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Author: Tim Schwartz

US Supreme Court Declines to Hear Domino’s Pizza Accessibility Case

Posted in News, and Podcasts

On Monday October 7, the United States Supreme Court decided which cases they would consider for their fall session. The Court chose to deny a petition from Domino’s Pizza to hear whether its smart phone app and website is required to be accessible to people who are blind or disabled. This leaves in place a lower court decision against the company.

A blind man named Guillermo Robles had sued Domino’s after he was unable to utilize the companies app and website to successfully order food while using a screen reader. Screen reading software is commonly used by the blind and visually impaired as a tool that provides voice feedback about what is showing on a computer or smart phone screen. A screen reader can be used to navigate computer operating systems, apps, games and websites using a variety of keyboard commands.

In court papers, Attorneys for Robles argued that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses with physical locations to make their websites and other online platforms accessible to those with disabilities.

A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Robles, writing that the “alleged inaccessibility of Domino’s website and app impedes access to the goods and services of its physical pizza franchises—which are places of public accommodation.”

Attorneys for Domino’s, backed by a variety of business groups, had argued that the ADA does not apply to online platforms that were not envisioned when the law was passed in 1990. And, they said, no clear rules exist for how to make their platforms properly accessible.

Robles’ attorney, Joe Manning, said in a statement Monday that the decision by the Supreme Court was “the right call on every level.”

“The blind and visually impaired must have access to websites and apps to fully and equally participate in modern society – something nobody disputes,” he said. “This outcome furthers that critical objective for them and is a credit to our society.”

Domino’s released a statement saying that it was disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision, but “we look forward to presenting our case at the trial court.”

“We also remain steadfast in our belief in the need for federal standards for everyone to follow in making their websites and mobile apps accessible,” the company said.

Disability advocates have argued that if businesses do not have to create and maintain accessible websites, disabled people could be effectively shut out of substantial portions of the economy.

There has been an increasing number of lawsuits  filed over website accessibility in recent years. In 2017, more than 2,200 such suits were filed in federal courts, according to the accessible technology firm  UsableNet. That nearly triples the number from 2016.                      

News about iOS 13 features for the blind, Domino’s and the Supreme Court, Be My Eyes partnerships and 5 minutes free from AIRA

Posted in News, and Podcasts

Maria Johnson from Girl Gone Blind joins Tim this week on Life After Blindness to discuss the recent news from the blind and visually impaired community.

In the last episode, Tim spoke with Derek Daniel about the most recent announcements from Apple. Following up on that discussion, Tim and Maria break down IOS 13 and the newest accessibility features that have been made available for the blind and visually impaired. This includes customization options for voiceover gestures, keyboard commands, braille input devices and much more. ‘Dark Mode’ is also discussed as well as the potential of the new ‘Voice Control’ for people who have motor skill issues, whether they are visually impaired or not.

Next up, the conversation turns to Domino’s Pizza in the possibility of the supreme court hearing their case. Domino’s claims that the Americans with disabilities act does not include websites and smart phone apps when it comes to accessibility for the blind and visually impaired. Whether the Supreme Court hears this case or not could have a major impact on the accessibility of websites and apps going forward.

Then, Tim and Maria close out the show by talking about Be My Eyes and the recent partnerships with pentene and clear blue. They also talk about AIRA and their announcement about offering free access to their agents.

If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

2019 apple Fall Event discussion with Derek Daniel

Posted in Podcasts

On this special episode of the Life After Blindness podcast, Tim is joined by Derek Daniel to discuss the announcements Apple made at their 2019 fall event. You can find out more information about Derek by visiting his website, Life After Sight Loss.

Join Tim and Derek as they discuss the upgrades and new cameras for the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. They also discuss the other hardware announcements related to Apple Watch and iPad.

Despite being visually impaired, Derek is a photo and video enthusiast who is very excited about the new iPhone cameras. Tim isn’t as excited but they can both agree that the price points for all these products are a really good move on Apple’s part.

Is it worth it to upgrade to any of these new products m. Tim and Derek share their thoughts for my blind persons point of view.

Next, the conversation turns to Apple Arcade and Apple TV+. The guys agree that there may not be a big interest within the blind and visually impaired community for Apple Arcade however they do feel that Apple TV+ could be quite popular. Especially since it comes in at a monthly price of $4.99. Tim then talks about a press announcement from Apple that says every TV show and movie available on Apple TV+ will have audio description in 8 languages at launch.

Then, Tim talks to Derek about the things that were not announced at this year’s Apple event. Including the rumors surrounding a possible tracker or tile type device as well as augmented reality glasses. Hopefully these rumored products will be announced in the near future. Each could be very popular and helpful to people who are blind and visually impaired.

If you have any questions or comments, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

My Story, Part 1: Life Before Blindness

Posted in Blog Posts

The following is dedicated to my Grandpa Deters who taught me love, respect, patience and how to give the best hugs.

Let’s imagine that you are a four year-old boy from the midwest. You are tall for your age, uncoordinated, knobby-kneed and silly. You’re creative, playful and full of energy. Your favorite past-times are reading stories with your mom, climbing trees, riding your bike and playing with your He-Man action figures. “I have the power!”

Like most kids who grew up in the 80s, my public exposure to blindness came from Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Tom Sullivan. It was pretty cool to know that blind people were able to perform on stage and act in movies and TV. But as cool as that is, you still don’t really gain a first hand understanding of blindness when watching a blind person on TV.

And of course, I had 20/20 vision.

That’s right. the young boy with the unkempt auburn hair, whose mother made him wear 80s style collared shirts with the thick black, red and white stripes had 20/20 vision. That boy was me. And for the first 13 years of my life, I was not legally blind.

But my Grandpa was.

Born in 1937, Carl J. Deters wasn’t blind his entire life either. He was big into Old Time Radio, the Serial adventures and Singing Cowboy movies of the 1940s and their collectibles. He was also an early fanboy of Star Wars and Star Trek! And oh how he loved model trains!

I didn’t realize it then but my Grandpa would not only help to mold the man that I am, he would be an inspiration for the blind person I would come to be.

When I was very little, he could see some light and shadows which is similar to the vision that I have now. But that didn’t stop him. If there was a problem with the VCR like the heads were dirty or a tape was jammed, he would take the whole thing apart and fix it. Then, he would clean it and put it back together again. Probably better than it was to start with.

He would do the same thing with his John Deere riding mower. Not only would he cut the grass by following the lines of the shadows on the ground but then he would clean the grass from the mowers blades. And there were so many times I saw him taking things apart under the hood to fix a problem.

My Grandpa didn’t let his blindness prevent him from living his life how he wanted to. Yes, like many of us, he did get impatient, frustrated and even angry. That didn’t stop him either. Despite being nervous in large crowds, if he wanted to go out somewhere – he would do it. He didn’t use a cane but rather relied on using the sighted guide method with whoever he was with. And he wasn’t afraid to tell someone that he was legally blind.

In the 70s, when he still had some vision, he went for a job interview. He disclosed to the interviewer that he had issues with his vision. The interviewer proceeded to ask my Grandpa to tell him the color of his tie.

It was because of stories like that, in addition to seeing what my Grandpa could do, that prepared me for my journey with blindness. I learned that just because I couldn’t see, i am still able to learn and accomplish most anything I set my mind to. And when blindness throws an obstacle my way, break it down, figure out the problem, fix it, clean it up and move forward better than ever before. Just like that VCR.

My Grandpa also taught me that no matter how frustrated or angry I might get, I just need to take a deep breath and be patient. I might run into walls and stub my toes on the furniture. I might even meet people who are ignorant about blindness. And for the record, I have definatly been hit with my share of bruises and ignorance!

So yeah, there was Tom, Ray and Stevie but it’s not the same. For the first 13 years of my life, this was my experience with blindness. Without fully realizing it, my Grandpa was preparing me for the journey to come.

And boy, what a journey it has been.

Steven Scott, Shaun Preece and Tim Schwartz discuss the future of RNIB Tech Talk and Double Tap Canada

Posted in Podcasts

You had better hold on tight! This special episode of the Life After Blindness Podcast will send you on a roller coaster ride of emotions ranging from silly to serious, funny to slightly hostile. Join the conversation as Tim speaks to his good friends and co-hosts of Double Tap Canada, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece.

Recently, it was announced on an episode of RNIB Tech Talk that Tim and Shaun would no longer co-host the show. Tim sits down with Steven and Shaun to discuss the decision behind this departure and what it means for the future of Tech Talk.

RNIB Tech Talk can be heard each week on RNIB Connect Radio at 8 AM Eastern time or wherever you listen to podcasts. Join Steven Scott and his new cohost Robin Christopherson as they discuss the weeks tech news.

The guys also talk about how this decision affects their other project, Double Tap Canada. This is a show that can be found on AMI Audio in Canada every Thursday at 8 PM Eastern or wherever podcasts can be found.

Ultimately, it is felt that this decision will enable both shows to grow and get better.

So, sit back and relax and enjoy the sneak peek behind the scenes into this decision making process.

If you have any comments or questions about this or any other episode of the Life After Blindness podcast, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

News about Virgin trains, Amazon Echo and Google Home with Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Because of My Blindness from Kenya and Emails

Posted in Podcasts

Steven Scott and Shaun Preece join Tim this week on Life After Blindness to discuss the latest tech news. They begin by talking about the new features for blueprints available for Amazon Echo and Apple Music coming to Google Home. Speaking of the Amazon Echo, Steven tells Tim about a great new skill by Virgin Trains. They wrap up the news with Tim asking the guys about a new wireless device designed for the blind and visually impaired that allows you to send payments to others securely around the world.

Paul from Kenya shares a “Because of My Blindness” story.

And then to close out the show, emails!

Please visit the websites of two of the emailers who got in touch this week:

The Blind Traveler Blog

Tor 94 FM

You can get in touch by emailing: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

Farewell RNIB Tech Talk – A Reflection on My Virtual Travels to the United Kingdom

Posted in Blog Posts

In the summer of 2016, after I had only been producing the Life After Blindness podcast for about six months, I was asked to appear on the popular RNIB Connect radio show – Tech Talk. Hosted by Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, RNIB Tech Talk is a radio show and podcast where blind people come together to discuss technology.

I was familiar with Steven and the show, having listen to it for quite some time. Shaun Preece and I already knew each other as well. We had previously met on the social media app Vorail where he had helped me with some of the technical side of setting up my podcast.

On the Life After Blindness podcast, I did a review of the audio described content that had been added to Amazon Prime Video. Steven heard this review and asked Shaun if he thought I would come on Tech Talk to have a conversation about it. Without even asking me first, Shaun told Steven that I would definitely come on the show!

Shaun was right.

What started off as a 20 minute guest appearance that transitioned into a fill-in guest host role, turned into an amazing journey! A journey that lasted around 100 episodes and spanned almost 2 years. A journey that, for the most part, has come to an end.

On the February 26, 2019 episode of RNIB Tech Talk, Shaun and I announced that it would be our final regular appearance on the show. Steven will carry on without us, bringing in fresh new voices. I am very eager to see what the talented people from RNIB will bring to the new show!

To leave the show is definitely bittersweet. In time, we are both hoping to return for the occasional guest appearance. I know that I can speak for Shaun when I say that we have both greatly enjoyed our time spent on the show!

But don’t think that you will be rid of Shaun and I that easily! I, of course, will still be hosting the Life After Blindness podcast and both of us will still guest host on the AMI Audio radio show, Double Tap Canada along with Steven Scott. Double Tap will become our primary focus as an outlet for us to continue our love of tech, our banter and most importantly, our friendship.

Steven and Shaun have definitely become two of my very best friends! I’m so glad to of had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from each of them. But I am also very excited about what the future holds for us with all of our other endeavors.

I am also greatly appreciative of the many listeners that have supported us during the wild ride that was Tech Talk. Outside of my very own listeners to the Life After Blindness podcast, ‘Tech Talkers’ are some of the best and kindest people that you will find!

So with that I say thank you to the RNIB and thank you to Steven Scott and Shaun Preece! And thanks to all of the brilliant Tech Talk listeners for making my virtual travels to the United Kingdom something very special!

Accessible Carnival Cruises with John Heald, Because of My Blindness with Hans Wiberg, News About Treating Macular Degeneration, The Marrakesh treaty, new audio games and so much more!

Posted in Podcasts

Did you know that President Theodore Roosevelt was blind? Did you also know that cruising on a Carnival ship is accessible? This week on the Life After Blindness podcast, Tim will tell you about how President Roosevelt lost his vision. And later, he will interview John Heald who is the Brand Ambassador and Senior Cruise Director for Carnival Cruiseline.

John describes to Tim all the ways that Carnival has made cruising accessible. From screen readers that are installed on their onboard computers, to audio and accessible app versions of their daily events and food menus, to braille and large print versions of those as well. Carnival has made great strides for their blind and visually impaired passengers. They even have a designated place for guide dogs to play and relieve themselves.

Tim also shares a new “Because of My Blindness” story provided by Hans Wiberg. Hans is the creator of the volunteer assistant app, Be My Eyes. Listen as he describes the opportunities afforded to him despite his blindness. And check out episode 32 of the Life After Blindness podcast for a full interview with Hans where he talks with Tim in more detail about Be My Eyes.

In this weeks edition of “Tim’s Tech Tip” or T3, Tim explains how to better navigate and organize tabs in your internet browser.

A lot has been going on in the news lately. First up is a story from the UK about a woman who is the very first to receive a genetic treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Next, Tim provides an update on the ratification of the entry of the United States into Marrakesh Treaty.

Then, in audio game news, Tim talks about 3 games that have recently been released. The first is a first-person shooter from My True Sound called GoldGun. Next is a new game from Marty Schultz called BlindFold Bobsled. And then, a new game from Jonathan Mosen for the Amazon Echo called Blind Technology Trivia.

The news then turns to tech with 2 new product announcements. The first is a new Braille Note Touch from Humanware. The second, a new, smart VR headset from NuEyes called the E2.

Finally, a word about our friends behind the game, Dice World. The developers have started an Indiegogo campaign to raise money to bring their popular dice game to the Amazon Echo.

If you have questions or comments about the show or anything else, please send your emails to: tim@lifeafterblindness.com

Take care!