[access-uk] Re: Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New VoiceOver features
- From: "Gordon Keen" <gordon.keen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:16:40 -0000
Hi Ray
I can confirm that the mac-book works very happily as a dual boot machine
and I have been running it for about three or four months using hal as the
screen reader.
Next week end I shall be upgrading to leopard and weaning myself off the
dreaded microsludge.
Regards
Gordon
From glorious Devon, England
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Ray's Home
Sent: 29 October 2007 10:44
To: Access-Uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New VoiceOver
features
Hope you find this interesting, as I do. A few comments after news of
Leopard's new Voice Over features.
VoiceOver info.
Universal Access
Alex - A New Voice Give yourself a new voice. Meet Alex - a new
English male voice that uses advanced,
patented Apple technologies to deliver natural breathing and
intonation, even at
fast speaking rates.
Plug-and-Play Refreshable Braille Display Support Quickly set up
popular, refreshable Braille displays. VoiceOver detects and
configures
as soon as you plug them in. No additional software or setup is
required.
Braille Output During OS Installation For the first time ever on a
desktop computer, you can use a Braille display while
installing or upgrading your operating system.
The Braille Panel See a virtual Braille display - a visual
representation of VoiceOver Braille output
onscreen along with an English text translation.
Customisable Braille Display Input Keys Customise a Braille display
more easily than ever before. Just choose a VoiceOver
command, then press and hold the input keys. A tone sounds to let you
know the command has been assigned successfully.
Contracted and Non-Contracted Braille Output Braille in standard
contracted format or non-contracted "computer Braille".
VoiceOver automatically converts contracted Braille under the cursor
so it's easier
to edit, then contracts it again when the cursor moves.
NumPad Commander Control VoiceOver using only the numeric keypad just
like JAWS and Windows-Eyes.
This makes it easier for screen reader users to switch from a PC to a
Mac and provides easy access to your favourite VoiceOver commands.
Portable VoiceOver Preferences Instantly reconfigure your VoiceOver
preferences. Just plug in a flash drive containing
your preferences and Leopard instantly reconfigures to work and act
just like your Mac - without leaving a trace when you leave.
Faster Web and Page Navigation Quickly navigate long documents or web
pages. Jump to key elements like headers,
tables and links and by text attributes like underlining, bold,
italics and colour - even text phrases.
Hot Spots Monitor up to ten different areas onscreen and be alerted
when there's a change.
Then jump directly to any hot spot to investigate or take action.
Drag-and-Drop Support Use drag-and-drop actions by keyboard only, in
accessible applications.
Integrated Interactive Tutorial Learn VoiceOver unassisted in a safe
environment. A built-in tutorial lets you practice
as you learn.
Misspelled Word Detection Hear when a word is misspelled while reading
text. Choose a tone or a spoken description.
Positional Audio Effects Benefit from many new sound effects in
VoiceOver. Audio cues provide an improved
sense of location.
Highlight by Word or Sentence Set the VoiceOver cursor to highlight
each word or sentence being read as it is spoken.
New VoiceOver Utility Customise VoiceOver more easily. A new VoiceOver
Utility layout includes many new
options and preferences for customising VoiceOver.
Improved Application Accessibility Do more with VoiceOver. Bundled
Leopard applications and utilities have been enhanced
for improved accessibility.
(Ray back again)
I'm thinking now seriously of doing the switch, and possibly going for
a dual boot equiped Apple, so not leaving Windows behind entirely.
This seems to work better than many might think it does.
Given Vista's fearsome reputation so far, and some prety draconian
measures around DRM to boot, I wonder seriously if the Apple shouldn't
be given a serious look. Not that I know for certain the Apple will
be imune from the media industry's inroads on what we can do. (No,
I'm not an ilegal sharer or anything, but I do use my PC for a lot of
audio work these days.)
Those thoughts apart, hope the above was of interest.
Cheers,,
From Ray
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