James’s Top App Picks
As you open the assisted living magazines pages of the numerous devices that are available for the blind to continue in an independant lifestyle, it is invigorating. If you purchased every device to aid you in your daily life activities-like a money identifier, and color reeno- GPS trecker, OCR scanner and recognition software,Calendar,timers, note recorders,bar code scanners,- to name a few, you would be spending thousands upon thousands and would thus need to invest in a large suitcase on wheels or borrow the local grocery stores shopping cart to transport all the devices with you. Further, you will be spending so much money on these items, that once you have acquired these things, you Won’t have the money to use them because you are broke. How nice Apple has provided us with an alternate solution: one device-that handles all those individual devices, and many times in a superior fashion. So, you begin to comprehend how much time and space you will save without having to haul that Piggly Wiggly shopping cart around.Thus, When you tally all the amounts of the prices of those individual devices,and them compare it to the iPhone and of the many things that is already built into its operating system,as well as purchasing the apps that specifcifically pertain to your needs.The variations of price between the two situations are astronomical.The I phone is todays SwiSS Army Knife. A knife that isconpact,has just what you need, and works well with a purpose.
Here are my top apps. I based this on which apps I use the most, accessibility, ease of use, and reliability. I likewise attempted to pick apps of various purpose.
1. Look Tell Money Reader
Instantly recognizes currenciesand speaks denomination with use of the camera. Works fast and with little effort. 21 currencies supported.LookTel Money Reader provides Voice Over support for several languages including English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Polish, Portugese, Russian, Korean, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Japanese, Greek, Hungarian, and Mandarin.
2. Tap Tap See
TapTapSee is a free app that helps the blind and visually impaired become more independent in their day-to-day activities.
Identify any object around
Ability to identify US paper currency
Can determine images, colors, and limited text transcriptions. Automatic flash
Auto-focus sound
3. Blind Square
Top 5 Apps
Blind Square
I have found this to be the best GPS app due to its ease of use and layout. No need to hunt and peck for buttons to get your location or direction. Just shake your phone. Blind Square will give the your current address, the nearest intersection, it’s distance, and uses the clock direction to tell you where things are according to where you are facing. I use this to explore new areas with confidence.
4. In Class
A very helpful app for note taking. Best app I have found to organize your notes according to subject or class. In Class will determine which class you are in and will automatically pull up a note for that particular class. Besides text, add audio, video, Photos, and files to your notes if you wish. Share your notes via Facebook, email, messaging. Easily set reminders for assignments and projects. This app has many features to aid you in being organized and efficient.
5. Text Grabber
I am amazed by the capabilities of this app. Last semester I was able to read my fellow classmates’ papers in a in-class workshop using Text Grabber. Take a picture of a document and let Text Grabber do the rest. Further, the app will translate the scanned text into other languages.Or consider this: You have a document in a different language. Take a photo with Text Grabber and the app will translate the text into whatever language you want and read it to you. Edit the text, share via email, mss, or send toyour Evernote account.
Honorable Mentions:
These apps deserve mentioning 🙂
-I Blink Radio
Bookoos of information on technology, legislation, news,resources,entertainment, blogs, podcast,support groups, and so much more.
-i iVzWiz
A personal visual assistant. Unlike Tap Tap See or other apps like OMB, which use visual recognition software,iVzWiz sends your photo and a short audio recording of your liking to actual webworkers, or your social media to get information.
-NFB Newsline
Get access to local and national newspapers. Read the latest Times, National Geographic, and numerous other magazines or periodicals. Notifies you or current weather conditions and alerts. Many features.
-Smart Recorder
Another app for note taking. Record audio and sync with all of your devices.Easy interface with one of the best audio recording quality I have found.
-Mail Shot Group
Organize your contacts and create groups with ease.
-Focus
For all you Facebook lovers-another way to access your Facebook. A simplified and more consistant interface.
I hope these apps will aid you in your independance,confidence, and day to day travels. New apps come out every day and current app get updates or new features. I strive to keep up with the latest new developments of accessible technology and applications. If you or someone you know would like to receive emails on my latest findings,feel free to share my email with them: jimmydagerman80@gmail.com. The only consistant thing in this world is change. The evolution of technology and accessibility is ever advancing. Working together, we will evolve ourselves into successful contributors of society.
Legally Sighted 