Adventures In Android

Hi, and welcome to the blog on which I will be detailing my experiences as I learn to use Android as a blind person.  Before I get started, let me give you some brief background on me and my interest in Android.

As just mentioned, I'm blind and have been since birth.  The idea of being able to use mainstreamed technologies has always been near and dear to my heart as for the longest time, the blind have been more-or-less relegated to using specialized devices equipped with adaptive software and speech or Braille output.  Advances in processing technology and processing power have helped to level the playing field making it possible for us to use mainstreamed devices, normally with the use of adaptive software such as screen readers.

I remember my first accessible mobile phone, a Nokia 3650 which ran the Symbian operating system.  Way back then, we're talking mid to late 90S here, I used my 3650 with the Talks screen reader.  I remember being absolutely amazed the first time I was able to successfully send a text message, something my sighted counterparts had been doing for quite some time.  Of course there were drawbacks to Symbian and Talks, most notably that one needed to purchase Talks itself -- $325 if memory serves.  Talks could be installed independently by a blind person using Nokia's PC Suite.  Over the years, Talks has become far more robust, but back then, it provided access to core phone features with application support being hit and miss.

I used Symbian devices right up through the release of Apple's iPhone 3GS.  For me, the 3GS was a huge step forward in terms of accessibility as for the first time ever, I could buy a cell phone without needing to purchase additional software.  Since Apple's screen reader, VoiceOver, is embedded in its iPhone products, a blind user can literally start using the device right out of the box.  I can't describe how empowering it is to be able to go to a store, buy a device and just start using it.

iPhones are great and Apple has certainly raised the bar when it comes to out-of-the-box accessibility, however, they may not be the perfect solution for everyone.  First, they are not available on all mobile carriers and indeed until recently, were only available on A T&T in the US.  Second, although Apple has made its touch screen interface accessible, there are many users, myself included, that just plain prefer the keyboard for whatever reason.  Third, and this is going to be difficult for some to swallow, there are folks who just don't like Apple. :)

Enter Android, Stage Left

I've long been excited about Google's Android operating system in part because of its popularity, but also because of their work to integrate accessibility.  Devices running Android are available for just about every mobile carrier, come in a variety of form factors and are manufactured by numerous entities including LG, Motorola, Samsung and HTC just to name a few.  Accessibility of Android could potentially translate to  accessible consumer choice in the mobile sphere like never before with users being able to choose a device based on its features, manufacturer or price.

Needless to say, I find the possibilities involving Android rather exciting.  Do I think it'll be the perfect solution?  Well, probably not for everyone, but whenever there's consumer choice and innovation, good things usually result.

Getting back to me for a minute, I'm self employed as an assistive technology consultant/instructor and involved in numerous other activities; as such, I'm often on the go.  i depend heavily on mobile devices for communication, scheduling, occasional note taking and more recently, for entertainment.  For me, devices are only useful if they:

1. Allow me to accomplish these tasks and 

2. allow me to accomplish them in an efficient manner.

Whenever I explore new technologies, I try to do so in an open minded way.  Even if the technology doesn't seem like it would meet my own needs, I recognize that it might just be the perfect fit for someone else.  In this blog, I will be describing my experiences as I discover Android, both positive and negative.  I encourage others to comment on postings, especially if they've shared similar experiences, or if I'm wrong about something.  The goal here is to share experiences that will hopefully benefit other new blind Android users, or those considering Android as a solution.  Commenting can be done on the site directly after each post, or if subscribed to the blog via Email, simply by replying to a message.  As always, feel free to contact me by Email with any questions: steve@sawczyn.com .

Well, it's hard to get into Android without an actual Android device, so today, I set about remedying that situation.  I actually have two Android devices, a Verizon Droid 2 which my temporary employer has loaned me in order to test an Android app for accessibility and a T-Mobile G2 which is what I'll be focusing on here. The difference is that although the Droid 2 is a really neat phone, it's not mine, it's not linked to my Google account and I'm limited as to what I can do with it.

So today, it was off to T-Mobile where i purchased the G2, a very solid feeling phone.  This phone has a metal back, a very solid qwerty keyboard, all kinds of bells and whistles and by all accounts, is just awesome.  Before making my purchase, I explained to my T-mobile sales rep that he would need to assist me with enabling Android's accessibility features and being generally curious about this stuff, he readily agreed.

Enabling accessibility, not as easy as 1 2 3.

Many Android devices come with TalkBack, the flagship Android screen reader preinstalled, however, this isn't always the case.  Whether your particular phone is equipped with TalkBack or not, the first major issue any new blind Android user will have is actually activating it.  On the surface, this isn't difficult as it involves checking a box in settings, but sighted assistance is required.  This is a huge drawback in my opinion as if the phone ever needs to be reset, sighted assistance will again be required to get things up and running.  Even Talks could be independently installed by a blind person on my old Nokia 3650, so this sudden dependence at the very beginning doesn't sit well with me at all.  Now, as just mentioned, some phones come with TalkBack preinstalled which means others do not -- guess which category the G2 falls in?  Yep, no TalkBack preinstalled.  Fortunately, the option to enable accessibility exists in the phone's settings, even on phones that don't have accessibility components installed.  In this case, the user is prompted to download the necessary components from the Android market once the accessibility option is enabled.  Just a little side note here, the Android Market is exactly what it sounds like, a marketplace of sorts from which Android-based applications can be purchased.  These applications are then downloaded to your device.  Not all applications cost something, many are available for free.  In order to use the Android market, you need to log in using a Google account.  This is no problem if you have an existing Gmail, or Google Apps account and in the event that you don't, there's a convenient option to create one.  Items you purchase are linked to this account, i.e. applications don't each require their own activation serial numbers, etc…  So, getting back to my situation, my friendly T-Mobile rep checked the option to enable accessibility and we were directed to download the necessary components from the Android market.  Unfortunately, the first step in accessing the Android market is to log in with a Google account, yet another thing I was unable to do independently.  So, after warning my T-Mobile rep that he would be attacked by the blind death squad -- a top-secret organization of highly trained blind ninjas -- should he ever reveal the information, I handed over my Gmail password.  OK, just kidding about the blind ninja thing, but you've got to admit it'd make a pretty cool story.  Anyway, the T-mobile rep entered my Gmail stuff, agreed to the terms of service, whatever they are, and TalkBack downloaded and installed.

Just to summarize a bit, enabling accessibility on Android devices is pretty simple, assuming you don't actually depend on that accessibility.  Perhaps a better way to say this is that if you're blind, activating Android accessibility is, well, inaccessible.  At the very least, this may involve having someone sighted activate a checkbox in Android settings and at the worst, activating a check box, ensuring the device is somehow able to access the Internet, and logging into the Android market using a Google ID.  I have not found any resource which shows which phones are equipped with TalkBack and which will require it to be downloaded.  Given the numerous hardware configurations out there, I'm not sure Google can easily address this issue with the use of a hot key, indeed, many devices don't have any keyboards at all.  Unlike Nokia with its PC Suite, there's no de-facto application used to interface Android devices with a computer, the cloud-based nature of everything these days makes it possible to use Android devices without a computer at all.

Either way, I now have a working phone with working accessibility.  Now, I can proceed to my next challenge, trying to explain to my wife why I absolutely needed to get into this Android thing in the first place. :)

Now that I have my G-2, I obviously want to do something with it. On the surface this sounds rather easy, but as is often the case, the things that appear to be the easiest turn out not to be. As indicated in my last post, my friendly T-Mobile rep helped me enable TalkBack, but that certainly doesn't mean I have a clue how to use it. So, off to Google I go and for once, Google isn't as helpful as I'd like. To be fair, there's lots of information on TalkBack, but nothing approximating a user manual, at least not that I was able to find. Still, I gathered enough information to sort of get started.

My understanding is that basically, the only thing you need to know how to do in order to use TalkBack is to move around using arrow keys, or a track pad. I know my G2 has a track pad, but does it have arrow keys? After ascertaining that it does not, I started moving around using the track pad. I find the home screen rather confusing. Items appear to be structured in a grid fashion, however, trying to retrace the pattern only seems to frustrate me further. I'm not sure if I'm just not getting the pattern or if objects are actually moving on the screen, but it's only by luck that I seem able to find the same applications twice. I'm sure there's an easier way, but I have yet to figure it out.

I'm certainly not frustrated to the point of wanting to give up, but my lack of understanding definitely isn't making the job of figuring this Android thing out. Furthermore, I am a bit surprised at the lack of easy to find documentation, something I'll address more in my next post.

In my last post, I mentioned being frustrated at the lack of documentation I’m finding, specifically concerning TalkBack. I have, however, come across a few resources that I’d like to share in the hopes they’ll be of benefit to other blind/low vision Android newbies out there.

The Awesomeness That Is Access Ana

One absolutely fantastic, almost must read resource is the Accessible Android blog which is filled with numerous phone descriptions, tutorials, advice for new Android users and tons of other stuff. I particularly like the fact that this blog is really written for the new user in that it’s not ultra technical or daunting. The Accessible Android blog also has a fantastic section where you can “learn more about (fill in your device name here).” Naturally not all Android devices are described, but many of the most popular ones are and my impression is that the list is constantly evolving. Were it not for this resource, I’d likely still have no clue where various keys are located on my T-Mobile G2. The blog is maintained in part by someone known as “Access Ana.” I have no idea who “Access Ana” is, but if I ever meet her, I definitely owe her a coffee — heck, I owe her dinner. :)

Android Access: Accessible Android apps and news for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Another site that’s proving very helpful to me is Android Access: Accessible Android apps and news for the Blind and Visually Impaired. On this site, users can submit application profiles describing the purpose of the app and more importantly, any accessibility considerations. Often, the reviews seem to contain tips and tricks, i.e. descriptions of unlabeled buttons, etc… Anyone can browse the site and submitting/commenting on applications simply requires the creation of an account. My only concern with Android Access: Accessible Android apps and news for the Blind and Visually Impaired is that apps frequently get updated and an update may be less accessible than a prior version and unless someone comments on this, there’s no way to really gauge accessibility. Also, and I may have just missed this, the database doesn’t seem to show version numbers meaning that its hard to tell which version of an app was reviewed. Again, these are relatively minor complaints that perhaps can be addressed in time, for now, I’m just excited that the resource exists.

Android Accessibility, an introduction

The Eyes-free project maintains a fantastic resource for those considering purchasing an Android phone. Of specific interest to me was there frequently asked questions which addresses, among other things, “what accessible Android phones can do..

Mobile Accessibility, the first commercial screen reader for Android

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding this, but Code Factory have developed a screen reader for Android called Mobile Accessibility . Unlike the other two screen readers available for Android, TalkBack and Spiel , Code Factory is charging for its screen reader. Mobile Accessibility , in addition to being a screen reader, contains a suite of apps that are designed to be accessible. With a price tag of EUR 69, approximately $95, this suite/screen reader package doesn’t seem unreasonable to me, especially given that free options still exist and can be used if preferred. For me, I’m planning to purchase Mobile Accessibility if only because it it may enable me to perform certain tasks more efficiently and in the end, thats what’s going to make or break this Android thing for me. Mobile Accessibility comes in both demonstration and paid versions giving the user the ability to “try before you buy.” Code Factory has also written a fantastic manual for their product, something I have yet to find for TalkBack.

Mike Arrigo, a resource unto himself

Mike Arrigo is truly a fantastic resource, in fact, it is in part his recent enthusiasm on my weekly Assistive Technology show that helped push me over the edge into the world of Android. Mike has published a number of Android-related podcasts describing Android, Mobile Accessibility and various other things. Mike doesn’t have a site of his own, at least not yet, but his podcasts can often be found on Blind Cool Tech .

Summary

My biggest complaint so far is that there’s no real comprehensive Android resource, certainly you won’t get one when purchasing a new Android device. Resources definitely do exist however and I’ve so far found them to be quite thorough. Finding them may prove difficult depending on the comfort level of the new Android user. Certainly feel free to comment if I’ve missed any resources as I’d be glad to include them on this blog.

OK, so it’s time to get going and see what this device can do. My first step is of course to install a few applications, sure there’s lots of apps pre-installed on the phone already, but Being unfamiliar with Android, I’m having a hard time figuring out how to even get to them. For one thing, I found a button that showed me all the applications on my phone, but try though I might, I can’t find that button again.

The Android shell

One thing I’ve learned is that the Android Shell is essentially the same as Windows Explorer. OK, that’s not exactly true, but it’s essentially the interface you have to your Android applications i.e. like the home screen on iPhone, the desktop/start menu in Windows, etc… You can change which shell you use as a default and can indeed change between shells on the fly, i.e. to try one out. I have no idea how to install or try a shell, but I think this is at least part of my problem.

How to actually go about installing Android apps

There appear to be three ways to install Android applications:

1. From the android market,
2. Via the market, but initiated from a computer,
3. By downloading and manually copying the application file to the phone’s SD card.

Installing via the Market app

If you can find the Market app on your phone, this was difficult for me, you can search for an application. I couldn’t find the search box at first, but when I started typing the name of an application, the phone must have figured out what I was trying to do as it just worked. Resulting applications show up in a list and selecting an app brings you to that app’s Market page. on the market page, the applications description is shown along with the price and user reviews. The price, which may be free, is the button needed to begin installation. You are then taken to a screen detailing what this app will be able to do with your device i.e. whether it will access network resources, your GPS receiver, whether it has the ability to place phone calls, send text messages, access your contacts list, etc… Although this screen looks a bit scary, it’s good to know ahead of time exactly what resources are being made available to the application. If you agree to let the app have access to whatever it wants to, meaning whatever’s described on this screen, simply activate the OK button and the download and installation progress begins.

Initiating installation via a web browser on a computer

By far, this is absolutely my favorite method for installing applications on Android. The process is very simple:

1. Visit the Android Market,
2. Find the “sign in” link and, well, sign in using your Google ID,
3. Find the search box and search for an application. You can also browse by category if you’re not exactly sure what you want.
4. In the resulting list, find the application you’re looking for.

Each application contains a button detailing its price, the price may be “free.” Choosing this will open up a frame in which the application’s required permissions will be detailed. Yep, from here on, it’s basically the same procedure as above except that this is all being done via a web browser on a computer. The only other difference is that there’s a drop down menu which allows you to choose which Android device should receive the application, i.e. if you have more than one device linked to your account. After the final OK is pressed, the market pushes the application out to the device, if the device is off, it’ll get it the next time it powers up.

Installing from a downloaded application file

I’ve not done this yet, so really can’t describe the process in great detail. My very limited understanding is that an application file can be downloaded and copied to the phone’s SD card. There’s somehow then a way to tell the phone to get the application from the root of the SD card and well, it gets installed. The only thing I do know is that in order to get this working, there’s a setting which must be changed to enable installation of non-market apps. For security reasons, this is off by default, but as you would have the downloaded application file in this case, it must be enabled. The security concern is that by shortcutting the market, an application may contain malware, or might otherwise be harmful. Still, it’s nice to have the option.

Installing Code Factory’s Mobile Accessibility

Given its very descriptive documentation and the fact that it contains a suite of accessible apps, I’ve decided to start off by using Code Factory’s Mobile Accessibility. Using my computer, I was able to find the demo application, searching for “Code Factory” did the trick and was able to get it installed. After installation, I was able to find the application on my screen and was able to get it activated. Following the directions in Code Factory’s manual, I was then able to get the application set as my default screen reader. My impressions so far are very favorable. I’ve been able to send text messages and after a bit of trial and error, have gotten the Email client working. One huge huge advantage of Mobile Accessibility is its speech recognition capabilities, it’s possible to dictate directly into an application and the dictation results are extremely accurate. I’ve never had the ability before to directly dictate into an application, but it’s something I can see being super useful, especially when I may need to send a quick message, or Email. Dictation is done in small chunks using the volume down key as a sort of push to talk key — hold the volume down key, dictate for approximately 20 seconds and let go. Results are then displayed in a list, choose one and the text is entered into the application with a trailing space. Then, simply hold the volume down key again to dictate the next chunk. If the results are inaccurate, simply press the volume down key and re-dictate while the results are being displayed, a new set of results will show up. You can dictate and use the keyboard while entering text, i.e. dictate, “hello, my name is Steve” and then, since I know it won’t get my last name, type, “Sawczyn.” This speech recognition feature is also supposed to work outside of Mobile Accessibility, something I have yet to test, but which in and of itself could make it worth the price.

Other applications

Since I was having so much fun on the Android market, I decided to install a few additional applications including Seesmic for Twitter and the Facebook app. I’ll post results here as soon as I get brave enough to wander outside the Mobile Accessibility application suite. :)