Technology

Easy ways to make calls when vision is a challenge

Published

3 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Easy ways to make calls when vision is a challenge

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Technology can be wonderfully convenient and provide a great deal of entertainment, but it can also be a great way to improve your everyday life, too. For those who experience visual challenges, a variety of apps and features can help you. That’s why we love this question about apps and features that can help visually challenged loved ones:

“I am not tech savvy. I need to know if there is an app that I can download on a phone, that will allow my mother to tell the app, without needing internet services, who she wants to make a phone call to? She’s losing her eyesight and can no longer see the numbers on her phone. She’s 88 years old and doesn’t own a computer and has limited income,” writes “Sheryl” of Westminster, Colorado.

It’s great that you are looking out for your mother’s specific needs. Below are several voice dialing apps and features that can help her make calls without having to see the numbers.

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A woman using voice features to make a call (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Best apps and features for the visually challenged to make calls

As long as the numbers are already programmed into your phone, you can use some of these apps and features to call out even if you’re visually challenged.

Apps and features for iPhone

For apps and features that work specifically on the iPhone to enhance capabilities for the visually challenged, check out the options below:

1. Siri (iOS): If you have an iPhone, you can use Siri to make phone calls by simply saying, “Hey Siri, call [contact name].” However, if you prefer or if “Hey Siri” isn’t enabled, you can also press and hold the side button (or the Home button on older iPhones) to activate Siri manually. Siri can work offline for basic tasks like making phone calls. You’ll also want to check out how to get your phone to read articles aloud.

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2. Point and Speak feature: With iPhones that have a Lidar sensor and run iOS 17 or later, you can use the “Point and Speak” feature using the steps below:

“Point and Speak” feature on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Open the Magnifier app on your iPhone. You can find it in the Utilities folder by searching for it in Spotlight or swiping down from the top right of your screen.
Tap the Detect mode icon in the bottom right corner. It looks like a square with a circle inside it.
Tap the Point and Speak icon in the bottom left corner. It looks like a hand pointing to three lines.
Hold your iPhone about 12 inches away from the text you want to read and point the camera at it.
Use your other hand to point at the text you want your iPhone to speak. Your iPhone will highlight the text in yellow and read it aloud.
If you don’t hear the speech feedback, click the circular gear icon on the upper left of the screen. Then click Point and Speak and make sure Speech is toggled on. Then click the left arrow Back buttons in the upper left and tap Done.

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3. VoiceOver (iOS): This is an accessibility feature built into iPhones that provides spoken feedback to help users navigate their devices. It can be used in conjunction with Siri to make phone calls. Here are the steps:

Open Settings: Tap on the Settings app on the home screen.
Go to Accessibility: Scroll down and tap on Accessibility.
Enable VoiceOver: Under the Vision section, tap on VoiceOver and then toggle the switch to turn it on.
Once VoiceOver is enabled, you can use it to navigate your iPhone with spoken feedback. To make a phone call using Siri with VoiceOver enabled, you can follow these steps: 1) Activate Siri: You can either say “Hey Siri” or press and hold the Home button (or the Side button on newer iPhones) until Siri activates; 2) Give the Command: You can then say, “Call [contact name].”
VoiceOver will provide spoken feedback throughout the process, making it easier for you to navigate and confirm actions.

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Voiceover feature on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Apps and features for Android

For apps and features that work specifically for an Android to enhance capabilities for the visually challenged, check out the options below:

1. Google Assistant (Android): Similar to Siri, Google Assistant can be used on Android phones to make calls. You can do this by saying “Hey Google” or by holding down the home button on your phone. Once Google Assistant is activated, you can say commands like:

“Call [contact name]” to call someone in your contacts
“Call [business name]” to call a business
“Call [phone number]” to dial a specific number

Additionally, Google Assistant can perform various tasks offline, such as setting reminders, playing music or sending texts. Just give it a try and see how it can make your daily tasks easier.

Google Assistant on Android (Google)

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2. Voice Access (Android): This app lets you control your phone using voice commands. It can be particularly helpful for those with visual impairments. Once set up, you can use voice commands to make calls.

Voice Access on Android (Google Play)

Unlock your Android device, then open your device’s Settings app.
Select Accessibility
Select Voice Access
Select Use Voice Access
Start Voice Access in one of these ways: 1) If “Hey Google” detection is on, you can say, “Hey Google, Voice Access”; 2) Open your notification shade and select Touch to start; 3) On your Home screen, tap the Voice Access app; 4) Select the Voice Access activation button. (Need to set up the activation button? Go to Settings > Accessibility > Voice Access > Settings > Activation button.)
Say a command, such as “Open Gmail”

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Kurt’s key takeaways

The technological advancements in modern mobile phones can really improve the ability of those with visual impairments to utilize technology to the fullest. After all, if you can’t utilize the standard features to call out on your mobile device, it fails to achieve its most basic function. Between the ability of Siri, Google Assistant or other voice-activated apps to respond to verbal commands (with a simple click of a button or verbal request) to the accessibility features’ ability to help verbally navigate your phone, even those experiencing visual challenges can optimize the power of their phones and stay in touch with their loved ones.

Most people have heard of Siri or Google Assistant, but have you taken advantage of the Voice Access app or VoiceOver features? What accessibility features have come in both handy and absolutely necessary for staying in touch with your loved ones? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Brazilian police arrested the hacker who stole everyone’s SSN

Published

3 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Press Room

Brazilian police arrested the hacker who stole everyone’s SSN

The Federal Police of Brazil announced the arrest of the hacker linked to a breach that leaked 2.9 billion records that included sensitive personal information, including some Social Security numbers. The data from that hack, which came to light in August, was put for sale on the dark web in April by an entity identifying themselves as USDoD.

As pointed out by Bleeping Computer, according to a machine translation of the department’s press release, the hacker was linked to “two publications selling” federal police data. The hacker also boasted of disclosing the personal data of 80,000 members of the FBI’s InfraGard program, the department said.

Security researchers at Atlas have created a tool to search the leaked records and told PCMag that the leak contains about 272 million unique SSNs, along with as many as 600 million phone numbers. National Public Data and its parent company, Jerico Pictures, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month, facing a flood of lawsuits and potential penalties over the incident.

“The person under investigation must answer for the crime of hacking into a computer device, qualified by obtaining information, with an increase in the sentence for the commercialization of the data obtained,” according to the translation. The operation to arrest the hacker was called “Operation Data Breach.”

The federal police says it will continue to investigate if the hacker made any other breaches.

Technology

This backpack solar generator can help you ignore nature

Published

10 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Press Room

This backpack solar generator can help you ignore nature

Bluetti has taken portable power to absurd levels with its new Handsfree Backpack Power Stations. They’re available in big or bigger versions depending on how long — and how much gear — you want to keep powered in the great outdoors.

They’re primarily aimed at outdoor photographers, but Bluetti also thinks they’ll appeal to hikers, rock climbers, campers, adventurers, bikepackers, and motorcyclists… any nerd that wants to move beyond the cubicle with their gadgets. A side panel in the backpacks provides access to all the inputs and outputs without having to first remove the solar generator. Those ports can also be managed and monitored over Bluetooth from the Bluetti app.

You can carry a ton of gear and a small solar panel alongside that giant battery.

GIF: Bluetti

The $299 Handsfree 1 solar generator includes a 42L backpack and is capable of powering AC devices up to 300W with 268.8Wh of LFP storage capacity. That’s enough to recharge a DJI Mavic 3 (about 77Wh) or laptop about three times. The $399 Handsfree 2 bumps the battery to 700W / 512Wh inside a cavernous 60L pack.

The solar generators themselves are tall and relatively thin, with five outputs (1x AC, 2x 100W USB-C, and 2x 15W USB-A). Both have XT60 solar inputs to help keep the batteries charged: 12V-28V / 200W max for the Handsfree 1 and 12V-45V / 350W max for Handsfree 2. The Handsfree 1 measures 11.3 x 3.7 x 11 inches (286.5 × 95 × 280mm) and weighs 11 pounds (5kg), while the larger Handsfree 2 comes in at 12 × 4.1 × 15.2 inches (305 × 105 × 385mm) and 16.5 pounds (7.5kg).

The backpacks have tons of pockets to help organization all your gear, with Molle straps for external carry. They’re only water resistant, however, but Bluetti throws in a rain fly. There’s no weight given for the packs but they do look heavy.

Technology

iOS 18: Maximize your privacy by turning off these iPhone settings now

Published

11 hours ago

October 17, 2024

Press Room

iOS 18: Maximize your privacy by turning off these iPhone settings now

IOS 18 brings a host of new features to your iPhone, but it’s also important to consider your privacy.

Here are three settings you might want to turn off to enhance your privacy after updating to iOS 18.

A woman scrolling on her iPhone (Apple)

Updating to iOS 18

Before we dive into the settings, make sure your iPhone is running iOS 18. To update:

Open the Settings app
Tap on General
Select Software Update
If an update is available, tap Download and Install
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the update

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Steps to update iOS 18 (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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1. Improve Search

The “Improve Search” feature allows Apple to store your searches from Safari, Siri, Images and more. If privacy is a top concern, you might want to disable this. Here’s how to turn it off:

Open the Settings app
Scroll down and tap on Search
Find Improve Search and toggle it off

Steps to turn off “Improve Search” setting (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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2. Shared with you

In iOS 18, the “Shared with You” feature shares content from your Messages with other apps. This means that when you share certain types of content through Messages, it can automatically be displayed or utilized in relevant apps without needing to manually transfer or open the content again. Here are a few examples of how this feature can be used:

Photos and videos: If you share a photo or video in a conversation, it can automatically appear in your Photos app, making it easy to access and edit without having to save it manually.

Links and articles: When you share a link to an article or a website, it can automatically appear in your Reading List in Safari or in a news app that you use, allowing you to read it later without having to search for the link again.

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Calendar events: If someone sends you an event or appointment details, it can automatically be added to your Calendar app, ensuring you don’t miss important dates and events.

Music and podcasts: Sharing a song or podcast episode can automatically add it to your Music or Podcasts app, making it easy to listen to shared content without additional steps.

Documents and files: When you share a document or file, it can automatically be saved in your Files app, allowing you to access and manage it from one central location.

This feature reduces the need for repetitive actions and makes it easier to keep track of shared content across different apps. However, if you have private conversations or information you’d rather keep contained, consider disabling them. Here’s how to turn it off:

Open Settings
Tap on Apps
Scroll down and tap on Messages
Tap on Shared with You
Toggle off Automatic Sharing

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Steps to turn off “Shared with You” setting (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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3. Screen Sharing notifications

When sharing your screen on a TV or during FaceTime, your notifications might be visible to others. Here’s how to prevent that by turning off “Screen Sharing” notifications:

Go to Settings
Tap on Notifications
Scroll down and tap on Screen Sharing
Toggle off Allow Notifications

Steps to turn off Screen Sharing notifications (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

By adjusting these three settings, you can significantly enhance your privacy in iOS 18. Remember, it’s always a good idea to regularly review your privacy settings to ensure they align with your preferences. While these features can be useful, it’s important to weigh their benefits against your privacy concerns.

Are there any additional privacy concerns you have that you wish Apple would address in future updates? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

New from Kurt: