I won’t be at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference, or WWDC, this week like all the cool Mac kids. I make part of my living doing something other than reporting about Apple, so this is my lot. I’m not complaining, but it’s times like this when I am forcibly reminded how different my day, and often my relationship with technology, is from those developers, writers and podcasters whose bag packing lists I see online. Yes, I said bag packing lists. If you’re not familiar with this subgenre of tech journalism, you can see examples here, here and here. Anyway, the thing I…
Category: New Media and Tech
Listen: Apple Brings Everyone Can Code To Some Kids In Austin
Posted in Access and Disability, Announcements, and New Media and Tech
I had the pleasure of watching as 17 kids who attend Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired learn a bit about Swift Playgrounds, the environment Apple created to teach people how to code in the Swift language. Even better, I made a radio story about it for Texas Standard. I’m really proud of it. I’m less proud that I forgot I had a blog, so I didn’t get around to telling you about all this until now. Apropos of that, I’m planning to restart my “all the podcasts” RSS feed, should you want to hear me behind the…
Update: Now with a dramatic reading, as heard on NosillaCast #606, at about the 30 minute mark. Thanks to Allison for the opportunity to relive high school poetry interp competition. Lots and lots of people have asked if I bought a new MacBook Pro; the one with the dongles and the touch bar. And then, I couldn’t sleep. So I wrote a poem. I Did Not Buy a MacBook Pro When I’m on a podcast show, To talk the tech with friends I know, I cannot share their Apple glow, I did not buy a MacBook Pro. At coffee shops…
Roku added a spoken interface to its video streaming devices. This is good news for blind and print-disabled folks who like the idea of an inexpensive, easy-to-use, full-featured streamer. In this audio demo, I roll through the Audio Guide interface, and show you where it shines, and where it fails. If you have feedback or questions after listening, please hit me up on Twitter at @shelly. Direct Download Link
iOS Access for All Update Released
Posted in Access and Disability, Announcements, General Store, and New Media and Tech
I’m thrilled to announce that the new edition of my book, iOS Access for All, is ready and waiting for you right here. There you’ll find buy links, the table of contents, and many more words you can read. Get the ePub for $20. I’m really proud of this one, and there’s a bit more new material this time than last. That’s partly due to Apple’s interface changes, and partly because I added depth to several topics. In addition to a complete update for iOS 10, you’ll find 80 pages of completely new material. I’m scheduling some dates with a few…
Dropped Names Bonk Diversity on its Head
Posted in New Media and Tech, and Podcasting
I listened to a well-known Apple-focused podcast the other day. The show is prat of a tech podcast network, and also part of a somewhat larger circle of people who, broadly speaking, cover the Apple beat. From this episode, I learned that the hosts love their iPads, their iOS apps, and their kind sponsors. I learned that they, like this week’s guest, have many friends who say things about Apple on their own tech podcasts. Actually, I knew that already, but the name dropping this week was especially heavy. The hosts’ mentions of their friends did not include a journalistic-style…
People think I’m an Apple-only geek. I have done little to dispel this notion, by my book and podcast work. But yay, verily, I offer proof that I can cross the platform when need arises. Here’s my AccessWorld roundup of some nifty Android apps that folks with low vision should find useful.
Is Apple TV Truly Accessible to Blind and Visually Impaired Viewers?
Posted in Announcements, and New Media and Tech
I tackled the question of Apple TV accessibility for AccessWorld, the monthly magazine of the American Federation for the Blind.
Hey, I’m Writing for AccessWorld
Posted in Access and Disability, Announcements, and New Media and Tech
I’m very excited to let you know that I’ve signed on as a contributor to the American Foundation for the Blind’s highly-regarded technology magazine, AccessWorld. My beats include tech products for low-vision users, and mobile stuff for both Android and iOS. My first piece is a review of the Revolution 22’, a hybrid consisting of a video magnifier and an Android tablet. It’s so much fun to be doing product reviews again!
Back in the Saddle: Check Out My New Podcast
Posted in Access and Disability, Announcements, New Media and Tech, and Pods and Presos
Lately, I’ve been rediscovering my love of podcasting. For those of you who don’t know, and that includes a surprising number of friends and colleagues, I produced my first podcast in 2004, and continued to make shows on the regular for the better part of the next nine years. I have guested on many podcasts, and was active in the first wave podcasting community; the enthusiasts and semi-pros who congregated at the first few New Media Expo events. Oh yeah. And I ran Blogger & Podcaster Magazine, which sadly folded after a year-and-a-half run. It’s weird to feel I need…