Survey: help us improve smartphone voiceover(self.Blind)
submitted by lampbase1
Hi, we are students at UC Berkeley doing a project to improve the voiceover feature on smartphones. We want to ask blind smartphone users the following questions:
- Do you use voiceover to navigate your smartphone? If not, what is your method? - What smartphone apps do you frequently use? - What smartphone apps do you find hard to use? - What smartphone apps do you wish existed?
We really appreciate it if you help us answer these questions. Your answers will provide valuable insights for our project.
Thanks!
fastfinge2 points7y ago
I use voiceover daily. The apps I use most frequently, based on the stuff in my app switcher, are Google Play Music, Trivia Crack, Youtube, TuneIn Radio, Sonos, Safari, Mail, ICatcher, Swarm, Instantpot Smart Cooker, Dice World, Bible, 1Password, Facebook, oPlayer, Netatmo, and Voice Dream Reader. The app I'm lacking right now the most is an accessible universal remote. I love the idea of those apps that let you buy an IR blaster, and then control your TV, stereo, DVD Player, and so on directly from your phone. Unfortunately, of the 4 of them I've tried, all of them are inaccessible. As I'm completely blind, these apps could really make my life easier; no more remembering the layout of 5 different remote controls, no more memorizing the layout of the TV menus, no more pressing a button and wondering if it even worked, etc. Just do it all on the phone! There are some accessible smart TVs, but I can't afford to spend $2000 on a TV. Especially not when an infrared transmitter I could connect to my ethernet network can be had for about $25.
Marconius1 points7y ago
1. I use VoiceOver on an iPhone 5S running iOS 9.2.1. 2. I am constantly using Facebook, Twitter, Mail, Safari, BaconReader, OkCupid, Tinder, WhatsApp, DirectTV, Trivia Crack, Weather, Messenger and Messages, Lyft, Music, NHL/Sharks app, Instacart, Google Express, Amazon, Netflix, and Eat24. 3. I generally have issues with DirectTV, Instacart, Facebook, massive issues with my SF Federal Credit Union app, some struggles with Twitter and Google Express, and Google maps. 4. Definitely would love a proper wayfaring navigation app that didn't get confused around buildings. A streamlined and easy-to-use walking route navigation planner with granular directions. Happy with the rest of my apps, just wish they were all more accessible or had accessibility in mind when they were developed.
geoffisblind1 points7y ago
As far as I know, Voiceover is closed to development from outside sources. Google Talkback may be different, I actually don't know. I use TalkBack occasionally, it is far too clunky to make it work regularly though whereas Voiceover is always on when I'm using my iPad, I love Voiceover. I use magnification with my Samsung Galaxy Note 4. I wish that TalkBack was more like Voiceover. I feel like if you are looking to make modifications to TalkBack, use Voiceover as inspiration. I would love more blind friendly mobility apps like BlindSquare for ios on Android, we currently don't have a viable option on the Android platform. A more accessible keyboard would also be great.
lampbase1 [OP]1 points7y ago
Thanks for the information! We will look into TalkBack and BlindSquare. Would you mind sharing what smartphone apps you frequently use, and what smartphone apps you find hard to use?
geoffisblind1 points7y ago
Sure, I try to keep my phone running with not that many frills. I am running Nova launcher which is a bit easier for me to see over the stock Samsung Touchwiz skin. On a daily basis I use Now for Reddit, Reddit is Fun (for moderating), Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail for networking. For entertainment I have Youtube, Pandora, Amazon Prime Music, and Spotify. I use Chrome for web browsing and I use a mix of an app called Transit which keeps track of bus schedules relative to my position, One Bus Away (When I am in the Pacific Northwest, I have very limited experience with this app though), and Google Maps walking directions for mobility. Everything else is handled with a different tool like my Trekker Breeze. The app that I like working with the least at least while using magnification is Twitter, I guess they made aesthetique choices for the interface but it is really hard for me to read, even when magnified so I tend to just use Twitter on my computer now. If I'm using a screen reader like Voiceover on my iPad Twitter is great. I should also note that I do have Snapchat but find it to be inaccessible to me personally. I have it, but I rarely use it and discourage people from using it to communicate with me if they need me to know something simply because it is a very visual platform. In the same vein I have an Instagram but never use it for similar reasons.
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