Hi all,
Yes, the definition of smart phones is changing, and I would encourage
people on this list to look at options such as the iPhone or Android based
phones.
To start with, you do not need any commercial product to use
an iPhone or Android phones.
Sticking to the topic, there are 2 free open source screen
readers for Android: TalkBack and Spiel.
The only issue comes up when you have to activate the screen
reader, you would need sighted assistance at that time, but once you have
TalkBack (the default screen reader on an Android phone) working, you do not
need any further sighted help. The main reasons you would need something like
Mobile Accessibility is if you aren't technically inclined, or you aren't
satisfied with the free accessible browser (not the default browser). Mobile
Accessibility has a better web browser for now, but things may change in future.
The presence of a physical trackpad or a trackball is a must
for now. You can use special virtual keyboards, though you can't use the the
regular virtual keyboard. Physical keyboards are useful, but in India, most
Android phones with physical QUERTY keyboards are a bit pricey. If you can
afford it, then go for them.
The phone should also be running Android 2.2 or later,
though 2.1 is also OK if you get a phone with a physical keyboard. There are
also a few other features missing from 2.1, but it is still usable.
Another issue to keep in mind while selecting a phone is to
go for a phone that has stock Android OS. A stock Android or a vanilla Android
version is one that hasn't been modified by the manufacturer. Some Android
versions are difficult to use from an accessibility point of view because of
the modifications made to Google's original version.
The 2 big advantages of Android phones are accessible GPS
apps, and the Android Market that has plenty of accessible apps for nearly
every function you can think of performing with your phone.
As an example, I will suggest for those interested to checkout Spice
Mi-310 for Rs. 7500 running stock Android 2.2. It is the cheapest phone in
India that theoretically fits all the requirements for an accessible Android
phone. Whatever phone you end up buying, be sure to try and start TalkBack in
the shop itself before bringing it home. TalkBack can be found under Settings
> Accessibility.
Lastly, for more information, read
Eyesfree.blogspot.com
And
Accessibleandroid.blogspot.com
And also the mailing list
http://groups.google.com/group/eyes-free/ If you want to quickly get at the
basic information, than read the oldest posts on the Accessible Android blog
here.
http://accessibleandroid.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-09-02T15%3A32%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7
Regards
Sent from my Lenovo ThinkPadd
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