A fairly regular occurrence when you do a lot of driving; you find something during your drive that should be reported (roadkill, accidents, debris, etc.). If you are on a rural road, the GPS coordinates would be ideal. But, since you are a sensible person you don’t want to take your hands off the steering wheel to fiddle with your phone.
I have a solution for iOS phones (mostly – it still will require one touch of the screen).
The solution is to use Siri and ask the question “Where am I?”
Siri shows a map of my location
Now unfortunately, Siri doesn’t store this information, and once your screen turns off it will disappear. However, if you touch the map, the information will be transferred to the maps app. The maps app will hold the information until you are ready to deal with it.
The saved map
Now when you can pull over you can use either the option to Share My Location or Mark My Location.
Selecting Share My Location brings up your share sheet.
You can share your location in a number of ways.Additional options are displayed as you pull the panel higher.
You can also pull the panel a little higher up over the map, for more information. Like the GPS coordinates or contact options.
You can use the Mark My Location to do exactly that on the map. A red pin will display on the map, and the option to Edit the location appears.
Once you’ve marked the location, you can edit it.
If you choose to edit the location, a satellite view of the location opens, and you can drag and drop the pin.
Editing a location
Marked locations remain in the map app for later reference.
If you are using an iPhone or iPad and your vision is compromised (or, ahem if you are over 50), you might find these options useful. With every version of iOS the accessibility options have improved and expanded.
The following is the sequence of steps I follow when setting up an iOS device for someone with vision issues; as always your mileage may vary, but even if you only catch yourself squinting at your phone from time to time – give these options a try.
Change your Wallpaper to Black
It is cool to have nifty images on your phone screen, but if you are having trouble reading the labels for your folders, then it may be time to use a black background. You may also want to do this for your lock screen so that notifications and buttons stand out more.
The easiest method is to take a black photograph and use it as your background. Set your device on a table, block the light and take a photo (you may need to turn off your flash first). Use this photo for your background by going to Settings>Wallpaper> Choose a New Wallpaperand selecting your new photo from the Camera Roll.
Setting or Cancelling the change of Wallpaper
Choose the Setoption and then select the Set Home Screenoption
Setting the Picture to display on the Lock or Home Screen
Improve Your View
Next go to Settings> General> Accessibilityand select the following options:
Larger Text, you can start by using the slider to set your preferred text size or you make things even BIGGER by turning on Larger Accessibility Sizesand using the slider again. This comes with a couple of caveats. 1) Text is not affected everywhere on the device – tho Apple is clearly working to change this, and third party apps are (slowly) coming around. 2) Sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing and have text that throws off the formatting or wraps weirdly or overlaps illegibly. Again, these problems are gradually being worked on as apps are updated.
Setting the Larger Text size
Bold Text– turning this option on will require a reboot of your device, because EVERYTHING has to be redrawn. But this will make the typeface used far more readable.
Button Shapes– turning on button shapes will make them easier to find. Now, if they were only used more consistently throughout the OS, that would be awesome.
Increase Contrastand turn on Reduce Transparencyand Darken Colors. This should also help text stand out more.
Increase Contrast options
On/OffLabelsadd the | 0 symbols to your toggles, and I say why not!
Accessibility Options
Use your Home button to Zoom IN
While you are still in Settings> General> Accessibility, move down to Accessibility Shortcut. Here you can customize the action of the Home button when your triple-click it. Choose Zoom
Turning on Triple-Click to Zoom
You’ll need to fine-tune Zoom’s behaviour, by going to Settings> General> Accessibility > Zoom
Zoom Options pt 1
Don’t worry about turning Zoom on here, that is what your triple-click will do. Instead:
Turn on Follow Focusand Smart Typing.
You may choose to Show Controller, but I find there is a balance between clutter and helpfulness, for me this clutters the screen too much.
Zoom Options Part 2
Select Zoom Regionand choose Window Zoom.
Play with the Maximum Zoom Levelslider, you’ll probably adjust this more later.
To turn the zoom window on triple-click your home button and the zoom window will appear, outlined in black with a small tab handle at the bottom.
The Zoom Window in action
This is a toggle, so a second triple click turns the zoom window off. And what is really great, is that you can interact with the screen through the window. Click on links and type in dialog boxes whatever you need to do. This window is not just for viewing!
Customize the Zoom Window
By touching the tab handle shape at the bottom of the zoom window, a customization menu opens up.
Changing the Zoom Window options
Through it you can:
Zoom Out(turn off window)
Change to Full Screen Zoom
Resize Lens,Resizing the Zoom Window
which will allow you to resize the Zoom Window with the handles provided.
Choose Filter, which will set a colour filter on the Zoom Window
Show Controller
Change Magnification using the slider, which uses the setting from the Maximum Zoom Level, you set earlier.
Add a Magnifier to the Home Button
The new magnifier option isn’t for your screen, but rather for all the small print articles you need to read. From menus in dark restaurants to the label on a pill bottle, if you have your phone you can read it. Go to Settings> General> Accessibility > Magnifier
turning on the magnifier
Turn on the Magnifierand Auto-Brightness.
Now when you triple-click your Home button, an Accessibility Shortcutsmenu will pop up. Tap the action you want to perform.
Did I get what I want from the Apple Event today? Yeah, pretty much. Although we still don’t know if any podcast improvements are happening. 🙁
But in the main I’m pretty happy with what I saw today. Apple is pretty clearly positioning the iPad Pro for business users and as serious competition for gaming laptops. The mini 4 gets a much-needed hardware update. And there certainly is enough improvement in the iPhone 6S category to warrant an upgrade from a 5S.
