Yes, let me try and clarify things a bit. Windows 8 is the version of
windows that runs on a PC. This has an improved version of narrator
built in and will run the screen readers we are used to.
Windows 8 RT is for tablets. Since it's an arm processor, it will not
run most desktop applications, it's similar to IOS and Android tablets.
It does have narrator built in as well, so the touch screen on a
windows RT tablet will be accessible.
Now for the bad news. The last flavor of the new operating system is
called windows phone 8. It is designed to take the place of windows
phone 7. What you have said about accessibility for windows phone 8 is
correct. There is no screen reader, so, windows phone 8 is not useable
by the blind. I agree, shame on Microsoft for this. This is really the
only smart phone platform we cannot access since the iphone and Android
have screen readers for them.
Original message:
I just read an article on this, and unless someone has more
information, It doesn’t sound like it’s much better than in the
inaccessible Windows Phone 7. There was no talk that the menus or
settings in the phone were accessible with speech. You can turn on
speech for reading of text messages, called stupidly audio
confirmation, you can turn on talking caller ID, but nothing about
access to the phones functions. This is a disgrace on the part of
Microsoft if this is the case. They have been making empty promises
about access to their Windows Mobile phone system for the last 4 years
at the blind conventions and in meetings. They have also compounded the
confusion by creating two other totally different operating systems
called Windows 8, and Windows 8 RT. RT won’t even run our screen
readers. If anyone has any more specific information on these concerns
I would love to hear it.
_______________________________________________
ATI (Adaptive Technology Inc.)
A special interest affiliate of the Missouri Council of the Blind
http://moblind.org/membership/affiliates/adaptive_technology
_______________________________________________
ATI (Adaptive Technology Inc.)
A special interest affiliate of the Missouri Council of the Blind
http://moblind.org/membership/affiliates/adaptive_technology
