Accessibility = Downloads for Twitterific

Accessibility is not just the right thing to do but but also good business sense. That is what Icon Factory discovered when their VoiceOver supporting Twitter app was featured by Apple this week in a segment titled “Popular Apps Using VoiceOver.”

In a blog entry posted on their website today Craig Hockenberry shared that Twitterific saw a bigger spike in downloads after being featured for their VoiceOver support than they did when they updated to support the Apple Watch.

Check out the blog entry here.

Tip: Enable an Audible Alert When You Plug in a Mac

We are heavy Mac users here at Access Ninja, but one complaint we have is that the Mac gives no audible feedback when you plug in your laptop’s power supply. Luckily the people over at Mac OS X Daily shared this tip that makes your Mac play a tone when power is plugged in just like on an iPhone or iPad. The best part is it only requires cutting and pasting a small line of text from their website into the Terminal app.

Their website has detailed instructions which you can follow here, but if you are already familiar with how to use the terminal just copy the follow text:

defaults write com.apple.PowerChime ChimeOnAllHardware -bool true; open /System/Library/CoreServices/PowerChime.app &

Netflix Begins Adding Audio Description to Their Videos Starting With Daredevil

After experiencing some embarrassment around releasing a show about a blind super hero without audio descriptions for the blind viewers, Netflix has announced they will begin adding audio description tracks to Netflix. The first show to support this is the Netflix exclusive Daredevil which as of April 14th.

Addition content will begin providing audio descriptive tracks in the coming weeks starting with Netflix’s exclusive shows. You can read more on Netflix’s blog and in this article from the Washington Post.

Apple Watch Officially Blind Friendly

An Apple Watch with a large print watch face sits in front of an iPhone displaying accessibility features.

A recent update to the Apple website has officially revealed that the Apple Watch will ship with support for VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and Zoom.

Apple Watch comes with some powerful accessibility features. Like Zoom, a built-in magnifier. VoiceOver, so you can hear what’s on your screen. And Larger Dynamic Type, which makes text easier to read. And they’re all built in and easy to turn on, either through the device itself or by using the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

There have been several signs that Apple’s new smartwatch would come with support for VoiceOver through examination of the developer tools and an off hand comment made by Tim Cook but until now it had not been officially confirmed.

Details around how VoiceOver will work on this new device have not been explained but Apple has been slowly releasing new details as the watch comes closer to its final release on April 24th. Preorders will begin on April 11th and at that time demo versions of the watch will be available at Apple retail locations.

www.apple.com/watch/technology

Access Ninja Episode 005: Austin Seraphin Part 2

Part 2 of our interview with Austin Seraphin, accessibility consultant and app developer. In this episode we discuss what developers can do to ensure their products are accessible.

For show notes and transcripts visit: www.access.ninja

Part 2 of our interview with Austin Seraphin, accessibility consultant and app developer. In this episode we discuss what developers can do to ensure their products are accessible.

 

Download the MP3

Access Ninja Episode 5 Transcript

Show Notes:

www.austinseraphin.com

Follow Austin on Twitter: @austinseraphin

twitterrific.com – Mac and iOS Twitter Client

YoruFukurou (NightOwl) – Accessible Twitter client for Mac

Apple World Wide Developer Conference videos (Developer account required)

GrubHub – Food delivery service

Uber – Driver/Taxi service

Dice World – Accessible Dice games

BlindSquare – GPS app for the blind and visually impaired

CapMac GeoGo Project – Austin Texas Mac User Group that tags the  exact GPS coordinates of businesses

iBeacon – Apple’s developer page for iBeacons

TapTapSee – Object identification app

CamFind – Object identification app

Commitment to Cultural Accessibility – Austin’s blog entry on his work on the Touch Tour Program

RadioLab’s The Skull – Podcast about archaeological discovery of a skull with a 3D scan you can print with a 3D printer

Send feedback to: [email protected]

Access Ninja Episode 004: Austin Seraphin Part 1

Part 1 of an interview with Austin Seraphin a blind iOS developer and accessibility consultant.

For show notes and transcripts visit: www.access.ninja

Part 1 of an interview with Austin Seraphin a blind iOS developer and accessibility consultant.

Download the MP3

Access Ninja Episode 004 Transcript

Show Notes:

www.austinseraphin.com

Follow Austin on Twitter: @austinseraphin

My First Week with the iPhone

Documentary Get Lamp

Austin’s Ruby Motion Accessibility Tool

Send feedback to: [email protected]

Access Ninja Episode 003: Alternative Text

In this episode Jonathan and Rachel discuss alternative text for images on the web and in documents.

For show notes and transcripts visit: www.access.ninja

In this episode Jonathan and Rachel discuss alternative text for images on the web and in documents.

 

Download the MP3

Access Ninja Episode 003 Transcript

Show Notes:

 W3C Website

W3C Tips for Webmasters – Alt Text

Google’s SEO Starter Guide

Access Ninja Episode 002: Accessibility News and Emoji

In this episode Jonathan and Rachel discuss the National Federation of the Blind’s recent resolution on app accessibility and about writing with Emoji.

For show notes visit: www.access.ninja

In this episode Jonathan and Rachel discuss the National Federation of the Blind’s recent resolution on app accessibility and about writing with Emoji.

 

Download the MP3

Access Ninja Episode 002 Transcript

Show Notes:

News

National Federation of the Blind Resolutions for 2014

Mark A. Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind: Comments on Apple and NFB Resolution 2014-12

Reuters: Advocates for blind, deaf want more from Apple

Tim Cook’s disability quote

Emoji

Emojipedia.org

Unicode frequently asked questions about Emoji

How to write with Emoji on your iPhone and Mac

Access Ninja Episode 001: The State of Apple Accessibility

In this first episode of the Access Ninja Podcast Rachel and Jonathan discuss the evolution of accessibility in Apple products over the years and talk about the new accessibility features coming to iOS 8 and Mac OS X Yosemite.

In this first episode of the Access Ninja Podcast Rachel and Jonathan discuss the evolution of accessibility in Apple products over the years and talk about the new accessibility features coming to iOS 8 and Mac OS X Yosemite.

 

Download the MP3

Access Ninja Episode 001 Transcript