[gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

Tue Aug 11 03:37:17 UTC 2009

Hi guys,

I lack the overall expertise to explain more fully, but a whole spate of LG 
phones have an admirable if partial level of accessibility using the phone's 
voice output. Plus, although no one seems to talk about this here, you can 
also operate it by speaking to it, although if you're being hardcore I guess 
that's not supposed to be a big deal. You know, like sightlings assuming the 
blind have to sit back and talk to their computers because they couldn't 
possibly use them hands on. Personally, it's not a valid comparison to me, 
actually, but I'm just saying I have a hunch mentioning the voice input 
stuff isn't P.C. or something. Personally, I nearly always use my cell phone 
by telling it to call someone or asking it to tell me something. I just 
press keys when I really have to. I don't find it very much fun.infphoine

the limitations can generally be described well enough by saying that they 
speak and guide you through a number of their functions only down to a 
certain level of their menus, and that in order to learn how to use them 
handily it's a good idea to get onto a mailing list like the Verizon one I 
recommended, because then you have a whole group of people with hands on 
experience to discuss it all with. Also, one nice thing about that 
particular list is that the list owner's fully sighted and he can be helpful 
explaining a lot of things about these phones that blind users might or 
might not be able to divine for themselves.

that said, the list does emphasize phones that are sold by Verizon, from 
their most advanced regular models where you can text but only by using the 
numerical keypad in the fashion many of us are familiar with to newer fancy 
models like the ENV 3 or something like that which have qwerty keyboards and 
are really made for texting and using data plans, more like PDA's, I guess.

but of course you have to learn a bunch of tricks in order to use any of 
these well. I'm satisfied with my old LG VX 4650, and can use it well enough 
to impress sighted people with my skill, but they don't know that it wasn't 
as if the phone taught me how to use it, or that it speaks everything. I 
have lots of instructions saved that I got from that mailing list, and to 
which I still sometimes have to refer when I need to perform such function I 
haven't had to mess with for a while, but then after reading and reviewing 
those instructions, I'm helped by what the phone *does* say as I go through 
the steps.

In other words, groovy as this can be, and it's good enough for me until I 
decide to upgrade and then I'll have to learn a whole new LG phone and drive 
myself nuts, it's not like having a phone that's really accessible the way I 
suppose third party software like Talks (or is it "Talx?) and Mobile speak 
provide, which I imagine to be kind of like Jaws or something. So the LG 
phones can't match that sort of thing, but then they don't cost so much, 
either.

But bear in mind that I'm a low cell phone usage person, and not exactly 
affluent, so I'm making do with what I've got. If I had the bucks, and if I 
really used a cell a lot, I'd probably spring for the latest model of 
whatever phone it would be that used third party software, or that new 
IPhone (or the Iffen, as so many people make it sound with jaws). But for me 
that's like saying I'd dig having a private jet. Which doesn't mean everyone 
is in such a humble boat.

sorry to ramble.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 7:52 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

Albert,

We just got the Rumor 2 phone and I am still new to it.  There is a lot of 
accessibility built in, and I would asy that you
can add contacts, for example.  However, some prompts seem not to speak 
while most do, so you still need to read the
manual and understand what you are doing so you know what to do when the 
phone is silent.  Also, there are some
annoying things.  When you have the voice guide feature activated, the phone 
seems to assume you want to use the
speaker phone.  I think these phones represent steps in the right direction, 
and many functions are very accessible.
However, it would be wrong to assume that there won't be frustrations.  One 
thing I am looking for is a more detailed
document that describes the "voice guide" feature which is the name given to 
the mode that speaks the menus.  There
could still be tricks I am missing.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:47:57 -0400, albert griffith wrote:

>Steve, are the LG phones reasonably accessible?  Can  you add contacts,
>access its address book, and enter voice prompts without sighted 
>assistance?
>I'm investigating the possibility that many of us can avoid paying for and
>learning an additional program
>If these rudimentary functions can be performed without outside help. P.S.
>if you feel one of these phones is accessible, what's its version number?
>thanks
>-----Original Message-----
>From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Steve Jacobson
>Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 5:02 PM
>To: NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

>Joel,

>My family currently uses two LG phones that have some accessibility built 
>in
>through Sprint.  According to Sprint, the LG Rumor 2 can read text messages
>but I have
>not figured out how yet and can find nothing in the manual.  Even though 
>the
>list you mention is oriented to Verizon, possibly there is enough
>similarities between the
>various LG models that someone may have ideas.  Have you already provided
>the subscription address and I just missed it?

>Best regards,

>Steve Jacobson

>On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:22:50 -0400, albert griffith wrote:

>>I've signed up for the list anyway.  thanks

>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>Behalf Of Joel Deutsch
>>Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 11:33 AM
>>To: NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

>>Then don't bother with my list, if you don't want. Find a mailing list for
>>the other ones They have them. Others jay know the Web pages that are 
>>their

>>homes where you can subscribe. Sorry.
>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>From: "albert griffith" <albertgriffith at sbcglobal.net>
>>To: "'NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List'" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 7:01 AM
>>Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

>>I'm researching this question for a good friend who just isn't tech savvy
>at
>>all.  I don't think I'm at the lurking stage yet, smile.  I noticed
>>something interesting on the mobile speak price list: the two programs and
>> The software with a phone included are all listing for $295.  I'd think
>>there'd be some difference in pricing.
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>Behalf Of Joel Deutsch
>>Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 10:33 PM
>>To: NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

>>Al,

>>I've got an LG VX 4650, which is kind of an old model by now, but still
>>works fine for me and provides all the accessibility I need, although 
>>there
>>are now newer models of the LG line that is mostly sold to Verizon
>>customers, and of all cell phones except for the brand new IPhone, which
>>costs a good deal more and offers capabilities that someone like me 
>>doesn't
>>even care about, the LG line is pretty cool. The best. The phones that 
>>work
>>with that third party software that's like screen reader stuff, so you pay
>>for the phone and then a few hundred more for the software, that's another
>>trip entirely. Another ball game.

>>If you want, I can provide the subscribe email for the LG blind users 
>>list,
>>I mean now it's called the Verizon blind users list, and if you subscribe
>to

>>it you can lurk and start getting an idea of what's up with the Verizon
>>phones, especially the LG line.

>>Joel
>>Original Message ----- 
>>From: "albert griffith" <albertgriffith at sbcglobal.net>
>>To: "'NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List'" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Sunday, August 09, 2009 7:17 PM
>>Subject: [gui-talk] Cell phone questions:

>>I've read some about off-the-shelf accessibility of some cell phones such
>as
>>the LG series.  However, I haven't been able to find articles written
>>recently.  Is this because Mobile speak and Talks have covered the market
>>for right now or what?  Thanks
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