442 12 Accessible Information: An Overview

12.8.3 Mobile Telephones

There are currently no large button style mobile telephones. However, some have two or three large function buttons and some have clearer displays than others. For instance, some visually impaired people like the font size adjustment facility on the Sony Ericsson T68i and T300, which enables them to enlarge the text on the screen. Mobile magnifiers are screen magnification software for mobile phones which enlarge and enhance all items on the mobile phone display. They automatically detect and magnify the area of interest as the user navigates across the screen. Currently mobile phone magnifiers are produced by Rammland and Tieman and can be used on a number of Nokia phones and the Siemans SX1. Both magnifiers provide an auto zoom function, the ability to zoom onto different areas of the display and user selectable colour schemes. They both also have keyboard short cuts or hot keys. The Rammland magnifier magnifies the screen up to 6× and can provide an optional border with selectable size and colour to make it easier to identify the magnification window. Both magnifiers are quite expensive. Rammland provides the option of a free subscriber identity module (SIM) or a pay as you go handset on any network with a mobile phone magnifier already installed.

Orange offers an automated personal assistant service controlled by voice recognition. It can be used to store and retrieve numbers and as a personal organiser. It is still available to blind and visually impaired people, though it has been withdrawn from general use.

The Alva Mobile Phone organiser distributed by the RNID is a personal organiser with Braille input keys, Braille display and synthetic speech. The Alva has organiser functions, including calendar, diary, clock, basic word processing, calculator, contacts directory and a “to do” list. It also has a mobile phone and can be used in hand-free or headset mode. It is priced at the level of a Braille notetaker.

The OWASYS 22C is a talking mobile telephone produced by the Spanish company, OWASYS S. L. The telephone is shown in Figure 12.27, which is annotated to show the purpose of all the controls. All functions on the OWASYS mobile phone are spoken using synthetic speech. There is no visual display and the buttons are well spaced and easy to find. It can write, send and receive text messages. It has common mobile phone functions, such as caller identification and phone book, where up to 250 contacts can be stored. There is an embedded antenna, a vibrating alarm and a choice of 56 ring tones. It can be used on any network either on a contract or as pay as you go.

Talks is synthetic speech software which can be incorporated into mobile devices. It uses a Simbian 60 or 80 operating platform. This relatively new platform, has been adopted by several of the main manufacturers. Talks can be purchased as an upgrade to an existing phone or on a pay as you go basis. It is compatible with several Nokia models and Siemens SX1.

Mobile Accessibility Software from Rammland uses synthetic speech to allow users to access mobile phone functions. It works with the Simbian series 60 operating systems and provides simple menus that give speech access to the following:

• The number dialled, as well as received and missed calls.

•The number of the caller or their name, if it is in the phone book, as well as the date and time of the call.

•Text and MMS messages and the content of messages being sent, which is spoken while the user types.

•The address list, with each contact having 20 fields for information.

•User profiles, which allow the ringer tone, vibration alert, text alert and other features to be changed.

•The calendar, calculator, text notes and recorded voice notes for the user or to be sent via text.

•Sending and receiving emails, though some sighted assistance may be required to set up the system.

•Date, time, battery level and signal strength.

This software works with several Nokia models and the Siemens SX1.

Mobile Speak from Tieman is a screenreader package for mobile phones that allows access to most of the functionality of the handset. There are two levels of detail for new and advanced users respectively, as well as keyboard shortcuts. Words and/or characters can be announced using the configurable keyboard echo. The speech settings can be configured for speed, pitch, volume and three different punctuation variants. The speech synthesiser is included. There is also a sound recorder, a calculator, FExplorer to manage files and folders and two audio profiles, one of which enhances the sounds when earphones are used. The system works on several Nokia models, of which Nokia 7610 is recommended, as well as the Siemens SX1.

Figure 12.27. OWASYS 22C mobile phone (photograph provided and reproduced by kind permission of OWASYS S. L., Spain)