New phone for vision impaired people
Looking for a mobile phone designed specifically for people who are blind or who have low vision? Do you want REAL buttons that can be reached by your thumb, instead of a touch screen?
The new BlindShell Classic 2 is now available in Australia and at $899 is priced competitively with smartphones. Though it shares many of the same powerful features as an iPhone, it is much simpler to use.
You can control the functions with just a few buttons; or you can use your voice to issue a command. This makes it possible to operate apps eg weather reports, Vision Australia Talking Book Library, Facebook Messenger – and also a host of built-in tools – such a talking calculator, calendar, alarm clock, notepad and a voice recorder – without having to master a touch screen or learn complex voiceover gestures.
Speed-dialling is easy, and there is even a dedicated SOS button at the back to call a nominated contact – a family member, neighbour or emergency services. You can also use simple voice commands such as “Call Jack” or “Send a Message to Julie”. The voice commands and voice dictation in the BlindShell phone work reliably and are straightforward.
The BlindShell Classic 2 also has a very loud speaker and clear diction which makes it useable in noisy environments; and by people who are hard of hearing.