Welcome to the November 2017 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.
New and Noteworthy App Entries
Audio Moto Championship (iOS, US$13.99)
Are you ready to dominate the Moto World Championship with Audio Moto Championship?!
Face your opponents with super fast motorbikes.
Conquer the categories 125, 250 and 500 cc of the Moto World Championship and bring your team to victory.
Undertake the numerous tournaments of Audio Moto Championship, where you will prove yourself with different and always more difficult tracks.
Audio Moto Championship increases the difficulty of the game by adding the weather, which can totally change the driving experience, passing from your stable motorbike to a 'crazy horse'.
Begin like a simple novice, gain fame and become the champion of Audio Moto Championship!
Current Version: 1.0 (November 18, 2017)
Read Audio Moto Championship's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Audio Moto Championship's App Store page
Aurora recorder (watchOS, Free)
Introducing Aurora Recorder, an audio recording app designed for your Apple Watch.
Features:
- Background recording on your Apple Watch
- Check recording state on your watch face
- Sync recording files between your Apple Watch and iPhone automatically
- Export and share recording files via iOS share sheet
- No internet access required, keep your audio recording privately and safely
Current Version: 1.0.3 (November 10, 2017)
Read Aurora recorder's AppleVis App Directory entry for more information
Visit Aurora recorder's App Store page
Blindfold Slide Puzzle (iOS, Free With In-App Purchases)
Blindfold Slide Puzzle is a fully accessible sliding tile puzzle game.
The slide puzzle (also called Gem Puzzle, Boss Puzzle, Game of Fifteen, Mystic Square and many others) is a puzzle that consists of a grid of numbered square tiles in random order with one tile missing. The common puzzle is known as the 15 puzzle, with 4 rows and 4 columns, filled with tiles numbered from 1 to 15. The 16th space is empty. The object of the puzzle is to place the tiles in order by making sliding moves that use the empty space.
Blindfold Slide Puzzle includes a 2 by 2 grid, with 3 tiles, on a 3 by 3 grid with 8 tiles, and on a 5 by 5 grid with 24 tiles, along with a hints guide on how to play and win.
Current Version: 1.1.0 (November 12, 2017)
Read Blindfold Slide Puzzle's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Blindfold Slide Puzzle's App Store page
Blindfold Song Name (iOS, Free With In-App Purchases)
Blindfold Song Name is a fully accessible music game inspired by the TV Game Show "Name That Tune".
In each turn, you first hear all of the song title choices. Then you will hear the song. As soon as you know which song it is, tap the screen, and then swipe up or down to your answer, then double tap. If your answer is correct, the faster you picked your answer, the more points you scored. You keep playing until you get 3 answers wrong.
Blindfold Song Name comes with 3 games: Name the song, Name the song with the same artist, and Name the artist.
Upgrades are available for different song pack including All Time Top 100 packs feature Billboard's top 100 artists of all times for Pop, Country, Hip-Hop + Rap,R&B + Soul, Holiday. Packs are also available for Billboard top artists since 2000 in each of the genres, and by decade.
Current Version: 1.2.0 (November 26, 2017)
Read Blindfold Song Name's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Blindfold Song Name's App Store page
Choice of Rebels: Uprising (iOS, US$6.99)
Lead the revolt against a bloodthirsty empire! You grew up under the iron fist of the Hegemony. Now is your chance to end their blood-fueled magic, as you forge a ragtag outlaw band into a rebel army.
"Choice of Rebels: Uprising" is a 637,000 word interactive fantasy novel by Joel Havenstone, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.
As an outlaw rebel in the greenwood wilderness, you must steal to survive your first brutal winter, or watch your people starve if you can't feed them. Win yeomen, helots, merchants, priests, and aristocrats over to the rebel cause...or turn them into your worst enemies. Will you defeat the army of the Hegemony’s Archon and the elite force of evil blood mages sent to destroy you, or will a personal betrayal put an end to your rebellion when it’s just barely begun?
Current Version: 1.0.1 (November 9, 2017)
Read Choice of Rebels: Uprising's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Choice of Rebels: Uprising's App Store page
Envision AI (iOS, Free)
Envision is an app that lets visually impaired people go about their everyday life in an independent and meaningful way. Envision provides information based on what you see, for example, when you look at a watch, it tells you the time, etc.
Use envision by tapping at the center of the screen and it would describe the scene for you.
You can also train faces and objects for the envision for recognize. envision does not collect or store any personal or personally identifiable information.
Current Version: 0.1.4 (November 27, 2017)
Read Envision AI's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Envision AI's App Store page
Just Press Record (iOS, US$4.99)
Just Press Record is the ultimate mobile audio recorder bringing one tap recording, transcription and iCloud syncing to all your devices.
Life is full of moments we would rather not forget - like your child’s first words, an important meeting or spontaneous idea. Capture these moments effortlessly on iPhone, iPad or for ultimate convenience, Apple Watch.
- One tap to start, stop, pause and resume recording.
- Unlimited recording time.
- Record discretely in the background.
- Choose to record from the built-in mic, AirPods or external microphones.
- Start and stop recording from the Lock screen widget, with a 3D Touch Quick Action or via the URL scheme.
- Record independently on Apple Watch and sync later.
- Seek backwards and forwards during playback.
- Adjustable playback speed.
- Turn speech into searchable text.
- Support for over 30 languages, independent of your device's language setting.
- Format as you record with punctuation command recognition.
- Share audio and text to other apps on your iOS device.
- Share to iTunes on Mac or PC via the Lightning Port.
- View recent recordings or browse your library by date and time.
- Search by filename or transcription content.
- Dedicated tab for quick access to recordings made on Apple Watch.
- Peek and Pop the contents of folders in the Browse tab.
- Rename recordings.
- Slide Over and Split View support on iPad.
- Choose to store recordings either in iCloud Drive or locally on-device.
- Recordings stored in iCloud Drive automatically sync across all your devices.
- Transcriptions are stored within the audio file.
- Support for high quality external microphones connected via the Lightning Port.
- Customizable Audio Settings to enhance your recording experience.
- File types include WAV, AIF or standard iTunes M4A (ACC).
- High quality audio up to 96kHz / 24-bit.
- VoiceOver support throughout the app.
- Magic Tap gesture to start / stop a recording.
Current Version: 3.1 (November 23, 2017)
Read Just Press Record's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Just Press Record's App Store page
Paprika Recipe Manager 3 (iOS, US$2.99)
Organize your recipes. Create grocery lists. Plan your meals. Download recipes from your favorite websites. Seamlessly sync to all your devices.
Features
- Recipes - Download recipes from your favorite websites, or add your own.
- Grocery Lists - Create smart grocery lists that automatically combine ingredients and sort them by aisle.
- Pantry - Use the pantry to keep track of which ingredients you have and when they expire.
- Meal Planner - Plan your meals using our daily, weekly, or monthly calendars.
- Menus - Save your favorite meal plans as reusable menus.
- Sync - Keep your recipes, grocery lists, and meal plans synced between all your devices.
- Adjust - Scale ingredients to your desired serving size, and convert between measurements.
- Cook - Keep the screen on while cooking, cross off ingredients, and highlight your current step.
- Search - Organize your recipes into categories and subcategories. Search by name, ingredient, and more.
- Timers - Cook times are automatically detected in your directions. Simply tap on one to start a timer.
- Import - Import from existing apps such as MacGourmet, YummySoup!, MasterCook & Living Cookbook.
- Export - Export your meal plans to Calendar and your grocery lists to Reminders.
- Share - Share recipes via AirDrop or email.
- Print - Print recipes, grocery lists, menus, and meal plans. Recipes support multiple print formats including index cards.
- Extensions - Save recipes directly in Safari and view today's scheduled meals.
- Bookmarklet - Download recipes from any browser straight into your Paprika Cloud Sync account.
- Offline Access - All of your data is stored locally. No internet connection is required to view your recipes.
Current Version: 3.1.0 (November 27, 2017)
Read Paprika Recipe Manager's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Paprika Recipe Manager's App Store page
All recent app entries posted to AppleVis can be found at:
Notable App Updates
Apple Support (iOS Free)
Need help? Apple Support app is your personalized guide to the best options from Apple. Find answers with articles tailored to your products and questions. Call, chat or email with an expert right away, or schedule a callback when it’s convenient. Get a repair at an Apple Store or a nearby Apple Authorized Service Provider. Apple Support is here to help.
Current Version: 2.0 (November 29, 2017)
Changes in Version 2.0
- A redesigned user interface
- A new Discover section to learn more about your products
- The ability to search our library of support articles
- Performance improvements and bug fixes
Read Apple Support's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit Apple Support's App Store page
NFB Connect (iOS, Free)
Put the power and inspiration of the nation's largest organization of blind people in your pocket. The improved and redesigned NFB Connect app is here!
Get up to date on the latest Federation news. Read posts from our blog, the Voice of the Nation's Blind. Listen to the Nation's Blind podcast, the Presidential Release (in English or Spanish), the Braille Monitor, and Future Reflections.
Traveling? You can find the closest chapter meeting wherever you are. And you can see what's happening throughout the Federation by checking out Upcoming Events.
Fully accessible with VoiceOver, NFB Connect keeps you plugged into​ the Federation while you're out living the life you want!
Current Version: 2.0.0 (November 7, 2017)
Changes in Version 2.0.0
Check out the completely redesigned NFB Connect app. The user interface is easier to use and functionality has been enhanced throughout. Improved access to chapter meetings, podcasts, blogs and more.
Read NFB Connect's AppleVis iOS App Directory entry for more information
Visit NFB Connect's App Store page
Recent News and Views
Baby It’s Cold Outside—The Lennox iComfort Thermostat and App
By Paul Martz | November 13, 2017
My 86-year old dad has been living with me since August. At the breakfast table this morning, he politely requested that we set the thermostat a bit warmer at night. The cold season is upon us here in mid-northern latitudes, and his elderly body just can’t handle it. To be honest, his request was not all that polite. He’s a former truck driver, which influenced his choice of vocabulary. As a result, his exact request can’t be printed here.
While fiddling with the thermostat to satisfy my dad’s unprintable request, I realized it must be time to finally write a blog about the Lennox iComfort Wi-Fi thermostat and companion app.
###A Missed Opportunity
My neighborhood is designed for seniors. In our mid-50’s, my spouse and I are on the younger side of the neighborhood bell curve, but my dad fits right in. He loves the fact that there are no steps anywhere, and the three-foot-wide doors throughout the house easily accommodate his cane or walker. Unfortunately, the homebuilder failed to address the needs of the vision impaired, even though 6.5 million people in the U.S. over age 65 have some kind of vision impairment.
Read More: “Baby It’s Cold Outside—The Lennox iComfort Thermostat and App”
Cutting Loose: Unleashing The Power Of My iPhone 8
By Morgan | November 8, 2017
Many years ago, my son's Boy Scout troop lost its collective mind. The boys decided it would be great fun to go rappelling. This involves stepping backwards off of a high cliff or tall building and then walking down the outside surface. Even though safety ropes are involved, I was concerned. Gravity is unrelenting.
Still, my son was really excited. I reluctantly tagged along with him to the base of the thirty-three-foot wooden tower. One of the other dads, trying to be thoughtful, suggested that I need not participate because I was blind. What? Now, I had no choice. I would have to rappel. But, if I went first, all the other dads would have to do it, too. Sweet.
I passed the leash of my guide dog to a more sensible fellow and moved to the head of the line. I stepped through the door. Discovering that I might just be a bit acrophobic, I shakily climbed the internal staircase to the top of the three story building. I ascended the gallows. I crawled onto the flat roof which had no fencing or handrails. I was told to stand up.
A gentleman I hardly knew began to wrap a piece of rope around my waist and between my legs. A couple of knots later, I was wearing a "Swiss Seat," an accessory that resembled a pair of tight white panties over my blue jeans. The safety ropes were attached to my new bikini bottoms. Okay, breathe. I felt much more secure. Kind of.
On command, I shuffled backwards until my heels were hanging off the edge. Balanced on my toes, I held the ropes taut and slowly leaned backwards until I was parallel to the ground. I stepped off and descended. Being attached by ropes was a very good thing. The experience was exhilarating, and addicting!
Although sitting in my office chair fails to evoke the same adrenalin rush enjoyed when hanging from a cliff, I used to feel safer at my desk when directly attached to my technology. During the early days of desktop computing, I knew my keyboard cable could serve as a bread crumb trail to my power switch and floppy drives. Tethered headphones meant that I would never leave a Talking Book machine on a bus seat without the wires tugging at my ears. And, power cords were useful as an equipment locator and as the occasional trip hazard that could yank items off a table and onto the floor. In truth, I just got used to being connected.
Read More: “Cutting Loose: Unleashing The Power Of My iPhone 8”
Yo, Human! A Screen Reader's Rant: Accessing Life with Adaptive Technology
By Nicholas | November 3, 2017
Are you sending a decent message to the blind community? Are you sending 'any' messages to the blind community? If you are a web or app developer, a blogger or a YouTuber, if you use Facebook or any messaging app or email, I am here to tell you that you 'are' sending a message with everything you create. The question one should ask is, "Am I sending an intentional message?" Those of us who use a screen reader or Braille display get the message literally loud and clear, intentional or not.
According to the best stats I can find on the web, there are approximately 300 million visually impaired and over 50 million people classified as blind in the world. Add them both together and they equal the population of a major world country. For clarification, Visually impaired does not mean that one needs glasses, although one might. The term Visually Impaired, the way it may apply in life, actually refers to a visual state that can range from near-sightedness, to barely detecting light. Many of us have changing eyesight and progress from one condition to another. Using myself as an example, my eye condition is now to a state where I cannot read or write printed material, see a computer or device screen, cannot read any handwriting including my own signature and I am down to barely being able to detect light sources. And I am classified as Visually Impaired because I was not born completely blind. Weird.
Note: I mention the numbers above only to stress the point of how potentially large of a community a message can reach, intentional or otherwise.
So what is this message I am referring to? It is something that all developers know about already, but may not realize that it applies in the way described in this article. If you still have use of your vision there is one thing to keep in mind. The digital world that appears on your screen is just the surface layer. There is an underlying layer of code that makes it all happen. Using a screen reader or Braille display, depending on the individual settings, can read all or part of this underlying structure. In other words, we who use screen readers can discover many things about your creation that never make it to the visual surface. We not only 'can,' but we 'do' on a daily basis. It is how all screen readers work, we can't help it. If you produce materials that include additional helpful information in the allowed places of the underlying structure, then that becomes part of your message. If you do not include this information, then the empty and unlabeled areas become part of your message instead. Regardless of your attention to these information areas, whether you intend to or not, you 'are' sending a message with everything you create. What does your message say about you and your materials?
Read More: “Yo, Human! A Screen Reader's Rant: Accessing Life with Adaptive Technology”
iPhone X Review: There are Some Adjustments and Compromises, but I Can’t Imagine Going Back
By David Goodwin | November 3, 2017
This time last year, those potentially in the market for a new iPhone were probably caught up in the hand-wringing that followed Apple's decision to drop the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
12 months on, and most of us would probably look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about.
Of course, this should come as no surprise, as Apple has a track record in successfully asking us to accept and adapt to the loss of technologies that we may have considered essential. The floppy drive, optical drive and now arguably the smartphone's 3.5mm headphone jack are just some examples of where Apple has been a driving force in moving technologies to legacy status.
With the launch of the iPhone X, Apple is again telling us that technology has moved on.
With its near-bezel-less design, the iPhone X marks the end of what has probably been “the iconic face of the iPhone” since its launch in 2007, and that's the Home button.
The retirement of the Home button brings with it another significant change (either by design or necessity), and that's the replacement of fingerprint recognition (Touch ID) with facial recognition (Face ID).
Compared to last year's reaction to the loss of the headphone jack, the response to the dropping of Touch ID in favor of Face ID has been far more muted. However, there have still been widespread concerns over the potential security and user experience of Face ID.
With iPhone X pre-orders set to begin arriving today, we should soon learn if these concerns were justified, or if we will be back here in another 12 months again wondering what all of the fuss was about.
I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to live with an iPhone X for the past few days, and now want to share some of my experiences and early thoughts.
Although there is much more to the iPhone X than no Home button and the introduction of Face ID, these were the changes which I was most keen to experience and explore. The reason was a simple one - I expected these to be the changes which could potentially most affect my use and user experience of the iPhone X compared to previous iPhone models.
It already appears that adapting to these changes will not present any significant problems in practical terms.
However, I was slower in accepting what for me, as a blind user, is an increased risk to my security and privacy from the dropping of Touch ID in favor of Face ID. My personal situation and typical use case have allowed me to now mostly accept this, but this may not be the case for all blind iPhone users.
If, like me, you do decide to adapt and accept, then the iPhone X is likely to make you a very happy iPhone user.
This Month in Podcasts
Get Ready to Dominate the Moto World Championship with Audio Moto Championship
In this podcast, Khalfan Bin Dhaher introduces us to Audio Moto Championship, a paid iOS app where you will face your opponents with super fast motorbikes. Conquer the categories 125, 250 and 500 cc of the Moto World Championship and bring your team to victory. Undertake the numerous tournaments of Audio Moto Championship, where you will prove yourself with different and always more difficult tracks.
Audio Moto Championship on the App Store
Listen to “Get Ready to Dominate the Moto World Championship with Audio Moto Championship”
Easily Become a Podcast Star with Audio Memos
In this podcast, Thomas Domville introduces us to Audio Memos, a paid app which is a professionally made audio recorder. It has an amazingly intuitive interface, which is easy to use and full of powerful features. Use it in interviews, lectures, music session, briefings, ... and simplify your recording tasks.
Audio Memos on the App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id338550388?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D8&at=11l4LS
Listen to “Easily Become a Podcast Star with Audio Memos”
Capture the Moment with Just Press Record for iOS
In this podcast, Thomas Domville introduces us to Just Press Record, a paid app which is the ultimate mobile audio recorder bringing one tap recording, transcription and iCloud syncing to all your devices.
Life is full of moments we would rather not forget - like your child’s first words, an important meeting or spontaneous idea. Capture these moments effortlessly on iPhone, iPad or for ultimate convenience, Apple Watch.
Listen to “Capture the Moment with Just Press Record for iOS”
iPhone X Demonstrations
Dave Nason recorded and shared two short iPhone X demonstrations:
Exploring the New Gestures and Changed Button Functions on the iPhone X
Setting Up Face ID on the iPhone X with VoiceOver
A complete list of all podcasts posted to the AppleVis website can be found at www.applevis.com/podcasts