Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Helping blind Grandfather with a new phone (self.Blind)
submitted by Sun_Brethren
Hi,
My blind Grandfather's phone has recently stopped working. I believe it was called an Alto, which unfortunately do not seem to be produced anymore, or at least the version he was using is not.
As an older gentlemen with a poor memory, almost no vision, and perhaps a lack of willingness, utilising and learning new technology has often proven to be an effort in futility. Mostly he just uses his phone to make and receive calls, where his phone reads out the name of the person who he has selected within his contacts list, as well as verbally stating the name of the person who is phoning him when he receives a phone call. The verbal aspect in conjunction with the simplistic nature of his previous phone was ideal.
With this is mind, does anyone have any recommendations for a phone or smartphone software that can be used to read out what is currently selected on the phone, for example, the name of the person selected on a phone list, while also reading out who is calling when receiving a call? Ideally, the fewer obtrusive, potentially confusing features the better.
Thank you.
My blind Grandfather's phone has recently stopped working. I believe it was called an Alto, which unfortunately do not seem to be produced anymore, or at least the version he was using is not.
As an older gentlemen with a poor memory, almost no vision, and perhaps a lack of willingness, utilising and learning new technology has often proven to be an effort in futility. Mostly he just uses his phone to make and receive calls, where his phone reads out the name of the person who he has selected within his contacts list, as well as verbally stating the name of the person who is phoning him when he receives a phone call. The verbal aspect in conjunction with the simplistic nature of his previous phone was ideal.
With this is mind, does anyone have any recommendations for a phone or smartphone software that can be used to read out what is currently selected on the phone, for example, the name of the person selected on a phone list, while also reading out who is calling when receiving a call? Ideally, the fewer obtrusive, potentially confusing features the better.
Thank you.
lhamil64 1 points 5y ago
If you can find the exact model of phone he used, I bet you could find one on eBay or something.
SLJ7 1 points 5y ago
As an assistive tech trainer I absolutely cannot recommend the iPhone to someone who wants something simple. I work with people every week who are horribly confused by the simplest of things on the iPhone, and while it might be really obvious to us, those things are a hell of a learning curve for anyone, even if they don't have to use voiceover. Toss in a screenreader and ... well you get the idea.
A few of the older flip phones from Samsung and LG (mostly the ones on Verizon) were pretty good in the accessibility department. I believe most if not all of them are discontinued, but Ebay could help you. One in particular, called the Samsung Haven, was intended for seniors and had accessibility built right in. you enable it once, it sticks, and it reads everything on the phone. The voice is not that great and you get a half-second lag when navigating the phone, but it is very simple and very usable. it's too bad that phone of his was discontinued: I saw one, and it certainly wasn't amazing, but it was better than any other dumbphone I've seen for the blind. The speech quality on the haven and LG phones is horrible in comparison.
Edit: My F key is an attention whore.
A few of the older flip phones from Samsung and LG (mostly the ones on Verizon) were pretty good in the accessibility department. I believe most if not all of them are discontinued, but Ebay could help you. One in particular, called the Samsung Haven, was intended for seniors and had accessibility built right in. you enable it once, it sticks, and it reads everything on the phone. The voice is not that great and you get a half-second lag when navigating the phone, but it is very simple and very usable. it's too bad that phone of his was discontinued: I saw one, and it certainly wasn't amazing, but it was better than any other dumbphone I've seen for the blind. The speech quality on the haven and LG phones is horrible in comparison.
Edit: My F key is an attention whore.
awesomesaucesaywhat 1 points 5y ago
My grandmother has the firefly. She presses a button and it calls a phone center that we have give her contacts to, so she says "call my son please" and then they dial his number. That way she doesn't have to try to remember everyone's number.
Amonwilde 1 points 5y ago
I'd consider an Amazon Echo. You just talk to it with more or less natural language. The learning curve is essentially nil, you just say, "Alexa, call Sandy."
If he wants something portable, get an iPhone and show him how to use Siri. Some older people have trouble timing their speech with Siri, though.
If he wants something portable, get an iPhone and show him how to use Siri. Some older people have trouble timing their speech with Siri, though.
lhamil64 1 points 5y ago
A Google home would be better, because the Echo requires the other person to either have an Echo or have the Alexa app installed and setup.
But the Home can't receive calls yet IIRC.
But the Home can't receive calls yet IIRC.
vwlsmssng 1 points 5y ago
> get an iPhone
Even if you can get Siri to dial the call for you, you still have to use the UI to end the call, and the standard iPhone UI is not usable of you have low vision. You have to see where to stab the screen to end the call.
Voiceover is great with the iPhone but there is a lot to learn and the amount of learning is very off putting. Should I three finger treble tap or two finger swipe down?
The range of accessible phones (in the UK) seems to have really declined if you believe the $1.
The $1 might be an option if it is not too dumbed down.
Edit: treble table -> treble tap
Even if you can get Siri to dial the call for you, you still have to use the UI to end the call, and the standard iPhone UI is not usable of you have low vision. You have to see where to stab the screen to end the call.
Voiceover is great with the iPhone but there is a lot to learn and the amount of learning is very off putting. Should I three finger treble tap or two finger swipe down?
The range of accessible phones (in the UK) seems to have really declined if you believe the $1.
The $1 might be an option if it is not too dumbed down.
Edit: treble table -> treble tap
Amonwilde 1 points 5y ago
Agreed about the iPhone. But the old accessible phones are rapidly disappearing and it's not like they have no learning curve themselves. Still think an echo is your best bet if he'll be calling from home, and it can tell the time and read the news, do weather, etc.
vwlsmssng 1 points 5y ago
A couple of questions about the Amazon Echo
Can you call someone who doesn't have an echo?
$1
This Cnet review suggest that's all you can do.
How do you end a call with the Amazon Echo?
Are your calls private?
Can you call someone who doesn't have an echo?
$1
This Cnet review suggest that's all you can do.
How do you end a call with the Amazon Echo?
Are your calls private?
Amonwilde 1 points 5y ago
The person you're calling has to have the Alexa app on their phone. It's definitely a limitation, but if he's just calling you or a few other people that's not a big deal.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/11/how-to-make-calls-with-amazons-alexa-for-free.html
They're about as private as any voIP call, like Facetime or Google Hangouts. It's kind of like a speakerphone, though, so if he's in a group setting that could be an issue.
To hang up, you say "hang up." That part is pretty straightforward.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/11/how-to-make-calls-with-amazons-alexa-for-free.html
They're about as private as any voIP call, like Facetime or Google Hangouts. It's kind of like a speakerphone, though, so if he's in a group setting that could be an issue.
To hang up, you say "hang up." That part is pretty straightforward.
fastfinge 1 points 5y ago
I don't think it reads the contact list, but if you're in the US, perhaps the $1 would do the trick? It does offer voice dialing and a simple keypad.
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