Berry berry bright

Interesting new product for eye health from Japan. Spotted this advertisement in The Straits Times this week. Can't vouch for the quality of this product but thought it might be useful to macular degeneration patients. 

Happy Easter! 

Making iPhones and iPads work for our eyes

Apple's iPhones and iPads have revolutionised technology and lifestyles around the world for millions. Today, it helped change the lives of a few visually impaired Singaporeans too. 

For the first time, the Macular Degeneration Society held a tutorial to teach members how useful iPhones and iPads can be for those who don't see well. Thanks to tech expert Gurmit Singh, some 16 members were taught the basics of making the famous Apples products work for our eyes. 

The zoom function, for instance, was an important feature of iPhones and iPads and Mr Singh showed how easy it was to enhance text and images with the tapping of three fingers. It is easier on the tablets than the phones, he said, because of the larger interface. 

He has difficulty with with the three-finger tapping, he added, saying jokingly that he has "fat fingers". The zoom function takes some getting used to since most of us are used to interacting with our devices with one finger. But it remains one of the most accessible ways to magnify text on a smartphone and tablet. 

Mr Singh also showed how to use other functions such as "invert colours" to have a black background instead of the regular white one. For some visually impaired people, the contrast makes for easier viewing. 

But the function which got members most animated was the Voice Over. It allows text to be read out, allowing those with poor sight to have comfortable, easy and even cool access to their e-mails and instant messages among other things. 

Of course, the famous Siri was also demonstrated, displaying once again how Apple's voice activated intelligent personal assistant can be a life changing app for many with vision impairments. 

A big thank you to Mr Singh for so kindly sharing his knowledge and expertise with us, making a big effort to explain in as simple a way how to use the phones and tablets to our advantage. His patience has given MDS members a most enriching and educational afternoon.