Live data from Hacker News

Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

apple.com

281–290 of 300 posts

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#281
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm severely hearing impaired and enjoy going to dance classes - swing, salsa, etc. If I'm standing still, I can easily tune into the beat. But once I start moving, I quickly lose it on many songs; dance studios aren't known for having large sound systems with substantial bass. I don't know that this specific setup would fix anything -- it would need some way of syncing to the instructor's iPhone that is connected vi…

> A few months ago I discovered the "karaoke" feature on Apple Music, in which it displays the lyrics in time with the music. JSYK Spotify has had this for years too, its just under the "View Lyrics" button but it does highlight the sentence/word karaoke style. It used to be a "spotify app" back in that genre of the service.

That doesn't surprise me too much. I never really used Spotify or any music app much in the past. This discovery was a convergence of things - switching from Android to iPhone, a renewed exercise routine, and most importantly a new iPhone and hearing aid combo that allowed the iPhone to stream directly to my hearing aid, removing the need for bulky headphones. Phone calls are also streamed directly to hearing aid. Game changing!

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The red color filter for outside when trying to preserve night vision is a great tip. Some apps have this built-in but much better to have the OS change it everywhere. Recommend creating a Shortcut to toggle this setting.

Not just for outside, but also at public gatherings like concerts! I went to a concert last month and used a red color filter to record a couple short videos without being a big distraction to the audience behind me. Dim backlight + Red color filter can make the screen almost invisible to those around you.

I made a Shortcut that drops the white point, turns on the red filter, zeroes the audio and turns down the brightness. On wake-up it reverses these.

It’s attached to an automation for sleep and wake focus it works really well. I added an explicit run requirement for wake so that I could sleep in without getting blasted in the face with white. There’s a notification with a run button which I can wait until I’m truly up to hit.

https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/4bcfd8fc02074316aaae3503d07...

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#283
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A few months ago I discovered the "karaoke" feature on Apple Music, in which it displays the lyrics in time with the music. JSYK Spotify has had this for years too, its just under the "View Lyrics" button but it does highlight the sentence/word karaoke style. It used to be a "spotify app" back in that genre of the service.

That doesn't surprise me too much. I never really used Spotify or any music app much in the past. This discovery was a convergence of things - switching from Android to iPhone, a renewed exercise routine, and most importantly a new iPhone and hearing aid combo that allowed the iPhone to stream directly to my hearing aid, removing the need for bulky headphones. Phone calls are also streamed directly to hearing aid. Ga…

I had a Deaf friend who had dual cochlear implants about 10 years ago. I was blown away to learn they had Bluetooth at the time and she could beam music directly into her brain.

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#285
post #126

Accessibility is for everyone, including you, if you live long enough. And the alternative is worse. So your choice is death or you are going to use accessibility features. – Siracusa

By any chance, do you know where said the above quote? I tried searching online, could not find it.

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#286
post #200
post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not for me, no. But sounds like something accessibility options may also provide, and I can see how it may be better for a lot of people.

Which one have you tried?

Honestly? Only three finger drag. But just earlier I was holding coffee with the left hand, while using the trackpad to the right hand, and was glad I had three finger draw. I like doing "basic" mouse operations with only one hand (including right click: two fingers), and three finger drag works extremely well for me. I barely even think about it, it's automatic and an easy gesture for me.

In turn, I am interested why you do think that your way is (apparently universally) better?

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#287
post #286
post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which one have you tried?

Honestly? Only three finger drag. But just earlier I was holding coffee with the left hand, while using the trackpad to the right hand, and was glad I had three finger draw. I like doing "basic" mouse operations with only one hand (including right click: two fingers), and three finger drag works extremely well for me. I barely even think about it, it's automatic and an easy gesture for me. In turn, I am interested wh…

Yeah, that's what I thought - you haven't used it before confidently rejecting

The other way is better mostly because it doesn't interrupt the drag when you move fingers up (e.g., when you've started drag right at the right touchpad side and don't have enough space), though there is an invisible timer hack that tries to address it, and since 3 fingers take more space on the touchpad, so you're losing range

> coffee with the left hand

Still possible with the keyboard, though loses on convenience, likely better to dedicate some area of a touchpad for a touch+move to drag

> with only one hand (including right click: two fingers),

This doesn't make sense, literal right lick is 1 finger of 1 hand, same as bottom-right corner tap

And it's not universally better, don't make it up, just better than what I've explicitly mentioned

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#288
post #126

Accessibility is for everyone, including you, if you live long enough. And the alternative is worse. So your choice is death or you are going to use accessibility features. – Siracusa

By any chance, do you know where said the above quote? I tried searching online, could not find it.

By any chance I know, because I clipped it in Overcast.

It was on Accidental Tech Podcast #415, 26:19. The topic starts at 25:40

https://atp.fm/415

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#289
post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I aimed for the upvote button but they’re so tiny that my fat finger hit the downvote button by accident and then I had to retry the action. This is what people mean by accessibility is for everyone all of the time.

Zoom the website in, the browser has accessibility built in and hackernews zooms in fairly well. Edit: I seem to be missing something as this is getting downvoted. I genuinely cannot use HN under 150% zoom so thought this was a basic comment I was making.

> I seem to be missing something as this is getting downvoted.

I wouldn't downvote you, but I think those who did have read your comment as saying that it (hn design) is fine and they disagree.

(I'm not saying that's what you've said)

Re: Apple announces new accessibility features, including eye tracking

#290

This is why Apple is the best. They’ll make features like this because it’s the right thing to do, even if it won’t really make any difference to 99.99% of their customers. They really earn consumer loyalty.

This was the right thing to do, but I doubt “the right thing to do” was the primary motivator for it. This is smart marketing that helps position them as the more caring, inclusive, and capable tech brand. It also expands their reach more than a fraction of a percent. 13% of Americans have some form of disability.

Tim Cook in response to a shareholder proposing scrapping accessibility to improve ROI:

“When we work on making our devices accessible by the blind, I don’t consider the bloody ROI”.

Post reply on HN