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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.
Apple’s upcoming iOS 27 release introduces a significant focus on accessibility enhancements, many of them powered by Apple Intelligence. These updates expand tools like VoiceOver, Magnifier, Voice Control, and Accessibility Reader, offering more context, enhanced descriptions, and more natural interaction for users with visual, motor, and cognitive disabilities.
- Siri will now be known as Siri AI. Siri AI has improved speech that is customizable, offering meaningful interactions with the user.
- VoiceOver receives one of the largest upgrades. A new Image Explorer provides far more detailed descriptions of photos, documents, and other visual content across the system. Users can also press the iPhone’s Action button to ask follow‑up questions about what the camera sees, enabling real‑time visual understanding.
- Magnifier gains similar intelligence, offering high‑contrast visual descriptions and support for spoken commands such as “zoom in” or “turn on flashlight.”
- Upcoming changes will allow Voice Control users to navigate apps using natural language instead of memorizing exact labels — commands like “tap the orange folder” or “open that button at the top” now work intuitively.
- The updated Accessibility Reader can handle complex layouts, create summaries, and translate content while preserving formatting. Meanwhile, Apple Intelligence enables automatic subtitles for uncaptioned videos across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, processed privately on device. Together, these features mark one of Apple’s most substantial accessibility expansions to date. Keep in mind that Apple Intelligence will work best on newer iPhone models.
Imagine waking up and having your very own podcast crafted just for you on your Alexa device. With Alexa Plus, that’s no longer sci‑fi. It’s here.
Want a crisp recap of the day’s events? A tour through “this day in history”? A quick check on pop culture? Alexa Plus can spin it all into a polished, AI-driven, AI-hosted podcast in minutes.
And speaking of AI Magic …
The August TUG meeting is looking into the world of creative AI tools. Join us on August 8th as we explore what’s out there, what’s new, and how these tools can make everyday life easier, smarter, and a whole lot more fun. You’ll find all the details in the Events section of this newsletter.
The Be My Eyes app has expanded to Windows, bringing fast, AI-powered support directly to your computer.
- Describe Your Screen: Get clear explanations of application, buttons, menus, and web page layouts making any on-screen content easier to understand.
- Describe Images: Upload photos or documents from your computer and receive detailed descriptions within seconds.
- Describe Online Images: As you browse, the app can describe images on websites, so no visual content goes unexplained.
- Video Calls: Be My Eyes can tell you if you’re centered, have good lighting, or if there are any obstructions before you join a meeting.
Download for Windows: https://www.bemyeyes.com/download-app/
The vast majority of individuals with vision impairments have some amount of usable, functional vision. Unfortunately, people with low vision have few accessibility options other than audio and tactile, which do not always serve their needs. Enter ReBokeh. Using geofencing technology, ReBokeh provides accessibility tools to individuals and organizations to improve the lived experiences of people with low vision, enhancing their independence. ReBokeh, now available for both iPhone and Android devices, offers a customizable video magnifier app built by and for people with low vision. It transforms a smartphone camera into an adaptive viewing tool, letting users adjust contrast, color, zoom, and filters so the real world appears in a way that best matches their functional vision.
Now, ReBokeh is excited to announce that they have upgraded to Version 3.0. This new update brings enhanced usability, bug fixes, and ensures the technology remains stable through operating system changes. Because of this, ReBokeh will require all users to quickly update to Version 3.0, as older versions will not be supported for much longer. This upgrade can be done seamlessly through the App Store by searching for “ReBokeh” and hitting “Update.”
To keep using ReBokeh, ensure your app is updated to Version 3.0!
A demo of the ReBokeh app can be found on our website at lbpd.maryland.gov under the Technology User Group section.
- In your iPhone, go to the Message app.
- Slide one finger down the list of text messages until you reach the one you want to turn into a contact.
- Double tap the text message.
- Swipe with one finger all the way to the right until you hear the number of unread messages and BACK button.
- Now swipe to the left one time with one finger, bringing you to the sender’s phone number.
- Double tap the phone number with one finger.
- Swipe to the right until you hear the INFO button. If you don’t hear it for any reason, swipe the other way with one finger until you do.
- Double tap the INFO button with one finger.
- Swipe to the right with one finger until you hear CREATE NEW CONTACT, and double tap with one finger.
- The phone will put you in the edit field for the first name. You can type or dictate the name.
- If you are finished, double tap with one finger on the DONE button in the upper righthand corner below the status bar.
- If instead you want to add more information, go above the virtual keyboard to find the field you wish to input information, and then double tap on the DONE button when finished.
Upcoming TUG Topics:
- June 13: Latest iOS Games
- July 11: Kindle App and Skill
- August 8: Creative AI Tools
- Sept. 12: A Guide to Braille Displays
Call in Number:
1-301-715-8592
Meeting ID: 656 203 7293#
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,6562037293#
Webcast:
https://marylandlibraries.zoom.us/j/6562037293?omn=94648805523
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