Published on Mac|Life (http://www.maclife.com)


Apple Seeks to Make iPod and iTunes Friendly to the Vision Impaired
Created 2008-10-07 13:18

HOLIDAY BUYING GUIDE
    • 10 Gifts for the Mac Switcher
    • 10 Creative Gifts for Designers
    • 10 Essential Gamer Gifts that Promote Fragging

    Sponsored
SEE MORE ARTICLES

FEATURES
  • The Complete iMac History -- Bondi to Aluminum
  • New Apple Products--as Imagined by the Elite Gadget Press
  • Satire: 10 Ideas Steve Pitched to Disney
  • 50 Common Mac Problems Solved
  • From iMac to iPhone: A Video Trip Down Apple Announcement Memory Lane
SEE MORE FEATURES
TOP STORIES
  • iPhone Captures 17% of Smartphone Market
  • New Macs! Redesigned White MacBook, LED iMacs, Mac mini Refresh, and a Magic Mouse
  • 69 Awesomely Free Snow Leopard Compatible Apps
  • Fifth-Generation iPod nano
  • Screencast Video: Create 3D Photo Effects in Final Cut Pro
SEE MORE TOP STORIES
News
Apple Seeks to Make iPod and iTunes Friendly to the Vision Impaired
Posted 10/07/2008 at 4:18:25pm | by David W. Martin
  • commentComments
  • printPrint
  • emailEmail
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Slashdot
  • MacBlips

nfbApple has agreed to work with the state of Massachusetts to make its iPod music player and iTunes 8 software usable by the vision impaired. This will be accomplished on the Mac by using the same VoiceOver technology found in Leopard. Using VoiceOver, people with vision impairments will be able to access the iTunes store, create accounts, and purchase songs, apps and other media from the store.

Of course iTunes is great for music at your desk, but everyone knows that to complete the experience you need to be able to use an iPod. This is accomplished by changes made to the newest iPod nano which can now include spoken menus and audio navigation set up through iTunes.

 Nano Shows Voice Menu Option

Finally, according to an agreement between Apple and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), Apple will make iTunes U accessible to the vision impaired by the end of 2008 and full access to iTunes application by the end of June 2009.

COMMENTS: 0
TAGS:  iPod, iTunes, Apple Inc., universal access
  • commentComments
  • printPrint
  • emailEmail
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Slashdot
  • MacBlips
COMMENTS
  • Login or register to post comments

Source URL: http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_seeks_make_ipod_and_itunes_friendly_vision_impaired

Links:
[1] http://www.maclife.com/user/david_w_martin
[2] http://www.maclife.com/article/news/apple_seeks_make_ipod_and_itunes_friendly_vision_impaired
[3] http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jhzzLZikgpOiFB9rhpMQ_cwu4HiAD93ENBMO0
[4] http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/specs.html
[5] http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/09/26/apple-and-nfb-reach-agreement-on-itunes-accessibility/
[6] http://www.nfb.org/