Blind Android Blog

I'm getting the WearOS 4 update on my 1st gen Pixel Watch LTE. Wanted to share some tips for anyone else updating this watch who is blind or low vision. I've been asked to be very patient after the watch restarts. Don't go messing with the watch for about 30 minutes and let it do its thing. So once you check for updates and are told to put the watch on the charger, go find something else to do for awhile. Steve -- Visit my blog blindandroid.me Android, Windows, Blind, Technology, Cancer, Life

If you are looking for a coffee gift for yourself or someone else, look at the Flavored coffee pages from Fresh Roasted Coffee. This first link will take you to their Flavored Coffee pages with pods filtered out of the list. https://www.freshroastedcoffee.com/collections/flavored-coffee/flavored-roasted-coffee?page=1 This next link takes you to their Flavored Coffee Pages with nothing filtered out of the list. https://www.freshroastedcoffee.com/collections/flavored-coffee I don't receive anything in return for your purchase. They are a company I enjoy buying my coffee from and I'm just sharing the information. -- Visit my blog blindandroid.me Android, Windows, Blind, Technology, Cancer, Life

Easy Voice Recorder An Android app that I use on both my Pixel Watch 1st edition and on my Pixel 6 Pro is Easy Voice Recorder. I used it this morning while checking my blood sugar. Its just so easy to open the list of apps on my watch by pressing the crown and moving down to the app. The first button I'm presented with is the Record button. Double Tap that twice, give it a second and start speaking. In this example I just recorded 95 at 10:30 am, moved over to the Stop button and double tapped. I heard the app say saving. Later when I was near my computer, I opened Google Drive on my phone and the first file was there. I heard Google Drive say "Created Today" There was a file called My Recording 3 and when I double tapped on it, there was a short pause and I heard me saying 95 at 10:30 am. The app on the watch communicates with the app on my phone. In the settings I selected for it to save recordings on my Google Drive. You can also configure th

Something that people who strongly suggest password managers don't tell you is to always export your usernames & passwords once you have everything setup. CSV is the common export & import format between the different services. When the time comes that your current service isn't working, for whatever reason, you still have places you need to go to do your banking or order something online. Keep that exported file in a secure place and don't forget to do another export when you change things. -- Visit my blog blindandroid.me Android, Windows, Blind, Technology, Cancer, Life

I am just sharing info on an app I use all the time on my phone. Currently that is a Pixel 6 Pro which is still working fine, running Android14. Raise To Answer This app will answer your phone when you lift it to your ear. Its just that simple. If you want, the app will end the call if you place your phone face down on a table. There are other options to explore in the app. I use this app to answer my phone, it works every time. I'm an old school user at times and still use the power button to end a call, you can find that in Accessibility settings. Here is a link to the app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.hackerchick.raisetoanswer&hl=en_US&gl=US You can also search for Raise To Answer in your Play Store app. Raise To Answer Sylvia van Os 4.3 746 reviews 100K+Downloads Steve -- Visit my blog blindandroid.me Android, Windows, Blind, Technology, Cancer, Life

This is a list of things I listen to online. Sometimes we all just need some sound playing in the background, other times you might need to have something in the foreground, drowning out the background. This is my playlist on Spotify. You'll experience the wide range of music I listen to with this playlist. If you need to skip a song, go ahead, I won't be offended, I won't even know. Its named Tink & Puppy after our two cats. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4eQJOVWZXTU5LrLacAwfr1?si=4ae9c33b31a243ff BananaVision There are several channels from these great people you can listen to. These are my two favorite & most listened to. BananaRang http://bananavision.tv:8000/bananarangmobile.mp3 BananaVision Main Channel http://bananavision.tv:8000/bananamobile.mp3 Pluto TV There are over two hundred channels to watch or listen to at Pluto TV. You can listen via their web site or use their app. There are on demand movies, popular

Another article I read today talks about how unsweetened coffee leads to weight loss. This is how I have had my coffee for years. I use sugar free syrups from Torani or Davinci and use the pumps that attach to the bottles of both brands for dispensing the syrup. The only sugar that gets added to my 30 ounce insulated tumblers is from the unsweetened soy milk. In an eight ounce serving, there is 1 gram of sugar. There are many sugar free flavors available. Here are a few of the ones I currently have. Sugar Free Gingerbread Sugar Free Brown Sugar Cinnamon Sugar Free Caramel Sugar Free Vanilla Sugar Free S'mores Sugar Free Chocolate Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough If anyone is interested, I am happy to share more about my sugar free coffee, the devices I use and the steps I take. Making your own coffee at home does not have to be expensive. Just send me an email steve@blindandroid.me Here is the article I mentioned.

I read an article this morning from 9 to 5 Google about the Audible App is now available for WearOS, the software on Google watches. https://9to5google.com/2023/10/06/audible-wear-os-smartwatch-app/ Steve -- Visit my blog blindandroid.me Android, Windows, Blind, Technology, Cancer, Life

Here's a video on Youtube to help someone get started with TalkBack, the screen reader built into Android phones & devices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEp9DtiTw3s For more information go to this link: https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6283677?hl=en -- Visit my blog blindandroid.me Android, Windows, Blind, Technology, Cancer, Life

Below you will find directions for how to restore a system image made in Windows 10 or 11. Just like anything with Microsoft, there are several ways to do the same thing. The info in the below article is the most straight forward method and the way I prefer. One tip before you start reading those directions. If your Windows computer is still able to boot to the desktop and you can press Windows + r to open the run dialog, you can start into a form of Windows where a person who is blind or low vision can use Narrator and a run command to boot from the external USB drive that contains the Windows Install Media that you'll learn about in that article. Otherwise you might need some help booting from the USB drive that has that install media on it. Here's what to do if your computer can still get to the desktop. Insert the USB Drive that has the Install media on it into a USB port. At this point it is a good idea if you are keeping that system image on an e

Podcasts Here are the podcasts I listen to & where you can learn more. I know it seems that everyone wants your money these days. If you enjoy one of these or another show and can afford to give a few dollars or more a month, please do so. If you can't make a donation, at least help spread the word and tell others about the shows you like to listen to. Android Faithful https://androidfaithful.com/ Double Tap https://doubletaponair.com/ Daily Tech News Show https://dailytechnewsshow.com/ Kansas City Today https://www.kcur.org/podcast/kansas-city-today Material https://www.relay.fm/material I use the Spotify app to listen to these podcasts. I use Spotify to listen to music & keeping it all in the same app is easier for me. Plus, some of the podcasts like Material, have a bonus episode each week for the people who are able to make a donation. Its very easy to subscribe to that feed of the podcast, including the bonus p

Just a post to get those digitally creative thoughts going. My nickname, username, online name in most places is BlindAndroid. That is just my online name, don't let it make you think I'm not a Windows user or use other devices. Android is my choice in phone operating systems. My first Android based phone was the Motorola Photon. I was at the Sprint store the day when they first offered Mobile Accessibility for free. Those were the early days of Android and TalkBack wasn't fully developed, but was there too. Mobile Accessibility offered sort of a shell for email, text messages, system information etc.. You could leave it and go explore with Talkback and always come back when you wanted. At first, all of the other carriers in the US were charging around $99 for this app. Sprint was the first one to say they are going to make it free to all of their customers and there was no need to prove you had a disability or need for the app. I got the help

I think I've had enough of a break that I'm ready to start sharing information again.  I was listening to an episode of the Double Tap podcast and heard a message from someone wondering how accessible it is to restore a system image in Windows. I've heard similar messages about apps being accessible in Android, or just Android in general.  I don't know everything but I've been around awhile and picked up a few things along the way. Not only with technology, but as someone who has been on this big spinning ball for almost 51 years, learned a few things about life.  I'm going to start sharing here on my blog. The days are gone where I could share that info on Twitter as that is no longer a place I want to be.  I do post sometimes on Threads but it just doesn't have that same feeling where I can write some step by step directions when that is needed.  Its Wednesday evening, September 27, 2023 as I'm writing this, so I'll start sharing information again

I want to remind everyone of a great Android app that enables you to do all sorts of things. I've been using Macro Droid for several years. I first heard of it on All About Android one evening. I recently had a need for this great app. I was navigating the screen on my Pixel 6 Pro the other day and suddenly I lost speech. Nothing was talking, I as someone who is totally blind, was lost. Thankfully I have my previous phone and used Lookout to read the screen on my 6 Pro. I could read the screen but didn't see any error messages I tried to restart the phone by holding down the volume up key & power, but for some reason, that did nothing. I tried volume down and power, just in case that was the key combination. I was finally able to restart my phone, heard a couple seconds of TalkBack then the phone went silent again. Another check with the old phone showed text on the screen. I thought what could be causing this? Then just like in a cartoon, I g

As the Drago coffee moved from my tumbler, into my mouth it felt like the coffee was hugging my tongue. Even though the two just met, it was like the coffee was saying, hello old friend, its nice to see you again. It was smooth as it moved across my taste buds, waking them up on a cool fall day. It brought back a memory of having something warm for breakfast then knowing I was ready to go take on the world & wait outside in the cool morning air for my school bus. I made the Organic Drago  coffee with sugar free caramel syrup & unsweetened soy milk. I have other syrup flavors on the way & can't wait to try this coffee with chocolate chip cookie dough syrup or even salted caramel syrup. It gives a relaxing feeling as I await the next sip, happy that my tumbler isn't empty and there is more joy to be found inside. So bring the Organic Drago  coffee into your life and remember that not every dragon is fire breathing and mean, even if their name i