Hi Jim,
I think it's sad that people have the idea that the have to buy this wonderful iphone to get the app to watch their tv.
We should just be able to use our tv wout spending all of that money and dealing with this steep learning curve to use an iphone.
Fortunately, there are still remotes out there which work and allow us to use our Tv. I just got one yesterday.
It cost about $39 but is far cheaper than an Iphone.
The point is that so many things are made to be disposable and cost less money to makeen. 
I for one think it's disgusting to pay over $300 for a Talking Microwave.
If you spend some time at the store you can fina a Microwave you can mark as long as you make sure it doesn't memories which require you to look for a flashing light.
If something doesn't work for me without asking for help after it is set up the first time it's not usable.
The simpler the item is to use, the better.
It's not that I'm not capable of learning something more complicated, it's just that I don't want to spend my time doing this.
I have actually bej trying to learn the Pacmate and I do see why people say there is quite a Learning Curve with this device.
I also like devices which do not disturb others. If I am in a Meeting I do not want my device of choice to interrupt by voicing something when I can use another medium to get my information.
Colleen Roth



----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Gammon <[log in to unmask]>
,to3 [log in to unmask]
Date: Thursday, May 30, 2013 1:32 pm
Subject: issues with technology

>
>
> First, I decided to change the subject line of this thread.  Very 
> well said Martin.  I decided to add my 1.5 cents.
> Ever since I got my Kenwood rigs that have the option to buy the 
> speech chips, I have wondered why that company in particular has 
> implemented the policy so that if the consumer wants, he or she 
> can add the chip and make the radio far more usable than it would 
> be without the chip.  I like the Yaesu rigs but would not even 
> consider buying one because Yaesu does  not offer the same 
> option.  For years, deaf and hard of hearing folks have had the 
> option to get Tv's with built-in captioning access available.  I 
> too have often wondered why technology that can be so liberating 
> when it's really designed correctly, can also be so challenging 
> and frustrating when not designed with access in mind which so 
> much is that way.  Back in the 90's when Apple was going through 
> much agony and almost when belly up, I would have said good 
> riddance, but since then, they have made a real turn around with 
> voice over in their mac's and all new products.  So, it can be 
> done but it's a mystery to me as to how and where to apply the 
> right kind of pressure on the right kind of movers and shakers 
> that will cause these changes to happen.  I agree with you that 
> entertainment systems and services are among the worst when it 
> comes to accessibility.  I was blown away when my wife told me 
> she could push a button on the remote and see just what movie or 
> program was running, how long it was, and when it would   be 
> over.
> Maybe with one of those Microsoft media centers that information 
> is available but I doubt it.  And, have any of you had the oh so 
> frustrating experience of calling your tv provider when you 
> couldn't get your satellite box to work? Enough said about that.  
> So, I don't know what the answer is and it's frustrating even 
> writing this because I know I am preaching to the choir so where 
> does this get any of us? One more thing.  I remember when those 
> touch screen point of sale machines started coming out.  They 
> made me so angry that I considered civil protests like getting a 
> bunch of like minded blind friends together and coordinating 
> checking out at a store that had those machines then hand cuffing 
> ourselves to the machine so it would jam up the works for 
> everyone.  I also thought of smashing one with a hammer.  Well, 
> guess I was too tied into my middle class ways my family and my 
> job to do any thing like that, but it sure was tempting.  
> Fortunately, we have some "smart" lawyers in this area who would 
> rather leverage than litigate, so far as those pesky point of 
> sale machines went, the stores have kind of provided alternative 
> machines due to getting "educated".  So, it's all a complicated 
> issue, where to focus attention and energy to fix what? Everyone 
> has their own axe to grind but it's clear that there are some 
> glaring areas of deficiency that need to be addressed.  I think 
> for now, I've done addressing some of it.  73, Jim WA6EKS.
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Martin G.  McCormick" <[log in to unmask]
@> ,to3 [log in to unmask]
> Date sent: Thu, 30 May 2013 10:12:34 com0500
> Subject: Re: accessible radio
> 
> I agree totally.  The older I get the less patient I get
> with technology because the only reason things aren't better
> regarding accessibility is unless you are that 1 per cent caught
> in the trap, it's not an issue.  You can have entertainment
> devices that are all pointy-clicky monsters that you must see a
> screen to use, communications gear whose primary mode of
> operation is voice but there's that @%& eye candy control
> system.  It does suck green trench water.
> 
> My wife has perfect vision and she helps me when
> necessary but if you need sighted assistance to run some device
> on a routine basis, this is not a good thing.  It has nothing to
> do with how smart one is or how much initiative you have, it is
> a matter of good design versus incomplete design and a huge
> amount of electronics these days has incomplete design.  It is
> junk as far as I am concerned.
> 
> The best we can hope for is that we can find the tools
> we need for ham radio and daily life that are either accessible
> by design or have enough remote operational capability that they
> are accessible almost by accident.
> 
> I have two Uniden scanners that would be almost
> inaccessible if you had to just use them as is but they are much
> more accessible if you can connect a computer to their serial
> ports.  I can read the displays and program them that way but
> they would be a huge pain to operate via the front pannel.  It
> would be all counting silently, pushing buttons silently and
> hoping for no mistakes or contact bounces which could silently
> introduce more head-scratching later.
> 
> On the BCD996, for instance, the beeps as you turn the
> VFO knob don't even keep up with the clicks as you turn it
> unless you turn it rather slowly.  If you make a big mistake, it
> beeps higher but you don't know what you did.
> 
> I don't feel sorry for myself at all, but I do get
> annoyed that as we move on through the years, this problem
> doesn't resolve itself.  It just morphs in to new ways to bite.
> 
> There's my rant for the day.  I need to tune in 14.313
> to hear some truly handicapped folks and feel smugly superior to
> them.
> 
> Martin
> 
> Butch Bussen writes:
>  I don't want to start a big debate here, but I think saying the 
> only
>  thing we give up is driving is over simplified.  I was married 
> to a
>  wonderful person for ten years and lived in Los Vegasand we 
> depended on
>  each other for a lot of things.  She had site so ccd drive as 
> well as
>  read mail, tell me controls on radios, play video poker and 
> slots, go
>  grocery shopping, and on and on and on.  Sure you can learn to 
> do a lot,
>  but realistically I think it is a royal pain in the ass and 
> always will
>  be, particularly since I'm back in a small town and depend on my 
> mom for
>  reading mail and so forth.  Yep, I do a lot, and even do a lot 
> most
>  sighted folks don't think I can do, but lets be real, blindness
>  sucks!!!!
>  73
>  Butch
>  WA0VJR