Stuff & Things

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 of someone at the store installing it for the first time.
As a way to say thanks to Sprint & the store, I did choose to buy a
bluetooth keyboard from them as well, which the guy at the store also
got going for me. I sat down at the Sprint store and figured out how to
make a phone call & called for my Taxi driver to come get me and take me
home.


So that is where I got started with Android. I've been using computers
since I had a TRS-80 with a cassette drive for storage. I started using
a computer running MS-Dos a few years later and moved to Windows with
Windows 3.1.

I became blind in March of 1994, years after I started using computers
and had an interest in electronics. My first screen reader was Vocal
Eyes with an internal Double Talk card. I moved to Window-Eyes after it
was available. I didn't buy a copy of the program until 1.1, as a
Windows 3.1 user who was previously sighted, I needed proof that they
were going to be able to make this work.

Currently I'm using Windows 11 with NVDA. I was using pre-release
versions of Windows 10 before it was available to the public. Both for
my own knowledge and to demonstrate to a group of other blind people
here in Kansas City.

I love to help people, that is just how I've been since I was a 5 year
old collecting for Jerry's Kids with my Dad. Its just in my nature.

I'll share more about me as time goes on as talking about things not
only helps others, it helps me.

So look forward to much more than just info about Android.

Steve

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