When I first encountered the iPhone, my fundamental thinking about the manner in which blind people used technology had to undergo a radical change. As a long time computer user, I was not as concerned with where icons and the like were located on the screen. I was more concerned about how to issue commands that would accomplish the tasks I needed to perform. As an instructor of newly blinded adults, I did attempt to learn more about screen geography, however, it still was not the most important issue for me. With Apple's touch screen devices, the location of screen items is vital to an overall understanding of how to use the technology efficiently. When I had a stroke in 2012, I seriously considered ditching my iPhone for a "dumb phone" with buttons. My right hand was, for a time, "stupid". I could hardly read Braille! This certainly points out the advantages of being a 2 handed Braille reader! However, my fine motor coordination recovered, and I was determined to stick with the iPhone! It took me quite a while to learn how the screen was laid out and how to accomplish the things I needed and wanted to do. I'm glad I stuck with the iPhone, it allows me to do so many things that have little to do with making phone calls! I listen to sports,music, audio books, gather my daily dose of news and much more! I'll never be a fast typist on a touch screen, but that, for me, is the only drawback! I don't think the iPhone is for everyone, but it's definitely for me!
You can have an off day, but you can't have a day off! ---The Art of Fielding Sent from my Mac Book Pro richr...@gmail.com On Jun 5, 2014, at 7:12 AM, cathy harris <cathar...@bellsouth.net> wrote: > Currently, I have not had my I Phone switched to my cellular plan. I do have > WYFY at my house. My reason for doing it this way is because, I wanted to > practice typing, using the key pad and other features without being > concerned I would accidently call someone. It has worked out very well. I am > at the point now, I am ready to have my little flip phone turned off and my > I Phone turned on with cellular service. > > I have learned, so far, using the I Phone is like using JAWS. You learn the > basics...eventually. Then, you begin to learn more advanced functions, etc. > It most definitely can be over whelming in the beginning, for some. It takes > time and patience. > > Maybe for some blind/VI people, it is not as brain straining as for others. > However, everybody learns at a different pace. That does not mean any one is > smarter or dumber. > > The I Phone is not for everyone. It is the same way in the sited world, too. > I have talked with several people who are not blind; and they refuse to buy > a smart phone, text, etc. > > Admittedly so, learning this new device has been challenging...but, I do > enjoy the challenge. It has made me stretch my limits...and that is a good > thing. > > As long as new technology is being developed, the blind/VI community will > face certain battles and struggles. It is most important, in my opinion, for > the community to not splinter, but to stay strong. We can agree to > disagree...but, we need to support the basic idea of advancing opportunities > for the blind/VI community with new technology as it is developed. > > C > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Christopher J Chaltain" <chalt...@gmail.com> > To: <viphone@googlegroups.com> > Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 4:40 AM > Subject: Re: NFB June Braille Monitor/Article on the iPhone > > > I assume David isn't talking about me specifically, but if so, this > totally misrepresents the opinion I've stated and stated fairly recently. > > The fact of the matter is that a sighted person can buy a feature phone > without a data plan. They can still make calls, send text messages, keep > track of personal information (like reminders, appointments, contacts > and so on). I'm not sure a blind person has this option any more, and if > they do, it's getting harder and harder to find. What are a blind > person's option if they just want a feature phone and don't want a smart > phone? > > I'm not saying there aren't blind people who want something for nothing, > but why should blind people be any different than the general > population. This isn't what I and others are asking for though. I've > never said a blind person should be able to use all of the features of a > smart phone and not have to purchase a data plan. I do think it's a > valid point though the blind people do not have the feature phone option > and the ability to use a cell phone without a data plan that sighted > people do. > > On 6/5/2014 2:51 AM, David Chittenden wrote: >> The point about a data plan is a point some in the blind community have >> been complaining about ever since the accessible iPhone 3GS was released. >> Some people do not wish to have a data plan, but still want an iPhone for >> everything it can do. AT&T would not sell an iPhone on contract without a >> data plan, and the unsubsidised price of the iPhone is quite high. >> >> Personally, I have not heard this complaint for a couple years now, so >> forgot about it. SmartPhones require data plans in order to fully >> function. Oh, and the same people, when they could get the carriers to >> remove the data plan, tended to complain because many of those desired >> features were then crippled. >> >> David Chittenden, MSc, MRCAA >> Email: dchitten...@gmail.com >> Mobile: +64 21 2288 288 >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On 5 Jun 2014, at 17:31, don bishop <donb...@emissives.com> wrote: >>> >>> The first thing that jumped right out at me was his statement that apple >>> does not offer a data plan and you need one to get on the internet. >>> Doesn't he know that dataplans are controled by your phone carrier? Also >>> has he ever heard of wifi? >>> >>> Simply shocking from someone who should know better. >>> Yes, he's been around for a very long time and was head of the nfb >>> technology user's group. Don't know if still is or not. >>> Din >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: Neal Ewers <neal.ew...@ravenswood.org> >>> To: viphone@googlegroups.com >>> Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2014 10:13 pm >>> Subject: RE: NFB June Braille Monitor/Article on the iPhone >>> >>>> >>>> Curtis Chong the author of this article has been around for some time. >>>> It >>>> would have been interesting if the article had been written by someone >>>> younger. >>>> >>>> Neal >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: viphone@googlegroups.com [mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On >>>> Behalf >>>> Of Teresa Cochran >>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2014 11:19 PM >>>> To: viphone@googlegroups.com >>>> Subject: Re: NFB June Braille Monitor/Article on the iPhone >>>> >>>> Um. Where to start? Well, if you don't want a smart phone, don't get >>>> one. If >>>> you don't want to pay for a data plan, get an iPod Touch, or an iPad >>>> without >>>> a data plan. What are those, you say? Hmmm. As for the virtual keyboards >>>> they're not as fast for anyone as a regular keyboard. How fast was the >>>> old >>>> method of using the teeny keys on a "real" phone keyboard or even the >>>> numpad >>>> keys for typing letters? Not very. And why not use Siri to call a >>>> number? >>>> What is Siri? Hmmm. >>>> >>>> I will say that I have come across folks at my local blind center who >>>> receive iPhones and haven't the slightest idea how to operate them. A >>>> well-meaning person might have given it as a gift, but they ask me why >>>> they >>>> can't do things more simply. Maybe for some, a bit more one-on-one >>>> attention >>>> would have been a good idea. >>>> >>>> having said this, I think this article is more than a tad condescending, >>>> if >>>> addressed to most blind folks out there. >>>> >>>> Teresa >>>> >>>> "The golden age of science fiction is twelve."--Pete graham >>>> >>>> On Jun 4, 2014, at 8:52 PM, 'David Goldfield' via VIPhone >>>> <viphone@googlegroups.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Has anyone read the June Braille Monitor? there is an article covering >>>> the supposed pros and cons of the iPhone. I have to admit that it would >>>> be >>>> very difficult for me to come up with a list of ten things which are >>>> "not >>>> good" about the iPhone but this article supposedly did just that. I >>>> plan to >>>> write a detailed blog post in the coming week with my responses to the >>>> ten >>>> objections but I'll just say that it's one of the most irresponsible >>>> pieces >>>> of journalism I've ever read from that magazine. Please, understand >>>> that >>>> this is not meant as a bash about the NFB vs any other organization or >>>> even >>>> a criticism of the Monitor. However, the piece infuriated me because >>>> the >>>> NFB is a highly influential organization and many of its members and >>>> readers >>>> of the Monitor will take the article seriously just because it comes >>>> from a >>>> nationally recognized blindness organization. My fear is that many >>>> people >>>> may read this article and will be convinced to not buy an iPhone due to >>>> things which the article claims are "not good" about the device. >>>>> -- >>>>> Feel free to visit my new Web site http://www.DavidGoldfield.info Feel >>>> free to visit my LinkedIn profile >>>> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/david-goldfield/12/929/573 Visit my blog >>>> http://davidgoldfield.wordpress.com Follow me on Twitter >>>> http://www.twitter.com/davidgoldfield David Goldfield, Founder and Peer >>>> Coordinator Philadelphia Computer Users' Group for the Blind and >>>> Visually >>>> Impaired >>>>> -- >>>>> The following information is important for all members of the viphone >>>> list. All new members to the this list are moderated by default. 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. 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 viphone >>>> list. >>>> All new members to the this list are moderated by default. 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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. 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 viphone >>> list. All new members to the this list are moderated by default. 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. 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. > > -- > -- > Christopher (CJ) > Chaltain at Gmail > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the viphone list. > All new members to the this list are moderated by default. 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. 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 viphone list. > All new members to the this list are moderated by default. 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