Technology & a more digitally Accessible ♿️ World

[Ewaade_3A]

Hi ,

Last week, I received a notification to upgrade the software on my phone to Android 12 . I thought it was a joke because 2 weeks before, Sagir had told me about the launch of the Android 13 on his Pixel. Well, well, advantages of using a Google Pixel, you may say ‍ .

Since upgrading to the Android 12, I have taken the liberty to learn a little more about the Android 12 especially the upgraded features and design and this caught my attention;

“Built for Accessibility ”

I left the tab open on my browser and decided I was going to share about it but kept second-guessing myself if it was all that important or good enough for a Connect post, until I read this, this morning, from a post by**Alpha @AlphaSays **

"I firmly believe that it is essential to educate our society about inclusive access and the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. There is also a gap in the accessibility of technology to support persons with disabilities, particularly features on mobile phones and other electronic devices."

This excerpt from this writeup by Alpha convinced me to share my findings about the Android 12. The Accessibility features designed with new visibility features in this upgrade include;

1. Area Magnification
2. Extra Dim
3. Bold text
4. Grayscale

Because, I believe these features will assist those who have a form of visibility challenge or the other, Please take your time as you go out today to;

• Assist in these upgrades on eligible Android phones (scroll to phone settings → software update → download → install)
• If you have a little more time, demonstrate to the people who are most in need of these features how to make use of them and how these enhanced visibility features can improve their digital Accessibility
• Take a pledge to take all of these info we gain on here to the real world. It is good to share about Accessibility but is our impact being felt in the world?

We are Local Guides, we are volunteers, we have signed a pact to ensure that "everyone, everywhere, irrespective of their condition, find things worth doing and places worth visiting", all of these will be impossible if information is not made accessible to them. Almost every Human has a phone in the world today, that has become an all-poweful tool of communication, it is time for us to show that our phones can do much more, Google has played its part, will you play yours?

Shout out to every Accessibility champion there ever has been before me;

1. Alpha Sumareh
2. Alwy Paul
3. Tejal Chhaya
4. Mukul
5. Erna LaBeau
6. Sonia Khorsed
7. Pritish Biswas
8. Jesica Lich
9. Sara Kacowicz
10. Naresh Darji
11. Deliana Permatesari (Doc Dells)
12. Emeka Ulor
13. Sagir Adamu
14. Onuka Kalu
15. Chinonso Arubayi
16. Ermes Toun
17. Isha
18. Kashif Abdul Razzaq
19. Stephen Abraham
20. Tushar Suradkhar
21. Shafiul
22. Zuhra Lucie
23. Jaala Kellam
24. Kalyan Pal
25. Jordan Burleson
26. Kamal
27. Megan Coburn
28. Natalka
29. Alejandra
30. Ilankovan Thushyantha
31. Anshuk Mitra
32. Valentine
33. Penny Christie
34. Abdullah Al Mamun
35. Zhanna Burunina
36. Lily Asongfac
37. Toyo
38. Muhammad
39. Sovita
40. Joseph
41. Luis Duran
42. Lynne
43. Daniel
44. Every other Human especially Local Guides championing the course of Accessibility in the world today with great projects, ultimate sacrifice and concern

Your efforts are seen and they are notable…

I hope we continue to learn from one another, impact our communities, influence others to join this walk and make the world a better place. Cheers!

Please let me know in the comments what technology features of accessibility have amazed you the most on a digital device or in the real world…

Thank you

My Local Guide Wishlist For Christmas

1. A 360 camera
2. A Google Pixel
3. A small backpack
4. A good waterbottle
5. Very good sunglasses
6. A Note pad
7. 4 pens
8. 100 Accessibility stickers

By January, 2023 I promise to deliver to you a more accessible Nigeria, not just Lagos, leave the funding to me, just provide the gadgets ‍ ‍

Do you have a secluded Local Guides Wishlist for Christmas?

[Ewaade_3A]

Dear Accessibility champion, I hope we continue to learn from one another, Your efforts are seen and they are notable…

1. Emeka Ulor @EmekaUlor
2. Tejal Chhaya @Tejal
3. Mukul @MukulR
4. Erna LaBeau @Erna_LaBeau
5. Sonia Khorsed @SoniaK
6. Pritish Biswas @PritishB
7. Jesica Lichtensztein @Jesi #Coloresperanza
8. Sarah Kacowicz @SarahKa
9. Naresh Darji @NareshDarji
10. Alwy Paul @Dr_AlwyPaul

[Ewaade_3A]

Dear Accessibility champion, I hope we continue to learn from one another, Your efforts are seen and they are notable…

1. Sagir Adamu @Sagir

   

2. Onuka Kalu @Onukakalu

3. Chinonso Onukwugha @ChinonsoOnukwugha

4. Ermes Toun @ErmesT

5. Deliana Permatesari @doc_dells

6. Isha @Globe_trotter_Ish

7. Kashif Abdul Razzaq @KashifMisidia

8. Stephen Abraham @StephenAbraham

9. Tushar Suradkhar @TusharSuradkar

10. Md Shafiul Bashar @ShafiulB

[Ewaade_3A]

Dear Accessibility champion, I hope we continue to learn from one another, Your efforts are seen and they are notable…

1. Zuhra Lucie @Zuhralc
2. Jaala Kellam @Istillwannahavefun
3. Kalyan Pal @KalyanPal
4. Jordan Burleson @JordanSB
5. Kamal Hossain @Kamalhasnainee
6. Megan Coburn @Kwiksatik
7. Natalka Ryaba @NatalkaR
8. Alejandra Maria @AlejandraMaria
9. Ilankovan Thushyantha @IlankovanT
10. Alpha Sumareh @AlphaSays

[Ewaade_3A]

Dear Accessibility champion, I hope we continue to learn from one another, Your efforts are seen and they are notable…

I am grateful to be in your league…

1. Anshuk Mitra @AnshukMitra
2. Valentine @uavalentine
3. Penny Christie @PennyChristie
4. Abdullah Al Mamun @AbdullahAM
5. Zhanna Burunina @JaneBurunina
6. Lily Asongfac @Lily_Asongfac
7. Toyo Fujito @Love_ikoma_toyo
8. Muhammad Fachry @FachryMyID
9. Sovita @SovitaD
10. Joseph Dewey @JosephDewey

You are seen, your efforts are valuable, you are not forgotten…

[Ewaade_3A]

1. Luis Duran
2. Daniel @danielsf
3. Lynn @lynneannec

Dear Accessibility champion, I hope we continue to learn from one another, Your efforts are seen and they are notable…

[Ewaade_3A]

A Note of Gratitude to all who have shared our Stories

1. @KatieMcBroom
2. @TraciC
3. @Atsukot
4. @PoliMC
5. @Ivi_Ge
6. @AriMar
7. @GusMoreira
8. @AngieYC
9. MashaPS
10. @TsekoV
11. @DeniGu
12. Every other member of the Google Team

To date you have shared the stories of

• 44 Local Guides
• 23 males, 21 females
• 8 Indians , 5 Nigerians , 5 Americans , 4 Bangladeshis , 3 Ukrainians , 2 Australians , 2 Indonesians , 2 Brazilians , 1 Sri Lankan , 1 Dominican , 1 Japanese, 1 Cameroonian , 1 Thai , 1 Malaysian , 1 Argentine , 1 Italian , 1 Kenyan , 1 Gambian , 1 Spaniard , 1 Pakistani , and 1 Nepalese

Thank you for sharing all of these inspiring stories with the world especially with our community. Many of us have learnt a thing or two from reading about all these champions, some have even gone as far as receiving direct mentorship from them.

Thanks for all you (former contributors and former Google Employees) did and thanks for all you continue to do (current employees) to make our community a better place and the world more accessible.

You are the true, unsung heroes.

[TsekoV]

Hello @Ewaade_3A ,

As a kind reminder, please be careful of over tagging people in your posts as this might be considered harassment.

Please take a moment to recap our program rules.

[Ewaade_3A]

Oh, thank you, for the kind reminder but I do not know how to send my note of congratulations across to all of these people without mentioning them.

I have also mentioned them as a kind reminder for those who may have forgotten, for those who may want to check out their profiles or read their posts and for them to know one another.

I realized many of them are no longer active on our platform, too.

What do you suggest I do in this case?

I am sorry, you know I usually will not tag people except it is for a reasonable cause @TsekoV

P.S. - Thank you, I have gone through the Program rules again (twice), you know I studied them extensively for a meetup I did in July, 2021. I still haven’t seen what I have done wrong.

Rather, I feel some sort of pain; a subtle pain, that; after taking over 5 hours to curate this post, this is all you have to say to me.

I will be the butt of many jokes today, as many people will make screenshots and share on their Local Guides’ whatsapp groups, but, I really don’t mind. I have been laughed at many times before today, if I get laughed at one more time, my name doesn’t change from, Ewaade.

Thank you,TsekoV

[Stephanie_OWL]

@Ewaade_3A

Es ist wahrlich ein Vergnügen deinen Berichten zu folgen und die Arbeit zu sehen die du in sie steckst! Ich mag deine Ausdruckskraft und Leidenschaft!

Ich kann mich natürlich auch nicht deinen großartigen Wünschen zu Weihnachten entziehen…

Da würde ich mich tatsächlich anschließen

Ich persönlich würde mich jedoch bereits über ein T-Shirt mit dem Local Guide Logo, meinem Status und Namen freuen

[Ewaade_3A]

Thank you so much for your kind compliment @Stephanie_OWL

I appreciate

It will be a big deal to receive the Local Guides T-shirts from the Google Team, however, the team permits us to make these T-shirts following some standard procedures, so, you could make one and even customize it to your taste. I have some new ones and would have very much loved to customize and send one to you, if I find out from the postal office and the cost is not too high, I could send one in time to you for Christmas. How about that?

Talking about the Accessibility features on digital devices or in the real world, which have you seen that has stunned you the most?

P.S. - One notable Local Guide from Germany I think you should meet is @ChiaraMariaC she is such a sweet soul

[TravellerG]

Hello dear Ewaade…

I fully agree… Your post is really Impressive…

Technology - Gadgets - Accessibility…

I don’t know whether you have noticed that I’m a hearing impaired person (both the ears) - Left ear is fully dead - hence I’m forced to use a cochlear implant. And the right ear has a combination of implant and hearing aid… Why I mentioned this here is… My life is totally tied with technology for hearing - Gadgets make my hearing possible.

Of course, I do need my spectacle if I want to view things properly.

My hearing aid is Bluetooth connected with my mobile and I hear calls through it.

I very much respect all the differently abled people, because I’m a direct victim. Surely, in the coming days, we will witness a number of gadgets and Apps to support differently abled people.

I hope I have answered your question well.

Best wishes for more achievements… My dear @Ewaade_3A

[Ewaade_3A]

Can you imagine?!

If I am being entirely honest with you, I must say; I suspected once, because sometimes during the meetups, we have to repeat the words or it’s you not responding to something we have shared…

Wow! I admire your courage for sharing this right here because the issue is; many people do not even want to share for fear of being misjudged or even pitied.

You are a champ, TG @TravellerG

This brings to mind something Anil @Anil6969 will always say; "there is a lot of ability in disabilities, so never call anyone ‘disabled’, you are the true representation of perfection and these impairments have got nothing on you! I am more than proud to be associated with you and for good reasons too…

By the way, have you tried the Android upgrade?

[Stephanie_OWL]

@Ewaade_3A

Du bist ein unglaublicher Mensch! Ich bin sehr berührt von deinem Vorschlag!!

Eine persönlichen Nachricht zur genauen Einhaltung der Richtlinien zur Erstellung eines solchen T-Shirt würde ich mich tatsächlich sehr freuen!

Und nun zu deiner Frage:

Erst durch deinen Beitrag auf Connect habe ich mich mit meinem Handy auseinander gesetzt. Aktueller Status Android 12, das ist bereits sehr erfreulich, zumal ich nichts dafür machen musste

Und dann… OHA…

Was für eine Fülle an Möglichkeiten.

SENIORENMODUS aha… Größere Sichtbarkeit und dadurch bessere Lesbarkeit… Toll!

HANDSCHUHMODUS HEY, das ist auch wunderbar… Ich dachte das können nur die iPhones unserer Söhne. Wie genial beim Motorrad fahren.

VORLESEN… Finde ich ebenfalls großartig

Und auch die Farbumkehr oder die größere Schrift.

Ich wusste gar nichts von all diesen Möglichkeiten.

[Ewaade_3A]

You are an incredible person!

This is the second comment that has made me smile so much this week;

The first was this one by @AdrianLunsong where he said I am wise beyond my years, noone has ever told me that before.

It takes an incredible person to recognize another, thank you @Stephanie_OWL

I am glad I get to spend this week at home, this has given me the opportunity to, not just write, but, to Connect with awesome Local Guides like you, something I have yearned for, for a long time now.

I see you are a ‘Boy Mum’, great! May God keep your son(s).

Concerning the; ‘guidelines for making a T-shirt’, one of the older Local Guides from Nigeria @SanyaOdare told me, we should follow these Guidelines when making a Local Guides T-shirt;

1. On no part of the T-shirt must ‘Google’ be written since the name is a brand entity
2. We must not use the Google Logo for thesame reason as ‘1’
3. We can write Local Guides on the T-shirt alongside the ‘country’ or ‘state’ where we are representing
4. We can put the Local Guides’ stars on the T-shirts

I decided to share this here, so that, In case there are other guidelines I do not already know, other people may share with you, but I will still copy the same information and share with you privately.

I am glad I have been able to make you discover the functionality of the Android 12 through my post. Cheers

Danke

[Ewaade_3A]

Guess?! I just tried the Glove feature! It worked!

Thanks for sharing @Stephanie_OWL

[Tejal]

@Ewaade_3A

I like the street view option in my meet up which is held on every Thursday virtual tour on gmaps. It is very helpful for me and my students.

Regards Tejal

[Ewaade_3A]

You are such a passionate teacher! Can you please share a little more about how this helps them?

@Tejal

[Tejal]

@Ewaade_3A

I am teaching to psychology patients to every Thursday as they can’t go out so i am taking them for virtual tour on maps. With help of street view so they feel like they are in that place .and visualise for the same.

I do share some general knowledge about world .

Regards Tejal

[Anil6969]

thanks for remembering @Ewaade_3A

True they are not disabled

God has choosen them to be specially abled with lot of courage ,Gutts and PERSISTENCY which is something even we as common people lack.

so you are blessed and specially choosen by God to do something for this unique creature of almighty.

God is so graceful is not it.

stay blessed.

regards

Anil