AppleVis Podcast

In this podcast, Ashley B gives a demonstration of how a person who is blind can use MyScript Memo to read other people's handwriting on an iOS device. This is particularly useful if you need to communicate with somebody for whom writing is the best or preferred method of communication.

In this podcast, Tom Dekker gives us a walk-through and demonstration of OmniFocus 2, a powerful iOS app that brings the in-depth task management features of a desktop app to your fingertips. With flexible viewing options, location awareness, and on-the-fly task entry from just about anywhere, OmniFocus can help you manage everything in your busy life. Keep track of tasks by project, place, person, or date—with OmniFocus you’ll always have your important information at hand. Whether it’s a shopping list, agenda items to discuss at work, or chores to do at home, whatever you need to do is right there on your iPhone or iPad. OmniFocus' interface was designed from scratch for iOS and organized around your data—your stuff—to make it easier and more natural for you to quickly get ideas into and out of the app. It's powerful enough to use on its own, and syncs through the cloud with your other devices running OmniFocus (also available for Mac but read its entry on AppleVis for details of possible accessibility issues). Syncs even happen when you’re not actively using OmniFocus, so that your information is ready when you are. OmniFocus 2 for iOS is a US$39.99 download from the iTunes App Store

IN this podcast, Sandra demonstrates the basic features of BlindSquare and takes us for a short bus ride in London to show off what the app does while in a moving vehicle. Simulation mode, the ability to export what you're doing to 3rd party apps, and several other topics are covered. BlindSquare is a $29.95 purchase from the iTunes App Store

In this podcast, Cherokee Eagle gives us a demonstration of My Secret Hideout, an iOS app that will probably be unlike any app you’ve seen before. My Secret Hideout is a wacky, creative thing set in a treehouse. Drag leaves down and attach them to the tree. Every time you add a leaf, the description of the treehouse grows and changes. The changes are random... aren’t they? My Secret Hideout has no goal, no score, no trophies. Explore it, or play with it, until you find a result you like. Will your treehouse be simple or complex? Can you guide it? What will you discover inside? My Secret Hideout is a $3.99 download from the iTunes App Store.

In this edition of the AppleVis Extra, Alex Hall and Jamie Pauls meet with Ari Weinstein and Conrad Kramer, two of the creators of the Workflow iOS app. Every year at its Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC), Apple celebrates and acknowledges through its Apple Design Awards the mobile and desktop apps which raise the bar in design, technology and innovation. This year, Workflow won one of these prestigious awards because of its accessibility with VoiceOver. In fact, two members of Apple’s Accessibility Team were invited onto stage to demonstrate just how well the app works with VoiceOver. According to Apple’s own report on the 2015 Design Awards: Workflow is a powerful automation tool, available exclusively for iPhone and Apple Watch, that connect apps and actions together to automate things you do every day. Selected as an Apple Design Award winner for its outstanding use of iOS accessibility features, Workflow delivers an excellent implementation for VoiceOver with clearly labeled items, thoughtful hints, and drag/drop announcements, all of which make the app usable and quickly accessible to those who are blind or low-vision. The creators of Workflow understand that true accessibility is not just a technical task, it also requires design and usability consideration. Ari and Conrad explain the history of Workflow, and how a few requests on Twitter for VoiceOver support started them on a journey which ended up on stage at WWDC. Workflow: Powerful Automation Made Simple is a US$4.99 download from the iTunes App Store.

In this edition of the AppleVis Extra, Alex Hall and Jamie Pauls meet with Ari Weinstein and Conrad Kramer, two of the creators of the Workflow iOS app. Every year at its Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC), Apple celebrates and acknowledges through its Apple Design Awards the mobile and desktop apps which raise the bar in design, technology and innovation. This year, Workflow won one of these prestigious awards because of its accessibility with VoiceOver. In fact, two members of Apple’s Accessibility Team were invited onto stage to demonstrate just how well the app works with VoiceOver. According to Apple’s own report on the 2015 Design Awards: Workflow is a powerful automation tool, available exclusively for iPhone and Apple Watch, that connect apps and actions together to automate things you do every day. Selected as an Apple Design Award winner for its outstanding use of iOS accessibility features, Workflow delivers an excellent implementation for VoiceOver with clearly labeled items, thoughtful hints, and drag/drop announcements, all of which make the app usable and quickly accessible to those who are blind or low-vision. The creators of Workflow understand that true accessibility is not just a technical task, it also requires design and usability consideration. Ari and Conrad explain the history of Workflow, and how a few requests on Twitter for VoiceOver support started them on a journey which ended up on stage at WWDC. Workflow: Powerful Automation Made Simple is a US$4.99 download from the iTunes App Store.

In this podcast, Ivan walks us through the process of jailbreaking iOS 8.4 using the 25PP jailbreak tool for the Mac. Further information on this jailbreak can be found on iDownloadBlog. Although it is legal to jailbreak your iOS device, you should note the following from Apple’s support article on jailbreaking: “Apple strongly cautions against installing any software that hacks the iOS. It is also important to note that unauthorized modification of the iOS is a violation of the iPhone end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.” You should also be aware that there are always risks from jailbreaking your device, so we cannot be responsible for any harm that may be done if you choose to use this tool.

In this podcast, Ivan walks us through the process of jailbreaking iOS 8.4 using the 25PP jailbreak tool for the Mac. Further information on this jailbreak can be found on iDownloadBlog. Although it is legal to jailbreak your iOS device, you should note the following from Apple’s support article on jailbreaking: “Apple strongly cautions against installing any software that hacks the iOS. It is also important to note that unauthorized modification of the iOS is a violation of the iPhone end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.” You should also be aware that there are always risks from jailbreaking your device, so we cannot be responsible for any harm that may be done if you choose to use this tool.

In this podcast, Shaun discusses how it is possible to use a USB microphone to record audio on an iPad. To do this, you will need to have Apple’s camera connection kit. Microphones which need to draw more power than the iPad can provide on its own will need to be connected to the camera connection kit through a powered USB hub. With all of this in place, you should be able to record to most audio apps on your iPad.

In this podcast, Shaun discusses how it is possible to use a USB microphone to record audio on an iPad. To do this, you will need to have Apple’s camera connection kit. Microphones which need to draw more power than the iPad can provide on its own will need to be connected to the camera connection kit through a powered USB hub. With all of this in place, you should be able to record to most audio apps on your iPad.

In this podcast, Alex Hall gives us a demonstration of how to access and use Apple Music via iTunes on a Mac.

In this podcast, Alex Hall gives us a demonstration of how to access and use Apple Music via iTunes on a Mac.

In this podcast Lavender gives us a walk-through and demonstration of Voice Changer Plus, a free iOS app that does exactly what its name suggests ... record yourself saying something, and then play around with some voice changing effects.

In this podcast Lavender gives us a walk-through and demonstration of Voice Changer Plus, a free iOS app that does exactly what its name suggests ... record yourself saying something, and then play around with some voice changing effects.

In this podcast, David Woodbridge gives us an audio tour of Apple’s recently released MacBook, the lightest and most compact Mac notebook ever. David gives particular attention to the MacBook's 'butterfly' keyboard. This keyboard is 40% thinner than the traditional "scissor" keyboard, and more evenly distributes the pressure on a single key. This supposedly means a more precise typing experience and less errors.