One of the things that I’m most excited about with Android is that now, it’s possible to activate TalkBack when the device is first booted.  While folks today may take this for granted, this ability to be off and running right out of the box wasn’t always the case.  Back in the day, with my first Android device, I had to get sighted help to walk me through the initial setup and then had to have them help me get TalkBack from the Google store since it didn’t even come pre-installed.  So yes, I’m very excited that I can order an Android device, have it arrive and without assistance, can get the thing talking.

Hardware description

The Moto G4 Play is a very small device which feels like it's made entirely out of plastic.  The device is very thin, thinner than my iPhone.  While the device appears to be all plastic, it also feels rugged.  On the right side of the device are two controls, the top most being the sleep/power button which contains tactile markings.  Below that is another somewhat long button which serves as the volume control.  The bottom edge of the device contains a micro-USB port for charging.  There are no controls at all on the left side of the device.  The top of the device contains a headphone jack.  Quick side note here, it's actually taken me a while to get used to the headphone jack being on top of the device because for many years, Apple has positioned theirs on the bottom of the device.  Anyway, this brings us to the front of the device which has an ear piece on top followed by the touch screen.  At the bottom of the touch screen is a tiny tiny little hole.  I actually initially thought the screen was chipped or something, apparently, this hole is for the microphone.  Flipping the device over, the back is pretty nondescript except for the camera which does protrude a little.  The entire back of the device can actually be pealed away revealing a removable battery, a SIM slot and a micro-SD card slot.  To clarify, when I say that the back can be "pealed away", I mean it quite literally.  Using a finger nail or something extremely thin, the back can literally be pried off the back of the device.  The plastic actually bends when doing this and I confess that when I did this for the first time, I was totally sure the device would not go back together again.  Having done this multiple times since, I continue to be amazed that the back does snap back into place with no ill effects other than my own slightly elevated heartbeat.

Getting this thing up and talking

One of the really neat things about many Android devices is that when they're booted, the user gets a small vibration to indicate that something is happening.  Personally, I love this added bit of confirmation as I don't have enough light perception to tell if the screen is on or not.  Anyway, after waiting a little while, i placed and held two fingers on the screen, this is the shortcut I was told would activate TalkBack.  And sure enough, after a few seconds, it did!  TalkBack helpfully launched a tutorial to help me learn its gestures and become more familiar with how I could navigate different types of objects on the screen such as edit boxes, lists, multi-page scrolling and so on.  The tutorial is broken up into small lessons each of which contain exercises that can be performed to make sure the user understands what's going on; it is in one of these lessons that I encountered my first real problem.

A bit about TalkBack gestures

One of the things the initial TalkBack tutorial does is acquaint the user with the basic TalkBack gestures.  Coming from the perspective of an iOS user, some of these gestures seem weirdly complicated, like the swipe up then right to open the global TalkBack menu, or the swipe right then down to open the notification shade.  Still, my goal here is to learn and so I followed the directions given in the tutorial.  Eventually, I got to an exercise which focused on changing the reading level, the reading level meaning whether TalkBack should read line by line, word by word, character by character ... you get the idea.  "Swipe up then swipe down," said the tutorial, but this didn't accomplish anything.  Well that's not entirely true, what it did accomplish was getting TalkBack to read random things on the screen.  I tried this multiple times and try though I might, I could not get the reading level to change from its default.  Was I doing something wrong?  Maybe I'm not swiping up and then down straight enough?  Maybe a swipe means something slightly different in the Android world than it does in the iOS world?  The other thing I found myself doing at this point was slightly tilting the device.  This had the effect of causing the screen to change orientation between portrait and landscape modes.  Not a problem except in this instance where half of my up/down swipes were probably being interpreted as left/right swipes because of the change in screen orientation.  Eventually, I got frustrated enough to press the "next" button and continue on with the tutorial.  The next tutorial lesson tried to teach me about cursor movement, but guess what?  Yep, the cursor can also be moved by characters/words/lines/... and yep, I couldn't make that work either.

Surviving the tutorial and beyond

Eventually, I "nexted" my way through the rest of the tutorial and reached the "finish" button.  Setup continued at this point and I was able to log into my Google account, answer questions about syncing, location sharing and eventually got a screen that told me I was ready to go.  Ready to go, but where?  I'm going to write a separate post detailing this next topic in more detail, but the thing I discovered is that the concept of a home screen like exists in iOS is not as cut and dry in Android.  I've learned that many "Launchers" exist for Android and that depending on which came bundled with the device, or which the user may have downloaded, one device's home screen may not look at all like another.  I've had my device for a few weeks now and still cannot figure out any logic to its home screen.  What I have figured out though is that along the bottom edge of the touch screen, there are a few virtual buttons.  From left to right these buttons are: "back" "home" and to the far right, "overview".  Just above the "home" button is an "applications" button which takes me into an alphabetized grid-view of the applications installed on my device.  Maybe there's a more efficient way to access apps, especially those I frequently use, but for now, I rely on this alphabetized grid to find just about everything.  I figure: if it's not in the grid, I probably don't need it right?

Quick conclusions

• I really love that I can enable TalkBack right out of the box.  This means that I can impulsively order a $149 phone from Amazon Prime Now, have it delivered and start using it right out of the box.
• TalkBack has a really neat tutorial that helps me learn in a very structured way.  Each lesson provides detail on specific TalkBack-related tasks I may wish to accomplish and then provides me with exercises so that I can practice accomplishing them.
• I have no idea at this point how to change my reading level so that I can have TalkBack read word by word or line by line, I'm just stuck with the default for now.  The big problem I have with this is, well, the tutorial was pretty specific on how I should change from level to level and it just didn't work.  Quick note: I've since solved this problem with a number of updates, I'll get to that in a future post.
• I have a home screen that doesn't make sense to me.  I've shown it to sighted folks who always respond the same, "huh, that doesn't look like mine."  Research has told me that I can change this by installing something called a Launcher, but I don't know where to even begin with that yet.  In the meantime, I have this very nicely alphabetized grid which while not super efficient, does help me find everything I need to find.

More to come soon, so please stay tuned. :)

 

While I’ve been an iOS user for many years, I’ve always been very curious about Android.  Indeed, the openness of the platform and all that that entails speaks to my inner geek.  I first experimented with Android back in 2011 when Android 2.1 was all the rage because way back then, it was still possible to get phones like the T-Mobile G2 with physical keyboards and, as a serious texting and social media junkie, this appealed to me.  Eventually I drifted back to iOS until a few years later when I traded in my iPhone for a Samsung Galaxy S III.  The Galaxy served me well until Apple released Siri which I just had to have and so back to iOS I came.

 

Over the years, there’s been quite a bit of innovation happening in the Android accessibility space and while I do my best to keep up with it all, it’s hard to really understand it if I’m not using it.  That said, iOS is working just fine for me, so it’s hard for me to justify the cost of a high-end Android device like Google’s Pixel even though it admittedly does look pretty darn cool.  And so it came to pass that one day, while researching Motorola cable modems on Amazon Prime Now, I came across the Moto G4 Play which retails for around $149.  um… a quick note to my more juvenile readers, this model is the letter G followed by the number 4 followed by the word play, not the “foreplay” you immediately thought of when your speech synthesizer read this to you :).  Anyway, I realize that at this price point, this phone won’t be as capable as higher-end models, but for someone like me who is generally curious – wanting to see what’s out there – I thought this model might be a good place to start.

 

What I thought I’d do is write a series of articles chronicling my rediscovery of Android, so that others who might be thinking of giving it a try will have an idea of the types of things they might encounter.  I’m not looking to convince anyone that Android’s better than iOS or vice versa.  Also, as I write, keep in mind that I too am learning and discovering, so if you find I’m doing something wrong, or if I should be doing something a different way, please don’t hesitate to comment.

 

I’m excited to be rediscovering Android and hope you enjoy the journey with me.

 

Since she was little, my daughter, Gabby, has had a medical condition that has required occasional testing at the children’s hospital.  One of the more positive things to come out of this is that she has developed a deep sensitivity for children who, unlike herself, don’t get to leave the hospital and spend the holidays at home.  At age nine, Gabby decided to start a program to get gifts for children who must remain at the hospital.  These gifts are purchased from a list provided by the hospital based on things the children have asked for which do not pose any medical or other risks.  Gabby delivers these gifts to the hospital where they are sterilized, wrapped and delivered to the children by hospital staff.

 

This year, I’m helping Gabby take her Gabby’s Gifts initiative digital.  I’ve set up a GoFundMe campaign for those who may wish to donate to her online.  Below, find Gabby’s own description of her initiative.  If you are willing to donate but encounter challenges with GoFundMe, please reach out and we can figure out another way to make it happen such as PayPal, Square Cash, or good old-fashioned paper check.

 

In advance, thanks so much for reading, considering and sharing.

 

Dear Friends,

Christmas time is here. This is the season of caring, sharing, family, and fun. Unfortunately for many children this year Christmas will be another day in which they have to be in the hospital away from their friends and family. In 2012, I realized that I was very blessed to have so much in my life and I wanted to give something back. I decided to try and make Christmas a little brighter for those children who, by no choice of their own, can’t be with their family and friends at Christmas. There are a lot of children that have to spend the holiday season at the hospital which is very sad, hence Gabby’s Gifts was born. Every year I collect money or gifts to donate to the University of Minnesota Children’s hospital. All of the money collected is used to purchase gifts for the children such as toys, slippers, pajamas, and other things that the kids have asked for.

If you would like to donate to Gabby’s Gifts please do so before December 12. I will be bringing the donations to the Hospital on the 14th of December this year. I have also set up an online GoFundMe page for those who may wish to make an online donation: https://www.gofundme.com/gabbys-gifts-2016 .

I want to thank you in advance for considering donating and helping to make a child’s Christmas just a little brighter.

Sincerely,

Gabrielle Sawczyn

 

 

Recently, I traveled to New York where the plan was for me to connect with one of my colleagues and then travel to visit a client. Since we were arriving from different airports and since we would be needing a car, it made the most sense for us to meet up at the car rental counter. I was amused thinking of the reactions I would likely get from people as I, a blind guy, asked for directions to car rental. The reaction I got from one guy though really made me stop and think, he said, “oh, you must be going to rent one of those new autonomous cars, that’s got to be so neat.”. To him, the idea that a blind person might be renting a vehicle wasn’t very far fetched at all. I casually mentioned my destination to a few other people just to see what kind of reaction I might get. Strangely enough, the only somewhat negative reaction came from a woman who was all concerned that I could get hurt crossing the street which needed to be crossed in order to get to car rental. My take-away from the day? There remain people skeptical that blind people can independently cross streets, but the idea that blind people could possibly be renting cars is no longer the unbelievable concept it might once have been.

Update

On July 26, I received yet another support Email saying in part,

Dear Steve, Thank you for contacting Weight Watchers.  My name is [Name redacted] and I will be more than happy to assist you with troubleshooting your application. I do apologize for this inconvenience.  Your email has been escalated to me. In order for us to be sure we offer you the best support for Weight Watchers Mobile, please answer the following questions for us: * Are you using a mobile device or a computer? * What is your device model and Operating System? * If you are using an iPhone, iPad or iPod, please confirm whether you are using the Weight Watchers Mobile app for iPhone App or accessing our mobile site [a.weightwatchers.com](http://a.weightwatchers.com/) ? * If you are using a computer, what internet browser are you using. * If you have not already done so in your initial Email to us, please let us know what error you are receiving. * If your issue is technical in nature and you have not already done so in your initial Email to us, please describe as best you can what is occurring and what steps you took prior to running into the problem.  Also please provide any error messages you may have received. As soon as we receive your response we will investigate on your behalf.

OK, clearly, they're still confused.  That said, this issue is obviously on someone's radar as there most recent app update has fixed the SmartPoint values reading on foods.  The daily and weekly totals still don't read correctly, but at least now I am no longer disillusioned by chocolate cake having a 0 point value. :)

---

 

While the title of this post may seem a bit dramatic, I assure you it isn’t, at least not to me.  In a nut shell, the situation is this:  I pay for an app or service, use the app or service and then, with one update, it suddenly becomes impossible to use the app or service any longer.  This may not seem like that big a deal to those who are able to see, but for those of us who depend on VoiceOver or other assistive technologies, it’s a situation that is very real.

 

As many of my social media followers know, I’ve been a member of Weight Watchers for quite a few months.  After all, I can definitely stand to lose a few pounds and I’ve seen the program be successful with many who have benefited greatly from it.  I was also very encouraged to learn that Weight Watchers has a page dedicated to accessibility which says in part::

In our ongoing commitment to help as many people as possible to lose weight, including those with disabilities, Weight Watchers is dedicated to improving accessibility for people with visual impairments in the following ways.

The page then goes on to describe how to use the Weight Watchers online service with the JAWS screen reader, with VoiceOver and Safari, how to request information in alternative formats, how to optimize the Tracker for accessibility and much more.  I felt their commitment to accessibility to be genuine and in all fairness, their web site and iOS app worked extremely well, that is until the latest version.

 

For those unfamiliar with Weight Watchers, the program is essentially a points-based system where by individuals are allocated a number of points to be used throughout the day and foods are also given a point value, healthier foods receiving lower values than non-healthy foods.  A person can eat whatever they wish, the goal being to stay within their allocated number of points.  In short, it’s totally fine to have a big slab of chocolate cake, but because that slab of cake has a high point value, a smarter decision might be to opt for different, more healthier foods.  Using their iOS app, it’s possible to look up a food’s point value and to track it against the daily total.  Not only is this an efficient system, but the app can be instrumental in making healthy food choices by allowing the user to look up point values before deciding what to eat.

 

Like many of their customers, I update the Weight Watcher’s app regularly.  I certainly didn’t anticipate any problems when installing the latest version described as:

What's New in Version 4.9.1 Fixed an issue with the barcode scanner.

We’re always working to improve the app and maximize your experience — thanks for sharing your thoughts so we can make it even better. More exciting improvements to come!

Imagine my surprise when, after installing this harmless-looking update, all the point values suddenly started reading as ‘0’?

 

After getting over my initial euphoria over chocolate cake suddenly having a ‘0’ point value, I realized that the problem was in fact an accessibility one.  For whatever reason, VoiceOver is no longer able to read point values accurately.  What this means is that in search results, when adding foods, when reviewing meals and anywhere else a point value might present itself, it is simply read as ‘0’.  Given the critical part the point values play in the program, this is a real problem.  How can I utilize a system based on points when I can’t read the actual points?

 

So, what to do?  My first step was to utilize live chat functionality which is built directly into the Weight Watchers app.  This chat system is pleasantly accessible and since it’s available around the clock, I thought it would be a quick way to describe the issue and see if it had already been reported.  After explaining the situation to the chat representative, my chat was “transferred”; I never knew a chat could be transferred.  Anyway, I get a new representative to whom I again explain the situation only to have my chat disconnected.  By this point my hands hurt from all the typing in addition to my already-mounting frustration, so I figure the next best thing to do is to contact them via the web site.  I do this, being sure to mention that I’m blind, this is an accessibility issue followed by a descriptive explanation of the problem.  Over a day later, I receive this response:

Dear Steve, Thank you for contacting Weight Watchers. My name is [name redacted] and I'm sorry about the challenges that you have encountered in accessing your account through the WW Mobile App. Rest assured, that I will help you with your concern. I appreciate your subscription with our Online Plus  plan.

We want to take this opportunity to thank you for trying our site and for making us a part of your weight loss journey. Please try the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Please log out from the App and log back in.
2. If that does not work, force close the App if you have an Android device. Then relaunch the App. For iOS, close the App by double-clicking on the home button, swipe up on app snapshot, and click home button. Then relaunch the App.
3. If steps 1 and 2 do not work, delete the App and reinstall. Please note that recently scanned items are stored locally on the device and will be lost when you uninstall. If you would like to keep a recently scanned item, please save it as a favorite. The Mobile App requires iOS 8.0 or later. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. For Android users, it requires Android 4.0.3 and up. While it might also work on an Android tablet, it is not yet fully supported and may not be compatible. Let us know how things go! If the troubleshooting steps do not help, please reply here with details about what you are experiencing. We’ll investigate further and reach out should we need to gather additional details.

Clearly the rep misunderstands what’s meant here by “accessibility” despite my having mentioned blind, VoiceOver, and referencing their own accessibility page in my request.  No matter, I decide to be a trooper and try all the steps which, as expected, don’t accomplish anything at all.  I’ve sent an even more descriptive reply and as of this writing, have heard absolutely nothing.