Hello Cara, Do we use accessibil...@apple.com or some kind of other address for this? Its not a direct accessibility feature, after all.
----- Original Message ----- From: Cara Quinn <caraqu...@caraquinn.com> To: viphone@googlegroups.com Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 8:53 pm Subject: Re: Apple, Don't Take my Headphone Jack Away > > > Hi Marshall; > > You're not stupid! :) That's a great question. > > My point is really that rather than us waiting for more news on things or > wishing that something would work for us, that we simply take the first step > and really go ahead and start a friendly dialogue with anyone we may know > between us and that which we are working toward. > > In regard to Apple, we have an email address and a phone number. Some of us > have other connections as well. Use these. That's all. > > For Android and other companies, just take the step to find their contact > details and go ahead and follow that. You will find that there are people who > will listen. > > It does not mean we need to fight or be confrontational. There are many > people in these tech companies as well as small developers alike who are > really interested in what we have to say. > > Our job I feel very strongly now, is really to come together and lend our > voices, not as iPhone users or Android users, not as Mac users or Windows > users, but just as customers who really rely on all of these various > technologies (and more) to have a good quality of life or very much enhance > or improve our lives.. > > So many times, we wish that something was accessible and so many of us just > stay at that point, (I've done it myself) when really what would help would > be just to add your voice to the mix. Even just one comment, question or > tweet can really make a difference because it may start a ball rolling > somewhere that you may not even know about. > > We have almost two thousand five hundred people here on this list alone. > While that's not many in the grand scheme of the entire world population, it > sure is a lot when it comes to a company receiving emails or phone calls or > tweets. > > If you were to receive even a thousand emails in a week, all commenting on or > asking for the same thing, I guarantee you you would sit up and take notice. > > I am on this journey right along with you and everyone else here. So while I > may not personally have every answer we need, I am absolutely confident > beyond any doubt that we can do more now to really assure that our voices be > heard and that we take that extra step to do all we can to make the > technology we need accessible or to make sure it stays usable and beneficial > for us. > > As has already been said here, if the touch tone bug had happened to the > sighted market, there would have been nothing short of outrage. -But you know > that that kind of bug would never have happened to sighted purchasers of the > iPhone. So my point is that while yes, we need absolutely, to be thankful for > what we have and what some amazing folks are willing to go the extra mile to > make available to us, we also need to simply speak up and guide them. -Or in > some cases, we need to really bring about the point that these common > technologies now are a real need for us. > > This sort of thing is our responsibility. What I am saying is to use the > tools that we have in order to connect with the developers or companies that > we can connect with and don't give up. Continue to intelligently let them > know that you need equal access and how important it is for all of us. > Understand that access is not just being able to use a device but it is also > being abel to use that device as easily and comfortably as compared to our > sighted counterparts in as much as that is possible with current technologies > and capabilities. This means making the experience of using that product > helpful and enjoyable for us, not an arduous and frustrating process. We can > take the definition of accessibility and move it forward and help others to > understand that. > > As I said, there are people who are interested and who will listen. If you > don't find them on the first try, then just do it again. You *will* find them > and they *will * listen. > > There are also organizations that we already have that have been helping us > all throughout this process. Maybe you don't agree with one or the other of > them, but just make the step to check in with one of them. That's a start. > See what they think of the situation and if they may already have a plan to > address it. > > If you want better Android accessibility for example, perhaps someone at a > local chapter of ACB or NFB or perhaps your local rehab organization has > someone who has also given this some thought. By doing this, you have just > created an alliance where there was none previously. This way more ideas > happen and those ideas find motion. Does this make sense? > > > These are just a few ideas I have. What are yours? How do you think we might > help ourselves to assure that accessibility can continue to thrive and > improve and grow as it needs to now?... > > Thanks so much for reading and for your question. > > Have a great day! > > Cheers! > > Cara > --- > iOS design and development - LookTel.com > --- > View my Online Portfolio at: > > http://www.onemodelplace.com/models/Cara-Quinn > > Follow me on Twitter! > > https://twitter.com/ModelCara > > On Dec 1, 2015, at 12:50 PM, Marshall Scott <mfsc...@me.com> wrote: > > I may be particularly stupid this morning, but how do you suggest that we do > so. Do organizations like ACB and NFB do anything to make these kind of > suggestions? > Thanks, > Marshall > > > On Dec 1, 2015, at 12:27 PM, Cara Quinn <caraqu...@caraquinn.com> wrote: > > > > Hi Jonathan and all; > > > > I absolutely agree here. I myself have been considering the possibility of > > other phone options in light of what I consider to be a real concern of > > degrading quality and user experience. Yes, I have felt trapped as well so > > to speak. > > > > This is part of the reason I feel that as a community, now more than ever, > > we really need to be seeing ourselves not as iPhone users vs Android users, > > or Apple vs Windows users, but simply as blind or visually impaired people > > who need accessible technology in their lives. > > > > I feel that we all need to really push for a good access experience in all > > of the technologies we need to rely on on a daily basis. I feel this is > > vitally important for us. We need to have choices at this point and > > companies need to know that we need this. This is not a want. This is not a > > nice-to-have at this point, this is a need. > > > > Technology is now not only ubiquitous but is a crucial part of daily life > > for everyone and we absolutely need to stay in the forefront of all of it. > > > > We have been fortunate to have this experience with Apple products and this > > has made so many people's lives infinitely better. I not only wish to see > > this continue to go forward with Apple but also with Android and other > > technologies as well. Please know how important it is to support companies > > that are providing us with accessible offerings and that they need to know > > how much you need these but also how they can improve these experiences for > > all of us. > > > > Remember, technology is a need for us now, the days of it being a > > nice-to-have are gone. The landscape has changed. Because of the place that > > technology now occupies in the world and in people's lives, it is now > > basically a right. Developers and companies need to really understand this > > in a positive way. We can help them to do this. > > > > Thanks for reading, and thanks to you all for such a great thread. > > > > Have a great day! > > > > Cheers! > > > > Cara > > --- > > iOS design and development - LookTel.com > > --- > > View my Online Portfolio at: > > > > http://www.onemodelplace.com/models/Cara-Quinn > > > > Follow me on Twitter! > > > > https://twitter.com/ModelCara > > > > On Dec 1, 2015, at 9:10 AM, Jonathan Mosen <jmo...@mosen.org> wrote: > > > > Hi Mary, yes, when it comes to mobile phones at least, I must confess to > > feeling increasingly trapped. > > There are excellent alternative tablets and computers, but it's the phone > > that it's tricky to find an alternative for. > > Jonathan Mosen > > Mosen Consulting > > Blindness technology eBooks, tutorials and training > > http://Mosen.org > > > >> On 2/12/2015, at 5:02 AM, Mary Otten <motte...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > >> Hi Jonathan, > >> I saw the same article you did in mac rumors. I admit that I have not been > >> trolling the Apple forums or the MacRumors comment sections, so I do not > >> know what the public reaction to that story has been. But, while I am not > >> hearing impaired, I absolutely join you in your condemnation of this > >> possibility. We don't need thinner iPhones. We just don't. And 1 mm? Who > >> is going to notice one stinking millimeter? For that, Apple will make me > >> buy some stupid little connector to use my headphones with? And they will > >> probably charge $30 for it even though the parts cost them five. And then > >> when I lose said connector, which is almost inevitable, I will get to buy > >> another one. This just looks like a cheap crappy trick for Apple to make > >> more money off of people who are willing to keep paying top dollar for > >> increasingly shoddy products. If they did this, and android weren't such a > >> mess in some fairly fundamental ways for blind screen reader users, I > >> would really consider switching to android. But, web browsing and > >> continuous reading and some other things are still so bad on that platform > >> that such a switch is untenable if you want to use your device > >> efficiently. My opinion only of course. > >> Mary > >> > >> Mary > >> > >> > >> Sent from my iPhone > >> > >> On Dec 1, 2015, at 7:49 AM, Jonathan Mosen <jmo...@mosen.org> wrote: > >> > >>> Hi everyone, I waited a few days to see if this issue might be raised by > >>> someone else. But I'll raise it here myself, because I'm not sure whether > >>> Apple may be flying a kite here and seeing what reaction this idea gets. > >>> > >>> There's an unconfirmed rumour from a source that has in the past been > >>> credible, that the next generation iPhone will not include a headphone > >>> jack, so Apple can make the phone thinner. > >>> I'm pasting a blog post that I wrote and published on this subject 72 > >>> hours ago. Here goes. > >>> > >>> I like thin, lightweight technology, but it isn't the only criterion that > >>> determines what I use. If thin and light doesn't give me the performance > >>> I need, I'm happy to choose something heavier or bigger. > >>> > >>> When the iPhone 6 Plus came out, I bought one. Initially, it seemed > >>> absolutely enormous, and I thought I'd never get used to it. Now I'm on > >>> the 6s Plus and would never go back to a smaller iPhone. The battery life > >>> and the bigger screen for Braille screen input make it the right choice > >>> for me. > >>> > >>> After being a MacBook Air user for three years, I recently bought a > >>> 15-inch MacBook Pro with all the specs maxed out. It includes 16GB of RAM > >>> and 1TB solid state storage. > >>> > >>> Compared to my MacBook Air, the Pro feels heavy and thick, and I've > >>> therefore given it the nickname "The Big Kahuna". But it fits in my > >>> backpack just fine when I travel, it isn't really that arduous to take > >>> places, and the thing is, it goes like a rocket. I enjoy having OS X for > >>> a few apps and functions, but Windows is still my primary operating > >>> system. With a laptop this fast and powerful, I can run JAWS in a virtual > >>> machine with superb results, and still tend to iMessages and FaceTime > >>> calls. > >>> > >>> Sometimes I pick up my old MacBook Air and think, "oy, what have I done? > >>> This thing is so cute!" But the performance factor soon reminds me that I > >>> made the right decision for my particular needs. > >>> > >>> There's plenty of choice of form factor in the MacBook line now.. If you > >>> want to go ultra-portable, there's the new 12-inch retina MacBook, which > >>> is just adorably thin and light, with compromises to match. It sports a > >>> single USB type C port, which is the only way both to connect peripherals > >>> to it and charge it. And the keyboard is, to put it charitably, an > >>> acquired taste. > >>> > >>> So when it comes to Mac, Apple now has a line-up that can meet the needs > >>> of the road warrior who wants something really light for a bit of word > >>> processing, email and web surfing, all the way to someone who needs > >>> plenty of grunt and is willing to lug it around. > >>> > >>> There is not so much flexibility in the iPhone stable, where there are > >>> usually now two current models with similar specs but different screen > >>> sizes. So when I read a rumour that Apple may dispense with the 3.5mm > >>> headphone jack in iPhone 7 models, it had me concerned. > >>> > >>> Before I explain why, let me be clear that Apple itself has made no > >>> official statement about the future of the headphone jack. It's only a > >>> rumour. But I read a lot of technology sources, and have come to know > >>> which sources tend to be more reliable. The source of this story, the > >>> Japanese technology site Mac Otakara, has a good track record. No news > >>> site that reports things like this gets it right 100% of the time though. > >>> It's also possible that Apple wants to monitor customer reaction to the > >>> idea, by letting it leak. But there's no doubt that decisions as > >>> fundamental as this are being taken now, or probably have already been > >>> taken. > >>> > >>> You can read an English summary of the story at Mac Rumours. > >>> > >>> Even if the story is wrong, and I hope it is, I want to write a defence > >>> of the headphone jack for those who think its loss wouldn't be a big > >>> deal. Some of us really, genuinely need it. > >>> > >>> The story suggests that the 3.5mm headphone jack will be dispensed with, > >>> because it's preventing Apple from making the iPhone thinner. If they > >>> removed the jack, they could shave more than 1mm off the thickness of the > >>> phone. > >>> > >>> If this rumour is correct, Apple would probably include Earpods with a > >>> Lightning connector, since specs for headphones that use the Lightning > >>> port have been available since 2014. > >>> > >>> According to the story, the Lightning port would include a digital to > >>> analogue converter, so you'd still be able to connect 3.5mm headphones. > >>> There is no word in the story that this Lightning port would be in > >>> addition to the one already on iPhones, implying that you'll have one > >>> port for both charging your device and listening to wired headphones or > >>> connecting the device to a mixer. > >>> > >>> My first objection to this rumour is a philosophical one. 3.5mm headphone > >>> jacks are ubiquitous. The standard is supported by a massive number of > >>> manufacturers. It would be sad if Apple required its users to carry a > >>> proprietary adapter, probably sold separately, to connect standard > >>> equipment to their single proprietary port. But they've done this before. > >>> Even on my maxed out MacBook Pro, I have to buy a special adapter just to > >>> connect to wired Ethernet. > >>> > >>> My remaining concerns relate to functionality. As a hearing-aid wearer, I > >>> use my iPhone with a cable between the headphone jack and my hearing aids > >>> about 95% of the time. There's no latency because it's analogue all the > >>> way, and since no Bluetooth is involved, it's energy efficient in terms > >>> of hearing aid battery usage. The Lightning to analogue adapter would be > >>> one additional device to carry, use and potentially lose, and it would > >>> mean that I couldn't use my iPhone in the way that is optimal for me > >>> while I'm charging it. There's also the possibility that the digital to > >>> analogue converter may introduce latency. That wouldn't be important for > >>> most tasks, but it would be detrimental to all VoiceOver users who use > >>> 3.5mm devices, not just hearing aid wearers. > >>> > >>> But there's always Bluetooth, and that's the way the world is going, > >>> right? There may be a few exceptions, but the majority of Bluetooth audio > >>> I've used on iOS is laggy with VoiceOver, Apple's built-in screen reader > >>> for blind people like me, that I find it a frustrating, sub-optimal > >>> experience. Streamers for hearing aid wearers often power down very > >>> quickly after VoiceOver has stopped speaking, to save energy. This means > >>> that hearing aid wearers who use VoiceOver with Bluetooth streamers often > >>> must cope with missing the first second or two of what VoiceOver is > >>> saying, as the Bluetooth streamer powers up after detecting audio. If > >>> you're taking a phone call or listening to music, that's no big deal, but > >>> for a VoiceOver user, it's not a good experience. And Bluetooth streamers > >>> chew through hearing aid batteries faster than an analogue connection, > >>> imposing additional costs on hearing aid wearers. > >>> > >>> Taking hearing impairment out of the mix, there are many people who use > >>> the 3.5mm jack, and want to do so while charging their device. Bonnie, > >>> for example, has a pillow speaker, because she likes the radio on at > >>> night. It plugs into her iPhone while it's charging. > >>> > >>> We may be about to see a similar controversy with iPhone to the one that > >>> greeted the new MacBook's single USB C port and all the inconveniences > >>> that go with that. When that controversy was at its peak, proponents said > >>> that Apple often likes to move the tech agenda forward, and that they're > >>> uniquely positioned to do that by making "bold" decisions like this. > >>> Sorry, I don't consider a single port for peripherals and charging a bold > >>> decision. It's just a pain. If you want to use multiple devices, you have > >>> to buy some sort of hub, which detracts from the convenience of having an > >>> all-in-one device. > >>> > >>> I realise that as a VoiceOver user with a hearing impairment passionate > >>> about getting the most optimal audio experience, I'm a minority within a > >>> minority. But if this rumour proves to be true, it will be my queue to > >>> seriously examine other mobile options. I really don't want a phone one > >>> more millimetre thinner, when it's going to create an experience for me > >>> that would be poorer. > >>> > >>> > >>> Jonathan Mosen > >>> Mosen Consulting > >>> Blindness technology eBooks, tutorials and training > >>> http://Mosen.org > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone > >>> list. > >>> > >>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or > >>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the > >>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > >>> > >>> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn > >>> - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > >>> > >>> The archives for this list can be searched at: > >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > >>> --- > >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >>> "VIPhone" group. > >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > >>> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > >>> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > >>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > >> > >> -- > >> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone > >> list. > >> > >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or > >> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the > >> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > >> > >> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - 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> > you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > > --- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "VIPhone" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > > -- > > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. > > > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners > > or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - > > you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > > --- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "VIPhone" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list.. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - > you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list.. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - > you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. Sent from a Braille Sense -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com The archives for this list can be searched at: http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VIPhone" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
