First, I just want to say that every time I listen to this podcast, I usually laugh throughout it until I can feel my stomach afterward. I may just add you to my exercise plan!
I agree with your opinions on the NFB’s resolution plan. Good intent, but wrong wording which may lead to incorrect views of our comunity as a whole. Also, when you guys were talking about Apple releasing VO for iOS being innovative and a real game changer, and that at first there were a lot of people who thought it wouldn’t work or who were scared. I remember a couple of my friends having iPhones before I ever thought about getting one. I watched them interact with their phones, but I was terrified of getting one for myself, because I just didn’t think it would work for me. I remember thinking, “How could something with no buttons possibly be truly accessible to me?”, which I thought was valid at the time. I mean, there were really no other accessible options at that time. I just didn’t understand how it actually worked until I had one in my hands, and was able to experience it for myself. Now, the only way I would ever give up my iPhone is if I couldn’t scrounge up the money to buy one, and /or to pay my bill anymore, since not all carriers have iPhones. Another thing I wanted to say was that I don’t know how I feel about this adoption of the unified braille coad… I have used the U.S. version my whole life, and I’ve never gotten confused by contractions. I do remember reading a braille book some years ago, and shockingly, it had a contraction that I didn’t know. I didn’t ever remember being taught that sign for some reason. It was dot five L. I don’t remember how I figured it out, but when I would read the book, I always just said “The l High Chamberlain”, because that’s how I percieved it, since I didn’t know the contraction was for “lord”. On another note of braille, I remember in elementary school, we used Perkins braillers and raille textbooks and worksheets. However, our teacher, who was VI herself, used a “talking computer”. I could never understand it, because it went so fast. Later on I found out it was JAWS. Why she wasn’t also teaching that to us I don’t know. Then, in higher elementary (fifth and sixth grade), we were introduced to the Braille ‘n Speak, then we just used that with braille textbooks and worksheets. We also used something called the braille and print, but not very often. In high school I used the braille note empower, and liked it a lot, except that I couldn’t access the internet with it unless I used an ethernet cable! The last thing is about using things such as the slate and stylus and the abacus. I remember using the abacus in elementary school, and it was usually pretty easy. I didn’t learn the slate and stylus until I went to the commission for the blind. I didn’t like learning it, but I have used the skill, if not rarely, since I’ve learned it. I still have two different kinds of slates, although I don’t know where one is, and a stylus. Anyway, I know I probably forgot something, but this comment is running long anyway, so I’ll end it now, and go eat something. Looking forward to the next episode! Have a blessed day all.
Jessica

Simply getting an iPad Mini isn’t a good solution either, for a couple of reasons. first, as a low vision user, I use the camera in my phone all the time. The camera in all iPad models isn’t as good, and for some reason, Apple has yet to add a camera flash, making many camera apps on the iPads rather pointless. I use my phone as a portable CCTV all the time and absolutely love it. A little larger screen would be very helpful, and when combined with a more open camera for developers, will make the iPhone even more comperable to dedicated handheld CCTV’s.

Also, I use data everywhere on my phone, and don’t intend to pay for an expanded data plan to have data on my iPad. I’m fine with a Wi-Fi only iPad for now.

These are just my thoughts though. I say, “Bring on the bigger phone.”

Otherwise, I love the podcast, and keep up the great work.