Category: Apple Products

Apple’s Continued Impact on Accessibility and Accessible Technology

At a recent media event, Apple announced a number of new software and hardware products.  Although Apple executives have, in previous years,  devoted stage time to accessibility announcements, they did not do so at this event. However. these  announcements still impact accessibility and assistive technology.

Brian Meersma of the Assistive Technology Blog, reviews and comments on the features that have a positive impact on accessibility.

Brian’s comments are at: Apple’s Announcements Impact on Accessibility

AudioNote – Notepad and Voice Recorder

AudioNote  note-taking software that combines the functionality of note-taking and voice recording apps  that saves users time while improving the quality of notes. It is free and available for Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, and iPad. Features include:

  • Text or handwritten notes.
  • Record meetings, conferences, interviews, and memos.
  • Share notes with key stakeholders or classmates.
  • Automatic audio amp for recording in large classrooms.
  • Highlight notes during playback.
  • Import lecture slides as background†††
  • Automatic audio amp for recording in large classrooms
  • Highlighter for key terms

†††Feature is  not available on iPhone, iPod Touch, or Android phones

Visit AudioNote – Notepad and Voice Recorder to download the version of choice (Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone,  and iPad) view screen shots,  and to access the user guide.

 

MyScript Calculator – the Free Handwriting Calculator

If you or a student you work with have difficulty writing numbers and mathematical symbols legibly if  required to use pen or pencil, check out  MyScript Calculator . This app,  makes it possible for anyone to  a stylus or  finger to enter handwritten numbers and symbols into a calculator on an Android or iOS handheld device.

The app is free from VisionObjects. It offers a “handwriting calculator” that works remarkably well.  The calculator works just as well for basic computation as it does for more complex mathematics.

BENEFITS AND FEATURES

  • Works on your smartphone (Android & iOS)
  • Works on your tablet (Android & iOS)
  • Use your handwriting to write any arithmetic formula.
  • Write and calculate mathematical expressions in an intuitive and natural way with no keyboard
  • Supported mathematical symbols:
    • +, -, x, ÷, +/-, 1/x, ()
    • %, √, x!, |x|
    • ℯx, xy , x2 
    • cos, sin, tan
    • acos, asin, atan
    • ln , log
    • π, ℯ,
  • Scratch-out gestures to easily delete symbols and numbers

The video below  illustrates what this app can do. The video shows the app on Android. Numerical expressions can be copied easily and used in other apps.