Steve Sawczyn

  • Quick tip: how to get rid of the iOS bubble sound when typing or using Braille Screen Input

    I've been using Braille Screen Input on iOS for years, as it helps me to type more efficiently. One thing that has bothered me though, whether typing with Braille Screen Input or the on-screen keyboard, is this bubble sound that VoiceOver occasionally makes. While that sound does have a purpose and an important one at that, I find it distracting and have always lamented that I didn't have a way to disable it. Little did I know that there actually is a way to disable it.

    [twitter.com/SteveOfMa...](https://twitter.com/SteveOfMaine/status/1434219256439320579)

    I received many replies on Twitter, some from people experiencing the same frustration as me, and others, offering a solution I likely never would have found on my own.

    [twitter.com/walkside3...](https://twitter.com/walkside3/status/1434222462418386946)

    As it turns out, there are actually a lot of sound customizations that can be made in VoiceOver, many of which are off by default and so I never even knew they existed. Not only that, but it's possible to preview each of the VoiceOver sounds which is a great way to learn what they actually mean. I recorded a brief video showcasing these settings in the hopes it might be useful to others.

    Demo of the VoiceOver sounds dialog

    Disabling the VoiceOver auto fill sound has made a world of difference for me. Now I can use Braille Screen Input without being distracted every couple of words. In fact, I've written this very entry solely using Braille Screen Input.

    I would like to thank Rachel, Matthew, and Kara, for getting back to me so quickly with what proved to be the perfect solution. Twitter can be an awesome place for conversation and I'm glad these awesome people are a part of it.

  • Can I use Apple's new MagSafe to attach an iPhone to my fridge? Yes, yes I can.

    I was curious if I could use Apple’s MagSafe technology to attach an iPhone to my fridge and apparently I can. I’m not sure how posting a YouTube video to WordPress works, so hope this comes through.

    www.youtube.com/watch

  • Demonstrating iReg, an app that allows recording on the Apple Watch

    Earlier this morning, I heard of iReg, an app that allows one to make audio recordings on the Apple Watch. In this brief episode, I provide a brief overview of the app. Darren Duff, @Darren_Duff on Twitter, has done a far more in-depth demo for those wishing to learn more.

  • Demo of Direct Touch Typing on iOS8

    In this audio demo, I discuss the new Direct Touch Typing input method introduced in iOS8 and show how it works with VoiceOver.

  • Audio Demo of adding a card to Apple Pay using the iPhone camera

    Apple’s new Apple Pay feature allows the iPhone camera to be used to add a new credit card. In this brief audio demo, I walk through this surprisingly accessible process using VoiceOver.

  • Brief demo of the Yo app

    In this brief episode, I demonstrate the Yo app, an ultra simple, somewhat ridiculous app that has gone viral in recent months.

  • My demo of the Zoom IQ5 stereo mic for Lightning devices

    In this episode, I demonstrate the Zoom IQ5 stereo mic for Lightning devices. WARNING, as this is a live demo, there are severe fluctuations in audio volume.

  • Accepting physical credit card payments, the accessible PayPal solution

    For many small businesses, the inaccessibility of payment solutions have often posed barriers to accepting physical credit card payments. More recently, services such as Squared and PayPal have entered the arena with solutions that provide small businesses and individuals the ability to accept physical credit cards using a small device connected to an OS or Android device. Although ultra portable and ultra convenient, these solutions traditionally pose accessibility challenges as well, because the card reader devices connect via the headphone jack and this disables speech output which may be needed for accessibility.

    Although I wasn’t able to make a great deal of headway with the Squared solution, I did have success with PayPal’s. In the following audio demonstration, I’ll show how PayPal’s solution works with VoiceOver and will describe how to overcome it’s accessibility challenges.

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