COOL BLIND TECH

YOUR SOURCE FOR THE BEST ASSISTIVE TECH NEWS, REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS FROM TOP BLIND AND LOW VISION EXPERTS. AN ENTERTAINING AND TRUSTWORTHY DISCUSSION ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES

The Android Crew is your source for the latest updates and reviews with hands-on demos, broken down in to accessible bytes.

Join Android enthusiast Nelson Régo and The Android Crew with an entertaining look at technology.

Google Pixel 2 XL Unboxing Day

CBT gives you our first impressions of the Google Pixel 2 XL. Find out how this maybe the best of 2017.

Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL both use Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processors with 4GB RAM. (You can also choose between 64GB and 128GB options.) They have the same camera, processor, and speaker specs. They have 12.2-megapixel rear cameras that have an autofocus with laser and dual-pixel phase detection, and optical and electronic image stabilization. In the front, the Pixels have a fixed-focus 8-megapixel camera. Both phones use USB-C, but no wireless charging. There is no headphone jack and it runs on Bluetooth 5.0. read more

Essential PH-1, A Premium Phone Without the Premium Price

CBT gives you the first impressions of the new Essential Phone.

The Essential Phone’ has a stunning edge-to-edge Full Display and is a large-screen device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.

Essential PH-1 features

Materials

  • Titanium body
  • Ceramic back
  • Corning Gorilla Glass 5 cover glass

Dimensions

  • Height: 141.5mm
  • Width: 71.1mm
  • Thickness: 7.8mm
  • Weight: < 185 grams

Display

  • Resolution: 2560 x 1312 QHD
  • Aspect Ratio: 19:10
  • Diagonal Size: 5.71” with radiused corners
  • Brightness: 500 nits (typical)
  • Contrast Ratio: > 1000:1 (typical)
  • Technology: CGS / LTPS

Human Input + Sensors

  • 10 finger multitouch; palm and water-error rejection
  • Fingerprint reader: fastest available technology
  • Proximity / Ambient light sensor
  • Volume buttons, Power button
  • Environmental pressure sensor (barometer)
  • Accelerometer, Magnetometer and Gyroscope

Audio

  • Microphone: 4x microphones with noise cancellation and beam forming
  • Low Audio (earpiece)
  • High Audio: (loudspeaker)

Rear Camera

  • 13MP Dual RGB + Mono camera with image fusion technology
  • 13MP True Monochrome mode
  • f/1.85 lens
  • Hybrid Auto Focus combing Contrast, Phase Detect and IR Laser
  • Video at 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps or 720p 120fps

Front Camera

  • 8MP resolution with 16:9 aspect ratio
  • f/2.20 fixed hyperfocal lens
  • Video at 4K 30fps, 1080p 60fps or 720p 120fps

Battery

  • 3040mAh.
  • Fast charging via USB

Memory & Storage

  • RAM: 4GB
  • Storage: 128GB UFS 2.1

Connectivity

  • Bluetooth: 5.0 LE
  • WiFi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO
  • NFC: yes
  • Positioning: GPS and GLONASS

Network / Bands

  • UMTS/HSPA+: 1, 2, 4, 5 6, 8
  • GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
  • CDMA EV-DO Rev. A: 0, 1, 10
  • FDD-LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 66
  • TDD-LTE: 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43
  • TD-SCDMA: 34, 39

System Architecture / OS

  • Android
  • Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835
  • CPU: Kryo 280 Octa-core (2.45GHz Quad + 1.9GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10nm processor
  • GPU: Adreno 540, 710MHz, 64bit

Ports

  • USB Type-C
  • 60GHz, 6 Gbps Wireless Accessory Connector
  • 2x accessory power pins
  • NanoSIM tray with pin eject
  • Water and Dust Resistant
  • IP54

From Andy Rubin, Essential CEO, Android Founder

Why I started Essential

I know people are going to ask me a lot of questions about why I started this company. Why didn’t I just travel the world, ride my motorcycle, tinker with my robots, hang out at my bakery with friends and family. And to be honest I still do ask myself that sometimes…but not too often. read more

Android O: New Accessibility Features in TalkBack 6.0.0.

The over the air update for the Android O developer preview has arrived, and there are some very interesting new features for those of us who use TalkBack.
Listen to this podcast to find out what accessibility improvements are on the way.
If you are considering installing the developer preview of Android O, make sure that you backup your device before enrolling in the Android Beta program, and downloading the update. Listen to this podcast on how too backup and enroll an Android device in the Beta program, if you need a step by step guide on how to do it. read more

How to Back up a Pixel Phone and Enroll it in the Android Beta Program

Google is offering some users the opportunity to get a sneak preview of Android Nougat 7.1.2. To take advantage of this offer, you must enroll in the Android Beta program and have an eligible device.
To enroll, just visit android.com/beta and provide your Google sign in credentials.
The following devices are eligible at this time.

  • Pixel
  • PixelXL
  • Nexus 5X
  • Nexus Player
  • Pixel C

Google has confirmed that the Nexus 6P will also be eligible.
Before launching the Beta version of Android Nougat, you should back up your device. In this podcast, James Oates shows us how to back up a Pixel phone and enroll it in the Beta program. read more

Reviewing TalkBack Settings in Android Nougat on a Google Pixel Phone.

In this episode, we look at the TalkBack settings on a Google Pixel running Android Nougat 7.1.1. James Oates gives a brief overview of accessibility settings while primarily focusing on the settings for TalkcBack 5.1. He also shows us Moves, which are specialized gestures for Android that can be toggled on or off, depending on your preferences.
Although James is new to Android, he is very impressed with the Google Pixel, and looks forward to bringing more Android content to our listeners.

Accessible Way to Take a Selfie Using TalkBack and Android Nougat 7.1.

This is a selfie that James took while preparing an Android podcast on how to take a selfie.

In this episode, James Oates shows off a new accessibility feature which allows anyone using an Android phone running Nougat 7.1 or higher. If you open the camera app, and you have Talkback 5.1 or higher running, Talkback will automatically give feedback concerning how many people are in the frame, if the faces are centered, and what percentage of the screen is occupied by the face or faces. This is a great way for a person who is blind to take selfies and capture important moments.
James also shows us how to give the photo a description, and share it to social media, cloud drive services, or by email. read more

Alexa is on Fire!

Amazon’s virtual assistant was first introduced on the Echo, as well as the Echo dot. It only made sense that Alexa would eventually expand onto the rest of Amazon’s devices. If you own any of the new fire tablets including the fifth generation—or the hd tablets, you have access to Alexa, including her skills!

In this podcast, Leo demonstrates several ways to interact with the virtual assistant on the Fire tablet. Keep in mind that your tablet will need to run the latest version of Fire OS.

What do you think of Alexa on Fire tablets? Let us know in the comments! read more

A Review of the New Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) and Amazon’s Unlimited Music

In this episode, James Oates reviews the new Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation). He describes the configuration, and tells the lay-out of the physical buttons, and what they do. If you need help setting up your new Echo device, listen to this podcast from Leonid Prazdnik of Cool Blind Tech. James then talks about Amazon’s new unlimited music subscription which rivals the other major music subscription services already available. He demonstrates how well the Echo works with Amazon’s music subscription. read more

It’s time to Play with fire: Install the Play Store on the Amazon Fire Tablet

The amazon’s Fire tablet has a lot of content to offer via its app store including games, apps and more. The problem is that not all apps that are on other app stores make it to amazon’s ecosystem. Fortunately, since FireOS is based on Android, it’s possible to get the Google Play Store onto your Fire tablet. In this Podcast, Leo demonstrates how to install the play store using a script from Root Junky. Keep in mind that if you haven’t already, you will need to obtain the Google USB drivers for the tablet.

Have you found the Play store on the Fire tablet useful? Let us know what you think! read more

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