Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Apple Can Suck It

As regular readers here (if any) know, I wear hearing aids. This poses a problem when it comes to things like cell phones. Cell phones that are not shielded properly create a buzzing that is very unpleasant and makes talking, or rather hearing the other person very difficult. On an old fashioned landline analog phone, there is a setting on the hearing aid called a t-coil (telecoil) that interacts directly with the phone. Some cellphones have t-coil compatibility. These are rated with T4 being good and T1 not so good. In the US FCC mandates that cellphone manufacturers of a certian size must have a minimum percentage of their phones that are hearing aid compatible. (I have no inclination to look up the actual numbers, if ya feel like it, knock yourself out).



I, like many other people, like gadgets. Apple's iPhone is an ultimate gadget. However if I can't use a phone like,well, a phone, there's no point in spending mucho money on it. I went hunting for info. Found this website on which Apple goes on and on and on and ON about accessibility of their gadgets for disabled people. Yeah, the section on hearing disabled blathers on about things like the video option is great for sign language. Not a fucking peep about hearing aids. I know we are not the largst percentage of the population, but dammit, we are not miniscule either.



Apple is ignoring us. Assholes.



Fuck it. Blackberry anyone?

Comments (5)

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Sorry they are assholes. You are the only one I would learn how to use text message for. I always thought text was great for deaf and hearing impaired, not teenagers texting pretty much nothing important.
Tell them this. They're effin idiots for ignoring you guys. Hearing aids aren't that uncommon.

I hate them too. But for other, less consequential reasons like you.
I'm not all up on the technical aspects of it (and I DO love my iPhone) but if RIM can do it ... just sayin'.
I grudgingly got a Blackberry Torch recently, after wanting an iPhone, but going the way of RIM for convenience (work and husband all use BB). Can I say how much I love it? Really, really love it. I don't regret it for a second, and although I still adore my iPod Touch, I'm really happy with the BB.
Really.
I've never even looked at t-coil capability on my Verizon LG NV Touch; I do know it doesn't buzz much. I also don't hear it much even on speakerphone, which is why I have to have a cell that does messaging.

I nearly honked at Steve for driving aggressively (hey, guy!) in the parking lot at Costco the other day, here in Silicon Valley; I would have for you if I'd known.

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