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Apple's Dedication to Accessibility Highlighted by Story of Blind Engineer
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Good to read about this kinda stories. Apple may not get everything right, but the stuff that matters they do.
You really must be one of the least desirable people in your social circle. Repeatedly offending people and attacking them after putting your foot in your mouth, showing a complete lack of any social grace, and to top it off, slathering yourself in faux intellectual hubris as a shield in order to pretend you're just above it all and the unwashed masses are too feeble-minded to understand your glory. What a tedious garden-variety dud.
How many people with a visual impairment (I don't simply mean spectacle wearing) do you know? I used to host a support group for people with various visual impairments, some were totally blind, some had some sight, every single one of them used an iPhone because it enabled them to use a smartphone like everyone else, I often discussed the phones with them and they would all say how nobody else even tried to make it easy to use their products. Many of them had macs and iPads at home too.
Apple is far, far from perfect, they have a lot to improve on, but their insistence that as many people as possible should be able to use their devices at minimal further cost regardless of their disabilities is something I fully support and I think makes them stand head and shoulders above the competition. Sure, their phones aren't waterproof and don't have the best screens, but my son who was unable to communicate with the world has had his life changed by an iPad. He can now talk to us, ask for help, tell me he loves me. There were communication devices before, they cost thousands, I couldn't afford them, but an iPad with a £100 piece of software I could afford, it transformed his life and ours too.
Stop trying to make excuses for your behaviour, you even state in your signature that you are not 'nice'. This isn't a PR stunt, it's a young woman who earned herself a job doing something she loved because she has the skill. Maybe when you grow up and you learn about diversity when you will realise you don't have to define a person by their disability, this isn't a 'visually impaired lady', she is a woman and an apple engineer. It sounds like you are simply patronising if I'm honest, and using the story as an excuse to have a totally unacceptable rant. You realise you've made yourself look stupid and are desperately trying to make excuses.
You sound self-righteous. Good job. I'm sure you've done more philanthropy-from-the-heart (as opposed to PR-based opportunism) than Apple. Right.
I am far from Apples biggest fan these days.
However the way in which they have tried to intergrate the features into the OS is something that should be applauded. They may not be the best at what they do. However they are at a good starting base. Hopefully they will continue to develop them.
The disabled user is ripped off left right and centre when it comes to this sort of technology and user access. Everything costs far more on a cost/user than people would ever imagine, so for Apple to do it as part of the OS structure as a whole is very commendable.
However the way in which they have tried to intergrate the features into the OS is something that should be applauded. They may not be the best at what they do. However they are at a good starting base. Hopefully they will continue to develop them.
The disabled user is ripped off left right and centre when it comes to this sort of technology and user access. Everything costs far more on a cost/user than people would ever imagine, so for Apple to do it as part of the OS structure as a whole is very commendable.
It's not just technology, so many things cost more of you have a disability. From clothing, special diets, access equipment, mobility, toys and more.
If you don't have to buy anything adapted or that would be used differently it's not immediately obvious, but it makes a huge difference to the amount of money you have to spend just to live a normal life compared to someone without a disability. Just going for a meal, a day out, taking a holiday, you have a lot more planning to do, and so many places are simply not setup for many types of disability. Sure, there are rules and people should adapt their premises, but many make a half-hearted attempt or do the bare minimum to get by.
When a company thinks about disability from the ground up, if they truly consider everyone equally, it makes a huge difference, especially if they don't then charge more for that service.
This Girl is amazing , huge respect , apple is lucky to have her.
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He acknowledged her achievement. You are taking this to a place it does not need to go. How about seperate her achievement and apples PR machine. Don't drag here into another Apple defence bebate
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He acknowledged her achievement. You are taking this to a place it does not need to go. How about seperate her achievement and apples PR machine. Don't drag here into another Apple defence bebate
Not everyone who has something nice to say is a lemming or fanboi. You can disagree with them without pushing the L and F words at them.
Actually, I am well respected by my friends because I am always their for them and also honest. Folks like you seem to find that if someone disagrees or calls out Apple that they are socially less desirable. Do you have a safe space from my comment on this forum? Maybe you need one.
As for social grace, there seems to be a touch of hypocrisy in your own comment here. You wax quixotic if you think that only I see the hypocrisy. Talk about putting one's foot in their own mouth. Oh damn, you must have used a trigger phrase here (sigh).
I consider my response to you as one of charity. Even someone with a lackluster dullard of a comment needs attention and now you have had yours. No milk and cookies for you today.
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First, I never challenge the fine candidate for the position but in fact, was happy to hear about her success at being hired. You may if you like reread what I have written in other posts to see I am in fact, being merely candid and straight forward. I still have great indifference when it comes to Apple and its failure to fully commit to helping those who are sight impaired with their products. Perhaps I would have been more impressed with Apple if they opened up 500 seats rather than just one and it wasn't in the venue of accommodating those with visual impairments. (As in a blind person working in other areas of Apple rather than the said topic).
Second, I wasn't aware that one needs to be credentialed by association to present an opinion here. So given that you put the challenge forward - I am legally blind in one eye, have had eye surgery and will lose sight in both eyes perhaps in the next 15 -20 years. I have worked with the visually impaired during college years, my late mother worked with doctors and therapists that dealt with autistic youth and I remained an advocate as I do now that more can be done for those with various challenges.
We concur, Apple is far from perfect. Apple also with its fair amount of cash could do quite a bit more without taking much of a financial hit but chooses not to do so. When people enter into those golden years, geriatrics etc., there are those that make special phones for them. Apple has the ability to capture that very same market but chose not to do so. I think this could be an error or perhaps a market they simply don't care about. I would prefer they do care and I merely sighted a simple example of how they could make it easier to use their i-devices and even gave an example of those returning those devices who are not designated as having no vision or low vision.
As for my behavior - I make absolutely zero excuse nor need one. I simply find Apple's puff piece to be just that - a single entry point into a venue of hiring and nothing more. The only one that deserves total respect and kudos is the candidate herself for her goals, her hard work and I a may only assume, excellent character.
As for looking stupid, candidly I really don't care if folks like yourself like to label me as such. It merely demonstrates the lack of capacity of folks to simply disagree or rather, not get offended because I don't feel all gushy and sugary over Apple's ONE opportunity given. If anything it is rather token of Apple.
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Fair enough.
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GRDPII, I do appreciate what you are saying. I don't agree they do enough and even mentioned the most obvious way they could help those with visual impairment. Apple elects to create "work arounds" instead. There is no real reason Apple couldn't make screens that were more accommodating (as in larger text, larger icons etc.) that do help people with low vision. The latter could still remain in the look and feel that Apple lauds. Meanwhile, the work arounds are troublesome for many and a nuisance for others. Sadly, outside developers cannot make an app that would work well to achieve this function given the limitations placed by Apple itself. This leaves the option squarely in Apple's lap and is still missing.
I love replies like this. When the MR apologists swoop on a reply and try to turn into a debate that never existed.
Kudos sir, great reply and what you wrote initially was spot on and clear.
Thanks for the article and the relationship with the NFB. Of course I did take the time to go through the article and it appears there is a great deal of politics involved and that too is nothing new. NFB wants Apple to remain involved and wants Apple (and app makers) to do more (as I stated I wanted).
Of interesting in the article is the following excerpt that does show the politics of scratching each other's back and not meaning to make demands that appear aggressive or acerbic in nature. NFB has its own set of serious challenges that plague all organizations in wanting to achieve their goals and get the proper relationships with the business world on board. Items like near superlative statements get tossed about as well as awards.
"The National Federation of the Blind has been struggling with how to address these problems for years. Apple has done more for accessibility than any other company to date, and we have duly recognized this by presenting the company with at least two awards (including our annual Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award) and publicly praising it whenever the opportunity arises.
"We do not want to needlessly antagonize a company that has been such an outstanding accessibility champion. Nevertheless, inaccessible apps continue to proliferate, and blind users cannot update the apps on their iPhones without anxiety."
Riccobono continued by noting that the text of the NFB's resolution states, "this organization call upon Apple to work with the National Federation of the Blind to create and enforce policies, standards, and procedures to ensure the accessibility of all apps, and to ensure that accessibility is not lost when an app is updated."
You said 'The woman is terrific and Apple is not. Apple doesn't give a .... about folks unless they can use it for PR spin' - that is a very negative way to think about a company.
This is mac rumours - a site dedicated to Apple news and discussion.
It was my conclusion, but it was based on overwhelming evidence for what you had written. I'd call troll but, trolls don't get banned when you report them here.
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Is there anything that can be done? The moderators don't seem to care.
We don't want blind fanboys, and constructive criticism or bashing a stupid move by Apple is to be expected. But literally every single good thing Apple does is criticised as being for good PR and nothing more. Every bad thing is because Tim Cook is greedy (despite clear evidence to the contrary). They can't do anything right in these people's eyes.
I was snickering at your clickbaity trolling but do have to ask: what would you have Apple do? Easy to drop pot shots from your livingroom couch, but please tell us the name of another major tech product company who does more to assist disabled users. I don't remember Samsung or Huawei being recognized by organizations representing the blind, the deaf, and the austistic.
And btw, it's not particularly adult to suggest "if you don't agree with me you're deluded." Real adults moved past that after adolescence.
Maybe because they dont make much waves about it - check Corporate Social Responsibility reports - some companies are just quiet about these things.
thekeyring, I'll stand by my comment and again say I am indifferent to Apple on this. I merely said they were not a hero (as in to be admired or elevated to some status because they did a token move). Nothing wrong with what Apple did but nothing heroic either. If Apple wants a pat on the back that is their 'business' and it is business.
If I may, are you implying I am a troll here merely because I applaud the hired candidate and don't find much ado about Apple itself?
Let's be clear about Apple and impaired here - For some that have been around for a bit and did read about Apple's practices they may recall that they did business with China for the iPhones. In turn, Apple kept a blind eye until 3rd party whistle blowers told what exactly was going on in China. China engaged people to work (skip the sweatshop talk and poor pay for the moment) that included a job to clean the glass before boxing. The chemical got absorbed into the skin of these workers and cause nerve damage. The end result was that these people lost function, articulation and for some gross mobility from the wrist down. The factories let go of these people and got replacements. These people pretty much cannot work now that they were exposed to this chemical making iPhones for Apple. Apple would have been a hero twicefold if they first managed to see what was going on and make sure it never started and since it did happen, find the charity in its collective heart to compensate those poor folks that cannot work anymore. -- But alas, business is business and it was swept aside. Before anyone says anything, I didn't get my first iPhone until AFTER corrections were made and I admit my guilt that more could be done in those factories but at least, thanks to 3rd parties identifying the issue and Apple's own choice to remain blind to it all, that these workers are treated better now. So let's be adults here and realize that Apple does what is in Apple's own interest for better or worse or more so - with no judgement required as they are a business.
On another note - there are plenty of discussions here that consider Apple rather suspect ranging from comparisons of Jobs and Cook to the fate of the Mac Mini and Mac Pro, lack of app and app support for professionals and so on. In my estimates, it is good to have healthy exchange in these forums and allow room for dissenting views.
Okay dumb question but how does a blind person use an iPad? What's a typical use case? How would that person navigate past the lock screen before triggering Siri or running an app?
Awesome when a teacher sees the fruits of his or her labors. Makes all of the hassles with the students who don't give a rip worth it at the end. Great story and awesome lady to not let short comings rule her life.
Good job on this catch apple, but..come on, I have gone through two mac pros with issues this month and have to return another and can tell that they did not read the memo on the graphic cards recall, even after I had to mention that there is a recall and hopefully check the one you are sending me.
Good to focus on other things, but also put some focus on the basic stuff like QUality assurance...please!
I gather you are on your living room couch as you take pot shots at me. I provided a link that gave lists of job offerings for the visually impaired (blind in this case). I gather you either missed it or don't have the attention span to read through. Either way, not my problem but yours.
I can't improve upon r3m1's response as it says it all with respect to other companies. Kabeyun, I can only advise you to lean forward on your living room couch, do a search on the internet and you'll find your answers there on tech companies like Bayer that hires visually impaired (including no vision).
Bayer is not a tech company. It's a chemical company. Different sector. We're talking about major companies that make tech gadgets like smartphones & the like. No one thinks of Bayer software or considers the pros & cons of Bayer's user interface. But good on them for not discriminating against blind people and violating the ADA. Doesn't make them all that special though.
And you didn't answer my question, besides the life-changing suggestion that the iPhone home screen should have a 4x3 app grid option.
Where else would s/he spread their negativity?
Seems like that's all that's going around here at MacRumors.
I wonder how many interns Apple has working for free.