I couldn't agree more with this last post. Honestly, I haven't tried out Jellybean, though I'd like to do so, but when you compare the use of the iPhone by sighted individuals versus blind ones, with the same usage of an Android phone by sighted versus blind people, you find that the iPhone usage ratio is close to a 1:1 setup than the Android ratio.
The difficulty is in quality control and accessibility concerns. google released Android as a chance at scooping up market shares. Essentially, it's free to implement, and they don't even really control a lot of content that's out there. this is in comparison to Apple, who released an exclusive device running proprietary software which they wrote, produced, and assembled. Furthermore, anyone who wants to develop for Apple products has to pay for it, and there's an approval process. This is highly different from the Google Android approach. Honestly, the problem I find is that with the iPhone I find plenty of inaccessible apps in the store but no inaccessible apps on the phone, and a good plenty of apps in the store are accessible. With Android phones, the experience I've heard, though it is second-hand from good friends, is that there are certain apps which are designed to be accessible. It is possible to browse the web in limited fashion, explore contacts, calculator, clock functions, and text messages, in a general way, it is similar, if not less than, a phone running, say, Windows Mobile 6.1 or 6.5 and Mobile Speak. Those phones are smartphones, but only technically so. If you want a basic phone, go with Android, because you'll get what you want, a phone with fully functioning address book, dial pad, and the like, but if you want to truly engage the smartness of the smartphone, go for the iDevice, because you'll be getting an experience which more closely parallels the experience had by your sighted colleagues, an experience which doesn't depend on specific apps developed for accessibility but depends on a wide range of apps whose development often encourages accessibility concerns simply by haing to be written that way. Sorry for the slightly rambling nature of this message, and good luck, no matter what your choice turns out to be. Signed: Dakotah Rickard On 1/6/13, Thomas Ward <thomasward1...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Josh, > > Thanks for the post. That is exactly the kind of educated message I > wanted to see on this subject as I am about to turn in my old phone > for a new one in the next few months and I'm torn between a Android > phone or an iPhone. > > My principle use will be as a phone so it sounds like as a phone an > Android phone would be well suited in that regard. However, as you > pointed out since I will be forking over cash for the device I want > something I can browse the web, read ebooks, listen to mp3s, and > perhaps have a few games which means what I want is a smart phone, and > in terms of smart phones the iPhone is the best all in one package. > > On 1/6/13, Draconis Entertainment <gene...@draconisentertainment.com> > wrote: >> >> I don't usually chime in on these threads, but as an iPHone user and >> developer, I wanted to make a few points briefly. >> >> If you just want a phone, not a smart phone, then an Android phone might >> be >> the more cost effective option…but if you want to use your phone…as most >> people do…as a smart phone, then an Android phone is a terrible solution, >> at >> present, for a visually impaired person. >> >> The iPhone has a far greater number of higher quality apps with >> accessibility, and you will get far more out of your phone than you can >> hope >> to do so, at least at present, with the half-baked access available for >> Android. This will hopefully change in the future, but at present access >> on >> Android phone's cannot hold a candle to the iPhone. >> >> Also, the iPhone 5, as Charles pointed out, has a larger screen, but >> cost-wise, you also have the options of the iPhone 4S for $99, or the >> iPhone >> 4 for free with a two year contract in the US and many other countries. >> Both >> of those devices are excellent, especially for the price. >> >> Accessibility aside, compatibility across different Android devices is >> sketchy at best, and the Android marketplace is rattled with malware that >> one must contend with. >> >> Also, most Android phones can not be updated to the latest software. >> Compare this to the iPhone 3GS, released with VoiceOver in 2009, which >> can >> run iOS 6, the current version of the operating system. I don't believe >> there are *any* Android phones released in 2009 that can run Jelly Bean. >> Your cost-effectiveness goes out the window if you want to stay current >> with >> the software. You'll be needing a new phone every few months to a year. >> >> Hopefully, in time, these problem areas, including accessibility, will be >> ironed out on Android, but it is unlikely to be for the foreseeable >> future. >> >> The fact that Android is a choice at all is good. Competition is always a >> good thing, but I think that there are a lot of factors to consider, >> especially as visually impaired users, here. >> >> Just my two cents. >> >> >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Ward" >>> <thomasward1...@gmail.com> >>> To: "Gamers Discussion list" <gamers@audyssey.org> >>> Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2013 5:07 PM >>> Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Good iPhone games for Voiceover user >>> >>> >>>> Hi Dark, >>>> >>>> True enough. It all sounds good. The only problem for me is that the >>>> Apple iPhone 5 costs more than double the cost of a Google Nexus 4, >>>> and one thing I do not like about the iPhone is that the touchscreen >>>> is very small. The Nexus 4 has nearly double the room to move your >>>> fingers around which I find much more suited to my needs. >>>> >>>> So while the Apple iPhone seems to be the better option for games an >>>> Android solution like the Nexus 4 is the more cost effective solution >>>> for the VI user. I've had a bit of experience with my wife's Samsung >>>> Galaxy S3, and I find the accessibility on Ice Cream Sandwich >>>> acceptable for a VI user for handling the basics of web browsing with >>>> Firefox, managing contacts, doing texting, etc. I hear the Nexus 4, >>>> which comes with Jellybean 4.2, is even better yet so I'm strongly >>>> thinking of going for an Android phone just to save on the initial >>>> investment costs of an iPhone. >>> >>> --- >>> Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org >>> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >>> gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. >>> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >>> http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >>> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. >>> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the >>> list, >>> please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. >> >> >> --- >> Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org >> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to >> gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. >> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >> http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. >> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the >> list, >> please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. >> > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
