[redhalo79]

Hi guys
Can anyone tell me if the PB has any accessibility features like the smartphones do, or is there an option for increasing font size and font style? I can't seem to find any real info about it

Thanx
Harold

[Draconianfire83]

Hey Harold,

There currently aren't any accessibility features on the PlayBook... Ya I'm pissed too, I sent a letter to RIM CEOs a couple weeks ago and am waiting on a response. Kevin posted a version of my letter here on the CrackBerry.com Blog

http://crackberry.com/dear-rim-can-w...-playbook-asap

I'm hoping to post on here once I've heard something... but feel free to do the same if it is important enough to you!

[jake5983]

Has there been any update as far as accessibility concerns?

I have two visual problems that I need addressed in a tablet:

- I need to be able to bump up the font considerably but it's only essential in the browser. I want to be able to read comfortably without having to scroll from side to side.

- My eyes are very light sensitive so I need to be able to dim the brightness of the display considerably.

Can both of these needs be met in the current PlayBook?

[Spamcube]

Has there been any update as far as accessibility concerns?

I have two visual problems that I need addressed in a tablet:

- I need to be able to bump up the font considerably but it's only essential in the browser. I want to be able to read comfortably without having to scroll from side to side.

- My eyes are very light sensitive so I need to be able to dim the brightness of the display considerably.

Can both of these needs be met in the current PlayBook?

Have you tried turning down brightness and pinch to zoom?

[FF22]

There have been no changes in 'accessibility' since release, at least, I don't think so.

While many sites will allow a quick tap to enlarge a article, that only works ONCE. So depending on your needs the font is still limited. After that: You can pinch/zoom but most of the time that will result in text being off the screen requiring scroll left/right to read it all. There is NO word wrap.

I know you did not mention it but in email, there is not even pinch/zoom and some of my mail arrives with a very small font and it canNOT be enlarged at all.

[jake5983]

Have you tried turning down brightness and pinch to zoom?

I don't have a PlayBook but have been reading as much as I can about it as I'm looking for a tablet. I already have two BBs and was hoping this might be a perfect companion.

[jake5983]

There have been no changes in 'accessibility' since release, at least, I don't think so.

While many sites will allow a quick tap to enlarge a article, that only works ONCE. So depending on your needs the font is still limited. After that: You can pinch/zoom but most of the time that will result in text being off the screen requiring scroll left/right to read it all. There is NO word wrap.

I know you did not mention it but in email, there is not even pinch/zoom and some of my mail arrives with a very small font and it canNOT be enlarged at all.

I'm glad I asked those questions because your reply tells me the PlayBook is not for me yet. I completely forgot about email so thanks for mentioning it.

Shame as all models are going on sale here this Friday for $300 off.

A great price doesn't help if the device is not suitable for me though.

[FF22]

I'd recommend checking it out if you can. Test drive would be best. That way YOU determine if it might serve or not.

[Spamcube]

i tried the e-mail app yesterday on my Playbook and it's easy to check mail. i don't understand what people without BB phones are complaining about? Yes, it's not push mail...get a BlackBerry and you will get ALL the features using the bridge function.

[Spamcube]

I know you did not mention it but in email, there is not even pinch/zoom and some of my mail arrives with a very small font and it canNOT be enlarged at all.

Sounds like you need glasses then. i wear glasses and can read all the text just fine. Maybe you need a magnifying glass or connecting the Playbook to a large HDTV will help.

[Send Again]

...better get bigger pockets so you can carry around that 52" led tv to read your email.

Not to mention, now where are you gonna carry that dictionary/thesaurus for spell checking?

[dcburke789]

You could always just learn to spell

Sent from my BlackBerry 9850 using Tapatalk

[Send Again]

You could always just learn to spell

Sent from my BlackBerry 9850 using Tapatalk

Learning to spell would certainly be quicker than waiting for the update.

[kbz1960]

Not sure how much help this is cause I don't know what your site is like but I use my reading glasses while using the playbook and most things are fine for me when reading.

[Daruba]

...
- I need to be able to bump up the font considerably but it's only essential in the browser. I want to be able to read comfortably without having to scroll from side to side...

This is one of the reasons I still have my iPad2. If RIM introduce decent accessibility options I might consider to sell the iPad. Hopefully they will consider to do somehing in OS2. After all it's still a 7 inch tablet...

...- My eyes are very light sensitive so I need to be able to dim the brightness of the display considerably.

Can both of these needs be met in the current PlayBook?

Due to a retina detachment operation, on of my eyes is hyper sensitive too. Yes the screen is dimmed to the max but need sometimes non-polarized sunglasses in order to be comfortable also on the iPad. (thank God I need only the sunglasses in the healing period. Will be better over time)

[wms3]

Has there been any update as far as accessibility concerns?

I have two visual problems that I need addressed in a tablet:

- I need to be able to bump up the font considerably but it's only essential in the browser. I want to be able to read comfortably without having to scroll from side to side.

- My eyes are very light sensitive so I need to be able to dim the brightness of the display considerably.

Can both of these needs be met in the current PlayBook?

I have a similar visual disability and i use my Playbook with success. Pinch to zoom allows me to enlarge fonts just fine in the browser, and in Word and in the PDF reader. I use the playepub and Kobo book readers, and i have set the font size pretty large and also have them in 'night' mode, where the screen is black and the font is white. This has worked very well for me, and I'm very pleased with my tablet

[FF22]

i tried the e-mail app yesterday on my Playbook and it's easy to check mail. i don't understand what people without BB phones are complaining about? Yes, it's not push mail...get a BlackBerry and you will get ALL the features using the bridge function.

Some folks don't like using a web-email client and there are email systems that do not support web-email so that those people canNOT check email. Also, most web clients do not work OFFLINE. You look at each email, one at a time, reply, open and look at the next. You canNOT download 20 emails (you are catching your flight) and then read them on the airplane and reply.

And since I do not need reading glasses for most other aspects of the pb, grabbing a pair for reading tiny-fonted emails is not something I wish to do. Not all email but some of them must come with smaller html fonts that are small and thin. Besides, while I don't want to don reading glasses, the pb should have a consistent UI - where's the pinch/zoom in the email app?

[FF22]

I have a similar visual disability and i use my Playbook with success. Pinch to zoom allows me to enlarge fonts just fine in the browser, and in Word and in the PDF reader. I use the playepub and Kobo book readers, and i have set the font size pretty large and also have them in 'night' mode, where the screen is black and the font is white. This has worked very well for me, and I'm very pleased with my tablet

Good experience but that's why I suggested that the poster try getting to a shop where it can be tested personally. But in the Browser, don't you have to scroll left/right if you make the font larger?

[wms3]

Good experience but that's why I suggested that the poster try getting to a shop where it can be tested personally. But in the Browser, don't you have to scroll left/right if you make the font larger?

Yes, if you use pinch to zoom in either the browser or the pdf reader you have to pan left/fright as well as up/down. This is not such a big deal, once you get use to it. And I totally agree the OP needs to use a PB for a few days. This is why i tell people to alwasy understand the return policy!

[jake5983]

Does anyone know if OS2 introduces Accessibility features?

I ended up buying a PlayBook but am not happy with the lack of Accessibility support.

Its otherwise incredible.

[Angus_CB]

I have a visual impairment and was disappointed in the (lack of) accessibility features with the PlayBook too.
I have a Torch 9800 and, although accessibility could be improved, it is very good.
I can set font size for nearly anything to a size I can see easily. I wrote a theme to take care of most other problems such as tiny icon fonts.
I had hoped that a 7" screen would make reading emails a breeze compared to a 3.5" screen but it's actually easier for me to see the Torch screen.
To me it feels as though RIM has slipped backwards in the accessibility area. Even with the smartphones. They had a theme for OS5 called Clarity for people with low vision. We are now up to OS 7 with no updated high visibility themes from RIM.

[wms3]

Yes, their accessibility is very poor. But I find that with pinch to zoom I can do pretty well with the PB

[kill_9]

I don't have a PlayBook but have been reading as much as I can about it as I'm looking for a tablet. I already have two BBs and was hoping this might be a perfect companion.

If you can read the screen of the smartphone then the screen of the tablet will be even easier on your eyes. No, the BlackBerry PlayBook does not support braille, though there is an application to read stuff back to you but nothing compared to some of the features of Microsoft Windows on a desktop or notebook computer. Accessibility features come later in a product's life cycle due to the excessive costs associated with such capability. Given the low marketshare to date of this tablet I would not bet on any "accessibility features."

[Angus_CB]

If you can read the screen of the smartphone then the screen of the tablet will be even easier on your eyes.

I don't know what you are basing this on. The smartphones have the option of increasing the font size. The playbook doesn't.

Accessibility features come later in a product's life cycle due to the excessive costs associated with such capability. Given the low marketshare to date of this tablet I would not bet on any "accessibility features."

That is a myth. The costs of adding font scaling are hardly "excessive".
Accessibility is always an afterthought because companies think these features only apply to a small portion of their potential customers. In reality visibility features apply to a large portion of customers.
I always have people asking me how I get the text on my Torch so easy to see. These people are not considered to have low vision.

Given the lack of accessibility features of this product to date I wouldn't count on a higher "marketshare".

[kbz1960]

Maybe not good enough but a double tap or pinch zoom increases size but yes the zoom may require some side scrolling. Hope they get it soon. I wear my reading glasses when using.