VoiceOver posts

Filed under: Odds and ends, Internet Tools, Blogs

The Mac-cessability Network: resources for Apple accessibility

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Aug 18th, 2009

Touting another blog or website isn't an everyday occurrence here at TUAW, but a recent press release got our notice. A site called The Mac-cessibility Network is the work of six dedicated individiduals, all of whom are visually impaired, who provide the Apple community with a source of information on accessibility.

Through updated news, the Mac-cessibility Round Table Podcast, and a list of other sites and resources, The Mac-cessibility Network delivers a single source for information for blind and visually impaired Apple fans, as well as providing other useful facts for other disability groups.

One item that I was totally unaware of until I visited The Mac-cessibility Network is that our favorite smartphone, the Apple iPhone 3GS, is also the most useful smartphone for visually impaired people. Why? Going to Settings > General > Accessibility allows you to turn on VoiceOver, which was previously limited to only running on Macs and the iPod shuffle. VoiceOver on the 3GS is amazing, reading your email, helping you to type replies by announcing the keys that are being touched, and otherwise telling you what you're currently touching on the phone.

Hints like this, as well as the other resources on this site, make The Mac-cessibility Network a "must-bookmark" site for the visually impaired and for Apple consultants and resellers. Consider making a donation to support the continued viability of The Mac-cessibility Network.

Tags: accessibility, iphone 3gs, Iphone3gs, mac, visuallyimpaired, voiceover

Filed under: Gaming, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition out on iPhone

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Jul 23rd, 2009

That was fast -- LucasArts has released the Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition out to the iPhone, and it's available on the App Store right now for the low price of $7.99. I say low because even though that's higher than many games for the platform, this one is not only one of the best-loved games of yesteryear, but it has also had its graphics completely redone, voiceover added for every scene and character, and a completely remastered musical score as well. Plus, if you get nostalgic for the old version, you can seamlessly switch between the new and old at any time while you play the game. Pretty darn cool.

Plus, the price can also be considered low because this exact same game released just about a week ago on the Xbox Live Arcade for $10. So not only do you now get to play it in a portable version, you get to play it for $2 less. Hopefully this is the first of many LucasArts classics that we'll see on the iPhone. Just keep an eye out as you play for any really evil-looking doorstops -- we hear they're quite fearsome.

Tags: adventure, app, graphics, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, lucasarts, nostalgia, prices, remake, secret-of-monkey-island, special-edition, voiceover, walk-to, xbox-live

Filed under: iPod Family, Software Update, ipod shuffle

New shuffle gets an update

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Apr 11th, 2009

Got a new iPod shuffle? Hook up to iTunes and check Software Update, because there's a holiday surprise waiting there for you. The revised VoiceOver Kit 1.0.1 corrects artist name pronunciations and includes a few other fixes.

If you've downloaded the update let us know how it's working for you.

[via Macworld]

Tags: ipod, ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, shuffle, software update, SoftwareUpdate, update, voiceover

Filed under: iPod Family, ipod shuffle

New iPod shuffle features VoiceOver

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Mar 11th, 2009

The store is back, and the rapid rumor ramp-up is vindicated: Apple introduced a new iPod shuffle this morning, billed as 'the first music player that talks to you' -- it features a VoiceOver interface that announces artists, songs and playlists on demand (the iPod nano features spoken menus as well, so that tagline may need some work).

Interestingly, the VoiceOver UI concept was mused upon by John Gruber last month. The shuffle now supports multiple playlists, which would have been difficult to manage without some sort of UI for controlling which one is playing.

The new shuffle expands to 4 GB of storage for the same $79US, but in the course of shrinking the overall size of the microscopic MP3 maven down to 1.8" high, 0.7" wide and 0.3" deep (45mm x 17mm x 7.8mm), the player controls were moved onto the headphone cord. This may not sit well with buyers who prefer other earbuds.

The shuffle is available in black and silver and is shipping in 3-5 days.

Tags: headphones, ipod, ipod shuffle, IpodShuffle, shuffle, voiceover

Filed under: iTunes, Software Update

iTunes 8.0.2 now available, adds VoiceOver capabilities

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Nov 20th, 2008

Apple just released an update to iTunes. Version 8.0.2 "...improves stability and performance and provides a number of important bug fixes." They note that this update adds VoiceOver capabilities for both iTunes and iTunes U. VoiceOver is the built-in screen reader utility for Mac OS X that helps visually challenged users.

In addition to VoiceOver, Apple also includes the following "important" bug fixes:

Addresses a quality issue creating MP3s on some computers.
Fixes a connectivity issue with the iTunes Store when using some Internet proxies with Mac OS X.
Improves accessibility with VoiceOver.

You can get this 60MB update via Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support Downloads website.

Thanks to Randall and others for the tips!

Tags: 8.02, breakingnews, iTunes, software update, SoftwareUpdate, update, VoiceOver

Filed under: iPod Family

New nanos to get spoken menus

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Sep 10th, 2008

One of the interesting minor details on the iPod nanos released today is the inclusion of some new accessibility features. There's even an Accessibility section on the spec page, which notes the addition of spoken menus and an alternative larger font. The spoken menus "allow listeners to hear many of the names of menus, song titles, and artists without viewing the screen."

While this is clearly a boon to those with some visual disabilities I suspect it could also be handy to other folks as well, since it will presumably allow changing song, playlists, etc. without looking at the screen, which would be really nice while driving. According to Infinite Loop a nano with this feature turned on will even inherit your Mac's VoiceOver voice. Unfortunately, it's not clear if other iPods or the iPhone will also gain this feature at some point.

Tags: accessibility, ipod, nano, voiceover

Filed under: Software Update, Leopard

Apple updates Braille support in Leopard

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Feb 5th, 2008

Today, Apple released the Braille Display Update 1.0 for VoiceOver in Leopard. VoiceOver, part of the Universal Access family of accessibility tech, allows blind or visually impaired users to hear what's on the screen. Via the new update, when you connect a compatible Braille display, "VoiceOver automatically detects it and sends it information about what is displayed on the screen." This update adds new support for certain Braille displays, including the HandyTech Braille Star 8, GW Micro BrailleSense, and more.

This update is available for users of Mac OS X Leopard by using Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple support downloads site. If you're currently using a Braille screenreader under Leopard -- or you were waiting for support for your screenreader via this update -- drop us a comment to let us know if the update makes a difference for you.

Tags: accessibility, Braille, display support, Leopard, tweet-this, universal access, UniversalAccess, VoiceOver

Filed under: Audio, Multimedia, Software, Video

Simple voice-over narration with Ishmael

by Brian Liloia (RSS feed) on Feb 6th, 2007

Ishmael is a basic application for easily creating voice-over narration for still photos and images, and then exporting your final product as a QuickTime video. So if you need to whip up a quick presentation, or want to make up a little story about a recent trip this is the app for you.

Ishmael supports images from iPhoto albums or PDF files as its source, which can then be dubbed over and encoded as an actual QuickTime file. You can then take that video output and include it in an iMovie or Final Cut Pro project, or even export it back to iPhoto. Ishmael supports most Core Audio-compatible input devices, and includes multiple video encoding formats, and it even features Apple Remote support. Note, however, that it requires iPhoto 6.0, QuickTime 7.0, and OS X 10.4. Give the free demo a go and it will cost you $30 for the full package. Unfortunately, I'm running 10.3.9 (shock!), so I can't give this guy a test spin, but there are video samples linked on the official Ishamel website.

Tags: final cut pro, FinalCutPro, imovie, iphoto, ishamel, multimedia, narration, video, voice over, VoiceOver

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