remote app on my iPhone rather than the Apple tv 4th generation keyboard and point out if you are using the Remote app on your iOS device, you can use the on-screen keyboard, voice dictation or a Bluetooth keyboard if you have one connected.

Demo of 3rd party iOS apps that I use on my Apple watch

Demo of 3rd party apps that I use on my Apple watch (not the default Apple watch apps) including: CNN, Just Press Record, Navigon, Downcast, Drafts, Comfort, Tic Tac Toe, Tweetings, Newsify, Hangman, TimeBuzz, Animal Watch, Phone Battery, Trash Day, Pandora, Calculator Watch Pro Free, Dictationary, QuickSwitch, Decibl, DoublePost, and UnHand Me. ,    

A quick demo of how I use 3d touch on my iPhone 6s using VoiceOver

In this demo, I take you through where to turn 3d touch on, adjust the sensitivity of using on the screen, note where to test 3d touch after adjusting sensitivity, demo several apps (including Phone, Music, Videos, App, iTunes and iBooks stores) that I use regularly, demo a nice tip with Assistive Touch with 3d touch, note what feedback you are given if an app doesn't support 3d touch, and finish off by demoing the 1 finger double tap and hold for moving/deleting an icon commenting that if I held my finger down on the screen to hard I could trigger 3d touch if it was in the light force sensitivity setting.

I comment throughout the demo, that I use the Peak functionality of 3d touch on app icons, but I don't use the Poke function of 3d touch within apps.

3d touch is currently available on the iPhone 6s and 6s plus and is an advanced version of Force Touch found on the Apple watch.

Demo of he iPad Pro, Smart Keyboard, and Apple Pencil using VoiceOver

In this demo, I take you through a physical description and use of the iPad pro, smart keyboard, and the Apple pencil.

The Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil are sold separately to the iPad Pro.

I note with the Smart Keyboard that to perform the Quick Nav VoiceOver command for Perform Action, that it is Left/Up/Right, not Up/Down as on a standard BT keyboard due to the moulding of the Up and Down keys in to one key.  In addition, as the Smart Keyboard has no Escape key, Control+Option+Accent performs the Escape VoiceOver function (this can be used on BT keyboards as well).

With both the touch screen and the keyboard, I demo how to use Split View which you can activate using VoiceOver from the Status Line by a three finger flick to the left.

In the demo, I use the Apple Pencil for the hand writing mode for VoiceOver which can be turned on and accessed by the VO Rotor: Settings, General, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Rotor: Hand Writing.

Note - to pair the Apple Pencil to the iPad pro, just plug it in to the lightning port, this is also where you charge the Pencil as well.

Use Notifications Today Screen Battery Widget to give you the battery status of the iPad Pro as we'll as the Apple Pencil.

Demo quickly the multi-tasking gestures which can be used on an iPad, if you turn the gestures on in Settings, General, MMulti-Tasking.

Complete the demo by showing you how to use the Smart Keyboard as a cover for the iPad pro.

An interview with Jonathan Mosen aired on VA Radio Jan 5 2016

An interview with Jonathan Mosen aired on Vision Australia radio Jan 5 2016 where Stephen and I discuss with Jonathan how he got in to tech and some general thoughts about his experiences with technology.

To find out more about all of Jonathan's work, go to his website Mosen Consulting:

http://www.mosen.org

An interview with Dr Robert Carter - The Tech Doctor on Va Radio Talking Tech for December 29 2015

Sharing this interview with Dr Robert Carter who does the Tech Doctor Podcast.

A general chat concerning his views on technology.

Robert's Tech Doctor Blog and Podcast can be accessed with the following link:

http://www.dr-carter.com

Apple watch app demo: Comfort (Netatmo Weather Station) & QuickSwitch (Belkin WeMo) hardware access.

In this demo, I demo how I can access my Netatmo Urban Weather Station (where I am using two hardware modules for indoor/outdoor temperature information), and my Belkin Link light globes and Belkin WeMo switch's from my Apple watch.

I first demo the official app for Netatmo followed by the Comfort app on the iPHone, and then demo the comfort complication and app running n my Apple watch.

Similarly with Belkin: I first demo the official WeMo app, and then the QuickSwitch app on my iPhone, and then demo the QuickSwitch app on the Apple watch.  Unfortunately the QuickSwitch app has no complication for use on the Apple watch, I have to just use the app.

Conclude in commenting that these two apps just make the Apple watch that more useful.

Demo of the updated Twitter client for Mac OS X using VoiceOver: now accessible.

On the 31st of December 2015 Aussie time, the official Twitter client for Mac OS X was updated.  Amongst the improvements was giving access to VoiceOver users to the interface.

In this demo, I take you through a brief exploration of the Twitter client, navigating the home time line, examining a tweets details, activating a link within a tweet, replying to a tweet, switching between the views for Home timeline, Notifications (mentions), Messages, Profile, Lists, and Search, demo of the Tweet sub-menu from the main menu to allow for retweeting of tweets etc, and posting a new tweet.

As this is a short demo, I did not go in to Messages, Lists or Searching.

Demo was mainly to show you that the updated Twitter app for Mac OS X is indeed accessible.

A few rough edges, but nothing that stops basic solid functioning of the app.