Has Apple really taken a tumble from hot to not? Maybe it's the absence of game-changing devices, the long stretch between product releases, or the waning influence of the late Steve Jobs. Regardless, the distinct drop in Apple shares points to a current reality where iDevices find themselves catching up to the market rather than controlling it, which prompts the question: What does this mean for the blind consumer that made Apple the new gold standard for accessibility? First let's put the Apple decline in perspective. So far Apple has sold 31.2 million iPhones in 2013, 5 million more than in 2012. Even though financial analysts worried about flat third-quarter earnings, $35.3 billion in sales is hardly dismal. One could argue that the Silicon giant has not hit its full stride in emerging markets like China and Latin America, so it would be grossly premature to declare doom when Apple continues to generate revenue on a massive scale. In 2013 Apple is not going to become the next Blackberry. But, nothing lasts forever. When asked, most screen reader users would say they continue to use JAWS or Window Eyes because of the familiar environment. That is human nature and not unlike the … [Read more...] about The Burden of Standards
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Mike and Jacksan?
The following is a piece I wrote about 4 years ago shortly after receiving my BEST FRIEND JACKSAN! On this special day dedicated to this special animal, all I can say is that, today I feel even more than when I wrote this piece, that Jacksan is the best thing that ever happened to me as a blind person.I have experienced a few moments in my life that I know I will reflect on when I am old. These include the day I met my wife, the days my children were born, the day I gave my life back to THE ONE that gave his life for me, and the day I met Jacksan and immediately fell in love!I hope you enjoy the article and as you will see this is a gift that I was given that I could never ever repay!Mike And Jacksan?By Mike CalvoTrust doesn’t come easy to a blind person. We grow up fighting to be accepted as “normal” human beings. Although I was cane-trained around age eight, I refused to even use a cane in grammar school and high school because the cane made me “different.” I associated canes with those “blind people” and I knew I wasn’t one of them. Dogs were even worse in my mind. The whole image of blind people being led around by some animal was repugnant to me. It made them seem so … [Read more...] about Mike and Jacksan?
