# Recommend a tablet suitable for an auld blind fella with no computer experience



## DaveCinzano (Oct 30, 2013)

As title. 

Something:

Durable
Nothing too tricksy, button-wise 

Plus recommendations for software:

Text-to-voice
Voice-to-text
Simple to use audio player that's really good for audiobooks (eg bookmarks place)
Easy to use audio recorder for memos
Preferable:

Good controls on colour/contrast (has some vision)
Decent screen resolution that can handle serious zooming in
Decent camera
Would probably be used for skype, listening to audio books (and music), recording voice memos/'writing', doing newspaper crosswords (hence preference of being able to photograph & zoom in).

When I say "no computer experience" I mean NO COMPUTER EXPERIENCE.

Is this something that's out there at a not-too-stupid price?

Personal experience and insight from people with visual impairments particularly welcome.


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## DrRingDing (Oct 30, 2013)

A quick google produced this.... http://biglauncher.com/


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## DaveCinzano (Oct 30, 2013)

DrRingDing said:


> A quick google produced this.... http://biglauncher.com/


Thanks, but that's not a tablet and doesn't really cover any of the things I mentioned.


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## DrRingDing (Oct 30, 2013)

DaveCinzano said:


> Thanks, but that's not a tablet and doesn't really cover any of the things I mentioned.



Bitch.

Get android device -- install app --> configure app to requirements --> give to old crinkly.


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## keybored (Oct 30, 2013)

xenon might know about the software, I'm think he mentioned using text-to-voice before.


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## hiccup (Oct 30, 2013)

iOS has a lot of really good accessibility features built in:

http://www.apple.com/uk/accessibility/ios/#vision

ipads aren't cheap though...


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## xenon (Oct 30, 2013)

keybored said:


> xenon might know about the software, I'm think he mentioned using text-to-voice before.




I've not used a tablet persay but have an Iphone. Which is virtually totally accessible using the built in Voiceover software. There's also a screen magnifier and the ability to change contrast.

This is also on the Ipad devices. It's gonna come down to Apple or and Android device.

Were I in the market for a tablet, personly I'd opt for the Google Nexus 7. The accessibility in Android has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Though I should say I haven't had hands on experience using any Android device yet. The accessability improvements are a feature of Android 4.3 and later, Jelly Bean, which the Nexus' run. (In short, don't get an old cheap tablet expecting it to work for them.)

Some things to consider. Apple devices cost significantly more than Android ones and don't let you tinker under the hood with out jailbreaking them.

I can't compare ease of use to Android (see above.) But IMO Apple iOS is about as easy as a device that capable can be.

that said, There will be an inevitable learning curve to using any touch screen device, particularly so with poor or no useful sight and again, if the user isn't used to using computers in general. In terms of knowing what you're looking for when you want to set up email or wifi for example. Also, the accessibility features may need to be switched on by someone fully sighted in the first instance.

Whilst the device and it's built in apps may work perfectly well with accessability features, third party apps don't necesarily at all. 
However, everything you mention in your OP can be done with an iOS device by a blind user. I'd be surprised if this wasn't true regarding the latest version of Android too. My phone is pretty much my newspaper reader, book reader, walkman, internet radio and I've just started using an OCR app on it, so I can read mail with it too. So IMO, it would be worth them persevering if they find using the device challenging at first.


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## elbows (Oct 30, 2013)

The additional price of Apple stuff is an issue. But I think its a price worth paying IF the accessibility differences between iOS and android are such that it makes the difference between the device being a success and a failure. Its been a while since I tried android accessibility stuff but last time I did, iOS won by quite a margin. In part this is because iOS devices have retained the physical home button, which makes it easier to keep your bearings within the system/turn voice-over on and off without needing to use the touchscreen. But since so much of the devil is in the detail, and I am no expert nor partially sighted myself, I can't say much more.

Certainly before choosing between iOS and android, you'll need to determine whether the screen of the 7" tablets is large enough for the photo zooming stuff, or whether a 10"ish tablet is required.

The hefty price difference between iOS and android tablets does tempt me to suggest that you should try an android tablet first, and simply return it if it doesn't work out ok. Obviously though there is a flaw in this plan, that if the experience if the first device puts the user off and stresses them out unduly, this could be rather counterproductive.


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## DaveCinzano (Oct 30, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions and insights so far, all good food for thought 

In terms of phone vs tablet, as much as anything it comes down to size: fingers simply not nimble enough to cope with a smart phone. 

The ability to use as a magnifier would be a useful 'extra'; a 7" wouldn't necessarily be a deal-breaker, but I think 10" would be more sensible.

Everything would be initially configured by a sighted person (me), and the idea would be to free up said auld blind fella's long-suffering non-blind auld lady from having to do crossword-related things, dictation, writing letters, googling things etc, and to (hopefully) provide a more durable, smaller replacement for a DAISY Player. Oh, and to belatedly encourage him to use technology.


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## Kid_Eternity (Oct 30, 2013)

elbows said:


> The additional price of Apple stuff is an issue. But I think its a price worth paying IF the accessibility differences between iOS and android are such that it makes the difference between the device being a success and a failure. Its been a while since I tried android accessibility stuff but last time I did, iOS won by quite a margin. In part this is because iOS devices have retained the physical home button, which makes it easier to keep your bearings within the system/turn voice-over on and off without needing to use the touchscreen. But since so much of the devil is in the detail, and I am no expert nor partially sighted myself, I can't say much more.
> 
> Certainly before choosing between iOS and android, you'll need to determine whether the screen of the 7" tablets is large enough for the photo zooming stuff, or whether a 10"ish tablet is required.
> 
> The hefty price difference between iOS and android tablets does tempt me to suggest that you should try an android tablet first, and simply return it if it doesn't work out ok. Obviously though there is a flaw in this plan, that if the experience if the first device puts the user off and stresses them out unduly, this could be rather counterproductive.



Elbows speaks a lot of sense here.


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## c01642 (Oct 31, 2013)

Windows has always had good support for speech to text and supports all the other things you mention on your list. Have a quick search on the net and you can find a lot of useful info.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/021412-windows8-accessibility-256132.html


Dell have 2 new tablets coming out in November which look pretty good.

http://www.dell.com/learn/uk/en/ukdhs1/campaigns/dell-venue-tablets-dhs?c=uk&l=en&s=dhs


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