Also, on 29/October/2011, the knights will be recording a special Q&A episode of the podcast. You can send your questions into ask at maccessibility.net, or interact with us live at 1:00 PM ET, 10:00 AM PT on Twitter using the hashtag #VOLive. Further details are forthcoming.

This functionality only works during the AppleTV setup phase. During setup, it will say, "Triple-click Play button to activate VoiceOver". Once the AppleTV is setup, this functionality is no longer available.

Additionally, when used in conjunction with an iOS device such as an iPhone, iPod, or iPad running iOS 5.0, AirPlay no longer directs VoiceOver speech to the AppleTV, making it a much better experience for visually impaired users. Previously, the delay between VoiceOver actions on the device and the feedback from the AppleTV or other AirPlay enabled device made use extremely problematic.

If you’d like to interact with us during the stream, the best way to do it is by using the #VOLive hash tag on twitter.

If you can’t join us live, then look for a Maccessibility Round Table podcast later on in the week summing up today’s announcements.

• Blog from OutOfTheDarkness on activating VOiceOver on the AppleTV without sighted assistance, among other things.

We will be reporting on this further as more information becomes available.

This podcast was streamed live and recorded for this podcast edition.

• The iPod shuffle models have been physically redesigned, but still include VoiceOver navigation of their playlists and content. Buttons have been re-introduced. Pricing begins at $49 USD.
• The iPod nano lineup has been drastically redesigned with a 3X3 CM touch screen and iOS-like interface. It has dropped video and camera support, but still includes VoiceOver. The nanos are available in 8 and 16GB capacities for $149 or $179 USD, respectively.
• The iPod touch has been updated to a slimmer form factor, sports a retina display like its iPhone 4 cousin, includes front and rear cameras, will support FaceTime video calling, and will run iOS 4.1. Prices range from $229 for 8GB to $399 for 64GB capacities.
• iTunes version 10 will be released today, with support for Apple’s new music-based social networking platform, Ping. It will be available as a free download for both Mac and Windows users.
• iOS 4.1 will be released to users next week, and includes many bug fixes, including those for reported iPhone 4 proximity sensor issues, BlueTooth connectivity, and more. 4.1 includes GameCenter support for competing with friends on iOS games. The update will be available as a free update via iTunes.
• iOS 4.2, the next successive update after next week’s 4.1, will arrive in November. The update will bring parity across all iOS devices. Features such as multi-tasking, folders, etc, will finally be available on the iPad. The update will also provide wireless printing from iOS devices for the first time. iOS 4.2 will be a free update for all iOS 4 capable devices, including the iPad.
• The second generation AppleTV has been entirely redesigned from the ground up. It includes a much smaller form factor, support for Netflix streaming, and iTunes rentals. Episodes of television series will be offered for $.99 USD to rent on the device. Video, audio, and photographic content can be streamed directly to the AppleTV from other iOS devices, as well as from iTunes on your Mac or PC. Will the Apple TV include VOiceOver support? We don’t know for sure. When we asked Apple Accessibility, they said they could not comment on features for products that are not yet shipping. This deflection gives us hope. The AppleTV will be priced at $99 USD.

Apple’s event today is expected to focus primarily on iPods, iTunes, and the AppleTV.

The accessibility enhancements, aside from the darker background for the grid view, are not readily apparent at first glance. Have you found any? Be sure to let us know.

The new features include a totally redesigned and simplified interface, support for iTunes LP and iTunes Extras, and more.

Of interest to VoiceOver users is the note that the AppleTV can be controlled via the free Remote app for iPhone and iPod touch, which is accessible with VoiceOver, giving users partial access to the system if they own one of Apple’s handheld touch screen devices. No information about additional accessibility available on the AppleTV device itself was provided in Apple’s press release.

The AppleTV is a set-top box which provides access to your iTunes media content as part of your home theatre or entertainment center systems. It is available for $229 USD with a storage capacity of 160GB.

For more information on the AppleTV software update, which is free to existing AppleTV owners, read the full press release.

Apple has enhanced the iTunes store so that you can now search for movies that are closed captioned. To access the feature, select "Search…" from the Store menu in iTunes to access the Power Search, then choose "Movies" from the Power Search pop-up menu. There’s a new checkbox "Search movies that are available with Closed Captioning" under the row of edit text fields. Click the checkbox then click the Search button to view a list of all available movies from the iTunes Store with Closed Captioning. Fill in the text fields to fine-tune your search. As of this writing, there are fifty-two titles with more being added continually.

]]> http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/15/searching-for-closed-captioned-movies-on-itunes-is-even-easier/feed/ 2 http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/02/apple-updates-quicktime-itunes-and-frontrow/ http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/02/apple-updates-quicktime-itunes-and-frontrow/#comments Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:36:19 +0000 Lioncourt http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/02/apple-updates-quicktime-itunes-and-frontrow/

Apple released minor updates to QuickTime, iTunes, and FrontRow today. Our initial inspections have yielded no new accessibility enhancements with VoiceOver. The most notable differences in iTunes 7.6.2 appear to deal with syncing content back to iTunes from an AppleTV. If you find any accessibility enhancements we’ve missed, let us know.

As always, the updates are available through the "Software Update" option in the "Apple" menu.

]]> http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/02/apple-updates-quicktime-itunes-and-frontrow/feed/ 0 http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/02/20/apple-includes-closed-captioning-in-itunes-movie-downloads/ http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/02/20/apple-includes-closed-captioning-in-itunes-movie-downloads/#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:24:56 +0000 Lioncourt http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/02/20/apple-includes-closed-captioning-in-itunes-movie-downloads/

iPods, QuickTime, and iTunes include support for Closed Captioning for the deaf and hearing impaired. Apple has expanded that to include AppleTV, and now offers movies from the iTunes Store which include Closed Captioning in the video file. Not all movies area available this way yet, but Apple is working with movie studios to add more as quickly as possible. So far, the list of movies is as follows:

• Abandon
• Bratz: Genie Magic
• Charlotte’s Web
• Clock Stoppers
• Domestic Disturbance
• Down to Earth
• Dragon Slayer
• Hey Arnold! The Movie
• I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
• Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
• Marci X
• Orange County
• Pootie Tang
• The Four Feathers
• The Ghost and the Darkness
• The Italian Job
• The Little Prince
• The Parallax View
• The Presidio
• The Shootist
• The Singing Detective

Check iTunes for more titles. Titles that include Closed Captioning are labeled with "CC".

]]> http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/02/20/apple-includes-closed-captioning-in-itunes-movie-downloads/feed/ 1 http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/01/15/new-products-from-apple/ http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/01/15/new-products-from-apple/#comments Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:41:35 +0000 Lioncourt http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/01/15/new-products-from-apple/

Today, Apple released details on many new products. Here’s a brief rundown on what we know so far, and what it may or may not mean to blind or visually impaired users.

• iTunes Movie Rentals — Apple released a new version of iTunes today with support for movie rentals. Movies will begin showing up in DVD quality, complete with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound. No word yet on whether this update provides any accessibility improvements, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do.
• New AppleTV — AppleTV got a major overhaul. It no longer requires a computer to stream content, and you can buy or rent media from the iTunes store directly from the set-top box. No word on whether the AppleTV is accessible, though we are still optimistic that it may be in a future version, given that it is running a version of Mac OS X, and certainly has the horse power for speech output.
• iPhone Update — The iPhone got a huge number of improvements, and we heard once again that the SDK for developers should be available at the end of February. Once the SDK is available, third-party developers may be able to work on access solutions for blind or visually impaired users, and we are still hopeful that Apple may be working on this as well.
• MacBook Air — The MacBook Air is a new addition to the APple line of notebook computers. It provides far more power than notetakers and other portable assistive devices at a substantially cheaper price tag. The device is 0.76 inches at it’s thickest point, and an astonishing 0.16 inches at it’s thinnest. It includes WiFi, BlueTooth, USB, and much more. Since it is running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, it includes VoiceOver, and thereby is in a great position to compete with other ultra-portable products from companies like Freedom Scientific.

As more information is available on accessibility features or issues with these products, we’ll keep you up to date.

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