Re: An Aria Update

Christopher Chaltain Sun, 27 Jan 2019 12:32:08 -0800

If you extend this argument to mean that any developer for an appdesigned for the blind cannot participate on this list, let us knowabout their product and new features and then take constructive feedbackthen I'd say this is taking this stand too far. I'd say we'd want justthe opposite, namely developers interacting with the blindness communityto help make their apps more accessible and useful to the blind.

I agree that we don't want to go down a slippery slope with allowingadvertisements on this list, but that slippery slope goes both ways,namely barring all developers from participating on this list. If itwere me, I'd wait until we were actually being swamped by advertisersbefore taking such a harsh stand against a company that does provide anapp and a service for the blind. I wouldn't worry about Humanware orFreedom Scientific advertising on this list since I don't think theyhave many products for the iPhone. It seems to me that this is just anirrelevant point to scare users into one way of thinking. I wonder howmany of these objections stem from some issues with Aira or Jonathan andnot with a concern over advertisements on this list.

I don't agree with Mark's stand on this issue, and I've frequentlyscratched my head over some of Mark's posts which were clearly offtopic, but it's Kara's list and Mark is the moderator, so they do havethe right to run this list any way they want and subscribers do have theability to look for other lists if they so choose. IMHO, it's kind of awaste of bandwidth to hash this out on the list and people who areinterested in changing how this list is moderated should probably takeit up with Mark and Kara off list.



On 1/27/19 1:47 PM, Andy Baracco wrote:

i don't think we were objecting to discussion about the product, butJonathan's position as an executive for the company makes itadvertising. One thing I like about this list is the idea thatconsumers discuss their experiences with products. I would hate tostart seeing ads from Humanware, Freedom Scientific, etc. about theirproducts. There are other venues available for advertising.

Andy

    ----- Original Message -----
    *From:* Richard Turner <mailto:richardturne...@outlook.com>
    *To:* viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
    *Sent:* Sunday, January 27, 2019 7:28 AM
    *Subject:* Re: An Aria Update


    Marie N,
    I find your post offensive. I also disagree with Mark. Aira is a
    service I choose not to subscribe to personally, but see nothing
    wrong with its promotion on this list since this list is supposed
    to be about educating visually impaired iPhone users about things
    that are helpful using their phone.
    No one complains when the subscription service for Apple Music is
    discussed. No one complains when TuneIn Pro Premium subscriptions
    are discussed.
    I think Jonathan deserves an apology for being singled out for
    this exclusion.
    If this policy is not changed, I too will be unsubscribing.
    Richard


    The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they
    don't have any." -- Alice Walker



    On Jan 27, 2019, at 7:12 AM, Marie N. <scribbl...@comcast.net
    <mailto:scribbl...@comcast.net>> wrote:

This post is offensive and totally uncalled for. The message was,
in my opinion, a promotion of Aira.

-----Original Message----- From: Reg Sullivan
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 6:42 AM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: An Aria Update

One of my favorite lines is "you chose to cut off the hand that
feeds you"
Mark, I am so surprised that as one entrusted in a leadership
position of a list that educates it's followers on Iphone related
apps that make life easier for those of us who choose to
subscribe to them that you would feel threatened by Jonathan's
good intentions. Jonathan made his career educating all of us
on new ideas and concepts through his pod casts and charged
pennies for it.
Promoting Aira in this way will lead to broader acceptance of
the product among the blindness community and greater value for
all of us in the long run.

It's time for you to resign your post as moderator of this list
and time for those of us wanting open communication without
barriers to move over to the BlindPhone list!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to my tech development with
your posts to this list.

Regards....Reg

-----Original Message-----
From: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
[mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Tom Rash
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 8:14 AM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: An Aira Update

Jonathan:
I've been on this list as long as you have. I appreciate and
have learned much from you and other contributors to the list.
Computers and iPhones are great. They even come wih delete keys.
I'll be joining the blind phones list.

-----Original Message-----
From: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
<viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>> On
Behalf Of Jonathan Mosen
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2019 6:43 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: An Aira Update

Hi Mark and everyone. Given this new policy, I'll be
unsubscribing after around 9 years on the group, but I want to
express my disappointment about this change.
During Cara's excellent and even-handed leadership of this group,
we had many occasions where app developers would engage with us
about their apps, especially when those apps were blindness specific.
Since this particular app was one that has come up here on
multiple occasions, with some mentioning it as one of their top
apps of 2018, it seemed appropriate, on-topic, and of value to
interested members to let them know about recent developments,
especially a free trial. This has been welcomed on other groups.
It's a difficult and false distinction to separate the app from
the service, when the app is the vehicle for that service.
Further, the service itself would in the past have been
considered on-topic, because one uses it on an iPhone and it is
blindness specific.
Anyway, I've learned a great deal over the last 9 years, so
thanks to everyone for that.
Should you wish to be on a group where app developers and users
can freely interact, you're welcome to join my BlindPhones list,
which covers both iOS and Android. If an app developer wishes to
take time to engage, they are welcomed with open arms.
blindphones+subscr...@groups.io
<mailto:blindphones+subscr...@groups.io>.
And of course as has been already pointed out in this thread,
there's an Aira group too.
Thanks all.

Jonathan Mosen
Mosen Consulting
Blindness technology eBooks, audiobooks and training

https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mosen.org&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=hblxg0UyrZhn0zylvvtpmWCqKhv35w%2FZDVcre0kOFZ8%3D&amp;reserved=0

-----Original Message-----
From: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
<viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>> On
Behalf Of M. Taylor
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2019 2:31 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: An Aira Update

I see your point, Andy. Be that as it may, any new service being
offered to our community, is always appreciated.

However, and this is to everyone, the iOS app only, is to be
discussed on this list. Any questions regarding the service,
itself, to be taken off-list, immediately.

Thank you all for observing this policy.

Moderator Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
[mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Andy Baracco
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2019 3:10 PM
To: viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: An Aira Update

I didn't know that ads were allowed on this list.

Andy

----- Original Message -----
From: "James English" <james13engl...@gmail.com
<mailto:james13engl...@gmail.com>>
To: <viphone@googlegroups.com <mailto:viphone@googlegroups.com>>
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2019 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: An Aira Update

    Hello,

    I'm curious. What things can the service not be used for?<div
    id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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src="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fipmcdn.avast.com%2Fimages%2Ficons%2Ficon-envelope-tick-round-orange-animated-no-repeat-v1.gif&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=vjYj0jtTKAJnjQ9tyzPWXaBBDpTXMCN376cb8T%2BIEQ4%3D&amp;reserved=0";
    alt="" width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;"
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    <td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e;
    font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
    line-height: 18px;">Virus-free. <a
    
href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.avast.com%2Fsig-email%3Futm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dlink%26utm_campaign%3Dsig-email%26utm_content%3Dwebmail&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=cvu%2BWtQbTA%2FPVi4dpiBuH8EXMO%2BuXlUH6DYzfn1lSaU%3D&amp;reserved=0";
    target="_blank" style="color:
    
#4453ea;">https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.avast.com&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=1lb%2BsmUbdTTaB4me6x09pws3WhbFAEs9t4sabowAmZE%3D&amp;reserved=0</a>
    </td>
    </tr>
    </table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1"
    height="1"></a></div>

    On 1/26/19, Jonathan Mosen <jmo...@mosen.org
    <mailto:jmo...@mosen.org>> wrote:

Hi all. Since the middle of October, I've been Aira's VP of
Explorer
communications. Since Aira has an iOS app, I thought the
following info
may
be of interest to some.

For those not familiar with Aira, we provide real-tine audio
description
of
anything visual, provided by security-vetted, trained
professionals. You
can
use it with your iPhone on its own, or if you perform any tasks
where
it's
useful to have both of your hands free, we offer optional smart
glasses.

The Aira app is free, and it's free to use in an increasing
number of
locations, or for an increasing number of tasks. We also offer
subscription
plans, much like cell phone plans, where you can use it for any
task,
anywhere.

If you've been curious about Aira and have wanted to take it
for a spin
in
your own environment, we've released a free 7-Day Trial of our
full paid
service. This offer means that anyone with a free account can
try anytime
access to Aira's professional agents whenever it suits them -
just like a
paying subscriber.

The 7-Day Trial provides 30 minutes to try Aira's service over
a period
of
seven days. Some of that time will be used for setting up account
preferences and asking questions about the service, but the
majority of
that
time is free to use for any task. It's a great opportunity for
people new
to
Aira to experience why so many use it as a must-have tool for
enhancing
everyday life.

Got some mail that needs sorting? Need a professional agent to
connect to
your computer to help with an inaccessible site? Or just want
to research
nearby restaurants or stores? Well, now you can, as a free user
and from
the
comfort of your home.

For all the details including a list of frequently asked
questions, head
on
over to

https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faira.io%2Ffree-trial&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=H4bnSxWPL5c7zlXRMIWmgmuobojbOhRUkE3GBi5fBgw%3D&amp;reserved=0

Second, Aira has recently released a comprehensive series of
training
modules available for streaming online, or for download in
DAISY and MP3.
You can find it at:

https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Faira.io%2Ftraining&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=D9lSvAINOzW0%2Fx0f7Ey3RL51dmr39jon0R1VsqreVHo%3D&amp;reserved=0.
This is a good way to learn about Aira even if
you're not signed up yet but are curious. Because this is such
a new
class
of technology, many people not only want to know how to use
Aira, but how
it
might fit into their toolbox of blindness skills and apps.

Finally, we've just launched a podcast, called Airacast.

It's packed with news, interviews, tips, tricks, listener
comments and
more.

Subscribe to Airacast now from all the places most people get their
podcasts, including iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music,
Stitcher,
TuneIn and more. Spotify is coming soon, iHeart Radio in a
couple of
months
and an Alexa skill will be released eventually.

Many people enjoy hearing podcasts through HumanWare's Victor
Reader
Stream,
so of course it's listed there too.

Should you wish to enter the RSS feed manually into your
podcast client
right away, it is:

https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fairacast.libsyn.com%2Frss&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=OlTg1z%2BkS87bw1cAb6Fo4eBNYp%2Buhlum3CHy%2BjoqJiU%3D&amp;reserved=0

Search for Airacast in your podcast app of choice, or Here's an
Apple
podcasts link for you.

https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fnz%2Fpodcast%2Fairacast-with-jonathan-mosen%2Fid144988870&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Ccf363a93f0564a9e69a508d68469ce1b%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636841987289948239&amp;sdata=O4YjoMX3Ysn7%2FjEj6uvj%2F%2FU%2FNlnHM8nC5w20we1L%2BWs%3D&amp;reserved=0
1

All the best.

Jonathan

--
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