Apple Begins Selling Accessibility Accessories on its Online Store

[apolloa]

Fantastic, I like that! Good work Apple.

Accessibility is certainly something Apple has been VERY good at.

 

[rdlink]

I'm going to go out on a limb here. Based on what I've seen of your Apple defensive posting history, you're probably comparing an old Windows PC with a modern Mac. Your anecdotes tend to be a bit disjointed in their connections. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize. But since your experience uniquely qualifies you to make that assertion, I'd love more detail about the PC/Mac comparison you mentioned. Leaps and bounds should be easily evidenced.

Using an iPhone's accessibility features right out of the box isn't something that's unique, or related to your PC/Mac anecdote either. The same can be done on WinPhone and Android.

Funny how some people never learn the old rocks and glass houses axiom. Based on your Apple critical posting history it's never surprising to anyone here when you dig deep into every story for whatever twisted logic you can find or fabricate to damn the folks in Cupertino.

If you mean Windows 7, the most popular Windows OS by far then yes, it's an old Windows PC. In the real Windows world of enterprise very few customers are running anything except for Windows 7.

If you knew of what you speak you would know that yes, Apple's out of the box accessibility is leaps and bounds ahead of Windows. If you have access to both a Mac and Windows machine turn on sight-centric accessibility for both of them (Narrator on Windows and Voice Over on the Mac) and put on a blindfold. Use both without your eyes for a couple of hours and then come back and tell me just how close the Windows experience is to the Mac.

 

[69Mustang]

Funny how some people never learn the old rocks and glass houses axiom. Based on your Apple critical posting history it's never surprising to anyone here when you dig deep into every story for whatever twisted logic you can find or fabricate to damn the folks in Cupertino.

If you mean Windows 7, the most popular Windows OS by far then yes, it's an old Windows PC. In the real Windows world of enterprise very few customers are running anything except for Windows 7.

If you knew of what you speak you would know that yes, Apple's out of the box accessibility is leaps and bounds ahead of Windows. If you have access to both a Mac and Windows machine turn on sight-centric accessibility for both of them (Narrator on Windows and Voice Over on the Mac) and put on a blindfold. Use both without your eyes for a couple of hours and then come back and tell me just how close the Windows experience is to the Mac.

Ha! My Apple critical posting history? That's BS. My posting history contains criticism and praise of Apple in equal measure. Even the original post you commented on is evidence of that. In that post, there isn't even a hint of criticism of Apple and it's accessibility efforts. Matter of fact, few of my comments ever deal with Apple directly. My posting history doesn't come close to supporting your assertion. But your history supports my assertion.

Now I asserted you have a very defensive posting history related to Apple. Ample evidence is there. The moment you see something perceived as a slight against Apple, it's all "momma bear" rdlink to the rescue. Regardless of the topic and regardless of merit. It's your right and I can respect that. You're a exuberant fan. Nothing wrong with that. I like some Apple products, but not all. Nothing wrong with that either.

PC/Mac comparison. Seems I was 100% right about you doing a dated comparison. Color me not surprised.

 

[0004838]

So, if your "hard-hearted" voice is always there talking in your ear perhaps nobody can really do anything nice for you...

And if yours is never present, how will you ever know when someone is acting poorly or disingenuously?

*sigh* The internet—where sniping and displacing have been downgraded to civilian operations.

 

[Fleetodogs]

Apple recently updated its online storefront with the addition of a new "Accessibility" category, which is broken up into sections pertaining to the assistance of individuals with impairments related to vision, physical and motor skills, and learning and literacy (via Amvsement).

There are 15 total products broken up into each of the three sections, with further sub-categories allowing users to shop the online store specifically looking for accessories that support the iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Some of the products include the HumanWare Brailliant BI 32 Braille Display that sits in front of a Mac's keyboard to allow anyone who is blind the ability to fully navigate OS X -- and even iOS -- with a lightweight, Bluetooth-enabled braille keyboard.

Some of the other accessibility products offer more creative outlets, like the Skoog 2.0 Tactile Musical Interface for iPad, which lets anyone create music using the multi-purpose buttons on each side of the 5-sided cube. Thanks to the Skoog's versatility in tapping, squeezing, or twisting to create responsive sound, the accessory is said to encourage "expressive music making for children, parents, teachers, and musicians."

It was rumored late last year that Apple would begin selling accessibility accessories in its physical retail stores in "early 2016," but it seems the company decided to rollout a few options to its online store first. For anyone close to an Apple Store location, Apple is offering a Personal Pickup option for the new accessories, as well.

The new product category follows Apple's ongoing accessibility efforts that encourage the use of its products by as wide a group of people as possible, including those with physical and mental impairments.

Read More: Apple Celebrates Autism Acceptance Month With Two New Videos

Article Link: Apple Begins Selling Accessibility Accessories on its Online Store

[doublepost=1462819042][/doublepost]One accessibity feature I use is the virtual home button. My iPad mini home button is intermittent so the accessible one is much appreciated. I got so used to it that I use it on all my 'pods.