On Jun 5, 2014, at 1:38 AM, "'David Goldfield' via VIPhone"
<[email protected]> wrote:
Here is the article which I have just published to my blog.
My comments on the Braille Monitor Article concerning the iPhone
Comment on My comments on the Braille Monitor Article concerning the iPhone
the June 2014 edition of the Braille Monitor contained an article by Curtis Chong titled Knowing
what Is Good about the iPhone and What is Not.I was intrigued by the title. I have to admit that
I've become quite the Apple fanboy of late and I would have a very difficult time in coming up with
a list of ten objections or things which are "not good" about the iPhone. In fact, I'm
having a very difficult time in coming up with a list of one or two things which are "not
good" about the iPhone. However, no product is perfect and I can handle objectively written
product evaluations. Unfortunately, this article was not one of them. I'm going to reprint each of
the objections stated by Mr. Chong in their entirety, with my comments below each objection.
What Is Not Good About The iPhone
1. If you don't want to pay for a data plan, the iPhone has no option for that.
A data plan will cost you about twenty dollars a month. You need a data plan
for the iPhone to be able to communicate over the Internet.
Response: you need to pay for a monthly plan to get anything on the Internet.
If a consumer already has an Internet connection in his home, he can buy an
iPod Touch or an iPad. These devices run iOS and don't require an additional
monthly data plan. The fact is that any computer or device that accesses the
Internet is usually going to require you to pay for some sort of access plan.
2. It is very inefficient to make a simple phone call with the iPhone,
particularly if you don't have a person in your contacts list. You can dial a
phone number that you know much more quickly with a keypad that has real,
physical buttons.
Response: not at all. You can simply press the home button and command siri to call any
number, such as saying "call 302 555-1212." That's hardly what I'd call
inefficient. Also, a consumer can order screen protectors from Speeddots containing
tactile keyboard overlays.
Finally, the rivo keyboard, while insanely expensive, gives you a keypad
allowing for quick telephone entry and it also provides keyboard commands which
let you control many other functions of the iPhone.
3. On the iPhone touch typing for texting and email is very slow as compared to
a regular keyboard; this has been somewhat mitigated by Braille apps, of which
there are now two. However, you should know that research has shown that, on
average, a blind person entering data using the touch-screen QWERTY keyboard is
writing at about three words per minute. By contrast, users of the built-in
Braille apps have been clocked at around 23 words per minute.
response: you can use any number of Bluetooth keyboards if you want to compose
a lengthy email or text message. For short text messages, composing one is as
quick as dictating the text to Siri, just as you can use your voice to place a
call.
4. The iPhone is very much a technology requiring good hand-ear coordination.
People who want real buttons that they can operate silently by touch will be
very disappointed in the iPhone.
As I stated in a previous response, you can purchase affordable tactile
overlays from Speeddots. Besides, in the section in the article covering the
iPhone's strengths, it is stated correctly that the iPhone demonstrates, with a
properly designed user interface, that blind people can successfully operate a
touchscreen.
5. Battery life for the iPhone is still an issue. You have to charge it at
least once a day--a lot more if you use GPS.
Response: yes, I long for the days when products like the Braille 'n Speak
could give us 30 hours of battery life from one charge. However, this is a
non-issue. During the day, I connect my iPhone to my computer's USB port and
when I get home I connect it to my computer for a few hours before going to
bed. Turning off Bluetooth, if you're not using that service, and turning your
screen brightness down to zero percent will do a lot to save battery life.
Besides, it's not exactly a major inconvenience to plug the thing into a
computer or a wall outlet every night.
6. The iPhone is not small. It is bigger than a lot of flip phones.
response: are you serious? Really, are you kidding me? My wife's Motorola Droid
Ultra has a wider form factor. The iPhone fits very comfortably in one hand. I
mean, we're not talking about a device like an iPad or a Kindle 8.9 HDX.
7. For a lot of people the iPhone is a lot more technology than they want. It
is not for someone who just wants a phone to make and receive calls.
response: true, but once blind people discover that the iPhone can act as their
digital book player, restaurant menu reader, Web browser, email client, money
identifier, barcode scanner, radio tuner, game player and object recognizer
they might just want to use it for more than just making and receiving phone
calls.
8. The iPhone is not cheap. Even with a two-year contract, the basic unit can
cost $200. The full retail price of the iPhone is approximately $650.
I received my iPhone 5C, 32 GB version, for free if I agreed to sign a two-year
contract with Verizon, which I was more than happy to do. Admittedly, that
particular deal expired on March 31 of this year but I have heard that at least
one other carrier was offering a similar deal. It is likely that consumers who
do a bit of searching will be able to acquire an iPhone for a fraction of the
actual cost if they are willing to sign a contract with the carrier.
9. First-time users of the iPhone have reported initial frustration with this
powerful technology. It is not uncommon for these people to feel as if they
want to throw the phone away during the first month. Answering calls and
hanging up calls seem to be two particularly difficult problems for beginning
iPhone users.
Response: does this mean we shouldn't recommend JAWS or NVDA to some consumers
who are new to Windows because we can find a percentage of users who
experienced frustration with their screen reader during the first few weeks or
months of use. It is common for people to find a new piece of hardware or
software frustrating or difficult to use when they're first learning how to use
the product. Yes, using a product with a touchscreen is a very different way of
interacting with a device and frustration can occur. This is true, by the way,
with sighted consumers as well as blind consumers so this really is a very
silly objection.
10. The iPhone requires a fair amount of dexterity and the ability to tap
quickly. People who have motor issues or poor dexterity will likely not benefit
from this technology.
Response: I don't believe this is correct. I'm no expert on this but I remember
reading about how the iPhone can be adapted for consumers with difficulties
with hand movement.
I acknowledge that Mr. Chong also compiled a list of many advantages of owning an iPhone;
I was amused that he listed that one of them was that NFB Newsline was available as an
app. However, I found this list of things which were "not good" to be
misleading and an example of irresponsible journalism. Mr. Chong is entitled to his
opinions. However, the NFB is a very influential organization and many of its members as
well as readers of the Braille Monitor take these articles very seriously because they
are being published by a well-known and well-respected organization which claims to
represent the visually impaired. I am concerned that this article could convince many
blind people, as well as friends and family members who support them, that the iPhone
will not be a good product for them. This is tragic, as it could potentially be
responsible for deterring blind consumers from enjoying a device whose functionality is
unmatched by any competitor. It is my sincere hope that Mr. Cho
