Screen magnifier?

[mikehealy]

Hi All,

Does anyone know of a screen magnifier that works in a similar way to the windows XP magnifier (magnify.exe), as my fiancee is partially sighted, and wants a new phone, but getting one with all the features she wants is not happening!

Would this be something that could be written, of would it not work with the current android OS?

Thanks.

Mike.

 

[justjimjpc]

Hi All,

Does anyone know of a screen magnifier that works in a similar way to the windows XP magnifier (magnify.exe), as my fiancee is partially sighted, and wants a new phone, but getting one with all the features she wants is not happening!

Would this be something that could be written, of would it not work with the current android OS?

Thanks.

Mike.

This is an Accessibility issue ... In the new 1.6 version ...
there is already a TalkBack feature that will get voice prompts to alerts, errors, screens, button pushed ... etc

it is a start ... so in the future there may be a view scale feature ...

Maps, photos, webpages of course already have zoom features...

Right now i quess it is a wait and see ...

 

[G8D]

Best you can currently do would be to root the phone, increase font size, install SMS popup and the TTS libraries.

 

[Drave]

New to smart phones, could you explain, or post links, to
a) 'root the phone'
b) 'increase font size' (I assume rooting is needed for this?)

 

[Thompson9100]

Hi Mikey

I am sight impaired, and found the original fonts way too small. After some research before buying the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, I found out that by using something like aHome, OpenHome, or DxTop I can increase the size of the text on most areas of the phone.

These are replacements for the default screens the phone comes with, and are highly customisable.

Do a google search on any of the above to find out more, and you can see many demo's of them on YouTube too. Most are related to such phones as the G1, Moto Droid, and Nexus 2, but they work very well on my X10.

If anyone can suggest ways of increasing the icon size in the app drawer that would be fantastic!

 

[rexall]

Thu 22 Jul 2010, 11:36 am

First, let me admit it is my own fault! I should have researched the font size issue before I purchased my android phone, HTC Legend, which I like very much. As someone with low vision, I was well-aware that small font size has been an industry-wide problem for years, although some phones and OS are more helpful than others. However, I (stupidly) assumed that in cutting-edge technology such as android, the font issue would be a thing of the past.

!!! WRONG !!!

I have no doubt that font scalability must be a troublesome programming and design issue or all phones/OS would be scalable. However, it is shameful that google and third party developers are sucking hind teet on this! In the first place, it is cruel and insensitive to those with visual impairment, and very possibly a violation of accessibility laws in the U.S. and EU. More than that, it is STUPID to alienate possibly more than 50% of all the people on the planet who are past 50 years of age, and who may not be "visually impaired" strictly speaking, but still cannot read the goddamned tiny print!

Shame on you google!

Geeze!

 

[rahinajoseph]

Hi..
A screen magnifier is software that interfaces with a computer's graphical output to present enlarged screen content. It is a type of assistive technology suitable for visually impaired people with some functional vision; visually impaired people with little or no functional vision usually use a screen reader.

 

[rexall]

Thu 22 Jul 2010, 6:34 pm

"Visual impairment" is relative and exists on a continuum. The semantics are unimportant.

Many millions of people over the age of fifty (but certainly not limited to that demographic) cannot read the tiny text on the android system!

Nokia makes the effort, LG does it even better. Android decided, apparently, not to bother.

Rex

 

[lpnalda]

Couldn't agree more with the sentiments above. Blackberry even has adjustable fonts. Don't bother with ideal text enlarger either. Buggy as Hell and thus a tease.

 

[papazche]

New to smart phones, could you explain, or post links, to

a) 'root the phone'
b) 'increase font size' (I assume rooting is needed for this?)

Yeah I would also like to know more..

 

[lpnalda]

1. Rooting is using software to become "root" user, so that you have access to the lowest level of the smartphones os so that youn can modify.
2. Increase font size means to change the size of text on the screen. In this case we are talking about in all application including the os.

 

[scotts62]

Hi
I recently found the following Android Accessibility tools that would anyone with some visual impairment.
Mobile Accessibility for Android http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415
Contacts Plus - http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/business/contacts-plus_smfi.html
Scott

 

[darkeststar]

Is there the means to run a screen magnifier on Android like the one for Windows. I am not looking for any application that uses the camera for enlargement of text or images but it must be for 'hovering' over icons and widgets so that they can be seen clearly.

Any help welcome.

Stephen

 

[Harry2]

Not a magnifier glass, but maybe usefully:
BIG Launcher.

Harry

 

[palmickey]

Best you can currently do would be to root the phone, increase font size, install SMS popup and the TTS libraries.

Doesn't this void the phone warranty?

Is it a lack of functionality in Android that makes this type of app difficult to write?

I am starting to think I should have held out for a smartphone that runs windows8.

 

[dbareis]

Android 4.2 has one built in

 

[whitedavidp]

Hi All,

Does anyone know of a screen magnifier that works in a similar way to the windows XP magnifier (magnify.exe), as my fiancee is partially sighted, and wants a new phone, but getting one with all the features she wants is not happening!

Would this be something that could be written, of would it not work with the current android OS?

Thanks.

Mike.

Long time since this was posted. And my new app requires at least Android 3 (Honeycomb). But it may do what you want. Like the ZoomIt program for Windows which I preferred for my needs over the XP Magnifier. Find it here <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whitedavidp.zoomit>