Gerald,

I can honestly sympathize with your skepticism. When I was beginning to hear about VoiceOver on the iPhone I could not imagine how a blind person could possibly use a flat touch screen. However, like many others on this list I have become extremely proficient in using the iPhone and I have no usable vision. I have set up many iPhones right out of the box without any sighted assistance, with only VoiceOver to tell me what is on the screen. In fact, I have done the same with Android devices, including Fire tablets from Amazon. Being a former assistive technology trainer for 25 years I have also spent the last few years in my previous role training other blind people how to use these devices. I would recommend that you find someone who is local to you who could show you an iPhone with VoiceOver to introduce you to some basic concepts. This helped me to get started as a friend came to visit me where I worked with her iPhone to give me a quick introduction. I would also recommend that you visit www.applevis.com and read some of the guides on the site's section for new users. There are also many audio tutorials on that site, as well. Finally, I would recommend that you consider visiting a local Apple store. Many Apple stores hire sales reps who are knowledgeable regarding VoiceOver and accessibility, in general.

David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
JAWS Certified, 2019

WWW.DavidGoldfield.org

Suspect all you want Gerald, but, I am a totally blind user and can use a phone perfectly well without buttons. Just the touchscreen and the Byam buttons on the side and the Sleep light button on the side.

 Diane Bomar

On Feb 20, 2020, at 08:01, Gerald Levy via Groups.Io <bwaylimited@...> wrote:



I suspect that many "blind" consumers who use smart phones that are completely devoid of tactile buttons are not really "blind" at all, but visually impaired and retain some funtional vision to navigate around a touchscreen.  Those who are totally blind and purport to use a touchscreen smart phone probably had a lot of sighted help. Which is why smart phones with tactile keypads like the BlindShell and Smart Vision have been introduced. So I'm looking forward to hearing about the experiences of a totally blind consumer using the new Samsung smart flip phone.  

Gerald

On 2/20/2020 9:41 AM, Gene wrote:

Your statement about buttons is inaccurate based on discussions I've seen on this topic before.  Most smart phones already had very few buttons, and, as for the elimination of the home button on the I-Phone, while I can't speak from personal experience, I've seen enough comments on lists like this that the button's elimination doesn't mean blind people can't use the phone.  Evidently, the screen simulates the presence of a button by vibrating.  I'm not saying I definitely understand the situation and I await other comments but how many people have you seen say they stopped using an I-Phone because of elimination of the home button? 

 

You often state the worst case interpretation of situations.

 

Gene

----- Origial Message -----

From: Gerald Levy via Groups.Io

Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2020 5:22 AM

To: main@TechTalk.groups.io

Subject: Re: [TechTalk] New Smart Flip Phone?

According to Consumer Reports, this Samsung smart flip phone employs a new touchscreen technology that allows it to be thin and flexible enough to be folded in half like a wallet.  But in tests, it proved to be very fragile, and CR did not recommend it, especially in view of its very high price tag.  And it would probably not be a good choice for a blind consumer because even unfolded the touchscreen is relatively small and has no tactile buttons.  This seems to be a growing trend in smart phones: eliminating all physical buttons, making it virtually impossible for a blind consumer to use the phone without some sighted help or a lot of hands-on training.

Gerald

On 2/19/2020 9:20 PM, Mike B wrote:



Hi Lisa,

 

I heard about a phone like you're describing just the other day and I think they said that Samsung was the company  producing it.  From the way the guy was describing the way it works, it sounds like it'll be a really cool phone, but for $1300 it damn well otta be!  LOL  LOL  Check out the link below for a review.

 

https://gizmodo.com/24-hours-with-the-samsung-galaxy-z-flip-has-me-convince-1841791884

 

 

Take care.  Mike.  Sent from my iBarstool.

----- Original Message -----

From: Lisa Belville

To: Tech Talk

Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2020 5:02 PM

Subject: [TechTalk] New Smart Flip Phone?

Hi, all.


My semi-techno-phobic dad is going to trade in his old flip phone soon.
He said he saw something on TV advertising a smart flip phone, he means
a phone with the same body style as a feature flip phone but with the
capability of a modern iPhone or Android Smart phone. I haven't heard
anything about this. Does anyone here have any info about this type of
phone? Brand, Wireless carrier, etc?


TIA


Lisa


--
Lisa Belville
missktlab1217@...