I like Brian's take on this, now we can look for ourselves and see how much we can work around these real concerns presented fairly. On 2010-05-05, at 5:52 AM, olivia norman wrote:
> It's always interesting to get another prospective. I do have a case for my > iPad, so don't have to hold it up at all which helps. Personally, I love the > device, but as with anything, people have differing opinions and I actually > found Brian's experiences interesting and valuable to read. > I find that the four finger flick gesture really helps while moving around > most iPad screens, especially in applications such as mail and safari, this > gesture helps avoid swiping with one finger constantly. I also find that > applications such as iBooks and the iWork applications are wonderful > additions to this device, and afford the user functionality ad productivity > you just don't find on the iPhone. > In my way of thinking, these are two different kinds of devices, which > perform different functions and I use and think of them for completely > different things in my life. > There's also the issue with the iPhone's battery life. I can't for instance, > watch a movie or stream a youtube video for any length of time with out > experiencing significant battery drain. On my iPad, I am able to watch > videos for hours, no problem. > The case is a great, and IMO, needed, extra with the iPad for both blid and > sighted users. It allows for more comfortable use of the iPad and means that > you don't have to hold it or risk it falling. You can purchase it from apple > for about $39.99. > I am sorry to hear the iPad didn't work for you, Brian, and your experience > just shows that not every piece of technology works well for every user. > Thank you for posting this to the list! Have a great day! :) > Olivia > On May 5, 2010, at 4:52 AM, Nicolai Svendsen wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> He was saying it was uncomfortable to move around on the larger screen. If >> he has the case and puts it on a table, I'd imagine this would be a lot >> easier. At least, it sure would for me and would give me a better overview >> than having it in my lap, for example. Or, the frequent complaint that is >> often heard is that holding it up is also uncomfortable, which makes sense >> too. >> >> Regards, >> Nic >> Mobile Me: nic2...@me.com >> Skype: Kvalme >> MSN Messenger: nico...@home3.gvdnet.dk >> AIM: cincinster >> yahoo Messenger: cin368 >> Facebook Profile >> My Twitter >> >> On May 5, 2010, at 10:49 AM, Ben Mustill-Rose wrote: >> >>> What would the case solve though? >>> >>> I also have the vo freezing problem on my touch; I expected it to be >>> at least partly fixed on the ipad. >>> >>> On 05/05/2010, Nicolai Svendsen <chojiro1...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> Hi, >>>> >>>> Just one question. >>>> >>>> Why not get the iPad case and put it in there? That just seems like a >>>> logical solution to your dilemma. If you haven't sold it yet, give it here. >>>> lol >>>> >>>> Really, I've always thought the iPhone was mainly for a consumer. You can >>>> write long documents on it, but it is far from comfortable and very >>>> efficient. Well, you can write really quickly on that device, but really, >>>> it >>>> might get tiresome after a while. We will have Bluetooth keyboard support, >>>> though, so that is very exciting. >>>> >>>> I imagine the screen to be exactly the opposite of what you are saying. >>>> Sorry to disagree. I think the larger screen would aid me a great deal, and >>>> the split-screen is just a nifty feature to me. I won't get an iPad, >>>> though, >>>> and I have a lot of reasons for that. I'll try out an iPad at the end of >>>> May >>>> when they ship internationally, but I'm not going to be that excited. >>>> >>>> First, what can the iPad do that my iPhone cannot? iWork? Perhaps. But >>>> right >>>> now, I don't see myself using an iPad. Technically, the space I would take >>>> up if I hook up a bluetooth keyboard to the iPad is probably just as much >>>> as >>>> my Macbook, if a little bit less. The Macbook is faster, and I need the >>>> superior speed. I need to be able to type blazingly fast, and though I >>>> could >>>> do that with the iPad keyboard dock or bluetooth keyboards, I still don't >>>> want to carry those accessories around with me. Of course, that doesn't >>>> mean >>>> I can't become very efficient with the on-screen keyboard on the device. >>>> >>>> Secondly, yes, the glare from the iPad's LCD is hard on the eyes for a few >>>> hours. Having to read on the iPad or iPhone for long periods of time is a >>>> pain, and that is really only because it is bright. IF it was like the >>>> Kindle where you still need a lamp to read, great. >>>> >>>> Third, I just don't think the iPad is right for me. I want something small >>>> like my iPhone that can do all these things already, and I just can't >>>> justify buying an iPad right now. Yeah, there are probably things the >>>> iPhone >>>> will be unable to do, but that hasn't hampered my productivity any. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Nic >>>> Mobile Me: nic2...@me.com >>>> Skype: Kvalme >>>> MSN Messenger: nico...@home3.gvdnet.dk >>>> AIM: cincinster >>>> yahoo Messenger: cin368 >>>> Facebook Profile >>>> My Twitter >>>> >>>> On May 5, 2010, at 7:23 AM, Bryan Smart wrote: >>>> >>>>> OK. So, I've had my iPad Wi-Fi+3G for less than a week, and I've already >>>>> decided not to keep it. There is so much of a euphoric glow on some of the >>>>> lists about the wonderfulness of this device. I'm the type of person that >>>>> is always eager to investigate new technologies and ways of working, and >>>>> so expected that I'd agree with the generally positive reception. I don't. >>>>> >>>>> I have experience with the iPhone, and, other than the fact that it is >>>>> slower to operate than a device with buttons, and that the battery life is >>>>> terrible when compared to most mobile phones, I thought that it was an >>>>> impressive piece of tech with an advanced approach to user interaction. >>>>> >>>>> I was excited about the iPad, and expected it to bring everything from an >>>>> iPhone, only improved. First, the iPad would have a larger screen, so it >>>>> should be possible to more easily move my finger directly to the position >>>>> of known controls in order to speed up the operation. Also, the iPad would >>>>> have a significantly larger battery than the iPhone, so I could spend >>>>> hours using apps, even wireless apps, without having to worry about >>>>> draining the power away. >>>>> >>>>> The only universally great thing that I can say about the iPad is that the >>>>> battery is spectacular. With the screen brightness set to low, it runs for >>>>> a very long time. I've spent hours streaming movies via Netflix over 3G, >>>>> and the battery just keeps on going. >>>>> >>>>> Unfortunately, that's where it all ends. It isn't that I think that the >>>>> tech behind the iPad is necessarily bad. If you want this experience, >>>>> though, as a blind person, you're better off with an iPhone. >>>>> >>>>> Why? Well, let's compare the iPad to the iPhone 3GS. >>>>> >>>>> The iPad has a larger screen. If you're sighted, this is great for >>>>> watching video. Watching movies on a tiny phone screen has got to be an >>>>> eye strain. Blind people don't watch movies, and we can listen to them >>>>> just fine on an iPad or iPhone speaker. >>>>> >>>>> I thought that the larger screen would help with VoiceOver, but, actually, >>>>> it makes things worse. When you work an iPhone, placing your finger at >>>>> different positions on the screen only requires wrist movement. The iPad >>>>> screen is huge when compared to the iPhone, and you must move your entire >>>>> arm in order to navigate the screen. This can become tiring after hours of >>>>> computing, because your arm can rarely rest on anything. If you don't hold >>>>> your arm up, with your fingers angled down, you're likely to bump the >>>>> screen with part of your wrist or forearm, causing VoiceOver's focus to >>>>> jump to some random position on the screen. This is particularly >>>>> frustrating because there is so much content on an iPad screen. If you >>>>> navigate through controls by swiping, you'll be swiping and swiping and >>>>> swiping and swiping to get to where you'd like. Of course, you can >>>>> directly explore with your finger, but I've noticed that, in several >>>>> places (like the App Store and Safari), tapping somewhere doesn't >>>>> necessarily mean that swiping will continue from that point. In many >>>>> places, I'll tap at a point on the screen, but, when I start swiping, >>>>> VoiceOver will always start from the top of the screen. So, in those >>>>> situations, if you accidentally touch the screen with some other skin >>>>> while swiping, or if VoiceOver mistakenly interprets a swipe as a tap, >>>>> then you'll lose your place, and need to start from the top of the screen. >>>>> In the App Store in particular, I've swiped myself to frustration. >>>>> >>>>> The size of the screen is also not convenient for holding the iPad like >>>>> you would the iPhone. It must rest on your lap or a table. And, with me >>>>> pushing and tapping on it with both hands, I've had some situations where >>>>> it has nearly slid off of my lap. With the screen being made of glass, >>>>> that is not a great thought to ponder. So, I think that the screen size is >>>>> not only wasted on blind users, but is also a drawback. >>>>> >>>>> The on-screen keyboard is a bit nicer to use on a large screen. However, >>>>> the touch-typing mode makes even one-handed typing on a small screen a >>>>> breeze. Besides that, the larger screen meant that a lot more arm motion >>>>> was required to type on an iPad. I tried the two-handed typing approach in >>>>> landscape mode, but find that, no matter how well you place your hands, >>>>> typing is very mistake prone. For anyone that finds it hard to type for >>>>> extended periods of time on the iPhone, you can use the iPad keyboard dock >>>>> with it when the next iPhone OS comes out. >>>>> >>>>> VoiceOver is worse on the iPad. I'll just put my flame retardant suit on >>>>> right now for the hordes of people that will respond and tell me how I'm >>>>> wrong, how wonderful it is, and how it must be me. Well, I've used an >>>>> iPhone extensively, and I've used the touch gestures on my MacBook Pro a >>>>> lot, so I think that I'm pretty familiar with how everything is supposed >>>>> to work. On the iPad, for gestures to work, I must over-act them. On my >>>>> MacBook or iPhone, a little flick of my finger is enough to indicate that >>>>> I'd like to move to the next item. On the iPad, I must make a huge swipe, >>>>> extending a few inches. Small flicks will work, sometimes, but VoiceOver >>>>> is very likely to just interpret the flick as a tap, and jump my focus. As >>>>> I've said before, given how huge the screen is, and how the control order >>>>> is broken in several important places, this is extremely frustrating. >>>>> Having to make huge swipes means that my whole arm is involved, and >>>>> swiping and swiping and swiping with your whole arm will really make your >>>>> forearm sore after a few hours. Sometimes, the screen won't even register >>>>> that I touched or swiped. The iPhone screen seems much more sensitive. >>>>> >>>>> The speech glitches at high speed. At 90% or above, Samantha can't say >>>>> "search", and other words, without chopping off the ends. >>>>> >>>>> And, my largest complaint about VoiceOver on the iPad. It doesn't >>>>> recognize, in most cases, when the screen updates. This seems to be most >>>>> noticeable on screens that use HTML/web content. Say that you are in the >>>>> App Store, or Safari, and you tap a link. You know that a new page/screen >>>>> must have loaded. Sometimes you'll hear the audio cue indicating that the >>>>> load completed, sometimes not. However, most always, if you start swiping, >>>>> you'll realize that you're reviewing material from the old page. You must >>>>> tap somewhere on the screen for VoiceOver to realize that, in fact, the >>>>> screen has changed. This is annoying for purposes of situation and >>>>> orientation. >>>>> >>>>> Here is how it should work. You double-tap a control. You wait. You hear >>>>> the completed audio cue, and VoiceOver speaks the first item on the screen >>>>> (which now has focus). Now, you can either start swiping through controls, >>>>> explore the screen with your finger, or two-finger-swipe down to start >>>>> reading the screen. >>>>> >>>>> This is how it works, though. You double-tap a control. You wait, and wait >>>>> and wait. You don't get any feedback about what is happening, so you start >>>>> exploring the screen with your finger. If the screen hasn't finished >>>>> loading yet, then VoiceOver will either repeatedly click at you, or else >>>>> you'll hear absolutely nothing (because VoiceOver is frozen up). Once the >>>>> screen finishes loading, all of that tapping and touching that you did >>>>> while VoiceOver was frozen will be suddenly processed, and VoiceOver will >>>>> start going crazy with clicking and speaking fragments. Now, you aren't >>>>> sure where you are, so you must four-finger-swipe up to get to the >>>>> beginning of the screen, then start exploring. >>>>> >>>>> Another way that this can work out is that you double-tap a control, and >>>>> VoiceOver will say something (supposedly the first control on the new >>>>> screen "cancel button selected", or similar). When you start swiping, >>>>> though, you'll hear the contents from the last screen. So, you first tap >>>>> somewhere on the screen to force VoiceOver to realize that the contents >>>>> have changed, then four-finger-swipe up to go to the beginning of the >>>>> screen, then, finally, start exploring. >>>>> >>>>> Honestly, this is ridiculous. It is hard to believe that Apple couldn't >>>>> catch such a problem. I guess that web support had minimal testing. Lots >>>>> of apps use imbedded web content, though, so this happens in all sorts of >>>>> apps from Wonder Radio to Net Flix. >>>>> >>>>> As a final VoiceOver thought, I've noticed that the iPad is experiencing a >>>>> problem that the iPhone had early on in its life. For those of you with an >>>>> iPad, lock the screen. Now, put your ear up next to the speaker. Hear that >>>>> hiss. Now, put your iPad down for 5 minutes and come back. Still hear that >>>>> hiss? That is the sound of your iPad's audio hardware constantly running >>>>> and draining your battery. So, while the iPad's battery life is impressive >>>>> in a continuous run (like watching movies back to back), it sucks in a >>>>> similar way to the iPhone where you'll go to sleep with a full battery, >>>>> and wake up with 70% or less. There is no reason for that on an iPad, >>>>> since the iPad isn't doing sync for Visual Voicemail and all of the other >>>>> AT&T phone to tower chatter. That open speaker, though, is probably the >>>>> cause of most of the drain. >>>>> >>>>> I'm further discouraged to hear that the iPad won't be receiving an OS >>>>> update until the Fall. So, I suppose that these VoiceOver issues will >>>>> stand for at least 4 or 5 months. There will be a new iPhone, and a new >>>>> version of the OS for everyone else, in about a month. A major OS update >>>>> almost certainly means an update of VoiceOver. >>>>> >>>>> So, in the final analysis, the larger screen makes the iPad harder to work >>>>> for me, and VoiceOver has more problems than on an iPhone. The larger >>>>> battery is nice, but that isn't enough. In my mind, the iPhone is all the >>>>> iPad that a blind user needs. >>>>> >>>>> If you are thinking of returning yours, better decide fast. You only have >>>>> 14 days after receiving your iPad to return it, and, even then, you must >>>>> pay a 10% restocking fee. >>>>> >>>>> The iPad is an interesting device, but I'd just rather use an iPhone, I >>>>> think. >>>>> >>>>> Bryan >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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