Accessibility

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Using macOS Catalina Hands Free to Design a Logo

Andrew Orr ·

It’s a short video, but developer Camera Cundiff tweeted a video in which he used macOS Catalina Hands Free to design a simple logo.

video: time-lapse screencast, dictating commands to XD via macOS voice control, demonstrating the use of Number and Grid targeting to create overlapping shapes and type.

Hands Free is such a powerful feature, and combined with Siri makes the Mac feel like a Star Trek computer.

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Chuck Joiner Chats with Kelly Guimont at WWDC

Kelly Guimont ·

During the week of WWDC and AltConf, I ended up getting to spend some time with Chuck Joiner of MacVoices. We talked about the announcements of the week, the upgrade path of previous Macs, and how accessibility and security are increasingly spotlighted by Apple. We had a great time talking, and hopefully it shows in the video below. Enjoy!

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Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s Global Accessibility Chief Talks Tech

Andrew Orr ·

Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s Global Accessibility chief, talks about new accessibility features in iOS 13 and macOS Catalina.

Accessibility, as it always does, plays a significant role in not only the conference itself — the sessions, labs and get-togethers all are mainstays of the week — but also in the software Apple shows off. Of particular interest this year is Apple’s Voice Control feature, available for macOS Catalina and iOS 13 devices, which allows users to control their Macs and iPhones using only the sound of their voices.

The new features, such as Voice Control, are amazing.

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iOS Mouse Support Could Come This Year

Andrew Orr ·

Federico Vittici and Steve Troughton-Smith are saying that iOS mouse support could be coming this year as an accessibility feature of iOS 13. Mr. Vittici mentioned it on the Connected podcast, while Mr. Smith confirmed the rumor via Twitter.

https://twitter.com/stroughtonsmith/status/1120447708215554049?s=21

I personally don’t see the need for a mouse on a touch-oriented device. But I’m glad it will be optional, instead of a required component of iOS. Edit: 20190425: I take that back.  I didn’t think of the scenario where many people can hook up an external monitor to their iPad. In that case, mouse support is perfect.

How iOS Helps a Blind Veteran Return to the Water
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How iOS Helps a Blind Veteran Return to the Water

Charlotte Henry ·

Here is a feel-good story for a Friday. Apple has made public the story of Scott Leason—a US Navy veteran and keen surfer…who happens to be blind. The story details how by using an iPhone XR, and the VoiceOver application in particular, as well as an Apple Watch, Mr Leason is able to undertake a number of tasks and partake in his beloved water sports. He said,“When I’m at the end of a line behind a boat just like anybody else, I forget I’m blind. And then when I come into the beach and there’s people around [his dog] Snickers and I go yeah that’s my seeing eye dog and I got a board in my hand and they go, ‘you’re blind?’ That’s a cool feeling.” It might be easy for some to be cynical about Apple promoting this, but for most of us, it is equally easy to forget how crucial technology and the accessibility tools modern devices have are to people with a variety of disabilities. Surfs up, Mr Leason!

Tips

iOS 11: How to Use Smart Invert

Jeff Butts ·

The iPhone and iPad’s accessibility features offer a sort of “dark mode” that’ll invert the colors on your screen without messing with images and other media. It’s awesome for those who have trouble viewing iOS devices using the default color scheme, but it’s also handy to make your screen less bright in the dark!