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Summer 2023 Edition.
A service of the Technology User Group at the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. Feel free to share this newsletter.
Uber will now allow consumers to call a toll-free number to request rides. In the past, only individuals who had the app on their phones could use Uber services. By calling (833) 873-8237 (833-USE-UBER), customers can set up their accounts and request rides. The service works from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., eastern standard time. A customer who wants to try the new service must have a phone that can receive text messages. Uber now joins DoorDash (855-300-8985) in providing phone assistance.
In the fall of 2023, Apple will drop iOS 17, and there are several accessibility features promised in this release.
These features include more natural-sounding voiceover voices, the ability to increase the rate of Siri speech, ease of use for increasing text size across apps, and more. Point and Speak is a new feature that makes it easier for people with visual impairments to interact with physical objects that have text labels. With Point and Speak, a low vision or blind user can aim a camera at an object, such as an appliance, and be told which key the user’s finger is touching. Assistive Access will allow users with cognitive delays to have displays with larger buttons and less clutter. With this new release, support for the iPhone 8 and X will be discontinued.
On October 14th, the Technology User Group will preview the major changes with your iPhone as it relates to iOS 17 – the good, the bad, and the disappointing. Often new features will be beta tested and dropped or held out for a later release.
The Echo Pop and the Echo Show 5 (3rd generation) are the two newest products to the Alexa line. The Pop is a small, colorful, smart speaker that can be used to play music, podcasts, and other streaming options. It can also be paired with existing Echo-devices to provide a fuller sound. The new generation of the Show features the “Show and Tell” capability, which allows users to access the Echo Show’s camera to identify products. The new Show also allow users to stream audio, video, and utilize a host of services that are video-oriented. These products are Bluetooth-only devices and are available through Amazon.
Gaming is a great way to meet people (virtually) and stay safe. Here are two fantastic sites:
RS Games
Exclusively for people who are blind or who just prefer audio feedback.
Features dozens of games and the ability to chat.
www.rsgames.org
Quentin C’s Playroom
This gaming site is more inclusive and has graphics for your sighted peers.
Features dozens of games, the ability to chat, and includes players from around the world.
(Please note that a user must first create an account in order to play these games.)
www.qcsalon.net
In addition, there are self-contained games that are free to the blind community and can be downloaded to your computer. Kitchens Inc. and Spoonbill Software are two such sites:
https://www.kitchensinc.net
http://www.spoonbillsoftware.com.au
Finally, there are paid games, which can be purchased and enjoyed. Want the complete list and a preview of offerings from these sites and more? Then join us on Saturday, July 8th, for the Technology User Group meeting involving Windows Games. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, and you can join by calling (319) 527-4994.
The two-finger double tap gesture can be used for pausing/starting audio playback, answering and hanging up the phone, pausing/starting voice memos, or starting/stopping the stopwatch.
To properly execute the gesture, both fingers must hit the screen at the same time.
The YouTube app offers thousands of videos and audio content providing education, entertainment and enrichment. You can use the Search button to find the content you seek or rely on suggestions that are proposed by the app. A novice user may need assistance installing the app, and a Gmail account is required. You can also ask Siri to help you find content on YouTube. Most of the content will not play automatically; however, you can swipe to the right to explore the many offerings. Be aware that there is also a paid version, which will eliminate ads. There are many tips and tricks for using the iOS app as well as the Windows-supported version. The Technology User Group will showcase these skills on Saturday, August 12th, beginning at 10 a.m., eastern standard time. Join us by calling (319) 527-4994.
You may not realize that Siri can keep notes for you on your iPhone. Simply launch Siri and say, “Take a note.” Siri will ask what you want the note to say, and you can dictate a short message, such as a recipe, phone number, or address. To retrieve the note, you can ask Siri “Do I have any notes?” Siri will give you the most recent note first and then ask if you want to hear any more.
If you open the Notes app, you can find the notes that Siri has recorded for you. If you flick up or down with one finger on these notes, you can do many marvelous things, such as locking, sharing, deleting, and pinning.
You can also create a new note of your own. Once you double tap to create a note, you will be able to type or dictate lengthy entries. You can then save the note and give it a name. Other options are available as well.
In this age of virtual get-togethers on various platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet, you need an easy way to call these phone-in numbers without having to resort to memorization techniques or asking for assistance via three-way calling. You can do this by adding these complicated numbers to your Contacts. Here’s how:
Let say the phone number to call is (123) 456-7890 with a PIN of 0987654321#
- Go to your Contacts.
- Press the Add button.
- Enter the first name and the last name as you like. For instance, I might say first name “Library” and last name “Meeting.”
- Now add the phone number. In this example, you would type in “1234567890.”
- Double tap the Shift key to bring up a comma. Select the comma by double tapping on it. Double tap the Shift key again to bring up another comma. Add this second comma by double tapping on it. (The commas tell the phone to wait about 2 seconds.)
- Following our example, you would next type in the PIN number, 0987654321.
- Double tap the Shift key to bring up a pound sign as the last character of the PIN. Select the pound sign by double tapping on it.
- Tap the Finished button.
Now I can tell Siri to call Library Meeting and connect instantly to the virtual conference.
July 8: Accessible Games for Windows
August 12: YouTube
September 9: The Low Vision Shop
All Technology User Group (TUG) events can be joined by calling 319-527-4994 at 10 a.m., Eastern Standard Time.
Important Message for T-Mobile and Metro PCS users:
It has come to our attention that these carriers may charge for connecting to a conference call. If you are getting a message saying that you will incur charges for connecting to our meeting platform, please hang up and text the words “call me” to the phone number 319-527-4994. The Free Conference Call system will call you back, and you will be able to join the meeting without a charge. Please be advised, however, that if you attempt to join late and the meeting is already muted, you will be unable to connect to the meeting platform.
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