With the advent of virtual personal assistants (VPA), assistive technology users are able to interact with their smartphones in ways that weren’t possible just a few years ago. These virtual personal assistants employ user-inputted voice commands to perform a wide variety of functions like sending messages, scheduling reminders, and even ordering groceries, giving assistive technology users with impaired vision or mobility an alternative way to interact with their smartphone or tablet. There are a few virtual assistants on the market right now, and most of them have been discussed in previous e-bulletins. This week, we’re going to look at Google Assistant, the built-in virtual personal assistant that comes pre-loaded on Android smartphones (Android 6.0 and above) and on Android smartwatches.
How To: Use Google Assistant
Dropbox Paper
In case you haven’t heard of it, Dropbox is a cloud-based storage service that allows users to upload and share files from anywhere in the world, on virtually any device. Now, imagine combining that service with a free productivity and collaboration app that allows users to integrate their Dropbox files with other resources from around the web, while also allowing a multitude of users to comment on and add information to a cloud-based document.
Job Experiences in Virtual Reality
Whether we’re ready for it or not, Virtual Reality (VR) is here. The technology is still in its infancy, but we’re already seeing some very interesting and unexpected applications for the technology. Of course, mega-corporations like Facebook, Google, Samsung, and Valve are all looking to claim their own piece of the proverbial pie, adding momentum to the revolution of ideas and innovations occurring within this space.
Powered to Enable Campaign Launch
Powered symbolizes the barrier-breaking technology and knowledge we provide to people with disabilities in order to Enable them to lead more independent lives. With your support, we are Powered to Enable.
G-Suite Accessibility Features: Part 2
Last week we looked at some of the accessibility features that are supported within the G-suite, Google’s free, online, suite of productivity apps. In last week’s e-bulletin we looked briefly at Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and Google Drive. This week we will continue to explore the G-suite, and we’ll look at Google Sheets, Slides, Drawings Forms, Sites, Hangouts, and Classroom.
G-Suite Accessibility Features: Part 1
Today we’re going look at the wide variety of accessibility features that are available for Google’s G-Suite. The G-suite is a free, online collection of productivity apps that gives users access to E-mail, video conferencing, spreadsheets, and much more. These free apps are absolutely packed with built-in accessibility features that are constantly being modified and refined, making them a great choice for AT users who want a no-cost and highly accessible solution to everyday online tasks.
Technology@Work on AMI This Week
Grant Hardy from Accessible Media Inc. checks out our Technology@Work program and meets two recipients whose lives have been changed for the better by. Watch the video here:
Back to School Apps for 2018
The summer has passed, and September is here! Now that school is back in session, we thought we’d create a list of noteworthy “Back to School” apps for 2018. The apps have either been newly created in 2018, have just come to our attention, or have simply never been reviewed by us…after all, with so many apps on the market, it’s easy to miss a couple! And while these apps are diverse in their functions, and cover a wide range of categories, they are united by their potential in the classroom, as well as their ability to serve students, teachers, and even parents!
David Can Commute Reliably with Technology@Work
Spinal muscular atrophy is a progressive condition that weakens a person’s muscles. When David was diagnosed with it, his doctors believed he wouldn’t live past the age of two.
“I’ve always been an overachiever. As you can see, not only have I lived past the age of 2 but I have thrived,” says David on his website.
How-to: Use Siri as a Hands-Free Calculator
Right now on the iOS app store there are countless talking calculators available for purchase and even some for free. We’ve looked at Talking Calculator in the past, and it does a great job of calculating complex formulas hands-free with full VoiceOver support. For users who are blind, have low-vision, or have learning disabilities that make it difficult to visually process numbers, talking calculators can help level the playing field by giving users the ability to engage in math problems independently.