Good morning. I am Dan Frye, a new, blind user of the iPhone. I plunged into this adventure on Saturday, and, upon the recommendation of friends, I'm availing myself of this list as a resource. Based on the exchanges I'm seeing, it's clear that I've landed among a fairly advanced community of nonvisual iPhone users, so, if my questions are too elementary, please direct me elsewhere. I don't want to inappropriately monopolize this forum with questions that detract from the list's general intent, purpose, or broadest value for all involved. I'm a fairly average assistive technology and computer user; I'm no computer scientist or technology geek to be sure. I use my technology to help me do my job, but I don't necessarily know why the computer turns on or how it manages the magic it does.
With these preliminaries out of the way, I have a few questions. Answers to any of these queries will prove helpful. I hope it's acceptable to stray occasionally from strictly Apple-related inquiries into the tangential technologies and applications used on these devices? Here are several of my initial questions/challenges: 1. My phone seemed to be working without significant flaws until last night. In route home from work (I commute on a train with many others), my phone started behaving erratically. I'd lock the screen, but it'd immediately unlock itself, without my pressing home and double tapping to unlock it. It'd go to my Home screen. I turned the phone off, thinking this would reboot and correct any problems, but this pattern continued. Then Voice-Over started announcing "All caps on" and "All caps off", even when I was on the home screen without any keyboard present. Finally, I received an unidentified text from an entity saying, "Verizon Alert: Account Locked. Go to this Website to register your account." I've subsequently learned that this is a new type of phishing text message. I don't know that all of these anomalies are related, but they happened within close proximity to each other. After calling Verizon Wireless, the Technical Assistance representative had me work with somebody to reset my phone, without losing data, and this seemed to resolve the problem. But the locking and random shift announcements were back this morning. Subsequently, I've turned Bluetooth off, and the issues have disappeared. But I should be able to work with Bluetooth so that I can use my keyboard. Any ideas about my trouble? 2. I was given some advice about setting volume controls somewhere within the settings menu to guarantee that my ringer volume wouldn't ever go off or down, as it has, but also keeping Voice-Over turned up. I can't remember this suggestion, though. Any ideas? I'm afraid I've digested so much in recent days that some of what I've learned has escaped me. 3. I can't seem to master the four-finger swipe up and down to go to the top or bottom of long screens or multiple screens. Perhaps this is just my technique, but does anybody have a full-proof way of managing this? 4. When I lock my phone to go to sleep, I occasionally here the beep or other notifications for an in-coming text or otherwise. Can I disable this sound, when the phone is locked, so that I'm not disturbed at night. I know about the silencer on the side of the phone, but I want to be able to hear an alarm or answer an emergency, in-coming regular phone call. Ideas? 5. I thought I read that you could dismiss an alarm simply by pressing the Power Button once after it sounds. When I do this, it doesn't seem to stop it. The alarm sounds several times more in ten-minute increments. This is causing domestic difficulty, since I have to rise at 4:00 a.m. to get ready and leave for work. Smile! Suggestions for effectively dismissing the alarm? Despite these difficulties, I've managed to learn to text (slowly still but faster each time), email, and answer the phone. I've independently downloaded one application so far too. So, if I can convince myself that this platform will be stable and consistent, I'll likely stick with this technology. I have fourteen days within which to make a decision. I've always been a Windows computer user, and I'm migrating from an HTC Ozone with Mobile Speak voice software. Thank you for any feedback. I have the newest iPhone (OS5) book for blind people provided through National Braille Press that Anna and Dean wrote. I've found this to be an excellent starting resource. But I'd be pleased to receive any additional instruction I can gather. I don't like being in the learning stage; I'd much rather feel competent in my world. With Kind Regards, Daniel B. Frye, J.D. Management and Program Specialist Randolph-Sheppard and Helen Keller National Center Programs U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Rehabilitation Services Administration 550 12th Street, SW, Room 5023 Washington, DC 20202-2800 (202) 245-7308 office (202) 245-7591 fax (410) 241-7006 mobile [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en.
