In the Summer of 2011 I was preparing to return to college for the first time in over 20 years, and the first time ever as a blind student. I hoped to be able to use my 11 inch Macbook Air for all of my schoolwork, but lots of folks cautioned I would not be able to succeed without having access to MS Office and other Windows-based applications. While I had an intimate working knowledge of many Microsoft products from 20+ years spent in corporate IT, I only knew them from the perspective of a sighted person.

Introduction

I'm basically lazy. If technology exists that lets me spend more time sitting on my butt, I'm all over it. I control my thermostat with an app, use Google Hangouts for virtual meetings, and don't remember the last time I walked to a mailbox—that's why God invented email.

I started taking piano lessons for the first time in the so-called days of yore -- that is, when I was 12 years old and, like many teenagers, didn't appreciate the value of getting my feet wet in the field at that opportune age. I was simultaneously attending English classes and, given the fact that I didn't have a piano at home to practice, I even came to the conclusion that the time I might spend at, or on, the piano can be devoted to English. As an Iranian I knew how mastering English could provide me with a whole host of opportunities -- something I don't regret to this day.

It's hard to believe that it was 8 years ago that the first Apple Watch was released! I wasn't someone who dived straight in with Apple's new smart watch, but I did watch the reviews with interest and eventually, in 2016 I finally got a series 1 watch, which was actually the second version of the watch (just to make life confusing). I remember reading David Goodwin's one year anniversary blog post and a lot of his points really resonated with me.

Game available from the iTunes App Store for $9.95 regular price

Produced by A-Sharp Software: www.a-sharp.com/kodp

Fully playable without sighted assistance.

Reviewed by Michael Feir

Rating: 9/10

Intro

On November 21, 2016, I picked up my new MacBook Pro from Best Buy. It has 512GB of storage, 8GB of ram, the Touch Bar in place of function keys, and the low end of the available processors (a still-respectable 2.9GhZ Core i5). I have only owned one other Apple laptop in the past: an 11-inch Air with just 64GB of storage, from 2012. I also have a Mac Mini from 2011, which I've since upgraded with more ram and a solid state drive to make it faster.

Intro

Apple recently launched new features for the USB-C AirPods Max, which include lossless audio over USB-C, ultra-low latency audio, as well as the ability to use AirPods Max with a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable for wired playback. This also means that when Bluetooth is turned on, you will have access to all features that you would with a Bluetooth connection but with the wired connection. I thought I would share my experience for anyone who potentially is thinking

The Milanese loop is one of two stainless steel band options for the Apple Watch. Lightweight, comfortable, and easily adjustable, it's a worthy option to consider if you're wanting something dressy, breathable, and easy to take on and off. It's also gender-neutral, and a majority of the people I've spoken with really like it. While getting just the right fit may be a challenge at first, the Milanese loop is a pleasure to wear and is definitely worthy of consideration when choosing an Apple Watch band.

When writing last November about my short time with an 11-inch iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard Folio, I commented on being generally disappointed by the performance of VoiceOver on iPad and concluded that the iPad had little to offer for my use case and circumstances.