In attendance: (5 participants)
Pat McCarthy, Noreen Meagher Ken Walsh, Chris Egan,
Cearbhall O'Meadhra
Apologies: Martha Parkinson, Jackie MacBrearty who were both attending the
Irish Guide Dogs AGM.
Cearbhall arrived breathless and late to the meeting after climbing bray Head
and this led to a lively discussion of the best shoes for walking and hiking.
Pat recommended steel capped shoes which would protect the blind walker from
stubbing their toes. Ken strongly recommended Echo shoes as the best all round
for non-visual buffetting.
Turning to technology, it was noted that the NCBI is running workshops in which
experts present topics of value to non-visual users and then take questions on
that topic. In contrast, our FB-Exchange clubs are more open and invite any
topic for comment or advice and so fulfil a different purpose.
When he got his breath back, Cearbhall reported that he found the Microsoft
Accessibility Help desk really useful during the week when he was trying to
download version 2004 of Windows 10. The connection began with a chat session
which involved typing questions and answers directly with a Microsoft helper.
after it was clear that more help was needed, the helper asked permission to go
into his computer and see what is happening. This involved a tool called MSDT
(Microsoft remote Access tool). This proved unsuccessful when the "accept"
button was not visible to the screen reader. The helper then offered to try
Microsoft "Quick Assist" (also built in to Windows 10). This proved more
accessible and the helper was able to explain what was happening and resolve
the difficulty.
Ken recommended "Be my Eyes" which gave him excellent support for his issues on
the PC.
Pat recommended AppleCare for iPhone and other IOS devices who would provide
direct guidance to the user. Pat explained that the difference here was that
the AppleCare team did not take the actions but waited for the user to take the
actions under instruction from the helper.
Ken raised the issue of the Covid app which he has downloaded but had not yet
configured. Noreen remarked that she had downloaded it and registered with no
problems Cearbhall and Chris concurred with this. Noreen mentioned that there
were reports of a new scam in which callers are pretending to be from within
the HSE looking for numbers, etc.
Pat thought that the reported access difficulties to the Covid app only apply
to those who have downloaded the IOS 14 beta. He then explained that people
have 28 days to back out of a problematic version of IOS if they want to return
to their former version. However, these 28 days begin with the release of the
IOS version and after the 28 day grace period the user cannot revert.
Noreen is about to purchase a new apple watch. Ken and Pat recommended that she
wait until October when the newest version of the watch would become available
and the price of the current version would have fallen.
The conversation moved to online audio book services. Ken recommended
"Script'd" on Derry's advice, which he found to be a very good service as an
alternative to Audible. The first month is free but thereafter a monthly fee of
€8.50 gives access to their full service.
The meeting ended.
All the best,
Cearbhall
m +353 (0)833323487 Ph: _353 (0)1-2864623 e: cearbhall.omeadhra@xxxxxxx
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