Preview of BlackBerry Screenreader

[Loreal Lavigna]

OK Everyone,  I'm going to give everyone an overview before I post the demo.  Actually having difficulty in recording this and getting it how I want it, so a preview is in order first until I can iron out the bugs with the recording.

 

Firstly, Screenreader is a definite improvement over the former Oratio for BlackBerry, which was only officially supported on the BlackBerry Curve 8520 but was to some degree able to be used on a few other unsupported devices.  I've used this now for just under 24 hours, and I can tell you I'm highly impressed so far!!!  Even though this is essentially a ground-floor release, RIM has really been working hard to make sure things like issues with speech volume and bugs with accompanying BlackBerry audible notifications are far less present than they were in Oratio's time.

 

As stated in the official blog release, Screenreader is said to work with the core applications of the BlackBerry including: messaging, email,contacts, calendar, changing phone settings, checking battery status/usage, etc.  I am extremely pleased to report that I have had no trouble in doing any of these things at all thus far.  The blackberry generic keyboard shortcuts work very well within the messaging app as well as other places throughout.

 

I will report that with the blackberry curve 9350, the speaker is not as good as the one on the iPhone 4S, but it is better than what I had on my BlackBerry Bold 9650 with the volume issues as a former Oratio user.  There is no browser or appworld support as of yet, but this is something that xRIM is working on.  With the older version of the appworld there is mild to slightly moderate accessibility, but it does take patience to get used to it.  I have not upgraded my appworld to version 3, opting instead to remain on version 2 which came stock loaded on the device.  Version 2 does have some mild/moderate accessibility as I said, and I will explain more about this in another email if this is of interest to anyone.  At the moment, the lack of browser support and the mild appworld support with the older version of appworld might be a selling point for some, understandably.  However, the physical keyboard is easily usable, and the speech is familiar (as it is also the Nuance speech we are familiar with from our iPhones.

 

BlackBerry messenger is also usable, as are the instant messaging applications AOL, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo, and Google Talk.  The facebook and twitter applications are accessible as well, which will be of note to those who have had difficulty in using the applications on other platforms and have had difficulty.

 

Also, the battery life of the blackberry is a very big selling point for me.  Blackberries as I have learned, tend to have a greater battery life between charges than other devices I've used.  This does varry, depending on how heavy the usage of the device is however.  Plus the customizable vibratory feedback as well.  The vibratory feedback that is customizable is highly useful.  For instance, I have it set to one medium vibration for all emails, 5 short vibrations for all text messages and long vibrations for facebook, twitter and BBM.

 

Please note, anyone who has a blackberry and wishes to try out BBM, my pin is 32EC31F7

 

 

I realize this seems rushed, but I am doing about half a dozen things at once so please be patient with me while I try to get this demonstration recorded and ready for uploading.

 

Loreal Lavigna

Medical Transcriptionist/Medical Language Specialist

Phone:  (518) 330-5188

Email:  Loreal...@gmail.com

 

[chris hallsworth]

This all sounds good! I'm glad the screen reader works very well on your
Blackberry. Looking forward to hear the demo.


Christopher Hallsworth

[Mike Arrigo]

Hi, thanks for this information, for me, the lack of browser support and third party apps would be a deal breaker, for qwerty phones, android may be the best bet at this point, it sounds like this works similar to the way Symbian screen readers work. I get around 3 or 4 days from my android phone on a charge.

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[Mike Arrigo]

Did some checking, you can get unlocked blackberry devices for around $300, this is the only kind of phone I prefer to get, I'm not sure if RIM lets carriers install bloatware on these devices, but I prefer phones that are not tied to any carrier.

[Jeffrey D. Stark]

Ya that is what I am thinking...
...which android phone are u using right now?

[Mike Arrigo]

Got several here, my newest one is the motorola xt-860, it has 16 GB of memory, a duel core 1 GHZ processor, an 8 mp camera, and a 5 row qwerty keyboard.

[alberto arrreola]

Are you going to get one mike?

Sent from my iPhone

[Loreal Lavigna]

From the way it sounded in his email last night he said that lack of browser
support was a deal breaker for him. But I have a strong feeling RIM will
take this project much further than Human ware and did with Oratio.
Loreal

Loreal Lavigna
Medical Transcriptionist/Medical Language Specialist
Phone: (518) 330-5188
Email: Loreal...@gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: bbac...@googlegroups.com [mailto:bbac...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of alberto arrreola
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 9:07 AM
To: bbac...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [BB Access] Preview of BlackBerry Screenreader

[Mike Arrigo]

Not at this time, I see no reason to, doesn't seem to offer any benefit, I will watch its progress and see what happens. Hopefully blackberry 10 will be accessible wen it's released, also, I wonder how much longer blackberry will be around. Symbian was also a good platform, but there's no future in it.

[Harold]

I believe RIM will add support for browser in the future. Browser support is not critical to me. As long as email and other messages are readable is all that matters. After Blackberries are communications devices first and foremost not toys. I have a tablet and an ipod 4 for that. RIM is gonna b around for awhile.

[Ricardo Walker]

Lol,

Many would disagree about that last statement. There are governments who are exploring other mobile options. This is not good news for RIM.

[alberto arreola]

I agree many people in government are using iPhones, iPads, and android
tablets not to miss the android phones.

[Stuart Lawler]

I think we're likely to see accessibility in Blackberry 10. Rim are very committed to this project, and I have belief that we will see updates being pushed out very shortly that will address the web and other issues that people have talked about here previously.

Stuart.

-----Original Message-----
From: bbac...@googlegroups.com [mailto:bbac...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike Arrigo
Sent: 27 May 2012 14:46
To: bbac...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [BB Access] Preview of BlackBerry Screenreader

[Ricardo Walker]

Hi,

I think at this point it goes beyond just having access bolted on as an after thought. We have all now seen the benefits of products when Accessibility is apart of the early planning stages of a product. When they try to cobble accessibility and shoe horn it into a pre existing framework, you get a lot of buggy behavior and, it ends up costing us more money in the long run. From the view things I've heard, BB 10 probably will not have a built in screen reader at launch. This isn't a death nail for its accessibility mind you. After all, Android didn't have accessibility for us until 1.6, and nothing respectable in my opinion until Android 2.0. And it wasn't until the 3rd generation of the iPhone when we saw Voiceover take the stage. But in these 2 instances, both companies had every intention of adding accessibility into their device, it just wasn't ready at launch. I'm hoping this is the same for RIM.

[Mike Arrigo]

In some ways, the same happened with Symbian, they finally released a stripped down version of mobile speak for some phones, but that was after the platform was pretty much dead, that's another reason why, even though Symbian phones are still available, it would be difficult to suggest it, why pay for a screen reader when you can get it on the iphone or android for free, there's no advantage to that.

[chris hallsworth]

Ditto! I do have a Nokia N86 with a full license of Talks, but I only
use it for example when my iPhone is on charge or otherwise not available.


Christopher Hallsworth

[Mike Arrigo]

I had a license for talks, but it was licensed to my sim card, got a new one last year and never transferred it since I had the iphone and a few android phones, I also have a mobile speak license which is tied to the phone number. Of course, android and IOS license apps much better, they are tied to your account which normally would never change, this is how mobile accessibility for android is licensed, definitely a much better approach.

[chris hallsworth]

My Talks was licensed via IMEI. Woh! So if I was to go the Android root
I would only have to buy Mobile Accessibility the once? Sounds good.


Christopher Hallsworth

[Mike Arrigo]

This is correct, if you even needed mobile accessibility, it does make some things easier, but it's not needed. You could use a free screen reader such as spiel, and another home screen such as launcher pro or the eyes free shell. But, yes, if you decided you wanted to purchase mobile accessibility, the license is tied to your google account. So, if you switch phones, just sign in to your google account, and go to the google play store on the phone, your purchased apps will be there waiting to be installed. None of this device, phone number, or sim card licensing nonsense.

[Ricardo Walker]

Hi,

just to added to this, if your using Sprint, you get mobile access for free with your Android device.

[Loreal]

Not only that, but u do not need to pay for the blackberry screenreader either. Only thing paid for is the device (regardless of whether or not u had an upgrade).
Loreal
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

[chris hallsworth]

Hmmm I may subscribe to the eyes free list I think it's called just for
interest's sake. How do I do this please? Don't want to clutter up the
list so please feel free to write me off list. Thanks!


Christopher Hallsworth

[Stuart Lawler]

All, could I say, with the greatest of respect, that this is a list for discussing Blackberry and that platform's accessibility. I think Android and the strength or otherwise of that system are adequately covered on numerous other lists.

[Jeffrey D. Stark]

This had previously been delt with; but sure let's go round again.

[Loreal Lavigna]

OK guys, I'm going to stop the argument before it gets started. Yes this
list is for blackberry and its accessibility. I won't say no to some
comparisons between other platforms, but I would like it to be kept down to
comparisons. Now, keep in mind guys I've been watching this thread and it
has not as of yet strayed too far off topic.
Loreal

Loreal Lavigna
Medical Transcriptionist/Medical Language Specialist
Phone: (518) 330-5188
Email: Loreal...@gmail.com

[Mike Arrigo]

From what I can tell, the blackberry platform sounds very much like symbian as far as how it works, wonder if blackberry version 10 will be completely touch driven.

[alberto arreola]

Based the videos I've heard on you tube the majority of their devices are
touch based.

[Louie P. (Pete) Nalda]

Actually the touch devices running BBOS didn't really come into play until the last couple of years. First with the Storm, then later the all touch screen torch. FYI the models that run the screenreader at this point are keyboard devices. The first BBOS 10 device will be a touch screen device, but they seem to think they'll integrate some keyboard devices to os 10 as well.

Egun On, Lagunak! (Basque for G'day, Mates)
Louie P. "Pete" Nalda
http://www.myspace.com/musikonalda
http://www.facebook.com/lpnalda
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Twitter @lpnalda

[alberto arrreola]

These are os 7 remember and he asked about os 10.

Sent from my iPhone

[Louie P. (Pete) Nalda]

I know. I thought I would just give a little history. I did put in the second line that the first OS 10 devices would be all touch.